Badgers under Bono

[The Legend]

Lack of funding?  Doesn't Bono get paid 3 times as much as Davis did?  From the jump.  And doesn't he also have a larger budget to operate with?  The first is definitely true the second though is perception.  Let's be clear on some thing's Bono is working with a different playing ground than did B. Davis.  Some of you like to talk how some schools have more Transfers.  I'm not sure most teams are like the Badgers in trying to fill starting roles with Transfers.  Have the Badgers not been plugging one or two starting spots with Transfers for the last 3 or 4 seasons?  In year 5 you would think Bono would have developed starters and not need to go get 6th year transfers.  Bono has definitely done a better job at marketing the program.  And honestly, I believe his strength is recruiting. But if we are talking about developing wrestlers to me there is no question B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited than has C.Bono.

[Healthy and happy]

I agree it is a lateral move at best at this point from Barry to Bono.  I expected better results by now from Bono/Reader.  That it looks like UW is trending the same as 6 years ago, yet now the ability to use the transfer portal presents more as a regression IMO. Simply put Davis did the same as Bono is doing now without the advantage of being able to get 2-3 starters/year via the portal.

Being a Big Ten program, a great campus and yet running neck and neck in the rankings to mid-major SDSU where Bono/Reader left is unfortunate.


With a little better health, these comments would be mute.  The portal is now the way of life but also realize why some kids are in the portal. There is a multitude of reasons, the hard part is finding the right kids for your program. With NIL the really good kids in the portal are wanted to get paid!!!
Now the comment about ranking UW with mid major SDSU is a crazy comment, mean spirited.  SDSU would likely only be able to compete with a couple of the bottoms teams in the Big Ten.  In some polls they are unranked as a tournament team

[neutral]

A great example of a coach getting people better right now is Nick Becker at UW Parkside.  Look at his guys year over year results.  Pretty impressive how much better those guys have gotten in a really short window of time.

Ben - I agree that Becker is an awesome coach - but he also benefits from great in-state roster support ...

[hornbuckleb]

A great example of a coach getting people better right now is Nick Becker at UW Parkside.  Look at his guys year over year results.  Pretty impressive how much better those guys have gotten in a really short window of time.

Ben - I agree that Becker is an awesome coach - but he also benefits from great in-state roster support ...

I think you are missing the point here.

[hornbuckleb]

Lack of funding?  Doesn't Bono get paid 3 times as much as Davis did?  From the jump.  And doesn't he also have a larger budget to operate with?  The first is definitely true the second though is perception.  Let's be clear on some thing's Bono is working with a different playing ground than did B. Davis.  Some of you like to talk how some schools have more Transfers.  I'm not sure most teams are like the Badgers in trying to fill starting roles with Transfers.  Have the Badgers not been plugging one or two starting spots with Transfers for the last 3 or 4 seasons?  In year 5 you would think Bono would have developed starters and not need to go get 6th year transfers.  Bono has definitely done a better job at marketing the program.  And honestly, I believe his strength is recruiting. But if we are talking about developing wrestlers to me there is no question B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited than has C.Bono.

100% on point

[neutral]

A great example of a coach getting people better right now is Nick Becker at UW Parkside.  Look at his guys year over year results.  Pretty impressive how much better those guys have gotten in a really short window of time.

Ben - I agree that Becker is an awesome coach - but he also benefits from great in-state roster support ...

I think you are missing the point here.

Think it through ...

[hornbuckleb]

A great example of a coach getting people better right now is Nick Becker at UW Parkside.  Look at his guys year over year results.  Pretty impressive how much better those guys have gotten in a really short window of time.

Ben - I agree that Becker is an awesome coach - but he also benefits from great in-state roster support ...

I think you are missing the point here.

Think it through ...

Oh I have...

1-7 in the Big and this weekends Last Chance Open results has nothing to to do with Ben.  Hoping the Badgers have a big March.

