Category: Athletics

University of Wisconsin police removed 131 fans from this weekend?s football game between the Badgers and Texas-El Paso.

Madison has been named America?s best college football town in a USA To

Madison earned the top spot in a USA Today reader survey that asked participants to vote for the country?s best college football town. USA Today reports that the survey generated more than 50,000 votes. Blacksburg, Va., — the home of Virginia Tech ? placed second among a list of 15 finalists nominated by five sportswriters and broadcasters. Columbus, Ohio — home of the Big Ten?s Ohio State Buckeyes — placed third.

MADISON, Wis.-Madison has been named America?s best college football town in a USA Today reader survey. The home of the University of Wisconsin Badgers topped 15 finalists in a survey and received 50,000 votes.

When nobody was watching, a little quarterback practiced for his day in front of the cameras. He used a hairbrush for a microphone. His dad did the interviewing, prepping him in the hopes that one day a roomful of people would listen. Anything in his control, the kid would be prepared for it. The tightest spiral? He was up at 6 a.m. to work on that. The smartest guy in the locker room? He once drove 17 hours straight, from Richmond, Va., to the University of Wisconsin just to get a copy of the playbook so he could become one with it over the Fourth of July weekend.

The American Red Cross will host a Badger Fans Blood Drive encouraging football fans to support Bucky along with patients in need. 

Quarterback controversy? What quarterback controversy? Two days after yanking junior Danny O?Brien at halftime and handing the reins to redshirt freshman Joel Stave, University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema said he has a plan in place for who?ll start Saturday against Texas-El Paso at Camp Randall Stadium.

SEATTLE ? With Marshawn Lynch churning up yards and Seattle?s stout defense making life miserable for Tony Romo, all rookie Russell Wilson had to do in his first home start was be a manager. That?s exactly how the Seahawks drew it up.

The last thing the University of Wisconsin football team?s struggling offense needs is a quarterback controversy. But that?s the issue it faces after UW coach Bret Bielema made the decision at halftime of the 16-14 victory over Utah State on Saturday to switch quarterbacks. Junior starter Danny O?Brien was pulled after a costly second-quarter fumble ? his third turnover in the past two games ? led to a touchdown and a 14-3 deficit.

Update: The bikes were recovered in a small UW-Madison parking lot Monday night, after the owner put the word out to the UW Cycling Club to be on the lookout for the three stolen bicycles. Three high-end bicycles valued at around $7,500 were stolen early Sunday morning from a west side garage.

When University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema dialed up his boss at home early last Sunday morning, Barry Alvarez had a pretty good sense of what was coming. The heads-up came from his wife, Cindy, who outlined the purpose of Bielema?s call before she handed her husband the telephone.

University of Wisconsin junior tight end Jacob Pedersen didn?t have to see the difference in practice on Tuesday. He could hear it. ?Finally, you were hearing some pads hit again,? Pedersen said of the offensive line following the workout. ?That was good to see.? The Badgers returned to the practice field after a tumultuous few days that started with an ugly offensive performance in the 10-7 loss on Saturday at Oregon State.

University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema made an admittedly risky move when he replaced a veteran offensive line coach in Mike Markuson with an unproven graduate assistant in Bart Miller. It has the makings of a boom-or-bust decision, something capable of turning around the Badgers? season, or blowing up in Bielema?s face. When asked during his Monday news conference for the worst-case scenario, Bielema said, “We don?t get better.”

The Ironman Wisconsin triathlon had an unwanted participant Sunday night ? an alleged drunken driver who drove past barricades and over traffic cones onto the marathon course, nearly striking runners and spectators before coming to a stop. Michael Potter of Madison was tentatively charged with his alleged fourth drunken driving offense after his arrest at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday at North Park Street and Langdon Street, according to a news release from the UW-Madison Police Department.

Mike Markuson?s reign as Wisconsin?s offensive line coach lasted two games and ended unceremoniously Sunday. Markuson, 51, was not available for comment Sunday, but two sources close to the program confirmed his departure.

Mike Markuson is gone as the offensive line coach for the University of Wisconsin football team. 

Mike Markuson is out as the offensive line coach for the University of Wisconsin football team after only two games, a source close to the UW football program said late Sunday night. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity and cited a difficult transition as the reason for Markuson?s departure.

