১৬ আগস্ট, ২০২৬

"In the exhilarating case of Madison, it’s important to pursue the frenzy, merge with the frenzy, ingest the frenzy."

"The frenzy beckons along State Street, the central nervous system of the city and the 50,000-strong university, with main quadrangle Bascom Hill at the end opposite the state Capitol. The frenzy churns up and down the streets and boulevards leading up to kickoffs, the multistory bars packed with people and red. It’s present in bits in the breakfast line at the famed Mickie’s Dairy Bar, or the doughnut line at Greenbush, or at State Street Brats, or the Memorial Union Terrace of the main student union. It’s bubbling at the Dane County Farmers’ Market, and it’s roaring at the frat houses near Camp Randall Stadium, where the inspiring sights might include a beer bong on the second floor delivering the nectar to a drinker on the ground. It reaches its peak, though, at the end of the third quarter.... If one seeks bouts of quiet, as unfitting as they can seem, there’s a daydream of a lake (Mendota), the Lakeshore Path, the city’s welcoming capacity for cyclists or the privilege of a lakefront room at the Edgewater Hotel...."

The Washington Post puts Madison first, in "The 10 best college football towns in America" (gift link).

Here's the daydream this morning, video'd by Meade:
 

৫৯টি মন্তব্য:

Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ বলেছেন...
এই মন্তব্যটি লেখক দ্বারা সরানো হয়েছে।
john mosby বলেছেন...

The Dream of the Gardener's Wife? CC, JSM

bagoh20 বলেছেন...

"Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...
This comment has been removed by the author."

That's like a snow day for my scroll finger.

Jupiter বলেছেন...

I don't get it. A couple years back, they were putting up plywood on the storefronts in a mostly vain attempt to protect them from a rioting horde of criminal vermin. Are those the same people who drink in these "multi-story bars"?

bagoh20 বলেছেন...

Just a reminder that all that metropolitan/academic bliss is created and sustained by hardworking people behind the scenes frying food, collecting garbage, and cleaning kitchens and restrooms. It's wonderful, and good for everyone, but better for some. Recognize your working class anyway you can. That's all.

Jupiter বলেছেন...

And what about that asshole thief on a bike that the cop shot? If he were still alive, would he be part of "the frenzy"?

Achilles বলেছেন...

College towns are a subsidized vacation from reality.

They were acceptable when they created productive happy members of society that valued the brave and the beautiful.

Now college towns are a 5th column full of parasites completely unresponsive to the host they are feeding on in the best case and they are actively seeking to destroy the host in most cases.

Anne in Rockwall, TX বলেছেন...

As a lover of all things sausage, can anyone tell me how the State Street Brats are?

Achilles বলেছেন...

bagoh20 said...

Just a reminder that all that metropolitan/academic bliss is created and sustained by hardworking people behind the scenes frying food, collecting garbage, and cleaning kitchens and restrooms. It's wonderful, and good for everyone, but better for some. Recognize your working class anyway you can. That's all.

Exactly.

rehajm বলেছেন...

...The foreigners visiting for the footie were gobsmacked by the size of our college football stadiums. If your stadium doesn't seat at least 100,000 you aint nothing...I like The Grove bit too as it's the antithesis of tailgating, not that I don't appreciate tailgating...

rehajm বলেছেন...

"Recognize your working class anyway you can"

...please! don't recognize them by embracing communism. That is all...

n.n বলেছেন...

The Madison diet is causing acid reflex. Change.

Lawnerd বলেছেন...

As a postdoc I was invited to speak at a scientific conference in Madison. The day after the talk a friend and I spent 12 hours straight drinking at State Street Brat. The brats are so so but the cheap beer ordered in pitchers was great.

Lawnerd বলেছেন...

Four Wisconsin food groups, the beer group, the corn group, the cheese group, and the brat group. A square meal can be had at State Street Brat.

bagoh20 বলেছেন...

Had another great time yesterday boating and swimming at the lake. The water is at a record low, but there were plenty of boatloads out playing all over. Some favorite beaches and fishing spots are becoming inaccessible, but new ones are appearing- places not seen for 90 years. It was an unusual summer day with temps only reaching the low 90s, but water still at 85 degrees, so perfect conditions. It's monsoon season, so there are thunderstorms that threatened, but never fully developed. Seeing lots of people out enjoying the outdoors doing nothing but pure play is satisfying and encouraging to the spirit.
That said, if this El Niño winter does not produce substantial snowpack in the Rockies as I'm expecting, I'm going to sell the boat at a great loss and find a new way to play, but boating will be hard to match for family fun.

