It wasn't exactly the prettiest of ways to start a season 2-0, but it's better to have an unsatisfying 2-0 record than an unsatisfying 0-2 record - ala Michigan.
But the players aren't the only Badgers to go 2-0. After the students managed to fill the student section in almost record time Week 1 and Badger Nation invaded Las Vegas Week 2, it's safe to say the fans are 2-0 as well. Still, like his players, it seems Bret Bielema isn't satisfied - he wants his fans to buy into the 1-0 mentality as well. He wants an entire nation of Red.
No, this isn't communism. It's football.
There was a lot of talk about the red-on-red uniforms in Week 1, and you better get used to it. Bielema has made it clear that his team will be wearing solid jerseys all season long. That means red-on-red at home and white-on-white on the road. Now he wants to dress the fans as well.
Throw out those red-on-white-on-gray gameday outfits. You better be wearing all red Saturday if you are entering Camp Randall Stadium.
I love the red and white,"" Bielema said Monday. ""But if we could leave the white caps, the white t-shirts, the gray t-shirts behind, I'd love to walk into Camp Randall and see a sea of red for everybody in the stands.""
This is by no means a new thing in sports, or even in college football. The Miami Heat have had their home crowd decked out in white during all home playoff games for two years now. And out in College Station, Penn State always has its home crowd wearing nothing but white. The only exception to that rule is the few students who wear blue and spell out a giant ""S"" in the student section.
""I think one of the things I began to see and experience in college football is if you can walk into an environment like that with everybody in one color, it's kind of an overwhelming thing for everybody to be a part of,"" Bielema said.
I couldn't agree more. There is no doubt Camp Randall is an intimidating place to play, but it will never stand out like Penn State if the fans don't have a unique identity.
Right now, that identity is ""Jump Around"" and swearing a lot. ""Jump Around"" has received national attention, but unfortunately so has the swearing - negatively.
""Wedding Crashers"" rule No. 6: It draws attention to you in a negative way. Draw attention to yourself, but on your own terms.
Look, after spending last weekend in Las Vegas, I know what Badger fans are capable of. We almost filled a 12,000 seat arena Friday for a pep rally. Saturday we set a world record for the largest tailgate ever when 13,000 people showed up to a baseball field in the middle of the desert sand in 100 degree heat.
We painted an entire city red. We should be able to do that at Camp Randall Saturday.
So my plea is for the students to at least come through with ""The Red Sea"" this weekend. Hell, make shirts that say, ""The Red Sea.""
I want to say this week is practice for the Iowa game because an all-red stadium on a nationally televised night game would probably get positive national attention, but Bielema would kill me if I told you to overlook The Citadel.
So, all Red this week and every week. And keep that 1-0 mentality fans.
If you are looking forward to forming the waves in the ""Red Sea"" as much as Adam is, e-mail him at hoge@wisc.edu.
