Brandon Wirth – Torch Guest Writer
Those who know the game by that name need no further explanation. Whether you are a fan, staff member or athlete, you know there’s no love lost along the 68 miles from Allendale to Big Rapids. As one who has experienced this ultra-competitive rivalry from all three perspectives, here are three first-hand things I can inform you about.
The emotions are extremely contagious
While it’s not a mind-blowing statement, its impact is immense. As a former Bulldog athlete, our biggest championship races came lining up against the Lakers. Seeing the stacked “GV” on their uniform always lit a deep fire in my chest, and one look in my teammate’s eyes reflected the same intensity.
All the preparation for this battle makes the amygdala work twice as hard as it does for any ordinary event. Whatever noise you think a stadium is at a given time, an athlete will tell you they feel it 10 times over. As crazy as it sounds, athletes and fans will remember the emotions of this game more vividly than the result itself.
It demands the utmost excellence
The number of people invested in this game is unbelievable. My first Anchor-Bone experience as a beat writer, with this very same publication, was back in 2021. Under the darkness of a West Michigan night, I witnessed a record-breaking 17,007 fans pack into Lubbers Stadium to see the Bulldogs’ triumphant 35-28 win over the Lakers. A year later, I watched a Top Taggart record of 12,661 fans pile in through the Wheeler Pavilion windows.
It is just a game
I can hear the Bulldog boos through the text … and that’s okay. The 23 official years of this rivalry mean a lot to a team’s season; however, it doesn’t decide its season’s fate. I’m not saying this game doesn’t matter, but they will play for the Anchor-Bone trophy, not a national championship trophy.
The roar of the crowd is nature’s best equivalent of dopamine, but it’s not an excuse to be unreasonable and irresponsible. While we encourage every fan to be loud and proud, that doesn’t mean to be rowdy and rude. As one who has firsthand seen photographers spit on and heard high-end executives being cussed out in front of their families, I simply say one thing: don’t be a moron.
All in all, this game means a lot to both of these towns, campuses and fanbases. For the 30,000 current enrollees and the millions of footprints that stepped on the same sidewalks, this game’s prize isn’t really the trophy or the score; it’s the pride. I’ve had the privilege in my seven years as a Dawg to experience this rivalry as a broadcaster, creative, reporter and competitor. I can tell you to this day, I still remember the feelings from every single game. No matter what the result is on Saturday, enjoy the moment while it’s here.
Oh, and one more thing … Anchor Down!