TAW

Well, I'm not sure how secure we feel, as we are on our 3rd QB of the season. I'll feel better with a win in Happy Valley tomorrow, but am not optimistic as that will be the Lion's Bowl Game. Congrats on getting to the Championship Game and see you in Indy.

You really should expand your horizons. I have been to most of the B1G stadiums and go to whichever bowl the Badgers are in each year, as well as numerous hockey venues. In my experience, if you have a good sense of humor, don't expect things to be "like they are at home," and honestly enjoy seeing how the other side lives, you will have a good time. Some places I like better than others, but to deny yourself the intellectual enjoyment of new experiences because of what "might happen" is looking at things incorrectly, IMO. New experiences make you grow. I would love to visit a couple. Ohio St comes to mind. Oklahoma is/was a big one. My parents said is was nearly funner in both 94 and 2000 than any game in Lincoln. The lack of road trips for us stems from more of lack of time and money to do so. We use up all our moneys on all the home games, and quite frankly I use time on the road weekends to get things done with my time pig of a hobby and the family as well. But one thing is for certain is I have no interest in visiting any place such as Boulder, Manhatten, Madison, or Iowa City, where no matter the outcome or matchup, the bad examples outweigh the good by more than a plenty. I don't think either Madison or Iowa City should intimidate you; I can't speak to the others. If you come to Madison, I will personally escort you around and make sure you have fun. Email me: numenlumen2003@yahoo.com

You really should expand your horizons. I have been to most of the B1G stadiums and go to whichever bowl the Badgers are in each year, as well as numerous hockey venues. In my experience, if you have a good sense of humor, don't expect things to be "like they are at home," and honestly enjoy seeing how the other side lives, you will have a good time. Some places I like better than others, but to deny yourself the intellectual enjoyment of new experiences because of what "might happen" is looking at things incorrectly, IMO. New experiences make you grow.

When ranking various venues, I think it is important to distinguish between Game Day atmosphere and Road Trip. Minneapolis, for example, isn't a great Game Day atmosphere (although it is improving), but it is a great Road Trip, at least for me. Factors I consider in Road Trips are: 1) Game Day Experience, including the fanbase and tailgating 2) Ease of getting there/back 3) Other things to do in town 4) Presence/absence of relatives/old friends Therefore, for me, Minneapolis, Iowa City, and Northwestern are good Road Trips even though only Iowa City has a good Game Day experience. One can do the trips without 8 hours in the car, see friends, eat at any number of good establishments, and see college football live. What could be better? If I go only with Game Day/fans, I'd put OSU first; despite what others have said, I have not had a bad experience in Columbus and I've been there three times. PSU would probably be second, then Iowa City, then Nebraska. Michigan disappointed me. I haven't been to any of the Indiana schools or MSU. The MSU fans I met at the B1G Championship game were fun to hang out with.

Yes, that is obviously it. It is all because Suh is just so good, nothing to do with the fact that he has Personal Fouls up the wazoo. It is that kind of thinking that allows Suh to think he is so "special" the rules don't apply to him. Why do people keep saying this? Do you know Suh personally? Do you know for sure that he thinks he's above the rules? If not, you shouldn't say stuff like that. It's pretty obvious that Suh has trouble controlling his emotions on the field. That's the reason he draws so many personal fouls. It's not because he thinks he's above the rules, it's because he has huge lapses in judgment on the field. If he didn't think he was above the rules, he would either a) follow the rules (your "huge lapses in judgement" might prevent him from doing this); or b) once he didn't obey the rules, he would admit it. The fact that he doesn't see that his actions break the rules is what brings me to the conclusion that the rules don't apply to his actions.

Yes, that is obviously it. It is all because Suh is just so good, nothing to do with the fact that he has Personal Fouls up the wazoo. It is that kind of thinking that allows Suh to think he is so "special" the rules don't apply to him.

Whether or not Suh is "dirty" is open to interpretation and will be tested over time, but his stupidity has now ensured that he is labeled that way for at least several years. Had this been his rookie year, I might have been willing to let it go, but as a 2nd year player - already fined over $42K for his actions - it was incredibly undisciplined and stupid of him to act that way. He has to know he is under the microscope and should act accordingly. The attitude that I-am-right-and-the-official/league-is-wrong is a great way to find yourself in the Arena League. Suh needs to grow up, but I blame the Lions coaches for a lot of this. Suh is reflecting his head coach's lack of discipline in his own actions. He needs someone to take him aside and explain how the NFL works; otherwise, he will waste a great talent.

