Pat Kelsey IS The Madness

Charleston coach/Cincinnati kid embodies its essence

Pat Kelsey had a key to the gym at Our Lady of Visitation and a little brother he could bribe to rebound all his shots. All Walt Kelsey required was a milk shake. Walt was easy.

In case Pat didn’t feel like going to Visitation, he could just walk out the back door of his family’s house. His dad Mike “concreted our entire backyard,’’ Pat said a few years ago, and put up a hoop.

From the Enquirer in 2019:

“Word quickly spread that our house was open to all comers for pickup hoops. Cars would line the streets many days as people would come from miles away to hoop at the Kelsey’s. White, black, wealthy, poor, young, old. Everyone came and everyone was welcome.’’

One of the few house rules was, no hanging on the rim. The first time Pat met Chris Mack, Mack dunked and. . . hung on the rim. The two exchanged not-so pleasantries. They’ve been friends ever since.

There are basketball families, and there are the Kelseys. Mike played at Xavier, Pat walked-on there. Walt once scored 50 for Ken Shields at NKU. Sister Katie won a state title playing point guard for Roger Bacon; Pat got his title playing the same position for Elder. Katie’s now-husband, Paul Cluxton, made 94 consecutive free throws while playing for NKU, a record that stood for close to 30 years.

We mention this now because in six days, the best day of basketball all year will commence at shortly after noon. What makes it the best is not what you might think.

It’s not the best for its ability to convince folks to blow off work, sit in front of multiple TVs and scarf chicken wings. It’s not best for amateur gamblers having heart attacks, though it’s pretty good for that. It’s best for the big news made by the little guys. Other than the US Open golf championship, no sporting event is more democratic than the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

This week, the College of Charleston made the Madness by winning the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. Pat Kelsey is in his second year coaching Charleston. The Cougars have won 31 games this winter, most in D-1. They are small in notoriety, not in achievement.

Which is a nice metaphor for the (5-foot-10, sort of) coach himself.

I’ve spent a decent amount of my 34 years here writing about, thinking of and occasionally hearing from Pat Kelsey. I wrote about his time at X, how his coach there, Skip Prosser, liked Pat so much, he hired him to be an assistant coach after Prosser left Xavier for Wake Forest.

I’ve thought about Pat, wondering why he was still coaching at Winthrop (nine years, qualified for three NCAA tournaments), why he changed his mind about the UMass job half an hour before the Minutemen were supposed to announce him and, frankly, I’ve wondered why Xavier believed Travis Steele was a better candidate to replace Mack, when Chris moved on to Louisville.

And now, I think about how long Kelsey will be at Charleston, though maybe that’s moot, given the school extended his current contract by five years in February.

The last time we conversed was a few years ago, when the Bengals were still losing. Pat texted, asking why I had to be so negative. “I don’t create the reality,’’ I wrote. “I reflect it.’’

Here’s something else I’ve thought about. It’s something that gives weight to all of Pat’s considerable skills as a coach. It lends gravitas to his being a good example for all those he coaches:

In 2012, he gave a speech.

Not a speech in the strictest sense. After a loss to then-No. 4 Ohio State, Kelsey used the occasion — and the larger-than-usual pulpit he had — to address the murders of 26 people, 20 of them kids, at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Pat expressed gratitude for being able to go home to kiss his daughters, 5 and 4 at the time. Then he challenged the rest of us to do better and be better.

"Parents, teachers, rabbis, priests, coaches, everybody needs to step up. This has to be a time for change," Kelsey said.

My pal Westside Nick texted me this Thursday, about Pat’s dad Mike and the notion of family and fellowship:

Mike and friends meet every Friday morning at Price Hill Chili (where else?) at 8 a.m. Mike Kelsey started the group. Going over gospel reading for Sunday’s Mass, breakfast, prayer, talk and laughter. Ken Shields sits at the head of the table. One of the men picks Coach Shields up in KY to attend each Friday. Walt and Paul attend all of them, if they aren’t on the road watching Charleston somewhere or out of town for one of their kids’ sporting events.

Unusual? Maybe not. Extraordinary? I think so.

Next Thursday and Friday will be great days, for all kinds of reasons. Not the least of which is rooting for the Little Guys. Especially when you know the story behind one of them.

Now, then. . .

XAVIER WINS, BUT. . . For at least 30 minutes, DePaul shot 70 percent from the field. If XU’s defense hadn’t been exposed already. . .

Yeah, the Blue Demons played way above their heads and yeah, the better, calmer, more experienced team won, but 70 percent? Lotsa open looks for the 10 seed. If DePaul can light up Xavier’s D, what might Creighton do Friday at 9?

