KSR Today: 2024 Paris Olympics are officially underway

Let the games begin! The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony took place Friday afternoon to kick off the world competition, which runs through August 11. Over 10,500 athletes rode through the city by boat across 206 countries, 631 athletes representing the United States. Nearly 1,000 medals are up for grabs across 32 sports. Among them? Aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, breaking, canoe, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.

It’s gonna be two-plus weeks of non-stop action — have you seen NBC’s Gold Zone, a spin-off of NFL Red Zone with host Scott Hanson guiding viewers through the chaos to showcase upwards of 40 simultaneous events? That’s on the television now at the Pilgrim household as we speak.

We won’t do it like Gold Zone, NBC, Peacock, USA or the dozen other ways to keep track of water polo preliminaries or badminton doubles in the group play stage, but we’ll keep you informed on the happenings in Paris here at KSR, namely former and current Kentucky standouts in action and medal count. That all begins today as the United States looks to dominate on the world stage once again.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray suit up in Paris

The Olympic Games got rolling in the middle of the night and will continue into the early afternoon on Saturday. And we know a school record 22 former and current Kentucky Wildcats are competing out in Paris over the next 16 days through the closing ceremony, ranging from men’s and women’s basketball, track and field, fencing, women’s volleyball and diving.

Who is representing the blue and white on Saturday? The list is short, unfortunately, with only three former Cats set to participate. And they’re all on the same team.

Canada is set to take on Greece in the Group Phase (Group A) of men’s basketball with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray and Trey Lyles taking the floor for our neighbors to the north. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the headliner for Greece, putting together two first-team All-NBA members on day one of competition, Gilgeous-Alexander being the other. That matchup will take place at 3:15 p.m. ET on CNBC and Peacock.

Team USA is the betting favorite to take home gold (-400) in men’s basketball, followed by Canada (+1000), France (+1500) and Serbia (+1500).

Fan Day is scheduled for August 3

Football season is right around the corner, and we’ve now got Fan Day details to prove it.

Kentucky has announced Fan Day is scheduled for Saturday, August 3, a chance to meet the team and watch practice ahead of the season-opener against Southern Miss at Kroger Field on August 31

The event will include an open practice just outside of the Joe Craft Football Training Facility next to Kroger Field. Parking and admission is free with free Kentucky football posters available at the event. Fans can begin entering the facility at 10 a.m. ET at the practice field gate in the plaza outside Gate 12 of Kroger Field. The workout begins at 11 a.m. ET will run to 12:45 p.m. ET before the gates close.

If inclement weather arrives, Kentucky’s Fan Day will be canceled. Details regarding weather and a potential cancellation can be found at UKAthletics.com.

We’ll see you there.

Sources Say talks the latest in recruiting

Looking to scratch your Kentucky basketball recruiting itch? Sources Say has got you covered, recapping Mark Pope’s whereabouts during the final live period of the summer, namely at Peach Jam.

Who are the Wildcats trending for and away from? Any update on that 13th scholarship spot? What about summer practices — there are only two more weeks of that.

It’s all there in episode 343.

Sell out Freedom Hall for La Familia vs. The Ville!

The previous TBT attendance record was 7,202 guests. Over 10,000 tickets have been purchased for Monday night’s rivalry matchup between La Familia and The Ville, alumni teams for Kentucky and Louisville men’s basketball.

They’ll face off at Freedom Hall on Monday at 9 p.m. ET with a spot in the TBT semifinals on the line. It’ll be Willie Cauley-Stein, the Harrison Twins and Eric Bledsoe vs. Russ Smith, Peyton Siva and Montrezl Harrell. What more could you ask for?

“They know the vibe and what we’re there for. I’m trying to hear it loud, I’m trying to feel the energy,” Cauley-Stein said on KSR. “I have no doubt that’s gonna happen, but this is probably one of the best Louisville vs. Kentucky games in history. When you put it on paper, who is really on this team, we’re all in our prime so we’re seeing something crazy right now. We really are gonna see something crazy. Just the way TBT is set up, it’s ending on a game-winner regardless. The energy is going to be wild.”

Haven’t purchased your tickets yet? Change that now and buy them here, BBN. Time to shut up that fanbase once again.