Your Move, Greg Stumbo

I don't know why UK basketball coach Calipari cancelled his fundraiser for Governor Steve Beshear; all I know is that in the few hours between the fundraiser's announcement and cancellation, Beshear went from prohibitive favorite to mortally wounded likely loser.

Within hours after the media began reporting Wednesday that University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari would host a $1,000-a-person fund-raiser at his Lexington home for Gov. Steve Beshear, Calipari changed his mind.

“I hope by now you all realize that I don’t take my position as your basketball coach lightly,” Calipari said on his Facebook page about 9:40 p.m. “I know how politically charged this state is and I recognize that the Big Blue Nation comes from both sides of the aisle. I appreciate every elected official who supports the University of Kentucky, regardless of party.

“That said, the governor’s event planned for August 11 — along with other charitable functions scheduled for our home — have been canceled after realizing the full plate of both professional and pressing, personal matters I will be tending to in the next couple of months. Ellen and I do hope this discussion will lead you to exercise your right to vote in the upcoming elections.”

Read the whole thing.

There's a lot going on here, including outrage from republican UK fans, political naivete on the part of non-Kentuckian Caliperi and the usual political bone-headedness from Beshear.

A winning UK basketball coach is worshipped as not A god in Kentucky, but rather THE god, and I am not exaggerating. A losing Kentucky coach - even temporarily, after a winning record - is run out of state on a rail. Ask Tubby.

UK basketball is so far above politics that a governor requesting a fundraiser from the current coach is like a candidate for local constable requesting funding from the National Republican Committee.

Yes, Ritchie Farmer won two terms as Agriculture Commissioner on the strength of his UK playing career, but only decades after leaving the sport.

Beshear is suddenly even more vulnerable than he was two days ago, and Fancy Farm just got a lot more interesting.

(Jake thinks the publicity helps Beshear regardless. He's no fan of Our Steve, so I treat his opinion with respect. But I still disagree.)