Badgers vs. IU

[wrastle63]

If we as a wrestling community in WI continue to make excuses as to why we can't be a power house we never will be.  I for one think we can become one of the best states for wrestling but if everyone doesn't have that attitude it will never happen.  All the great teams in collage would never have the idea that they couldn't be great enter their mind...ever...even when they were not at the top.

As for Alverez, I think of it differently...I do think he cares...I believe he cares about all the sports at WI and their success.  However, there is a lot to be said about friendships...and long term friendships at that.

'

I didn't say Alvarez doesn't care.  I said wrestling is down his list of priorities being a non-revenue sport, and not our most successful non-revenue sports.  I'm sure personal friendships do matter...as do all the things I mentioned earlier.  Friendship or not, if Barry Davis brought with him any conflict or issues at all he wouldn't be around today based upon the lackluster results on the mat.  Not something Barry wants to deal with in his non-revenue sports.  But Barry Davis is a good guy, doesn't bring drama with him, runs a clean program, and they compete...although not at a level we want.

I know our high school head coach shares Ben Askren's BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) of making the state of Wisconsin a wrestling powerhouse.  We talk about it all the time.  We're currently working on our own BHAGs as a program, but we have to be honest that the state of Wisconsin isn't anywhere near the point of being a national wrestling powerhouse at the present time.  Ten years from now we might be singing a different tune and I hope we are!

I'll say it, I don't think Alvarez cares at all.  If he cared, a change would have been made a long time ago.  He's seen an empty Fieldhouse for duals all the time since he's been at UW.  I turn on the BTN and watch an OSU/Iowa dual that has 15,000+ fans and Urban Meyer sitting matsid!.  OK, so the supporters will talk about all the great advantages that OSU has and that we can't possibly think UW could ever measure up to those great programs, fine.  How about Rutgers then?  Watched their dual against PSU and that place was full and rockin!  Are expectations too high to want to be like Rutgers, SD State, etc?

I don't think he cares about how competitive the team is compared to the big boys. I think he cares about a low-maintenance program. The sad thing is, we're going the way of Indiana with lower HS numbers of wrestlers in an already numbers poor state. I honestly don't think we'd get 15,000 if we were a top 3 team. I really don't. You and I would show up, Barou, along with the wrestling faithful of badgerland. 5,000 would be impressive for us.

But, the reason I like Ben is that I believe he'd be both the great coach AND the great promoter. He's just different. A little nuts, but nuts like a fox. Okay, maybe that didn't translate the way I wanted it.

I doubt Alvarez sees things as we do. Can't blame him. Rather be secure than to go for it. Still, I would hope that WI would go for the gold, no matter the sport.

It would be a great day if demand was high enough to move a dual to the Kohl Center. 

I think EVERYONE can agree with that Barou!!!

[bigG]

If we as a wrestling community in WI continue to make excuses as to why we can't be a power house we never will be.  I for one think we can become one of the best states for wrestling but if everyone doesn't have that attitude it will never happen.  All the great teams in collage would never have the idea that they couldn't be great enter their mind...ever...even when they were not at the top.

As for Alverez, I think of it differently...I do think he cares...I believe he cares about all the sports at WI and their success.  However, there is a lot to be said about friendships...and long term friendships at that.

'

I didn't say Alvarez doesn't care.  I said wrestling is down his list of priorities being a non-revenue sport, and not our most successful non-revenue sports.  I'm sure personal friendships do matter...as do all the things I mentioned earlier.  Friendship or not, if Barry Davis brought with him any conflict or issues at all he wouldn't be around today based upon the lackluster results on the mat.  Not something Barry wants to deal with in his non-revenue sports.  But Barry Davis is a good guy, doesn't bring drama with him, runs a clean program, and they compete...although not at a level we want.

I know our high school head coach shares Ben Askren's BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) of making the state of Wisconsin a wrestling powerhouse.  We talk about it all the time.  We're currently working on our own BHAGs as a program, but we have to be honest that the state of Wisconsin isn't anywhere near the point of being a national wrestling powerhouse at the present time.  Ten years from now we might be singing a different tune and I hope we are!

I'll say it, I don't think Alvarez cares at all.  If he cared, a change would have been made a long time ago.  He's seen an empty Fieldhouse for duals all the time since he's been at UW.  I turn on the BTN and watch an OSU/Iowa dual that has 15,000+ fans and Urban Meyer sitting matsid!.  OK, so the supporters will talk about all the great advantages that OSU has and that we can't possibly think UW could ever measure up to those great programs, fine.  How about Rutgers then?  Watched their dual against PSU and that place was full and rockin!  Are expectations too high to want to be like Rutgers, SD State, etc?

I don't think he cares about how competitive the team is compared to the big boys. I think he cares about a low-maintenance program. The sad thing is, we're going the way of Indiana with lower HS numbers of wrestlers in an already numbers poor state. I honestly don't think we'd get 15,000 if we were a top 3 team. I really don't. You and I would show up, Barou, along with the wrestling faithful of badgerland. 5,000 would be impressive for us.

But, the reason I like Ben is that I believe he'd be both the great coach AND the great promoter. He's just different. A little nuts, but nuts like a fox. Okay, maybe that didn't translate the way I wanted it.

