Yesterday I successfully acquired a ticket to the UW Badger football game, against the Minnesota Gophers. Poor Nicole had to work 8 hours at Einsteins, while I got to experience the intensity of a college football game once again. The game between Minnesota and Wisconsin is played every year at homecoming weekend. Basically, its a derby match, an age old rivalry. And homecoming is something which all schools, university and high school, have every year; its a weekend in which lots of events take place, students and alumni all get together for a parade, and there is usually a popular football game. The UW homecoming parade, with lots of cars and trucks decorated in Red, White and all things Bucky, made getting back to my apartment on Friday night rather difficult, with various streets closed off. I even had to dodge flamethrowing performers in order to get across the road to my apartment.
Anyway, back to the game. Like all football matches (henceforth used to refer to 'American Football' and not 'soccer'), gameday began early. I will never forget one of my first Saturdays in Madison; looking forward to a nice lie in, I was rudely awoken at 8am by the marching band warming up outside my room. That was my first insight into the early start a game day requires. Most matches begin at 11am at Camp Randall stadium. Beverages are of course way overpriced inside the stadium, so many students like to get 'hydrated' before hand. By that I refer to what is known as pre-gaming. That basically means drinking lots of beer, playing loud music, and revelling in a party atmosphere, as student houses around the stadium throw open their doors, and warm up for the game. A number don't even make it to 11am, for they start drinking incredibly early. How their stomachs handle beer that early, I do not know. Kegs, cups and people dominate the sidewalk on the walk from downtown to the stadium. My favourite sight of all time - an 8ft long tube and funnel, running from the 2nd floor balcony down to a group of guys stood outside on the ground. No wonder these people pass out before the game has even begun.
Once inside the stadium, I found myself in the student section. Reserved exclusively for UW student ticket holders, being in sections L,M,N,O and P ensures a great experience, though often one which distracts from the actual game. Students all stand on the seats throughout the course of the four quarters, and over the years have devised numerous ways to keep themselves entertained. These generally begin with a chant of "A**Hole" at any supporter of the opposite team, not wearing the required Wisconsin paraphernalia. And it is certainly easy to spot anyone in Yellow or Maroon amongst an 80,000 sea of red and white. Attendance at yesterday's game was 80,328.
I am not going to bother trying to explain the game itself. I do now understood the rules, and I find it quite entertaining to watch, but it does take a bit of getting used to. I think the hardest part for me to get around is the number of stops and starts which a game entails, the constant switching around of players: offensive, defensive and special teams. 'Soccer' and rugby require players to be on the pitch for a sustained period of time, but the same is not true for football. I once heard a commentator describe how the players must be getting tired now, for they had been on the pitch for over 3 minutes of playing time. I mean... come on!
While each quarter lasts only fifteen minutes, with a total of four quarters, the game usually lasts around three hours. Yes, you do the math. The constant stopping and starting, coupled with media breaks, means that a lot of time is wasted, and the game lasts longer than you would expect.
But that's why going to a game is not just about the football. It's about the atmosphere, about the cheering and chanting, and about having fun. Now British soccer fans are most certainly adept at coming up with great chants and taunts at the opposition, but there is just something that shines about the chanting at a Badger game. There is generally no large opposition crowd, so instead, the chants are directed at each other, or at the other team. Occasionally even the referee, as in all sports. One popular chant involves half the student section yelling "Eat S***" while the other half responds with "F*** You". At first I thought this was incredibly pointless, but I learned recently that it stems from the idea that certain sections are generally composed of freshman- first year students, and it was a way for the older, upperclass men to taunt their younger fellow students.
Directed at the other team, chants such as "block that kick" are popular, as are crowd pleasers like "you still suck"
generally chanted after something happens to favour the other team. The perennial favourite of mine is the repetition of the commentator's "First and Ten Wisconsin", which without going into the details of the game, means we are on the offensive. Students also regularly come up with little ways to support individual players on the team. Two years ago, whenever running back P.J. Hill made a great play, the crowd would raise their hands to make a 'hill' above their heads. Now, when Nick Toon makes a catch, two fingers are raised by each student.
One thing I still don't understand is whenever a player it making a kick, everyone gets their keys out and starts jangling them, making lots of noise. Why, I don't know. I would say it's to distract the opposing team, but they do it even when a Badger player is kicking.
Besides the students, there's a Bucky Badger walking around to entertain the crowd, dancing and doing push-ups to the UW score. There's the cheerleaders, guys and girls jumping in the air and doing flips, and there's the spirit squad doing their dances. And then there is the marching band, celebrating their 125th anniversary this year; a march up to the game, a full performance at half time, and various songs throughout the game. I particularly enjoyed singing and dancing along to Livin' on a Prayer, and Ring of Fire (complete with actions). I mustn't forget the Badger songs too; "If you wanna be a Badger, just come along with me, by the bright shining light of, the light of the moon; and the classic Alma Mater song.
Two things stand out most about the Badger game, besides the actual football. One, is the size of the stadium, and the incredible Mexican wave which revolves around it. It starts in the student section, moving anti-clockwise. When it get's back, encouraged by the students calling it in, it goes around a second time, this time in slow motion. Returning again, it's sent a third time around at high speed, before being bounced back in the opposite direction, for a fourth time around. Then chants of 'Split that S***" break out, as an attempt to send two waves in opposing directions begins. Unfortunately this failed, but the sight of 80,000 raising their hands up and down is really incredible.
And then finally come the age old of tradition of jumping around. As "jump around" is played on the speakers, the entire stadium jumps up and down to the beat. It's amazing that no-one gets seriously hurt, falling off the rafters. But it sure is fun.
Oh, and the Badgers won, 41-23.
Monday, October 11, 2010 at 4:45AM 
Once inside the stadium, I found myself in the student section. Reserved exclusively for UW student ticket holders, being in sections L,M,N,O and P ensures a great experience, though often one which distracts from the actual game. Students all stand on the seats throughout the course of the four quarters, and over the years have devised numerous ways to keep themselves entertained. These generally begin with a chant of "A**Hole" at any supporter of the opposite team, not wearing the required Wisconsin paraphernalia. And it is certainly easy to spot anyone in Yellow or Maroon amongst an 80,000 sea of red and white. Attendance at yesterday's game was 80,328.
generally chanted after something happens to favour the other team. The perennial favourite of mine is the repetition of the commentator's "First and Ten Wisconsin", which without going into the details of the game, means we are on the offensive. Students also regularly come up with little ways to support individual players on the team. Two years ago, whenever running back P.J. Hill made a great play, the crowd would raise their hands to make a 'hill' above their heads. Now, when Nick Toon makes a catch, two fingers are raised by each student.