Whatever has transpired since this writing (Monday), the sports world may have a new America’s Team. With special passion, does USA love its underdogs? Consider the Pittsburgh Pirates.

At mid-summer, the Pirates had gotten hold of hearts and minds of fans across western Pennsylvania. By October, the team had attracted 20-plus sell-out crowds at PNC Park. Broadcaster Greg Brown’s Raise the Jolly Roger! call at the end of each of 96 wins, had gotten attention across the land.

By last Sunday evening, the too-long lowly Pirates had throttled Cincinnati four straight, cost Dusty Baker his job, and had a 2-1 playoff lead against the division champion St. Louis Cardinals.

These autumn days, with our ugly politics in Washington, government shutdowns and unsettling shootings and hatefulness across the land, however October plays out, the underdog Pirates have risen to become a symbol of hope and optimism.

Raise the Jolly Roger!

KENTUCKY FOOTBALL

The good news: The Wildcats play Alabama.

The bad news: The Wildcats play Alabama.

To the first, UK fans will see how a synchronized and efficient football machine executes. Mark Stoops’ team gets to measure itself against the best.

The bad news: With a trip to Mississippi State following next week’s open date, this stretch demonstrates the respect level Kentucky football must change with SEC schedule-makers.

What useful items from the South Carolina game?

√ Time of possession, 30:15 minutes. Improved decision-making at quarterback. No turnovers and two penalties.

√ Public address man increasing mention of names Timmons, Kemp, Montgomery, Hatcher and McClain. A year ago, all were in high school.

√ And, Mark Stoops turned testy, showed players tough love from the sidelines.

WKU & PRIME TIME

Opportunity comes a knocking. In a schedule-making coup of sorts, Western Kentucky has a television prime time football exclusive next week.

Bob Petrino’s Hilltoppers host Louisiana Lafayette on Tuesday night. ESPN2.

With a week-and-half to prepare, WKU (4-2) faces an opponent that, in its last three games, all wins, put 70, 35 and 48 points on the board.

For football renaissance at Western this could be a crucial stepping stone game to more television exposure and a boon to recruiting.

LOUISVILLE FOOTBALL

The Cardinals smashed Temple (0-5). This week Rutgers (4-1) will be UofL’s first opponent with a winning record.

UK BASKETBALL

• DeMarcus Cousins will make $4.9 million this year. His new $62 million contract kicks in next year. After his new contract was reported last week, Cousins announced he will donate a million dollars to Sacramento charities.

Why not a donation to Kentucky charities? Maybe next time.

• Note from University of Kentucky athletics this week reminded me of a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral. It read: “The credentialing system for the 2013-14 Kentucky Men’s Basketball season is now live.”

And, “Media can purchase 2013-14 men’s basketball home season parking passes with check or credit card. They are $300 each.”

• Quiz question: Best recruiting tool for college basketball’s winningest program, Kentucky is: John Calipari, Eight NCAA titles, near two dozen players in the NBA or, Other.

Take your choice. Mine is ‘Other.’ Fans. A record 755 tents came down around Memorial Coliseum last Saturday after tickets were handed out for Big Blue Madness. A new record, 755, up from 595 a year ago.

• At a speaking engagement recently Rick Pitino said Kentucky’s current recruits constitute “the best recruiting class in 20 years. But that doesn’t mean Kentucky’s going to be the best team” this winter.

Pitino is right again.

IDEAS DEPT.

• Indiana (3-2) stunned Penn State last week. A good show at Michigan State this Saturday could signal the time is at hand for UK-IU football renewal. That Kentucky and Indiana have no basketball series is ridiculous.

• College football in Kentucky this weekend could have been more than enough to keep basketball off every newspaper sports front and television news slot if … Louisville and Kentucky had each the other’s schedule?

No. 7 UofL would host No. 1 Alabama. Kentucky would play Rutgers (4-1). The Scarlet Knights own a 28-24 win over Arkansas.

WORTH REPEATING

After more than one run-in with the law, North Carolina P.J. Hairston remains a Tar Heel. He had told the Daily Tar Heel: “I will play this season.”

Carolina athletic tutor Jack Halperin wrote coach Roy Williams a letter through the student newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel, then resigned.

“Roy, after 23 years as an academic tutor, and after going through the devastating football scandal, I am resigning in protest of your disgraceful decision to allow P.J. Hairston to remain on the team,” Halperin wrote.

“If I were arrested driving with no license, illegal drugs and a gun in a felon’s car, my employment at this University would end immediately.

“Since when does the criminal decide his fate?” – signed, Jack Halperin Athletic academic tutor.

WORTH REPEATING II

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, during an interview with ESPN last week, said something profoundly honest about over rated head-case Dwight Howard.

“Dwight is an extraordinary athlete and has incredible athletic ability, but basketball is a game where the most important muscle that you use on the court is the one between your ears,” Abdul-Jabbar said on ESPN’s “First Take” Thursday. “Dwight’s basketball IQ is not up to speed for him to be a dominant player.”

Howard’s reaction? “I am not stupid.”

PARTING SHOT

“I really don’t like talking about money. All I can say is that the Good Lord must have wanted me to have it.” – Larry Bird

And so it goes.