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Post by Big D on Apr 8, 2005 14:46:25 GMT -6
I have a question for you UWM fans....
I work with a few guys out here in Virginia who went to UW-Madison...don't mind me, I like to give major schools hyphens whenever I have the chance.....
Anyway, all of them claim that when they're not rooting for their own school, they root for UWM....they just don't want UWM to do better than Madison (for instance, they were all concerned that you'd advance deeper than them in the tourney this year).
They also claim that all UWM fans are Madison fans by default as that is who everyone in the state grows up rooting for. And, even if you don't root for Madison, you don't root against them. They also believe that if they ever played you at UWM, they would dominate the crowd....
Knowing my own hateful feelings for UI-Urbana-Champaign (they get two hyphens), I denied all of these allegations and argued with these guys non-stop about how most self-respecting UWM fans would never root for Madison....ever.
So, what are your feelings about UW-Madison...other than they're chicken-s!@# for not playing at your place? Is it safe to assume, for instance, that some of you were rooting on the Badgers during the tourney? I rooted against UIUC every step of the way....
Sorry, if this is in the wrong section....
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Post by uwfenske aka hardhat on Apr 8, 2005 14:54:02 GMT -6
I personally don't root for or against most of the UW-Madison sports. However, I hate Badger Men's Basketball. This does not stem from playing/not playing here or there or anything that they do with the program. I have a personal hatred of Bo Ryan and the coaching staff that was at UWM... except Saul Phillips.
I think most people in the state grow up Badger fans because it is what the media/merchants throw at people. For crying out loud, I think every little town in this state has some sort of Badger business... Badger Plumbing, Badger Cheese House, Badger General Contractors, Badger Country Store, Badger Badger Pet Store.
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Post by Hack on Apr 8, 2005 15:01:50 GMT -6
I think it's a mixed bag. You'll find some that root for UW and you'll find some who hate UW.
I grew up rooting for UW and still do in football and like to see them successful in basketball. I harbor no ill-will toward them and I really shouldn't. Sure, they took our coach a few years ago ... but we all knew that Bo's dream job was UW so it was a no-brainer that he would take it. More power to him.
They do play UWM in Milwaukee ... just happens to be once every 5 years now. That's better than it used to be.
Plus I like rooting for UW in football and hockey. Since it's the only D-I football team in the state, we don't have too many options.
Now Marquette? I'll admit ... I rooted for them in the Final Four season. Why not? It's fun to have successful teams in the area ... and that 2003 season (UW wins Big Ten outright, MU in Final Four and UWM going to the NCAAs for the first time) was unreal.
I don't go out of my way to root for MU by going to games, but I really don't "hate" MU. Now do I hate MU fans? No, because it's not fair to the good MU fans to assume they are lunatics like the vocal minority.
Heck, I grew up in Green Bay and rooted for UWGB in the Bennett era ... but I've adjusted my rooting interests severely in that area. ;D
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Post by PANTHERfan on Apr 8, 2005 15:26:17 GMT -6
btw, when UW-Madison comes to Milwaukee again the crowd will most certainly be dominated by black and gold, not red.
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Post by tupacrates03 on Apr 8, 2005 15:26:25 GMT -6
I hate madison sports. And i did before i went here. In fact thats why i went here. I think overall most people are pretty indifferent toward madison. They really dont care unless it involves us.
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Post by uwmfan on Apr 8, 2005 15:58:32 GMT -6
Big D,
So glad you asked....this is sort of a sore spot for me. I find it very interesting that it's assumed one would grow up and be an instant Badger fan. I find that arrogant; I finally got to a point when I was a student here that people I knew at the time were almost ashamed of having been students here. Because of that type of experience I've turned into that much more of an advocate of UWM. In fact, my ID I use is also on my license plate (WITH the UWM logo!) because I got so damn fed up seeing all kinds of Badger license plates. This is my own little personal battle I carry every time I get in my car. Chip on my shoulder because we don't get the positive press we deserve? You better believe it.
Because I work for this university as well, and often interact with a number of UW-System campus folks, I always in awkward positions of publicly saying one thing but deep down resenting the funding, publicity and attention our neighbor to the west receives.
So as for your friends; I'm not cheering for the Badgers. Not for any sports. Why they assume everyone else has a love affair for the school is also arrogant.
Someone mentions above media/retail selling of Badgers, and I agree, too many folks grow up brainwashed to be Badger fans. Not all, but it's out there. I know MY kids won't think that's the only place under the sun.
One quick story related to the arrogance I refer to above. Met a high school senior this past fall who had a HUGE interest in attending UWM. He'd also checked out Madison and another Big Ten school. Based on all his interests, academic qualifications and so on, clearly UWM would have been as good a "fit" as the BT schools. Upon further digging into his psyche, I found out his mother in essence forbid him from choosing UWM over the other two, and that SHE in fact would decide for HIM!
