The Big Blue Nation is the fan base of University of Kentucky (UK) athletics programs, particularly the men's basketball team and the football team. It is a reference to both the signature color of UK athletics (blue) and the fact that UK fans often make up a disproportionate majority of the crowd at most venues where the Wildcats play. Fans sometimes range beyond the borders of their nation, with anecdotal evidence suggesting the Wildcats men's basketball team once even drew a sizable horde of blue-clad supporters at an exhibition game in Japan.
In The Winning Tradition: A History of Kentucky Wildcat Basketball, Bert Nelli wrote that many rival coaches consider Wildcat fans to be among the most knowledgeable in the country. Former Wildcat Jack "Goose" Givens, who later played for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, has said that UK fans are generally more interested and informed than the typical NBA fan.
'Citizens' of the Big Blue Nation often go to extremes in showing their support. It is not uncommon to see fans with everything from blue wigs to bodies covered in blue paint. While known for being fiercely loyal, these fans are at times impatient and highly critical of their teams. Former coach Tubby Smith drew the ire of his fan base because of a perceived decline in the quality of both recruiting and on-court play.
Read more about Big Blue Nation: Records
Famous quotes containing the words big, blue and/or nation:
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—Eudora Welty (b. 1909)
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