Big Blue Madness

Fri., Oct. 14, 2005 – 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.)
Rupp Arena – Lexington, Ky.

As has become tradition, the Kentucky Wildcats tip off the new basketball season with ?Big Blue Madness,? an event-filled evening, this year for the first time ever at Rupp Arena. For those arriving early, the doors open at 7:30 p.m.

Fans should plan to arrive early due to security measures and a number of events in the area that could affect traffic flow. The night will include games and contests with prizes for all the winners. The UK band, cheerleaders and dance team also will be performing.

Fan contests will begin at 8:15 with great prizes being awarded by:

Alltel ? (Alltel DSL High Speed Hamster Race) Two (2) fans compete inside the hamster ball. Flav-o-Rich Dairy ? (Big Moo Madness) ? Game of corn hole played for Sirius Radio and 6 months free service. Saint Joseph Hospital ? (Little Big Shoes) ? Youths play dress up in UK uniforms for Toys-r-Us gift certificate Adelphia/ESPNU ? (Rowdiest Fan) ? Are you the craziest UK fan out there? Dress up in your wildest garb and practice the C-A-T-S cheer ? we may call on you. Ford ? (Ford Explorer Give-a-way) Big Blue Madness ticket holders can register until 8:30 pm at the outside concourse entrance to Rupp Arena for the chance to win a 2006 Ford Explorer given away by the Local Ford Dealers. One lucky fan will have the opportunity to make a half-court shot to drive away in this fabulous vehicle. You must be 18 years or older to enter.

The women?s basketball team will be introduced at 9:15 p.m. and Big Blue fans will catch their first glimpse of the new Wildcats ? including three newcomers ? just after 10 p.m.

Approximately 23,000 tickets were distributed in just over 48 hours, including 20,000 in the first 35 minutes of availability on Oct. 1. The event will be broadcast regionally on FSN, the Big Blue Network beginning at 9 p.m. and the nation on ESPNU starting at 10 p.m.

Television Coverage

UK fans without tickets to Big Blue Madness have a variety of TV options for watching Kentucky?s first basketball practice. The Big Blue Sports Network will televise the festivities live, from 9-11 p.m. (EDT), on WKYT-TV in Lexington and throughout Kentucky on FSN. Other Big Blue Sports Network affiliates will carry Madness on a tape-delayed basis.

Additionally, ESPNU will televise live from Rupp Arena from 10-11 p.m. (EDT), as part of six hours of Midnight Madness coverage. Other schools to be highlighted by ESPNU include Memphis, Kansas, Michigan State and Oregon.

Also, Big Blue Madness will be shown live on on ukathletics.com

Kentucky Basketball ? Unparalleled Tradition

Highlights of UK?s previous 102 seasons include:

Seven national titles – (1948, ’49, ’51, ’58, ’78, ’96, ?98)

The all-time winningest team in college basketball (1,904 wins)

The highest all-time winning percentage of any team in college basketball – 76.4% (1,904-583-1)

Three NCAA runner-up trophies

13 Final Four appearances

A national-record 46 NCAA tournament appearances

43 Southeastern Conference Championships

25 SEC Tournament titles

Eleven 30-win seasons, the most in college basketball

39 players chosen All-America 57 times

89 Wildcats selected in the NBA Draft

Practice Begins Friday

Friday, Oct. 14, is the first day Division I college basketball teams can practice. Several years ago, the NCAA moved the first day of practice to the Saturday closest to Oct. 15. The Wildcats began preseason workouts in September, concentrating on strength and conditioning as well as individual instruction.

This year, the NCAA has adjusted the rules to allow teams full team practice time for four hours per week, which began in late August. However, teams are restricted from full five-on-five scrimmaging until the start of regular practice tonight.

The Birth of Big Blue Madness

Former UK coach Joe B. Hall started Big Blue Madness at the University of Kentucky in 1982. According to Hall, he was looking for an idea to create more excitement for his 1982-83 squad. So they invited the fans in for team introductions and a scrimmage at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 15, 1982. Madness has now grown at a tremendous pace while also spreading to college and high school programs across the nation. Lefty Driesell, currently the coach at James Madison, is credited with conducting the first Midnight Madness when he was the head coach at Maryland in 1971.

Big Blue Madness Highlights

When Big Blue Madness started in 1982, it was called “Midnight Special.” More than 8,500 fans attended that first event in 12,000-seat Memorial Coliseum. Admission was somewhat easier then — those still arriving near the stroke of 12 a.m. had no problem getting a seat. But the seed of growth had been planted.

1983 — More than 10,000 supporters arrived to watch a highly rated Kentucky team led by Sam Bowie, Melvin Turpin and Kenny Walker. That team went on to a Final Four finish.

1984 — Introductions were in order as a new troop of fresh-faced Wildcats took the floor after the graduations of Bowie, Turpin, Dickey Beal, Tom Heitz and Jim Master.

