Wisconsin Badgers 2019-20 Season Thread

[DingleJerry]

At this point I wouldn't say whatever money a kid gets from going to Duke is the reason they go there. They're going for exposure, Coach K connections, etc and just that it's obviously stepping stone to the NBA. I'd say the money is just in addition, as in "I'm going there anyway, if someone is gonna funnel my family 200K I might as well take it".

ETA: I also have no reason to think or accuse this specific kid of taking anything. Being in Madison the people I know from SP who have been around the family only say good things. A small amount of 'Lavar Ball" in the dad, but overall a good nice family. I'd say good for them anyway if they did get handed some money for this, I don't care or blame them.

[LittleRooster]

Yep, there’s a prestige in going to a school like Duke. It’s like non-athletes wanting to go to an Ivy League school


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[Kerb Hohl]

Absolutely. Don't disagree with it. The exposure at Duke is good and it's pretty much a certainty that K isn't a bad coach even though I think he's slipping a bit in his old age. Plus you get to play with a superteam and sometimes can hide some of your weaknesses.

The only thing I hate is there's still a bit of the public that believes that they are a wholesome, clean operation. And I will even add to that that I don't really care if guys get paid, it's just that ESPN makes it to be that K is the best Xs and Os coach of all time and players will nobly decline $300k at Arizona or Louisville to play for him. And then the piggyback off of that is people expect that the home state teams should be somehow winning these battles.

[emunney]

6-8 do-it-all forward French Grippe bumped from 3 stars to 5 stars; Badgers rescind offer

[chonestown]

6-8 do-it-all forward French Grippe bumped from 3 stars to 5 stars; Badgers rescind offer

Bound to happen. Kid blew up on AAU over the summer and Badgers can't afford to chase waterfalls. Word is Calipari has him penciled in on the wing; didn't hurt the promise was accompanied with a no-strings Tuscan villa. Keys reportedly were delivered by one Ms. Diane Lane. Hard for Bucky to compete.

[Kerb Hohl]

6-8 do-it-all forward French Grippe bumped from 3 stars to 5 stars; Badgers rescind offer

*Totally aware that I'm a triggered snowflake and monopolize this thread arguing and you've baited me into this*

This joke is dumb. The point of the thread is for fans of a basketball team on a basketball board to discuss things about a team they enjoy watching. Yes it is a niche thread, but it is 1 thread.

You're literally over there on another thread posting about guys that might someday earn the 13th roster spot in summer league and micro analyzing their ability to set screens in scrimmages but will likely never make an impact in the league. That's just as dumb to me as you believe Wisconsin basketball-watching is.

Yet I'd say that outside of my own posts, 50% of this thread is approaching comments such as:

"Lol Wisconsin basketball is 3-star white guys har har"

"You watch college basketball? **** nerd"

Why don't you double down and make fun of everyone on the other threads for watching the US Women's National Team or tennis joyfully? After all, tennis is a boring sport to some and the US Women's team is really good and fun to watch but the players are physically inferior to the men's game...better clutter those threads up.

Anyways, I'll ignore any of your other posts on the matter because I know that there is keen interest from several readers on this very on-topic and comical discussion of the team.

*Exhales*

[chonestown]

The UW hoop team is the living embodiment of Abe Simpson characterizing Johnny Unitas' flat-top as "a haircut you can set your watch to." It can be both celebrated and satirized at the same time, though you wouldn't know it from 247 and Rivals. My god, those are joyless outposts.

Anyway, I appreciate what you bring, Kerb, although if Em comes up with a Dutch transfer named Geert, it might be hard to sit this one out.

[Kerb Hohl]

The UW hoop team is the living embodiment of Abe Simpson characterizing Johnny Unitas' flat-top as "a haircut you can set your watch to." It can be both celebrated and satirized at the same time, though you wouldn't know it from 247 and Rivals. My god, those are joyless outposts.

Anyway, I appreciate what you bring, Kerb, although if Em comes up with a Dutch transfer named Geert, it might be hard to sit this one out.

