Video of the Week: One Last Shot At Soccer

We've been leaving soccer and the World Cup alone for the past month. Many people love soccer, and some of them will even wake up at the crack of dawn to find a bar open in time for the huge Ghana/Uruguay match. But since the World Cup is just about over it seems just right that we finally make fun of soccer a little bit.

In case you don't watch the Jimmy Kimmel Show you may be missing out on the constant World Cup bashing, but Jimmy did point out an astute question. What if other sports were like soccer? Like say the NBA?

For this week's Video of the Week we give you: The NBA...Soccer with Hands!

The Non-Sparty Spartans

If we've learned anything about the world in the Big Ten it is that Badgers can take down Spartans. In the second game of the year Bucky will be looking to knock of the first version of the men of Sparta of the season.

No not those Spartans...the San Jose State Spartans. For the second straight year the Spartans will open up the season with two monsterous teams in front of them, but Wisconsin will look like a cake walk after the first game. In the first game of the season for San Jose State it will be none other than the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide. So a major question for the Spartans will be a matter of how much is left in the tank after game one.

Last season the Spartans showed that they can bounce back from a strong week one oppenent after losing by only ten to Utah the week after being blown out by USC. Although last year they were able to lick their woulds back home as opposed to hitting the road for the second consecutive week this year.

The Spartans struggled last year only racking up two wins thru the whole season. Although, playing in a conference that features Nevada, Fresno State, and Boise State will definitely knock down a lot of opportunities for wins.

Offensively the Spartans should be a challenge for the Wisconsin secondary for the second consecutive week. They return their starting quarterback Jordan La Secla who threw for almost 2,000 yards last year, but they lost their top reciever Kevin Jurovich to graduation. In terms of the running game, the Spartans will feature the same rushing attack as UNLV...a lack of it.

Last year as a team they only ran for 990 yards, and their top rusher Lamon Muldrow accounted for almost 600 yards of the total. In terms of scoring expect a lot of that to come thru the air. The Spartans last season scored the majority of their 21 touchdowns with 13 thru the air. It will be the secondary's game too lose for the Badgers against the Spartans.

In terms of the defense the Spartans appear on paper to be a team on the rise on the defensive side of the football. They return many of their top defensive players including their leaders in tackles and interceptions from last season. But the Spartans have a lot to improve on from last season in terms of rush defense.

Similarly to the UNLV game expect this to be a big day for John Clay. Last season the Spartans gave up over 3,000 yards, and average of almost 260 yards per game. Expect Wisconsin to pound the ball all game, and John Clay to rack up serious yardage against the Spartants.

So the recipe for victory will be similar to what we should see in game one of the season against UNLV. Good old fashion Wisconsin football. Run the ball. Run it again. Run it one more time. Keeping the defense fresh and off the field, and sucking the air out of the football.

Boynton's Badgers Prediction: Wisconsin 28 San Jose State 6

The Twists and Turns of the Softball Program

The University of Wisconsin softball program is taking yet another strange turn this off-season on the quest to find the next head coach.

The strange journey started when now former head coach Chandelle Schulte was sent packing by the athletic department. It got even stranger when Schulte handed out the team awards in the lockerrom following the season finalle, and cancelled the awards banquet scheduled for later that evening.

Schulte at the time had been asked to resign, but declined and was later fired. Thus leading to the search for a new head coach. A search that was thought to be over.

The athletic department offered the job to Creighton head softball coach Brent Vigness. An offer that he accepted, but now has decided to decline.

Vigness cited family as a reson for staying at Creighton saying in a release that, "after several days of reflection, I came to the realization that my situation at Creighton was too ideal for me to leave. Creighton and Omaha have been my home for 17 years and I have built my life here."

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez will now have to find a replacement for the replacement, Vigness, to take the reigns of the program. In a statement Alvarez said that, "it remains a terrific opportunity and we're looking forward to bringing someone aboard to lead our student-athletes and build the program."

Another Hall for Barry

Earlier this year former Wisconsin head football coach and current athletic director Barry Alvarez was selected to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Add one more to the list with the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame.

Alvarez who spent 15 seasons as head coach for the Badgers will finally be recognized among the greats in Wisconsin history. Putting his name along side legends like Pat Richter, Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch, and Al Ameche. Not to mention former players Troy Vincent, and Ron Dayne.

