September 15, 2018

It's late summer in Madison, Wisconsin and we're watching the football game on TV.

We're using the DVR and are about 5 minutes back from real time. Not much is happening on screen, but from 6 blocks away we hear a sudden cheer. The future is calling, and we skip ahead to the touchdown.

55 comments:

Vance said...

I'm sorry, but I graduated from BYU. So, got to definitively disagree with Althouse on this one: Go BYU!

Honestly, even if we lose--no one, but no one, expected BYU to hang and have a lead over the Badgers in the 4th quarter. So I'm more than happy right now.

Go Cougars, take down those Badgers! Shock the world!

Big Mike said...

Wisconsin is still 3 behind, with not much time left.

Michael K said...

Good Texas Tech game on. SC Texas at 5.

Vance said...

Wisconsin down by 3, 4th and 8, on BYU's 24.... 45 seconds left. Certainly not boring! I predict overtime.

Ann Althouse said...

We hear the crying now.

Ryan said...

I went to BYU undergrad and Wisconson law. I was happy either way but great job BYU!!

Vance said...

I can't believe it--their field goal kicker missed! Biggest BYU win in years! Holy cow!

Ryan said...

The old icing the kicker trick.

David Begley said...

Althouse and Meade (if he is still alive) really ought to see a game in person. I’d suggest Nebraska; a sure Badger win.

Fernandinande said...

I sure hope somebody wins!

Earnest Prole said...

I don't mean to be insulting, but Bucky Badger is a punk-ass bitch.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

I'm watching the end of LSU and Auburn which has been a phenomenal game. But I'm about to turn to Alabama vs. my team, Ole Miss. Who knows? Bama is favored by 21 but they were favored in 2014 and 2015 when we beat them and we were up three touchdowns in 2016 before they came back. They totally blew us out last year. I thought Wisconsin had a fair chance of slipping into the playoff this year. That's pretty much out. Back to my game - I rarely say this, but I will be happy if we stay within 14. That would be a moral victory. Alabama has their best offense in years if not ever, many say.

JML said...

Mid-Life, Alabama gave my oldest son a full acedemic scholarship so I have to say, "Roll Tide!" But I hope your team only loses by a few...

JML said...

And Mid-Life, we were watching the Auburn-LSU game and just turned to the game, and see you just got a TD. Well played!

Michael K said...

I just watched LSU, too. Ed Orgeron should have been the SC head coach the past five years.

Quayle said...

I remain in full expectation management mode, BYU’s win notwithstanding.

iowan2 said...

Ole Miss and The Tide, 4 plays from scrimmage and it's tied 7-7

Ann Althouse said...

"Althouse and Meade (if he is still alive) really ought to see a game in person. I’d suggest Nebraska; a sure Badger win."

We've seen a game. Exactly one. Saw Purdue, because Meade is from West Lafayette, Indiana.

I prefer the (near) distant relationship with the stadium. It's nice to hear the sound of the cheers from a distance. The live TV is on some kind of delay -- maybe 90 seconds — so we could tell that last field goal attempt wasn't going to make it. It was poignant listening for a good sound and hearing nothing.

I also enjoy the crowds around town, even though I got stuck in a terrible traffic jam cross the Isthmus around 1 p.m. I'd just done a shot hop across town to get some multigrain bread at Batch Bakehouse and take a little walk on the East Side, and I got into the worst traffic I've ever experienced in Madison. But it was kind of fun seeing all the happy pre-game kids in red and white. There are the striped overalls and the red sequined short skirts. Lots and lots of short shorts on young women. It was hot today, so it was a very leggy scene. And everyone was good looking too! A couple of exceptions, but they were fun to see too.

Ann Althouse said...

"It's nice to hear the sound of the cheers from a distance."

Nicest living-near-the-stadium experience — many years ago on a summer night — was sitting on the front steps and hearing Pink Floyd.

Vance said...

Short shorts on the wimmens?

