In an unanticipated press conference on Friday afternoon in Louisville, university president James Ramsey announced an immediate self-imposed postseason ban for the men’s basketball team. This falling on the sword moment is a transparent one, exemplifying cowardice and a complete disregard for its student-athletes. With this move, Louisville, which has been investigating allegations made by Katina Powell in her book published last fall, “Breaking Cardinal Rules,” is indirectly acknowledging that the former escort is credible in her claims. Attempting to get out in front of it and punishing the program ahead of the NCAA, Ramsey said that his decision was in the best interests of the university in hopes that this there would be no further penalty.
Keep those fingers crossed, Mr. Ramsey. But while you’re at it, go ahead and present your two middle ones to the kids you just robbed of the opportunity of a lifetime. Because that is essentially what you’ve done here. In an effort to save the future viability of the Louisville basketball program, you’ve sacrificed a group that had no hand in past indiscretions. Yet again, we are unfortunately reminded in these situations that the only true victims are the players who actually put the uniforms on and leave it all out on the court for our enjoyment.
Presumed to be a middle-tier ACC squad this season, these Cardinals had to this point coalesced into a unit with potential to make a Final Four run. Coming off its most impressive win to date, a six-point home defeat of #2 North Carolina, Louisville was formulating the look of a team that could again advance deeply in March — the Cards have been to the regional final or better in three of the last four seasons. Sitting in second place in the ACC at 7-2, the Cards have overachieved to the tune of an 18-4 overall record and a top 10 rating from KenPom.
Yet through no fault of their own, this team has been stripped of its opportunity to chase their dreams. Ramsey’s decision, while assuredly gutless, is also somewhat curious. A similar self-imposed ban at Syracuse a season ago was widely viewed as throwing a mediocre team under the bus to save future ones. With this season’s central characteristic being devoid of a powerhouse favorite, the upcoming NCAA Tournament would appear to be one of the more wide-open such events we have seen in quite some time — one ripe for a team captained by a two-time National Championship coach and led by a pair of experienced guards to have made some noise.
And it is those guards, graduate transfers Damion Lee and Trey Lewis, who have been most wronged here. The pair of graduate transfers, from Drexel and Cleveland State, respectively, arrived with the clear expectation that they would experience an NCAA Tournament. Almost as soon as they set foot on campus, they walked into scandal and chaos. While others were absent at ACC Media Day in late October, it was Lee and Lewis who were put on the hot seat and forced to answer questions about potential violations of which they had no involvement or knowledge. Pitino, who steadfastly maintains that he has never had any knowledge of Powell’s allegations, said the two players broke down into tears when he informed them of the devastating news. There will be no March Madness for Lee or Lewis this season, and why not?
If Ramsey gets his wish, Louisville basketball won’t look much different in three years than it does today. He’s clearly playing the long game in the hopes that no further sanctions will arrive on his doorstep. Recruiting presumably won’t miss a beat, and the Cardinals, per usual, will continue competing for conference and national crowns. For Pitino, this season’s result will be a mere footnote on a long and accomplished resume that includes the Hall of Fame and a pair of rings. It is the players, rather, who were fleeced of a well-earned opportunity at cementing their own places in college basketball history who will be forgotten. And that, in a story that has had so much repugnance and ignominy over the past several months, is by far the biggest shame.