I grew up in Louisville and grew up loving roller coasters. My primary reference point for amusement parks is Kings Island as Kentucky Kingdom did not open until I was in my early teen years.* I liked two visits I made to Kentucky Kingdom prior to its water park opening. In its early years, it did not have many rides though. I went once in 1994 before leaving Louisville as a permanent residence after the water park opened and got the worst sunburn of my life.* The fledgling park had few fully grown trees at that time. This experience contributed to my hesitancy to return to Kentucky Kingdom when I made my way back to Louisville in 2017.
This was a mistake on my part.
An Excellent Amusement Park in My Hometown
Kentucky Kingdom is located at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center near the Muhammad Ali International Airport. This is something to understand going into a visit. It is not uncommon to see airplanes approaching a landing while on a ride. If the Fair and Expo Center is hosting other events non-Kentucky Kingdom parking lots may be full.** Given its setting, Kentucky Kingdom makes great use of its space.
I estimate that the focus of Kentucky Kingdom is 50% water park, 35% rides, 5 % shows, 5 % carnival games, and 5% food. I have yet to do much with the water park due to needing to watch my kids’ stuff.
Kentucky Kingdom Hurricane Bay has it all – body slides, tube rides, lazy rivers, and its very own beach! That's why it's the perfect way to beat the heat this summer! 😎 🏄 🌊 ☀️
— Louisville Tourism (@gotolouisville) June 24, 2022
Rides
I’ll start with roller coasters. Thunder Run is a Kentucky Kingdom original wooden roller coaster that has stuck around due to being a good coaster. In the 1990s, I thought it was a little bumpy. I don’t find that to be an issue now. I read that the trains on the coaster were replaced and some adjustments to the track were made over the decades. I am not sure if those changes or me being heavier than I was in high school are why I don’t feel beaten up by Thunder Run today, but in my estimation it is a great ride.
My favorite ride at Kentucky Kingdom due to the floating
The Kentucky Flyer is the other wooden roller coaster at Kentucky Kingdom. I like it even better than I like Thunder Run. It rides a lot like the Red and Blue Racers at Kings Island despite not being as tall on its drops. The Kentucky Flyer leads to a lot of floating for its passengers. If amusement parks are supposed to amuse, this feature makes it a great ride even if it lacks an overarching sense of danger.
Kentucky Kingdom boasts 4 metal coasters: T3, Lightning Run, Storm Chaser, and Roller Skater. T3’s riders are suspended below the track. My kids are not yet up for coasters that go upside down so I can only say that three of these coasters look to have a good combination of fear and fun. Roller Skater is a ride for people of all ages. It is a small and fun coaster. There is also a ride called Eye of the Storm that is a sort of roller coaster focused on a lot of upside down time.
There are two non-water slide water rides. Mile High Falls offers a nice view of the University of Louisville’s football stadium and of Down Town Louisville before riders drop 90′ and generate a massive wave. It is really fun, but it is not a log flume of old that takes one on a long journey before the drop. Raging Rapids is a longer ride than Mile High Falls and simulates white water rafting. The fact that this ride exists demonstrates that Kentucky Kingdom has made good use of its space.
Kentucky Kingdom has a nice bumper car ride as well as an old time car ride. There are plenty of spinning rides ranging from the tame spinning shoes of the Flying Dutchman to more extreme spinning rides. I do not like to spin so the most I can say is that the rides are there. There are a number of other fair type rides such as a viking ship, a carousel, and a large Ferris wheel as well. The kids’ section is stocked with fun rides.
There is an amphitheater that currently is housing a show for stunt dogs run by a group that raises awareness and funds for pet adoption and spay and neuter programs. There is also a staging area being used for a group of the Harlem Globetrotters ensemble to demonstrate trick shots and dunks.
Herschend runs a fun, clean, and safe amusement park
Cost and The Season Pass
We got a Gold Season Pass prior to the summer. It has worked out well. It includes free parking, free admission, access to a limited number of free tickets for friends, free drinks, and 20% off of food purchases. As one might expect, food is expensive at amusement parks, but the free drinks and discounted food help. Like most season passes, if you attend two-times, it pays for itself. I think people in the greater Louisville area would find this to be the best option, but individual admission is not terribly expensive.
Disability Awareness
I have been impressed both by Kentucky Kingdom’s approach to disabled guests and to their employment of disabled people. Guests with disabilities are given ride passes that allow for reaching rides via the exits. Elevators and other accommodations are present as well. Most of the workers one sees are in either their high school or college years. I have seen two different blind people from this age group working jobs at Kentucky Kingdom.
Cleanliness and Safety
The park is extremely clean. I have seen the wave pool’s life guards intervene when horseplay could endanger those in the wave pool.
OverallImpression
Sometimes theme parks can become gimmicky in an attempt to raise revenue. Kentucky Kingdom in 2022 seems to have the gimmick of not needing any gimmicks, and I like that. It is a fun and safe place to spend summer days. It also offers people various water options for staying cool. This simple approach of providing an affordable fun experience while being located in the middle of the Greater Louisville Area should be enough to keep locals coming back and to attract plenty of guests who live a bit further away. Highly Recommended
*I will do a lengthier review of Hurricane Bay, Kentucky Kingdom’s water park, once I personally engage in some of its attractions. I can say that my children love it and that it does seem to have a good variety of attractions ranging from a wave pool, a kids’ wave pool, multiple water slides of varying degrees of height/thrill, and a lazy river ride.
**Holiday World is not far from Louisville, but my one trip there was in my preschool days when it was known as Santa Claus Land. All I remember from that is that my brother had more success against the Tic Tac Toe playing chicken than most adults. I think he did no worse than a draw, but that was also 40 years ago. I am sure Holiday World is more than a little different today than it was then.
*** Historic Freedom Hall is on the same general site as Kentucky Kingdom. Freedom Hall is an arena that hosted 6 NCAA Final Fours, it used to be home to the Louisville Cardinals, and it is currently the home of the Bellarmine Knights. It seats over 18,000 fans for basketball games and over 19,000 fans for concerts.
Photo by Angie on Pexels.com Not a ride at Kentucky Kingdom, but I will replace this photo with one from the park ASAP
I am not a foodie or whatever the term is. I will be doing future in-depth reviews, but here are a few locally-owned Kentucky places I like to eat. Check these out:
Highland Coffee – I made my first visit recently. The coffee and vegan foods were affordable and good. Parking can be tricky, but there are plenty of side streets for parking.
Lexington:
Joe Bologna’s – I always enjoy eating here when visiting Lexington.
I am a vegetarian, and all of these places have vegetarian options. Highland Coffee has a lot of vegan options as well.
Basketball is an institution in the state of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville are routinely among the best teams in the NCAA. Murray State, Western Kentucky, the ABA’s defunct Kentucky Colonels, and many other programs all play a part in making Kentucky one of the homes of basketball. Still, UK vs. U of L in terms of who has better facilities, better recruits, better coaches, and more importantly who wins when these two teams play head-to-head is the main course of basketball within the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
A Few Rules for the Rivalry Emerged in the Early Years when the Game was the Dream Game
Rule 1 – Acrimony Between Fans, Coaches, Players, Kids at Bus Stops Waiting to go to School, etc.
Rule 2 – UK thought it was better than U of L
Rule 3 – U of L Pressed and Ran while UK played a Slower Style of Power Basketball
Rule 4 – UK was Considered by Nearly Everyone to be the More Corrupt and More Likely to Cheat of the Two Programs
Rule 5 – Home Court Meant a Huge Advantage
Rule 6 – Football did not Factor into the Equation
In 1983, Louisville was the #1 seed in the region and got to play Kentucky for a spot in the Final Four. Kentucky had refused to play Louisville for decades and acrimony existed between the two teams and two fanbases. Louisville won that game by 12 in overtime. Kentucky built a solid first-half lead, but Louisville’s zone press wore Kentucky down. When regulation ended, UK’s legs were gone and U of L proved any point it needed to in claiming parody with their blue-blooded neighbor to the east. Of course, Louisville won the 1980 NCAA title and reached the Final Four in 1982 so this win hammered home a point that should have been clear already. U of L had become an elite team in college hoops long before UK started playing them. As a young UK fan, I did not see Louisville’s prominence as clearly as I do looking back on it now.
