Badgers Might Make NCAA Tournament in 2016

Four weeks ago the Wisconsin Badgers were 1-4 in Big Ten Conference play, 9-9 overall, nowhere near the NCAA Tournament, and pretty much left for dead. That was four weeks ago. Since then the Badgers have rattled off five solid wins in row.  Is this the "turn around" for Wisconsin? We think so.

The first one was the big eye opener, when they stunned Michigan State in the final seconds to upset the highly ranked Spartans 77-76. Junior guard Bronson Koenig had 27 points and four assists. Junior forward Nigel Hayes had 25 points and seven rebounds. Four days later the Badgers traveled to Penn State and defeated a very improved Nittany Lions team 66-60. This time the star was freshman forward Ethan Happ, who finished the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds. The following Tuesday the Badgers once again stunned the nation when they defeated 19th ranked Indiana 82-79 in overtime despite 30 points and 7 rebounds from Indiana's superstar guard Yogi Ferrell. Nigel Hayes answered Ferrell's 30 with 31 points of his own. Ethan Happ had another strong performance, this time with 25 points and 8 rebounds. The following Sunday, the Badgers traveled to Illinois and had another solid defensive performance, holding the Illini to just 55 points. For the Badgers, Hayes had 17 points and Koenig had 11 in a 63-55 victory. Last Thursday, the Badgers put together another strong performance, this time at home against Ohio State, winning 79-68. Four starters reached double figures in scoring, led by Nigel Hayes with 21 points.

Despite the five game winning streak, the Badgers haven't done nearly enough. They need to do more. Fortunately for them, they will have a chance to do more. Following their home game on Wednesday against Nebraska, in which the tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and the  Big Ten Network has the broadcast, the Badgers have crucial back to back games on the road against fourth ranked Maryland and 10th ranked Michigan State. The Saturday game against Maryland is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off and ESPN has the broadcast. The game the following Thursday against Michigan State is set for an 8 p.m. tip-off and once again, ESPN has the broadcast. Following that Thursday match-up against the Spartans, the Badgers come home to take on Illinois. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Three days later the Badgers travel to Iowa to take on the 5^th ranked Hawkeyes and Wooden Award candidate Jarrod Uthoff. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Following the game against Iowa, the Badgers have a home game on February 28th against Michigan. The Badgers then finish the regular season on Sunday, March 2nd, at home against Minnesota. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

As I put my analyzing cap on now, in my opinion, the Badgers need to, not it would help, need to, as MUST win one of those three road games against ranked opponents if they want to make the NCAA Tournament as an at large without needing to run the table in the Big Ten Conference Tournament. They also can't afford to slip against the other three opponents either. Their best shot would be against Iowa.

A Badger Football game that is not on TV?

For the first time in five seasons, a University of Wisconsin football game apparently won't be televised — at least in the traditional sense.

The Badgers' game on Sept. 17 against Northern Illinois at Soldier Field will kick off at 2:30 p.m., the Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday. It'll be live streamed on ESPN3.com, an online-only channel that is available free to subscribers of Charter Communications and many other providers nationally.

There is no indication that a network will pick up the game, according to an e-mail from MAC spokesperson Ken Mather on Thursday.

That webcast can be played through your TV if it's Internet-ready and connected to your laptop, through an Internet-enabled gaming system such as Xbox, Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii or other software shortcuts.

But for those who aren't technologically advanced, the bottom line is you can't sit back in the easy chair and click the TV remote to pull up the game.

That breaks a streak of 59 straight appearances on a network that was available to at least some portion of the local audience, notwithstanding the one-year showdown between the Big Ten Network and cable giants Charter Communications, Time Warner and Comcast that kept that channel off the metaphorical dial in its introductory 2007 season. At that time, BTN was carried by the two major satellite services, DirecTV and Dish Network, as well as some smaller cable providers, such as the Mount Horeb Telephone Co.

