Folks you are not going to believe this one. This is not one of my faux news bits

[Dr. H Lecter]

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070919/SPORTS02/709190920/1002/SPORTS


Blame ESPN for U of L game on Yom Kippur


The timing of Saturday's football game against Syracuse could affect the University of Louisville's attendance, and it has nothing to do with last week's loss at Kentucky. [Oh really?]

Saturday also is Yom Kippur, considered the holiest of all Jewish holidays. Yom Kippur, which means "Day of Atonement," runs from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday. Many Jews abstain from all work or recreational activities and attend synagogue services during the holiday.


Oy Vey! Tom Jurich has already thrown out the attendance excuse for the normally half-full Personal Pan Sized Pizza stadium. Why only 25K in attendance? Its due to the "huge" Jewish fan base that Lil-Bro enjoys spending game time in the synagogue.


U of L originally wanted the game to be at night as part of a recruiting weekend, and that might not have conflicted with the holiday. But the game was picked up by ESPN Regional as its Big East Conference matchup of the week, so U of L was contractually obligated to comply with the network's time demands. The game will be shown locally on WHAS-11.
Team spokesman Rocco Gasparro said he didn't know of any U of L players who are Jewish.


Old Rocco is not sure if Brohmstein or Urutiaberg are Jewish...but he knows his fans are.....and lots of them. I always wondered why they sold all those Kosher hot dogs and brats at the games.

I know some of you guys doubt what I've said over and over about the PR and media savvy UofL Athletic Department....and I felt vindicated when our own President took time to say it too. Naturally he was hammered for speaking the truth....but this one takes the cake. It could be the single stupidest excuse for their poor attendance [true small fan base size] that I've ever seen. The sad thing is that the CJ even printed this with a straight face.

[Brian McCat]

Wow, now that is bizarre, even for UL, Doc.

[cumberlandredskin]

I never knew there were so many Jews that lived in Louisville? Learn something new everyday.

[F4F]

What about that big Muslim population?
What if Ramadan hits during the football season.
Ramadan is a month long.
I wonder if the Hindus will be allowed to park their elephants in the camel lot?

[CatKroboth]

What about that big Muslim population?
What if Ramadan hits during the football season.
Ramadan is a month long.
I wonder if the Hindus will be allowed to park their elephants in the camel lot?

We are in Ramadan right now... And Commonwealth was packed this past Saturday...

[BlueBalls]

I read several different newpapers online. From the CJ, to the Tennessean, The AJC, and a couple from Florida. I also read Yahoo sports, CBS sportsline and a few others and NOWHERE, I mean NOWHERE have I seen the Jewish holiday referenced in ANY sports section. Was there a Scandinavian holiday the night they played Middle Tenn?? 'Cause the pizza house was only half full for that one. UL will never be a top football program.......they may have a good team from time to time, but a REAL program's fans turn out no matter when you play or who you play. Lets see football is played on Thanksgiving isn't it???

[ShelbyvilleCathead]

I actually heard someone say that the attendance would be down because Saturday @ 12noon is not a good time for a college football game.

[Dr. H Lecter]

I actually heard someone say that the attendance would be down because Saturday @ 12noon is not a good time for a college football game.

I saw that excuse too. Honestly, they said that because the start time was too early in the morning.

UofL's student would not be awake yet because he would be out late to a party on Friday night.

[TrueblueCATfan]

I actually heard someone say that the attendance would be down because Saturday @ 12noon is not a good time for a college football game.

I think attendance will be down becasue they are all still in mourning from the UK loss

[uklumpy]

Personally, I'm shocked they didn't spin it to say they play on Thursdays and Fridays to avoid any conflict with Temple on Saturday. This spin, complemented by Jurich wearing a yamulkah.

[poodoo]

I read several different newpapers online. From the CJ, to the Tennessean, The AJC, and a couple from Florida. I also read Yahoo sports, CBS sportsline and a few others and NOWHERE, I mean NOWHERE have I seen the Jewish holiday referenced in ANY sports section. Was there a Scandinavian holiday the night they played Middle Tenn?? 'Cause the pizza house was only half full for that one. UL will never be a top football program.......they may have a good team from time to time, but a REAL program's fans turn out no matter when you play or who you play. Lets see football is played on Thanksgiving isn't it???


I think your evidence says it all. Too, when I had read the CJ piece, I had just shaken my head. I had heard a radio discussion a couple of nights earlier about the possibility of Louisville's attendance's being down after the loss to UK. THEN I read the CJ article by Louisville's beat writer yesterday. Hmmn. :)

Yes, I agree with Lector that we're hearing a ridiculous EXCUSE in advance. :) Perhaps that is related to the fact that Papa John's is being expanded.

[UKhoov]

I actually heard someone say that the attendance would be down because Saturday @ 12noon is not a good time for a college football game.

They just dont get it.

Real fans show up to a game regardless of what time the game starts. Heck, I drive almost 3hrs just to see the home games!!

Real fans start tailgating @ 9am in the morning for a game being played at 7pm, a game at noon means you start tailgaiting earlier. Noon not a good time for a game.....what will they think of next?:shrug1:

[CoquieKat]

If there are enough Jewish people in Louisville to seriously affect the game attendance Saturday, they must be living in hiding or something. I never knew that many when I lived there. And of course, they're all Cardinal fans. :P

[nicholasvilleFAN]

Just a cop out for low attendance.

[poodoo]

CJ, why did most of the Card fans leave so early? Did they start feeling guilty about being at the game and not properly celebrating the holiday? :icon_mrgreen: My apologies, but I just couldn't resist after the Cards' beat writer's segment about the holiday and a possible drop in attendance! :)

[BigBlueManiac]

Why only 25K in attendance? Its due to the "huge" Jewish fan base that Lil-Bro enjoys spending game time in the synagogue.


Wikipedia says there are 8,500 Jews in Louisville. So using the "new math" it makes sense.

42,000 (chair back seats at Pizza Field)
- 8,500 (subtracting those of the Jewish faith in Louisville)
equals
25,000 (remaining filled seats)

What is there not to understand? nyuk-nyuk

[KapitalCat]

The official attendance was listed as 40,922 ..what is the maximum attendance for The Big Pizza? With all of the red seats, it's sometimes hard to tell from TV if a seat is empty if most of the fans are wearing red, but one shot from the sideline (in the second half) and it looked to me that 2/3 or more of the stadium was empty

[gerntz]

Guy I work with played on the OL for the 'Cuse in the 1970's. He was on the sidelines Saturday & lovin it.