This is the first of a week-long series of posts sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.
October 10, 2003. That was first time I ever cheered for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Most fans recognize that date because that was the day UW ended Ohio State's 19-game winning streak. I was cheering for Wisconsin not because I liked the Badgers, but rather because I despised the Ohio State Buckeyes. My hatred for OSU was really only because of one friend from high school who never shut up about THE Ohio State University.
Naturally, the rest of us decided to root against the Buckeyes every Saturday.
I was a senior in high school when Lee Evans caught that 79-yard touchdown bomb from Matt Schabert to beat the Bucks and Wisconsin was one of the schools I was considering for college. I can't say that win had any impact on me deciding to go to UW (that had more to do with how close it was to my hometown of Chicago and the amount of family I had in Wisconsin), but I guess I can consider that day as the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the Badgers.
Once I was at UW, it was pretty easy to be a Badger football fan. The team ran off nine straight wins to the start the 2004 season and although a three-game losing streak killed a promising season, I finally had a college team to claim as my own.
I've come a long way with the Badgers since then. About half-way through my college career, I moved from the stands to the press box and had the opportunity to follow both the football and basketball teams on the road. It's been a very fun, exciting ride ever since and it always helps that UW is competitive every season. Since I became a Badger, Wisconsin has never missed a bowl game or an NCAA Tournament. I hope that streak continues for years to come. Right now, I don't see why it wouldn't.
So why are you a Badger fan? I look forward to hearing all your stories. Leave your comments below!