Lexington bar takes out Cats’ ‘March Sadness’ loss by serving up FireCal shots

For those looking to drown their sorrows following the Wildcats’ early elimination from this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament, 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 celebrate March Madness. This year again, we celebrate March Sadness. And like any good celebration, you have to have a drink. So this year, we have the FireCal Shot.”

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

After taking a hit, Heathcoat said it was “almost as bad as Cal’s coaching last night.”

A sign on the counter in the video states that FireCal shots are $4 “during all March Sadness Games.”

Heathcoat said in an interview Saturday that the goal of the “light” promotion was to attract customers during what would normally be the bar’s busiest time of year.

“The entire food and beverage industry in Lexington was hit hard” by the Cats’ loss, Heathcoat said. “Our bartenders are going to lose money. We thought this might give them some money back, and it did.”

Calls have been made 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 on Thursday.

Opinions about the Euclid Avenue bar promotion were mixed on social media.

John Walmsley shared a photo of himself and a friend taking a FireCal Shot and said they “found the experience quite cathartic.”

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

“This is not funny! I agree that change is needed in the UK, but many Kentuckians seem quick to forget all the philanthropic efforts that John and Ellen Calipari have undertaken while here,” Kevin FitzMaurice wrote on Facebook. “There has not been a significant instance of hardship or tragedy in Kentucky in recent years where the Caliparis have not been on the front lines helping in a big way.”

“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’ promotion is a low blow – no pun intended – and it hits a good player when he’s down.”

Heathcoat said Saturday that “we have offended some people, but that was not our intention.”

He said the Chevy Chase Inn supports “Coach Cal and Ellen and what they’ve done not only for Lexington but for Kentucky as a whole. … They’re incredible people who have done incredible things for our state.”

Heathcoat said the Chevy Chase Inn was “full” Saturday night.

“Everybody here understands it was a joke,” he said. “We get through tough times by laughing and drinking bourbon, lots and lots of bourbon.”

Why wouldn’t Kentucky just pay the $33 million needed to get John Calipari out?

“This has to end.” What the national media is saying about Calipari’s future in the UK.