I remember the origins from a different angle. I started at the UW in music school in 1976 and graduated from the College of Engineering in 1981. “Varsity” dates back at least as far as WW2 when my parents were students. But at my time the Budweiser song was being played by the band and students were dancing a polka. “ When you’ve said ‘Wisconsin’ you’ve said it all.” Like an army marching on step over a bridge this caused noticeable movement of the upper deck which made adults uncomfortable. The problem was taken to the engineering school and analysis was done. It was determined that the upper deck was safe but to make patrons more comfortable the band was required to wait until the stands had emptied of anyone who wanted to leave before playing the Budweiser song. Thus, postgame entertainment began. Like the army in the bridge example (they are instructed to break step) it’s still not a great idea to be synchronized stomping on a suspended structure. So Jump Around, which came years later, is a much better concept and has stuck for some time. (I’m sure my memory was of an engineering professor’s description in class. Probably in “Linear Systems” right before showing the video of the Tacoma-Narrows Bridge collapse.)
Still getting over the hoops loss from the other night, but this vid cheered me up. No diss to rest of the nation, but everyday I wake up glad that Ima Badger :)
