And so the "rivalry" begins...
There is a reason why it's "rivalry" and not rivalry. A true rivalry denotes a dislike on both sides (read: Ravens v. Steelers, Bears v. Packers). Seeing that the Badgers usually don't give a rat's ass about Marquette, it's hard to consider that a rivalry. It seems to be something that's been inflated in the minds of Marquette alum.
Yes, I am a Marquette alum. I cheered on the Badgers (over Oregon, Baylor and Arizona mind you). And I hope they serve up some Kentucky Wildcat for dinner on Saturday.
Does that mean I am not a true Marquette fan? I say no, but it depends on who you ask.
Some background: I grew up on the east coast, raised by Midwesterners. As a kid, I cheered for the ACC because of Maryland, the Big East because of Georgetown and the Big 10 because of Minnesota. Today it's the Big East because of Marquette and Georgetown, and the Big 10 because of Maryland (that's just weird) and Minnesota. The ACC...meh. The PAC 10 was considered evil...and still is. Dad was hoping for a 75% Big 10 Final Four (thanks for screwing that up, state of Michigan). I know Mom would have cheered for Wisconsin (even with the whole Minnesota Paul Bunyan axe thing).
Bottom line, I never hated or even disliked Wisconsin. Maybe I've just kept quiet about it. Why? To save face with some of my fellow Marquette alum. Perhaps.
When Marquette plays Wisconsin in basketball, you're damn right I go for Marquette...I want those state bragging rights. However, I don't like anyone when they play Marquette.
But at this point, I don't care if I'm ostracized for cheering for the the Badgers. There, I said it.
I've lived in Wisconsin as long as I've lived in Maryland. I call both places home. Maybe that's why the Badgers have grown on me. Or maybe if Wisconsin wins, the majority of people around me are happy and life just seems better.
Or maybe there are more pressing things on which to expend my energy. Will they ever find the remains of Malaysian Airlines light 370? Is there a possibility for peace in the Ukraine? And more importantly, what am I having for lunch?
And I can tell you, Maryland and Georgetown don't have this one-sided rivalry; they peacefully co-exist along the Capitol Beltway. If it works in Maryland/DC, surely it can work in Wisconsin.
Will I bleed Marquette blue and gold when it comes to college basketball? Absolutely.
Does cheering on Wisconsin make me a bad Marquette fan? No. In fact, it makes me an open-minded one. And trust me, Marquette needs to be more open-minded (but that's a post for another time).
So I leave you with three words...
Fuck 'em Bucky!