"I like short shorts!"
--Flying purple people eater.

Man, I'm in a good mood. Sorry for your team losing most weeks, Althouse, but not this week.

College football man--this is why they play the game!

Ann Althouse said...

Oh, I see Pink Floyd played Camp Randall twice:

"Pink Floyd
May 20, 1988
Camp Randall Stadium

More than 45,000 fans witnessed this stop on the band’s first tour since 1981. The concert laid the groundwork for more major acts — including Genesis and The Rolling Stones — to visit Camp Randall over the next nine years. Pink Floyd played the stadium again on July 3, 1994."

The one I remember is the 1988 one, because I'm sure it was before The Rolling Stones.

The Rolling Stones aren't interesting to hear wafting over the neighborhood. Pink Floyd wafted really well!

David Begley said...

I just love college sports. The tradition. The school colors. The nicknames. Every little thing.

Ann Althouse said...

"Man, I'm in a good mood. Sorry for your team losing most weeks, Althouse, but not this week."

We were ranked 6th before today.

I don't really follow college football. I don't like to watch it because things don't go well enough. I do enjoy the happiness of the people who live around me, so I do like our team to be good and to win. It's like wanting the weather to be good.

As for sports, I will watch the Packers when they are good, and I like the Brewers, like, right now. Yellich just hit a home run.

traditionalguy said...

Big 10 fans assume they have the best teams and even when they lose, it was a lucky fluke since they were the best team anyway. So losing to teams outside their conference means nothing to them.

And then reality knocks.

stevew said...

Not a college football fan, but do follow, with enthusiasm, my New England Patriots professional football team. Said enthusiasm though does not include spending Sunday afternoon plopped on my coach watching the game - there are too many other interesting things to do, some people would call these things 'work', for me they are hobbies.

I DVR the game and watch it later. I skip through the commercials and, when things are going poorly, fast forward through the plays. Pressing the skip button at the whistle ending a play often positions the recording to the snap of the next play. It is necessary to silence and ignore my mobile phone.

Haven't been to a game in years. Absolutely no interest in having that experience ever again.

-sw

Francisco D said...

What happened to the Badgers?

They were touted as having the best offensive line in college football history, according to SI.

-asking for Wisconsin relatives who are maniacal Packer/Badger fans.

- a Bears/U of Illinois fan.

It must be the orange and blue because their football teams suck.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

JML

We started out pretty good and got that turnover but things went south quick. Again, I just hope we make it respectable. My prediction is that no one is going to beat Alabama this year.

Birches said...

Rise and shout the Cougars are out!!!

Was wondering if you were following. BYU's Women's Soccer also beat Marquette this morning. Good trip to Wisconsin for the athletic department.

donald said...

Georgia can Beat Alabama. Ain’t saying they will, but they damned sure can.

Vance said...

Birches--for that matter, BYU women's volleyball had a grand old time in Marquette a couple a weeks ago as well. Wisconsin has been owned by BYU this year. You can keep the beer, but let's bring home some cheese!

BamaBadgOR said...

How long until next year?

n.n said...

Standing or reclining?

Temujin said...

Buh-Bye Wisconsin. Buh-Bye Big Ten. The entire Big Ten is weaker than expected. TCU is playing Ohio State straight up now. I see Georgia vs Alabama for the title. Georgia wins. Party in Athens. Everybody wearing bulldog heads.

narciso said...

We're through the looking glass:

http://numbersixwasinnocent.blogspot.com/2009/09/mcgoohan-on-my-mind-time-has-come.html?m=1

stephen cooper said...

John Phiiip Sousa greatly admired the fight song which the Wisconsin University adopted for its athletic contests.

gilbar said...

The live TV is on some kind of delay -- maybe 90 seconds
this is one of my Greatest Peeves
WHY do they send a local feed up to a satellite and back down?