I doubt Alvarez sees things as we do. Can't blame him. Rather be secure than to go for it. Still, I would hope that WI would go for the gold, no matter the sport.

It would be a great day if demand was high enough to move a dual to the Kohl Center. 

It would; but it'd be the folks who post on here, another bunch (maybe 1,000) who don't post on here, and a mess of crickets. I love the barn. Gets depresing when the crowd can't even heat up the barn.

[dman]

I agree with what most are saying about Alverez....I am probably just not typing what my exact thoughts are appropriately....I think Alverez does care about results more than a just weather or not the program is causing "headaches" and is "clean"...the way I see it, he wants all of the above; however, will settle for a mediocre team that is "clean" and doesn't cause "headaches" because of his personal relationship with BD. 

I believe...without any first hand knowledge whatsoever....that Alverez would love to have a top tier wrestling program even if it meant they caused a few "headaches" caused because the coach maybe a radical thinker in some ways.    What I do like about Alverez is that is "SEEMS" like most of his programs are "clean"....do I believe they are...no way!! 

Back to my main point...WI will never be a powerhouse in wrestling at any level if all we do as a wrestling community is continue to make excuses as to why we can't.  By the way, please help me understand how we are a "basketball" state??

[bigG]

Whether is UW, Marquette or UW MIlwaukee, they get numbers, numbers mean $. I'd bet that PSU gets less numbers for a wrestling dual than a hoops game; but I bet they compete with hoops. IA sure does. Since the Dick Bennett successes, UW has been a basketball school. Our state sure seems to take a whole lot more interest in basketball than wrestling. Wrestling #s are going down, big time, in WI; which is why I feel a bit of desperation for Ben at UW and a push for high school wrestling.

Maybe you'd prefer , instead of calling us a basketball state, a very very very average wrestling state. Maybe we're more of a bowling/curling state.

[Barou]

Whether is UW, Marquette or UW MIlwaukee, they get numbers, numbers mean $. I'd bet that PSU gets less numbers for a wrestling dual than a hoops game; but I bet they compete with hoops. IA sure does. Since the Dick Bennett successes, UW has been a basketball school. Our state sure seems to take a whole lot more interest in basketball than wrestling. Wrestling #s are going down, big time, in WI; which is why I feel a bit of desperation for Ben at UW and a push for high school wrestling.

Maybe you'd prefer , instead of calling us a basketball state, a very very very average wrestling state. Maybe we're more of a bowling/curling state.

Ben could do for wrestling what Sheffield is doing for volleyball.  Pretty sure HS volleyball in WI isn't exactly pumping out D1 talent.

[bigG]

Agree 100%. 8 years ago I would have used the security blanket of "don't wanna get worse." Well, I don't think we could sink too much deeper. If we did, though, I'd like to think we took a shot at greatness.

[billymurphy]

Very similar final score against Nebraska as Indiana did against the Badgers.
125
Elijah Oliver (Indiana) over Mitch Maginnis (Nebraska) (SV-1 3-1)

133
Garrett Pepple (Indiana) over Brian Peska (Nebraska) (Fall 1:56)

141
Cole Weaver (Indiana) over Chad Red (Nebraska) (TB-1 6-5)

149
Colton McCrystal (Nebraska) over Alajandro Raya (Indiana) (MD 15-3)
157
Tyler Berger (Nebraska) over Austin Holmes (Indiana) (Fall 2:16)
165
Isaiah White (Nebraska) over Dillion Hoey (Indiana) (Fall 0:40)
174
Devin Skatzka (Indiana) over Beau Breske (Nebraska) (Dec 8-3)
184
Taylor Venz (Nebraska) over Norman Conley (Indiana) (MD 12-2)
197
Eric Schultz (Nebraska) over Jake Kleimola (Indiana) (Dec 6-4)
285
Fletcher Miller (Indiana) over Patrick Grayson (Nebraska) (Dec 5-2)

[bigG]

Agree 100%. 8 years ago I would have used the security blanket of "don't wanna get worse." Well, I don't think we could sink too much deeper. If we did, though, I'd like to think we took a shot at greatness.

I really wonder, for the recruits we do get, how many are Barry and how many are UW? When a bunch of them put "I always wanted to wrestle for the Badgers" on their little interview thing, is that just something you say? Could be. Or, it could be that the program in-and-of itself pulls in recruits, and Barry is adding very little above-and-beyond that.

There's just no good way to tell, but it's certainly possible.

Interesting. When I present schools to kids for tours and the like, aside from giving them the basic entrance expectations like ACT, GPA, rank, etc., I like to find something that the school uses to sell itself. "best research school in the midwest" (which is almost meaningless) WI has their US News and World Report ranking of 25 on earth , along with Nobel prize winners, etc. Kids are blown away by the rank of 25 on earth (one year, I think it was 22). They've just got it all.Best entrepreneurial business school, genetics, you name it, WI is good at it, it seems. I love to visit U of M-Minne; but , as nice as it is, many more competitive kids won';t even top 3 it. Nor Iowa, Ill, etc. Looks like Medbery did okay. I wonder how many are like him and are really on board for the education, as well as wrestling.