Will the 2013 flag emerge again? Louisville basketball supporters find a glimpse of optimism

Louisville, Kentucky (WDRB) — The rafters within the KFC Yum! Centre chronicle the narrative of Louisville basketball’s glorious days. However, one banner is missing: the 2013 national title, which the NCAA stripped.

The University of Louisville has now stated that it is time to begin discussing the possibility of bringing it back.

U of L Athletic Director Josh Heird recently stated that the institution intends to request that the NCAA reconsider the judgement in light of current changes in collegiate sports. There is no official appeals process and no precedence for restoring a voided championship. However, the request is garnering support from fans, past players, and local leaders.

Former Cardinal Jerry Eaves, who played on Louisville’s 1980 championship team, stated that history is not on UofL’s side.

“There’s a difference between feeling and fact,” Eaves informed us. “When players are involved, they become ineligible. That is why we lost the games, as well as the title. It happened before, with UCLA in 1980 and Western Kentucky in the 1970s.”

Eaves feels that while other schools, including as North Carolina and Michigan, have won championships despite huge scandals, Louisville’s offences included current players, making readmission unlikely.

However, not everyone has the same uncertainty.

Derwin Webb, a family court judge and former Louisville player, believes the 2013 team earned its championship on the court and should not have lost its banner.

“Seeing your team win the championship and hold the trophy up is something you always remember,” Webb told reporters. “I don’t believe you should ever punish children for something that did not occur on the court. After Michigan retained its championship despite in-game violations, I feel now is the best time for us to reclaim that title.”

Webb also mentioned that former Louisville player Luke Hancock successfully petitioned to get his records restored, including his Most Outstanding Player award from the 2013 Final Four.

“You can’t acknowledge that Luke was the most outstanding player and then say the championship never happened,” Webb pointed out.

Craig Greenberg, Louisville’s mayor, concurred.

“It is definitely time to bring the banner back home to Louisville, to the University of Louisville, to the Yum! Centre, where it belongs,” says Greenberg. “They know I’m there willing to support them, as are hundreds of thousands of Louisvillians across the city.”

Even former Athletic Director Tom Jurich, who guided UofL through its most successful era, believes Greenberg is the best person to assist push the case.

“I think that banner needs to be back up and I think he’s the right guy to do it,” according to Jurich. “Craig is an accomplished leader. He knows how to make decisions, and I believe that case needs to be laid out and reconsidered.”

The NCAA ordered Louisville to forfeit their 2013 national championship and 2012 Final Four appearance in 2018 after learning that a staff member arranged sex acts and parties for players and recruits. At the time, the panel determined that the “repugnant” character of the infractions deserved increased sanctions.

Since then, the NCAA has taken a softer stance in other high-profile cases, such as declining to punish Michigan following a sign-stealing scandal and allowing North Carolina to keep its titles despite an academic fraud scheme.

For Louisville, restoring the banner may be a long shot. However, for many in the city, it is about more than just tradition; it is also about pride.