Semi-OT: Why is this a thing? - "Jump Around" edition

Submitted by Larry Appleton on

Disclaimer: 1) I am a Wisconsin resident, but 2) no, I have never been to a game at Camp Randall Stadium.  That said . . .

Why in the hell is playing "Jump Around" and literally doing nothing but jumping up and down such a celebrated event?  House of Pain was not from Wisconsin, the tradition started six years AFTER the song was released, and . . . again I must stress, THEY ARE JUST JUMPING UP AND DOWN.  Good job?

For those who have witnessed it in person, is it really that cool of an event, or is it just over-hyped blather?  

SFBlue

November 13th, 2017 at 4:44 PM ^

Very cool, very 1990s. I was there in '99. Adds to the mystique of Camp Randall.

I don't know how much has changed but I loved everything about Madtown and game day. Fans gave us hell all game and then invited us to their parties.

EGD

November 13th, 2017 at 4:45 PM ^

If you don't like that Wisconsin plays "Jump Around" before the fourth quarter and everybody goes nuts, then you don't like college football.

Heptarch

November 13th, 2017 at 4:48 PM ^

I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that you really didn't like the sea of maize pompoms flashing in unison to the beat of "Seven Nation Army" during Under the Lights 1.

old98blue

November 13th, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^

Was there several years ago, sat in the upper deck when they started the Jump Around my buddy who is afraid of heights started screaming at the student section to stop because the stands were moving. Thought it was awesome!

B-Nut-GoBlue

November 13th, 2017 at 4:54 PM ^

Was there this past weekend for the first time ever for the Iowa game.  Shit game, for Iowa anyway, but part of the reason I really wanted to finally get into the stadium for the game (didn't plan on it, wanted to tailgate and go to bars but found some scalped tickets for $65 40 rows up and the 42 yard line) was for the between quarter (3rd and 4th) House of Pain.  It was pretty cool.  I'd post video if I could.

MidwestIsBest

November 13th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^

But cool in-person. The lower in the bowl the better it seems from my experience. Though I’ve never seen a game from the upper deck. Their “first and 10, Wisconsin” thing, however, is probably one of the lamer group chants I’ve seen in sports.

CRISPed in the DIAG

November 13th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^

I'm fine with it. It's simple. Let 'em a good time. I thought Mr Brightside was kind of fun until I had to listen to my brother complain about how much he hated The Killers. I'm sure there are some Wisc fans who hate it. But likely not many.

NRK

November 13th, 2017 at 10:33 PM ^

I get that - but it's also fun when the student section sings it. It's grown on me as a thing despite my general distate of piped-in music. When it works correctly (the song cutting off and the students section continuing to sing it) it is awesome. (But I don't like the trying to force that to happen with the fade outs).

old98blue

November 13th, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^

I did hear tell from Wisconsin fans next to us about a man who would come to games in a wheelchair and a blanket over his lap once the ushers would leave him he would pull the blanket off and start serving fans around him with the pony keg he had, again awesome! Great fans fun town it's what college football is all about

mgobleu

November 13th, 2017 at 5:15 PM ^

You're just jealous, just like I am that we don't have something like it and there's really no way to top it that I can possibly think of besides the entirety of Michigan Stadium humping in unison to the Humpty Dance.

gujd

November 13th, 2017 at 5:45 PM ^

I'm with most here who have said it is very cool. I've been to several Michigan at Wisconsin games and as the away fan (my wife is a UW alum so I've been to my fair share as the home fan), I will say it is one of the coolest experiences in sports. I think it pumps up both teams and agree if this was a 230 (central) start, this would occur after the sun goes down, llights are on and would be a site to behold. 

Chitown_Badger

November 13th, 2017 at 5:54 PM ^

What sucks about it is that many students will stay just for jump around and leave right after regardless of who we're playing or what the score is. It's an unfortunate reality of our fanbase. If it was up to me, I'd push it to about 3/4 of the way into the 4th before I played it for that very reason. Those same students are the ones who will not be to their seats until almost the end of the first quarter. You'll see it during the broadcast. A huge swatch of the student section will be completely empty for kickoff. They say it's because it takes a long time to get in and they like to party, but somehow other schools student's can figure it out (Michigan included).

/rant

Chitown_Badger

November 13th, 2017 at 6:31 PM ^

Yup. For the 2:30 Iowa kick last saturday it was about half full, and for the huge night game against OSU the other year (the David Gilreath kickoff return) it wasn't completely full. They apparently sent a couple emails trying to get students there and it was about as close to full as I've ever seen it for a kickoff but still some space you can see in the kickoff shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cyNl3C8YQk 

It'll be at least half empty for kickoff Saturday.

JWG Wolverine

November 13th, 2017 at 6:57 PM ^

I, personally, find Jump Around to be one of my favorite traditions that comes from a team I’m not a fan of. Excited to possibly see this in person for the first time Saturday, and since it’s not really a team specific thing, I will be jumping around in maize and blue on Saturday afternoon.

NittanyFan

November 13th, 2017 at 8:35 PM ^

it was MOST cool when it was new and evolved organically.

Doesn't mean it's NOT cool now, but it's fair to say it's a bit less cool vs the original days (late 1990s and early 2000s). 

(seen it twice in my visits to Wisconsin, FWIW - 2002 & 2013)

Unicycle Firefly

November 13th, 2017 at 9:28 PM ^

Say what you want, games at Camp Randall are a lot of fun. No one takes themselves too seriously, it’s basically one big party for 3 1/2 hours, and it usually ends with a win. I grew up going to games in Ann Arbor, but the overall gameday experience in Madison is better.

Year of Revenge II

November 14th, 2017 at 4:26 AM ^

This was a good, but not great, Neil Diamond song.

He had more than serveral that were much, much better. 

It is now nothing more than a song sung by drunk people trying to convince themselves they are having the time of their life even though they missed the 60's and 70's.

Okay..., but the song was not a good one in 1969 (there was much better music at the time), and just because you can sing it drunk today does not mean its cool.