By Sam Draut–
Here is an overall summary of the book “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen.”
The book opens with Powell saying “I felt like I was part of the recruitment team. A lot of them players went to Louisville because of me.”
Chapter One-
It outlines Powell’s beginnings as prostitute and her connection with a barber named Tink. Tink owned a barber shop named Cardinal Kuts. Tink knew Andre McGee and asked if Powell would be interested in having some of her girls dance for some U of L players. Both Powell and Tink were avid fans of the University of Louisville. The first event the girls performed for the basketball team was at Billy Minardi Hall, the dormitory for the men’s basketball team.
Powell alluded to a convenient side door around the side of the building where special night-time visitors could enter. This encounter was the first of more than two dozen outings. She said McGee would find out which dancer each recruit and player wanted to have sex with and then negotiate a price with her, usually between $100-$120.
Powell said more than $10,000 of cash was exchanged to her for supplying the women.
All three of Powell’s daughters worked for or with her in the sex trade.
Chapter Two-
Includes a picture of her journal showing 19 of 22 U of L shows. She lists prices next to the names. The chapter goes into detail about Powell, who is a 43-year-old grandmother and the youngest of eight children. She grew up in a relatively stable home, but her mother died of breast cancer when Powell was a teenager. Powell became pregnant with her first children her junior year of high school. The last third of the chapter discusses the relationship Powell has with her three daughters, specifically going into detail with her youngest daughter named Shay.
Chapter Three-
Powell mentions two former U of L basketball players Terrence Williams and Chane Behanan. Early in chapter two, the picture of her journal of U of L shows included Williams name specifically. Powell says she met former U of L basketball players George Goode, Terrence Jennings and Chris Smith, but did not have sex with them. Powell includes a picture of her, Russ Smith and McGee. A picture of Peyton Siva with one of the escorts is included, but Powell said Siva didn’t have sex with the dancers. There is a picture of Mangok Mathiang and two of her dancers.
Chapter Four-
Powell goes into detail about her business growing around the city of Louisville.
Chapter Five-
Powell said that McGee would make frequent trips to the ATM for more cash, but also had a large amount of bundle bills that wouldn’t have come from an ATM. She mentions Montrezl Harrell and a recruit visit her at Louisville.
Powell became offended when McGee asked for white escorts, and she turned against the program. In her journal, she said that she wanted to take Louisville down.
Chapter Six-
The chapter starts with Powell getting into personal issues, but further along, she said that she discovered some 700 text messages exchanged with McGee had disappeared from her phone because of a virus. Powell brings up Russ Smith and Wayne Blackshear.
Chapter Seven-
Powell explains dealings with Louisville recruit JaQuan Lyle and the Cardinals’ run to the national championship. McGee cuts out the connection for a few months, but gets back into the circle.
Chapter Eight-
McGee tells Powell that he is leaving for a new job at UMKC. Behanan is also leaving the city of Louisville. Powell outlines an encounter with recruit Antonio Blakeney. McGee made a money transfer at Walmart to Powell.
Chapter Nine-
Tink’s name is given out, Paul Puryear. The University of Louisville and officials were contacted, but did not respond.
Photo courtesy / IBJ Book Publishing LLC
