Rupp will host a 'GameDay' like no other

Rupp will host a 'GameDay' like no other

Event puts Cats back among elite
By Jerry Tipton / jtipton@herald-leader.com


College basketball programs see a visit from ESPN's GameDay crew as an infusion of credibility. Where Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas and the gang sit in front of screaming fans each Saturday matters.

Mighty Kentucky, the winningest program in college basketball history, is no exception.

For Kentucky, which plays host to College GameDay this Saturday, it's another step in re-branding a basketball program that had been trending toward irrelevance. After regularly falling out of national rankings in recent seasons, Kentucky found out last spring the true meaning of insignificance: The National Invitation Tournament.

Ebullient commentator Dick Vitale, who will be in Rupp Arena Saturday night when Kentucky plays Tennessee, might put it this way: GameDay provides another chance for UK to say, "We're back, baby, with a capital B."

"Beginning with the hiring of John Calipari, it's been a whole new re-branding," said Rob Mullens, UK's deputy director of athletics. "We want to get back to being the elite program Kentucky's been forever."

The re-branding has taken many forms:

 Touting a record number of tents set up by fans waiting to pick up tickets for Big Blue Madness.

 Calipari's he's-everywhere outreach program to fans.

 Sending a UK jersey to President Barack Obama.

 Organizing in 48 hours a telethon to raise funds for earthquake victims in Haiti.

 Seating LeBron James at courtside and, in case any one missed him, have him do the "Y" at midcourt.

GameDay gives its host college basketball's center stage.

"I think Lou Holtz said, when you have the entire college football world focused on you for that day, it's a real opportunity," Mullens said in a reference to ESPN's football GameDay. "I think already Kentucky basketball is among the elite. It's an opportunity to show what's happening here."

To maximize that opportunity, UK distributed 23,000 tickets for fans wanting to attend the GameDay telecast from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday in Rupp Arena.

ESPN sees a full house as Kentucky's way of returning the favor in terms of credibility.

"We sort of see this as a defining moment for the show," senior coordinating producer Michael Fountain said. "In terms of acceptance. In terms of people wanting to see the show."

ESPN hopes the crowd in Rupp Arena can make for must-see TV. "If I'm flipping channels and see a crowd going crazy and having a good time, I want to stop and watch and see what's going on," Fountain said.

On the down side, ESPN does not want a crowd to drown out what host Rece Davis, Hubert Davis, Phelps and Bilas are saying. So Fountain said the crowd will be prompted on when to cheer and when to listen.

But just in case, Davis, Phelps and company will be given headsets to use if they can't hear each other.

ESPN launched the college basketball version of GameDay three years ago. It's been the little brother to the college football GameDay.

So far this season, GameDay has been to Kansas State, Clemson and Illinois, plus to Connecticut for its first appearance at a women's game. After Lexington, the crew will go to Washington, Syracuse and Duke.

To be part of the select company thrilled Kansas State Coach Frank Martin.

"GameDay doesn't show up anywhere," he said. "They show up somewhere where they feel people are excited about their basketball program and the basketball program's got a halfway decent chance to be pretty good."

Like Kentucky, Kansas State saw GameDay as a chance to promote its basketball program, its university and its community. It can be an infotainment special. Joni Smoller, Kansas State director of marketing and promotions, noted how the school used GameDay to promote the basketball program's partnership with the 1-7 Field Artillery. More than 200 soldiers from the unit attended the GameDay show. There was also what Smoller called a live "shout-out" from a sergeant major in Iraq.

Of course, Martin wanted the GameDay viewing audience to take notice of Kansas State basketball.

http://www.kentucky.com/818/story/1135668.html

Damn I wish I had tickets...

I cant wait to see how loud the boo's are if one of those guys decieds to pick Tennessee to win this game. Which will not happen lol

i just hope i can get outta bed for it. ha

Saw Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis and Howard Schwab(Stump the Schwab) today eating lunch at the Hyatt. Digger was in jeans and a sweater and no Hi-Liter in sight!!