Don't they realize the teams NEED our support?
It doesn't do a lick of good to wish a ball through the uprights after the fact; that's NOT how science works. We need games In Real Time so that our rooting can help our teams.
Obviously, the Powers That Be have decided that that isn't 'fair' to the away team, whose feed has to go up to the satellite and back. But HEY!

*IF* the away team is So Good, why would they need their fans support; plus, they'd get their chance during the return game. The Home team is SUPPOSED to have an advantage, this is lost through delays

Rick.T. said...

Wonder if Meade went to Lafayette Jeff? They were our fierce debate rivals. Kokomo HS class of ‘71.

Rick.T. said...

Speaking of distance cheers from the crowd, we were walking through the cemetery in Chicago on the north side where all the old aristocracy are buried and listening to the crowd cheering at Wrigley a number of blocks away. That was interesting.

EAB said...

I preferred Wisconsin (husband and my mom’s family from there) but I have to thank BYU for making my Cal Bears look good....

Michael K said...

Watching the SC Texas game. It's tough to win when the refs are on the other side. Even the TV guys, who never disagree with the refs, said that play was a safety,

narciso said...



In other news:

https://meaninginhistory.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-central-scandal-of-russia-hoax-and.html?m=1

ngtrains said...

i was hoping for more touchdowns

Curious George said...

"emujin said...
Buh-Bye Wisconsin. Buh-Bye Big Ten. The entire Big Ten is weaker than expected. TCU is playing Ohio State straight up now."

Yeah, how'd that turn out skippy. This was a home game for TCU and the Buckeyes still kicked ass.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Stumble across this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ptbCOqeWQU

Bay Area Guy said...

I love college football!

Mark said...

Watching the SC Texas game. It's tough to win when the refs are on the other side.

Since you want the refs to not be on the other side, I assume that means you're willing to give back that stolen game in the 1979 Rose Bowl?

How you can score a touchdown from the three yard line and without the football is beyond me -- unless the refs are on your side.

eddie willers said...

I see Georgia vs Alabama for the title. Georgia wins. Party in Athens. Everybody wearing bulldog heads.

From your lips to the Big Dawg's ears.

The Crack Emcee said...

"We're using the DVR and are about 5 minutes back from real time. Not much is happening on screen, but from 6 blocks away we hear a sudden cheer. The future is calling, and we skip ahead to the touchdown."

You did "Pretzel Logic" yesterday, and, today, it's "Time Out Of Mind".

You got the Steely Dan Virus.

Comanche Voter said...

Being hear a big college football game and "hearing" the results has its moments. The law school at Berkeley is up on the top of the campus slope near the football stadium. I'd gone to undergrad school where Don Coryell coached. My four years there coincided with his first four years at the school. As I recall his record was 38-1-1 in those games.

When I started law school, I thought I'd go to California's first football game of the season. Cal lost to Notre Dame 66-0. For the rest of my time in law school, I was usually in the library on Saturday afternoons---but I could hear the roar when the other teams scored. Didn't think it was worth my time to go up and see Podunk U beat up on the Bears.

But this year the Wisconsin Badgers may be the real deal--our host will have to see.

Temujin said...

Can't wait for Georgia vs OSU in the semis. Assuming OSU can finally beat both Penn St and Michigan State in the same year.

Michael K said...

I assume that means you're willing to give back that stolen game in the 1979 Rose Bowl?

I guess grudges are what keep some people sane, or insane as the case may be.

Was that the Charlie White touchdown ?

I was there and loved it.

donald said...

I’m very happy about the Bulldog love here.

Woof.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

I love this post, Althouse. It’s like a Richard Brautigan mini-story.

eddie willers said...

I’m very happy about the Bulldog love here.

I am surprised at the amount of Georgians that read Althouse. A happy coincidence?

MadisonMan said...

I was at the game -- thankfully, on the shady side. The sunny side really emptied out at Half time (but the people came back). And there were somve horrible sunburns shown on the video screen.

A couple adorable kids dancing too on the Video Screen.

Bucky got the ending they worked for.