Lyndsey Gough

I’m sure everyone saw the “tent city” taking over north campus last week. In case you were wondering why people would camp outside in the cool fall weather for a week, even braving the rain, the answer is simple - the first official basketball practice of the season.

To Kentucky fans, Big Blue Madness is much more than just a practice. It is the first time fans get to see the new team in action, as well the beginning of another basketball season to which they hope to hang another banner at the end of.

Big Blue Madness will take place October 12 in Rupp Arena starting at 5:00 pm, with a women’s volleyball game before the basketball begins. Tickets are sold out but the game will be aired on ESPN 2, ESPN U, and streamed at UK Athletics website.

Last year, former UK fan favorites such as John Wall, returned for Madness as well as celebrities like Drake and Ashley Judd - both of which identify themselves as members of BBN. This year players will return, and there are rumors of more celebrity appearances this year. High ranked recruits such as the Harrison twins and JaQuan Lyle are supposed to be in attendance as well.

With one of the top freshman classes in the nation, and several returning players Coach Cal and the Cats are in a good place for this season. Lets meet the Cats:

#3- Freshman, Nerlens Noel

Noel is 6-10 forward from Massachusetts and one of the top prospects of his class. Anthony Davis himself said Noel had the potential to be as good as he was. Noel has made his hairstyle, the flat top, famous in college basketball. UK fans already using phrases such as “fear the fade” and “fear the flat top.”

#4- Redshirt Junior, Jon Hood

Each spring semester the sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi and the brothers of Iota Phi Theta host their joint philanthropy event called PiAthlon. The money each organization raises from this event will go towards their respective national philanthropies. AOΠ’s money raised will go to arthritis research and Iota’s money raised goes towards the Iota Phi Theta Youth Alliance, which is a program for students in kindergarten through 12th grade to be mentored by the men of Iota with the ultimate goal of helping them get into college.

This year’s PiAthlon will take place Thursday, April 5, 2012 at the Goodbarn Field across from Commonwealth Stadium. The event begins at 5:00 p.m. and will conclude around 6:30.
PiAthlon is themed around “pi” events. Contests include pie-pong, wheel barrel races, the pudding pass, the pie making 3-legged race, pie-a-pal, and pudding wrestling.

In the pie pong contest you have 3 mini pie-tins in a triangle shape on each end of the table; the goal is to toss a ping pong ball with one hand into each tin on the opponents side of the table before they do, taking turns after each toss.

The wheel barrel race is like the classic game you played on the playground, but with a pie twist, at the end of your turn you must find the cherry in a pie before your partner can put you down.

The pudding pass is Nickelodeon’s Slime Time Live inspired- each member of the team wears a helmet with a cup on top, pudding is poured into the first cup and they must send the pudding down the line of helmets and into a pie tin, first team to fill the tin wins.

In the 3-legged race you run an obstacle course, stopping at different pie-making stations to completely make a pie with your partner.

Your all-inclusive guide to Kentucky Basketball

It’s October and talk around campus revolves around one thing: basketball!

Consider this you’re crash course in Kentucky basketball lingo, as well as a preview to the upcoming basketball season.

For those of you who don’t know, Kentucky basketball is often called the “greatest tradition in basketball history.” UK was the first team to 2,000 wins (December 21, 2009 against the Drexel Dragons) dubbing our school “UK2K,” and we have the all-time highest winning percentage. UK has played in a record number of NCAA tournaments (51), is tied with UNC in NCAA tournament wins (105), and ranks second in national titles(7). The Cats have played in a record 151 tournament games total; they have an NCAA record of 42 Sweet-16 appearances and 33 Elite-8 appearances. Kentucky has played in 14 Final Fours (fourth place all time) and has had 10 championship game appearances (second place, tied with Duke).

 Head Coach John Calipari (affectionately known as Coach Cal) is beginning his third year as head coach at Kentucky and has quite an impressive track record. Twenty-one of his players are now in the NBA, including former UK players John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton, Enes Kanter, Josh Harrellson, Brandon Knight and DeAndre Liggins. Coach Cal also has three Sweet-16 appearances and two final fours.

As impressive as that may be, Kentucky fans expect one thing: 8, as in our 8th national title. Lucky for us, we have the #1 recruiting class walking among us in the halls of campus now (for the third year in a row).