It’s a tradition dating back all the way to Monday Night Football’s conception 41 years ago. In the beginning stages of each prime time NFL contest, starting players receive approximately two seconds of recorded air-time to state their names and respective universities.
After starring at N.C . State and then eventually leaving to join the Wisconsin Badgers this past June, Russell Wilson may have to ask the producer how to mix identical shades of red.
“I don’t know, they’re going to have to get creative with that,” Wilson said in a summer interview with Triangle-based radio station, 99.9 the Fan. “You are the radio guys, you’ll have to come up with that.”
Sporting an ambiguous red tie, the media savvy quarterback hesitated over the in-studio microphone for the slightest second before letting the world know why he couldn’t answer that potential question.
“I love N.C . State,” Wilson said. “And I’m falling in love with Wisconsin.”
In the Badger-frenzied city of Madison, Wilson has plenty of reasons to be falling in love. Whether or not he wants the Pack to be in the past, one of the most iconic players in State’s history has arrived to attention, captaincy honors and being named the starting quarterback.
764 miles away in Raleigh, State students who have passionate, rooting interests with football teams up north also have an interesting dynamic. Wilson may have traveled hundreds of miles to Camp Randall, but his presence on NCSU’s campus still resonates.
Ben Nelson, a sophomore in PGA Golf Management, is a Lisle, Ill. native and a ardent follower of Wisconsin football. Although Nelson had never rooted for another college team before arriving in Raleigh, Wilson’s indecisiveness between playing baseball or football has led to mixed emotions.
“I kind of don’t like that he left,” Nelson said. “It feels like he pulled a Brett Favre on us. He was able to get out, so he got out. I feel bad because he left N.C . State to go to another team, so that kind of makes it feel like he wasn’t fully committed to the team.”
In terms of the former All-ACC selection suiting up for the Badgers, Nelson said the situation may not be the perfect marriage that much of the country believes it to be.
“They’re going to have to find ways that Wisconsin is not used to in order to make him effective,” Nelson said. “The guys we have had in the past are game managers, not play makers like Russell Wilson is. He’s a quarterback like Wisconsin has never really had.”
However, not every football fan at State will be rooting for Wilson to succeed in the Big Ten this fall. Jennine Lection , a sophomore in Animal Sciences, grew up in a Penn State household after both of her parents graduated from there. With recent Big Ten realignment forming two separate divisions, Leader division members Penn State and Wisconsin will now play each other every season.
“I’m not going to be happy if he is playing well,” Lection said. “Wisconsin is playing Penn State in November and it’s their last game. Of all places, he had to go to a school where he would play Penn State.”
In addition to cheering on the boys from Happy Valley, Lection also enjoys Saturday afternoons at Carter-Finley. Despite Wilson’s absence in the ACC and unwelcome presence in the Big Ten, she said supporting Coach O’Brien’s decision to move on to Mike Glennon is a no-brainer.
“I think [Wilson] should’ve made his choice earlier than he did,” Lection said. “Since he couldn’t decide [on playing professional baseball or returning to school], I think it’s good we’ve moved on to our quarterback who actually wants to support us.”
Whether fans’ eyes are on Glennon or Wilson, the story of the Badger and the Wolf has produced mixed feelings. As quickly as a three-year starter can change major programs, the actual playing of football games can make emotions change in a heartbeat.
From Raleigh to Madison, we’ll both be chasing our tails until September arrives.
