Less than a week after the region’s second biggest rivalry, Louisville vs. Kentucky, it’s time for number one. On Friday evening it’s Jackson vs. Breathitt. The game that pits big vs. little; those that have it vs. those that want it. It is the game that figures to fill Fairce O. Woods Coliseum with fans of the Blue and fans of the Gold. The atmosphere will be electric. The bands will be loud. The cheerleaders will be frenetic and some of us will be wishing that the gym had more seats in the middle.

WJSN’s Bill Fugate, who provides play-by-play coverage for both teams during the season along with his partner John Bunn, asked jokingly if anyone wanted to switch places with him next Friday. Not joking at all, I said I was going to find a seat in the middle of the gym and concentrate on keeping my mouth shut and maintaining a poker face during the entire game. Fans of both schools like everyone to be a fan of their school. Most think if you are not ‘for’ their school, you are ‘against’ it. Real basketball fans know this is not necessarily true.

In the early sixties Breathitt Co. was a state power in basketball, led to the state tourney often and far by legendary coach Fairce Woods. One of the best experiences of my life was being a manager for two of Fairce’s Bobcat teams, 1964 and 1965. I learned responsibility; negotiating skills, how to drive a car with power steering and what a washer looked like. I also learned a little basketball. I wouldn’t trade those two years, even with the dirty jocks and wet towels, for anything.

Five years later, my first job was a teacher at Breathitt. When Breathitt plays anybody, who do you think I’ll be for?

Last year, Dustin Flinchum scored 13 points in one quarter for Jackson City. It was the first case of a player clearly being “in the zone” that I’ve seen since Ray David played the best game I ever saw anyone play when Jackson played Breathitt at Knott Co. in the district tourney in 1964. To this day, if I could pick anyone to shoot one shot for $64,000 dollars and the game, I’d want Ray David to shoot it.

I go so far back with Johnny Lusk and Larry Davidson I doubt any of us can remember not knowing each other. Their wives, except for their taste in men, are good people and good friends. John’s daughter became almost like family while she helped us at the Voice. Do you think I’m not “for” Zack Lusk? If you like basketball, you have to love Drew Davidson. He plays the game the way it is supposed to be played, all out.

Jack and I are in a unique position. If you look down deep in either of us, you will find BLUE. How could you not? But after all the time in the last four seasons that I’ve spent with the Jackson players and cheerleaders you will also find a little PURPLE. (Did I mention that the Jackson cheerleading coach is the daughter of two of my best friends in the world?) When Jackson beat Leslie and took Hazard to the wire in last year’s regional tourney, who do think Jack and I were cheering for?

So here we go. The Jackson Tigers on the shoulders of Ray David and Hill and Jordan and Kyle strive to forever shed the “what could have been” label and win the big game. The Breathitt Bobcats, so steeped in basketball history and tradition, are looking to climb once again into a position of basketball prominence that is their ordained right.

When the whistle blows and the ball begins to bounce, take a second to remember John and Bill and Jack and moi. Regardless of where loyalties lie, we will be wanting your kid to do their best and to play their best game. Bill and John will call it like they see it. Jack and I will take the pictures and write the stories the same way. On Saturday, I will still be friends with Hill and Buddy, as well as with Matt and Jim and Adam Ray (from the 1965 Bobcat team). On Saturday you and I will still be neighbors.

And remember, win or lose, it’s not the end of the world. It’s Christmas.