In 1983, all of these rules were in place for their basketball rivalry. In 2020, I don’t think much remains from the original circumstances. I will take each rule one by one and see what is left of the rivalry.
Rule 1 – Acrimony Between Fans, Coaches, Players, Kids at Bus Stops Waiting to go to School, etc.
These two guys did not like each other no matter how much H&S Hardware paid them to look that way
The acrimony between fans is a given, but I don’t think it is as intense as it was at various stages of the rivalry. Louisville’s annual tilts with Duke, UNC, and UVA make their ACC schedule much more daunting than concerns about Memphis (then Memphis State) in the Metro Conference. Kentucky is not the only game against a traditional NCAA blue blood on U of L’s schedule. U of L lost to UK last year in the YUM! Center but also posted wins at UNC and over Michigan State. Kentucky plays a slate of interesting teams on neutral floors every season as well. Fans can revel or suffer in those games as well as their annual match-up with their in-state archrival.
The coaches and players at each school take this game seriously. Denny Crum and Tubby Smith’s low-key demeanor kept the coaching acrimony at a lower level than today, but John Calipari and Chris Mack have not had any dust-ups (yet). There has been no Eddie Sutton describing Louisville as Kentucky’s “little brother.” Rick Pitino took turns rattling the cages of each fanbase with lines such as “Did she order Crum cake?” and “the best Italian restaurant in Lexington is the Outback Steakhouse.” There is also no Rick Pitino-John Calipari one-ups-manship either.
When I grew up in Louisville, there were many divisions at recess or bus stops based upon one’s rooting interests. I don’t doubt that this still happens, but I am guessing fistfights are not part of this equation. Kids looking at screens have some advantages I guess.
The Verdict – Rule 1 is Still in Place but in a Diminished State
Rule 2 – UK thought it was better than U of L
Again, some UK fans probably think this, but U of L has been ranked #1 during the 2019-20 season despite prostitution and paying players scandals. UK can hang its hat on a commanding 28-12 modern series lead. Yet, sane fans have to see that both programs are loaded with ingredients for fielding good teams every year.
The Verdict – Rule 2 exists among Zealots (and there are plenty of them), but the Existence of the Yearly Home and Home Game is Proof that the Programs are on Similar Ground
Rule 3 – U of L Pressed and Ran while UK played a Slower Style of Power Basketball
After the initial loss in 1983 in which Denny Crum’s press wore UK down, UK beat U of L twice during the 1983-84 season. UK won a regular season and NCAA Sweet 16 game in Rupp Arena vs. Louisville. UK ran a twin towers offense with a slowish big man in Mel Turpin alongside the more agile Sam Bowie. U of L pressed and ran. UK had big strong players in the paint.
The story remained true. UK was power basketball even if new coach Eddie Sutton switched to a man-to-man defense that attacked passing lanes while U of L ran and pressed.
Then the three-point shot entered college basketball
Eddie Sutton in his second season started to shift this rule of the rivalry. UK beat Louisville by over 30 on their home court in large part due to three-point shooting from Rex Chapman, Derick Miller, and James Blackmon. Denny Crum who played an uptempo style and was seen as more cutting edge than Joe B. Hall or Eddie Sutton prior to the three-point line being added to NCAA hoops. Crum complained mightily about the rule change and seemed a bit more cranky than cutting edge. Still, Sutton was not exactly the new wave of basketball.
Then Kentucky Hired Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino’s pressing and three-point shooting UK squads reversed the narrative about Kentucky being a ball control and power basketball team. Crum took a lot of heat from his fans over UK’s utilization of the three-point shot. Pitino was in his late 30s when he arrived at UK and came from the NBA as a fairly successful coach of the New York Knicks.
