Isn’t this when life begins: The start of college hoops season? Ah, pure sweetness … except for that place where they spilled Sweet’N Low all over the court. That was just a mess.

— At Indiana, The Indianapolis Star says close to 13,000 fans chanted for the star frosh, yelling “Er-ic Gordon” even before he came out. And to think Kelvin Sampson won’t even let us get in our “Paper of plastic?” question to him this year …

— The Louisville Courier-Journal reports workouts for Kentucky players two weeks before midnight madness has been, well, not quite a walk in the park. “My first impression of it was pretty much hell,” UK freshman Patrick Patterson said. “It lived up to that”. Don’t worry Patrick: ‘Cats fans don’t expect much in coach Billy Gillispie’s first year. Just a national title. Undefeated. And bomb every other city in Kentucky …

— You remember that guy who used to coach Kentucky? Tubby something. Apparently even six months of hype couldn’t get fans out: The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports a small crowd. Then again, this team did lose a whopping 22 games last year …

— But of course, what school should have the biggest midnight madness? Two-time defending champ Florida, right? Um, well, you see, um, coach Billy Donovan, well, he wants you to get sleepy. “I just thought that at midnight it makes it hard for our fans,” he told The Gainesville Sun. Yes Billy: The same fans who are doing beer bongs by nine can’t stay awake for a midnight event. The Gators will hold a Fan Appreciation Day October 21st.

And you wonder why we cringe when football schools keep winning basketball titles.

— Finally, we have proof The Big Ten Network may not be entirely evil: BTN covered all available midnight madness events in the little 11 and, well, it put together this montage of highlights … with Bo Ryan’s dancing. Yowza.