UW Athletic Department Takes My Advice

I am expecting my consulting check any day now from the UW Athletic Department. I've been telling people for years (and always meaning to pen it down on this site) that the Badgers need to form more of a rivalry with Northern Illinois. The Huskies and Badgers have had some competitive games in football and basketball over the past decade, and with both schools just 90 or so minutes away from each other, and with the University of Illinois refusing to play any in-state school that doesn't suck, regular meetings between the two schools should be mutually beneficial.

With that in mind, the Badgers and Huskies have agreed to 3 meetings over the next 5 seasons. The Huskies will fill the gap in the upcomming season by travelling to Madison on Oct 20th. In 2009 the Badgers will return the favor with a trip to DeKalb (yes, DeKalb) and then in 2011 the Badgers will once again host the Huskies.

I'm also hoping that both teams can ink an agreement for mens and womens basketball. How cool would a December double-dip at the new Sears Center in Hoffman Estates be?

Thumbs up to Barry, Bret and the boys in DeKalb for getting this on the books, oh and just make my check out to TR, thanks.

Are you reelin in the years?

A few months back Shawn gave a list of his top 10 Badger cagers of all time. I've been meaning to post mine for a while now (provided that by "all time" we mean "the last 15 years since I started following Wisconsin hoops), but not to be outdone I chose to list the top 15 players in 1st, 2nd and 3rd team format. Each team also has a bench guy (someone who ordinarily would not have made one of the top 3 teams) and a head coach and coaching staff for each time.

So without further ado, away we go:

1st Team:

Guards:
Devin Harris
Kirk Penney

Forwards:
Michael Finley
Alando Tucker

Center:
Mike Wilkinson

Bench:
Paul Grant

Head Coach:
Bo Ryan

Assistants:
Rob Jeter
Tony Bennett


Analysis: There can be no argument with the top 4. I chose Wilk over Griffith because he was a Badger for 4 years and the team had great success under him. I would envision this team pushing the ball up and down the floor and shooting a lot. Alando Tucker would play the post and school most power forwards thrown at him. Oh yeah, the other thing about this team: 4 of these guys actually played together and that 02-03 team was pretty good on their way to challenging Kentucky in the sweet 16.


2nd Team:

Guards:
Roy Boone
Ty Calderwood

Forwards:
Mike Kelley
Mark Vershaw

Center:
Rashard Griffith

Bench:
Jon Bryant

Head Coach:
Dick Bennett

Assistant:
Brad Soderberg


Analysis:
I'm sure some heads were raised by me picking Calderwood and Kelley over a guy like Tracy Webster. But remember that Ty Calderwood was a very solid floor leader dring his two playing years in Madison. In 97 Calderwood led the Badgers to the tourney, in 98 he was not with the team and the Badgers finished 10th. In 99 he came back and Wisconsin finished 4th in conference. And to be honest, if you look at the 98 and 99 teams there were only two additions to the 99 team- Calderwood and Jon Bryant. Calderwood was a great ball handler and a great on-court leader. He embodied silky smooth in a black and blue offense. Yes, as MB pointed out to me today, he completely crapped the bed in the 99 tourney game against Missouri State. Still Calderwood's on-court presence gives him the nod here.

As for Mike Kelley- I'm always torn on Kelley. He was another fantastic on-court leader. He also controlled the game and did not turn the ball over. However, he rarely made things happen on the offensive end. If Kelley's ppg average was 6-8 pts higher he would be considered one of the greatest Badgers of all time. Instead he is what he is- the basketball version of a shut down corner. When he was in the defensive zone- like he was in Salt Lake and Albuquerque in 2000 Kelley was 2 steps ahead of his opponents, and he did so with such little effort. Here is a guy who also knocked down his free throws and was a model citizen on and off the court. Every team needs a Mike Kelley, including my 2nd team.


