Everyone knows that when you walk into Rupp Arena on game day, you’re walking into the house of one the greatest traditions in the college sport. We love our basketball, and the fans come out in droves to support their team and cheer them on.

It’s well known that the Big Blue Nation is one of the most fierce and compassionate fan bases in the NCAA, which is one of the reasons why it’s such an exhilarating rush to come and watch this UK team play. And it’s not just fellow Lexington community members that our games are attracting these days. Celebrities and famous faces have been visiting Kentucky basketball games for years, just to sample that incredibly overwhelming power that the Kentucky team and their fans bring to every event.

Big names from the world of pro sports come in and are blown away by the power that UK basketball brings out to the court and receives from the crowd. LeBron James and Ervine “Magic” Johnson have both stopped by in recent years and have been met with the emphatic Big Blue fans…and loved it!

The music industry hasn’t been shy either when it comes to making visits to the Kentucky basketball team. Both Jay-Z and Drake have come to UK games in the past and have been equally enamored with the raucous crowds and the skill on the court.

We of course have celebrity Big Blue fans that have grown up loving Kentucky basketball, like the lovely Ashley Judd. Ashley isn’t bashful when it comes to expressing her devotion to the Cats! You can sometimes spot Ms. Judd in the lower arena, shouting and cheering along with her fellow Kentucky fans.

All of this symbolizes what’s important at UK: community. Each person who sits down at Rupp to enjoy a UK game, or watches from home, becomes a part of our Big Blue Nation. We’re an inclusive community, taking in all fans who want to be a part of our Wildcat family. And we are always more than happy to cheer along side them.

The intense competition of Arenacross is making its way to Rupp Arena this weekend, February 4^th and 5^th. The AMA Arenacross Series is an extreme rough ride of high endurance motocross racing that is fun for the whole family!

Come check out Round 9 of this 16-rider race, as this series travels around the country. AMA Arenacross has been making stops at many of the most well-known and celebrated arenas in the United States, including our wonderful Rupp Arena. Each race takes place on a man-made dirt combat zone, using over 150 truckloads of dirt to shape and mold the previous home of UK Men’s Basketball into an unrecognizable Arenacross dirt valley.

Watch the spectacle of Arenacross, as motorist fly through air and battle it out over technical obstacles with competitions so close, there is no room for error. These events are truly some of the most unique challenges you’ll ever witness because anything can happen during these events, and it’s up to the drivers to make harrowing, split second decisions when it counts.

Defending champ Tyler Bowers leads a pack of vastly talented riders, ready to suit up and take their place on top of the winner’s podium, trophy in hand with the AMA Arenacross Series title.

The action isn’t over after Saturday’s battle royal, either. Join us again on Sunday for Amateur Day, where future stars will take on the track and compete with other riders of all skill levels. This is an event that is sure to feed your need for speed.

And let’s not forget about the kiddies, folks! The AMA Arenacross Series is fun for all members of the family, young and old alike! Hang out with us at the track party and post-race autograph session for fans of all ages and get to meet the biggest and brightest of the Arenacross tour. You don’t want to miss out on this incredible weekend!

Remember, adult admission is $20 and for kids, just $5! Tickets are still available at the Rupp Arena box office, Ticketmaster.com, and by phone at (859) 233-3535.

Although Kentucky is losing an amazing player, the NBA is getting one of the best prospects in a while. ESPN The Magazine is featuring an article about the upcoming NBA Draft and who better to have on the cover than John Wall, the projected first pick of the draft. Below is a behind-the-scenes video of Wall’s photoshoot with ESPN. Hit the jump to check out the cover of the magazine.

The College Gameday section on ESPN’s website has a lot of videos up on it previewing the Kentucky vs Tennessee game tomorrow. Below is one of the videos talking about Rupp Arena, it’s fans, and what the experience will be like tomorrow morning for the Gameday show. Click here to check out the rest of the videos on ESPN.com.

We hope everyone enjoyed Big Blue Madness this past Friday. If you weren’t able to get tickets, hopefully you got to watch it on TV. It was a wild night with some great guests and a lot of awesome talent. We have uploaded photos to our Facebook page. You can click here to check them out.

This past Saturday the Horsemen met helmets with the Tennessee Valley Vipers in their third to last game of the season. This game was very pivotal for both teams. If the Vipers won then they would tie for first place in the conference. If the Horsemen won then they would secure a playoff berth, and put themselves in the running to be able to steal first place in the conference as well. With some awesome scoring in the second and third quarter and some amazing defense, the Horsemen pulled out a win last Saturday. That put them on a four game winning streak with two more games left in the season. If they win their two last games they have a chance of tying for first place in the conference. Congrats Horsemen! Show your support this Saturday at their last home game.

As I mentioned earlier, we had an interview with the Fillies this week. For those unaware [where have you been?], the Fillies are the cheerleaders for the Kentucky Horsemen, the arena football team that plays here at Rupp Arena. We thought since there are only two home games left (July 11th & July 18th), we would get the word out in case people wanted to catch a game, and also give you some insight into what it is to be a Fillie. Check out the interview below (click here to watch in high definition), the first of many interviews we plan to do from now on.

It’s more than a rodeo – it’s PBR BULLNANZA. And it’s CRAZY!! Seriously, crazy. These guys risk life and limb each time they enter the arena … and they love it! I’ve been to rodeos before, and admittedly, the bull riding competition is my favorite. And not just because these cowboys are donned in boots, chaps and cowboy hats, although that is reason enough. But it’s fast-paced, it’s exciting, and whether they actually manage to stay on for eight seconds so they can be scored, or not, we cheer for their effort, their technique, and their swagger.

Last night was Round I of this weekend event. Over 40 bull riders competed and the top 10 will return tonight to compete for the championship. Leading at the end of the evening was Cory Rasch, with a score of 89. The bull he rode was massive in size and strength, and at the end of the ride, he tore after one of the bullfighters and actually flipped him twice.

The reigning PBR World Champion, Guilherme Marchi, competed last night riding Tap Out, a huge bull that had never before been ridden. Marchi has won over $3 Million to date, but unfortunately, last night was not his night. He didn’t stay on long enough to be scored. That bull twisted and turned and jumped with all four feet off the ground. Marchi was no match for him and was quickly thrown.

It’s a family event, but it’s not for the faint of heart. The evening kicked off with an invocation and prayers were said for the safety of the riders and the animals. And the Edythe J. Hayes Middle School Chorus sang our National Anthem. The event also includes music, some entertaining banter between the announcer and the rodeo clown, and some pretty cool give-a-ways and promotions. But there’s real danger involved and I know of at least one rider last night who suffered a broken collar bone. Another one competed with a broken foot.

Most often, once a rider is thrown, the bull returns quickly to its pen. But not always. Sometimes they seek revenge and will go after the rider or after one of the bull fighters who are stationed on the floor to try to distract the bull from charging a thrown rider. And when that happens, the bull often succeeds. There is one cowboy on a horse who was kept busy last night lassoing wayward bulls. And many a men limped off the floor after they were thrown, tossed and chased by these bulls.

I enjoyed it much more than I had originally anticipated and the mutual respect between man and beast is evident. The finals begin at 8pm on Saturday, May 30. Tickets are still available, and if you don’t have yours yet, I encourage you to get one now. You won’t be sorry!

Guest Blogged by: Jana Curd