Then Louisville Hired Rick Pitino
In a sense, this gave Louisville a cutting edge feel. Pitino had great success at Louisville, but his teams’ successes tended to come from tenacious defense and extreme conditioning more so than from an overpowering offense. Pitino was older and his time with the Boston Celtics did not go as well as his stint with the New York Knicks. Pitino was still one of the best NCAA coaches, but he was not initiating a paradigm shift in college hoops at U of L.
John Calipari Embraced the One-and-Done Path to the NBA
Calipari is 11-2* vs. U of L
Kentucky is one of two programs, the other being Duke, that attempts to grab as many first-round NBA picks out of high school as possible. Kentucky made this move first. So whether this seems innovative to fans who have to learn new rosters each season, Kentucky is viewed as innovative by highschool prospects.
The Verdict – This Rule is Dead and Probably has been since the 1989-90 Season when UK Hoisted so Many Three-Point Shots
Rule 4 – UK was Considered by Nearly Everyone to be the More Corrupt and More Likely to Cheat of the Two Programs
This is a depressing analysis so I will keep it brief. Eddie Sutton and his staff brought NCAA allegations upon UK that it paid recruits and doctored ACT scores to get players to Lexington. Eddie Sutton managed to coach one more season posting UK’s only losing season in the past 80+ years (measuring from 2019). UK’s woes under Sutton reconfirmed earlier perceptions of UK being a program that often ran afoul the NCAA.
Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith avoided any scandals at UK, but the perception of the two programs was not seriously altered. When UK hired John Calipari in 2009, its reputation plus Calipari’s NCAA troubles at UMass and Memphis likely made rule #4 even more firmly felt.
Then U of L won it all only to lose it all.
In the 2012-13 season, Rick Pitino won at the YUM! to move to 1-4 vs. Calipari as the UK coach. Louisville won the 2013 NCAA title. Both fanbases should have been fat and happy given that UK won the 2012 NCAA title. Prior to the 2015-16 season, U of L had an allegation made by a madam that she was hired to help lure recruits to U of L by providing exotic dancers and prostitution for players and recruits. U of L self-imposed a post-season ban. Prior to the 2017-18 NCAA basketball season, allegations of U of L being involved in paying recruits while on probation came to light. This led to Rick Pitino’s termination as the U of L men’s basketball coach. The NCAA made U of L vacate their 2013 NCAA title and 2012 Final Four appearances due to the prostitution scandal.
The Verdict – No matter what Calipari’s reputation is or what UK has done in its past: prostitution in dorms to lure recruits permanently ended Rule 4
Rule 5 – Home Court Meant a Huge Advantage
This rule is still in place for UK, but U of L has losing records in both the Yum! and Freedom Hall vs. UK. UK is 16-4 in Rupp Arena, 3-2 in the Yum! and 7-6 in Freedom Hall against Louisville. UK is 1-0 in New Orleans and 1-0 in Indianapolis vs. Louisville while Louisville is 1-0 in Knoxville vs. UK. The modern series is 28-12 in favor of Kentucky. UK is 3-1 in NCAA tournament games and 2-1 in neutral court NCAA tournament games.
Eddie Sutton drew first blood on the road in the series. Entering the 1986-87 season U of L was the defending NCAA champion, and UK had a young roster that lost an exhibition game to Yugoslavia before that was something one might expect. To this point, UK was 3-0 in Rupp Arena in modern games vs. Louisville but 0-1 on a neutral floor (Knoxville) and 0-1 in Freedom Hall. UK took a 4-2 advantage in the modern rivalry by winning on the road. Rex Chapman, James Blackmon, and Derick Miller hit a lot of threes and led UK to a win vs. the defending NCAA champions on their home court. This game ended with chants of “Go Big Blue!” in U of L’s home of Freedom Hall.
The Verdict – UK has won 80% of its games vs. U of L in Rupp Arena. U of L won 46% of its games vs. UK in Freedom Hall and 40% of its games vs. UK in the YUM! Center to this point. Rule 5 is currently only in place for UK. Also, U of L may petition to have some games vs. UK played in Knoxville.
