Rockin' Rupp Arena welcomes Gillispie during Big Blue Madness
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Four white curtains hung from the ceiling to the floor in a way that completely hid the logo at center court, not to mention anybody who might've been standing on it. So when the lights went down and the name started flashing on the screens, you just knew something was about to happen, that those flames on the goals would soon be high, that those fireworks nearby would soon blast off.
And then they did.
And then the curtains dropped.
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| Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie is introduced during Friday's Big Blue Madness. (US Presswire) |
"I can't talk," Gillispie said.
Ahhh, (Wild)cat got your tongue, Billy?
But in all seriousness, it's difficult to blame Gillispie for being totally overwhelmed. Because regardless of all the games he's won and lost in his still relatively young career (featuring stops at UTEP and Texas A&M), there's nothing in Gillispie's 47 years on this planet that happened before Friday night that could've possibly prepared him for what it's like to stand in the middle of Rupp Arena and give other humans goosebumps.
No, I'm not exaggerating.
An actual conversation I overheard when the crowd of 23,313 exited went exactly like this ...
Guy No. 1: Did you get goosebumps when Coach Gillispie walked out?
Guy No. 2: Did you see me?
Seriously, that is Kentucky basketball.
It's impressive and insane and admirable and ridiculous.
