Throughout the night, I will be updating live from Rupp Arena for the Midnite Madness festivities. To keep getting the info tonight, just hit refresh and we will give those of you all away from the Bluegrass state all there is to see here in Rupp.
11:15 pm Good night with some decent stories. The Recruits seemed to love it and I think the families were as into the whole environment as anything I have seen. Also good work from the University at making the game short enough that folks didnt lose interest. And in my view, the Freshmen looked REAL good. I will have more later tonight, but I gotta pack up and go. Check in later this evening or tomorrow for an update.
10:59 pm 23, 312 is the official crowd total
10:56 pm Crowd got a chant going for Stewart, Patterson and Lucas....although they did pronounce Lucas' name wrong.....its JAY folks....JAY
10:54 pm John Lucas is coaching everybody on the court.....and I think it is worth noting that he just joined in the
"Patrick Patterson" Chant with the crowd....
10:50 pm During the downtime at the end of the "first half", the arena began a mini-Patrick Patterson chant, which his mom looked at with disbelief.
10:45 pm You dont need to be a basketball guru to tell that these Freshman can play. Perry Stevenson finishes better than almost any big man we have
10:41 pm Students are CHANTING the recruits names and they are EATING it up
10:40 pm Couple of nice early baseline moves from Perry Stevenson. Poor Woo....
10:38 pm Matchups for the scrimmage. Thomas, Woo, Bradley, Carter, Meeks versus Jasper, Porter, Perry, Stevenson, Morris
10:35 pm Bobby Perry versus Kyle Macy in a three point contest and both did well. Kyle much better than Cameron Mills last year. And by the way.....Derrick Jasper can FLYYYY
10:32 pm Bobby Perry gotta thrown by the little kid....oh well, nice attempt at crowd participation. Now comes time for the WOOOOOOOOOOO Dunk. A Jordan-esque takeoff from just under the goal.....but he did spread his legs......
10:31 pm Derrick Jasper threw a MEAN dunk down....Mark Coury....well Napoleon Dynamite can throw down a little.....
10:30 pm I will tell you something.
Mark Coury is ripped. He is a huge guy. This team as a whole looks a LOT MORE RIPPED. The Holsopple difference is plainly visible to the naked eye....
10:27 pm Everybody like that sly reference by Tubby to the need "for some more talent to come in." Gotta love it....
10:23 pm This is most definitely a PRO- Tubby crowd. Loudest chants of the night......Tubby, Ramel, Woo in that order....
10:22 pm AJ Stewart was literally dancing during the intro music....
10:19 pm It is REAL LOUD in here!!!
10:16 pm Detroit Pistons announcer is BACK!!!!
10:11 pm Top 10 moments of last season according to video
10. Midnight Madness
9. Cats Topple West Virginia
8. Preston Lemaster against Ole Miss
7. Kentucky beats Alabama at SEC Tournament
6. Bobby Perry versus UAB
5. Randolph Morris versus Arkansas
4. Kentucky blasts Louisville
3. South Carolina over South Carolina
2. Rajon Rondo versus South Carolina
1. Kentucky over Tennessee in Knoxville
10:07 pm The dance team sure changed clothes quickly....and they are dancing to "You're Beautiful".......egh
10:05 pm Showing old school UK moments. Happy singing "My Old Kentucky Home", the old great games....hey there is ROGER HARDEN.......and of course Kenny Walker....he wouldnt miss one of these tribute videos for the world....
strong>10:01 pm This Kyle Macy banter is really about to make me cry. Now Nazr Mohammad is on the big screen.....also unshaven. Why a playoff beard in the preseason Pistons?
9:58 pm A problem with this event is that we are one hour in and we still havent seen a sniff of the men's basketball team. Come on folks, this is why we are here.....oh wait, sorry the dance team was in my face and distracted me.....what was i saying?
9:55 pm The dance team had an error. They started the routine and then started over. Such are the disadvantages of live television. But I will say this.....I dont know who is picking these dance team outfits, but they should be promoted!
