LEXINGTON, Ky. --- On a stage befitting a rock star, John Calipari got his first taste of a packed house at Rupp Arena on Friday night and promised to return Kentucky basketball to "its rightful place at the top of the mountain."

The new Wildcats coach made his entrance around 8:40 p.m. to chants of "Go Big Blue" during the program's preseason pep rally, Big Blue Madness. Then he spent the next 15 minutes delivering a rousing speech to the crowd.

"I see the foundation for my vision of this program," said Calipari, at points yelling so loud that his voice seemed to crack. "It's a vision where we are the gold standard, not just for college basketball but for all college athletics."

Smoke and pyrotechnics filled the air as Calipari -- decked in a gray shirt, not blue -- strolled across a huge stage erected at one end of the arena, flanked by three enormous video boards and surrounded by screaming fans.

Calipari's first words to the sellout crowd: "All I can say, you all are awesome."

Before his arrival, the players were introduced one by one -- standing on a catwalk above the center video screen as their names were called.

A stirring video montage showed film clips -- many of them black and white -- of the great moments in the history of Kentucky basketball, which has won seven national titles and has more victories than any program. Among the words on the screen during the montage: "Envy our past. Fear our future."

Most of the Division I programs celebrated the official start of practice in their own ways.

Defending national champion North Carolina held its annual "Late Night with Roy" event, which drew about 19,000 fans for a show that included team skits, music and dancing before the Tar Heels held an intrasquad scrimmage.

It was the start of the program's centennial basketball season and the debut of this year's squad, which includes freshmen David and Travis Wear -- the first twins to play for the Tar Heels.

Despite losing four starters, including Tyler Hansbrough, the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, the Tar Heels boast a loaded frontcourt with senior Deon Thompson and sophomores Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller.

Connecticut, Villanova and Michigan State, the other schools to reach the Final Four last season, all started the 2009-10 season on Friday.