Wisconsin Badgers Thread

[Kerb Hohl]

I guess I don't think it should take a miracle to get that five star player.

If Bo Ryan stayed on for 5 more years, we weren't going to be turning 4-star players away due to a roster full of 5 stars.

Hell, Tony Bennett's recruiting profile improved and (so far) they are not churning out first round picks and dominating, though yes, I'd have expected Bo to get a few better recruits.

I think Bo Ryan was working on Brevin Pritzl as a recruit when he retired.

The Badgers have had said success due to the "boring" system in football and basketball. Unfortunately, it's not something tailor made for pro prospects to want to play.

The moment you try to become a pro factory is the moment you realize you are in a climate where it is below freezing 100 days/year, you are not rich in history, you are not anywhere close to where all of the talent is (especially in football), and for better or worse, you aren't "illegally" paying players much.

I **** loved going to Madison but I can't imagine a 5-star quarterback (usually) or shooting guard is going to make his way from Atlanta to freezing weather in Madison where his parents can't see him play as much. He'll just go to UNC or Florida or any of the other 100 places that are closer and more familiar to them.

Sounds like Gonzaga.

I don't have anything against this, but Gonzaga is likely paying guys from what I'm heard. Something Wisconsin probably won't do (for now). And in some weird way, Gonzaga's zero competition conference got them into the spotlight.

But yeah, again, even if that's all equal, these things are exceptions. I'm sure lots of other programs said, "do what Wisconsin is doing" and couldn't. I'm sure dozens of middling programs said, "let's be Gonzaga" and it's not like you can snap your fingers and make that happen.

Right now you're selling your beautiful Audi car and you're taking the profits to buy lottery tickets in hopes of one hitting so you can buy a Bentley. You are painfully unaware that you're going to be biking your kids 5 miles to school next week.

[DingleJerry]

Yea the last few years of Gonzaga getting Suggs and I think another coming this year would've been a logical thing for UW to pull off at some point. I grant that. Basically maintain what we do but then bring in a ringer every year or two to go with them. Like if Jalen Johnson would've worked out here, then replace him with another the next year. That wouldn't have been a crazy leap to take after the two near titles. But with our non nba style of play and the paying players it wasn't going to be easy. But I don't fault anyone for think that small up tick of one or two elite recruits every 4-5 years wouldn't be feasibly after the FFs.

Personally I prefer the Nova model of generally playing in the 40-120 type level of recruits who will stay 3-5 years and be about the program and not just their pro prospects and then not having to deal with the divas and bs of the top 15 type guys. That's the next level up I'd want and that's not too far away from what they've been doing.

[Kerb Hohl]

Yea the last few years of Gonzaga getting Suggs and I think another coming this year would've been a logical thing for UW to pull off at some point.

FWIW, I don't think this is that logical.

I don't know if Few just established himself as a great NBA development guy or if they are just paying better than a lot of other schools, and again, unfortunately UW is not going to do the paying thing or do it for big bucks while it is "illegal."

But say Izzo and Few really just did this organically and are not doing something that UW won't. I would not keep firing and cycling through coaches until I got Izzo or Few if I'm not a UNC-type. 99% chance you'd end up with the worst program in the country. Plus, in some of these cases it takes 5-10 years to truly know. Beilein was not that special at WVU. Bo Ryan took 13 years to reach truly elite status. Painter had several down years early on.

[chonestown]

Grab a juicebox, country music, and let me tell ya 'bout a pair of fellas named Stu and Stan. Now, Stu and Stan, you see, they had big ideas. Why, they wanted to upset the existing paradigm as it were, but see, a funny thing happened once they proceeded to agitate the proverbial applecart.....

[DingleJerry]

Yea the last few years of Gonzaga getting Suggs and I think another coming this year would've been a logical thing for UW to pull off at some point.

FWIW, I don't think this is that logical.

I don't know if Few just established himself as a great NBA development guy or if they are just paying better than a lot of other schools, and again, unfortunately UW is not going to do the paying thing or do it for big bucks while it is "illegal."

But say Izzo and Few really just did this organically and are not doing something that UW won't. I would not keep firing and cycling through coaches until I got Izzo or Few if I'm not a UNC-type. 99% chance you'd end up with the worst program in the country. Plus, in some of these cases it takes 5-10 years to truly know. Beilein was not that special at WVU. Bo Ryan took 13 years to reach truly elite status. Painter had several down years early on.

