Bo retire's immediately
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The conference lost a good one with Bo Ryan. Even if you might not like or agree with everything he did, he worked his way up over the years and did a fantastic job with Wisconsin. I've taken the liberty of using some of his tirades for humor, but I've got nothing but respect for the man and the coach......he did it his way. I know they'll miss him in Madison.
Enjoy your retirement Bo.....and have Barry kick in for a lifetime subscription.....
Enjoy your retirement Bo.....and have Barry kick in for a lifetime subscription.....
No doubt, helluva career. I didn't always have the kindest remarks about the man........but deep down it was a respect thing going on. I think he ran a clean program, which seems to be getting more rare with each passing day. I will miss his "ugly", grind it out basketball. Wish him nothing but the best!
Very weird timing to just quit and walk away....
I can't help but wonder if he would have done this if the Badgers were playing anything close to their ridiculously inflated preseason ranking.
Nevertheless -- happy trails, Dracula...
I can't help but wonder if he would have done this if the Badgers were playing anything close to their ridiculously inflated preseason ranking.
Nevertheless -- happy trails, Dracula...
I don't think the team record has anything t do with it.
When I heard he was retiring I had a big question mark regarding the timing but he explains it pretty good in his interview.
Wanted to go last year but his successor's Dad had cancer and Bo didn't want to leave the reigns, to the guy he wants to take his job, under those circumstances. We'll see if Alvarez has the same idea for his repacement. I don't think Bo is bailing on a sinking ship, although it will be viewed that way by some I'm sure.
Nothing but total respect for his coaching. Perhaps the best and if not...right there at the top across the country. Timing suggests health issues? I need to read on...
Rumors about Tony Bennett being the hot name. I don't want this guy in B1G. My worst fear is that he ends up at IU. Though he never won big in the NCAA, his success in the ACC speaks for itself.
Seems to me like Bo's timing is all about giving Greg Gard, his long time loyal and trusted assistant, a running head start on securing the job. Retiring now will ensure Gard gets an entire Big Ten season on his resume and binds him to recruits for 2016 and even into 2017. If Bo would have stepped down in April, I believe Barry could have changed course much more easily. Now his hands are a bit more tied, especially if Wisconsin turns in a "Bo-like" turnaround this season and makes the tourney.
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That's what I took away from his post game / retirement speech last night at well.
The one statement he made where he said "been doing it for 40 years and I knew this day would come, just that we can't always do it they way we like". That makes you wonder if something was up and that this was NOT his decision. The other part that he said was willing to stay on as assistant but was told he would just get in the way (said that was not how it was actually said) makes you wonder. I think him NOT being able to finish the season and receive the accolades he deserves at each away game is a shame.........................
I also wondered if that was teh reason...he wanted to increase the chances his students would continue...
Reminds me of how Dean Smith handed the job to Guthridge early in the season when he retired.
Yeah, I thought about that too....the last regular season conference game is Wisconsin in Mackey, isn't it? Would love to see him there once more for old times' sake.
Well, Bennett's father, Dick Bennett, did coach at Wisconsin, as some of us posters know.....so I could see someone putting two and two together and floating that. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Pound for pound. IMHO, Bo is one of if not the best coaching mind/motivator/developer in the country. Think of what he has done with 3/4 star recruits year in and year out. I have said from the beginning of this year don't count them out. He is a coach that you may hate but grow to respect his God given ability. I will definitely miss him. Not everyone liked his style is play, but you cannot deny that it was effective.
That's because playing @ whiskey was a near automatic loss for a long time. I won't miss him at all. One less pain in the rear to worry about.
Playing them at home was also a near automatic loss for certain teams..
You have to kind of wonder too if Bo did not play a little "suck for Greg." The Badgers have significantly underperformed this year, Bo steps down forcing Alverez' hand to give the reigns to Greg, and then Greg turns the season around and they begin to play to their potential thus making it far more difficult for Barry to look else where.
Maybe he's retiring because he's afraid of going 0-2 against Purdue this year and having a losing record against a Big Ten team.
I can totally see that side of it, and some in the press have also disagreed with the timing for similar reasons. Although I don't personally know him, Barry Alvarez doesn't seem to me to be the type of person who would give in to something like that.....or feel like he would need to. It wasn't THAT long ago when Wisconsin wasn't very good/competitive in either football or basketball. Alvarez is the biggest (not the only) reason, Wisconsin athletics is where it is today IMO.
Could be wrong though....the timing certainly does leave things open for some second-guessing.
I'd be interested to hear from any of the Badger followers on their take.
If you listen to the whole Ryan interview I don't know how you come to any other conclusion? He is trying to set his assistant up for the job. He even said he was trying to give him a platform to show what he could do (I'm paraphrasing). I know there is a lot of love for Bo on here, but I don't like this at all. It's not the coaches job to set up the next coach. Your job (which you are paid very well for) is to win as many games as you can each and every year. The athletic directors job is to hire the next coach. I'm sure Barry will do whatever he thinks is best for WI, I just don't like Bo quiting on his team before the year is over. Finish the year, retire and then let the University hire who they think is best for the school going forward.
Hey Dry,
I get what you're saying.....I'm just saying Alvarez is gonna hire who he wants. I also understand the displeasure for Ryan doing it this way......and I sure as hell am not saying you're wrong for thinking that.
I'm not trying to give him a pass....he announced early on he was going to retire after the season.....then he said he might coach several more years.....now this......maybe there is something else going on, which he doesn't want to talk about despite what he said in the interview.
We also don't know what other conversations (if any) have occurred behind the scenes, and maybe Bo just thinks he's entitled to do it this way, especially coming off back-to-back Final Fours.....that doesn't make it right, just more of a possible explanation.
In the end, he's allowed to quit his job, but he's open to criticism for that and for the perception it brings about.
I'm with ya. I just didn't like the quitting, not quitting now I'm quitting thing. These coaches for the most part are control freaks so I get wanting to control how the end and succession plan happens. Barry will do what is best for WI, I agree.
On the good side: Maybe the Kohl Center won't be worth 30 trips to the FF line for the Badgers anymore!!
I believe Tony also went to Wisc. Green Bay. He will be one of there top choices, but they won't do anything until after the season.
The very implosion that would happen in gloomington would be hysterical to watch. Crapsense and snuze would need to be put on suicide watch.
I agree with most here. I understood he wanted to retire before the season and when Alvarez didn't promise Gard the job, he returned to coach. I think he intentionally stayed to tie Barry's hands and force Gard into the position. Not the way Ryan should have gone out. Not classy for a classy guy. I'm also hearing rumblings that players should be allowed to transfer without sitting out due to this shady turn of events.
One of my Wisconsin friends told me that it was fairly well known that Bennett and Alvarez were not friends. I would be surprised if his kid took the job given that his current gig at Virginia isn't exactly a bad job.
I don't disagree with you, Heller....and maybe Gard will get the job.....maybe he won't. I see how somebody not knowing much about the situation could think Bennett, but yes, he's doing fairly well so far with Virginia. Although with his style, eventually you're bound to run up against a bad match-up. Michigan State has taken out two of his better teams.
Regardless, I would think there would have to be something "else" for him to give up Virginia.
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