By Chelsea Allen–
Two weeks after the Louisville basketball team returned home from their trip to the Final Four, fans finally got a chance to properly congratulate the team with a celebration at Fourth Street Live! last Tuesday evening.
Thousands of fans formed a sea of red and black as the emcee recognized each U of L sport that participated in an NCAA tournament this season, building up to the reveal everyone was waiting for: the 2012 Big East Tournament and Midwest Regional Champions.
Each basketball player was introduced on stage to thousands of adoring, cheering fans, tossing Final Four t-shirts out into the crowd. Gorgui Dieng, Russ Smith, Peyton Siva and Kyle Kuric received exceptionally loud applause.
After each player was welcomed, team captains Peyton Siva, Chris Smith and Kyle Kuric thanked the fans for their support throughout the season.
The University of Louisville basketball players tossed shirts to eager Cards fans during Tuesday’s celebration. Thousands of fans turned out sporting red and black in honor of U of L’s post-season success in the NCAA tournament.
A particularly jovial Rick Pitino commemorated the team’s exciting post-season run, comparing them to one of his favorite teams in his coaching career, the 1987 Providence team.
“I told [the Providence team], ‘You have integrity, humility, hunger, character—you’re the hardest working team I’ve coached.’ Not until this year have I met a team with those same characteristics… a never give-up attitude.”
Amidst another round of applause, Pitino quickly added, “And now, we get to hang another Final Four banner!”
After an unexpectedly successful tournament for the Cards, there is much to look forward to in the near future.
“We’ve got 10 players returning next year,” Pitino shouted over the already roaring crowd. “We’ll be much healthier next year, we’ll be much better on offense and we’re still going to play that great defense!”
With that, the crowd parted the “red sea,” and the players floated through, proudly giving high fives, handshakes and some even stopping to sign autographs. After the team loaded onto the bus awaiting them at the end of the street, the crowd swarmed and cheered, reaching to get a closer look at the coveted players inside.
Pitino was the very last to get in his car, attempting to shake every hand and sign every poster that was thrust at him. While his police escort insisted they had to go, Pitino kept greeting and smiling—enjoying the moment among which he calls “the most special people he’s ever had an opportunity to coach in front of.”
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Photos: Austin Lassell/The Louisville Cardinal
