Five

By: Nic Yonter

Five. That is the number of Louisville’s fallen player, Kevin Ware.

To set the record straight, I am not a Louisville fan. I respect Rick Pitino, I respect his team this year and their current 33-5 record, but I am not a fan. Watching their game against Duke moved me though. It moved me because of how cohesive of a unit that Pitino has created.

Let me take you through what I saw. I was watching this highly contested game, the camera switched to Tyler Thornton squinting his eyes. I honestly thought Thornton had lost a contact. Then the camera switched to Peyton Siva, Wayne Blackshear, and Chane Behanan on the floor. The game was still going on, but these three players from Louisville were on the floor, crying their eyes out. That’s when I noticed Ware on the ground. Then I saw the replay.

This was by far the most gruesome and heart-wrenching injury I have ever witnessed. Of course, I haven’t been around this world that long, but I’ve watched a lot of sports. As Ware came down from attempting to block Thornton’s shot he landed on his right leg. And it snapped. It snapped like when breaking raw pasta. It was painful to watch. If you haven’t seen it, YouTube it. It’s gone viral.

When I saw Siva, Blackshear, and Behanan joined by Russ Smith crying hysterically I felt a tear in my eye. When I saw Coach Pitino walk away from the huddle to wipe away a tear, that tear fell. I don’t cry, but if there isn’t any emotion in a moment like this, I don’t know when you would have emotion. At this moment I knew Louisville was going to win the game. The pain and agony on the faces of his teammates showed how much he meant to the team. I found out later that Ware’s only words were to win the game. In that moment he was thinking of his teammates and not himself. That’s one hell of a guy.

After the game, Siva was asked about Ware’s condition. Siva said that Ware told them to win the game. Siva said they had to get him home. To the Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia.

Five. That is the number of Louisville’s fallen player, Kevin Ware. It is also the number of losses Louisville wants to end the season with. 35-5. National champions. In Atlanta. For Kevin Ware.