Memories of Big Blue Madness remain vivid for Kentucky coach Mark Pope

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of stories from Kentucky Today sports editor Keith Taylor’s exclusive interview with Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope.

By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today

Kentucky coach Mark Pope was in awe the first time he experienced Big Blue Madness.

At the time, the first practice of the year was held at midnight at Memorial Coliseum and Pope recalled his first experience after he transferred from the University of Washington in 1993.

“I remember we came in and we were here pretty early,” he said. “I remember people camping out and that whole campout scene for four or five days. It seemed like it was a week to me. That madness was just new, incredible, a thrill, really a great experience to be a part of.”

He also hasn’t forgotten stepping on the court in front of a packed-out coliseum and the timing of having a practice at midnight, Pope said, was “so fun.” He recalled former coach Rich Pitino making his arrival in a Batman costume.

“I’ll never forget sitting in the lounge,” he said. “… we had these long hanging blinds and these vertical blinds. I remember pushing the blinds back and looking and just seeing (the crowd), it felt like there were people in the gym attached to the ceiling. There was pandemonium in there. I was just like, ‘Wow’, this is something. I’ve never seen anything like this. This is different.”

Although Pope knows what it’s like to participate in the annual event as a player, Friday night will be his first as coach and his debut at Rupp Arena and he wants the event to be as important as it was more than three decades ago.

“Big Blue Madness is super important,” he said. “Big Blue Madness is important to me because I’ve never been in it at Rupp and that’s a different thing because this will be my first time.”

Pope added the event is for Big Blue Nation and understands the significance of the yearly showcase.

“This is Kentucky’s team,” he said. “You’ll hear me say that every day from the first day that I got this job until we’re finally done. This is Kentucky’s team. This is not my team or state, this is Kentucky’s team.

“Big Blue Madness is the first time for us all to be in the same building together and to celebrate Kentucky basketball. It’s one of those moments during the year when we get to celebrate Kentucky basketball and we get to introduce our team to BBN for the first time in Rupp Arena, our home gym.”

Pope admitted it’s a different era from his playing days with the Wildcats, but wants the fans to become familiar with this team and get to know his first squad on a personal level.

“I really want to take this opportunity at Big Blue Madness for our fans to get to know our guys and for our guys to get to know our fans,” he said. “I want to really, really emphasize that because we just have to do that.

“That relationship building has got to go faster, and that relationship between our team and our fans is really important. And so that’s what I’m trying to get out of this.”

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