Rule 6 – Football did not Factor into the Equation
Kentucky is a Hoops First State, but it is not a Hoops Only State
In 1983, UK fans could remember some big win totals and big troubles under football coach Fran Curci. Jerry Claiborne ran a clean football program that won a good share of games and led the NCAA in academic achievement. Claiborne with today’s 12-game regular-season schedule and expanded bowl schedule would have likely reached 7 bowl games in 8 seasons. Claiborne did take Kentucky to two bowl games.
In 1983, U of L football was not successful. In 1985, U of L hired Howard Schnellenberger and began a remarkable program building process. UK and U of L have played an annual football game since 1994. U of L leads the modern series with UK 15-11. U of L has won the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Sugar Bowl after nearly discontinuing its football program in the early 1980s. U of L also produced a Heisman Trophy winner in Lamar Jackson. Since hiring Schnellenberger U of L has posted notable wins over Alabama, Notre Dame, Florida, Miami, Florida State, and West Virginia.
Kentucky’s football program has been rockier than U of L’s since 1990. Bill Curry ran a clean program that managed to win 1/3 of its games over 7 seasons. Hal Mumme and Mike Leach introduced the Air Raid offense to UK fans and the NCAA world. Despite this offense leading to other permutations and totally changing high school and college football (and it is starting to change the NFL), UK landed on probation after reaching 2 bowl games in Mumme’s 4 years. Tim Couch was a Heisman finalist and #1 NFL draft pick, but Mumme’s era left no lasting impact on the program as UK is not known as the birthplace of the Air Raid or spread.
UK has gone to 9 bowl games in the past 14 seasons winning 5 of those bowl games. None of those bowl-bound teams ran the Air Raid or its successor formations. UK did defeat a BCS national champion LSU team in the regular season, broke its long-losing streaks to the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators and won bowl games over Penn State, Clemson, and Florida State.
The Verdict – Football is a major consideration for both fanbases. Football contributes to the UK-U of L rivalry, but it also gives fanbases something else to focus on than NCAA hoops for 12 months. For instance, U of L lost a heart-pounding overtime game on December 27, 2019 in Rupp Arena only to win a bowl game in Nashville on December 30, 2019. It is hard for a fanbase to be too down over one basketball game if wins, losses, and recruiting in another sport are also occupying the mind of a given fanbase. Had UK lost to Louisville in overtime, its December 31st bowl win over Virginia Tech would have also soothed the fans. Rule #6 is completely gone
In conclusion, very little of what made the 1983 Elite 8 game between UK and U of L so important is still in place. Acrimony exists but has declined, only a fool would not see U of L as an elite NCAA program, no one really presses and runs in NCAA basketball any longer, both programs are viewed by many as being corrupt, only one school enjoys a helpful home-court edge, and football is a major concern for both schools and fanbases now.
Why is UK vs. U of L still a great game in 2019-20 if the 1982-83 dynamics are nearly all gone?
I think the point of the home-and-home annual series was to act as a pressure release valve. Adding an annual football game in 1994 added a second pressure release valve. If these schools did not play each other, co-workers and family members with divergent rooting interests would be caught up in a never-ending argument of “what if” scenarios while hoping NCAA match-makers and bowl selections would create a dream game in basketball or football.
This game is not a great game because one school refuses to play the other. It is a great game because each school has a lot in common and fights for the same oxygen. Kentucky and Louisville’s men’s basketball teams sell a lot of tickets to regular-season games regardless of the opponent. Both fanbases produce good ratings for those who broadcast college basketball.
@LouisvilleMBB at @KentuckyMBB Saturday on @wlky got a 30 rating, 54 share. Monster deserving numbers and another reminder the Louisville tv market is number 1 in the country for college basketball.
