At this
point, I have witnessed five games for Wisconsin and five Badger victories.My interest level was on the rise and I
was actually excited to sit in the van for six hours to see my beloved team
on the road for the first time.We went to visit relatives in Minneapolis and they got us a skybox
in the Metrodome.All of the
Wisconsin relatives were completely confident that the Badgers (6-0) would
succeed, as it was our chance to show off our new national power against
the lowly Gophers (3-4).The game
between Wisconsin and Minnesota is the longest running rivalry in college
football (since 1890) and they play for
Paul Bunyan’s Axe.At the time, I wasn’t terribly familiar with the rivalry seeing that
the last Minnesota/Wisconsin game I attended was heard mostly from the
parking lot.But, I soon learned
what the saying, “Throw out the records,” meant that day.
The Gophers jumped out to an early lead
and Wisconsin could never recover.
Turnovers plagued the Badgers. Anytime something positive happened for
Wisconsin, an interception was soon to follow. We would wave the flag
from the skybox at any Badger score, but it wouldn't be long before it would
be quietly rolled up and set aside. The 28-21 loss kept us silent for
most of the weekend.
It was painful to see our Minnesota clan whoop it up in the
skybox.This win would not affect
them at all.By the next day, they
would forget who even won the game.And here I am, now realizing what it is like to lose as a fan,
trying to explain how damaging this loss is to the Badgers.It was a hopeless, nauseous, empty
feeling especially when the Gopher students began chanting, "94 EAST!
94 EAST!" which was their clever method of telling the red clad fans to head
home.But, it was this loss that
made me realize how much I care about this sport - watching the Golden
Gopher football players prance around the Metrodome with the Axe as if they
won the Rose Bowl.