FWIW, Outback is more fun than the Cap One and in a better location. If we get the Cap One, we stay in Orlando for as short a time as possible, then hit the Gulf Beaches south of Tampa for a few days of R & R.

Welcome to the B1G. We're glad to have you here.

this this X1000 I'm so glad to find Nebraska fans feel this way! From what I had read, I figured Li'l Red was a beloved figure and expected some cuddly mascot. Maybe it was our angle, but the folks around me all kind of recoiled in horror when he started up at Camp Randall. He was really creepy, in a perv kind of way, and that "Exorsist" head disappearing act was disturbing. Herbie is fine as a mascot. You dont need the love child of Marc's Big Boy and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

This post wins. IDK, I was shocked to discover no hobos were involved in the action.

OK, I'll put it on the line. I hereby extend an invitation to tailgate with my group for the next Nebraska game in Madison. I want you to have a good time and, while we are not as young as we sometimes think we are, we still have fun and love college football. When people are new to a city, it can be hard to figure out areas to avoid without a guide (and every community has these). I love Madison and UW and want you all to enjoy the experience. If there is some way to private message on this board, let me know how to do it. If not, I will post my "public" email address, although that can get a bit messy.

What is odd is that PSU fans are generally considered some of the most hospitable in the B1G. I certainly found them so (we did have a jacket stolen, but that was our own fault for leaving it outside our RV over night). I have also had good experiences with Iowa, Illinois, and OSU fans over the years. At Minnesota and Northwestern, I haven't had a lot of fan interaction, but enjoyed the trip and the metro area. Michigan was a bit standoffish and boring, but not horrid by any means. I have yet to do MSU, any of the Indianas, or Lincoln. At the same time, I have heard other people tell of horrible experiences at the places I enjoyed. If the bad experiences are universal, what are the chances that I somehow escaped them all? I just find these types of discussions confusing. Do some people attract bad behavior and other deflect it or is it all random?

Right? :rolls eyes: A friend of a friend maybe? Some cousin you knew? Sounds like sour grapes to me. Whenever you lose, someone has to come on here and in their anger turn the attention to the fanbase of the team that just vanquished them...how terrible they were...how (insert winning fanbase) "they threw beer at us and spit at us and it was terrible." So typical. Your post is false bud. And if it were true; your friend should stop going to CFB games. He obviously is more suited for a Teletubbies concert. I would accept your skepticism if this was the first time I'd heard something like this about Madison, but when fans of Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State and Purdue are all telling you that you're going to get harassed - badly - at Camp Randall, I think it carries a little more weight. Camp Randall is not well-respected as a game experience throughout the Big Ten. That's not sour grapes, that's an earned reputation. Now, the caveat to that is that I saw a TON of folks really enjoying their stay in Madison on local news last night, folks who met and got along with Wisconsin fans very well. Plus we've had I think a 100% positive bunch of Wisconsin fans register here at HuskerBoard who were both welcoming and friendly to us as the Big Ten n00bs. So clearly there are some very good, quality people rooting for Wisconsin, and the bad experiences are not wholly indicative of your fan base. Just be real. There are bad apples. Don't pretend there aren't, just like we won't pretend there aren't classless Husker fans out there. I really think the difference is in how you define "classless," a word that is probably my least favorite of any on sports message boards, as it seems to mean anything an opposing fan/team does that the poster does not like, but that's another thread. The chanting of "a$$hole" is juvenile, but is not mean-spirited. It has been a traditional way of the students to point out opposing fans. If the word "a$$hole" offends you, you will be offended by this. Other fans smile and toast the chanters. The ES-FU chant is also juvenile and was clever when introduced (take off on "tastes great-less filling), but this chant is directed at one student section by another students section, not at visiting fans or even non-student sections. When my kids were little and we went to a game, I would tell them that the students were saying "Eat Fish, Beef Stew." Admittedly, I have a pretty wide tolerance for human behavior, which may be why I have had only positive experiences in the many college stadiums I have visited, but I would categorize the student chants as "vulgar," not classless. Classless to me is "shoot him like a horse," one sporting chant I have never been able to abide. You will also find fans at many of the schools you mentioned who have had a great time in Madison and can't wait until they come back again.

That is pretty lame. Wow look at us we can chant dirty words. We are so cool. My son and I are sitting in that section. He is a former Navy Seal and I would advise any of these unruly students to treat him with nothing but respect. Then again its their well being that is at at state. T_O_B G>B>R Why? Is he a Navy Seal with no sense of humor? Navy Seals deserve respect. Opposing fans sitting in the Student Section deserve to get a little ribbing. Smile and laugh and everyone is happy.

That's funny, because when Wilson came here we said that the OL and receivers (including the TEs) would help Wilson get to the next level. I think it may be a mutually beneficial pairing for all.