9:51 pm Guy is taking a halfcourt shot for some prize and he literally missed seven feet short and ten feet left. I may have seen worse shots, but it would only be from the Vice President's office
9:47 pm This women's game is putting me to sleep. They are a fine team, but I just cant get into it.....and now it is over.
9:39 pm Women's scrimmage going on. Tubby sitting and talking with the Lucas/Patterson father connection. Seem to be having a great time.
9:31 pm Finally, they utilize Neal Diamond's
"Kentucky Woman" with the women's team. I have been advocating this for some time. Nice job UK!!!
9:30 pm Patrick Patterson's dad seated next to John Lucas and the two are talking each other's ears off.
9:28 pm Coach Demoss specifically said she hated the "Hey Mickey" song. Yet they always play it every time she enters. Imagine if that happened to you.....what if your name was something like "Bop" and every time you came in, someone played "MMmmm Bop".....it would suck
9:26 pm Crowd is a bit lackadaisical at this point. Granted so far nothing has happened but Kyle Macy canned jokes, clogging and the introduction of the women's team, so I am sure it will pick up. The women's team by the way has an assistant coach that looks like Kramer's attorney from Seinfeld.
9:24 pm Sometimes planning goes very well. Donna Smith seated directly next to Patrick Patterson's mother. Women's team being introduced as we speak....
9:19 pm I love it! John Lucas is holding court as always. The recruits have been taken back with the team, leaving the crowd to watch the John Pelphrey speech.....it didnt get the reaction that people thought it would. Reminded me a bit of the Dwight Schrute speech on the
Office. "Workers of the World UNITE!!!"
9:15 pm Lucas, Stewart and Patterson are all directly behind the UK bench and are watching intently the video showcasing the history of Kentucky
9:13 pm Recruits are all here.
9:11 pm The workers are literally taking apart the makeshift parquet floor piece by piece, using screwdrivers and other tools. That means that in order to have two minutes of clogging, literally fifteen people had to be employed....well it was certainly worth it......
9:09 pm The ladies seem to like the clogging. The men seem to have a constant look of perplexion. This could have been a train wreck and it is not quite that. All that! while not quite living up to their name was not the worst thing ever.....so I will take it.
9:08 pm The
CLOGGING HAS COMMENCED. These guys have their own individual jerseys. IT is less cool in person....
9:06 pm Taped greeting from an unshaven Tayshaun Prince. Prince is one of my three favorite UK players ever, but when he doesnt shave he looks a bit like a homeless Curious George. Someone needs to advise him of this.
9:04 Our co-MC is
Kyle Macy. He is being forced to do playful banter with Kristi Thomas....it is like the worst Academy Award speech ever. It makes me kind of sad.
9:00 pm Tubby's press conference was eventful. Said
Joe Crawford is being held out for the next week or so thanks to the surgery he had. Also said that Ramel is a bit under the weather, but "Ramel being Ramel, he will be ready to go." Tubby was very loose and joking. He had a new pair of glasses which he says his wife gave him so he could have the "Jerry Tipton look." Things are cranking up here....
8:24 PMWe are LIVE HERE AT MIDNIGHT MADNESS! The crowd is filling in nicely and one Rupp Arena truth is holding steady.....even when the tickets are given out for free, the folks who sit in the upper arena arive earlier than those down below. And they say no seats were saved. ;) Kristi Thomas of some Lexington news station is reprising her yearly role of hosting boring games that the fans arent interested in, while telling everyone to "STAND UP AND SHOW YOUR BIG BLUE PRIDE!!!" Calm down Kristi...all in due time. Also there is an ominous big parquet wooden floor in the center of the court......can someone say CLOGGING????? As for news, AJ Stewart, Jai Lucas and Patrick Patterson have all arrived in town and will be here later this evening. We arent allowed near them, but if I can tell they are having fun, I will let you know. Time for Tubby's press conference.
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