Gary Budd loves Louisville Red Bird role

There are many diehards in the University of Louisville fan base, weaving their lives around their love for UofL sports. They live and breathe Cardinal athletics. They are proud and unapologetic, the Cards ranking right up there with family, religion and love of country.

But there are few UofL fans as dedicated as Gary Budd, who paints much of his body in red with a yellow beak on his face. He’s at every football and basketball game, as well as many baseball, volleyball and other sports. There to cheer nonstop for The Ville, getting fellow fans involved.

The 40-year-old Budd, who works for the City of Jeffersonville, has been a Louisville partisan since he was a young child accompanying mom and dad to games. “UofL has always been a big part of my life,” he says. “My parents were huge fans.”

Later on his mother would attend a football game with the painted Red Bird. “She said she felt like she was attending the game with a celebrity, people were high-fiving and yelling Go Cards at me all day long.”

He met his wife Courtney during a tailgate party at L&N Stadium. They have four children who are destined to become UofL fanatics as well.  His children often paint themselves for game duty. He and his son Korbin saluted veterans during the Veterans Day game against California. His dad Gary, Sr., served in the Army and provided security for President Gerard Ford at times.

Budd started painting himself back in 2007 after attending a basketball game with friends at Freedom Hall. “They were members of ‘Elle Raisers’ and they painted their faces. They talked me into it but when I went to the next game I had painted my entire torso and face with red paint. People loved it and it was an amazing experience. I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Rain, sleet, snow or hail, Budd never misses a game at L&N Stadium, or at the KFC Yum! Center for that matter.

“Louisville is my home town, I born and raised here. I love the environment at UofL games. I love the high intensity at games, and I want to get my fellow fans excited, I’m into helping people get loud. Nothing more exciting than having thousands of fans responding to my enthusiasm.

“I’m a loud guy, kind of hard to ignore.  They tell me I make the game a lot more fun for them. Fans are constantly wanting to take photos with the Red Bird. I’ve been invited to birthday parties and other events, which I enjoy doing.”

Budd wants to emphasize that’s it not about him. “It’s about getting people involved, strongly supporting the University of Louisville. I want to inspire people to get involved, the more the better, I want that to be my legacy.”