I do my best to stay out of all sports rivalries for a variety of reasons:
1) I have absolutely no real understanding of why people invest themselves emotionally in watching 18-year-old kids knock each other around and cultivate destructive egos, and
2) I have no real understanding of how any athletic game is played in general, period.
I mention the above not to point out an inadequacy as a journalist reporting on a sports event, but rather - in this case especially - to plead that the following truly is an attempt to simply report news and happenings in a classic journalistic sense - not to inappropriately expose, show favoritism or intentionally wave a certain color of regional football flare.
All right... Disclaimer done. Onto the news...
Those that follow such things need no reminding of the afternoon 12 years ago - now referred to as the "Big Blue Invasion" - when 10,000+ UK fans showed up at Waterfront Park to brag about the superiority of their sporting ability and shake up rival UofL.
A new local sports bar/restaurant on Baxter Avenue called Big Blue Country hopes to recreate the same energy of this event Friday night with "Big Blue Invasion 2."
Held in conjunction with College Colors Day - a convenient one day before the Wildcats play rivals U of L - and endorsed by the UK Alumni Association, the event will kick off Friday at 5pm in the restaurant's back parking lot (426 Baxter Ave). Expect live music from 2 bands (Cynthiana and Point1Zero) and a UK pep rally at 8:30 pm that will offer fans a chance to win tickets to Saturday’s big game and even include an appearance from former UK linebacker Marcus McClinton.
If this doesn’t make your blood boil in allegiance to the Cardinals, find out more about getting involved here.
Photo courtesy of Big Blue Country.