Rivals on the Court
A 2017 ESPN article dubbed the Crosstown Shootout – the annual basketball game between the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University – as one of the top five rivalries in all of college basketball. The University of Cincinnati is one of the premiere public research universities in the state of Ohio with an enrollment of more than 46,000 students. Just three miles away, Xavier University is one of the most recognized Catholic Jesuit universities in the country with a total student enrollment of 6,500.
While both basketball teams are perennial NCAA Tournament teams, their alumni and fan bases are significant. They make an impact in the arena, at the universities, and now, even more, throughout the Cincinnati region.
It all started when a Xavier Musketeer fan left a $1,000 tip at Zip’s Cafe with a special message, “Please share this tip with all of your employees as they work so hard and are dealing with COVID. Go Xavier!” Zips offers one of the best burgers in the Cincinnati area but had to close its doors for about six months as the pandemic loomed. Now reopened, the generosity from this Xavier friend was much appreciated. Zip’s responded by sharing a picture of the tip, stating, “To the gentleman and his daughters who left this incredibly generous tip this afternoon, with big smiles on our faces, we want to say, thank you! Cincinnati, we love you!”
Not to be outdone, just a few days later, a University of Cincinnati Bearcat fan left $1,001 tip at Keystone Bar & Grill with this special message, “Earlier this week I saw a Xavier fan tip $1,000 at Zips. I believe now more than ever we need to support our local restaurants. Let’s see how long we can keep this going… Bearcats up by one!!” The management at Keystone shared, “We are blown away and truly appreciative of the support. The service industry has been rocked by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last ten months and we need a little more kindness in the world today.”
Those two tips were all it took to light a flame once again on the rivalry between the two universities. Back and forth the tips have gone: Xavier – UC – Xavier – UC.
As of March 1st, over 50-four-figure-tips have been dropped at various restaurants throughout the Cincinnati region, each with a special message and the university with which to claim. All told, over $80,000 are now in the hands of dedicated local restaurant workers throughout the area and the two universities continue to stand as dedicated communities inside and outside of their campuses.
Timeline
XU
March 4, 2021
$1,083 – Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant
XU
February 27, 2021
$1,018.31 – BlaCk Coffee Lounge
$1,018.31 – Ollie’s Trolley
$1,018.31 – Just Q’in Barbecue
$1,018.31 – Burnett’s Soul Food
$1,018.31 – Higher Gravity
XU
February 26, 2021
$3,000 – Arnold’s Bar & Grill
UC
February 24, 2021
$7,000 – Gabby’s Cafe
XU
February 23, 2021
$1,000 – Big Ash Brewing
XU
February 22, 2021
$1,300 – Kirby’s (Juno Beach, FL)
XU
February 20, 2021
$1018.31 – Cream + Sugar Coffeehouse
$1018.31 – Esoteric Brewing Co.
UC
February 18, 2021
$500 – Dead Low Brewing
XU
February 18, 2021
$500 – Dead Low Brewing
XU
February 17, 2021
$3500 – Embers
$1500 – Embers
UC
February 15, 2021
$1,200 – The National Exemplar
UC
February 13, 2021
$1,819 – Silver Spring House
XU
February 12, 2021
$1,076 Maury’s Tiny Cove Steak House
XU
February 9, 2021
$4,525 – The Birch
$1,068 – PeeWee’s Place
UC
February 9, 2021
$1,819 – Kitchen 1883
XU
February 8, 2021
$3,004 – L’Burg Drinks and More
UC
February 7, 2021
$1300 – McCoy’s Place
UC
February 6, 2021
$3,000 – at Clutch-OTR
$1211.92 – at Mr. Pitiful’s OTR
XU
February 6, 2021
$2,021 – at Forno Osteria & Bar
UC
February 5, 2021
$2,500 – at Kirby’s in Loveland
$2,151 – at Mio’s Pizzeria (Short Vine)
XU
February 5, 2021
$2,031 – at The Schoolhouse
$2,001 – at Slatt’s Pub
UC
February 4, 2021
$2,000 – at Skyline Chili (4th and Sycamore)
$2,000 – at R.P.Murphy’s
$1,691 – at J Taps Sports Bar
$1,234 – at Montgomery Inn
$1,051 – at The Holy Grail
XU
February 2, 2021
$1,500 – at The Echo
Both Teams
February 1, 2021
$1,500 – Incline Public House
XU
January 31, 2021
$1,100 – at Bellevue Bistro
UC
January 31, 2021
$1,015 – at Skyline Chili Oakley
$1,250 – at Zip’s Café
XU
January 30, 2021
$1,000 – at Price Hill Chili
UC
January 30, 2021
$1,010 – at Red Feather
$1,010 – at China Gourmet
XU
January 29, 2021
$1,010 – at Dead Low Brewing
UC
January 29, 2021
$1,008 – Arnold’s Bar & Grill
XU
January 28, 2021
$1,007 – at Sacred Beast
$1,200 – at Westside Bar & Grill
UC
January 28, 2021
$1,006 – at O’Bryon’s Bar and Grill
UC
January 27, 2021
$1,005 – at Chandler’s
XU
January 25, 2021
$1,002 – at Goose & Elder
UC
January 14, 2021
$1,001 – at Keystone Bar & Grill
XU
January 9, 2021
$1,000 – at Zip’s Cafe
