Three football games in 27.5 hours, spanning Kentucky’s two largest cities, and covering over 225 miles, was not a long-planned odyssey. I had no clue it was about to unfold until the third quarter of Game One. But when the final whistle blew at Game Three yesterday afternoon, I was able to look back at one of the most satisfying journeys I have been part of. The joy of spontaneity and improvisation joined the spirit and community, or fellowship, of athletes and their fans was manifest by 4 p.m. on a glorious Autumn afternoon.
As a matter of fact, the 27+ hours showcased picture perfect Autumn weather. Perfect football weather. The journey found me in the company of four of my closest friends and many thousands of others, clad predominantly in red, black, blue, green and white. But loyalties, not color, heart and soul, not appearance, were the highest emotions displayed. Good sportsmanship, hard work, commitment to excellence, and happiness ruled the long gridiron day-plus. An American Microcosm of our country at its best. Allowing an escape from the turmoil we as a people are embroiled in.
GAME ONE: NC STATE AT LOUISVILLE
The first leg of the gridiron odyssey was the only planned portion of the weekend. It became more than that; it became the jump off point for the two games that followed. Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium (PJCS) was filled with the Louisville faithful clad in red and black. Mother Nature provided a postcard perfect Autumn day under clear blue skies and colorful trees clad in reds, yellows, and browns.
My impressions are the obvious and not-so-obvious. It was obvious within 90+ seconds that the Louisville Cardinals were the better, yea dominant, team. My hometown’s Heisman hopeful displayed the dazzling talent that has catapulted him into the national discussion. Lamar Jackson, the Cards’ quarterback, blew past Wolfpack defenders with ease 1:33 into the contest, giving Louisville its first score. More, many more, would follow, and by halftime, the score was 44-0. Game over. It was actually over when Jackson and Co. took the field against their overmatched opponents.
Jackson’s passing, not running, was the overall impression of the sophomore QB’s afternoon. The Cards’ Cause was bolstered by a suffocating Louisville defense. The mood in PJCS was ebullient. Joyous. Relief, too, that the Cards had re-energized their brand of football into the “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” style fans have come to expect early on in the season. The Ali video before the game was apt. Energizing. Emotional. And said it all. What I didn’t get was the music pumped into the stadium. So much heavy metal, a White musical genre for a predominantly Black athletes’ game. I wanted Dilla. Madlib. Kanye… something that I felt the players, many fans and I were wanting to aurally depict the game. Not to be, really, other than a few sanitized “Rap” artists.
Can’t have it all my way; I was content with the domination Louisville displayed against their overmatched opponents from North Carolina. In the third quarter, so complete was the dismantling of NC State, that a text to three other very dear friends began to move the wheels to the next game. In Lexington, KY.
GAME TWO: MISSISSIPPI STATE AT KENTUCKY
I have never seen the University of Kentucky (UK) play a single football game in Lexington’s Commonwealth Stadium. Never expected to, until my Game One friend’s girlfriend called an audible on weekend plans. Causing me to text message another friend to see what his Saturday night plans were. (Mine didn’t include the 2.5 hour drive back to Wolf Creek.) He had two free tickets to UK’s game that evening; did I want to go? Yes!
Game One was over by halftime, so leaving PJCS, climbing into my car and driving 35 miles or so to my UK alumni pal, was the plan for the rest of the day. Before leaving for Lexington, the chance to see a third game in a little over 24 hours was hatched. But first? We scored a free parking pass from a nice cat on a Lexington sidewalk when we him asked for directions… to, uh, parking. Commonwealth Stadium: the facelift on the facility looked great. It was an expected sea of blue and white (very) fans. Very different in many ways from Louisville’s fans. But all united by love for their respective teams.
Entering the stadium, I was immediately blown away. Kanye West’s “Power” was blaring over the loudspeakers and delighted my ears. Other than the volume, which makes ears bleed. But hey, the mood was set. All night, I was shocked at tasteful musical selections, read: Hip Hop. It seemed at odds with what the Wildcat faithful were listening to before to after the game. My thought was “the players gotta dig this!!” I did. Other impressions are the lack of any food worth putting in one’s mouth, let alone stomach, sold there. It was dismal. The worst. As were the cold aluminum bleachers on a cold Autumn night. Note to self: bring a cushion, dress much warmer. Did I mention it was cold?
UK doesn’t share the national respect Louisville has garnered on a football field in the last decade or so. But the team is a collective of athletes united to rep the university and raise the bar for the program. It was a game where few would have predicted the outcome correctly. UK has a losing football culture—and mentality for fans. The paradigm shifted as time expired.
In a seesaw contest, UK had the chance to go up by almost 3 touchdowns, but a Mississippi State strip of Cats’ QB Stevie Johnson doused that dream, and it was deja vu all over again, as they say. Or not?
Not.
Kentucky kicker Austin MacGinnis won the game with a 51-yard field goal at the buzzer. “I knew it was going,” MacGinnis said before pausing. “Unless it was going to hit the crossbar, it was going.” Doubt is part of the culture. It may be changing.
A long drive back to Louisville in the inky darkness of I-64, and a warm house at the destination, were our reward.
GAME THREE: ST. MARTHA'S AT CENTRAL CATHOLIC, LOUISVILLE, KY
My hosts, and great friends in Louisville got us started on another postcard perfect day with a training table breakfast NFL teams would envy. And the star of the afternoon, their sixth grader son, was playing for St. Martha’s Shamrock squad. The son, JK, is a sixth grader, and plays at the JV level in the Catholic Youth Football League. But he suits up for games against the older eighth graders at middle linebacker, QB or other positions he’s needed at. JK is a hard worker who pays attention.
That attention was rewarded with his insertion into a game that soon presented a positive outcome for the ‘Rocks faithful, myself included. To hear “tackle by JK” over the loudspeakers made my day, his parents’ day and I’m sure JK’s. That was cool. I also may have glimpsed the future of Louisville Prep football. His name is KG. His stature is larger than his classmates and teammates, as is his skill sets at running and defensive back. His focus and determination can easily be seen. On the field and on the scoreboard. He shed tacklers like one brushes away gnats. He touched the ball 5 times on offense; that generated 3 touchdowns. KG is what they call a “stud.” He is.
Also on display were a shining sense of community within these school’s fan base. Add good sportsmanship, hard work, never say quit attitude and a lot of heart and soul. I was blessed to see the contest (which St. Martha won) causing me to think it was the best of the three contests on the gridiron.
And all three games demonstrated the best in character, determination and cooperation the United States has to offer. THAT was a welcome oasis in today’s national climate.
I can’t wait until next Sunday… Go KG, JK and the Rocks!!!
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