Sports lovers and bored people alike will be watching the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville's men's basketball teams as they face off in the Final Four in New Orleans this coming Saturday. For most viewers nationwide, this will be an interesting game to watch as both UK and UofL are located in the same state. Those of us who live in Kentucky, however, do not only find it 'interesting'.
We find it a little frightening.
The largest universities in our fair state have never played each other in this tournament, so it's a very big deal. Non-Kentucky residents across the country will be sitting in New Orleans and in front of their televisions, enjoying a game and thinking nothing of the consequences of victory. Yet, because "fan" is short for "fanatic", Bluegrass State residents are nervously preparing for the following:
-Vandalism reports will increase 1200% statewide--from the previous day.
-More health insurance claims will be filed Saturday--than on July 4th.
-Kentucky employers will see increases in verbal altercations in the workplace.
-UK supporters living in Louisville will suffer from societal withdrawal, as will
the three or four UofL supporters residing in Lexington.
This brings me to my point. To those non-Kentucky resident game viewers, this first time ever battle may seem like a normal Final Four skirmish. And they couldn't be further from the truth. This game isn't about the six or seven foot something or-other mammoth guys running around on a floor, dribbling a ball. This game underscores a battle that has been going on for no fewer than two centuries. This, my friends, is the Battle of The City of Lexington vs. The City of Louisville.
Kentucky's two largest cities have never gotten along. Ask lifelong Louisvillians about their neighbor to the east, and they'll imply that she's a whiny, uppity, spoiled-rotten child who wont shut up. Ask lifelong Lexingtonians about their neighbor to the west and they'll imply that she's a loud, trashy skank who can't even pronounce her own name correctly. To some effect, they're both right.
The cities are as different as day and night. I was surprised to learn that, in 1958, Lexington enacted the nation's first ever Urban Growth Boundary, creating an abrupt end to construction and industry where horse pastures and plank fencing begin. Louisville, on the other hand, sprawled out in all directions. Louisville dealt with its congestion in the 1970s and 80s by building and expanding the Gene Snyder Freeway, which makes getting around the city relatively easy. "The Ville" probably learned something from Lexington, whose notorious 1960s New Circle Road construction--was, in my father's words, a "monument to poor urban planning." (A big part of New Circle Road bypasses absolutely nothing.) Lexington/Fayette County's 1974 merger was ahead of its time. The merger of Louisville and Jefferson County didn't happen until a quarter of a century later. Louisville likes to pride itself on its nightlife and often flashy, usually expensive structures and publicly-funded projects, while Lexington prefers you to find a nice glass of sweet tea, look at the horses and enjoy the fact that you're less likely to get murdered or burglarized there. These differences--some small, some large--have made their way onto the basketball court.
If you don't believe me, take into account the public perception of Coach Rick Pitino, who, from 1989-97, coached UK men's basketball. When he coached the Cats, he was Saint Rick to Lexingtonians and an Italian Hitler to Louisvillians. Fast-forward to 2001 when he began coaching at UofL. Suddenly, Pitino was the anti-Christ and no longer welcome in Lexington--while he was practically given the key to the city of Louisville (perhaps he was, I don't know. He was certainly given a nice, secluded booth at one of our local restaurants. Ouch. Moving on...)
On Saturday, this native Kentuckian proudly supports the greatest basketball team in Kentucky: both of them. I am part of an unnoticed but very large group of citizens who likes the fact that for one brief, shining moment, Kentucky gets recognition for something positive, instead of being known for having some of the poorest counties in the U.S. and being one of the fattest, most 'smoky' (and we're not talking barbecue) states in the country. We don't care which team claims victory; we view it as a small victory for Kentucky. Call us a majority of the 'silent' type, if you will.
The die-hard fans of the winning/losing teams on Saturday will be anything but.
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