Iowa st, Nov 19th

[Fish]

BTW, and chance of including a new wrestling facility in the new football indoor practice facility(former shell)?  A new facility is needed ASAP


Yes!  a new wrestling room is the first thing that needs to happen,  UW has one of the worst facilities in the Big 10 and maybe the country.  I have seen a ton of high school rooms that are way better than UW.  If we want to recruit top level kids then we need to provide them with top level facilities.

[charteroak1]

I would probably agree with you Fish on the facilities.  I would say maybe Purdue, Northwestern and I'm not sure about Maryland's are worse.  Iowa and Illinois are getting new stand alone locations and you look at what Penn St, Minnesota, Michigan, Rutgers, and Nebraska have to work with and you see where wrestling ranks on the AD's list of priorities.  I just can't imagine you are building a new football facility next door and you can't figure out a way to include a new wrestling room.  It's much more cost effective to include it now vs. add it in the future.  Maybe we need to go back to the day of having a bowl-a-thon to raise funds for a new room.

[PAUL]

2023 has been a tough year for this program, I think most of us would agree with that.  However, when I see stuff about aging facilities and no plans to keep up with other programs in the conference (not including the ones at the very top) it is definitely worrisome.  A year or two blip is one thing, but these seem like potentially generational decisions which might relegate the program to second or even third tier status for a long, long time.  That wrestling could become an after-thought to an after-thought in a department which will always emphasize the big sports but which also has other very successful high-profile programs to "feed".  It would be a shame, a disaster really, if UW sunk to the bottom of the conference indefinitely.  It seems like the program is at a cross-roads on the mat and especially off of it.  I sure hope I'm way off base.... 

[Army Ant]

I can't say that Bono is a bad coach but for whatever reason(s) they've lost all momentum and clearly can't recruit the top in state kids. Probably need new facility, new coach or both. NIL (or lack of) may be a factor too.

[dad 2 5]

2023 has been a tough year for this program, I think most of us would agree with that.  However, when I see stuff about aging facilities and no plans to keep up with other programs in the conference (not including the ones at the very top) it is definitely worrisome.  A year or two blip is one thing, but these seem like potentially generational decisions which might relegate the program to second or even third tier status for a long, long time.  That wrestling could become an after-thought to an after-thought in a department which will always emphasize the big sports but which also has other very successful high-profile programs to "feed".  It would be a shame, a disaster really, if UW sunk to the bottom of the conference indefinitely.  It seems like the program is at a cross-roads on the mat and especially off of it.  I sure hope I'm way off base.... 

Well said Paul and with the annual push for baseball (I'm not one of those guy, not a baseball fan at all!) it is dangerous ground indeed. 

[wrestlemania]

Honestly if I was Bono I would find another school to coach at and save what was left of my reputation. Because if nothing is being done on the facilities question i.e. a new wrestling room or NIL and I simply cannot reconcile with Askren or the other club coaches in the state then why stick around? Why continue to ruin your reputation? You may have to go to a program outside the Big Ten but so what? Better to be far away from Madison and have a chance to be successful than to stay and keep pushing the stone up the hill until retirement. It's not worth it.

I wasn't surprised by the loss but was taken aback at how uncompetitive UW was (especially Barnett). This certainly wasn't what people were expecting at this point in Bono's tenure. It's really disappointing and really sickening to think some petty dispute with a club coach can do this but that's reality. I will also point out Reader was on the same bench as Bono against ISU so why anyone would think he would be ready to be head coach right now is beyond me. I mean, are people mentioning Becker because at least he gets a long with Ben and Max? Fine then. He can be their puppet I guess. I don't know what good it will do and the same problems with roster numbers, facilities and funding will still be there no matter who the hetman is and unless the Askrens have answers for those questions, UW probably won't be any better. I mean you can say "They'll recruit more in-state talent" and I'm sure they will. But putting that talent in the same situation that's existed for UW wrestling since time immemorial, just wastes it and we've seen all to often over many, many years.

   

[PAUL]

Dad, I did not bring up Baseball but you definitely could guess where I was heading - people should not think that couldn't happen to wrestling.  Again, I hope I'm wrong but I fear that the new schools coming into the conference might present a convenient opportunity to "examine" or "study" existing programs which could be educational bureaucracy code-speak for "something is going to get cut".... 

[Ghetto]

Reader has tied himself to Bono. Bono's issues are his issues. That's going to be an issue going forward for him.

Like it or not, any new coach is going to have to kiss the ring, or at least be acceptable to AWA.

Getting shut out is a problem.

[leg turk]

Reader has tied himself to Bono. Bono's issues are his issues. That's going to be an issue going forward for him.

Like it or not, any new coach is going to have to kiss the ring, or at least be acceptable to AWA.

Getting shut out is a problem.

Say it ain't so Joe.

[charteroak1]

Thankfully, I think as long as McIntoch is AD you will not see the wrestling team be cut, especially with his background. 

[hornbuckleb]

Start a Womens Program if you want a new facility.

Next Head Coach

[charteroak1]

Baby steps hornbuckleb.  I'd be happy with a heated shed that can house at least three + full mats without posts in the middle of the room. 

I do like where you're going with that though.   

[Hungus]

BTW, and chance of including a new wrestling facility in the new football indoor practice facility(former shell)?  A new facility is needed ASAP


Yes!  a new wrestling room is the first thing that needs to happen,  UW has one of the worst facilities in the Big 10 and maybe the country.  I have seen a ton of high school rooms that are way better than UW.  If we want to recruit top level kids then we need to provide them with top level facilities.

I heard from a Dad whose sone recently took an official at UW, they were told a new room is planned as part of the new Football facility.

That kid committed elsewhere due to the current room and his club affiliation.

[MNbadger]

Start a Womens Program if you want a new facility.

Next Head Coach

Why do you think Brandvold would leave MN for WI?  He has put down roots with his young family and his outside opportunities are better in the TC.  MN was lucky to get him and they know it. 

[hornbuckleb]

Start a Womens Program if you want a new facility.

Next Head Coach

Why do you think Brandvold would leave MN for WI?  He has put down roots with his young family and his outside opportunities are better in the TC.  MN was lucky to get him and they know it. 

I agree, but what makes you think that he would not leave. I am sure it would be a tough decision, but if he was to get offered the HC position at Wisconsin I would assume he would have a hard time turning it down.

He could even bring Troy back to Wisconsin and revitalize a defunct WRTC.  I believe Troy's daughter is a freshman at UW Parkside.


Alumni
Knows Wisconisn Youth
Knows Wisconsin HS
Knows WWF
Knows Wisconsin Club Coaches
Get's along with Askren's

Deringer as an assistant....

If Chris decides to make a change I would expect Trevor to be in the short list