Andy Barr: “When it comes to college basketball, there is simply no place like my old Kentucky home. I rise with the distinct honor…”

“When it comes to college basketball, there is simply no place like my old Kentucky home. I rise with the distinct honor of congratulating my hometown University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team on moving on to the Sweet 16 in the 2014 Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. This season has had its ups and downs, but this group of young men-- the youngest average age of any team in the tournament--is coalescing at just the right time. This momentum is a testament to the players' willingness to put team ahead of self--a lesson we here in Congress could stand to learn from-- and the ability of Coach John Calipari and his staff to mold raw talent into a cohesive, disciplined attack on both the defensive and offensive ends of the court in just a few short months. Hard-fought victories by these Wildcats over Kansas State and an unbeaten Wichita State team--a very likable team--have set up what might well be the main event of the entire tournament, not just for residents of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but for college basketball fans all around this country--a rematch between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, the two previous national champions. With all due respect to Duke and North Carolina, the University of Kentucky-University of Louisville rivalry is the greatest and most competitive rivalry in all of college basketball. One of the reasons for this is this is a nonconference rivalry.…”