….As head coach at Wisconsin, Barry Alvarez brought back pride to the school’s football teams. He made us eager to see Badger football games for the games, not just for the (rightly barred now) sight of tipsy fans lifting students and passing them along up the rows of stands.
Wisconsin has always taken pride in its excellent university system but usually in a kind of offhand, proud-of-our-really-smart-kid-brother kind of way. For good or ill, passion often comes with athletic success. Got a first-rate history department? Terrific. Got a Rose Bowl contender? I’ll be there, and here’s my check for your fine school.
Alvarez made us expect a Rose Bowl winner every year, and he gave us three of them. His final game as coach against heavily favored Auburn at the Capitol One Bowl on Monday was a reminder of what we may miss. We’re sure, however, that he’ll continue to bring the same energy and success to his job as the school’s athletic director, and we wish him all the best.