Is Jump Around the Greatest Tradition in College Football?
Is Jump Around the Greatest Tradition in College Football?
Hello!
There are certain things you miss when you live abroad.
I miss washing machines that don’t take three hours to clean your clothes. Ice in drinks. And sporting traditions like March Madness and college football games.
I came across an article about the best traditions in college football last week and one mention caught my eye —
“Wisconsin Jump Around”
I’d never heard of it.
But of course, I was curious…
Pack it up, pack it in, let me begin…
In 1998, Ryan Sondrup was a tight end for the University of Wisconsin football team, and a marketing intern for the university’s athletic department.
But when a knee injury kept him off the field, he came up with the idea that changed the University of Wisconsin’s football games forever.
Ryan thought they needed to do something more at football games, and discussed some ideas about music and the experience in the stadium with Kevin Kluender, the assistant athletic director for marketing.
“Could we do something to get the players excited and juiced up?” Ryan asked Kevin.
“I was just the intern, but they said, ‘Why don’t you come up with some ideas and get back to us?’”
Ryan met up with some of his teammates at a local bar to talk about songs they could include at football games.
“I had a little green notebook that I wrote down all my ideas,” Ryan said.
The students wanted something popular, and thought about songs by bands like Metallica and Mötley Crüe.
Bartender (and offensive lineman) Erik Waisanen gave the group some quarters to feed the bar’s jukebox for inspiration.
That’s when they stumbled on the 1992 House of Pain song, Jump Around.
Jump Around is one of those songs that grabs you soon as you hear it.
It begins with a four-note fanfare (sampled from Bob & Earl’s Harlem Shuffle), followed by a tumbling beat and a high-pitched squealing that appears constantly throughout the song.
The group’s enthusiasm for Jump Around had Ryan put it on the top of the list he shared with Kevin.
Shortly after that, the Wisconsin Badgers had their Homecoming game against the Purdue Boilermakers.
At the end of the third quarter, Wisconsin’s Jamar Fletcher intercepted the ball and scored a touchdown for Wisconsin, breaking a tie and giving the Badgers a 24-17 lead.
And then, just as the offense came onto the field just before the fourth quarter began, Kevin Kluender decided to play a song.
The signature fanfare of four notes blared from the loudspeakers, and signaled to the crowd what was coming…
And they knew exactly what to do.
Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium became a sea of fans wearing red and white jumping around.
“The students exploded like popcorn,” Kevin said.
“It was crazy,” said Erik Waisanen, who was on the field at the time.
“We looked over and saw the student section. It was unreal – it was more than goosebumps.”
It energized not only the crowd, but also the players, and led to a Wisconsin victory.
And Jump Around wasn’t a one hit wonder with the Wisconsin fans.
“When the energy and the excitement carried over from one season to the next, at that point we started to think, ‘We might have something here,’” Kevin said.
And they did.
What started out as an idea from a group of students in 1998 has become a tradition of Wisconsin football, and signaled the start of the 4th quarter for 25 years.
Here’s a video capturing 20 years of Jump Around at Wisconsin:
One more thing…
All good things must come to an end?
On April 1, 2022, Nicole Heiman reported sad news for Wisconsin fans.
The university had received a cease-and-desist order from House of Pain’s music group, saying that the university would no longer be able to use Jump Around at football events or commencement ceremonies.
It would be the end of an era, and the athletic department would be looking for a replacement song for the 4th quarter.
But check the date of that announcement.
Nice work, Nicole!
Want more Jump Around?
Check out House of Pain singer Everlast performing Jump Around with the Badgers marching band in Los Angeles during the 2011 Rose Bowl.
In 2022, Everlast came to Camp Randall for Homecoming, and led the fans in the 4th quarter Jump Around.
The Most Touching College Football Tradition
Wisconsin’s Jump Around may be the most fun college football tradition, but Iowa’s Wave is the most touching.
At the end of each first quarter, thousands of fans, players, coaches and staff members in Kinnick Stadium turn to wave at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, which overlooks the stadium.
Enjoy your college football this weekend (if you have access to watch it).
I’ll be reading about the games in The Athletic.
In other curious news…
The time was six o’clock on the Swatch watch…
In March 2022, a cryptic full page ad in the newspaper piqued my curiosity.
Devoted Curious Minds readers may remember I followed my curiosity and discovered it was all a tease for the new Harry Styles album, Harry’s House.
Well, guess what? It’s happened again!
Last weekend, this ad ran in UK Times — and other newspapers around the world:
Aside from making me want to go swimming, it made me curious.
Sadly, it’s not linked to any new music, but in fact, a new Swatch collaboration.
I’m not a watch collector, but do remember how exciting it was to get a Coca-Cola swatch many years ago…
(Sidenote, does anyone else think of Bell Biv DeVoe when they hear the words “Swatch watch” or is it just me?).
How Can I Help?
I’ll keep saying it: Communication matters.
And if you want to improve your communication (and get all the good things that come with that), I’m your gal.
So many companies could reap significant benefits – from performance and culture to retention and engagement – by improving their communication.
So, if you know someone who could benefit from some help (as even the most seasoned leaders do), please get in touch and check out my website for more information.
You can also see my Top 10 list of what I can (and can’t) do for you here.
And if you see any communication examples (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that you think are worth analyzing or sharing, please send them my way!
Until next time, Stay Curious!
-Beth