Original Mike বলেছেন...

IDK, it's my impression, probably because of the recent downturn in performance, that they can't even fill the student section.

Original Mike বলেছেন...

"And what about that asshole thief on a bike that the cop shot? If he were still alive, would he be part of "the frenzy"?"

He'd be working the cars of the attendees.

Lawnerd বলেছেন...

Why was Penn State happy valley excluded from the list? This is bullshit and probably continued punishment for the pedo coach. Penn State main campus is fabulous. When I attended in the early 80’s the students were solid republicans, although I understand they swung more progressive now.

bagoh20 বলেছেন...

Had to fill up the boat with gas at the fuel dock, and after waiting for a while maneuvering my unwieldy floating living room in line, one attendant directs us to another dock so he can service some jet skis that snuck in front of us. I went to the other dock, filled up with another attendant who was great, and when we went inside to pay I handed him a $50 tip right in front of the guy who dicked me. Very satisfying.

Quaestor বলেছেন...

"...ingest the frenzy."

Face it, Madison. WaPo wants you dead.

Original Mike বলেছেন...

"I handed him a $50 tip right in front of the guy who dicked me. Very satisfying."

Well played.

Curious George বলেছেন...

"Original Mike said...
IDK, it's my impression, probably because of the recent downturn in performance, that they can't even fill the student section."

I go to Columbus once a year, game days are a hoot. 50 yard line tickets send row top deck. I took my cousin, whose tickets I described, to the game at Camp Randel two years ago. Night game. Even with all the OSU fans there, not at capacity. I had tickets on the 45, not that expensive. Student section had plenty of seats. Even more after many started leaving after Jump Around.

Buckeye games have a lot of tradition. A lot has to do with their band, which is unmatched by any. TBDBITL In the morning, Skull Session a free, high-energy pregame tradition featuring the marching band, speeches from coaches and players, and a preview of the day’s music, held at St. John Arena before home football games. I don't go to everytime but it's a good time.

Then the ramp entrance where the band come on the field to Buckeye Battle Cry. Then Script Ohio, to Le Regiment. Souzaphone player dotting the "I" in Ohio.

And the band playing "Hang on Sloopy" after the third quarter.
O-H-I-O chant. During the 1968 Michigan game, which I attended with my dad, they chanted O-H-I-O the whole game. Crazy. Then tore down the goalposts and dragged them to a frat house where thy remain to this day. Can't do that anymore, they closed up the horseshoe with more seats, 102,780 now.

Narr বলেছেন...

I can't see the whole list w/o giving my email, but someone mentioned Teh Grove so I assume Ole Miss is included.

One of the last hires I made at work was a fine young man, a veteran of both the Army and the USMC who had been a grunt in the Sandbox, He had graduated from the institution formerly known as Mississippi State College for Women.

Someone asked him why he didn't choose Ole Miss or Mississippi State U and he said he wanted a good education but didn't want to pay extra for a football team.

Smart guy.

hanuman_prodigious_leaper বলেছেন...

Does cost of fuel for boat track gas prices at pump?

friscoda বলেছেন...

@Curious George, the script Ohio was created by the Michigan marching band in the 1932. OSU band added the movement years later but it is a UM creation. Par for the course I say.

Narr বলেছেন...

Also in my last years working, the university admin formed some focus groups of employees (mixed faculty and staff) as part of a rebranding effort.

I suggested that since Memphis never was and never will be a college or football town, it made sense to stress the city--recognize UM as a city's university.

That's pretty much what they did.

Curious George বলেছেন...

"hanuman_prodigious_leaper said...
Does cost of fuel for boat track gas prices at pump?"

About as much as a beer at the ballgame tracks the price of a beer at the local pub.

Dave Begley বলেছেন...

"The parking lot at the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center encircles a reproduction wood chipper from the film’s grisly denouement. The real thing is in the lobby, stained with fake blood and rust, autographed by filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen. A socked foot emerges from the infeed chute as if to wave hello."

What's the over/under on football games that Ann Althouse has attended at Michigan and Wisconsin?

Original Mike বলেছেন...

"What's the over/under on football games that Ann Althouse has attended at Michigan and Wisconsin?"

One.

Curious George বলেছেন...

"friscoda said...
@Curious George, the script Ohio was created by the Michigan marching band in the 1932."

