Sports

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Column: Reaction to Cassel injury displays ugly side of fanhood in professional sports

For as long as football has existed, the game has been predicated on one team or one person imposing their will on their opponents. It is a show of power, of force, that is unlike almost any other organized team sport. The toughness and physicality of the game is what draws so many fans to football. But when a player is knocked out of a game, and his own hometown crowd starts to cheer, it’s hard not to think that we’ve gone too far.

Women's soccer: UW defeats Green Bay

The Wisconsin women’s soccer team (1-4-1 Big Ten, 8-5-1 overall) finished up their non-conference schedule and snapped a four-match winless streak with a 2-0 victory over the Green Bay Phoenix (4-9-1) Monday night.

Football: Badgers put on a four-quarter performance

After letting a 17-point lead evaporate last weekend against Nebraska, the Wisconsin Badgers football team (1-1 Big Ten, 4-2 overall) had put itself in a must-win situation as it came into its Big Ten home opener Saturday against Illinois (0-2 Big Ten, 2-4 overall).

Column: Blown call highlights failures of MLB’s new one-game wild card setup

There are sports that have just become a sort of filler for when there is nothing else to watch. Baseball is one such sport that fits this description.

Football: Badger offense rights the ship

The Wisconsin football team (1-1 Big Ten, 4-2 overall) finally realized how easy it is to pile up points on the board with a healthy rushing attack Saturday in its 31-14 win.

Women's hockey: Offensive fireworks key to Wisconsin sweep of Lindenwood

With a goal frenzy and a pair of hat tricks, the No. 3 Wisconsin women’s hockey team (3-0-1) completed a weekend sweep of Lindenwood (0-4), winning 7-2 Friday and 9-1 Saturday, for another successful road series.

Men's soccer: Badgers fall to Indiana

Two goals by Indiana sophomore forward Eriq Zavaleta put the Wisconsin men’s soccer team away 2-0 in Bloomington Saturday night. The No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers (2-0-0 Big Ten, 9-2-1 overall) bested the Badgers (0-2-0, 3-5-3) at Bill Armstrong Stadium in front of nearly 2,500 fans.

Wisconsin women's soccer prepare to take on Nebraska

UW readies for Illinois

People who wanted to see Wisconsin (0-1 Big Ten, 3-2 overall) junior running back James White and redshirt freshman running back Melvin Gordon in the backfield more often last weekend against Nebraska may have their wish come true Saturday against Illinois (0-1, 2-3).

Wisconsin women look to improve from last weekend’s series

The Wisconsin women’s hockey team (1-0-1) looks to extend their early undefeated record this weekend as they travel to St. Louis to take on Lindenwood (0-2).

Badgers look to even up Big Ten record on the road against Hoosiers

The Wisconsin men’s soccer team (0-1 Big Ten, 3-4-3 overall) clashes with No. 14 Indiana (2-0, 8-2-1) on Saturday in Bloomington in their first road game of the Big Ten season.

Column: MLB postseason set for unpredictable ride

If you’re in the playoffs, then you’ve got a shot. This is the motto for a lot of teams and their fans heading into the MLB postseason.  Just ask the St. Louis Cardinals from last year, who made a miraculous run just to sneak into the NL Wild Card spot and rode that hot streak all the way to the franchise’s 11th World Series Championship.  Just get in, and anything is possible.

Column: Kansas’ Self earns extension after forging his own path

Lost in the thick of the regular NFL refs returning and a slew of wild college football games this weekend was a significant development in college basketball: Kansas head coach Bill Self extended his contract with the school through the 2021-’22 season.

Badgers aim for four quarter performance

The Wisconsin Badgers football team (0-1 Big Ten, 3-2 overall) suddenly has another mantra besides the “1-0” approach to add to its arsenal.

Column: Defensive presence waning in modern college football

Defense wins championships. This antiquated cliché and go-to slogan for mediocre sports commentators is believed to still be relevant in today’s NCAA, but if you watched any college football last weekend, you saw that offense has taken over.

Column: U.S. soccer popularity on the rise

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not particularly a fan of the English Premier League.  In fact, I just do not like the EPL.

Badgers avoid early-season upset bid

In the first weekend series of conference play, the No. 2 Wisconsin women's hockey team (1-0-1-1 WCHA, 1-0-1 overall) narrowly escaped an upset bid at the hands of Minnesota State on Friday (0-1-1-0 WCHA, 0-1-1 overall). The Badgers tied the Mavericks, 2-2, before winning a shootout, 3-2, to gain an extra point in the conference standings. On Saturday, the Badgers got two goals from senior forward Brianna Decker and outlasted the Mavericks, 3-2.

Wisconsin grabs first home win of season

The Wisconsin men's soccer team (0-1-0 Big Ten, 3-4-3 overall) won its first home game this season against Cleveland State Saturday night. Two first half goals were enough for the Badgers to hold on and beat the Vikings (4-5-1 overall), 2-1. The first goal came from a far post shot by senior midfielder Jerry Maddi, and the second from a finish by freshman midfielder Drew Conner. These were the only two shots by the Badgers in the first half.

Top teams spoil Wisconsin's conference home opener

The Badger women’s volleyball team (1-3 Big Ten, 13-4 overall) hosted No. 1 Penn State (4-0 Big Ten, 14-1 overall) Friday night in what was sure to be one of its toughest matches of the season. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, it ended with a three-set sweep by the Nittney Lions (25-19, 25-21, 25-7).

Column: NCAA penalties miss mark

Penn State more than deserved the punishments that were handed down against its beloved football program. Say what you want about jurisdiction and the slippery slope, but the bottom line is that the NCAA needed to come down strong on PSU to show that nothing is right with a culture and a football program that values winning over the protection of children’s safety.