Battle Of the Bluegrass At The KFC Yum Center

Another one of the things I miss about Da Ville is the Rivalry Week hype surrounding the annual basketball hatefest between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Louisville Cardinals. 

Come to think of it, any sport that UK and UL play against each other is a red and blue hatefest.

This day on the calendar has been circled ever since the schedules for both teams were released a few months ago.


The nationally televised 2010 edition of the 'Battle of the Bluegrass' taking place later today in Louisville has the added significance of being the first showdown in this hotly contested series that will be played at the Cards new arena, the KFC Yum Center.

The Cards definitely have added incentive to make sure that the first time they play the Wildcats in their new playpen is a successful one.   The Cats want to make sure they spoil the party for the portion of the 22,000 people in attendance that bleed Cardinal red.

I have friends on both sides of the Red and Blue divide who tried for eight years with the zeal of missionaries to get me to join either Cardinal Nation or Wildcat Nation to no avail. 


Yep, should be a fun game   As to which team I'm rooting for, I'm officially neutral.       

Seriously.

UL-UK Historic Governor's Cup Hatefest

When I was living in Da Ville, any sporting event between the Universities of Louisville and Kentucky not only drew sellout crowds, but passionate fans on both sides of the Red and Blue line. Those passions intensify when the competition between the Cats and Cards happens on the gridiron or the hardwood.

It's the 2010 edition of the Governor's Cup Game, and since it's in Jefferson County at the newly expanded Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, it's the season opener for both schools.

It's also generating a little more interest than usual because the game not only marks the coaching debuts for UK's Joker Phillips and U of L's Charlie Strong, it's one of the rare times that FBS schools with African-American head football coaches face each other.

One of the interesting collegiate football tidbits is this season, the three FBS programs in the state of Kentucky all have African American head coaches. The other is Willie Taggart at Western Kentucky.

During the almost eight years I lived there, Kentucky and Louisville fans tried to recruit me into their fanbases with the zeal of missionaries, but I stayed neutral because I liked both teams.

Seriously, Kentucky readers, I liked both teams.

The game is not only for bragging rights in the state and recruiting advantage, but possession of the Governor's Cup.

Should be a fun game at The Pizzeria today in front of 55,000 red and blue clad fans.

Happy Birthday Sade!

I am a huge fan of her music, and today is the birthday of Helen Folasade Adu, who was born on this date in 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria.

I love me some Sade, but wish she'd record and tour more often. I've had the pleasure of seeing her in concert, and even though that was back last century (1988) still haven't forgotten it.

A Sade CD release these days is an event almost as rare as sightings of Halley's Comet, but when she puts it out, you won't be disappointed.

I am definitely looking forward to the latest Sade CD when it gets released in April, and have been in love with its first single, Soldier of Love.



Happy Birthday Sade! May you have many more, and release a few more CD's this decade as well.

2010 Battle Of The Bluegrass

The sports rivalries between the University of Louisville Cardinals and the University of Kentucky Wildcats are always intense, bitterly contested affairs.

But it is basketball which fans the passionate flames of the Kentucky and Louisville faithful, and this date has been circled on the calendar ever since the basketball schedules for both schools were released.

It's a rivalry that is so big that it divides friends and families. The Louisville Courier-Journal and Lexington Herald-Leader not only print special sections in the paper but devotes space on their webpages just to cover it.

I'm no stranger to big rivalry games. I grew up watching the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies Thanksgiving Day football hatefest. But this is a rivalry that makes the UT-Texas A&M one look wimpy in comparison.

I even get a taste of the rivalry here in the house. Wildcat fan Dawn and Cardinal fan Polar will be driving the 70 miles down I-64 east to take in the action at Rupp while wearing their respective school colors.

I like both teams and I'm neutral about which team I support as a Texan in exile. But this week the recruiting pitches from fans on both sides trying to get me to join Cats Nation or Cards Nation have been more intense than usual.

Televisions all across the state and a capacity Rupp Arena crowd will be on hand for the latest renewal of the Battle of the Bluegrass. The Number 3 ranked and 14-0 Wildcats will host the 10-3 Cards in Lexington. Kentucky has a 26-14 all time series lead but Louisville has won the last two games.

The Cats are flying high under new coach John Calipari and super freshman John Wall. Of course the UK fans are supremely confident they will win today's matchup that tips off at 3:30 PM EST. They are also popping their collars after becoming the first NCAA school to win 2000 games last month.

But Rick Pitino's Cards and their fans aren't backing down or caring that UK is a 7 point favorite going into this heavyweight basketball tilt. Anything can and does happen in rivalry games, and this one has had its share of fantastic finishes, great players, unsung heroes, and close games regardless of who was ranked at the time.

As former NFL coach and ESPN analyst Herman Edwards said, "That's why you play the games."

At any rate, it'll be fun to watch.

Kentucky Sports Hatefest-U of L vs UK

Today the University of Louisville Cardinals hit I-64 east and travel to Lexington to take on the University of Kentucky Wildcats. They are not only fighting for the Governor's Cup, but state bragging rights, football division.

One of the questions I consistently get asked since I moved here is whether I support U of L or UK.

Many Kentucky natives won't accept my answer that I'm neutral and like both teams. They'll spend whatever time I have in their presence extolling the virtues of the Cats or Cards while dissing the other team with the zeal of missionaries.

