With two columns to go (including this one) it's time to start letting the memories flow. Consider this the beginning of the end of A Hoge in One"" - although one could easily make the argument it was the beginning of the end two years ago when I wrote my first column.
We'll start this week with some Badger memories, some as a fan, some as a member of the media. But this is college and while I followed every rule the media has to follow, I never forgot I was still a student paying out-of-state tuition and had a right to enjoy the wins after the stories were written.
Looking back, there were some ups and downs, but it was all fun. Here are the five most hertbreaking games I witnessed in person along with the five most exciting wins:
Top Five Heartbreakers
No. 5: Men's Basketball: Illinois 75, Wisconsin 65, Jan. 25, 2005 - My two buddies and I managed to get free nosebleed seats from the UW ticket office the day of the most anticipated home game in years. Illinois was undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country, while Wisconsin was in the midst of a 38-game home winning streak. It's the only game I've ever experienced where a seat in the last row of the upper deck felt like a courtside seat. The crowd was unbelievable, but unfortunately, so were the Illini. That team, the 2005 NCAA-runner up, was the best college team I've ever seen in person (and that includes the run-in I had with the 2008 NCAA Champion Kansas in Detroit this season). I felt honored to see it in person.
No. 4: Football: Iowa 20, Wisconsin 10, Nov. 12, 2005 - No one wanted Barry Alvarez to leave Camp Randall with a win more than his players, and it appeared he would when the Badgers came out and built a 10-0 lead after their first three possessions. But they would never score again as the Hawkeyes racked up 20 unanswered points.
No. 3: Men's Basketball: Davidson 73, Wisconsin 56, NCAA Regional Semifinal, March 28, 2008 - This will be one I never forget because it was my last basketball game as a UW student and it wasn't exactly how I wanted it to end. I knew the Badgers could lose, but no one thought they actually would. The worst part was that Bo Ryan's squad got thoroughly beat and played their worst half of basketball of the season at exactly the wrong time. Oh, and Stephen Curry was unbelievable (33 points).
No. 2: Men's Basketball: Ohio State 49, Wisconsin 48, Feb. 25, 2007 - This was the hardest game I covered in my two years as the men's basketball beat writer. Wisconsin seemingly had the game wrapped up before Kammron Taylor missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Mike Conley, Jr. hit the Big Ten Conference Championship-winning runner just seconds later.
No. 1: Football: Iowa 30, Wisconsin 7, Nov. 20, 2004 - The Badgers were one game away from Pasadena, Calif. in three of the four years I was here. But unlike UW's loss at Michigan in 2006 and its loss at Illinois in 2007, this opportunity came in the Big Ten finale and the Badgers took the field knowing a win meant a trip to the Rose Bowl. But Wisconsin never competed and we were halfway back to Madison by the time the Hawkeyes were celebrating a share of the conference title that eluded the Badgers.
Top Five Winners
No. 5: Football: Wisconsin 23, Michigan 20, Sept. 24, 2005 - While Barry Alvarez's final season ended on a sour note, his final conference season started with one of the more memorable wins this decade. My doctor told me that morning I shouldn't go to the game because I had a partially collapsed lung. Like I was really going to miss this one. And when John Stocco scored the game winner on an improbable quarterback keeper with 24 seconds remaining, I hardly noticed my short breaths and constant gasps for air.
No. 4: Men's Basketball: Wisconsin 65, Michigan State 63, Big Ten Tournament Semifinals, March 15, 2008 - Down 12 with over 10 minutes to go, I turned to Tim Shovers from WSUM and asked him, ""Is it over?""
""Yeah, it's over.""
""I agree.""
But it wasn't. Wisconsin capped an improbable comeback with the perfect way to end the rivalry between seniors Michael Flowers and Drew Neitzel. Flowers tipped a pass intended for the Spartan guard and beat him down the court to lay in the winning bucket. Flowers was just that much quicker and that much better. Luckily for Badger fans, the Bo Ryan-Tom Izzo rivalry lives on.
No. 3: Men's Hockey: Wisconsin 2, Boston College 1, NCAA Championship, April 8, 2006 - I was never a big enough hockey fan to consider any of their losses ""devastating,"" but this game was certainly among the best. The Frozen Four is a very underrated event and with Milwaukee as the host city, the Bradley Center was the perfect venue for the Badgers to win it all. The game had everything. UW executed an exciting comeback and Boston College nearly tied it with a last-second shot that hit the post as time expired.
No. 2: Men's Basketball: Wisconsin 77, Penn State 41, March 5, 2008 - So many big wins followed by coming up one game short. But on this day the Badgers were just too good and the Big Ten Championship was theirs. The fans charged the court for the first time in my four years here and it certainly won't be a memory I forget anytime soon.
No. 1: Football: Wisconsin 38, Minnesota 34, Oct. 15, 2005 - This was a comeback that might not ever happen again in Badger football history. Down 34-24 with 3:27 to go, Stocco took the field and marched his offense 71 yards for a score just a minute and 17 seconds later. He connected with Brandon Williams for a 17-yard touchdown. The ensuing on-side kick was bobbled, kicked and finally recovered by the Gophers at their own eight-yard line. After running for 249 yards on 40 carries, Laurence Maroney was held to just nine on three straight carries, leaving Minnesota to punt on 4th and 1. The Badgers sent pressure and punter Justin Kucek bobbled the snap, rolled to his right and tried to get it off. But Jonathan Casillas blocked it and Ben Strickland recovered the ball in the end zone to give the Badgers an amazing win.
If you would like to share your favorite moments in UW sports with Adam, e-mail him at hoge@wisc.edu.
