How long is this going to last

Disappointed Badgers Fan · November 24, 2024, 07:57:14 PM

First this is my first ever post and unfortunately it is a frustration post. I can't believe how bad this program has gotten. I was actually excited when Bono was hired, but I think most will admit this has been an absolute failure. I've heard many of the reasons others have given for why he hasn't been successful (NIL, AWA, facilities, funding). I really hate those excuses because they are so easy to dismantle.

First, isn't it Bonos job to make sure he has a good relationship with ALL the clubs and high schools. Also it seems like the AWA coaches have good relationships with many other D1 coaches so that makes me think Bono was the one the messed up the relationship.

Next is the funding issue. If fans could see the program making some kind of progress, I bet it would be easier to get some boosters to throw a little cash towards the program.

I understand there are challenges that many programs face off the mat. It wouldn't be as problematic if Bono was doing great stuff within the room in terms of development, but it seems like he is failing outside the room (recruiting, funding) and inside the room. There really isn't anyone that we can look at and say Wow Bono really developed that guy into a stud. All our All American level guys came in right away and were at that level. Wrestlers don't jump levels during their time at UW.

I'm not saying we should be competing with PSU, OSU, or Iowa but why are programs like Arizona State, Oregon State, Missouri, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State Northern Iowa, and North Carolina doing so much better than us in seemingly all aspects of their programs. Heck even Little Rock seems like their program is thriving.

Overall this was a long post meant to say I think it's time we move on from Bono and hopefully find a coach that can bring us back to a respectable finish each year.

leg turk · November 24, 2024, 08:19:54 PM

Great 1st post. But I think you need to send a copy of that post to McIntosh, for real.

Army Ant · November 27, 2024, 09:43:46 AM

McIntosh doesn't care

Harris · November 27, 2024, 02:41:46 PM

In my opinion, NIL has very little if anything to do with the Badgers losing to Ohio and Rider. I copied the following from a post I made when Hamiti left. I updated the list for Endene who was a stud and left this fall. Who am I missing? It's convenient to blame NIL but the last six years point to other issues in and out of the room. If you truly believe NIL is the reason, wouldn't Rider and Ohio even have less of a chance? UW has way more to offer in every way but they just lost to 2 teams that have no business taking it to the Badgers. My hats off to them. It was posted this year that the WI RTC is a top 20 training center based on funding $ (way more than Rider or Ohio).

People that have left or changed their commitment since Bono took over. Most of these had nothing to do with NIL. 29 people in 6 years.

Massoma Endene (2x D3 champ, U23 World team, NWCA winner over D2 champ, at Wartburg)
Evan Wick (Cal Poly)
Ethan Rotondo (Cal Poly)
Connor Brown (Missouri)
Kyle Burwick (Nebraska)
Austin Gomez (Michigan)
Greyson Clark (Purdue)
James Rowley (Purdue)
Hayden Copass (Purdue)
Ismael Ayoub (Nebraska?)
Laird Root (North Carolina)
Miguel Estrada (Iowa)
Michaela Beck (Iowa HWC)
Erin Golston (TWU)
Ronna Gross
Matt McDonough
Ben Askren
Sean Smalley
Newt Smerchek
Dean Hamiti (Oklahoma State)
Jared Krattiger (Minnesota)
Graham Calhoun (Southeastern)
Hunter Ritter (Minnesota)
Jacob Covaciu (Indiana)
Paul Konrath (Indiana)
Joey Sanchez (Oklahoma State)
Tyler Shilson (Augsburg)
Devin Bahr (Northern State)

Harris · November 27, 2024, 03:08:13 PM

I forgot Seth Gross. Make it 30 people.

Harris · November 27, 2024, 06:39:52 PM

Cody Anderson (grand view). Make it 31.

rjchev141 · November 28, 2024, 10:17:44 AM

Hillger
Dow
Lettini
Talshahar
Lamont

Yes I would like an answer to your initial question, but the question I keep asking is; what is it going to take WI in order to make a change? How bad do the results need to be? How grave does the trajectory need to be?

dad 2 5 · November 28, 2024, 11:29:32 AM

Quote from: rjchev141 on November 28, 2024, 10:17:44 AMHillger
Dow
Lettini
Talshahar
Lamont

Yes I would like an answer to your initial question, but the question I keep asking is; what is it going to take WI in order to make a change? How bad do the results need to be? How grave does the trajectory need to be?

My guess is this will be the first of several sports dropped and would be expect it soon

MNR · November 29, 2024, 02:40:29 PM

I don't think that a fan base that constantly rips on the head coach that they were so enthusiastic about just 5 years ago is conducive to the program's success. Get behind your team, despite your feeling for leadership. The extreme negativity does not help attract recruits or future coaches.

