Dean Hamiti

[wrestlemania]

"Now I'm wondering how bad the Barry Davis days really were.  Didn't seem this bad. "

They weren't bad. Not bad at all. Not in the situation UW has to deal with in college wrestling.

Unfortunately to a certain group of posters around here (Lizard King, JaguarWrestler were worst) along with Ben Askren himself, that wasn't good enough. So they made it their mission to cut him down online and demand his ouster. They ridiculed an Olympic medalist and B1G champion. Think about that for a minute.

So their wishes were granted and they got what they asked for. And seven years later are we any better off? And if not then why? Seriously, why? Because Bono sucks too? This fellow who built up the SDSU program and coached a national champion in Seth Gross? And given the ultimate outcomes these two head coaches weren't any different than past UW head coaches i.e. not first place, then can the question be asked is something structurally wrong with the program that just hiring and firing coaches when we get tired of them isn't going to fix? 

[littleguy301]

All ten of Ohio States starters were recruits.  No portal guys.  Not sure who they have lost but to have all 10 guys be Ohio State guys is uncanny.  Wonder what they are doing?  During the tournament Shane Sparks did talk about Tom Ryan doing his best to retain his talent.  Always liked him.   

Well Ohio State has facilities.

UW has facilities too.  All a wrestler essentially needs is a mat to wrestle on and some weight and exercise equipment to build strength and cardio. Many wrestlers have used the UW facilities and become AAs or world team members. Sure some facilities are bigger and nicer and newer, but I think the coaching staff and the school are more important than how big, nice or new the facilities are.  Braxton Amos could have gone anywhere but he chose UW despite its facilities.  Sure a new bigger facility might help a bit,but lets not exaggerate its importance as I can't recall hearing a wrestling recruit say I chose tOSU or any other school because of its nice facilities.

Very true about that. Problem is guys like Andy Rhien and Hamiti have probably practiced in the same facilities! 40 years has gone by and outside some mat replacements and some.new paint not much has changed. To draw in kids a newer facilities would be nice. I bet there are several rooms in the state high school that ate better than the Badgers!

[DocWrestling]

Barry Davis would have retired with this current NIL environment

[Ghetto]

Barry Davis would have retired with this current NIL environment

This 100%

However, if Davis would have been able to transition to Brandvold... And I know. Brandvold at the time wasn't a big name. I didn't feel like he was ready to be the head coach, and thought the program was in a place where a big name would move the needle for national recruits.

And posters from this forum DID NOT get Barry Davis fired. That's as absurd as it gets. Just like we aren't getting Bono fired.

[BadgerOne]

Everyone listen...Sure we are 8th in the Big Ten, 18th in the NCAA's, top recruits are not coming in, we have a 20+ list of athletes leaving and our best hope of an AA next year left.  But its NOT coaching, its because of academic standards, facilities, the portal, Ben Askren, Pinnacle, Sebolt, Izzy, NIL, liberalism, Women in RTC's, not enough true local support/$, the moon never in the correct phase over Lake Monona, and seriously kids just don't want to hustle, attitude, and effort anymore...but it isn't coaching.  Sure every coach in the nation has obstacles to overcome, but really its NOT coaching at UW.

100%

[wrestlemania]

and thought the program was in a place where a big name would move the needle for national recruits.

And it did. Unfortunately in the opposite direction

And posters from this forum DID NOT get Barry Davis fired. That's as absurd as it gets. Just like we aren't getting Bono fired.

Maybe. Maybe not. It all depends on who wrote to Barry Alvarez as well as just spout off on a webpage. All I know is I found it surprising at the time that BD was basically forced into retirement by the AD who had been protecting him from the complaints of a vocal group of fans demanding his immediate ouster. From that point forward everything these fans wanted: a "name" coach with a bump in salary to get him, increased PR, hiring Askren to run the RTC, all of this was done just as BA was on his way out (which either he or Mac handled). Everything was perfectly set the way these fans and really all the fans wanted it...

...Until now. There are many reasons why it hasn't worked out but don't let it be said that when Bono was hired and brought Askren on board that wasn't any celebration for a new era in UW wrestling. And no one bemoaned the fact that Brandvold was let go at the time. And then we've found out the hard way that there was no "new era", it's still the same mediocre program it always has been, just another different person in charge discovering how difficult it is to coach it. Except for those misguided few who still think changing coaches all the time will somehow lead to better results within the same program. If going from Barry to Bono hasn't changed this mindset, I don't know what will.   

[Chedd]

Things were definitely trending in the right direction the first year or two under Bono. The bad breakup with Askren soiled that good start. There is still decent energy in the program compared to when BD was a coach. The fieldhouse feels alive for duals, we hear more about the program, etc. Just because it hasn't worked great with Bono doesn't mean the program should have kept BD around.