[bigoil]

Lack of funding?  Doesn't Bono get paid 3 times as much as Davis did?  From the jump.  And doesn't he also have a larger budget to operate with?  The first is definitely true the second though is perception.  Let's be clear on some thing's Bono is working with a different playing ground than did B. Davis.  Some of you like to talk how some schools have more Transfers.  I'm not sure most teams are like the Badgers in trying to fill starting roles with Transfers.  Have the Badgers not been plugging one or two starting spots with Transfers for the last 3 or 4 seasons?  In year 5 you would think Bono would have developed starters and not need to go get 6th year transfers.  Bono has definitely done a better job at marketing the program.  And honestly, I believe his strength is recruiting. But if we are talking about developing wrestlers to me there is no question B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited than has C.Bono.

100% on point

How is that on point, budget is greater, so Bono can use his salary to build a new wrestling room? Should be not be paid what market is for a BIG coach?

The badgers have 2 or 3 transfers (2 starting). Missouri has I believe 5.

Now you are going to use last chance tournament where guys are wrestling up a weight to judge success of the program?1-7 so you should expect them to be 13th in the BIG tourney and about 30th at NCAA.

How about you actually watch the matches, see the improvement from guy to guy. See the energy on the team, in the FieldHouse, talk to the other coaches and wrestlers. I can tell you Spencer Lee does not think Eric Barnett has not grown after talking to him during the Iowa match. Mr. Sanderson had a ton of respect for the program talking to him as did the Brands brothers as they were there for the record crowd and would have been easy to say it was because of them and they deflected to how great it is to see UW getting back to being great.

[The Legend]

You must be having two separate conversations in your head.  I never said a word about the last chance tournament. There you go again with Missouri has 5 so and so has 12.  Look the Badgers use the portal to fill starting spots.  Can you deny this?  My whole point on that topic is you wouldn't have to if you were developing your own guys better.  I didn't say guys were not improving I said I felt B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited Moreso than Bono.   And I watch the matches very intently!  Thank you.   If you do an honest assessment, you will see B.Davis last 5 years compared to C.Bono first 5 years are very similar.  Not sure how I feel about that to be honest.  It's not terrible.

[bigoil]

You must be having two separate conversations in your head.  I never said a word about the last chance tournament. There you go again with Missouri has 5 so and so has 12.  Look the Badgers use the portal to fill starting spots.  Can you deny this?  My whole point on that topic is you wouldn't have to if you were developing your own guys better.  I didn't say guys were not improving I said I felt B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited Moreso than Bono.   And I watch the matches very intently!  Thank you.   If you do an honest assessment, you will see B.Davis last 5 years compared to C.Bono first 5 years are very similar.  Not sure how I feel about that to be honest.  It's not terrible.

I was talking to Bob with that comment so nice try. Most NCAA programs use the portal to fill spots, heck that's not even limited to wrestling. What team is doing such a great job at developing their own that they don't use the portal?

PSU? Their top two weights are transfers.

[Vir Fortis]

Lack of funding?  Doesn't Bono get paid 3 times as much as Davis did?  From the jump.  And doesn't he also have a larger budget to operate with?  The first is definitely true the second though is perception.  Let's be clear on some thing's Bono is working with a different playing ground than did B. Davis.  Some of you like to talk how some schools have more Transfers. I'm not sure most teams are like the Badgers in trying to fill starting roles with Transfers.  Have the Badgers not been plugging one or two starting spots with Transfers for the last 3 or 4 seasons?  In year 5 you would think Bono would have developed starters and not need to go get 6th year transfers.  Bono has definitely done a better job at marketing the program.  And honestly, I believe his strength is recruiting. But if we are talking about developing wrestlers to me there is no question B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited than has C.Bono.

They definitely are. Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska(just 1-3). They've all got transfers in the lineup right now.

I'm not sure why you think Wisconsin is unique in this. As a result, your following statements hold a bit less water.

[vsmf2010]

Lack of funding?  Doesn't Bono get paid 3 times as much as Davis did?  From the jump.  And doesn't he also have a larger budget to operate with?  The first is definitely true the second though is perception.  Let's be clear on some thing's Bono is working with a different playing ground than did B. Davis.  Some of you like to talk how some schools have more Transfers. I'm not sure most teams are like the Badgers in trying to fill starting roles with Transfers.  Have the Badgers not been plugging one or two starting spots with Transfers for the last 3 or 4 seasons?  In year 5 you would think Bono would have developed starters and not need to go get 6th year transfers.  Bono has definitely done a better job at marketing the program.  And honestly, I believe his strength is recruiting. But if we are talking about developing wrestlers to me there is no question B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited than has C.Bono.