The Musketeers needed 18 in the 2nd half from Colby Jones to keep from going home. Jones played a remarkable, NBA-looking 20 minutes. Jack Nunge did what he does. Given the pace, it’s reasonable to expect X to be dragging a little tonight.

As an XU fan, is advancing in the Big East gathering important? Legs are not automatically fresh.

MEANWHILE. . . The folks who know Jim Boeheim best are the folks who say the nicest things about him, which could explain why he never struck me as, um, full of sweetness and light. Guy was Mr. Wrong Side of the Bed, or so it seemed. But I did enjoy opponents flail against that 2-3. Boeheim signed kids with the wingspans of an aircraft carrier and put them out on the perimeter to defend. As often as not, as prepared as they could be, opponents couldn’t solve it.

Patrick Ewing is out at G-town. Pitino up next? Would hiring Slick Rick amount to an affront to Georgetown’s image? Does anyone care about that sort of thing anymore?

UC plays Temple today at 330. The Bearcats have played better in recent weeks but for whatever reason, it’s hard for me to stay interested in them. Am I missing something?

Huggs and Mick spoiled me. Their teams had an identity. It was successful and it didn’t change. I don’t see that with Wes Miller’s teams, not yet.

NIL-NIL. . . Both local teams will lose massive amounts of talent after this year. How might a team of Nolley, DeJulius, Boum, Nunge and Freemantle do, with Kunkel coming off the bench?

Nolley might return. In a recent story from The Athletic, Nolley suggested NIL money might be a factor. NIL money is the X Factor now, that and the transfer portal. It’s easier than ever to regroup, but it makes assessing the future of each team next to impossible.

AND NOW. . .

A whole lot of ShamRockin’ to kick off St. Paddys Day week..  

St. Patricks Day is kicking off this weekend! Join in the fun with the 55th annual parade Saturday March 11 at 12pm taking off from Paycor Stadium. 

LepreCon ~ 2-8pm Saturday at  the Banks will turn into Ireland with a block party featuring live entertainment and Irish dancers. Free

St. Paddy Shamrock Bar Crawl ~ 2-9pm Saturday in OTR. Grab your lanyard at the On the Rhine Eatery which gets you draft beer and whiskey specials at 6 bars.  

Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto ~ March 9th - 12th at Heritage Bank Center! Fun with the fam 

Cincinnati International Wine Fest ~ March 9th-11th at Duke Energy. This ticketed event showcases over 800 wines from 100 wineries around the world. Not only is this event a sipping party it also benefits over 30 local charities. 

Tootsie ~ Showing now through the 19th at the Aronoff! This show will truly make you LOL.. great one liners are thrown out the whole show and you’ll want to remember them I promise! 

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra presents Marvel’s Black Panther ~ 7:30 Friday-Saturday and 2pm on Sunday at Music Hall 

FC Cincinnati vs. Seattle Sounders ~ 7:30 Saturday at TQL Stadium. Get the party started with the pre-match party at Washington Park 4:30-7:30 music, food trucks, drinks at The Porch bar. 

Art on Vine Local Madness ~ local artists & makers selling fine arts and handmade goods at Rhinegeist 12-7pm (this is always the first Sat of the month)

Hey Michelle,

Do you want to know where to eat, drink and have fun in Cincinnati? Follow me @HeyMichelle1 on IG 
https://heymichelle-help.com

IMBIBER DAVE wakes up in a city that never sleeps

Was lucky enough to visit New York City last week. The city is by no means back to full strength, but the energy has certainly returned.

I absolutely love walking around NYC. A mile is 12 normally flat blocks, and there are truly a thousand things to see between you and your destination, so why not slow down and smell the garbage? Can’t sugar coat this one, there are very little rose-like smells on the streets… still worth it.

I stayed at the New Yorker, and due to a very special upgrade had my first and likely last ever balcony on the 30th floor in Manhattan. Seeing Midtown from a balcony was completely surreal.

Feeling super nostalgic, I wanted to return to one of my favorite speakeasies, Raines Law Room near Union Square. Now this place is fabulous, and my mezcal old fashioned was off the charts. As previously mentioned however, the 1.7 miles between our hotel and this joint was my favorite part of the night.

Grabbing a beer at a sports bar, a scotch at a whiskey bar, and of course the quintessential slice was a ton of fun.

Now we may not have the variety or quantity of imbibing options here, but we are super fortunate to live in a highly walkable city, and be able to hit a brewery, wine bar, speakeasy, and grab a slice without ever getting back in your car in between. If nothing else, Cincinnati unequivocally smells better.

Cheers!
cincybeerguydave@gmail.com

TUNE O’ THE DAY. . . Gregg and Jackson. Not much better than that.