I watched three late local newscasts last night, and wondered what would have filled the time if it weren’t for UK’s big victory in Newark and the Bellarmine victory celebration on Sunday morning.
This week, get set to endure plenty of cliches about Houston and aerospace, as Fox41’s Bennett Haeberle did leading off the newscast: “Houston, We Have Liftoff.”
The UK and Bellarmine stories took what seemed to be half the newscasts. It’s the one time during the year that local on-air types are seen in a different city, and that sports bars are the focus of live shots. Two stations sent two reporters to Newark. Tom Lane and John Lewis of Fox 41 stood outside the arena and went over the story of the big win, cutting to interviews with John Calipari and various UK players.
Rick Van Hoose and Fred Cowgill were there, too, and I learned from them that UK is already an 8-5 favorite to win the whole thing in Houston next week. But the best info may have come from WHAS-TV’s Matt Hobbs, who had the news that rapper Jay-Z was celebrating with the Wildcats.
Coverage of the Bellarmine game at Springfield didn’t get as much attention. I was told WLKY sent Eric King to the game. At least the C-J sent Eric Crawford, who wrote a piece from the arena and got on-scene interviews, and was there 160 miles away Sunday in Newark.
In the sports bar competition, both Fox41 and WLKY chose to hang at Big Blue Country on Baxter, while WLKY opted for the Buffalo Wild Wings in the Highlands.
Everybody had footage of the early-morning arrival of the Bellarmine team back to campus, but WLKY went a step further, with helicopter footage of the bus trip. Yes, we know you have a helicopter. No, tracking a busload of basketball players on a Sunday morning is a really dumb way to use it.
And in non-hoops news:
Politics and Medicaid: If you’re trying to figure out what’s going on in Frankfort, know that Gov. Beshear on Friday considered a bill to fix Medicaid, then cut out provisions that would have cut education and public safety. If that stands, he has to prove he can save $169 million through efficiencies by August, or he’s toast. cn/2.
Advantage Beshear: Joe Gerth analyzes Friday’s events. Bad for Williams, good for Beshear. C-J
Un-Fair Price Increases: What would you do if attendance at your biggest event had fallen from the year before during an economic decline?If you’re the State Fair Board, you jack up the admission prices. Despite an attendance drop from 621K to 602K in attendance, the Fair Board decided it will charge $10 a head this year to get in to the Kentucky State Fair. They were smart enough to announce the change when no one is paying attention.
You Can Be in the Movies: Gill Holland’s holding audition for parts in a movie he’s filming right here this summer called “Game, Set, Match.” Cool. Insider Louisville.
Eating Local in NuLu: I can’t wait to try Harvest, the new restaurant in NuLu. The good news is this — 80 percent of what’s served will be grown within 100 miles of the East Market Street restaurant. It opens next month. C-J
Really? Rand Paul for President? Couldn’t we see if he can be a decent Senator first? Joe Arnold
What to Watch for: Tonight Mayor Fischer has agreed to go to Rubbertown and listen to residents complain about the Carbide explosion.