There are only five to ten schools that really care about college basketball. UK and U of L are two of those schools. Playing makes sense and since both fanbases care, the game takes on a lot of regular-season meaning. In 1985-86, UK beat U of L only to see Louisville go on to win the 1986 NCAA title. In 1997-98, U of L beat UK only to see Kentucky go on to win the 1998 NCAA title. The NCAA basketball regular season has gotten longer and less meaningful over my time watching the sport. It is nice that this game remains important, but I am glad not to have fistfights over it like I did in 1984.
Would any fan trade a NCAA Title for a Regular Season Win – NO! But Regular Season Games can be Important to Fans
*U of L vacated its wins from the 2012-13 season including a win over UK.
The University of Kentucky football team took a page out of Western Kentucky’s book and won their 2019 bowl game in the closing moments of regulation. Kentucky scored a seeming game-winning touchdown with 15 seconds remaining taking a 31-30 lead.
Kentucky tacked on another 6 as their defense squashed a lateral and ran the ball into the endzone with no time remaining to make the final score UK 37 – Va Tech 30. Kentucky started their season 2-0, but their starting quarterback, Terry Wilson, who was a more than respectable 12-3 as a starter. Kentucky lost the next 3-games prior to shifting to a remade offense.
The new offense featured former wide-receiver Lynn Bowden, Jr. playing quarterback for a run early and run often offense that bedeviled many of UK’s remaining opponents. The Wildcats closed their season out by winning 6 of 8 games including back-to-back wins over ACC teams that finished 2019 with 8 wins. Bowden threw a touchdown pass to tie the game allowing the Wildcats to kick an extra point to take a 31-30 lead. Bowden also ran for two touchdowns and claimed 2019 Belk Bowl MVP.
Kentucky had their best season in decades in 2018 winning 10 games including wins over perennial powers such as the Florida Gators and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Their 2018 Citrus Bowl trophy was a testament to Mark Stoops’ slow rebuild of a program that has always been hard to build. Another bowl victory, another solid recruiting class, and 8 wins in 2019 help to establish that Kentucky is in a new place as football program. Consolidating the gains and momentum of a historic 2018 by overcoming adversity in 2019 and winning four-consecutive games places Kentucky onto more solid and lofty football ground than it has occupied in decades. The Wildcats’ have a bright outlook on 2020.
Here is a Look at Mark Stoops’ 7 Seasons as Head Football Coach at the University of Kentucky:
One year after both Louisville and Western Kentucky endured disappointing seasons that resulted in coaching changes, both programs won bowl games.
Western Kentucky went 3-9 in 2018 and subsequently parted ways with coach Mike Sanford. In 2019, Tyson Helton coached the Hilltoppers to an 8-4 regular season. Today, WKU beat Western Michigan at the SERVPRO First Responder bowl 23-20 on a field goal with no time remaining on the clock. The victory in Dallas pushed WKU to a 9-4 record and completed a remarkable turnaround from 2018.
Louisville endured a brutal 2018 season finishing 2-10 after posting 8-consecutive winning seasons that included a 2012 Sugar Bowl Victory for coach Charlie Strong and a 2016 Heisman Trophy award for the preternatural Lamar Jackson. 2018 was a cratering experience for a program that has had wins at the Sugar, Orange, and Fiesta Bowls since 1990.
Bobby Petrino was released after U of L fell to 2-8 in 2018. Louisville hired Scott Satterfield from Appalachian State, won 7-regular season games, finished second to Clemson in the Atlantic division, and won for an 8th time in 2019 by beating Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl. Louisville rallied from a 14 point deficit to win 38-28.
Tutu Atwell does everything for Louisville. Throws a 33-yard TD pass in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl on the double pass. pic.twitter.com/y01vaV9UTq
The #3 University of Louisville Cardinals traveled 70 miles east to play the #19 University of Kentucky in their annual rivalry game. Both teams have spent time ranked #1 during this season. Kentucky entered the game with most of the pressure. UK lost two straight games prior to today’s clash. Three-game losing streaks are not common at Kentucky, and losing to an in-state rival to cap a three-game skid was a bad but realistic prospect.