1985 — The Coliseum was rocking as first-year coach Eddie Sutton ushered in a new era.

1986 — By the time the band started pounding out the fight song at 11:30 p.m., the fire marshal had already ordered the doors closed at 9:50 p.m., leaving hundreds of fans outside. Inside, more than 12,500 fans caught the first glimpse of super-frosh Rex Chapman and the Wildcats.

1989 — Rick Pitino was introduced for the first time to a capacity crowd of more than 8,700 (the Coliseum capacity dropped from 11,500 because of renovation). Fans were caught trying to sneak in the windows and any opening they could find.

1990 — Lines began forming at 8:30 a.m. as nearly 10,000 fans helped Kentucky celebrate a “Big Blue New Year.”

1991 — Fans lined up 36 hours in advance as the Cats were “Back in the Spotlight,” eligible for postseason play for the first time in the Pitino era. Doors were closed 45 minutes after they opened, the earliest ever. All four recruits who attended Madness that year — Rodrick Rhodes, Jared Prickett, Tony Delk and Walter McCarty — verbally committed to Kentucky the next week.

1992 — “Big Boo Madness – A Monster Bash” fell on Halloween night since the NCAA had moved the start of practice back to Nov. 1. Once again, doors closed only 45 minutes after they opened, as a capacity crowd watched Jamal Mashburn and company usher in the new season.

1993 — The first fans arrived on Wednesday — three days early — and at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 29, the Cats were “Rockin’ after Midnight” as a popular senior foursome — Travis Ford, Rodney Dent, Jeff Brassow and Gimel Martinez — led the 1993-94 team into action.

1994 — The father and son combination of Robert and Ronald Vallandingham of Smithland, Ky., formerly of New Albany, Ind., arrived on Oct. 10 — a full five days early. Coach Pitino was the headline attraction. Playing to the theme “Born To Be Wild,” Pitino arrived in the gym dressed in leather driving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

1995 — Wally Clark of Lexington was determined to be “first in line” and arrived 17 days early. The preseason No. 1 team in the nation was introduced with the premier of “Cat Fan Forever.” Seniors Walter McCarty and Tony Delk swooped down on ropes from high above dressed as “Cat”man and Robin.

1996 — Clark parked himself by the front door on Sept. 10, a full 38 days prior to Big Blue Madness. In the pre-Madness celebration, the “Back to Tradition” theme honored the championship teams, including the defending national champions, as well as former stars.

1997 — Tickets were passed out five days early ? a Monday morning ? and were gone within the first 75 minutes for ?Late Night with the Cats.? It was the official introduction of Coach Tubby Smith to the Wildcat faithful, as he made his appearance high above the floor in the second deck.

1998 ? The Wildcats, playing to the theme, ?The Main Event,? were dressed in their favorite professional wrestling outfits and introduced down through the UK crowd. Later, they celebrated their NCAA Championship from the previous season by unveiling a new championship banner on the Coliseum?s ?Wall of Champions.?

1999 ? The tickets were again distributed a week early and vanished in 27 minutes for ?America?s Team of the Century.? Making a very special, and surprise, appearance was newly crowned Miss America, Heather Renee French, from Maysville, Ky. To thunderous applause, Coach Tubby Smith escorted her to center court.

2000 ? Tickets were offered on the Internet for the first time and all 700 were distributed in 13 minutes. The remaining 8,000 were gone in 10 minutes to those waiting in line. ?Survivor,? a take-off from the popular television show that summer, was the theme for the annual event.

2001 ? A week before the event, all 8,000 of the tickets were gone in less than an hour after Internet and window distributions. The Wildcats celebrated the 20th anniversary of the event by revisiting the ?Midnight Special,? theme, celebrating the last two decades of Madness.

2002 ? Kentucky kicked off the 100th anniversary celebration by bringing back 15 former players who were introduced with each of the 2002-03 Wildcats. Former greats like Wah Wah Jones, Sam Bowie and Jim LeMaster were just a few of the players who watched as a giant birthday cake was wheeled to center court. After the team led the crowd in the singing of ?Happy Birthday,? longtime Equipment Manager Bill Keightley emerged from the cake.

2003 – UK used the theme ?The Future of Kentucky Basketball,? spoofing the movie ?Back to the Future,? as Coach Tubby Smith and and Equipment Manager Bill Keightley appeared in a Delorean car at the stroke of midnight. The event also saw the first-time introduction of new women?s basketball head coach Mickie DeMoss as she was carried out by the UK Cheerleaders to the Toni Basil tune ?Mickey.?

2004 ? ?This is Kentucky Basketball? was the theme for the 2004 Madness. The fun-filled evening was packed with contests, specially-made videos and spoof commercials featuring the UK men?s and women?s players, plus special guests like former UK players Kenny Walker, Sam Bowie and Richie Farmer, plus famous fan Ashley Judd. Rajon Rondo was everybody?s choice in the slam dunk exhibition.