A University of Wisconsin-Madison chemistry professor crossed the finish line in just over nine hours Sunday at Madison?s annual Ironman triathlon, where thousands of family members, supporters and volunteers packed the streets to wildly cheer on approximately 2,900 competitors. Thomas Brunold, 43, is a chemistry professor at UW-Madison. He has crossed an Ironman triathlon finish line 12 times, and this year he finished tenth overall and first in the amateur division.

The fictional Ironman of movies can fly; Madison drivers probably would like that ability on Sunday to avoid congestion and delays when the Ironman Wisconsin triathlon hits the streets. Close to 3,000 of the world?s best athletes will be in Madison on Sunday for the 12th annual Ironman, which will push city buses out of downtown and cause traffic delays downtown, on the UW-Madison campus and along the 112-mile bicycle race route.

West Bend native and 1999 UW grad Matt Krueger has a slew of suggestions on how to spend your free time around his adopted hometown, from sightseeing at the International Rose Test Garden and Powell?s Books (which encompasses an entire city block), to formal restaurants and the noted food-cart scene, and of course to the area?s legendary, hop-laden microbreweries.

The Pittsburgh Steelers commence their regular season Sunday against the Denver Broncos in the Mile High City.If life was fair, John Clay would be suiting up for the Steelers and be a key contributor.

Noted: Joseph and others ? including former Oakland Raider teammate, running back Michael Bennett ? are accused of cashing dozens of fraudulently obtained tax-refund checks and seeking a loan with fake collateral. Their take totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to court records.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a Big Ten college in more ways than one: The school is among the top 10 spenders in all of college football.

It?s not hard to find the most difficult portion of the 2012-13 Big Ten Conference schedule for the University of Wisconsin men?s basketball team. A five-game stretch from mid-January through the end of the month likely will go a long way in determining whether the Badgers can contend for the league title.

When the NCAA was in the process of adopting new safety rules for college football involving players losing their helmets, University of Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema had somebody go back and look at all of the Badgers? plays last season. According to the NCAA, helmets came off an average of twice per game, which added up to more than 200 times during the season. Bielema said some teams had helmets come off 30 or 40 times in a season.

Pete Carroll and John Schneider were overjoyed during the April NFL draft when the Seattle Seahawks were able to grab Russell Wilson in the third round. Even they couldn?t anticipate that Wilson would be the Seahawks? Week 1 starter. Carroll announced Sunday night that the undersized, but highly successful rookie quarterback from Wisconsin will be the starter when the Seahawks open the regular season on Sept. 9 at Arizona.

Rookie Russell Wilson has earned the Seattle Seahawks? starting quarterback job.

University of Wisconsin senior running back Montee Ball did not vote for himself to be a team captain, even though it was allowed. For a while, as the captains were being announced to the team on Tuesday night, Ball had to briefly wonder if many of his teammates voted for him, either.

Junior wide receiver Manasseh Garner and sophomore defensive back Jameson Wright, who each endured injury problems and had fallen down the depth chart, have left the University of Wisconsin football team and plan to transfer. UW coach Bret Bielema made the announcement on Tuesday.

The rookie quarterback who will start Friday?s preseason game for the Seattle Seahawks needed only a couple of weeks to push himself into the thick of a heated quarterback competition and win over a hard-to-please fan base.

CINCINNATI — Kevin Zeitler finally will get to attend his first Green Bay Packers game in person Thursday. This one, however, will be an experience few get to have.

Think of this as a garage sale and a bunch of items related to the current University of Wisconsin football team are arranged neatly on a table. Look them over and see if there?s anything you?d like to take home.

University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema announced on Sunday that junior transfer Danny O?Brien would be the team?s starting quarterback for the opener against Northern Iowa on Sept. 1.

As coach and team president of the Seattle Seahawks, Pete Carroll commands a salary paying him some $6.5 million a year.

Wisconsin is ranked sixth in Sports Illustrated?s top 25 college football teams.

MADISON, Wis.-The full Madison Marathon is moving to November in 2013. In the past, hot weather has plagued the Madison Marathon in May. Organizers have twice called it off mid-race, and they cancelled the full marathon this year. So, some suggested moving the marathon from spring to fall. Late Wednesday, Madison Festivals Inc. board members unanimously agreed to move the marathon to Nov. 10, 2013.