Along I-64 Drive, There's a Blue and Red Buzz
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Time: 03-26-2012 22:20 User: rtaylor2 PubDate: 03-27-2012 Zone: KY Edition: 1 Page Name: C6 Color: CyanMagentaYellowBlack C6 | TUESDAY,MARCH 27, 2012 | THE COURIER-JOURNAL SPORTS | courier-journal.com/sports KY NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT Along I-64 drive,there’sablue and redbuzz SOMEWHERE IN KENTUCKY Mike Street. that all fall into it.” way mark between the two New Year’sEve, all rolled into — OK, the dateline can’tbefound Lopresti “Youshould »10:30 a.m., Frankfort: schools, but the only signs of life one,” Mickey says. on MapQuest. But Monday was see the bank,’’she Driving into the state capital, I at this DMZ are two truck stops. As Ileave, they’re arguing the day to hit the Final Four answers. dial up the governor’soffice to »12:15 p.m. Shelbyville: with customer Keith Owens over Trail; Interstate 64, starting with United Bank is see if he might comment. “You “Fifteen miles up the road, which coach has more baggage, the University of Kentucky and the old train de- want to talk to the most conflict- you’re on the blue side,’’Tommy and Iwonder if maybe there ending with the University of pot, and there ed man in America?’’awoman Hayes explains at the Main should be no sharp objects Louisville. might be green in asks over the phone. Street Barber Shop. “Fifteen around. But how would they cut It was like driving 70-odd the cash drawers Gov.Steve Beshear is in a miles the other way,you’re on anybody’shair? miles from Lee’scamp to but blue on the budget meeting, but he has is- the red side. We’re in the mid- »1p.m., Louisville: The Grant’s. walls. Youdon’t sued astatement: “The best dle.” name of the Cardinal Hall of »9a.m., Lexington: Chris know who they’d thing about this game is that a Which is why the shop logo is Fame Café, not far from Chur- Cross and Matthew Laurence are rather less see come in, abank team from Kentucky will play red, white and blue. Neutrality. chill Downs, pretty much de- having coffee just across the robber or aLouisville fan. for the national title.” Nothing neutral inside, scribes the motif. What might street from Rupp Arena, dis- Iask Susan the teller,who At Rick’sWhite Light Diner though. Hayes works one bar- happen if aKentucky fan hap- cussing their afternoon radio doesn’twant to give her last on the Kentucky River,crawfish ber’schair as aUKfan, Kenny pened to walk in, and who better sports talk show. name, what would happen if pie is the specialty.Rick Paul Mickey the other as afervent to ask than the bartender? “Ithink madness is an under- Kentucky actually lost. proclaims Frankfort mostly a Louisville fan. Do the customers “You’d be taking achance,” statement,’’Cross is saying. “I “Them’sfighting words,’’she Wildcat town, but says his grand- ever debate? Lamont Samuels says, but come want to ask the question (on the answers. son wouldn’t “root for them if it “Nobody debates more than Saturday, “there’ll be infiltra- air) what the hell will happen if Acouple walks in, and the was Kentucky against the devil.’’ us,’’Hayes says. tors.” Kentucky loses. woman shouts “Go Cats.’’Then Customer Susan Carson Lam- “Youwalked in five minutes Imentioned that afew miles “This is the ultimate must-win they go into an office to talk bert doesn’teven like basketball late,’’says Mickey. back down the road, Iheard a game I’ve ever seen in my life.’’ about their mortgage or some- and never watches. She’sinto the The shop has huge pictures of Kentucky fan refer to Louisville Laurence ponders the days thing. environment. “But Iknow Muhammad Ali, and Kentucky as “little brothers.” ahead for nervous Wildcat listen- At Railroad Drug, pharmacist they’re in the Final Four.How teams, and aslim slice of Louis- “That’saUKstate of mind,” ers. “It’sgoing to change as the and owner Ken Glass wears a could you miss it?’’ ville items in acorner. “Igive Samuel says. Bartending has week goes on. As it get closer, blue smock with UK on it. Do any »11a.m., I-64: Former coach- him alittle Louisville in the taught him one difference be- there’ll be more angst.’ Louisville fans dare live in this es Joe B. Hall and Denny Crum back,’’Hayes says. tween the two sides, he says. »9:30 a.m., Midway: I town? have had their own radio show They talk of watching the “Kentucky fans are cocky.” check in at the visitors’ center “We have one that we know for years, the two old Kentucky- game together Saturday — “I »1:30 p.m., downtown with Diane Shepard to see if this of,’’Kimberly Witt says from be- Louisville foes practicing dé- hope we still love each other,’’ Louisville: The bridge takes me is aKentucky or Louisville town, hind the counter. tente over the airwaves. “Take a says Mickey – and betting on the over the Ohio River and out of with its water-tower sign honor- Glass mentions some recent shovel and bury the hate,’’Hall game, the winner getting to Kentucky.Left behind is astate ing the 1937 state high school Rick Pitino quotes. “It’slike he tells the audience. shave the loser’smustache. waiting, in various forms of anxi- basketball champions, and rail- says things that egg it on. Unfor- »11:30 a.m, Waddy/Peyto- “Ithink it’sgoing to be the Su- ety,for abasketball game Satur- road tracks running down Main tunately,there are abunch of us na exit: Nearly the exact half- per Bowl, slash Derby,slash day night. CRAWFORD: Dieng’sfather ahugerole model Continued from Page C1 with people.’ ” These days, it’snot unusual to always told me. I’m going to give see Dieng stopped on campus, you food, I’m going to feed you talking to just about anybody. well, I’m going to get you Coach Rick Pitino said he’s clothes, I’m going to take you to impressed with Dieng’sdedica- school. But don’tever think that tion —and his potential. Pitino you’re going to get my money told Dieng that he was going to one day. drive him like he’d never been “... Then he took that money driven. Dieng asked him what and gave it to the poor.Bought “drive” meant. them food, clothes, took their “Ilove Gorgui so much,” kids and got them school stuff. Pitino said. “We’re not ahumble And Ilearned from that. Why society,athletes today.The Afri- could Inot be like him one day? can athletes are so humble and Make my own money,helping hungry.It’sjust so much fun poor people and people that need coaching him because he’sa it. Ithink he’sarole model and throwback.” he taught me how important For example, Dieng throws school is. ... Youneed to be smart The Cards’ Gorgui Dieng goes up out statements like, “Idon’tplay to be successful in this life.” against Florida’sScottie Wilbekin this game to make enemies, only Does Dieng have your atten- on Saturday in Phoenix. SAM friends,” and refuses to talk tion yet? He certainly had the UPSHAWJR./THE COURIER-JOURNAL trash to opponents because “why attention of national reporters in would Iwant to make another Kentucky coach John Calipari, shown Sunday in Atlanta, said he’s Phoenix last week for the West talent scouts at aWithout Bor- player feel bad? It could be me.” “not worried” about the rivalry. SCOTT UTTERBACK/THE COURIER-JOURNAL Regional. It was so different a ders tournament, and wound up And then there’sthe NBA. message from those you usually in, of all places, Huntington, Dieng wants to go to the NBA as against Georgetown” in 1985 to hear at tournament time that W. Va.Rob Fulford, basketball much as any player in the Final FOCUS: UK, beat the Cats. Nova shot 77 per- Dieng stood out even more than coach at Huntington Prep, re- Four.But for different reasons. cent in that game to topple the usual, which is quite abit for a members the day he sat his new “If Imade it to the NBA one heavily favored Hoyas despite player so tall with astory so basketball player in achair in day,that would be 70 percent of UofLhave having lost twice to them in the different. his office and tried to talk to my goals,” he said. “And I’m regular season. And NBA scouts are starting him. going to change people’slives eyeonball The buildup of the annual to notice, too. After his perfor- “Istarted trying to have a where I’m from. They’re going UofL/UK game cannot com- mance in the NCAA Tournament, conversation with him, and he to look at me and realize how Continued from Page C1 pare to what will take place this he’sexpected to climb up the just broke down in tears,” Ful- important school and education week, if for no other reason the mock draft boards for the 2013 ford said. “It was culture shock. are. They’re going to understand of the year; it doesn’tmatter,” stakes that are involved. draft, though it seems unlikely He was away from home and it Iget where Iamthrough school. Caliparisaidinateleconference Pitino said that while he Dieng would leave for the NBA just hit him that his parents Because some kids where I’m Monday. “If you win or lose, wants his players to be focused, without adegree. weren’tgoing to be around.