Football and Wisconsin

We were in Madison over the weekend. A few comments:

• My brother-in-law took me, my brother and the Benster to Camp Randall Stadium for the Badger-Penn State game on Saturday. Although I've been a lifelong Badger fan, I'd never gone to a game before. It was a wonderful experience, especially since the Badgers had little trouble dispatching the reeling Nittany Lions, 45-7. The game day experience is filled with ritual and a certain measure of silliness, although the crowd was somewhat subdued because of the weather conditions (a light rain) and the admonitions of various UW officials. It was evident that majordomos were concerned that the UW student section might have a few choice chants at the ready for the visitors, especially in the wake of the unfolding scandal involving the football program. For the most part, the crowd did not partake in the joy of cheap shots. Meanwhile, the famous "Jump Around" tradition at the beginning of the 4th quarter is even more amazing in person. The entire crowd seems to get into it.
• The Badgers have a hell of a football team. Quarterback Russell Wilson is not a large man -- they list him at 5'11", but I doubt he's that tall. He is fearless and composed, though, and he was able to dodge some pretty sizable Penn State defenders with ease. Meanwhile, UW tailback Montee Ball is even more impressive when you see him in person. He has had an astonishing season -- over 1600 yards and 34 total touchdowns, a total that completely smashed the previous Big Ten records. Ball is decisive when he hits the hole and is able to use power or finesse as needed. He has another year of college eligibility, but I sincerely hope he goes to the NFL and gets his paycheck. He has a chance to be a special player in the pros.
• There was ample evidence of the recall efforts against Scott Walker, but it wasn't clear to me that the petitioners were necessarily getting a lot of takers in the area near the stadium. I suspect that outside of Madison, there's little appetite for a recall and that people would just like the unpleasantness to go away for a while. Unfortunately, there's little chance of that. My sense is that the Left continues to see the current era as existential -- the worldview of so many people is crashing in so many ways around the world right now and the dream won't die easily. Scott Walker is emblematic of the death of the dream -- he never graduated from college, yet has been able to foil many people who cling to their academic credentials. He's not especially articulate, either. Yet he's managed to win election and, thus far, stay in power. If your worldview and livelihood depend on the blandishments of the therapeutic state, Scott Walker must be destroyed.