Kentucky has also dominated their rivalry with U of L since John Calipari became head coach. Calipari was 10-2 versus Louisville as UK’s head coach prior to today having won all 5 previous games in Lexington. Calipari also has wins over U of L in an NCAA Final Four game in New Orleans in 2012, an NCAA Sweet 16 game in Indianapolis in 2014, and 3 of 5 games at Louisville’s YUM! Center. One would think that UK being 10-2 over 10-years versus a rival would keep pressure off of John Calipari and his players, but U of L’s Chris Mack is only in his second season at U of L.
Chris Mack winning in Lexington would level his series with UK at 1-1 and send a message that U of L had changed the course of the rivalry. Chris Mack inherited a depleted roster last season. Jordan Nwora and Steven Enoch removing their names from the NBA draft spearhead a roster full of players with a full season of Chris Mack’s coaching under their belts. U of L also signed six freshmen. Physically, this Louisville team matched up much better with Kentucky than last season’s U of L squad. Of course, UK lost P. J. Washington and Tyler Herro to the NBA from their 2018-19 roster as well. In 2019-20, Kentucky lacked some of Louisville’s bulk in the paint, but UK’s long arms and quick guards were likely to bother Louisville’s perimeter players.
The game was fairly even until late in the first half when Kentucky pushed their lead to 8. In the second half, Kentucky expanded its lead to 12 until Nick Richards received his 3rd foul. Without Richards, who is listed at 6’11” 247 lbs., Louisville’s frontcourt turned the game in U of L’s favor. Richards returned and nearly immediately picked up his 4th foul. Louisville was able to tie and take several small leads during the remainder of regulation. With the game tied late, Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey missed a shot and Keion Brooks’ had a tip-in rim out at the buzzer. Kentucky and Louisville were headed toward their first overtime game since their 1983 Elite 8 clash.
Overtime for the First Time Since 1983
Overtime saw many momentum swings. Kentucky missed a three-pointer but seemingly had an offensive rebound that it lost. Louisville took full advantage and hit a 3 to break a tie at 2:22 remaining. U of L led 68-65. Nick Richards scored and hit a free-throw to level the game. Kentucky and Louisville traded baskets from their centers as Richards put UK ahead 70-68 while Enoch answered to level the game at 70 with 47 seconds remaining. Nick Richards drew a foul and hit two free throws to put UK ahead 72-70 with 28 seconds remaining. Immanuel Quickley got a defensive rebound and was fouled. Quickley hit two free throws to put UK up 4 with 17 seconds remaining. UK forced two turnovers in the final seconds resulting in two free throws from Tyrese Maxey and a dunk from Ashton Hagans leading to an 8-point margin for victory.
The Historical Status of the Rivalry
UK improved to 28-13 in their modern rivalry with U of L
UK is 25-12 in Regular Season Games in the modern rivalry and 3-1 in NCAA tournament games vs. U of L in the modern rivalry
John Calipari moved to 11-2 versus U of L and Chris Mack is now 0-2 versus UK
Nick Richards – The Kentucky big man put up 13 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and played good defense against Louisville’s impressive frontline.
Steven Enoch – The Louisville big man put up 18 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. His ability to shoot jumpers could make him a lot of money at the next level.
Tyrese Maxey – The first-year player scored 27 points in part by hitting 4 of 5 threes and 5 of 6 free throws. He also grabbed 7 rebounds and played 40 of 45 minutes.
Lamar “Fresh” Kimble – The graduate-transfer had his breakout game at Louisville. Kimble hit 2 of 3 three-pointers, scored 12 points, dished out 4 assists, made two steals, and committed zero turnovers.
Immanuel Quickley – He played 37-minutes off of the bench, scored 18 points, hit 8 of 8 free throws, and played great defense for UK.
A Word on Officiating
The game was officiated in a fairly uneven manner. Nick Richards’ 3rd and 4th fouls were questionable. The idea that Richards committed no fouls in the remainder of the 2nd half and overtime is dubious. John Calipari was called for a technical foul due to being outside of the coach’s box. I think both UK and U of L’s teams and fans could be mystified by how this game was officiated. U of L in each half reached the bonus fairly quickly only to see foul totals move toward equilibrium by the end of each half. Referees are not perfect people, but this game should have received a more consistent whistle.
