Question for a Badger

Unknownbadger said:
I'm also an Iowa fan, having lived in the state for 17 years. The OP asked a decent question and I without any acrimony decently answered it. Why the issue?
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It's not an issue...Just if I want to ask a question for Badger fans, I'd start with their message board...not a Iowa board with only one representative of the Badgers here.

Just me though.
 
deanvogs said:
The issue is KF has been here 18 years. There is a certain level of fatigue that is involved with that long of tenure. Barry Alvarez had up years and down years. Barry won 10 games in year 4, but then fell right back to 7, 4, 8, and 8 win seasons before going on a three year run of 11, 10 and 9 wins. He then dipped back to 5, 8 and 7 wins before winning 9 and 10 and then becoming AD.

When you coach as long as they did/have there are ups and downs over 16 or 18 years. Some don't feel that a coach who wins 7 or 8 games isn't doing a good enough job, the program is settling for mediocrity and have a shit fit all around. Yet Barry only exceeded 8 wins 6 times in 16 years. 10 times he won 8 games or less.
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I agree. Barry's real claim to fame is that he turned the bottom feeder of the Big Ten into a winner, filled the stands, and got us two Rose Bowl wins back to back. Even with that success, our recruiting success tended to depend on the Wisconsin HS class at the time. What he did do was define a working system that carried through the Bielema and Chryst years. Andersen deviated a bit (pretty much ignored recruiting Wisconsin in favor of SW kids) but he still had the backbone of the system in place.

I do agree with the poster who said he thought Ferentz seems to be awfully conservative on game day. However, that may be because he thinks that's the best way for his team to win. In general, power football is rather conservative. That seems to be what Iowa AND Wisconsin hang their hats on.
 
rschneider said:
It's not an issue...Just if I want to ask a question for Badger fans, I'd start with their message board...not a Iowa board with only one representative of the Badgers here.

Just me though.
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That would be a mistake. There's guys there, one in particular, who would not be nice.
 
rschneider said:
It's not an issue...Just if I want to ask a question for Badger fans, I'd start with their message board...not a Iowa board with only one representative of the Badgers here.

Just me though.
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You know what I think the biggest difference between Wisconsin and Iowa has been over the last 10-12 years? Chryst has been the OC for most. The guy AND the offensive staff has a keen understanding of how to maximize the talent he's had on that side of the ball. And he's been smart enough to know how to roll that into the D's strengths (lately the D has been dictating).
 
Unknownbadger said:
You know what I think the biggest difference between Wisconsin and Iowa has been over the last 10-12 years? Chryst has been the OC for most. The guy AND the offensive staff has a keen understanding of how to maximize the talent he's had on that side of the ball. And he's been smart enough to know how to roll that into the D's strengths (lately the D has been dictating).
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I can agree with this. Wisconsin has had some quality coordinators. They are always in high demand. I think that another subtle difference has been that Wisconsin has simply had several better skill players on the offensive side. Wilson, Abberderis, Gordon, Kendricks. The line play has been excellent for both schools and defenses are always stout. A few better skill players here and there and Wisconsin is a little better over the last decade. Just a little bit though.
 
I hate several B10 programs, but I have always had a ton of respect for Wisconsin.
They have consistently posted tremendous seasons in both FB and basketball, competing strongly among the national elite programs. They have done things in recent years that many Hawkeye fans would kill for (Rose Bowl wins, Final Fours, etc)
 
The Big LeHAWKski said:
I hate several B10 programs, but I have always had a ton of respect for Wisconsin.
They have consistently posted tremendous seasons in both FB and basketball, competing strongly among the national elite programs. They have done things in recent years that many Hawkeye fans would kill for (Rose Bowl wins, Final Fours, etc)
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They haven't won the Rose Bowl since 2000, which is certainly more recent than Iowa but not too recent.
 
They have been in the game a few more times though over the last 20+ years. Since Alvarez took over in '90 Wisconsin has appeared in 15 January Bowl games, Iowa 11. That's actually pretty good for both teams. In those games, Wisconsin was 8-7, and Iowa 4-7.

And here's another stat that SHOULD make most of both teams fans smile, in that 27 year period Wisconsin has appeared in a Bowl game 22 times and Iowa 20. We both may not always be great but we're always pretty good.

Is that mediocrity by both teams? A few would say that. There's a lot of fans out there that wouldn't. I was one in the 60's and late 80's would have loved to have that mediocrity.
 
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Unknownbadger said:
Chryst will die a Badger or get fired. His younger years growing up were in Madison. His dad coached at Madison Edgewood until getting the HC position at UW-Platteville. There is nowhere else he would want to go. He's making enough money that I don't think that money would make him leave. As for the previous two, both told a couple stories to justify their moves. Bielema said that he couldn't pay his assistants enough to keep him home. That said, the pockets are awfully deep at Arkansas and he can't keep them there either. Andersen blamed our Admittance standards. That too is somewhat true, Wisconsin doesn't take guys who can barely make the NCAA standards. Others wouldn't take those he tried to get in either and many ended up taking JC route.

They thought were "greener pastures". The after thought, Bielema is one of the most overpaid HCs in college football. Andersen is struggling at Oregon State to get kids past their Admissions Department.
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I agree with what you state. He seems like a guy there for a long haul. Alvarez will probably retire first.
 
