Fifteen telephone calls to beverage stores before noon on Friday.
“Any Rick Pitino bottles?”
“Nope. Sold out.”
Pretty safe to conclude that the special Maker’s Maker edition honoring the two-time NCAA winner and Hall of Fame coach is gone.
Not to worry, the observer, is sixth in line at 9 a.m. claiming one at Cox’s Smokers Outlet in Middletown. Unfortunately, while leaving the store, he has to walk past fellow University of Louisville fans in a long line who will be disappointed. The store had only 12 bottles available.
Twenty of them already listed on Craig’s List, ranging in price from $60 to $1,000 per bottle.
The next big challenge is getting them autographed by the coach, Tom Jurich, and the Maker’s Mark folks. Going to have to fight Internet traffic Monday at 3 p.m. to get the $1 autograph ticket at http://louisville-events.cbscollegestore.com. The signing event is at the KFC Yum! Center next Thursday, starting at 5 p.m.