I will agree that Wisconsin no longer has an instate rival. I think Marquette is probably the only school large enough to ever be one, and like I said earlier, we haven't had football here in years.
As for ragging on the lower branches of the UW system - ragging on all the schools in Wisconsin is a huge tradition! Out of my graduating class of 450, approx. 400 of us went to college, and out of those 400 I believe 370 stayed in Wisconsin. We have tons of of lightbulb and drinking emails circulated and it's all in good fun.
Another interesting fact is that Wisconsin used to have separate systems up until very recently...the UW system and the WSU system. I believe they merged in the 60s or 70s.
AND!Where did I even mention politics?
