Can you root for Wisconsin football?

[mugrad2006]

No.

[akmarq]

Yes.  Hockey too.  Don't see it as an issue.  As for additional revenue,  Why not really make a point and stop paying your taxes.

Some of us don't pay taxes in WI other than sales tax.  As someone from a state with no DI football (so I don't have "a team" to root for," it would have been easy to adopt UW football.  I just don't see how people can say their least favorite basketball team is Madison and then go to Camp Randall dressed in that disgusting red with Bucky tattoos on their face.

[muwarrior87]

Some of us don't pay taxes in WI other than sales tax.  As someone from a state with no DI football (so I don't have "a team" to root for," it would have been easy to adopt UW football.  I just don't see how people can say their least favorite basketball team is Madison and then go to Camp Randall dressed in that disgusting red with Bucky tattoos on their face.

This, I think, Pretty much sums it up for me. 

[tower912]

U of M used to be my least favorite B10 team strictly because of their fans.   They have recently been humbled and are more livable, so I have actually stopped actively rooting against my home state team again.    I completely agree with the statement that at least ND and UM have accomplished something historically, as opposed to the nouveau riche UW programs.    In my formative years, Bucky was just trying to finish ahead of Northwestern.    Now, I have nothing but contempt for their fanbase.

[warthog-driver]

The thing is, Wisconsin fans think that they are in the same league as historically great teams like Michigan and Notre Dame.  At least Michigan and Notre Dame fans have something that they can point to as a time when their schools were good. Wisconsin football is not even in the ballpark of being an elite football program and their fans embarrass themselves thinking that they are.  The perception that they have of their school's reputation academically and athletically is a joke.  My roomate is from California and since he has moved to the midwest has noticed that Wisconsin alums are the most unfoundedly arrogant public school alums he has ever seen.

Speaking as a Michigan alum I will say that Michigan's athletic heritage and academic standing far, far surpass that of the Wisconsin State University - Madison. There is no comparison on either score.

[warthog-driver]

They (Michigan) have one of the best football programs of all time, and the middle tier Big Ten schools should be proud to beat them. 

Hoops, not to be an arrogant douche but UofM does not have "one of the best" programs of all time. UofM has THE best football program of all time. I know Jerry Ford is up there awaiting the return to glory.

[GGGG]

Hoops, not to be an arrogant douche but UofM does not have "one of the best" programs of all time. UofM has THE best football program of all time. I know Jerry Ford is up there awaiting the return to glory.

Get over yourself.  I hate Notre Dame, but their history is greater than Michigan's.

[warthog-driver]

Get over yourself.  I hate Notre Dame, but their history is greater than Michigan's.

Yea, you're right. Notre Dame's  "history is greater than Michigan's." Let me ask - did you graduate from Notre Dame? You must be an alum because you sure sound like one. All time leaders in CF victories:

Rank Team
                           Won   Lost   Tied   W%  
1 Michigan              872    295     36   .740  
2 Notre Dame          831    284     42   .736  
3 Texas                  832    317     33   .718  
4 Oklahoma             791    297     53   .716
5 Ohio State            808    306    53   .715    
6 Alabama               799    316     43   .709  
7 USC                    766     303    54   .706  

[jficke13]

bob and brian did a good bit (even if it was pro-uw) about the "Curse of Bo Schembechler". basically it boiled down to the premise that the only reason Michigan was ever good was because Schembechler sold his soul to satan, and once he died it was time for Michigan to pay up.

Personally I like Michigan (as much as I like any college football team) because Charles Woodson came from there.

[tower912]

Way to go,  Warthog.   The years of attempting to get over my dislike, of even beginning to not feel hostile towards the Wolverines.....one guy, a few posts, and I am right back where I was.    Thank you for restoring order to my universe. 

[jficke13]

I'm going to side w/ Warthog. 1. That chart kind of speaks for itself. 2. Nobody likes ND anyway so I'm down w/ a little ND-bashing.

[GGGG]

Yea, you're right. Notre Dame's  "history is greater than Michigan's." Let me ask - did you graduate from Notre Dame? You must be an alum because you sure sound like one. All time leaders in CF victories:

Rank Team
                           Won   Lost   Tied   W%  
1 Michigan              872    295     36   .740  
2 Notre Dame          831    284     42   .736  
3 Texas                  832    317     33   .718  
4 Oklahoma             791    297     53   .716
5 Ohio State            808    306    53   .715    
6 Alabama               799    316     43   .709  
7 USC                    766     303    54   .706  

Didn't go to Notre Dame, but they have more championships.  I saw enough inferior Michigan teams get their butts handed to them in the Rose Bowl for me to seriously think that they are the top program of all time.

[IAmMarquette]

Personally I like Michigan (as much as I like any college football team) because Charles Woodson came from there.

+1. And don't forget Chuck's fellow Michigan alum, Heisman winner and Super Bowl XXXI MVP Desmond Howard.

[bma725]

Didn't go to Notre Dame, but they have more championships.  I saw enough inferior Michigan teams get their butts handed to them in the Rose Bowl for me to seriously think that they are the top program of all time.

Ummm...no. 

If you use the criteria that any organization in a particular year granted them the title of National Champion, Michigan has one more(22 to 21).

