America's Greatest Sports Town

My roommate loves ESPN Radio. Because of this, I am subjected to a seemingly endless stream of worthless sports ramblings—at home in the morning, and especially during road trips. Most of the time, the incessant chatter gives me a pounding headache. I dramatically pretend like I hate it, and oftentimes I do, but every so often I do hear something that is just a little bit interesting. My interest is often piqued when they talk about my beloved Badgers or something non-sports related, like fashion or relationships, which happens surprisingly often on ESPN Radio.

Last Thursday, ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt declared during his show that he had just left the belly of the beast, America’s greatest sports town—Madison, Wisconsin. You can listen to his eleven-minute broadcast here. It’s pretty hilarious. Scott backs up his pick with many stories and Madison highlights. In his eyes, it all comes down to “teams that are relevant, venues that are unbelievable, and a gorgeous setting.” I would have to agree. He also talks at length about the drinking culture in Madison and various establishments like State Street Brats, Essen Hause, and Mondays. When referring to the Essen Haus boot, he describes that, “the moral of the story is, [in Madison], a cup of booze is not enough.” If you have a moment, take a listen. It’s good stuff.