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THE LOOP
Cassidy

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yes, that's right: basketball is almost here! NBA training camps are well under way and college programs across the country will mark the official start of the season with each school's version of their annual midnight madness event. 

 

Now, when I tell you that the University of Kentucky has the best midnight madness event in the country, I mean it wholeheartedly. It's not just because we have 8 national championships, lead the country in attendance every year, have the most wins of any program in the history of college basketball, or have more NBA players than every other school - it's because basketball just matters more in the Bluegrass. 

 

Beginning last Wednesday morning at 5:00am, fans made the mad dash across the University's Avenue of Champions to set up their tents for a 3-day campout leading up to the distribution of Big Blue Madness tickets at 10 p.m. on Friday night. Just to be clear - Big Blue Madness tickets are *FREE* tickets...to a practice. Because you aren't allowed to set up tents in the campout zone (known affectionately as Big BlueTent City), the craziest fans camped out on the opposite side of the street days before 5 a.m. on Wednesday when they could pack up their gear, sprint across the street, and set up their gear again in the official Tent City ticket distribution zone.

 

Tent City's official tent count this year has already been maxed out at 300 tents due to construction going on around the campout area, however, Tent City's all-time tent record was 740 tents in 2014. The campout is always fun, as various Kentucky athletics teams take turns passing out donuts and pizza to campers. Thursday night is always the campout's biggest night as a live basketball preview show is broadcast from the middle of Tent City and the basketball team joins the campers to pass out pizza, sign autographs and play cornhole with fans.

 

In a state with no professional sports teams, the whole state eats, sleeps and breathes its Kentucky Wildcats. The lines between two rival programs are drawn early, as you're born either a Louisville Cardinal or a Kentucky Wildcat and that designation serves as a religion for the rest of your life. Kentucky coaches are revered with statues and those who choose to play for the blue and white are heroes for life. You have to understand - for a state that's often only known as a punchline in a joke, Kentucky basketball is one thing that every Kentuckian can be proud of. Basketball just means more in Kentucky, and this time of year makes me extra nostalgic for the Bluegrass. 

Kevin

CAMOUFLAGE DAY!!

It's been said that the clothes make the man, and nowhere is this truer than in the military. A soldier's uniform denotes everything from allegiance and branch to title and rank. And when it comes to camouflage, it can mean the difference between life and death.  Here is some fun facts about "Camouflage."
 
- "Camouflage," borrowed from the French word camoufler, "to disguise." 
 
- Around 1916, France had established the world's first military team dedicated to stealth attire, after a crushing defeat at the hands of German troops convinced French generals that their armed forces should forgo their stylish white gloves and pantalons rouges for a more muted look.  
 
-Camouflage is designed to be visually disruptive, this confuses the brain and allows one to disguise themselves from whoever is looking in their direction.
 
-Camouflage uses two main elements to disguise: color and pattern.
 
-It is not only used to disguise military forces, but also military equipment.
 
-Recently, many couples have had camouflage themed weddings including  wedding dresses, decorations, and tuxedos.
Hauson

Sports Facts!

- Shin guards were invented in 1874 by English soccer player Samuel Widdowson.
- Until 1937, the jump ball in basketball took place at center court after every single made basket.
- In 1976, the Chicago White Sox became the first and only MLB team to ever wear shorts.
- When the NHL started requiring players to wear headgear in the 1979-1980 season, the rule allowed anyone who started playing before then to continue using their skull as a helmet if they so desired. Craig MacTavish (retired from the St. Louis Blues in 1997) is notable as the last NHL player to not wear a helmet during games.
- Just like players on the winning team, NFL officials also get a Super Bowl ring. They aren’t as big as the players’ rings, but they are still valuable pieces of jewelry.
- In baseball, a pitcher's glove can be any color except for gray or white because it makes it too easy to camouflage the ball.
- Most Japanese athletes will not wear the number four jersey because the number, pronounced "shi," also means death.
- On average, most volleyball players jump around 300 times a match. It's about to go downnnnn!