Mayor Greg Fischer has thus far avoided any temptation to declare Saturday a “Wear Blue Day” in Louisville Metro in honor of the University of Kentucky basketball team making it the NCAA Final Four.
That’s good. Let’s hope he doesn’t bow to political pressure to do otherwise.
Adam Himmelsbach, a Courier-Journal sportswriter from New York, has taken it on himself to publicize the efforts of Jim Denny, a Louisvillian and UK fan, who initiated a petition drive for a support UK day. “Now that the Cardinals are out, why not acknowledge the large swaths of blue that permeate our city?” he asked in a Friday column.
The best reason not to provide the recognition is that the vast majority of UK fans have never acknowledged the University of Louisville’s success. I can count on one hand the number of UK fans who have congratulated me for UofL’s national championship last year … and all but one of them had to be coaxed into it. For the most part, they rarely support anything that benefits the local university.
The Mayor could possibly gain a few political points if he relented, but not many. In fact, it’s quite possible that he would lose much more than he gained, infuriating many UofL fans if he were to declare a UK day in Louisville Metro.
Not surprising that a Courier-Journal sportswriter would support an effort in support of UK. For decades, the C-J, under former managing editor David Hawpe went way overboard in covering the Lexington school on its news, sports and editorial pages. Hawpe was recently appointed to the UK board of trustees and is a member of the UK Journalism Hall of Fame. Anyone surprised?
The Mayor should be congratulated, not goaded, for standing firm in his support of the University of Louisville.
Did they have a “Red Day” in Lexington last year? didn’t think so.
Did anyone ask Lexington have a Red Day last year when the Cards won it all? The UK fans that live in Louisville are the Red Headed Step Children of the Big Blue Nation, they just don’t realize it.
Shows how petty Mayor Fischer is. There are thousands of UK fans in Louisville. Good for the Shively legislators who proclaimed Blue Day for UK . Shame on the mayor.
Too many for sure but they are overwhelmed by UofL fans.
Amen to that title.
But, but, but, according to the T-shirts I thought “Louisville does not exist”
How can a city that doesn’t exist celebrate a UK day???
Good one, Steve! Go Cards!!!
The petition drive is nothing more than an effort by a UK fan to rub his team’s NCAA appearance in the faces of University of Louisville basketball fans. Nothing more, nothing less. Stand firm, Mayor Fischer.