When U of L and UK get together to play any sport, people are passionate about it. Friends, families, co-workers and sometimes even spouses divide along Cardinal red or Wildcat blue lines.

No matter what the sport, it's a highly competitive rivalry played by two teams separated by 73 miles of interstate highway and no love lost on either side.

It's so competitive that Kentuckians have already circled Jan 2, 2010 on the calendar.

What's happening that day you ask? It's the date of the annual U of L-UK basketball clash at Rupp Arena.

The trash talking this year for this season's football clash has come mostly from the UK fans. U of L has slipped from its 2006 Big East championship and BCS bowl winning heights and Cardinal Nation is anxious about it.

Cards fans are even more anxiety ridden going into this noon showdown at Commonwealth Stadium. U of L is not only coming off a 5-7 season after going 6-6 the previous year, they have a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball.

They also watched the Cats spank Miami of Ohio 42-0 in their season opener in Cincinnati.

Cardinal Nation also knows the Cats had a bye week to rest and retool for this game.

The Cards briefly trailed 7-3 in their season opening game at 'The Pizzeria' with Indiana State. They had to fight tooth and nail with the Sycamores before eventually pulling away for the 30-10 win.

UK is a football team on the rise and coming off a third straight bowl appearance. They not only want to keep their two year winning streak alive against U of L, they see themselves as a Top 25 program that can compete and win in the tough SEC East Division and as BCS bowl material.

No matter who wins, both teams when this game is over will have tough challenges to overcome the next week. UK will take on Number 1 ranked Florida in Lexington while the Cards will travel to Salt Lake City to take on Utah.

But for those of us who are neutral, it sure is a lot of fun to watch, no matter what the sport.

Transphobia At The Hippodrome

I was shaking my head as I read this story from Yarmouth, England about a threatened walkout by female Hippodrome employees.

What's got them ticked off enough to walk out from their jobs?

Is it better wages? A protest against rampant sexism? Their working conditions?

Nope, they demanded to be allowed to wear “I am not a lady boy” T-shirts to prove to showgoers that they are all woman or else they were walking because of the upcoming performance of the Lady Boys of Bangkok traveling cabaret May 27-28.

Excuse me?

Hippodrome staffer Ruth Patterson (left in first picture) organized the protest after she heard about the show opening in Brighton. Allegedly a number of women staffers were asked if they were real women. “The Lady Boys may be very, very attractive but I don't want people to confuse me for one of them.

“I certainly don't want people in Yarmouth asking me if I'm a Lady Boy - although I am jealous of their fabulous figures.”

“Because it is a cabaret being performed in a real party atmosphere, some people just get carried away with the whole thing.”

With its tag line of “You'll never look at the opposite sex the same way again”, The Lady Boys of Bangkok cabaret show blends fun and music. The 16 member troupe of performers covers a wide range of styles from the disco floor to the Broadway musical stage. It also features tributes to musical artists such as Katy Perry, Whitney Houston, Girls Aloud and Kylie Minogue.

Hippodrome Owner Peter Jay agreed to let the ciswomen employees wear buttons stating they were 100% woman.

Can you say the words 'transphobia' and 'cisgender privilege' boys and girls? Thought you could.

Peter Jay wasn't much better than Ruth Patterson when he made these comments to the British media in relation to this story. While noting there had never been an incident like this in the Hippodrome's 108 year history, he stated, "You could say it has been a storm in a D cup but it has all blown over now. Maybe my girls can share make-up tips with the Lady Boys before or after the shows.

Yeah right, I think it would be the other way around, Mr. Jay.

Ms. Patterson, you need to take remedial science classes. You're only 50% woman, to put it bluntly since half of your genetic material comes from daddy.

And stop slurping the hateraid from the three liter bottles because your transphobia is showing.

Better Late Than Never-UK Transmurderer Convicted

It took almost 12 years to bring him to justice, but James Hopkins was sentenced to life on January 6 for the 1997 murder of transwoman Robyn Browne.

23 year old Robyn Browne's body was discovered in her Central London apartment by her roommate Natasha Brentwood on February 28, 1997 with multiple stab wounds to her neck, chest, heart and torso. At the time she was undergoing gender transition and was doing sex work to pay the bills with a local agency.

Brentwood had been out on a dinner date with her boyfriend and discovered the apartment door was locked, she climbed through the window and discovered Robyn's body on the bed covered in blood. There were no sighs of forced entry, but a drawer had been pulled out and pages torn from Robyn's personal organizer.

Reportedly her client list had some high profile people on it and some of those people when the trial started were concerned they would have to testify.

In June 2007 Hopkins was arrested in Leeds after his palm print matched the bloodstained palm prints found on the bedroom door of Browne's apartment and on two newspapers found there dated February 28. When arrested Hopkins denied killing her, but admitted that he was paid £500 to steal an address book.

According to the Metropolitan Police, advancements in DNA and forensic techniques allowed them to bring this case to trial.

He'll have to serve a minimum of 17 years in jail.

In a statement to the court, Ms. Browne's sister Louise said in a statement to the court that "Now there can be some sort of closure. Her death impacts on those who knew her."

Too bad the family of Kellie Telesford won't get to feel the satisfied feeling of knowing their loved one's killer was brought to justice.