NCAA’s Day 2

[wrestling for fun]

On the brighter side, we are currently a half point ahead of Little Rock that did not have a team 5 years ago. 

[Handles II]

Any coaching staff that might come in will still have to overcome the AWA not giving a crap about the Badgers. So unless askren's become massive badger supporters there's millions of nil AND the Badgers get a better facility AND the staff is able to recruit whomever they want regardless of academics, we are what we are. Current staff have done all that anyone else would.

[No One Cares]

On the brighter side, we are currently a half point ahead of Little Rock that did not have a team 5 years ago. 

 

 

 

 

[leg turk]

I think the staff did a good job with Barnett.EB himself gets a ton of credit for being this good, but so should the staff.

I'm too lazy to look up the Big Board from when Hamiti was a senior, but was he a top 10 in the nation guy?

That said, 1 AA is not enough when teams like SDSU have more. I love that Maylor came back, Liegel came back home, etc. I do. It's awesome that they came home to wrestle for Wisconsin. At the end of the day though, it should be a results based business.

Let's say there's a new coaching staff in the next few years. Believing in that coach is great. Actually supporting him with big donations is really the support that he needs. If he doesn't get it, expect more of the same.

hamiti was #6 on big board

U can't expect a coach to get donations if they don't win.... Gotta develop and show progress then the rest will follow.

It's a chicken/egg thing. You can't be successful without kids. That takes money.

Did Cael have the money to start with? He built it.

[wrestle_4ever]

Rome wasn't built in a day.

This is just the beginning for badger wrestling. If Barnett had made the finals, there would be a ton of excitement on the forum tonight. I still believe we gotta stick with em and soon we'll see the program turn around.

[wrestlemania]

"Fresh coaches could hopefully solve some of these issues. None of these guys are developing when compared to their competition."

That was said back in 2018 too. And no doubt it will be said again eight years into Bono's successor as well.

Because if you don't think money and facilities don't matter in terms of wrestlers "development", think again.

Go back two seasons. At the end of 2022, there was reason to be optimistic in the UW program as Gomez won the B1G, Hamiti was Freshman of the Year, the team finished 12-2 in duals, improved their B1G meet standing from 12th to 8th, had bunch of wrestlers coming back.

And then what happened? Gomez gets hurt, screws around, ends up like Hamiti did this season. Leaves for Michigan and what do you know? Completely different wrestler than a year ago. And UW no longer has his services. 

Love to hear his comparison of both programs, because it might be revealing to some people.

[wrestlemania]

"Did Cael have the money to start with? He built it."

They had money to hire him from Iowa State and he wouldn't have left Ames if Penn State didn't put up some serious coin and boosters showed they were serious about funding the program.

[wrestlemania]

"Hamiti just flat out pissed it away.  Not surprised if he hits the portal."

Then come back next season for whoever he's wrestling for and wins a national title. Par for the course.

[BadgerOne]

Rome wasn't built in a day.

This is just the beginning for badger wrestling. If Barnett had made the finals, there would be a ton of excitement on the forum tonight. I still believe we gotta stick with em and soon we'll see the program turn around.

I'm just not expecting things to turn around with the status quo.  EB is gone next year and Hamiti the year after that.  The recruiting the past few years has been very disappointing, especially the 2024 class which was loaded with Wisconsin high level recruits plus not landing Davino who had spent a lot of time in the Badger room was demoralizing.  The only recruit I'm real high on is Dillon Johnson and he is actually a football recruit who wants to play two sports.  If Dillon focuses on wrestling, I could see him as a multi-time AA, but I don't project any of the other young wrestlers or recruits being likely to be multi-time AAs.  Bono will probably continue to rely on the transfer portal to grab upperclassmen who were NCAA qualifiers in smaller conferences.  I just don't think this is the path to being an top half of the Big Ten team (I no longer think a top 5 or top 10 team is anything but a pipe dream under the current regime and luckily the back half of the Big Ten is weak and Wisconsin will still be competitive with Indiana, Maryland, MSU, Purdue, Northwestern and Illinois, but will be fodder for the top half teams). 

[Ghetto]

"Did Cael have the money to start with? He built it."

They had money to hire him from Iowa State and he wouldn't have left Ames if Penn State didn't put up some serious coin and boosters showed they were serious about funding the program.

It was a completely different era when Sanderson got hired at Penn State. It's not close. The highest level kids expect more than just a scholarship. They need partners who are training for world titles (who require money) a great room (which also requires money)  and money for themselves. It's the wild west until either the NCAA steps in or boosters realize that giving kids big money only to watch them DNP at NCAAs isn't worth their $$$.

[DocWrestling]

Interesting dominating win by Barnett.  Had no clue what he was doing for 1st minute of second period but playing possum and just laying there obviously worked. 

Favored to win 3rd place match so that would be a pretty cool way to end his career

[DocWrestling]

Minnesota qualified all 10 guys but is behind UW in points right now with our one all american

[Ghetto]

I missed Barnett's first match this morning 

Thought it started at 11:00

[imwi]

It did....on the east coast 

[Ghetto]

It did....on the east coast