The Trials and Triumphs Of Wisconsin Sports: 2011-21
I think we are at a crossroads.
For this, I’m taking off my “Looking At Things Through The Eyes Of A Professional Athlete” hat, and throwing on my “Die-Hard Fan of Wisconsin Sports” hat.
I want to take a look at the last 10 years of the sports world in the state I call “home.” It’s been a popular theme on social media to see the “We can’t finish the big one!!!!” sentiment and to be honest, it’s not wrong. I’m partially to blame for two of those heartbreaks. I’m sorry.
But it hasn’t been all doom and gloom, either. Our Wisconsin teams have given us as many “high points” as any other state can say. Huge playoff wins, Final Fours, multiple MVPs in multiple Sports, the list goes on… I’m just saying it hasn’t been ALL bad.
So let’s roll through these 10 years of close calls together. Starting in the best way possible, 2011.
I’ll be highlighting good things in bold so we can reflect on the good moments together, but there is a lot of heartbreak in here..
2011
Packers: Start year winning Super Bowl XLV - head into regular season as NFL favorite, 15-1 record. Lose to Giants in Divisional Round. Rodgers MVP.
Badgers Football: Russell Wilson gives Badgers fans one of the most fun football seasons in UW history. Win Instant-Classic B1G Championship over Michigan State. Montee Ball breaks FBS TD record. Badgers are defeated by Oregon in the Rose Bowl 45-38.
Brewers: Win 96 games and win NL Central. Ryan Braun wins NL MVP. Lose to Cardinals in 6 games in NLCS. Braun tests positive for PEDs.
Badgers Women’s Hockey: NCAA Champions!
2012
Packers: Return to Playoffs. Win NFC North. Win Wild Card Round. Lose Divisional Round at San Francisco.
Badgers Football: Thump Nebraska 70-31 in B1G Championship game. Lose to Stanford 20-14 in Rose Bowl.
2013
Packers: Third straight NFC North Title. “Rodgers to COBB!!!” Lose to 49ers at Lambeau in Divisional Round.
Bucks: Make Playoffs! Swept by Heat. Draft Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Marquette Basketball (2012-13): Win Big East Title. Advance to Elite Eight. Lose to Syracuse for Final Four bid.
Wisconsin Volleyball: Upset #1 Texas to reach National Championship. Lose to Penn State in title match.
2014
Packers: 12-4. Another NFC North Title. Heartbreak in NFC Championship in Seattle. 28-22 OT. Rodgers MVP.
Badgers Basketball (2013-14): Start Season 16-0. 2nd in B1G. Advance to Final Four. Lose at Buzzer to Kentucky.
Badgers Football: Make Big Ten Championship game. Lose 59-0 to Ohio State. Yikes. Win Outback Bowl (yay)
Brewers: Lead NL Central by 8 games at one point. Held 1st place from April 5 - Aug. 30. LOSE 11 STRAIGHT AFTER ALL STAR BREAK AND 16 OF 19 TO FINISH THE SEASON!!! Miss Playoffs.
Wisconsin Volleyball: 31-3 Record. Reach Elite 8. Defeated by Penn State.
2015
Packers: Win @Washington in Wild Card Round. Lose @Arizona in OT a week later.
Badgers Basketball: Sweep Big Ten Championships. #1 Seed. Back To Back Final Fours. Frank Kaminsky sweeps National Player of The Year Awards. Lose to Duke in National Championship.
Bucks: Earn 6th Seed and Playoff berth. Lose in 6 Games to Chicago Bulls.
2016
Packers: “Run the table”. NFC North Champions. Wins over Giants and Cowboys book ticket to NFCCG. Beat-up by Atlanta in NFCCG.
Badgers Basketball: Bo Ryan retires. Bronson Koenig game-winner advances team to Sweet Sixteen. Nail-biting loss to Notre Dame.
Badgers Football: Win Big Ten West. Lose 38-31 to Penn State in B1G Championship. Win Cotton Bowl over W. Michigan.
2017
Badgers Basketball: Defeated #1 Overall Seed Villanova to advance to Sweet 16. Chris Chiozza buzzer-beater wins game by 1 at Madison Square Garden.
Badgers Football: Undefeated regular season. #5 in CFP voting. Fall to Ohio State in Big Ten Championship. Defeat Miami in Orange Bowl for 13-1 Record.
Bucks: Winning season. Advance to Playoffs. Lose in Six to the Six (toronto)
Brewers: Bounce back year. Finish 86-76. Miss Playoffs by only 1 game.
2018
Brewers: 96-67. Defeat Cubs to win NL Central. Christian Yelich wins MVP. Sweep Rockies to advance to NLCS. Lose in Game 7 to Dodgers.
Bucks: Clinch another Playoff spot. Lose in Game 7 to Boston.
2019
Packers: Bounce back to finish 13-3. Win NFC North. Defeat Seattle in Divisional Round. Stampeded by 49ers in NFC Championship Game.
Brewers: 89-73. Clinch another Playoff spot. Yelich breaks kneecap before Postseason. Fall to World Series Champions, the Nationals on multiple fluke-plays. Heartbreak city again.
Bucks: 60 wins. Division Champs. Sweep Pistons. Defeat Boston in 5 Games. Win first 2 games vs Toronto, then lose in 6. Giannis MVP.
Badgers Football: Won Big Ten West. Led Ohio State 21-7 in B1G Champ Game and fall 34-21. Rose Bowl - bested by Oregon 28-27
Badgers Volleyball: Advance to National Title match. Swept by Stanford 3-0.
2020
Packers: 13-3 record. Win NFC North. Defeat Rams in Divisional Round. Slip to Tampa Bay in NFC Championship Game. Aaron Rodgers MVP.
Badgers Basketball: Win Big Ten Championship. Chance to make NCAA Championship run. Season ends due to COVID-19.
Brewers: Consecutive Playoff spot. Swept by Dodgers in Wild Card.
Bucks: First team in NBA to clinch Playoff berth. Season suspended. #1 Seed. 4-1 Series win over Orlando. Lose in 5 to Miami. Giannis MVP.
2021
TBD - obviously the year has started with the gut-punch of the Packers NFFCG loss. But not all hope is gone - 2021 has just one month under its belt. UW hoops have an exciting Spring ahead of them. The Bucks will be determined to rebound after two tough Playoff years. The Brewers get their stars back healthy for a full 162 games this year and Badger Football will be hungry for success after a weird COVID year.
Hear me out;
The point of this post wasn’t to make Wisconsin Sports Fans upset or sad about the tough moments. Rather, to realize how cool it has been to even be in these spots. Yes, I know, we are all hungry for more trophies, who isn’t? But we’ve been lucky to watch some of the all-time greats like Rodgers, Giannis, Fielder, Braun, Yelich, Kaminsky, Wilson, Gordon III, Matthews, Woodson and many many more right here in our small-market backyard. It could be much much worse, trust me, just ask a Jets or Lions fan.
So here’s to 2021 and beyond. Those 10 years are behind us - on to 10 more. I don’t see this rollercoaster of fandom stopping any time soon, so let’s do our best to enjoy this ride that we are on.
