[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4851]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATING UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WILDCATS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Black). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BARR. Madam Speaker, when it comes to college basketball, there 
is simply no place like my old Kentucky home.
  I rise with the distinct honor of congratulating my hometown 
University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team on moving on to 
the Sweet 16 in the 2014 Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
  This season has had its ups and downs, but this group of young men--
the youngest average age of any team in the tournament--is coalescing 
at just the right time.
  This momentum is a testament to the players' willingness to put team 
ahead of self--a lesson we here in Congress could stand to learn from--
and the ability of Coach John Calipari and his staff to mold raw talent 
into a cohesive, disciplined attack on both the defensive and offensive 
ends of the court in just a few short months.
  Hard-fought victories by these Wildcats over Kansas State and an 
unbeaten Wichita State team--a very likable team--have set up what 
might well be the main event of the entire tournament, not just for 
residents of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but for college basketball 
fans all around this country--a rematch between the University of 
Kentucky and the University of Louisville, the two previous national 
champions.
  With all due respect to Duke and North Carolina, the University of 
Kentucky-University of Louisville rivalry is the greatest and most 
competitive rivalry in all of college basketball. One of the reasons 
for this is this is a nonconference rivalry. After the original dream 
game in 1983, the general assembly of Kentucky mandated in State law 
that these two great programs in college basketball play against one 
another each and every year.
  Our Wildcats won the meeting earlier this season between these two 
squads and are now looking to repeat the events of the 2012 tournament 
in which a victory over archrival Louisville in the Final Four paved 
the way for the University of Kentucky's eighth national championship.
  This year's young Cats were second in the Southeastern Conference in 
average points scored and fourth in terms of points allowed, 
demonstrating that their physical play is equal opportunity on offense 
and defense.
  Both statistics are grounded in these players' ability to pound the 
glass for rebounds, led by forward Julius Randle, who has averaged a 
double-double all season and routinely finds ways to rebound and drive 
when double-, triple-, or even quadruple-teamed.
  While Randle and other big men--including freshman Dakari Johnson and 
future draft prospect Willie Cauley-Stein--collapse opponents' 
defenses, the outside shooting threats of twins Aaron and Andrew 
Harrison and James Young keep the Cats a threat from the perimeter.
  As any college basketball fan can tell you, these young men have a 
lot to live up to, given the legacy of the University of Kentucky and 
the lofty expectations of the most passionate fan base in all of 
college basketball, the Big Blue Nation.
  The Wildcats represent the greatest tradition in the history of 
college basketball as the winningest program of all time, in both the 
number of total wins and total win percentage.
  As Coach Cal said at the beginning of the season:

       Kentucky doesn't just play college basketball; we are 
     college basketball.

  Even former coach and current Louisville coach Rick Pitino said that 
the University of Kentucky is the Roman Empire of college basketball.
  This new batch of Cats, young as they are, has already lived up to 
this imposing pedigree. While Friday's game against Louisville will be 
a significant challenge, I know it will be ``On, On, U of K'' to the 
Elite Eight and the Final Four; and I know, for many in the Bluegrass, 
a win over the Cardinals will be enough to call this season a success.
  In fact, I am so confident this game will go in favor of the Wildcats 
that I have made a friendly wager of locally distilled Kentucky bourbon 
with my good friend, the Member from Louisville, John Yarmuth.
  While he thinks I will be eating crow, I am pretty sure that the 
Wildcats will be eating some Cardinal come Friday night.

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