I'm aware that Michigan first spelled out "Ohio" on the field in script. I'm also aware that saying they created Script Ohio is retarded. It's the motion, the timing, with members passing through others' lines, that makes it Script Ohio.

Curious George বলেছেন...

"What's the over/under on football games that Ann Althouse has attended at Michigan and Wisconsin?"

I think she has gone to few Badger games.

Dave Begley বলেছেন...
এই মন্তব্যটি লেখক দ্বারা সরানো হয়েছে।
Curious George বলেছেন...

NIL and the Transfer Portal has doomed Wisconsin Football forever. But I think it helps them in basketball. They don't recuit NBA talent, so their guys stick around and get experience as a team.

Curious George বলেছেন...

Badger mascot is "Bucky." Buckeye mascot is Brutus.

Ann Althouse বলেছেন...

One is the correct answer.

Original Mike বলেছেন...

Ha!

Interested Bystander বলেছেন...

It sounds a lot like any college town when school's back in. I worked in Davis, CA for a couple of years and experienced the ebb and flow of college town life as the seasons change. I spent more time than I would have liked in Berkeley when my daughter was there. Frenzy is a good word for it.

Dave Begley বলেছেন...

As a Creighton alum, I'm happy the losers at Lincoln didn't make the Top Ten. But they have *not* been in the Top Ten for decades as it is.

Cornheads get drunk before the game so that the terrible football isn't so noticeable.

It really is like a cult.

I've watched two games from a skybox and that's the way to go.

Downtown Lincoln is nothing special. And no really unique or great places to eat. Governor Jim Pillen - former defensive starter - has a great tailgate party before some games at the Governor's Mansion.

Corn football just survives on memories. At one game, a guy in front of us threw up his hands in frustration in the second quarter and left. As we left Memorial Stadium after the Northern Illinois and Troy losses, the crowd was so quiet it was like a funeral. And then there was the Akron game. Big storms so that the game had to be cancelled. We could see TV shots from the stadium and there were a large number of people still sitting in the stadium hoping that the game would start.

I was secretly laughing after the losses to N. Illinois and Akron. Those people take it so seriously! Not like Big Red football is important. It's not Creighton basketball.

Nebraska needs a football team as good as its volleyball team.

Earnest Prole বলেছেন...

Eugene, Oregon is not only one of the great college football towns, it’s also the greatest track & field town in America. The two venues sit on either side of the Willamette River.

The mascot is the famous duck, but the official name of Oregon teams was the Oregon Webfoots until 1978.

Dave Begley বলেছেন...

Best college football game I ever saw is summarized below. And there was no charge for the ticket. Jon Lien was amazing; 259 yards.

Game Summary: Carleton vs. Macalester (Oct 22, 2011)The Comeback: Macalester controlled most of the game, leading 17-7 late in the third quarter. Carleton's defense stepped up to stall the Scots, allowing the offense to mount a late-game surge.

The Overtime Period: After tying the game 17-17 by the end of regulation, Macalester had the first possession in overtime but missed a field goal.

The Winning Play: On Carleton’s very first offensive snap of overtime, running back Jon Lien broke loose for a 25-yard touchdown run to instantly win the game 23-17.

Record-Breaking Performance: Carleton's victory was entirely put on the back of Jon Lien, who rushed for a school-record 259 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Trophy Defense: With the thrilling walk-off victory, Carleton retained possession of the Book of Knowledge placard for the ninth consecutive season.

Lazarus বলেছেন...

Um ... I think it's the same as last year's list. I was surprised to see Fargo on the list. Are there really enough people there to create the atmosphere that the other college towns have? On the other hand, is there really anything else going on up there to distract from football?

Humperdink বলেছেন...

Kirk Herbstreit labeled Penn State’s white out football game the best game day experience ever. Herbstreit is an Ohio State grad.

As I mentioned before, my son (PSU grad) went to a Wisconsin - PSU football game in Madison a few years back. He was significantly mistreated as a visiting fan. Worst ever he said.

Fred Drinkwater বলেছেন...

When I was a student at Berkeley, I relearned my place in the pecking order whenever it was Game Day.

Curious George বলেছেন...

"...it’s also the greatest track & field town in America."

That's one of the funniest things I ever heard.

ChrisC বলেছেন...

I note that the Badger's home opener is at Lambeau Field against Notre Dame. Technically it is a neutral site as part of the "Shamrock Series" for the Irish. Probably a good thing it is not at home because the betting line is so large against Wisconsin at this point that many book makers are not taking bets. I expect that it would dampen the frenzy a bit to get beat to a pulp on opening day.

