November 18, 2013 at 2:24 p.m.
Shoutouts & Callouts
Reflections from the stands on Saturday's Badgers game
Shoutouts & Callouts
My wife, Casey, scored a pair of tickets to the game and we decided to make the seven-hour round-trip trek on a soggy day to watch some college football.
I've said here before that I'm not as invested, as a fan, in the Badgers (or the Brewers or Bucks for that matter) as I am the Green Bay Packers, but I had not been to Camp Randall for a game in 11 years and Casey had never been to a Badgers game, so when the opportunity for tickets came up, we were not about to turn them down.
This edition of "Shoutouts and Callouts" is dedicated to the experience we had at Saturday's game.
Shoutout: Experience better than expected
Having been to my fair share of Packers games in the past, I know the importance of arriving early. That meant a 4:30 a.m. wake-up call for Saturday's 11 o'clock kickoff.
I didn't do the driving the last time I went to Camp Randall, so I was a little worried about parking. Those fears weren't eased when I found that the majority of lots around the stadium were reserved for those who had season parking passes.
Thanks to some quick research on the Badgers' website the night before, I figured our best option would be in a ramp selling game-day parking on Marsh Street near UW Hospital and shuttling over to the stadium. This ended up being a good call, especially considering the wet weather that was coming. There were plenty of parking spots available when we pulled in around 9 a.m. We wasted little time hopping on the shuttle, which was right outside the ramp and were waiting in line at 9:30 when the gates opened to get inside the stadium.
In terms of facilities, the inners of Camp Randall are nothing to write home about. As far as restrooms and concessions go, it reminds me of Lambeau Field before the renovations - a little drab and cramped, especially during the halftime rush.
From a food standpoint, I stumbled upon the "Game Day Dog," which was a pleasant surprise.
Having worked up an appetite by halftime, I saw the Game Day Dog on the menu and, assuming it was like Lambeau Field's "Jumbo Dog," placed an order.
I should have known something was up when the clerk asked me, "You know what that is, right?" But there were about 10 minutes remaining in halftime, it was packed in the concourse and all I wanted to do I get back to my seat and eat, so I said, "Yeah," while thinking to myself, "what did I just get myself into?"
The fact my eyes were as wide as saucers when the order arrived probably gave away the little lie I told to the clerk. What I got was a hot dog, topped with cole slaw, blue cheese and Buffalo-style hot sauce. It was a midwest, southern barbecue mash-up with a western New York kick. It looked intimidating, but given that I like all of the items on their own, I dove in an took a bite. The combination - albeit a little messy - actually worked well.
I ordered some nachos to go with it and, for once, I ran out of chips before I ran out of cheese. That was a major bonus because virtually every sporting venue I've been to - from Peewees to the pros - vendors skimp on the cheese sauce and leave you munching on plain tortilla chips at the end.
The stadium sights and sounds were similar to other venues I've been to - high-definition video and display boards, a crisp sound system and mini-games and photo ops to keep those in attendance occupied during lengthy TV timeouts. The highlight was a reunion of the 1993-94 Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion Badgers' team, which drew a standing ovation.
The quarterback of that team - Darrell Bevell, who is now the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks - was not in attendance, but made a special appearance on the video board between the third and fourth quarters to introduce "Jump Around."
Television does a decent job of capturing the spectacle of 70,000-plus fans leaping to the beat of House of Pain's 1992 hit, but I was awestruck for a moment watching a sea of red-clad fans bobbing up and down. I made sure to join in the act, doing enough four-inch verticals in a two-minute span to make Phil Mickelson pull a hamstring.
The game itself was anti-climatic, but it's always a lot better to be on the winning end of a 48-point shellacking. Also, a fact I didn't know until reading the Associated Press' recap of the game, James White's 93-yard touchdown run in the first quarter broke a 50-year old school record for the longest rushing play.
"That's cool, we got to see some history," my wife pointed out as we rested in bed that evening.
We also caught a break with the elements. We were seated just under the overhang of the second-deck on the southwest side of the stadium. There was heavy mist at times during the game and plenty of wind, but we were sheltered for the most part, especially when the skies opened midway through the fourth. We caught a break in the rain when we walked out to a shuttle and got back to the ramp relatively dry despite being out in the elements for the better part of five hours.
In the end, I'm glad we made the trip and stayed for the whole game.
Callout: When to leave a game early
Unfortunately, I can't say the majority of the fans stayed until the end. The departures occurred in four waves. A small number of people, including the young couple seated immediately to our left and two elderly gentlemen seated immediately to our right, left at halftime with the Badgers in command 27-0.
During the third quarter, spectators were cautioned of threatening weather in the area and reminded of the procedure if the stadium bowl needed to be evacuated because of a lightning. That sent a few more people toward the exits. There was a mass departure after "Jump Around" and another - following a big groan from the audience - when it was announced that the UW Marching Band's "Fifth Quarter" performance would be canceled due to "impending inclement weather."
I'm inclined to give the fans who left early a pass because of the bad weather, but that got me thinking, is it OK to leave a game early and, if so, when?
I have a different take on it than some. I haven't been blessed with season tickets for Packers or Badgers games and it's not like either team plays just down the road.
For me, going to watch any of Wisconsin's major sports teams play is an all-day event and something I don't get to do it that often. So when I do get the chance, I'm going to make sure I get my money's worth out of the day. To me, that means making sure I'm in my seat long before the first play and staying there until the conclusion, regardless of the outcome.
As I said above, we lucked out with where we sat Saturday, so the weather didn't affect us as much as those sitting even two or three rows below us. If it had, I might have considered seeking shelter when the rain started to fall in force.
Other than for weather, I'm not a fan of leaving early. I don't care if the game's a blowout and my team's on the losing end. Not every game is going to be an instant classic and I don't need it to be one to be entertained.
Will I turn off a blowout if I'm watching at home? Yes, and that goes to prove my point. When you watch a game on TV, you pretty much only have the game to keep you entertained. When you watch a game live and in person, there is so much more to take in - the food, the fans, the music, the timeout activities, etc. All of this lends to an overall experience that supercedes the outcome on the scoreboard.
At home, you are watching a game. In person, you attending a sporting event. I can watch several games at home in one day, if I want to. I only get a small handful of opportunities to see professional or collegiate sporting events in person. I'm going to make sure I make the most of those opportunities. To me, that means staying until the end.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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