A Visit To The Dominican Republic Vs. UK Professionals Game
by Glenn Logan on Aug 16, 2011 11:22 PM EDT
in Events
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PrintBasically, my trip to the KFC Yum! Center to see the John Calipari-coach Dominican Republic team play the Kentucky professional payers team was just a lot of fun -- UK fans were celebrating being UK fans, and the love for all things UK almost made me forget for the moment I was in the home of the Louisville Cardinals. I have been in the Yum! Center three times since it opened, and all but this one it took half an hour to get to the door after the event despite the fact that this was the most crowded it has been at any of the three, and the furthest away from the door I have ever been (basically 180 degrees).
When I mentioned my amazement at getting to the front door in about 7 minutes, some guy in front of me said, "Well, you have to remember, UK fans don't stand around and block everybody's way like Cardinal fans do." Interesting take, and anecdotally, I have to say it seems more valid than less.
I was also pleased at the crowd behavior -- Denny Crum and Eloy Vargas were cheered, Edgar Sosa, Al Horford and Francisco Garcia were roundly booed, and all around there was appreciation for the good basketball plays on both sides.
Attendance-wise, the lower arena was completely full, as were all the corporate seats. The nosebleeds were full on the sides, but not in the end zones, or at least not in the one I could see. I figure between 19-20K, but that's just my rough math. For the pictures I took, go here. Sorry there isn't more, but my iPhone died on me.
The game was excellent, lots of fun but not particularly good basketball, at least by the pros. They were doing a lot of fancy passes that usually resulted in turnovers and couldn't shoot free throws worth a darn, and they made a ton of defensive errors. Needless to say, that cost them against a very good-shooting Dominican Republic team. Even though Garcia, Horford and Sosa didn't log a minute in the second half, the pros proved once again, as if it requires repeating, that great shooting and good teamwork will defeat sick athleticism almost every time.
That's all for now. I have to catch up on some sleep.
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Did the Pros really go 1-19 from the 3?
I seem to remember better shooting Monday.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
They did indeed.
And Jorts was the only guy who made one. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Aug 17, 2011 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Knight did hit 2 3's during the halftime contest
Winning pizza for a year for 2 people, but then all the contestants got it anyway – Papa John was in quite the giving mood this week.
Age is always advancing. And I believe it's up to no good. - Harry Dresden
shades of the NCAA tournament.......ugh
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Aug 17, 2011 9:05 AM EDT reply actions
I understand Wall and Rondo
missing threes, but Knight was o’fer as well.
He didn't play all that much, and didn't take that many.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Boxscore on LHL
says he played 28 minutes and missed six threes.
http://www.kentucky.com/2011/08/17/1848286/uk-pros-dominican-republic-box.html
Hmm.
Didn’t seem like that much to me. Well, the numbers don’t lie. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I was there with my son & our friend!
Our 1st visit we love it , the place was real nice!
Go CATTTTTTTTTTTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah.
It is nice, although I like Freedom hall better. It’s a matter of taste, I guess. The good seats at Yum! are very good, but the bad ones suck out loud.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
First time at the KFC Center for me
I ended up going since I was visiting a friend in Louisville that night anyway. Pretty nice arena and a fun game to watch, errors and all.
Age is always advancing. And I believe it's up to no good. - Harry Dresden
I was there too
in the upper deck end zone. My side was full, but the other side was basically empty. Still had a really good view of the action. Glenn, I can send some of my pictures too, if you’re interested in posting them somewhere. Some of them are blurry (12X zoom lens from the upper deck will only do so much) but some are pretty good. I’m still cropping and resizing them, but they’ll be done soon.
This was the first live game for my 9 1/2 month old daughter, and she did really well. Even had the good sense to take her naps right before the game and during halftime. (I kid you not!) For me, it was so great to get to see Joe B. coach a game (I was 3, about to turn 4, when he retired.) Since the game was closer than the one on Monday night, he was more animated. Even called a timeout late in the game to argue a call with the official… priceless!
Wish we’d had Glenn’s luck getting in. In the line we were in, the first few folks’ tickets wouldn’t scan (which prompted the guy behind me to comment “This wouldn’t happen at Rupp!”). Also thought it was funny that, after the lights went down for the starting lineups, they couldn’t get them back up until about 3 minutes to go in the first quarter. The Filthy Cards may be proud of the Chicken House, and it is a nice arena overall, but I couldn’t help but chuckle at the hiccups.
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