Saturday, March 13, 1999
True blue fans see repeat in St. Pete
BY KRISTINA GOETZ
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — It was close at the beginning, but for those who say they bleed true blue, there was never really any doubt.
Fans of the defending-champion University of Kentucky Wildcats jammed sports bars Friday night to sport their blue and see their team pound New Mexico State 82-60 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
There were howls at Willie's Sports Cafe in Covington from a corner of the bar that was a
small sea of blue.
“See, Kentucky is a tournament team,” yelled Tom West of Covington while showing off his 1996 championship shirt. “We kind of coast through the season, but Wayne Turner turns on at tournament time.”
He and a group of friends were ceremonially beating on the bar for the last 20 seconds of the game until the buzzer sounded.
“We're raising the roof,” Mr. West said, pushing his hands toward the ceiling. “The spread was 171/2 and we're covered.”
Jim Vanover of Crittenden was at Tickets Sports Cafe, and with five minutes to go, he and his friends began to relax.
“They're done,” he said. “Stick a fork in 'em. It's repeat in St. Pete, baby. All the way. We want Duke in the Final Four.
Earlier in the day, a similar scene played out at Martino's sports bar in Corryville.
Steve McCarthy jumped to his feet and pumped his fist.
“Yes! Wally came through,” the sales representative at Diebold Inc. exclaimed.
All-American Wally Szczerbiak had just blocked a shot and recovered the ball to seal Miami University's 59-58 first-round victory over Washington.
“I was quite worried,” Mr. McCarthy said.
It was the same in Oxford, where red-clad fans of all ages crowded the First Run bar and restaurant. Chants of “Wally!” “Wally!” “Wally!” echoed as the buzzer sounded.
Andy Olds, a graduate student from Lima, Ohio, and Emily Hollenbeck, a Miami senior from To ledo, watched as they ate lunch. “It's exciting they made it without winning the MAC,” Ms. Hollenbeck said, referring to the Mid-American Conference tournament.
Earlier, in a decidedly less thrilling game, Mr. McCarthy, 37, of Miami Heights, joined 160 others at Martino's to watch the Cincinnati Bearcats cruise to a 72-48 win.
Bruce Turner, who was able to watch the game thanks to a “fairly light” load he created for himself at downtown-based Aetna U.S. Healthcare Inc., declared UC winners by halftime and began looking ahead to the next round: UC vs. Temple on Sunday.
“I think it's still a concern that we keep getting early fouls on (UC center) Kenyon Martin,” the 51-year-old Clermont County resident said. “To go far in the tournament, we've got to keep him in the game.”
Earnest Winston and Jenny Callison contributed to this story.
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True blue fans see repeat in St. Pete
