Badgers Revive - Teach Lesson

It's not often you hear Happy Birthday sung at a large sporting event - but at the end of their victory over Minnesota - there stood the student body, fans, and the Badger team singing for #21 Josh Gasser.

The 21st birthday for #21.  How appropriate.  And a happier celebration than it would have been had Bucky's boys not prevailed.

The last month has been a test of character for the Badgers - losing 5 of 6 at one point and not looking like the team Bo Ryan has put on the court for most of his 13 years at the helm.

The team is on a three game roll going into a game today (2/16/14) on the Wolverine home court as they try to deliver a little payback to a Michigan team that defeated the Badgers right in front of me at the Kohl Center last month.

That second consecutive loss at the time had many Badger fans looking for a window ledge from which to jump.

But the team, as it has so many times under Ryan through the years, held the rudder steady and got their wits together. 

Bucky says - when adversity rises and it seems the world is against you; that's the time to stick to fundamentals.  Do what you do; keep moving forward; trust the system and what you know.  Keep working hard and things will work out.

It's likely that as the team streaked to a 16 - 0 start that the team wasn't that good.   It's certain that when the Badgers lost five of six that they were not that bad.

From my perch high above the Badger bench - I saw helping defense on display and renewed confidence in themselves and each other at the offensive end.


It's something I appreciate... watching the teams I like handle tough times and not fall to pieces when things do.

Six games are left in the regular season.  All of them against tough teams battling for their own Ws.

The crowd lifted the team Thursday night - encouraging them in an raucous arena.

And the team lifted the crowd and thousands upon thousands of fans listening and looking in from beyond the court around the state of Wisconsin and the world.

Yes, it's just a game; played by young men in shorts and jerseys.

In the scheme of things it really doesn't matter - except when it does.

It matter when it helps teach those young men valuable life lessons they will carry forever and reminds us fans who might be a bit older that staying steady at the task; persevering in the face of adversity; holding true to the fundamentals we've been taught and the values we hold dear are good principles on which to live.

At those times, when we carry those thoughts away from the temporary thrill of a win over a rival, that's when sports is truly more than a game.

Let's go Badgers!  (Note - the Badgers looked to be at their best with a 75 - 62 win at Michigan!)