Lets hope they can work something out.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badgers place six in Big Ten Player Rankings

Here is the complete list of the Best 25 players in the Big Ten according to ESPN:

No. 25: Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt
No. 24: Illinois RB Mikel LeShoure
No. 23: Iowa DT Karl Klug
No. 22: Northwestern LB Quentin Davie
No. 21: Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins
No. 20: Ohio State LB Brian Rolle
No. 19: Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien
No. 18: Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi
No. 17: Ohio State WR DeVier Posey
No. 16: Wisconsin LB Chris Borland
No. 15: Wisconsin G/C John Moffitt
No. 14: Indiana WR Tandon Doss
No. 13: Purdue WR Keith Smith
No. 12: Ohio State LB Ross Homan
No. 11: Wisconsin LT Gabe Carimi
No. 10: Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan
No. 9: Ohio State G Justin Boren
No. 8: Penn State G/C Stefen Wisniewski
No. 7: Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor
No. 6: Penn State RB Evan Royster
No. 5: Iowa S Tyler Sash
No. 4: Wisconsin RB John Clay
No. 3: Ohio State DL Cameron Heyward
No. 2: Michigan State LB Greg Jones

No. 1: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

It is great to see the Badgers have six in the top 25 and better yet to see Heisman Hopeful John Clay is in the top four. I think the Badgers are going to crush it this year at Camp Randall. GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alvarez in Hall of Fame

Ever since Barry Alvarez pulled off one of the great reclamation projects in college football history, winning three Rose Bowls at the University of Wisconsin, his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame seemed a matter of when, not if.
Still, Alvarez was overcome with emotion when learning he would be a member of the 2010 class.
It became official on Thursday morning, when the selections were announced during a ceremony in Times Square in New York City, which Alvarez attended.
Joining Alvarez will be fellow coach Gene Stallings of Texas A&M and Alabama, as well as 12 players, including the late Pat Tillman of Arizona State, former Michigan and Green Bay Packers receiver/returner Desmond Howard and former Purdue quarterback Mark Herrmann.
Alvarez actually found out a week earlier, at the Big Ten Conference meetings in Chicago, when Steven Hatchell, the president and CEO of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc., broke the news.
"I was totally surprised when he announced that I would be inducted. I actually broke down," Alvarez, who now serves as UW's athletic director, said in an interview with ESPN News.
"I was sitting with my (current UW) coach, Bret Bielema, and I think he broke down. It's an honor. It's very humbling, when this is your life's work and it culminates like this.
"The first thing you think about is all the people that had something to do with it. It's not just about one person, it's about the group of players, it's about the staff, it's about anyone that supported you throughout your career. I look at this as an honor for a number of people who supported me throughout my life."
It is great so see Coach Alvarez honored in a manner that he deserves. GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!

Camp Randall named best stadium in Big Ten

ESPN’s Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg ranked Camp Randall as the No. 1 stadium at which to go to a Big Ten game. “I’ve always had a thing for Camp Randall, ever since I covered my first game there in 2000,” Rittenberg wrote. “I’m a sucker for stadiums that are nestled into metropolitan areas, with limited parking sprawl and a real scene around the perimeter. From the frat parties on Breese Terrace to Regent Street nearby, the atmosphere is truly unique. Things really get rocking inside the facility, which blends traditional touches with modern amenities.” If you feel like checking out camp randall a great website for tickets is www.badgertickets.com

Badgers In Prime Time

The University of Wisconsin football team will play consecutive home games at night this fall -- against Ohio State and Penn State -- on national television.
The Big Ten Conference made it official Wednesday in announcing the conference's prime-time television lineup for the 2008 football season.
The Badgers will host Ohio State on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 and Penn State on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2.
UW is coming off a fourth straight season with at least nine wins, the longest streak of success in school history. Ohio State is aiming for a fourth straight Big Ten Championship and an unprecedented third consecutive outright crown after reaching the BCS National Championship game the last two seasons.
The Big Ten will be featured in prime time during the opening weekend of conference action on Saturday, Sept. 27, when Penn State hosts Illinois at 7 p.m. CT on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. The Fighting Illini defeated the nationally-ranked Nittany Lions last season on the way to their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1984.
After the back-to-back dose of the Badgers, the Big Ten's late-afternoon/early-evening appearances will continue on Oct. 18 when Penn State hosts Michigan for a 3:30 p.m. CT game to appear on ESPN or ESPN2.
The Big Ten's final prime-time outing on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 will feature Penn State at Ohio State on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. CT.
The 113th season of Big Ten football kicks off on Saturday, August 30, with 10 of 11 schools in action -- including the Badgers, who host Akron. The starting time for that game has yet to be announced. I would imagine Badger Tickets for those games are going to Hot.

Looking Forward To The Badger Spartan Matchup

I sure am looking forward to watching the Badger Basketball game on ESPN 2 tonight. It would be impossible for me to express how happy I am that the game is not on the F***ING Big Ten Network. I know I have discussed this before but the amount or irritation that network causes me is indescribable. At least once the NCAA Tournament starts it will be on CBS in HD the way it should be. GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!