What may be suprising to many his how long it has taken to put Alvarez into Wisconsin's own Hall of Fame. During his tenure as head coach Alvarez won three Rose Bowls, three Big Ten titles, and a record of 118-73-4.

One of things that remains forgotten today is where the program was when Alvarez took the job as the head man in Madison. The Badgers had only put together six wins in three seasons prior to Alzarez's arrival. His first year on the job Wisconsin went a whopping 1-10, and 50 players quit the team.

Back then you probably thought that nothing was going to change. Wisconsin would remain a laughing stock. They would continue to miss bowl games, and conference championships. But low and behold just three years later. The Badgers were Big Ten co-champions, and playing in their first Rose Bowl in three decades.

Look at where the program is now compared to even then. Wisconsin has gone from a program thrilled to be playing in one Rose Bowl to the program bummed if they miss it every year. The Badgers have went from a program that couldn't recruit anywhere to a team that recruits nationally, and even brought in a Hiesman Trophy winner in Ron Dayne..

Where Wisconsin athletics is in general is becasue of Barry Alvarez. So, should have Barry been inducted years ago. Yes. Are we happy that he is being inducted now? Absolutely. It's been a long time coming even if they have to wait five years to make it happen.

Back to Camp Randall West: UNLV

It's a wonder why Wisconsin doesn't just build a training facility in Las Vegas. Since Bucky spends so much time in Sin City, and again this year groves of cardinal and white will be flooding the Vegas strip.

For the first time since 2007, and trust me that's a long hiatus from Vegas for Bucky, Wisconsin will be heading back to Camp Randall West (Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas). Waiting for Bucky in Vegas will be a team that has experience on the field in some areas, but lacks experience at the BCS level on the sidelines.

The season opener will be the first game new UNLV head coach Bobby Hauck. The new job will not be the first head coaching job for Hauck who comes to Las Vegas after spending seven seasons in Montana. As head coach for the Montana Grizzlies Hauck went an impressive 80-17 and won three national titles in the College Football Championship Sub-Division.

The experience for the Running Rebels this season will be their 19 seniors. But the experience from last year may not have proven to be the greatest. In the 2009 season UNLV went 5-7 and gave up almost 35 points a game while only coring 24 points per game.

Defense will be the determining factor in this game if the statistics remain true from last season. Last season the Running Rebels gave up over 200 yards rushing per game, and average over 450 yards of total offense per game. Opening up the season against a team that returns John Clay, Nick Toon, and Lance Kendricks should mean a big loss to open the Hauck Era in Las Vegas.

The test for the Badgers will also be on the defensive side of the ball. Over the past few years the Badgers have been abused at times by teams that throw the ball around the field. That is exactly where UNLV found it's offense in the 2009 season. The Rebels piled up almost 225 yards per game thru the air; while only racking up 120 on the group per game. So, expect a team that returns both of it's quarterbacks that make up the tandem they used last year to be a threat to a Badger secondary that at times can be a SIEVE.

Overall, the major question for this game is on the sidelines...not the field. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered regarding UNLV's new head coach. While the Wisconsin coaching staff can look at film of both UNLV and Huack's days in Montana; the question remains of how he will operate his system with the talent he has now.

A key to remember is that it is not just a new system for Wisconsin to study, but also a new system for UNLV to learn as well. I expect Wisconsin to have a successful day running the football, and to control the clock keeping the defense fresh. This game should be no problem for Bucky in what will at times feel like a Badger home game in the desert.

Boynton's Badgers Prediction: Wisconsin 24 UNLV 6

The Exodus Continues: McDonagh Out

There will be more face missing from the bench come next season for the Wisconsin men's hockey team now that Ryan McDonagh is leaving the team.

McDonagh, who was supposed be the new team captain, will sign with the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Following the signing McDonagh will become the fourth underclassman to leave the program following the season.

Derek Steppan also left for the Rangers following the season. Rounding out the class of departing underclassmen is Cody Goloubef, and Brenden Smith.

The four underclassmen join a group of seven seniors departing from the program after last season. That means a lot of new faces in cardinal and white on the ice next season as the Badgers will need to replace 11 players from the 2009-2010 Frozen Four team.

McDonagh's departure marks what hopefully should be the end to a tumultuous off season for Mike Eaves. The departures of four underclassmen, seven seniors, and two assistant coaches means that Eaves will have a complete rebuilding season next year in Madison.