I generally don't either. I mean that I think its logical how a fan would think that. Basically, "hey we just almost won two titles, I'd think we can pull an extra guy or two". I get that and it's not crazy for someone to think. Knowing how this all works, yea I don't think so that's why I like the Nova model better. It would probably be more like once every 10 years or so to pull the blue blood elite guy, and really I'd prefer not to deal with their drama for one year of play. Stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to.

[midranger]

I haven’t read through the last couple pages, but the more I think about it, the more this whole “meeting” is a big nothing burger.

Gard will take parts of the message to heart, or not. Either way, his future will be based on wins, likely the season after next.

The players are almost all gone and kind of sucked (in a gutless way) any way. They will go on to dead end pro careers in crap leagues before settling into selling insurance while their wife bangs the gardener.

The recent recruits seem a lot tougher (certainly more talented) and are likely happy those numbnuts are gone. I believe they are all wishing Davison had followed.

The only dude this will have any lasting consequences for is Tucker, who God help him, has burned any future career to ash in 6 months time.

I’m excited for Wahl/Davis szn.

[wapith]

Nevermind.

I really feel this. Generally how I feel about this thread.

Hah. I’m glad I didn’t read the posts that followed after the news of the recording broke. That would’ve just frustrated me.

I’m gonna go on record and say I agree with 95% of what Kerb posts. Feel free to call me a homer.

Screw Alando by the way.

[buckboy]

Gard does indeed deserve to lose his job over this. While i think it’s pretty crappy for the leaks to happen and feel for him as person, it’s clear hes not ripe for this if they want to take another step as a program. On top of that he’s never going to recruit even to the level of Bo. They can do better and should be looking to do so.

Wow.

It's a meatball party.

[Kerb Hohl]

[Kerb Hohl]

Jonathan Davis makes the U19 USA team.

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

Cool story.

[HaroldinGMinor]

That photo makes me want to go to the Union and slug beers.

[buckboy]

That photo makes me want to go to the Union and slug beers.

I was in Madison for 5 years and I was only at the union once, for drinking I mean.

Chris Farley put me in a bear hug. It was fun.

[Kerb Hohl]

That photo makes me want to go to the Union and slug beers.

I was in Madison for 5 years and I was only at the union once, for drinking I mean.

Chris Farley put me in a bear hug. It was fun.

My admission is that I don't think I ever went to a hockey game.

[HaroldinGMinor]

That photo makes me want to go to the Union and slug beers.

I was in Madison for 5 years and I was only at the union once, for drinking I mean.

Chris Farley put me in a bear hug. It was fun.

My admission is that I don't think I ever went to a hockey game.

I don't remember the third period of any hockey game I attended.

[MikeIsGood]

That photo makes me want to go to the Union and slug beers.

I was in Madison for 5 years and I was only at the union once, for drinking I mean.

Chris Farley put me in a bear hug. It was fun.

Tbh I think the union is more fun for adults in the eve/night than it is for students. When I was actually a student we just went to bars - or maybe we started with a drink at the union, but then we'd move on. It just wasn't where you spent all night. At least not for us.

[HaroldinGMinor]

That photo makes me want to go to the Union and slug beers.

I was in Madison for 5 years and I was only at the union once, for drinking I mean.

Chris Farley put me in a bear hug. It was fun.

Tbh I think the union is more fun for adults in the eve/night than it is for students. When I was actually a student we just went to bars - or maybe we started with a drink at the union, but then we'd move on. It just wasn't where you spent all night. At least not for us.

It was a really good starting out point on a Friday at 3pm. Then you'd move on to bigger and better things.

[Kerb Hohl]

Yeah, I think I went to the Union a handful of times to start a night for an act late at night but I regret not utilizing it more.

Part of the fact that we didn't utilize it more is that as a student, there's probably only a month on each end of the school year where it's truly usable and open after school/at night.

I think we did go a decent amount in summer. Summers in Madison may have been the best times of my life. Most of our house stayed around and everything was less crowded.

I don't know about you guys, but the ~August 15-Labor Day 2.5 week bender from move-in day to apartments to school starting (and then it would trickle for a few more days) was simultaneously the most fun I've had and also most beaten down my body ever was.

[DingleJerry]

Same, went to UW and have lived here since. I've maybe gone to the Union 3-5 times ever. Never really 'partied' there. Never really anything that stood out to me to make we want to go. Kind of seems like one of those places everyone/internet says you should go to in Madison, almost in a touristy way. But I'm also the type that doesn't get too worked up about looking at water like so many people. OK, I see it, sweet, now what.

[MickeyDavis]

I used to hang out at the Union frequently when I was in school there. Still stop in when I go to Badger games.