Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.
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stonecrofthomes.net LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 8.17 29 Your Custom Home Builder David P. Lutes 502.523.7041 stonecrofthomes.net No Matter the Style of Home at Speaks to You, Stonecroft Will Translate it Into Your Masterpiece FLASHBACK AUGUST 2001 On the cover: University of Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich is "one tough bird." Inside: Jurich became AD in October 1997. The football program was on the way to its worst season in history, gen- der-equity problems plagued U of L sports (four women's teams shared a single locker room, for example) and the men's bas- ketball coach, Denny Crum, was in what Jurich said was the "lame-duck year of his contract." One of Jurich's first moves was to hire five full-time staffers to monitor the department's compliance with NCAA rules. "I lose enough sleep — I didn't want to lose sleep over rules," Jurich said in the story. U of L's president at the time, John Shumaker, said, "There has been no hint of any impropriety or any difficulties since Tom has come." Jurich was tight-lipped about personal details but did mention his late father, who was the son of a Yugoslavian steelworker. "He would never cave in to anybody — he had more guts than any 50 people," Jurich said. "The greatest thing my dad taught me was how to look in a mirror: Don't blame the next guy; blame yourself. If you make a mistake, be man enough to blame yourself." After forcing Crum out, Jurich hired for- mer UK coach Rick Pitino, who was coming off a disastrous stint with the Boston Celtics. "All the talk of Pitino as Bene- dict Arnold, Wildcat fans calling for his championship banners to be removed from Rupp Arena, the patronizing comments from UK's athletic director — what a sweet gift to the long-suffering Cardinal faithful," our story said. Shumaker called the hire a "deliciously perverse" choice. Outside: August 2001 local headlines: "Humana Inc. turns 40, throws itself a par- ty"; "Slugger Museum counted it's one-mil- lionth visitor last week"; "Construction has begun on the second phase of Waterfront Park"; "Louisville loses a tobacco tradition." — Josh Moss