Ohio State Coach Chris Holtmann regularly tapes evening newscasts in order to catch up on current events once he returns home from practices and/or games. Belatedly watching reports of the tornadoes that devastated parts of western Kentucky led Holtmann to call Kentucky Coach John Calipari.
"The fact I'm from Kentucky and we're playing Kentucky, it makes sense for me to at least connect with John and see if there's something we can do as a program to help his state," said Holtmann, who grew up in Lexington and then Nicholasville.
Ohio State plays Kentucky on Saturday in Las Vegas in the CBS Sports Classic.
Holtmann left a message for Calipari saying he wanted to donate, say, $25,000 to $50,000. This prompted a quick return call from the UK coach.
Holtmann said he was mindful of Calipari's history of trying to ease human suffering. That history includes telethons in the wake of an earthquake hitting Haiti and a hurricane flooding Houston.
"One of the things I've always appreciated about John is the fact he has won at the highest level, and at the same time, for him there's a higher purpose in what he's doing."
The Ohio State coach's father, John Holtmann, said his son is a graduate of Taylor University. The Christian liberal arts school's graduation ceremony includes giving a towel to each graduate to symbolize the importance of serving others, the elder Holtmann said.
Holtmann ultimately donated $50,000 to Tuesday night's Kentucky United Tornado Disaster Relief telethon.
"It didn't surprise me he would do that," Holtmann's father said before playfully adding, "the amount surprised me."
Mayfield native comes through
News reports of the damage caused by the tornadoes moved Chris Vogt, a Mayfield native now playing for Wisconsin. After the Badgers lost at Ohio State on Saturday, he launched a relief fund through the GoFundMe website.
"As soon as the game was over, my mind was just kind of racing," he said in an interview posted on the Wisconsin team's website. "What can I do to help the people of Mayfield?"
Vogt said his inspiration was pro football star J.J. Watt, who worked to help Houston recover from the impact of Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Vogt, a 7-footer who led Graves County High School to the 2017 Sweet 16, said he checked with GoFundMe officials to make sure he was not violating NCAA rules. When reassured he could raise funds for relief, he set $10,000 as a goal.
"I put it as kind of a far goal," he said. "And then seeing it hit $20,000 in under 24 hours was just amazing to me. I just never would have thought it would have gotten that much support.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Vogt's relief effort had raised just short of $89,000 toward his $100,000 goal.
"It's humbling. That's the only word I can use for it."
WKU players assist in cleanup
For its game Tuesday night against Centre, Western Kentucky offered free admission and free food from concession stands to those affected by the storms.
WKU is also taking donations for the Warren County Public Schools Synergy Relief Fund, which is one of the main hubs working to take in supplies and food and distribute them to families in need. Donations can be made at https://offer.fevo.com/-jxlfaqa-d098e6e?fevoUri=-jxlfaqa-d098e6e%2F.
WKU is also encouraging people to donate to the Warren County Public Schools Synergy Relief Fund.
WKU is planning to include additional relief efforts in its home game Saturday against Louisville. On Monday, players for Western Kentucky's men's and women's basketball teams distributed food and supplies. The men's basketball team canceled practice Tuesday in order to free time to help in the hauling of trees and debris in one of the more affected areas in Bowling Green.
"That's the best practice we can have right there," WKU Coach Rick Stansbury said at a news conference Tuesday. "Being someone who can help give back."
The natural disaster put basketball in perspective, he added. "People have lost so much materialistic things. A lot of people lost loved ones. We don't have (any) problems. We play a game. I know it's something we put a lot of emphasis on. People get mad if you don't win. But at the end of the day, it's really a game when you compare it to what's going on in our community right now."
Saturday
No. 21 Kentucky vs. No. 15 Ohio State
What: CBS Sports Classic
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
When: 5:15 p.m. EST
Records: Kentucky 7-2, Ohio State 8-2
Series: Kentucky leads 11-10
Last meeting: Ohio State won 71-65 on Dec. 21, 2019, at the CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas.
