The Wisconsin Badgers Have Become The Green Bay Packers

by Brandon on Feb 5, 2009 11:09 PM CST in Green Bay Packers Analysis

In weeks 9 through 16, the Packers lost 7 of 8 games:

In the last eight games, they've been outscored by a combined total of 6 points (194 to 200). But their record is 1-7. That's just amazing.

The subtitle of this blog was "Home of the 4th Quarter Collapse." The Packers found new, and interesting, ways to lose every week.

Apparently the ability to lose the close game is contagious, and it's catching on throughout Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Badger basketball team tonight snapped their 6 game Big Ten losing streak. Good things were expected from the Badgers this season, and early on they were ranked in the top 25. Their first three losses of the season were all against top 25 teams. On January 11th, they were 12-3 with a 3-0 Big Ten record, poised to challenge for the Big Ten title and almost a lock for a NCAA bid. Then the wheels fell off

Game	Badgers	Opponent
at Purdue	52	65
Minnesota	74	78
at Iowa	69	73
at Illinois	57	64
Purdue	63	64
at Northwestern	63	66
Total	378	410

I've watched a couple of these games. It looks like the Badgers are not good enough to dominant anyone, but they are good enough that they can't be blown out either. They always hang around, and they've been finding ways to lose every week. Losing 6 games by a combined margin of 32 points is pretty impressive.

The Packers didn't break their bad streak of losing until a week 17 gimme against Detroit. By that time the season was over. Fortunately for the Badgers, they have 12 wins with 8 games to go, plus the Big Ten tournament. 20 wins would be a stretch, but with four winnable home games plus an easier road game at awful Indiana, and maybe even a win or two in the Big Ten tournament, a 16-18 win season and a NCAA bid is still possible. Unlike the Packers, who didn't stop losing until it was too late, maybe it isn't over for the Badgers and they can still turn their season around.

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Comments

Blame the band

when a phenomenon like this takes place in two different places at two different times, science demands that you find the common denominators.
That mischievous bunch known as the Wisconsin Band. Their antics are well known throughout Wisconsin and Big Ten college towns of the Midwest.
Maybe they should be suspended again. It seemed to work just long enough for the Badgers to hang on to Paul Bunyon’s axe and for the Pack to beat AFC powerhouse Indianapolis.
Put the pressure and the blame on the band-not that it’s their fault, but they love being hated on.

by Lee-Roy Jenkins on Feb 8, 2009 11:52 AM CST reply actions

HAHA

I was two years ago (‘07) bear pack game which the pack blew the lead late in the game also! and guess who was there the BAND!!!! although they did bring some amusement with the saying “hows the clip board rex?” on the tubas as it was Rex’s first game benched that year!

by bizzle4 on Feb 8, 2009 9:39 PM CST up reply actions