3rd Team:

Guards:
Tracy Webster
Michael Flowers

Forwards:
Sam Okey
Brian Kelly

Center:
Brian Butch

Bench:
Mo Linton

Head Coach:
Stu Jackson

Assistant:
Stan Van Gundy


Probably some controversial picks here. Webster was a no-brainer, as was Flowers. This team would have solid guard play. Butch was also an easy choice over a guy like Grant who only spent one season in Madison. Linton off the bench as this team would need an energy guy who can play up front. I chose Kelly because this team needed a banger and he would bang more than any other PF I can remember.

But none of those names caught your eyes, right?

Sam Okey: There has never been a more hyped Wisconsin high schooler than Sam Okey. Dude was unfreakingstoppable at Cassville high school (at least that is what my cousin told me) and Wisconsin continued to ride its early 90's basketball momentum when he inked his letter of intent to play for Stan Van Gundy in Madison.

Only that even before the ink was dry it seemed like everything stopped going according to plan and went freaking crazy.

His coach was gone, a guy known for a slow-down offense was hired. Rashard left and Okey was THE MAN. There was no one left in the program at the time who anyone outside of the rabid Badger basketball fan could probably name: Mozelle Peterson? Jeremy Hall? Who are these guys.

And what did Okey do? He showed up and made an immediate contribution to Dick Bennett's first team. That team was devoid of talent, but they were not a bad team and they made the NIT. The next year thanks to the arrival of Ty Calderwood, the Badgers and Sam Okey made the NCAA tourney.

Okey was a difference maker, and although I still freaking hate the guy and list of 3 Badger teams from this period has to include the dude with the green (or was it just really weird blonde?) hair.

Pulling an Andy Garrett

When I was a freshman at Benet Academy in the mid 90's the boys basketball team had a huge home game against Naper North. Both teams were in the top 20 and having great years. The game was tight the entire way, but with Benet up 1 and with the ball Naper North was forced to foul senior center Andy Garrett. Garrett proceeded to the line for a 1-1 and, of course, missed the first shot. The Huskies came down the court and after a missed shot and a loose ball, one of their players calmly drilled a 3 pointer to give them a 2 point lead with 3 seconds left. Benet missed a last second shot and it was heartbreak city in Lisle, IL.

About a week or two later I was asked what was my #1 pet peeve. I might not have even known what pet peeve meant before then, but I answered rather quickly "Missing the front end of a 1 and 1"

Thanks a lot Kam.



What kills me about yesterday is the fact that we did everything we had to do to win the game:

Contain Oden: check
Not let them get hot from the outside: check
Stay in the game: check
No Huge droughts: check
Not take 3000 outside shots: check
get J-Boh the ball: check
Take the lead late: check
Get the d-stop needed: check
get a free throw shooter to the line: check
make the free throws: uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


And that is where it all went wrong. Did anyone not think the Buckeyes were going to score on that last posession? Did anyone actually think that after they did and there was only 3.9 seconds left that the Badgers would score? The Badgers would have been better off letting OSU score with 28 seconds left. I think us having the ball down 1 with 20 seconds or so to work would have set us up for a game winning score. Instead, the Badgers gave the home team a chance to make the last play- and they did. #1 or #2 teams make the plays when given the chance and when they are at home.


So where does that leave us besides depressed and with the feeling that we was robbed?

Well, the Badgers still have a shot at a #1 seed. 4 wins and we will be the #1 seed in Nellyville. 3 wins and we might still be able to get it done (the 3 wins would be our next 3, however, and either a close loss to OSU or someone else in the final- if OSU gets bounced early in Chicago and the Badgers make it to Sunday, the Badgers would get the advantage in my opinion. Wisconsin can also hope for 2 of the following "teams" to fail: Florida, UNC, Kansas/Tex A&M. Since only one of the Big 12 teams can win their tourney and really have a shot at a #1 seed, we only have to worry about one of them, but since both have such craptastic RPI ratings neither can afford to lose one more game. In addition, UNC might be in the same boat now that they have 5 losses, none to a team that will be a top 3 seed in two weeks.
Joe Lunardi still has the Badgers as a #1 seed, and while I trust Joe, I can't see it right now. Yet, while the Badgers were a projected #1 seed since early January, they were probably a little underrated in their seeding. Wisconsin right now has to be in the 3-6 range depending on who you talk to.

