BY GREGORY A. HALL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Artie Steinmetz
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LEXINGTON - The 1,300 Northern Kentuckians who attend the University of Kentucky - the state's largest university - stick together and form a network. On Monday, they talked about little else except the loss of Arthur "Artie" Steinmetz, 19, described as jovial and "dynamic."
Mr. Steinmetz was one of two people killed in a pickup crash Sunday morning near Somerset. Also killed was Christopher Scott Brock, 21, of Hyden, Ky.
UK football center Jason Watts, 21, of Oviedo, Fla., the driver, was listed in fair condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, where he underwent surgery for 90 minutes Monday. Doctors repaired tendons and cleaned his right forearm, which was cut in the crash.
Word of the death of Mr. Steinmetz - a former Covington Catholic football standout who was sitting out a year after transferring to UK this year - spread fast on the campus of 24,000 Monday, particularly among the Northern Kentucky contingent.
"It's pretty much devastating," said Danny Tenkman, a UK freshman from Villa Hills who played with Mr. Steinmetz at CovCath. The friends were trying to deal with the reality of the 6-foot-5 Mr. Steinmetz's death.
"He was so dynamic," Mr. Tenkman said. "He was so big and strong. It just seemed like he was invincible."
The trio was going deer hunting. On the way, Mr. Watts' pickup went off the highway after he passed another car.
UK coach Hal Mumme, who saw the player Sunday night, said Mr. Watts was remarkably coherent considering what he'd been through. "We did our best to lift him up and tell him that we loved him," Mr. Mumme said.
Monday's practice was canceled. Counseling is being made available to the players, and a Lexington minister spoke with the team during its meeting Monday.
A remembrance is planned when UK plays top-ranked Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville, players said.
Team members also will be attending the funerals - Mr. Brock's on Wednesday near Hyden and Mr. Steinmetz's Thursday in Edgewood. A moment of silence also will be observed before CovCath's playoff game Friday night against archrival Highlands.
Students at the high school in Park Hills had trouble Monday dealing with their feelings about Mr. Steinmetz's death.
"Unfortunately, this has happened too many times," football player Greg Popham said.
In 1995, CovCath star football player Mike Caple passed out in the back of a van on the way home from a game and died from a breathing problem.
CovCath students said Mr. Caple and Mr. Steinmetz were close friends. Facing the loss of both men is extremely difficult for the football team and students to handle.
"It's all the same friends that have to deal with this. It's been really hard," Mr. Popham said.
The school's student council will meet today to discuss how students can remember Mr. Steinmetz.
Football coach Lynn Ray said his senior players were too emotionally shaken to talk to reporters Monday. Mr. Steinmetz, an all-state defensive lineman at CovCath, transferred to UK from Michigan State University this fall after playing there one year, saying he was homesick.
Mr. Mumme said Mr. Steinmetz would have played a major role for UK next year. "It's a tremendous blow to our team," he said.
Mr. Brock attended Eastern Kentucky University, but was a regular around UK, being the best friend of Heisman Trophy candidate Tim Couch. The quarterback said he had known Mr. Brock since they were about 5.
Mr. Watts was taking the accident hard, especially when Mr. Couch went to see him Sunday night.
"I think it kind of hurt (Mr. Watts) to see me because he knew that was my best friend," Mr. Couch said. "So he didn't know how I would react to him. I just told him that I'm not blaming him. You can't blame anybody in a situation like this."
The coach said God has a plan for everyone.
"Some plans are shorter than others," Mr. Mumme said. "That does not diminish the accomplishments that Artie and Scott had here on Earth."
Mr. Steinmetz is survived by his parents, Marshall "Steve" and Therese "Terri" Steinmetz of Edgewood; a brother, Matthew of Elsmere; paternal grandmother Margaret Steinmetz of Independence; maternal grandparents Robert and Catherine Halenkamp of Lakeside Park; and cousins.
Visitation will be 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday and Mass of Christian burial at 11 a.m. at St. Pius X Church in Edgewood. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery in Fort Wright. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home in Covington is handling arrangements.
Memorials can be made to Covington Catholic Scholarship Fund, in care of Covington Catholic High School, 1600 Dixie Highway, Covington 41011.
Andrea Tortora and Chris Mayhew contributed to this story.
Couch mourns loss of friend