Other than people that are fans and kinda are self-aware that the program bores the masses and probably will have a chance at national contention once a decade at best but enjoy watching anyways, I don't see when it has been celebrated.

I sometimes think it is overblown at how boring they are but I totally get why they bore people. That's not really the issue.

It's hard to find a place to actually discuss the team. The 247 board is filled with a bunch of kids overreacting about recruiting every 5 minutes. Twitter is a cesspool. Buckyville has a bunch of crotchety old dudes that talk about tailgates from the 80s but they at least will talk about the team.

I got literally fed up with Herb Kohl in ~2011 and while I'd still call the Bucks my favorite team and casually comment/watch the team (and I follow the other 2 teams with boards on here) my emotional attachment to the Bucks was gone once I took 4-5 years off and moved out of state as well. The difference is I don't waste time trolling up discussions on the board of people discussing aspects of the Milwaukee Bucks because even when they sucked people like to talk about the Milwaukee Bucks on the Milwaukee Bucks page.

[DingleJerry]

I appreciate the joke as I'm more than able to poke fun of our team and it's stereotype. Like the old Grantland writer used to call them the "buzzcuts". But, couldn't one make the same type of jokes around let's say MN or IL and grab some racist sounding urban stereotype name and wisecracks about how their athleticism will set them apart blah, only to have them fail and MN/IL continue to lose. At least UW consistently wins and generally doesn't have off court incidents to embarrass us. That, of course, would be racist but it's essentially the same thing that's being done here.

Take Texas for example. Sweet they've gotten good recruits with athleticism and play that Shaka exciting style but look at the results.

[Kerb Hohl]

I appreciate the joke as I'm more than able to poke fun of our team and it's stereotype. Like the old Grantland writer used to call them the "buzzcuts". But, couldn't one make the same type of jokes around let's say MN or IL and grab some racist sounding urban stereotype name and wisecracks about how their athleticism will set them apart blah, only to have them fail and MN/IL continue to lose. At least UW consistently wins and generally doesn't have off court incidents to embarrass us.

Take Texas for example. Sweet they've gotten good recruits with athleticism and play that Shaka exciting style but look at the results.

The funny thing is that Titus is a diehard Virginia fan because he also admits to appreciating this form of basketball and basically adopted them as his team outside of OSU (where he rode the pine alongside Oden/Conley).

But yes, I think that's the biggest gripe on the arguments that are had on here. Everyone wants to get more "exciting" players and get pissed off when some 4-star guy leaves the state. The dirty little secret is that college basketball outside of the ~10 one-and-done schools is a race to the slowest/most boring pace + high efficiency for consistent success.

Everyone on here wanted Shaka and his style would have been even more of a disaster in Madison than it is in Texas. The problem for him there is he is recruiting high profile guys that can't score and also are killing the depth of his team by leaving, so he can't press. Also, he's not a great coach, just a recruiter/motivator.

I'm the ardent Gard defender because I think he's a good Xs and Os coach/developer and so far is less than desirable recruiting. Give me that over Shaka or Woj. Give Shaka and Woj a top 10-20 recruiting class and they'll find a way to **** it up. I'd rather have Gard and hope good players fall into his lap, because I think he'd win a lot if and when they do.

[LittleRooster]

I appreciate the joke as I'm more than able to poke fun of our team and it's stereotype. Like the old Grantland writer used to call them the "buzzcuts". But, couldn't one make the same type of jokes around let's say MN or IL and grab some racist sounding urban stereotype name and wisecracks about how their athleticism will set them apart blah, only to have them fail and MN/IL continue to lose. At least UW consistently wins and generally doesn't have off court incidents to embarrass us.

Take Texas for example. Sweet they've gotten good recruits with athleticism and play that Shaka exciting style but look at the results.

The funny thing is that Titus is a diehard Virginia fan because he also admits to appreciating this form of basketball and basically adopted them as his team outside of OSU (where he rode the pine alongside Oden/Conley).