The bottom line is this: 4 wins and the Badgers will be the #1 or #2 overall seed. Lose in the Big 10 tourney final and there is probably a 50/50 chance that the Badgers are a #1 seed, maybe even in the STL.

Just dont make me utter the phrase Andy Garrett ever again, ok guys?

Tourney time is approaching

Conference tournaments start later this week (Go Winthrop!) and the Big 10 tourney is only 11 days away and yet predicting the seeding is virtually impossible. After today we'll probably have a good idea who #1 and #2 will be, and we know who #9-#11 will be (although the order is still up for grabs) however #3-#8 is a complete mess. Illinois could actually be the #3 seed, which would be a great relief to whichever team grabs the #6 seed. Indiana and Michigan St might face off in what would be a highly anticipated 4v5 showdown. Iowa still has a good shot at a spot in the 4v5 game too. Purdue could finish as the 8th seed. I know things are usually crazy going into the final week of the season, but this season appears to be especially crazy.

One thing I wanted to say, however, is that the conference needs to address the unbalanced schedule. Illinois might end up as the 3rd seed while not having to visit either Madison or Columbus. Michigan State could be the 6 seed while having to play the two best teams twice each. Indiana did not have to go to Madison and didnt have to play OSU in B-town.

The Pac-10 doesnt do a lot of things well, but give them credit. Every Pac 10 team plays every team twice. There are no advantages for anyone in this world of unbalanced schedules.

I really hope that the NCAA committee takes this into account when they consider Illinois' bid or Indiana's seeding. For instance, if the committee was considering Indiana and MSU for a 7 seed, with the other team getting an 8 seed, nobody would be able to convince me that MSU does not deserve that 7 seed over the Hoosiers who played a soft Big 10 schedule.

I would like to see the Big 10 adopt an 18 game conference schedule. Yes, this would not take care of the unbalanced schedule issue- I'm sure Illinois will only have to play MSU and Wisconsin once next year- but it would make a huge difference. Yes, most teams would lose 1 gate, but with the season starting earlier and earlier every year Illinois can schedule another game in November against South Dakota State to make up for their lost gate by having to play at Indiana.

Oh yeah, and if it seems like I am picking on the Illini, I am. This team has no business making the NCAA tournament unless they either win at Iowa or win 2 games in Chicago. Their best non-big 10 wins are Mizzou and Bradley, and both of those are on neutral courts. Their best big 10 wins are Indiana and MSU both in Champaign. They were crushed by Purdue and OSU when they played them and they are just really really bad. Yet it appears they are going to be dancing, probably a 10 seed, and are going to be a fantastic team to lay heavy money against in the first round. Wait, so why am I complaining then?

More to come on how I think the Big 10 will shake out, but it should be an entertaining final 8 days of the regular season.

The Leftside

According to several reports, former Badger Left Tackle Joe Thomas had a great day yesterday in Indianapolis at the scouting combine. While it appears that LSU QB Jamarcus Russell will be the #1 pick to Oakland, Thomas now appears to be the surefire #2 pick, either to Detroit or another team that trades up the #2.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneer magazine has been reporting that the Bucs are coveting Thomas, but that they have pretty much given up all hope of landing the franchise left tackle, especially now that the Bucs lost the coin flip with Cleveland and will be picking 4th. Even if Matt Millen makes a typical Millen pick and goes with a WR the Browns would probably gobble up Thomas in .7 seconds.

So congrats to Joe Thomas who will not only make a lot of money, but will be a commanding presence on the left side of the Lions offensive line for the next 10-15 years.