Madtown

 

We spent Saturday in Madison - first at the downtown farmer's market.  It's more crowded than I remember (but Appleton's had gotten more crowded the last few years too), and they have some nice stands.  Since we couldn't purchase old favorites like Brunkow cheese - we bought some bread, rolls, maple syrup, and applesauce.

Then it was off to the Badger tailgate party for lunch and into the stadium.  I kept my winning streak alive by scoring serious nosebleed seats. We were actually the last row - but that was OK - we got a nice perspective on the field:

 It was also colder than we expected - as the weather said 61 degrees.  It was kindof windy, and we were a little sheltered with concrete wall behind us.  People were wearing everything from winter hats and gloves (prepared people) to t-shirts and flip flops.  So we were clearly not the only people expecting slightly better weather.  They were not selling hot cocoa anywhere.

 The kids made it through halftime but we left in the third quarter.  Also, it was band day, which I was extremely excited about when I saw the HS bands lined up at the end - but then they never took the field!  They played only from their seats.  Ack!  My favorite part of HS band day at IL was watching the totally un-synchronized baton and flag corp march around the field.  I know - it's mean.  But seriously there is always this one superstar who started baton twirling lessons at aged two doing her own unrelated thing, and then 30 other girls trying desperately to follow the extremely simple routine they were supposed to be doing for the show.  Loved it.

The one thing I will say for Wisconsin football is that their student section is one of the best I've ever seen.  Block I would not stand a chance.  They are singing and doing things almost the whole time.  What I remember most about my time in Block I was standing the whole game and raising cards over my head.  Though happily the kids never heard or asked about the Eat S**t, F**k You chant.

After the same we had Babcock Hal ice cream at the new Union South and then walked (a mile or two) back to our car at the capitol building.  Love college football - even if it's the Badgers and not the Illini.