But yes, I think that's the biggest gripe on the arguments that are had on here. Everyone wants to get more "exciting" players and get pissed off when some 4-star guy leaves the state. The dirty little secret is that college basketball outside of the ~10 one-and-done schools is a race to the slowest/most boring pace + high efficiency for consistent success.

Everyone on here wanted Shaka and his style would have been even more of a disaster in Madison than it is in Texas. The problem for him there is he is recruiting high profile guys that can't score and also are killing the depth of his team by leaving, so he can't press. Also, he's not a great coach, just a recruiter/motivator.

I'm the ardent Gard defender because I think he's a good Xs and Os coach/developer and so far is less than desirable recruiting. Give me that over Shaka or Woj. Give Shaka and Woj a top 10-20 recruiting class and they'll find a way to **** it up. I'd rather have Gard and hope good players fall into his lap, because I think he'd win a lot if and when they do.

I agree with the last paragraph here. Woj is Crean lite and that’s the nicest thing I’d say about Crean. Except Wade and that 03 team. That was fun


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[HaroldinGMinor]

Take Texas for example. Sweet they've gotten good recruits with athleticism and play that Shaka exciting style but look at the results.

And people are STILL clamoring for Shaka to be the Badgers head coach. People like shiny toys I guess.

[sdn40]

Everything about the program right now is a fine line. Have I mocked them ? Yep. Do I regret it ? Nope. Do I think they deserve it ? Yep. Do I care if others put me on ignore because of it ? Nope.

I grew up watching the gamut of Wisconsin sports. I have snippets of memories from Marquette's championship. Sam Worthen after that. Wesley Matthews at Wisconsin. Michael Finley. Danny Jones. I followed UWGB when they were DII under Dave Buss and recruiting at Clintonville High School, and their battles against Cheyney State when John Chaney was the coach. Dick Bennett after that. Beating Cal and Jason Kidd. Almost beating Michigan State and Steve Smith. Watching Wisconsin hockey on PBS at midnight. Wisconsin football running the frickin veer. But mostly, I watched our state teams struggle and lose. So whenever I am put on ignore because I'm not "a fan" I just laugh. I wasn't a fan because I picked Oregon to destroy Wisconsin - so be it - but at least I wasn't ignorant or blinded by cardinal and white.

What is the fine line of Wisconsin basketball ? Everything. Bennett and Ryan were excellent coaches and could succeed with lesser talent. Can Gard ? The jury is still out but early returns are mixed. I commented early last season that our guards were horrible and didn't belong at the D1 level. Of course I was told I was an idiot and not a fan. Turns out they don't belong. More experience, a year older, blah blah, I don't see it. They aren't big enough or athletic enough. Could Bo win with them ?? I don't know. That's where the fine line comes in. Borderline coach and borderline players are fine if you want to watch borderline basketball. Should Wisconsin be better than that ? Yes. Better players or better coach or both. I see no logical reason to settle for less. 5'-9" Opey Taylor from Crandon Wisconsin will never be Finley, Matthews, Tucker, Wade, etc etc. It's a waste of time. I don't know why these types of opinions have to be linked to what kind of fan a person is.

[HaroldinGMinor]

Everything about the program right now is a fine line. Have I mocked them ? Yep. Do I regret it ? Nope. Do I think they deserve it ? Yep. Do I care if others put me on ignore because of it ? Nope.

Watch on YouTube

[Kerb Hohl]

What is the fine line of Wisconsin basketball ? Everything. Bennett and Ryan were excellent coaches and could succeed with lesser talent. Can Gard ? The jury is still out but early returns are mixed. I commented early last season that our guards were horrible and didn't belong at the D1 level. Of course I was told I was an idiot and not a fan. Turns out they don't belong. More experience, a year older, blah blah, I don't see it. They aren't big enough or athletic enough. Could Bo win with them ?? I don't know. That's where the fine line comes in. Borderline coach and borderline players are fine if you want to watch borderline basketball. Should Wisconsin be better than that ? Yes. Better players or better coach or both. I see no logical reason to settle for less. 5'-9" Opey Taylor from Crandon Wisconsin will never be Finley, Matthews, Tucker, Wade, etc etc. It's a waste of time. I don't know why these types of opinions have to be linked to what kind of fan a person is.