Here's a link to an article by Andy Kendeigh (who should know) on the similarities and differences between Husker and Badgers fans. I think a distinguishing feature of Badger fans v. the rest of the B1G, is their willingness to make fun of themselves. The fun is more important than the ego boost (of course "It's always better when you win").Pertinent quotes: Nebraska fans don't just expect a win each week, they demand it. They are disappointed in a season that ends without a championship. They are knowledgeable and personally invested in football. It's not that Badgers fans are uninformed, but for most Wisconsin fans, having a good time is the top priority on game day. A good time, of course, is made easier with a victory. But it's not essential. If Nebraska loses a game, a cloud hangs over the entire state for days and doesn't begin to lift until Thursday, when the hope of the next potential victory allows a few sunbeams to penetrate the gloom. ------------- Badgers fans are fun-loving, good-natured, spirited and they absolutely love winning. Huskers fans are well-informed, intense, polite and they absolutely love winning. I've seen both sides, and I can't wait for Saturday. UW and Nebraska fans have their many similarities and differences. They are good, hard-working people who love their football. Both programs' fans respect one another, and they know what happens Saturday night will go a long way in determining who will play in the Big Ten Championship Game in December.

I'm even older than BIS, so I savor our football and basketball successes (and hockey, but I grew up with good hockey) - and don't take it for granted. With regard to the Divisions, you might like this suggestion from a some other B1G school's fan on division names: Where is Wisconsin? Why is Wisconsin here? Wisconsin s/b in the West (I refuse to use the "L" words) and everyone knows it. Hope you all have a great time in Madison!

Here's another good one: Everyone Here Hates Iowa!

Damn, it - It's "sky blue water" Get your beer commercials, straight, boys! We take our beer seriously up here.

From Jeff Potrykus, a JS columnist: Badgerville, UW’s first-year endeavor held before home games on the grass practice field just north of Camp Randall, has a capacity of 5,000. It is scheduled to open at 3 p.m. and will remain open through the game. Fans will be able to watch the game on two large-screen TVs. There is no admission charge to this area. Alvarez wants Nebraska fans who do not have a ticket to have a comfortable place in which to watch the game. He doesn’t want a repeat of the ‘94 Rose Bowl, when hundreds of UW fans were victimized by ticket scams and milled outside the Rose Bowl with nothing to do. “They want to be a part of history,” Alvarez said of the Nebraska fans. “They want to experience Madison. They want to see the campus. They want to be here to be a part of it."

Some funny ideas here, guys. Here is my favorite from a Badger Board. Huskers! This is a hill↑ ←That is a lake FYI - Gameday will be on Bascom Hill, presumably near the statue of Abraham Lincoln (the sitting Lincoln; Campus folklore - going back at least to when my parents graduated after WWII - is that Abe stands up when a virgin walks by). State Street runs from Bascom Hill on one end to the State Capitol at the other end. Not sure how they will set it up, but it should be pretty. Also, Wisconsin doesn't refer to itself as Big Red, just Red (as in Let's Go, Red although folks are just as likely to cheer Let's Go, Bucky).

Not sure if you are looking for a Husker-only tailgate or just a place to hang out. If the latter, I would take a 12 pack of beer (something local to your area is nice, if it's good beer) and walk up to any of the many tailgates along Regent Street. Find a likely looking group and ask if you can join them to drink beer and talk a little football. I'd avoid Breese Terrace where a lot of students live, unless you are of that age and like to banter/talk smack. If so, keep a good attitude, share a beer, and have fun. There is also a university-sponsored area with food, drink, etc. just north of the stadium. Link This is new this year, so I have not checked it out. Tailgating at Madison is decentralized, with every square foot of parking lot/yard a potential parking spot/tailgate area. If you have a group of people coming, the Edgewood College lot on Monroe Street is good to park and tailgate. The walk to Camp Randall along Monroe is scenic and energetic. Hope you all have fun!

Three people predicted Nebraska in the final against someone other than Wisconsin (OSU had 2 votes and MSU 1, I believe). Of the other 30, MSU had 15 votes (remember all the love for MSU pre-season, folks), Iowa 10, Michigan and Northwestern 2 each, and one joker picked Minnesota (v. Illinois).

I thought you might be interested in the pre-season predictions of a group of Badger fans for the upcoming game. Of the 62 people who posted a prediction, 50 think the Badgers will win - not too surprising. Of the same 62 (there's one Michigan fan in there), 29 think UW and NU will see each other again in the inaugural B1G Championship game. Looking forward to an exciting game and a fun time!