Congratulations on your victory. You become the chief executive of Kentucky at a moment of deep divisions in our commonwealth and in our nation. This is not an easy time for anyone to be governor. You have experience as a public servant and your father’s experience to draw upon. Both should serve you well.
While I do not envy anyone entering a leadership position in an era of division, I do think that our divisions offer some opportunities. Clearly, teachers in Kentucky are a powerful force, and I think tapping into our teachers and schools can be a good starting point for impacting all of Kentucky. In addition to the vital tasks of helping students to learn information, to learn how to think more clearly, and to mature as human beings, teachers are often the first line of defense for students suffering from developmental delays, medical issues, abuse, or neglect. Finding inventive ways to weave the skills and insights of teachers into their various communities in Kentucky while also shoring up their pension system are highly advisable steps for upcoming legislative sessions.
Similarly, community service and charity are both widespread in Kentucky and an area of common cause. I urge you to reach out to every Rotary, Lions, and Kiwanis Club in Kentucky as well as to robustly promote the good works programs of the Kentucky Colonels. Additionally, it would bring a sense of unity and energy to our state if you were to urge young people involved in service organizations ranging from various branches of the National Honor Society to scouting to redouble their efforts. Beyond that, your words and deeds can help to unleash idealism found in Kentucky’s various governor’s schools, colleges, and universities.
Finally, steps taken on casino gambling, industrial hemp, and CBD oil will have lasting impacts on Kentucky. A governor is not a dictator and the legislature will have to approve most if not all steps taken on these topics. No way forward on these areas of concern is an obvious or perfect path. Casinos can undermine people’s finances especially when gambling addiction becomes a factor. Conversely, every state bordering Kentucky has legalized casino gambling. In a state with multiple race tracks, a lottery, and horse farms that depend on race tracks remaining viable, legalizing casino gaming may seem to be obviously good. If Kentucky does legalize casino gambling, it must also take steps to address the damages done by gambling addiction. Similarly, Kentucky has a long history of cultivating hemp. CBD oil, hemp fibers, and other hemp products offer Kentucky a great deal of economic opportunity. These opportunities should not be ignored. Yet, any legislative package attempting to broaden such opportunities will need to be well crafted as it will face a complex set of obstacles and concerns.
You are now governor of a state with deep divisions. The pressing legislative issues you have inherited are complex and have drawbacks that accompany their potential benefits. Yet, our state motto and the very name commonwealth may hold clues to the best avenues for you to take. United We Stand Divided We Fall: Draw wisdom from that. Remember that commonwealth comes from the 14th-century English word “commonweal” meaning general welfare or common good. If uniting people and seeking the common good are your guiding principles, your governorship will have both a strong foundation and broad horizons.
My name is Dan Martin. I am a husband, father, son, teacher, tennis enthusiast, and proud Kentuckian. I have been fortunate enough to live for decent periods of time in Washington, DC, Providence, RI, Saint Meinrad, IN, and Dayton, OH. However, most of my life has been spent in Louisville, Burlington, Erlanger, and Park Hills, Kentucky.
In my first year of college, my dorm name quickly morphed from “Dan” to “Dan from Kentucky” due to many Dans living in the dorm to “Kentucky Dan.” “Kentucky” Dan stuck and even morphed at times in “KYD” and “Bluegrass.” The nickname stopped making much sense when I moved back to Kentucky after college, but I have always liked it.
My Kentucky roots run fairly deep. My dad’s side of the family is related to Samuel Howard who founded Harlan County. I have a great affection for my home state, and I also am able to laugh at a few of Kentucky’s quirks. I grew up loving Kentucky basketball and am also a product of Kentucky’s robust Catholic school system.
I hope we can enjoy looking at culture, art, and sports in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Kentucky Abides 