If you go by what each of the schools claim as official championships, they are tied at 11.

The only way Notre Dame has more is if you decide to redefine the "modern" era.

[DJO's Pump Fake]

I wouldn't cheer for Madison in anything ever.  Period.  They are our rivals and want to see them lose in everything they try to do.

The only thing I liked about Tom Crean was that he kept the rivalry a hated rivalry.  I don't like the "friendship" Buzz and Bo have.....would rather it be cut throat.  Just my opinion tho.

[LovinCrowder]

You can't root for UW in any sport.  You can't wear red.  You can't name your dog Bo, unless he has fleas.

+1

[MUsoxfan]

I can't root for any Televen team in any sport except for Northwestern.  Though I will root for any team over Indiana

[augoman]

I have multiple reasons to root for Northwestern, second only to Marquette, and number one is its' similarity to Marquette.  About same enrollment, private, historic, and so on.  I thrill to Northwestern besting UW at Madison often, of late, and hope to God that it continues!  My third favorite team is whomever is playing Madison.  So, the answer is NO.

[Eye]

The thing is, Wisconsin fans think that they are in the same league as historically great teams like Michigan and Notre Dame.  At least Michigan and Notre Dame fans have something that they can point to as a time when their schools were good. Wisconsin football is not even in the ballpark of being an elite football program and their fans embarrass themselves thinking that they are.  The perception that they have of their school's reputation academically and athletically is a joke.  My roomate is from California and since he has moved to the midwest has noticed that Wisconsin alums are the most unfoundedly arrogant public school alums he has ever seen.

Couldn't have been better stated Hoops!

[GGGG]

Ummm...no. 

If you use the criteria that any organization in a particular year granted them the title of National Champion, Michigan has one more(22 to 21).

If you go by what each of the schools claim as official championships, they are tied at 11.

The only way Notre Dame has more is if you decide to redefine the "modern" era.

Well, then I am wrong.  Add it to the list...   

[GGGG]

I wouldn't cheer for Madison in anything ever.  Period.  They are our rivals and want to see them lose in everything they try to do.

The only thing I liked about Tom Crean was that he kept the rivalry a hated rivalry.  I don't like the "friendship" Buzz and Bo have.....would rather it be cut throat.  Just my opinion tho.

C'mon....this is just silly.  Why people work up such animosity over a sports rival and their fans is just dumb.

And God forbid that the coaches like one another.  What did you think when Lazar went over and gave Bo a hug before the opening tip?  Do you think he's a trader and intentionally had a poor first half???

[Skatastrophy]

C'mon....this is just silly.  Why people work up such animosity over a sports rival and their fans is just dumb.

And God forbid that the coaches like one another.  What did you think when Lazar went over and gave Bo a hug before the opening tip?  Do you think he's a trader and intentionally had a poor first half???

Asking sports fan(atic)s to act rational is a bit much.

[warthog-driver]

Way to go,  Warthog.   The years of attempting to get over my dislike, of even beginning to not feel hostile towards the Wolverines.....one guy, a few posts, and I am right back where I was.    Thank you for restoring order to my universe. 

Tower

I remember being awestruck the first time I entered Michigan Stadium on a gameday. Ann Arbor on a college football Saturday is a special place. The difference between AA and Madison is that Madison has a much higher percentage of drunken buffoons for whom that state of being is THE reason for being there. Some UofM alums can be jerks but the majority take it for what it's worth, a great diversion from life's travails. If anyone has ever been on the fence about Michigan football I would say the Fight Song and the helmets are force multiplying difference makers. If you've never been to a UofM home game I would strongly encourage it.

One note on Michigan fans: Back in the Bo era, Bo said in a presser that, "We looked like Slippery Rock out there!" That comment PO'd the AD at Slippery Rock. Solution: Michigan invited Slippery Rock to host a home game at Michigan Stadium, free of charge. For years SR played Shippensburg State in Ann Arbor (an incredible economic windfall for both those schools.) My point, though, is about the Michigan student body - we adopted Slippery Rock as our own. There would be 70-80,000 people in the stands cheering for SR. Both PA schools would bus in thousands for the game and Michigan students would mix right in; it was a great weekend. I used to own a SR t-shirt - they were sold at Ulrich's and the Wolverine Den.

[warthog-driver]

Didn't go to Notre Dame, but they have more championships.  I saw enough inferior Michigan teams get their butts handed to them in the Rose Bowl for me to seriously think that they are the top program of all time.

Sultan

Popular t-shirt in Ann Arbor read, "Hire Linda Lovelace...She doesn't choke on the Big One!"

I have been through a lot of dismal New Year's in my time...a lot of dismal New Year's

[Nukem2]

The thing is, Wisconsin fans think that they are in the same league as historically great teams like Michigan and Notre Dame.  At least Michigan and Notre Dame fans have something that they can point to as a time when their schools were good. Wisconsin football is not even in the ballpark of being an elite football program and their fans embarrass themselves thinking that they are.  The perception that they have of their school's reputation academically and athletically is a joke.  My roomate is from California and since he has moved to the midwest has noticed that Wisconsin alums are the most unfoundedly arrogant public school alums he has ever seen.

Almost the most arrogant.  UW still takes a back seat to UNC and Kentucky as both alum bases are truly insufferable.