This sends a couple messages....one, that she's completely misinformed that one might actually receive a quality education at ANYPLACE besides a big ten school. The other message I got from this kid was that for her, selecting a college was about being able to talk up little Johnny at c***tail parties and strut her stuff about what a great parent this must make her. Getting into college doesn't make the job of a parent complete. Maybe for her it did....
People like this mother will never get it. As long as there are people like her out there, I can never cheer for, as a former platteville colleague used to refer to them as, "UW-Dane County." ;D
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Post by hueyp on Apr 8, 2005 16:07:02 GMT -6
I think Hack had a fairly succint reply that sums up how I feel also Big D, I'll just add that, if I recall accurately, the last time Madion played at Klotsche (which I believe was Ryan's first year, but don't hold me to it) the ticket office did a very good job of limiting the number of Badger fans in attendance.
And though I am a fan of their program there is no way I would ever root for them against UWM.
I recall that Eastern Kentucky students interviewed in the line to get EKU vs. UK tickets in this year's tournament said they'd be wearing Blue and cheering for Kentucky. I couldn't see that kind of divided/misplaced loyalty from any Panther fans.
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Post by Hack on Apr 8, 2005 16:15:48 GMT -6
I think Hack had a fairly succint reply that sums up how I feel also Big D, I'll just add that, if I recall accurately, the last time Madion played at Klotsche (which I believe was Ryan's first year, but don't hold me to it) the ticket office did a very good job of limiting the number of Badger fans in attendance. Actually the Badgers played twice at Klotsche ... the last being in 2001 in Bruce's first year. UWM had a chance to win it with the last shot but Dan Weisse's pass was intercepted by Devin Harris, who went in for an easy layup with a few seconds left. You're right, there were some UW fans obviously for both ... but it was a very large pro-UWM crowd. Hopefully they'll be able to do the same thing in a couple years when UW comes to The Cell. The athletic department will have to do something like MU did ... force people to buy tickets to 3 or 4 other games besides the UW game to make UWM fans have priority.
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Post by victorepanther on Apr 8, 2005 17:15:55 GMT -6
I agree that a ticket package would be the way to go. Bundle the UW game with either a few other good games to introduce newcomers to the program, or with a game that's not likely to sell as well.
Either way I think it's a good idea. I was hoping the Milwaukee game would be next year as the Cell would definitely be rocking for a Sweet 16 vs Elite Eight matchup, especially with the underlying story line of Jeter coming back.
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Post by FTA1982 on Apr 8, 2005 17:27:28 GMT -6
Preach on UWMFAN, Preach On....AMEN!! ;D Thats what I expect from a non plasma owner !
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Post by coacheinerson on Apr 8, 2005 17:27:41 GMT -6
I'm a proud member of the "Badgers Suck" group on facebook. ;D
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mwu
Sophomore
I am U-Dub U-M
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Post by mwu on Apr 8, 2005 18:37:48 GMT -6
being born in madison, thusly bred to be a badger i love UW as much as i do UWM. the only reason i came to UWM is for the architecture program, as i would surely commit suicide before joining the illini/gopher ranks. i have significant problems when UWM plays UW in basketball along the lines of a moral dilema (sp) and the victory can lay claim to my soul. as long as both teams are sucessful thats all i really care about. is UW all that much better than us because they played one game further in the tourney? i dont think so. granted they kicked our asses in dec. but if we had met in the tourney i think there may have been a different outcome. i think there are alot of us folks out thee who feel the same way.
now when it comes to hockey or football UW has got me in a strangle hold and i dont see that grip loosening up anytime soon. so if you need to get ahold of me any saturday next fall i'll be at camp randall in section OOOOOOOOO!!
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Post by BBFran on Apr 8, 2005 18:51:10 GMT -6
I have degrees from both schools, I love both schools and I love both teams. Why shouldn't I? I grew up a Badger fan but went to UWM and never had any resentment of the UW. I think that's silly. I'm sure there are a few fans of both UW and UWM who don't care for the other team, but I think it's just that -- a very small minority. I have a LOT of friends in both fan communities, and everyone I knew was excited about and cheering hard for both teams in March.
When they played last year I was at the Kohl and wore UWM black over Badger red and cheered happily for both teams. I'll do the same thing next year at the Cell. Unless I think it's immensely important to the tourney chances of one or the other, I really don't care who wins that game; it's just a great opportunity to see my two favorite teams at the same time.
This March was fabulous for me, as both my teams were so successful in tournament basketball. I personally attended every conference tourney game involving both teams. I hope it's like that every year.
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Post by uwmfan on Apr 8, 2005 20:44:50 GMT -6
xucantcmex, Talked to plasma-man today... Sorry everyone...didn't mean to sound so preachy. Let's just say I've had a few years to think about it (and seek counseling!!!) J/k...
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Post by NeedMoreFans on Apr 8, 2005 22:17:36 GMT -6
I went to UW for 4 years, got my degree there. I worked in their athletic department for three years, and I know most of the coaches of the basketball and hockey teams. I also know some of their players, so I have great ties to the Badgers. I cheer for both. It took a bit, but I came around as a UWM fan.
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