Big Mike বলেছেন...

Way back in the day I attended a technical conference in Austin, Texas, that closed Friday afternoon. I checked out of my hotel the following morning, just in time for the Texas Longhorns high-rolling fans to check in for game day. Madison’s unreconstructed hippies can’t hold a candle to a bunch of rich Texans driving up in 1959 Caddy convertibles with longhorn steer horns on the hood.

Mr. T. বলেছেন...

Nothing about how the molotov cocktails, rocks, knifings, pot and meth-addled rioters, and other CRAZies, currently in bloom Washington POSt?

Why would anyone want to see Madison without experiencing these "hidden gems?"

Looks like you failed Washington POSt in your attempt in damage contr-I mean...ummm...."traveloguing!"

techsan বলেছেন...

Is voting by Islamic vouchers part of the bliss? Cause I'm guessing the Madison residents will learn that those vouchers will overwhelm their voting practices and land in a noisy place five or so times a day. Or not. Good luck Madison, we're all counting on you.

Earnest Prole বলেছেন...

“That's one of the funniest things I ever heard.”

It’s one thing to be incurious and other to be boastful about it.

wildswan বলেছেন...

"Run Normie, Govern Commie" - that's the Dem strategy these days. And it's run time for the 2026 elections so we get Wapo trying to pretend it is interested in Normie America. "Yes, football, frenzy, beer, brats! We know the words! Francesca Hong - who's that? Never heard of her. Third Wisconsin election to be paused in the middle of the count? Who's counting? We're going to the game!! The game!!! Scream at the sky!!!! The game!!!!!! We lie!!!!!!! We're Commie's pretending we care about THE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Jim at বলেছেন...



*"...it’s also the greatest track & field town in America."

That's one of the funniest things I ever heard.*

Really? I can't stand the Ducks, but name for me another college town that's hosted the World Athletics Championships and regularly holds the Olympic Trials.

Not to mention the Prefontaine Classic.

Just an old country lawyer বলেছেন...

I own a very heavy Bucky Badger hoodie. It's usually too warm here in Georgia to comfortably wear it, but when I do it's with shorts.

BG বলেছেন...

UW-Mad needs Alvarez 2.0. I never wasted my time going to games when I attended. I worked every other weekend and avoided being in debt. (I worked as an LPN) I did enjoy going with friends to the doughnut factory around 2 or 3 in the morning and buying doughnuts out the back door.

BG বলেছেন...

PS. I attended in the early '70s.

Earnest Prole বলেছেন...

*another* but you probably already figured that out.

Lazarus বলেছেন...

Madison's fun couple should go duck hunting. You don't have to shoot anything. Just wear plaid or orange and turn up at the lake early in the morning with a kazoo-like thing and blow into it until birds appear.
*
Say you're a Madison Democrat who participated in stealing the 2020 election. Now you have the primary stolen from you and are boiling mad. What do you do?

James বলেছেন...

I remember when I was there for grad school (99-05) State Street Brats was notorious for the "Big-Ass Burger Challenge". Consume a burger of ample ounce-age and all the associated fries, and get your meal free and get your name or picture or something on the wall. I was too chicken to even try it (was more of a mass consumption of hot wings and beer guy). Went back a couple years ago, and asked about it, and the server there had never heard of it. Sad. The farmer's market with the Mrs was fun though, she had a surprising affection for the cheese curds that squeak when you chew them. Like you're eating a mouse or something.

Personally, I spent most of my beer money at Oak Crest Tavern, I think it was called. I don't remember. Had "Oak" in the name for sure. We were in an indoor soccer league that played Friday nights and was really just an excuse to get really thirsty and hit the bar afterwards. Once our game was scheduled at 1130 PM so we hit the bar before the game. Not our best idea. Also loved drinking at the Terrace at the Union. Beer selection was less than optimal, but the scenery (of many types) was tough to beat, especially on "Halter Top Day", as my friend used to call it.

Left Bank of the Charles বলেছেন...

“If your stadium doesn't seat at least 100,000 you aint nothing.”

1. Michigan
2. Penn State
3. Ohio State
4. Texas A&M
5. Louisiana State
6. Tennessee
7. Texas
8. Alabama

john mosby বলেছেন...

"Ingest The Frenzy" would be a good masthead motto. CC, JSM

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