Unknownbadger said:
They have been in the game a few more times though over the last 20+ years. Since Alvarez took over in '90 Wisconsin has appeared in 15 January Bowl games, Iowa 11. That's actually pretty good for both teams. In those games, Wisconsin was 8-7, and Iowa 4-7.

And here's another stat that SHOULD make most of both teams fans smile, in that 27 year period Wisconsin has appeared in a Bowl game 22 times and Iowa 20. We both may not always be great but we're always pretty good.

Is that mediocrity by both teams? A few would say that. There's a lot of fans out there that wouldn't. I was one in the 60's and late 80's would have loved to have that mediocrity.
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And the games between the two schools are always tough. Great game to watch when they play.
 
My favorite out of town game to go to is Iowa. I love taking the shuttle from the Mall to the stadium. Iowa fans always give you a razzing going. If the Badgers win, you get to turn the tables a bit. ALL GOOD NATURED. And there's a nice Bar and Grill on the other end of the trip to soak up your disappointment or puff up your chest a little with a victory.
 
Unknownbadger said:
I agree. Barry's real claim to fame is that he turned the bottom feeder of the Big Ten into a winner, filled the stands, and got us two Rose Bowl wins back to back. Even with that success, our recruiting success tended to depend on the Wisconsin HS class at the time. What he did do was define a working system that carried through the Bielema and Chryst years. Andersen deviated a bit (pretty much ignored recruiting Wisconsin in favor of SW kids) but he still had the backbone of the system in place.

I do agree with the poster who said he thought Ferentz seems to be awfully conservative on game day. However, that may be because he thinks that's the best way for his team to win. In general, power football is rather conservative. That seems to be what Iowa AND Wisconsin hang their hats on.
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You think Wisky's basketball and football success are predicated on Wisconsin high school talent???

I would strongly disagree with that.
 
It provides the backbone and fills in the cracks. Even at the skill positions where we don't find too many Wisconsin players with All anything talent, we find some that give us depth and often great value. If you were to look at our AA's over the last 20+ years, you'd find that almost half come from Wisconsin. You'd find that many of our All-B1G players come from Wisconsin as well. Here's an example of what I'm talking about in the last year that Chryst, Bostad, and Rudloph were here before going to Pitt. 7 of the 17 players that got awards of any kind were from Wisconsin, and 1 had family here. 8 of 14 in 2014.

This also holds true in basketball.
 
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Unknownbadger said:
It provides the backbone and fills in the cracks. Even at the skill positions where we don't find too many Wisconsin players with All anything talent, we find some that give us depth and often great value. If you were to look at our AA's over the last 20+ years, you'd find that almost half come from Wisconsin. You'd find that many of our All-B1G players come from Wisconsin as well. Here's an example of what I'm talking about in the last year that Chryst, Bostad, and Rudloph were here before going to Pitt. 7 of the 17 players that got awards of any kind were from Wisconsin, and 1 had family here. 8 of 14 in 2014.

This also holds true in basketball.
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Oh I realize schools like Iowa and Wisconsin have done wonderful things with local talent (Melvin Gordon grrrrrrrr) . . . but if Wisconsin's local talent was driving your success then why wasn't Wisconsin any good before the 1990s in football or basketball? (a little harsh but you know what I mean) I'm sure the state had talent before that time frame. I'll tell you why greatness eluded them. Coaching. You remove Barry Alvarez from Wisconsin's history, and you guys would not be where you currently are. I also think the success of your programs has fueled the dreams and ambitions of local boyz creating a positive feedback loop between Wisconsin high schools and Badger sports. I've seen this phenomena in Iowa as well. The more kids witness Hawkeye success, the harder they push themselves to become a part of it.
 
Joshbrown said:
Oh I realize schools like Iowa and Wisconsin have done wonderful things with local talent (Melvin Gordon grrrrrrrr) . . . but if Wisconsin's local talent was driving your success then why wasn't Wisconsin any good before the 1990s in football or basketball? (a little harsh but you know what I mean) I'm sure the state had talent before that time frame. I'll tell you why greatness eluded them. Coaching. You remove Barry Alvarez from Wisconsin's history, and you guys would not be where you currently are. I also think the success of your programs has fueled the dreams and ambitions of local boyz creating a positive feedback loop between Wisconsin high schools and Badger sports. I've seen this phenomena in Iowa as well. The more kids witness Hawkeye success, the harder they push themselves to become a part of it.
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Much of that talent was going to programs like Iowa, Nebraska, UM, and even Texas. Marquette and Iowa in basketball. Where do you think Johnson and freddie Brown came from? Actually, Dave McClain had us going in the right direction until his untimely death, but certainly the school's President Shalala's increased emphasis on sports,the hiring of Richter as AD, then his hiring of Alvarez and Ryan were significant. . Alvarez had little to nothing to do with the hiring of Ryan.
 
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I haven't had any trouble with it. Even when you were kicking our butts year after year. It's always been a program I respected for its toughness. Haven't always felt the same about the basketball program. I might come around eventually. ;)

You guys have always had the same walls to climb as Wisconsin. Just on the outside and wanting to get in.
 
I've never been able to do that with another rival in any sport, but I haven't lived in both states.

And, I can't root for Iowa State.
 
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