This Community Voices column is written by Patrick Blair, a recent Procter & Gamble retiree. You can reach him at pnblair@gmail.com.
Northern Kentucky, a region rich in tradition, boasts a unique one that blooms every March: gathering for the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. We found one local group that is celebrating 25 years of reconnecting on this sacred day of breakfast, basketball, and (often) beer.
It all began in a Southgate basement in 2000, as recalled by spearhead Aaron Gulley, a local market research exec who now lives in Alexandria. Freshly graduated from college and awaiting his father’s mechanical expertise on his car, Aaron found himself drawn into the allure of the tournament alongside his cousin. With what was then a “big screen,” cold beer, and the promise of unpredictable college hoops, the day blossomed into something enduring.
“We really didn’t have plans to make a day of it,” Gulley recalled, “but at some point, it occurred to us both then – with newfound freedom in our schedules – that watching multiple games at a time, seeing buzzer beaters, and just being around friends was AWESOME. I haven’t worked the first day of the tournament since.”
To make space to hear from more Northern Kentuckians, we launched a new feature called Community Voices. These will be regular columns that aren’t quite news stories but also aren’t exactly opinion – they’re somewhere in the middle. We want to be a vehicle for you to share your expertise and the stories behind them with Northern Kentucky.
If you think you have a voice the community would like to hear, please submit three to five writing samples to me at mgoth@linknky.com.
The samples should be somewhere between 500 and 750 words, and do not need to be previously published somewhere else, but it’s OK if they were. .
If we select you, we’d ask that you submit your Community Voices column with some regularity, whether that be weekly, biweekly or monthly. Your columns would also need to include your name as the author: We can’t accept pen names or pseudonyms.
Not everyone who applies will get to be a Community Voice. While we don’t expect you to know AP style, we do expect submissions to adhere to correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. We will edit slightly to make sure submissions fit our style. We also won’t accept submissions that are a promotion for you, or a product or service. (If you’re looking for a way to promote your company, product or service, email our VP of sales, Brad Crosby, at bcrosby@linknky.com.)
If you have questions or want to run an idea by me, feel free to email me anytime.
We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
What is a Community Voices column?
The original duo, Aaron and his cousin – architect Tony Rawe – laid the foundation for what has become an ever-expanding gathering. From the humble beginnings in Southgate, the tradition has migrated to local establishments like Barleycorn’s, Shimmer’s – and for the last couple of decades, Dickmann’s Sports Barn and Brew.
According to General Manager Steven Dickmann, the first rounds of March Madness can easily rank among the top days for the Fort Wright sports bar staple.
“With our expanded lunch menu, 21+ atmosphere, and over 50 TVs with multiple sight lines, we offer a perfect place for customers to gather,” Dickmann said. “Many settle in for the day.”
And if UK is playing or the first round falls on St. Patrick’s Day, you can bet record tills are within reach.
According to manager Peggy Harthun – Richard Dickmann’s sister – the popularity of March Madness at Dickmann’s has been in full swing since the very beginning. And Peggy would know, as she’s been with the establishment since the beginning.
“It’s among the most exciting events of the year,” she shared on a recent Tuesday afternoon. “We see the same faces year-after-year.”
You can count Aaron and his group among those faces. The day usually kicks off with breakfast with many from the original group – Eric Isen, Andy Goodman, and Cory Fulton – who make the trip each year from Wisconsin. This year, former local Dan Aseere made the trip from Rotonda, Florida. Traditions in Alexandria, Sis’s in Newport, and the Log Cabin Inn have all made the list. But then timing is critical to ensure entry at Dickmann’s, when the doors open at 11:00. By 11:05, one risks all tables being filled.
One – or many – of those tables will be filled with this easy-going group of long-time friends and first-timers alike.
“Impossible to count,” Gulley said. “For some it’s every year now…for others they’ve come and gone…it will easily be 20 or more at some point that day.”
While the group has no formal rules or membership, it thrives on a shared spirit of fun and friendship. The basketball serves as a backdrop, a catalyst for connection.
“It’s about camaraderie and friendships, newer and older.”
At this year’s gathering – and completely by coincidence – the Gulley tribe had a table right next to another group, also celebrating 25 years.
Allison Belden and Lisa Gastright went to Willie’s years ago with the same idea.
“We love basketball and we love getting together,” Belden said. They moved to Dickmann’s the following year and have been in the same general spot for 25 years. Long-time friend Joe Richie of Loveland has been there since the beginning.
“Some friends we only see once a year and I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” Richie said. “I’ll be coming until I’m 80.”
As for the future, both Gulley and Belden hope to continue their traditions as long as possible.
“I’ll do it as long as my body will allow,” Gulley said. “The intensity will surely wane and the all-day nature may need to be adjusted, but I can’t imagine ever not wanting this day to connect with friends.”
In a world increasingly dominated by digital interactions, this Northern Kentucky tradition stands as a testament to the enduring power of face-to-face connection. It’s a reminder that some of the most cherished memories are created not in grand, orchestrated events, but in the spontaneous gatherings of friends, united by a shared passion and a desire to celebrate the moment. And in Northern Kentucky, that moment arrives every March, with the tip-off of the NCAA Tournament.
Patrick Blair writes about the traditions that make Northern Kentucky what it is. Next month, Blair will take a look at NKY traditions surrounding the Kentucky Derby.
If you have an idea for a Community Voices column, email Meghan Goth at mgoth@linknky.com.
