Big Blue Madness Failed To Outdo Itself

%C2%A0

 

By Annie Dunbar

[email protected]

Year in and year out, UK’s annual Big Blue Madness raises the bar; however, for the first time in recent years, the 2014 first public practice failed to outdo itself. 

The 2013 basketball season started off with a bang with Big Blue Madness incorporating a giant rotating television screen, players being lifted from under the stage and warm-up suits that lit up. 

The most exciting aspect of this season’s Big Blue Madness was the appearance of recording artist Drake, who has been at numerous UK basketball events. He introduced head coach John Calipari and warmed up with the men’s team. Drake as the biggest form of excitement failed in comparison to the numerous big aspects of the event last season and prior years. 

The icing on the cake for 2013’s Big Blue Madness was Calipari’s memorable speech where he said “Every team we play will be more experienced than us. But if we become one unit, play with one heartbeat and a love for one another, we will become unbreakable.” 

His speech sent chills up and down the spines of members of the Big Blue Nation. When comparing that to Calipari’s “enough talking, let’s ball,” this season, it was a noticeable letdown. 

Despite the mild disappointment, the 2014 Big Blue Madness incorporated phenomenal video work and the players provided a packed Rupp Arena with a show full of talent. Over the past recent seasons, the event has utilized unique aspects that set it apart from other programs across the nation.

Although this year’s event did not include any true unique aspects, Big Blue Madness did its main job in preparing the fans for the season solely based on the players’ performances. However, based on previous Madness events, this years’ failed to live up to the hype.