BU-UW

[Rawls]

We're all Panther fans here. Being a 'better' Panther fan or a 'real' Panther fan is something you can feel good about in your own happy little world, but that's it.

Mar 20, 2011 9:29:33 GMT -6 uwmfutbol said:

I then proceeded to explain that many of the Panther faithful consider it treason to root for both the Badgers and UWM. His response? UWM is going to alienate a lot of fans--including him.

...and he is far from the only one, futbol. Few people I know specifically root against any of the local teams. Most people want everyone in state to do well. Sure, the most hardcore Panther fans whose fandom spills over into an online message board will be among those few, but most people have their favorite, and then root for everyone else.

When you tell people who to root for and insult their fandom, you drive them away, not towards your cause. Think about it. When you run into a MU or UW fan who gives you sh-t for being a Panther supporter, do they convince you to start rooting for their team? No. They draw you away. They've had a negative impact on their team.

To those on here that feel it necessary questioning the fandom of season ticket holders, I hope your ivory tower collapses in a tornado. We simply are not at a point yet where we can turn down fans like a bouncer to a club. That's exactly what you're doing telling people who to root for. If we took away every fan who roots also for UW, MU or some other childhood favorite, our arena would be embarrassingly empty. Yes, the couple hundred that remained would be 'better fans', but they wouldn't be enough to run anything resembling a successful program.

I'll be rooting for Butler on Thursday because of the benefit the Panthers would receive.

[nohopspanther]

Mar 20, 2011 9:02:05 GMT -6 uwmfutbol said:

Mar 20, 2011 2:45:48 GMT -6 nohopspanther said:

The fact that people on this board without a degree from UW-Dane County would root for the Badgers Basketball team over Butler is a disgrace and says a lot about where loyalties lie. It also shows they never had any interaction with Satan (Bo Ryan).

Loyalties? Are we really on this garbage again? This is by definition taking sports way too seriously. I root for UWM, have a degree from the institution, and am a season ticket holder. I also root for the Badgers (my future alma mater; I'll certainly root for them on Thursday) and Marquette (which I'll do tonight). It's just a game. This isn't life or death.

A Butler win means more money for Milwaukee, end of story.

[uwmfutbol]

"A Butler win means more money for Milwaukee, end of story."

Instead of criticizing people like me for rooting for a different team in a basketball game, you should be asking why countless UWM alumni have never donated to their alma mater, or why the local community does everything possible to prevent UWM expansion. More than anything, this lack of school spirit bugs me because I think UWM could be so much more than it is. I enjoy college athletics, but I care a lot more about the stem cell research at Madison or the Innovation Park being built in Tosa than I do about UWM's NIT berth or Madison's Sweet 16 run. I go to UWM Panther games because I enjoy the basketball and I enjoy supporting the team. I also watch Badger games, but I rarely attend them in person because frankly, they don't need the money. If we're going to discuss finances, we've just hit the tip of the iceberg, and this money for UWM from Butler is just a blip on a radar (I have more cliches where those came from).

If Wisconsin and Marquette continue on in the NCAA tourney, that gets people going to bars and restaurants or hosting Final Four parties. I'm interested in how sports benefit our local communities and our state. This is where we differ. This "loyalty" argument shouldn't even be here. I love Panther basketball just like I love Wisconsin basketball, but honestly, it's NOT THAT IMPORTANT.

[parkerj]

Mar 20, 2011 11:59:18 GMT -6 PantherU said:

I don't know, I think this team would have had an entirely different look if we landed Josh Gasser.

in that case, i'd argue you should be rooting FOR the badgers, not against them...

if UW's coming off of a final 4, do you think vander blue gives a crap about their "slow pace"? probably not...as a result, josh gasser doesn't even have a scholarship available

if they're doing worse, guys like gasser are going to be the type of guys they're regularly landing...look at Northwestern (sorry mcdade)...0 NCAA Tourneys and yet they regularly land guys we'd kill to have...

[Hack]

Mar 20, 2011 22:20:46 GMT -6 parkerj said:

look at Northwestern (sorry mcdade)...0 NCAA Tourneys and yet they regularly land guys we'd kill to have...

Well, there's that whole Northwestern education thingie.

Sorry, if I'm debating free rides to UW-Milwaukee and Northwestern ... fire up my I-Pass, I'm headed to Evanston.

[uwmfansince1997]

Mar 20, 2011 9:04:11 GMT -6 uwmfutbol said:

Mar 20, 2011 8:06:15 GMT -6 uwmfansince1997 said:

Lets go Bulldogs! UW-Madison/Madison at Wisconsin/UW-Dane County (my fav.) will go down. Madison doesn't root for Milwaukee or its likes, so why should we.