People complained literally every single season except the Final Four years that Bo's teams were not talented/athletic enough.

Gard is past the point of really getting much for excuses, Wisconsin generally puts a PG into place and that PG is heir to the throne as a freshman and has 2-3 years. Gard's one year where he was at a massive disadvantage in recruiting but probably should be setting up his new PG he got -- you guessed it -- Trice. I don't think this will be a problem going forward. Davison is fine.

Here's the great thing: If you actually followed this thread and team, you'd see that they have picked up rising PG Lorne Bowman who is athletic and can get to the basket. They also got Johnny and Jordan Davis, slashing wings that are developing shots and play great defense. Wahl is a do-everything forward. King will have much more confidence this year off of his injury.

So this year may be somewhat frustrating in your quest for an "athletic" team, but going forward, they'll be right up to par in terms of guys that can get to the basket.

I'll grant some that Trice/Ford is a modest step down from some of the guys they "settled for" in the past but I think the big problem of all the trolls coming in here is that they are expecting Jalen Johnson and Herro to always come to Wisconsin. That has never happened and will never happen. The guys they have coming in in the next few classes are right on line with what they've always had. Good players that aren't top 50 NBA talents.

And I can guarantee the same people will still complain about the talent even if those guys play well. And maybe we could grab Shaka Smart after he succeeds at his rebound job in the Sun Belt conference 5-7 years from now to appease everyone (and suck worse).

Final note: Wow, way to go out on a limb to note that Wisconsin last year was not going to go that far. You could say that literally every year and be right. I will make the prophetic claim that Wisconsin (and I will actually name 50 other schools) will not win a football or basketball national title next year. Please crown me when this occurs. My guess is that you would have vastly underrated UW before the season started last year as well.

[HaroldinGMinor]

It's hilarious to me that people believe any of Bo's teams were significantly more athletic than the one from last year.

[Kerb Hohl]

It's hilarious to me that people believe any of Bo's teams were significantly more athletic than the one from last year.

The only thing I'll grant is that Trice is probably worse at getting to the basket than basically any PG in the past. Couple that with Davison being on the lower end of run-and-jump talent that they've had at the other guard and that is where problems were present. But it wasn't a wild difference. Plus, you had Iverson who was extremely talented in the athleticism department but was lacking in shooting/ball-handling to even things out.

[DingleJerry]

And really I'd probably say Trice's biggest issue in terms of getting to the hoop is how short he is, not so much that he isn't quick/athletic enough. He seems about roughly as shifty as past guys here, but he's 3-5 inches shorter. Maybe a bit less athletic, but nothing drastic. Just saying, his height is the real killer, plus it makes him really susceptible for traps when they try to ball screen for him.

Is Davison really less 'athletic' than Gasser or Brust? And those were our peak guys, rewind further to Hansen and Jarmusz etc and he's better.

[Kerb Hohl]

And really I'd probably say Trice's biggest issue in terms of getting to the hoop is how short he is, not so much that he isn't quick/athletic enough. He seems about roughly as shifty as past guys here, but he's 3-5 inches shorter. Maybe a bit less, but nothing drastic. Just saying, his height is the real killer, plus it makes him really susceptible for traps when they try to ball screen for him.

Is Davison really less 'athletic' than Gasser or Brust? And those were our peak guys, rewind further to Hansen and Jarmusz, etc.

Yeah his height seems very off. Listed at 6'0" but it feels like he's even shorter. Even if not, he does not have as much strength/leaping ability to make things happen down there. He's gotten stronger and can jump but almost every other guy was either tall/tough/or could jump to the point where they could create at the basket. Koenig might be one of the few exceptions but he basically scored layups by adding 2-3 3s a game by just being a taller PG that could shoot over his defender a lot. He barely went to the basket but was tall enough to get a few layups off in the games.

[TroyD92]

OT I guess, but is Lamelo Ball just tall Brandon Jennings ?