They definitely are. Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska(just 1-3). They've all got transfers in the lineup right now.

I'm not sure why you think Wisconsin is unique in this. As a result, your following statements hold a bit less water.

Happening to be looking at this earlier today so I thought I would share

Wrestlestat tournament ranking, school and starters that are transfers

#1 – Penn St – (2) Dean, Kerkvliet
#2 – Nebraska – (4) Cronin, Burwick, Morton, Davidson
#3 – Iowa – (2) Teske, Woods

[Vir Fortis]

I must be watching a different product than the rest of you.

We have 5 legit chances of AA.
The environment is the best I've experienced even back to the 80's.
The style is explosive for the most of the wrestlers.

Did we lose some duals we shouldn't have, yes, that's frustrating. Down a top 2 wrestler it is tough to win, you seen that even with Iowa.

I would say depth is a concern but when we put our 10 best out there, we are a top team.

Side note, Lamont is also coming along the last couple of meets, not sure if it was an injury, getting used to weight but he looks much better.

Therein lies the problem. I fear many of the detractors are simply reading the final scores, no context and then passing judgement.

You shouldn't be so reliant on one athlete...but it's the B1G and you are. There's ONE team that can afford to take their best Wrestler out and still win just about every duel?

[Vir Fortis]

Lack of funding?  Doesn't Bono get paid 3 times as much as Davis did?  From the jump.  And doesn't he also have a larger budget to operate with?  The first is definitely true the second though is perception.  Let's be clear on some thing's Bono is working with a different playing ground than did B. Davis.  Some of you like to talk how some schools have more Transfers. I'm not sure most teams are like the Badgers in trying to fill starting roles with Transfers.  Have the Badgers not been plugging one or two starting spots with Transfers for the last 3 or 4 seasons?  In year 5 you would think Bono would have developed starters and not need to go get 6th year transfers.  Bono has definitely done a better job at marketing the program.  And honestly, I believe his strength is recruiting. But if we are talking about developing wrestlers to me there is no question B.Davis did a better job developing the wrestlers he recruited than has C.Bono.

They definitely are. Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska(just 1-3). They've all got transfers in the lineup right now.

I'm not sure why you think Wisconsin is unique in this. As a result, your following statements hold a bit less water.

Happening to be looking at this earlier today so I thought I would share

Wrestlestat tournament ranking, school and starters that are transfers

#1 – Penn St – (2) Dean, Kerkvliet
#2 – Nebraska – (4) Cronin, Burwick, Morton, Davidson
#3 – Iowa – (2) Teske, Woods

Appreciate you putting names to my 'yeah-huh, but I'm too lazy to look them all up,' reply.

There are 6 solid AAs in there. So it's hard for me to get upset about Gomez(who was done Wrestling until he decided to come back) or Lamont...who's winning some big matches as of late. I wonder what Michigan's looked like last year?

How many transfers or 7th year Wrestlers made up that roster? Not that there's anything wrong with that...just doubt UM of complaining about it.

[The Legend]

Well, it's easy to look past my larger point and want to nitpick over the transfer statement.  I will go ahead and comment on it, however.  The past 5 years the Badgers have had 2019 1, 2020 4, 2021 1, 2022 3, and this season 2 transfers in the starting lineup.  To my larger point I was making in comparing Bono and Davis not Wisconsin and Every other program like you fellas like to do.  Bono is working with a different landscape than Barry did.  Bono gets praise for many things.  And some he rightfully should as I pointed out above.  But developing wrestlers is not what I would consider one of his strengths.  I think he is an excellent recruiter.  And a master promoter.

Also, if you guys want to call Greg Kerkvliet a transfer then I guess we need to call Barnett one as well.  Flipping your commitment does not make you a transfer.