Louisville fan, 71, takes his best shot
With Kentucky and Louisville days away from meeting at the Final Four in New Orleans, tension already is running high between fans of the schools. But things might have gone too far between two fans, both of whom are undergoing dialysis treatment.
Police were called to the Georgetown Dialysis Clinic in Georgetown, Ky., on Monday after Louisville fan Charles Taylor took a poke at Kentucky fan Ed Wilson after Taylor claimed Wilson gave him the finger.
“I didn’t talk to him about the ballgame,” said Taylor, 71, who was waiting to be hooked up to the dialysis machine that Wilson was using at the time of the incident. “I was talking to another guy about the game. (Wilson) was meddling, and he told me to shut up and gave me the finger.
“I wasn’t gonna take no more from him. I went up, and I hit him. I didn’t hit him that hard, but I hit him.”
Wilson, 68, said Taylor started it.
“He just happened to think U of L would beat UK, and he started to run his mouth,” he said. “I’m sitting there hooked up to a machine, and I can’t do anything.”
Georgetown Police Lt. Robert Swaigan said of the incident, “I think this is a first at a dialysis center.”
Wilson said he was sorry the incident happened and added he would not file charges against Taylor.
“I hope (Taylor) won’t come to the clinic at the same time as me anymore,” he said.
Should they happen to meet again, perhaps a boxing referee could be there to keep the peace.
■ TRADITION LIVES? — With Magic Johnson and a group of investors agreeing to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers for a record $2 billion, perhaps Frank McCourt can keep one of his weird traditions going.
The former owner was accustomed to getting his hair cut daily at a reported $150 a pop. Once he pays off his ex-spouse, Jamie, McCourt should have enough left over for a daily haircut — and a shave.
And while he’s at it, maybe McCourt can pay Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully the $152,778 he owes him.
■ TEBOW LAWSUIT — Business was brisk Tuesday at the Modell’s Sporting Goods store at Grand Central Station in midtown Manhattan, where Tim Tebow No. 15 New York Jets jerseys were flying off racks.
No surprise there. However, the fact that Reebok made the jerseys has riled up the folks at Nike. So much so that Nike sued Reebok and its parent company, adidas, for copyright infringement.
Nike’s exclusive licensing deal with the NFL kicks in Sunday, and Reebok decided to get in last-minute sales before the clock strikes midnight. Nike claims Reebok’s rights under its agreement with the NFL Players Association, of which Tebow is a member, expired Feb. 29. Tebow was a member of the Denver Broncos then, and Nike doesn’t have a problem with Reebok selling Tebow’s Broncos jersey.
But the Jets gear? That’s another story.
And if the courts rule in Nike’s favor, then a Reebok-made Tebow Jets jersey could become a collectors’ item.
COMPILED BY STEVE CARP
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL