Deja Vu

Deja Vu
The Beat Goes On: Badgerst Take Down K-State

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Should Bo Go? No!

Since the loss to Cornell, there has been some talk about whether it's time for Bo to leave the Badgers. Well, this could the most unbelievable thing I've heard regarding the Wisconsin basketball program.
Where was Wisconsin basketball before Bo Ryan? One final four birth, and years of mediocrity leading up to it. I know a lot of people are saying that he has taken the program as far as he can, but where could anyone else take it from here?
Let's be honest, it would be hard to bring any big name coach from a big name program to Madison. There was talk about Bruce Pearl coming to UW, but what are the odds of that? Did anyone notice that he was just two points from the Final Four with Tennessee? Why in the world would Bruce Pearl leave Knoxville. He's in a situation where he has a program that is one of the best in the SEC; in a town where football still reigns supreme.
And you could say the same thing is happening with Bo Ryan. Before Bo, football was king in Madison. While it still may be; basketball has made huge steps in becoming a very close second.
Under Bo Ryan Wisconsin has won three Big Ten championships. The last before that was in 1947 (Note: Michigan State joined the Big Ten in 1953).
While the national accolades have not been there for Bucky in the NCAA tournament, they have been there in the regular season. For the first time in Wisconsin history in 2007 the Badgers were ranked number one in a national basketball poll. You would think this would bring in big name recruits, but that's not what has happened for the basketball program.
This is just another key point into what makes Bo Ryan a perfect fit for the Wisconsin Badgers. He's clean. In a day when kids are going to college for just one year before bolting for the pros, Bo recruits kids that want to play in Madison. He recruits kids that want to be Badgers. And he recruits kids that will fit the system he runs. Bo Ryan isn't a coach like John Calipari at Kentucky. Bring in the best talent out there and go for it all every year, but as soon as you bolt too, the program blows up and sanctions follow. You want to talk about a problem for Wisconsin...that would be a big one.
That's why Bo should, and will stay in Madison. He's clean, he wins, and he's consistent. And that's just fine with me.

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