There’s no doubt about it: ‘The Northern Kentucky crowd really takes their UK basketball seriously’

By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune contributor
 

There is no shortage of support for the many college basketball teams in the region, but make no mistake about it – Northern Kentucky is Wildcat country.

With the Final Four looming and the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team hoping to cap off a perfect season, blue and white are the dominant colors south of the Ohio River. Supporters of UK basketball run the gamut, from casual backers with the obligatory sweatshirt in their wardrobe, to fanatics whose schedule revolves around game day.

There are also those, such as Ashley and Jeremy Wordeman, who take Wildcat fever to a whole other level.
People around Florence know the Wordeman’s level of commitment, as do motorists who pass their Florence home, which is located on Utz Drive near Interstate 75, on game nights.

One of the first things the Florence couple did after moving to the home nine years ago was adorn the roof with blue and white lights that make up the letters “UK.”

The couple’s infatuation, some might say obsession, with Kentucky basketball started at an early age. Ashley Wordeman began following UK basketball during the championship season of 1996 when she was just nine years old.

“It was just so exciting and I’ve been in love with it ever since,” she said.

Jeremy Wordeman also grew up in a home where support for UK basketball was strong. “I remember dad watching the games from the time I was very little,” he said.

They attended Ockerman Middle School and Boone County High School together and their love of UK Basketball – and each other – grew over the years.

While both are fervent UK supporters, Ashley Wordeman is probably the true fanatic.

Initially, there were 700 lights on the roof, 100 for each NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship the Wildcats had captured to that point. After UK’s championship run in 2012, however, Ashley Wordeman and her father, Roy Thornberry, climbed onto the roof and added another 100 lights.

“We hope to be doing that again after this season,” Ashley said.

The lights go up in October, right before Big Blue Madness, and they stay up through the tournament.

“We only turn them on for game days and that way they last through the season.” Jeremy Wordeman said.

The love of UK basketball in the Wordeman home is not limited to just decorating the roof of the house. The walls of the home, and Ashley’s car, are covered with UK memorabilia and the railing of the front porch features eight paper basketballs, inscribed with the year of each championship.

The couple also has two daughters and 7-year-old Lexington was named for the city where the Wildcats play home games.

Two-year old Lynzie might have been named Callie after UK coach John Calipari, but Ashley’s mother, Barb Dooley, is also a Wildcat fan and has a dog with that name.

Lexington is more of a casual fan, but Lynzie already shares her mother’s passion for UK basketball.

“She’ll say ‘Mom, there’s our boys, there’s our boys,’ when the games come on” Ashley Wordeman said. “She gets really excited and cheers them on.”

The Wordemans and other Northern Kentucky supporters of the Wildcats have had plenty to cheer about in recent years. UK has made it to the Final Four in four of the last five years, including the 2012 championship and last year’s runner-up performance.

Ashley Wordeman said this team, however, with the potential for a 40-0 season and a talented and unselfish group of players, is special.

“They really are a team this year and they have a chance to make history,” she said. “When there not playing well, they don’t get upset when (Calipari) takes them out and they root for the other guys.”

The couple considered going to Indianapolis for the Final Four (Ashley saw the 2012 championship game), but Jeremy has just recovered from a broken leg and they don’t want to jinx the team.

“I’m really superstitious when it comes to Kentucky,” she said. “I have to wear the same clothes and sit in the same spot for every game.”

Of course, the Wordemans are just one of many Northern Kentucky families that strongly support the Wildcats.
Jim Ransdell, owner of the Kentucky Shop on Houston Road, said Northern Kentucky’s love of the UK basketball program goes beyond the traditional support for a state university.

“We are so close to Cincinnati and the Ohio area, but Kentucky is really important to us,” Ransdell said. “It’s a big part of our identity that separates us from other Greater Cincinnatians. The Northern Kentucky crowd really takes their UK basketball seriously.”

Most years, the Kentucky Shop does well when the basketball season begins and gets another push for merchandise at Christmas time followed by purchases of gear at tournament time.

In recent years, as Kentucky has had several high picks in the NBA draft, the shop also has hosted personal appearances from those players after the tournament ends.

“The odd thing about this year is (tournament sales) started about three weeks earlier than it usually does,” Ransdell said. “Normally it doesn’t start until after the SEC tournament, but this year, with the team being undefeated, we were already in March Madness mode before the regular season ended.”

The hot-ticket items this year are anything that ends in-0, as in 31-0, 34-0, etc.

“Once they clinched to go to the Final Four, especially the way they did it, we’ve been selling Final Four shirts all week long,” Ransdell said. “Now we are just sitting back and hoping to move past next Monday, so we can sell the 40-0 stuff.”

There will likely be a family of four from Utz Drive in line for that merchandise.