The hearts of Badger fans all across the world were breaking last Monday night when we watched our beloved team fall 68-63 in the national championship. However, despite the loss there is always a silver lining.
1. Our school spirit peaked
If anyone was watching the footage from Madison on ESPN or any other sports channels Monday night, the same conclusion could be made: Badger fans are another breed. Bars were crowded at 10:30 am and the campus was covered in red. One of the reasons Madison is such a special college town is because school spirit is basically another class. On Monday night, students gathered on State Street to celebrate the amazing season our men's basketball team had despite the disappointing ending. Through good times and bad, Badger fans mean business.
2. We fell more in love with our players
This year's March Madness run had many moments that made our players even more loveable than before. Every badger's eyes filled with water watching Sam Dekker cry during his post-game interview Monday night. And if any girl says she doesn't want to take Nigel Hayes to her formal after he called a stenographer beautiful in an interview, she is lying. Also, it's safe to say that we all felt like proud parents when Frank Kaminsky was named NCAA player of the year. In conclusion, our players are awesome and have always been awesome.
3. Our seniors saved the best for last
Four players -- Kaminsky, Josh Gasser, Traevon Jackson, and Duje Dukan -- played their final seasons as college athletes this year. Kaminsky was named the NCAA player of the year, Gasser led the team in starts and minutes played, Jackson has been starting for three years, and Dukan pulled through when it mattered for our team. Win or lose, our seniors played their best this year and made the Badgers proud.
4. The terrace chairs came back as a result
On April 8, 2015, every Badger's wish came true: the terrace chairs were put out again for another season. To outsiders, one might think, “I put out my patio chairs too, and I'm not making a big deal about it." However, they don't understand what the terrace chairs really mean. No one can deny that a Wisconsin winter is like calculus final: too long and brutal to experience. So when the terrace chairs are finally out, it means that spring is finally on its way. In the Midwest, when the weather changes every five minutes, there is no better sign that we can finally pack up our parkas for good. So my theory is that the Memorial Union staff felt bad about the loss, and decided to boost spirits by putting the terrace chairs out.
5. We still beat Kentucky
At the start of March Madness, everyone expected Kentucky to be this year's national champions. After making it through the season without a loss, it seemed that it was time for them to make room in their trophy case. However, the Badgers had other thoughts about that. In the Final Four game, we beat the Wildcats 71-64. They ended their season with only one loss: to the Wisconsin Badgers.