GO Panthers!

That's not entirely true. You're stereotyping. I have two family members who went to UW-Madison that also root for UWM.

Technically no, it's not true. But if we take a vote on the UW-Dane Co. board about support for UWM, I will guarantee you they will share the same sentiment as me....

[uwmfansince1997]

All I can guarantee is that I wouldn't be surprise to see UW-Dane Co. representative this week on campus talking to Jeter and getting dirt on the 'Butler Way', if you know what I mean...

[Hack]

Mar 21, 2011 13:09:22 GMT -6 uwmfansince1997 said:

All I can guarantee is that I wouldn't be surprise to see UW-Dane Co. representative this week on campus talking to Jeter and getting dirt on the 'Butler Way', if you know what I mean...

Or, ya know, a simple call placed on the ol' rotary or one of those e-mail type do-hickies.

[PantherU]

Let me put it a different way and then put this baby to rest:

If a stadium springs up in Waukesha, it's practically made of gold and a new MLB team with Yankee money moves in, is that good or bad for the Milwaukee Brewers?

[PantherU]

Mar 20, 2011 15:28:52 GMT -6 uwmfutbol said:

I love Panther basketball just like I love Wisconsin basketball, but honestly, it's NOT THAT IMPORTANT.

YES, it is:

www.pjstar.com/sports/wessler/x904841871/Wessler-To-live-BU-spirit-must-get-young

[BBFran]

Wisconsin winning on Thursday doesn't harm Milwaukee in any way at all that I can see. Butler winning further hardens the opinion of most of the world that we are a one team league.

But that's not why I want Wisconsin to win. I want Wisconsin to win because I love the Badgers, just like I love the Panthers. Simple as that. I think there's a lot of overanalysis going on here. Some of us just like multiple teams.

[Rawls]

Mar 21, 2011 13:34:20 GMT -6 PantherU said:

Let me put it a different way and then put this baby to rest:

If a stadium springs up in Waukesha, it's practically made of gold and a new MLB team with Yankee money moves in, is that good or bad for the Milwaukee Brewers?

I want to put this baby to rest as much as anyone, but that scenario isn't comparable. None of us or next to none of us grew up Panther fans. We are trying to win over lifelong Badger fans. We're the new Waukesha team in your unrealistic scenario, without the payroll. As far as competition, we're lucky to be in a city the size of Milwaukee and a state the size of Wisconsin and have as little competition as we do.

Make the product better. That's how you win over fans. Not scolding those who don't meet a self-enforced loyalty requirement. Get people to the games, put on a good show for their entertainment dollar, they'll come back.

[TBone]

Let's be honest, everyone has their own often personal reason for pulling for whoever they'll be pulling for this Thursday. We oftentimes don't know the full reasoning for a fan's secondary fan-dom, so perhaps breaks should be given?

I'll be pulling for Butler because it further represents what a mid-major conference and team can do. Additionally, as much as I dislike Butler, they play hard and as many mid-majors in the tourney can compete with (and sometimes beat) the big dogs on a neutral court. If Green Bay were in the same position as Butler, I'd be pulling for them as well. I pretty much hate Marquette and rarely ever pull for Marquette because of all the attitude I've gotten from Marquette fans and students dating back to my days in school. (although I did pull for them on their Final Four run) I don't necessarily cheer against them for the sake of cheering against them, but take an I don't care attitutde. As for Bucky, I don't mind them, I kinda like them sometimes, and I'll pull for them occasionally. In this case, I'll root for my conference every time though.

[skrapheap]

Perhaps the poll could be modified, with either the question being posed edited to "which team would you least hate to see win? or leave the question alone and add another response such as "i really can't stand either team."

[parkerj]

Mar 21, 2011 7:12:26 GMT -6 Hack said:

Mar 20, 2011 22:20:46 GMT -6 parkerj said:

look at Northwestern (sorry mcdade)...0 NCAA Tourneys and yet they regularly land guys we'd kill to have...

Well, there's that whole Northwestern education thingie.

Sorry, if I'm debating free rides to UW-Milwaukee and Northwestern ... fire up my I-Pass, I'm headed to Evanston.

...and Madison doesn't have a (significantly) better academic reputation than UWM?

if UW becomes a .500 or below team, the Tim Jarmusz and Josh Gasser types are going to become the norm...not the backup plan

I'd also like to chime in on the "Madison fans don't root for UWM"

Bullsh*t...i grew up in madison, and went to dozens of badger games...EVERY TIME they showed a UWM score and the Panthers were winning, most people clapped and cheered