As an outsider fan looking in, I don't mind seeing the Badgers have a few bad years. As a fan of the sport though, I hope for them to get past this and get back to more parity in the Big Ten and NCAA.

leg turk · November 29, 2024, 04:28:13 PM

Looks like the Football team is headed in the same direction. Sad.

npope · November 29, 2024, 04:50:20 PM

Quote from: MNR on November 29, 2024, 02:40:29 PMI don't think that a fan base that constantly rips on the head coach that they were so enthusiastic about just 5 years ago is conducive to the program's success. Get behind your team, despite your feeling for leadership. The extreme negativity does not help attract recruits or future coaches.

As an outsider fan looking in, I don't mind seeing the Badgers have a few bad years. As a fan of the sport though, I hope for them to get past this and get back to more parity in the Big Ten and NCAA.

Ditto that.

vsmf2010 · November 29, 2024, 08:45:06 PM

Quote from: npope on November 29, 2024, 04:50:20 PM
Quote from: MNR on November 29, 2024, 02:40:29 PMI don't think that a fan base that constantly rips on the head coach that they were so enthusiastic about just 5 years ago is conducive to the program's success. Get behind your team, despite your feeling for leadership. The extreme negativity does not help attract recruits or future coaches.

As an outsider fan looking in, I don't mind seeing the Badgers have a few bad years. As a fan of the sport though, I hope for them to get past this and get back to more parity in the Big Ten and NCAA.

Ditto that.

+1

Ghetto · November 30, 2024, 03:38:48 AM

I tend to agree that we need to be more positive in most cases. There are college kids who are working their a$$es off every day to get better. To denigrate them is just plain wrong.

This is not one of those cases. This is a freight train screaming down a mountain. The head coach at Wisconsin is paid a ton of money to produce winners on the mat, not just in life. That isn't happening now, and unless something drastically changes in a recruiting sense, it's not happening in the near future.

Harris · November 30, 2024, 01:28:00 PM

Quote from: MNR on November 29, 2024, 02:40:29 PMI don't think that a fan base that constantly rips on the head coach that they were so enthusiastic about just 5 years ago is conducive to the program's success. Get behind your team, despite your feeling for leadership. The extreme negativity does not help attract recruits or future coaches.

As an outsider fan looking in, I don't mind seeing the Badgers have a few bad years. As a fan of the sport though, I hope for them to get past this and get back to more parity in the Big Ten and NCAA.

Serious question: Do you think a handful of fans on this website are more influential than the actual results when it comes to recruiting? If 30+ people leave (coaching staff and athletes) and results are trending in a very negative direction you don't think that is an appropriate topic for a wrestling forum. What do you want us to discuss? Ignoring the reality of how far this program has fallen is not going to produce anything but the same. Recruits and their families are not blind.

Why would you choose WI wrestling right now? You can get a degree from a top tier school, with a nice wrestling facility, in a nice town at any Big Ten school let alone MAC schools like Rider and Ohio. The difference is how the program is run, who is running it, and how they are developing their athletes once they spend time on the team. Acting like everything is just fine is not how you get out of this mess. Blaming it on the AD, NIL, or Askren is just making excuses. The buck stops with the head coach when it is a systemic problem. Systemic problems are evidenced in business, athletics, and society when your top performers jump ship, assistants get blamed and/or fired, and the rank and file lose confidence in your strategy and mission and end up leaving as well. Fans pointing out the facts of the situation are not the problem with recruiting and or performance right now. Keeping all this in the dark is misleading and untruthful to potential recruits and their families. If Bono doesn't like the results, he is the only one that can improve them. He is the head coach.

On a personal level, I really like Bono and Reader. The problem is this is not personal, it's business. I hope they get this thing turned around. Facts are facts and they aren't getting it done right now. From a program viability standpoint, this is the worst time to fall off a cliff. I was at UW and had friends on the team when they cut the baseball team. I would hate to see that happen to the wrestling team.

Where are Amos and Zargo (your top 2 returning leaders)? I saw social media stuff that Amos was working out all year and getting healthy. Why isn't he wrestling? Is it still a possibility that either of them will wrestle this year?

Harris · November 30, 2024, 01:32:21 PM

Quote from: Ghetto on November 30, 2024, 03:38:48 AMI tend to agree that we need to be more positive in most cases. There are college kids who are working their a$$es off every day to get better. To denigrate them is just plain wrong.

This is not one of those cases. This is a freight train screaming down a mountain. The head coach at Wisconsin is paid a ton of money to produce winners on the mat, not just in life. That isn't happening now, and unless something drastically changes in a recruiting sense, it's not happening in the near future.

Who is bashing the athletes?