Lexington bar vents over Cats’ loss during ‘March Sadness’ by offering FireCal Shots

For those wishing to drown their sorrows over the Wildcats’ early exit from the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament this year, Lexington’s oldest bar has a new offering: the FireCal Shot.

The Chevy Chase Inn shared a video on its Facebook page in which Kevin Heathcoat, one of the bar’s co-owners, says the bar has been “cheering on the Kentucky Wildcats for over 90 years.”

“Usually,” he says, as “Hit the Road Jack” plays in the background, “this is when we’re celebrating March Madness. Once again this year, we’re celebrating March Sadness. And with any good celebration, you’ve gotta have a drink. So this year, we’ve got the FireCal Shot.”

“I think it’s time that we all fire Cal, and hey, Mitch Barnhart, the first one’s on me,” Heathcoat says. “Shots fired.”

After taking a shot, Heathcoat says it’s “almost as bad as Cal’s coaching last night.”

A sign on the counter in the video says FireCal Shots are $4 “During all March Sadness Games.”

Heathcoat said in an interview Saturday that the aim of the “lighthearted” promotion is to bring in business during what would normally be the bar’s busiest time of the year.

“The entire food and beverage industry in Lexington took a huge hit” when the Cats lost, Heathcoat said. “Our bartenders are going to miss out on money. We figured this might put some money back in their pockets, and it has.”

There have been calls for the University of Kentucky to oust head coach John Calipari since UK lost 80-76 to Oakland in the first round of the tournament Thursday.

Opinions on the Euclid Avenue bar’s promotion were divided on social media.

John Walmsley shared a photo of himself and a buddy having a FireCal Shot and said they “found this experience to be quite cathartic.”

Others, including Facebook user Sharon Franz, said they found the bar’s marketing in “very poor taste.”

“Not funny! I agree that there needs to be a change at UK, but many Kentuckians seem quick to forget all the the philanthropic endeavors that John and Ellen Calipari have undertaken in their time here,” Kevin FitzMaurice wrote on Facebook. “There hasn’t been a significant instance of hardship or tragedy in Kentucky in the past few years that the Caliparis haven’t been at the forefront helping out on a grand scale.

“Yes, UK needs new blood in both its basketball programs, and the one-and-done system on the men’s side needs to go, but the ‘FireCal’ promo is a cheap shot--no pun intended--and it kicks a good man when he’s down.”

Heathcoat said Saturday that “we offended some people, but it’s not our intention.”

He said the Chevy Chase Inn supports “Coach Cal and Ellen and what they’ve done for not just Lexington but for Kentucky as a whole. ...These are amazing people who’ve done amazing things for our state.”

Heathcoat said Chevy Chase Inn was “packed” Saturday night.

“Everybody in there understands that it was a joke,” he said. “We get through tough times with some laughter and bourbon, lots and lots of bourbon.”

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