There are many ways to improve flash photography. One solution is to use the bounce card, or to use as you said a bigger, improved bounce card. Another much better solution is to use a wall or corner or ceiling in the room you are in to bounce off. Tilt the flash unit head to the side or up and bounce it off the wall, making sure it hits the subject. Other options that are much more powerful is to use your flash unit OFF camera. This can be accomplished with an off-camera-shoe-cord, or sync cable if the D80 of yours has one of those ports. Check out www.strobist.blogspot.com for an amazing resource of off camera lighting.