Yardbarker: Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin vs. Oakland: The First Good Game

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:34:00 -0500

Last night I got another chance to take in a Wisconsin game. Thankfully, we’re still in the part of the non-conference season when there’s something exciting about every game. My first look at the Badgers in their exhibition against UW-Superior was fun because it was my first chance to see the new team. Over the weekend, IPFW provided my first televised Wisconsin game of the year. And last night brought my first chance to see Wisconsin play against a decent opponent. Oakland is the type of te...

Wisconsin vs. IPFW: Opening The Year on My Couch

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:53:00 -0500

Finally this weekend we got to the basketball games that count. And finally, we had the last Wisconsin home football game of the year. The latter fact would not be significant for basketball purposes, save for the fact that I have Wisconsin football season tickets, and not having to wake up at 5am anymore to go tailgate will leave me a lot more time and energy for watching basketball. This weekend, my early wake-up time led me to decide not to head downtown on Friday night for either the Marq...

Wisconsin Pre-Game

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:17:00 -0500

Tonight I’m heading to see my first Wisconsin game of the year, their exhibition against UW-Superior. In lieu of doing any sort of preview this year (let’s face it–if you’re reading this, you probably know just as much, if not more about the Badgers than I do), I’d like to take this opportunity about some of the things I’m excited for and that I’ll be looking out for this year when I’m watching Wisconsin games. So here are my thoughts, to this point untainted by actual observation of the curr...

The Hunt: No. 36, Wisconsin

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:44:27 -0500

(Screw you, I'm an anteater!)The Hunt for the Most Interesting Team in the World is the Dagger's 2009-10 countdown preview series. Check out the overriding principles here. Last year's record: 20-13, 10-8 Big Ten 2009-10's toughest games: Duke, at Michigan State, at Purdue, at Ohio State Primary attraction: Wisconsin is boringly awesome, each and every year, which ironically makes them interesting. But is 2009-10 the year they're just boring? 1. Bo Ryan, model of consisten...

Marcus Landry’s Hustling His Way To The NBA

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:10:20 -0500

Marcus Landry wasn’t drafted, nor was he invited to any training camp. But that’s not stopping the former University of Wisconsin forward from playing in the NBA. Marcus, whose brother Carl plays for the Rockets, is on his hustle like a hungry rapper showing up uninvited to record lables’ offices. He (or Carl) reportedly paid [...]

Wisconsin Boots Two Freshmen

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:53:00 -0500

In a surprise to nobody familiar with their situation, freshmen guards Diamond Taylor and Jeremy Glover had their Wisconsin careers end before they started. Both players had been suspended indefinitely after being arrested for burglary, among other crimes, a couple of weeks ago. While certainly disappointing, this won't have a big effect on the 2009-10 season for Wisconsin. Glover was actually a walk-on, and was likely going to redshirt. Taylor might have redshirted as well, and even if h...

Badgers beat, sweep complete!

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:05:14 -0500

As anyone who has participated in a live blog here can tell you, I check my objective blogger persona at the door when the Gophers are in a close game. This is especially the case at The Barn when Wisconsin comes to town. While comparisons to past games and various statistics are still floating around in the back of my head, I am reduced to yells of "Yes!" and "No" and am caught up in the emotion that makes college basketball my favorite sport. So much so in fact that I'm lucky if I remember who made the last basket let alone what happened a few plays ago. That was once again the case last night. I know the Gophers won, and I know Lawrence Westbrook had a lot to do with it, but the specifics are all missing. In intense rivalry games, concentrating on anything other than red being evil and Bo Ryan being even worse would have just gotten in the way of the exciting chaos that swept the student section during the Gophers' first close home win in years.

While that brilliant blur is great and all, I do want to have some idea of how it all happened. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I can do just that, and thought I would share my thoughts with you all.

Ohio State Loses to Wisconsin 55-50 in Madison

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:12:06 -0500

Another road game and another good game for Evan Turner but he was unable to get the help he needed from his Ohio State teammates to beat Wisconsin Saturday night in Madison. Turner had 23 points on the night and played the entire game but 15 offensive rebounds by the Badgers and 19 turnovers by the Buckeyes allowed Wisconsin to finish in the win column.

Illinois Downs Wisconsin

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:16:02 -0500

Make it eight straight at home. Five game losing streak to Wisconsin? Over. There's a different streak involved here and that is the four straight games UW has dropped in Big Ten play. The Illini were ranked 24th coming into the game and after an impressive week, they're sure to move up. It's all about the numbers in college basketball and it's hard not to be excited about the ones associated with Illinois basketball this season. After a season to forget last year, the I...

Gophers going for first win in Madison in more than a decade

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:15:15 -0500

That headline should tell you all you need to know about tomorrow night's game. The Gophers don't win in Madison, or at least they haven't since they put up 109 points in a 31 point win. Whether it is some sort of mystical force, a well founded fear of serial killers that takes the Gophers off their game, some less than consistent officiating, Bo Ryan's hair, the menagerie of Minnesotan's playing for the Badgers, or the fact that over the last decade and a half the Badgers have just been better, the Gopher basketball team just can't quite get it done across the border. It isn't just the bad Gophers teams that have struggled. Even the best Gopher team that technically never existed (1996-1997) lost what would have been a heart breaker in the last game of the regular if they weren't still assured a number one seed. That loss was probably the last time I didn't associate a game in Madison with overwhelming negativity. Even though this is the best chance Minnesota has had in recent years at winning in the Kohl Center, inevitably some vaguely super-natural force will lead the Badgers to victory. Seriously, don't be shocked when a Gopher half court shot gets stuck between the rim and the backboard as time expires.

Billy Packer dismissed by CBS

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:02:47 -0500

Does the sun seem to be shining a little brighter today? Do the flowers smell a little sweeter? Is the summer breeze just a little more refreshing? If so, you have CBS to thank. They finally replaced Billy Packer. (Read the rest of the post after the jump.)

Quote of the Day: Michael Flowers on defending Stephen Curry

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:01:25 -0500

"At the end of the game I want him to be breathless and remember what team he played against and how hard he worked." -Wisconsin guard, Michael Flowers on stopping the darling of this years NCAA Tournament, Davidson's Stephen Curry As we predicted earlier in the week we see Wisconsin ending Davidson's Cinderella run. However, we are a bit unnerved that Flowers is giving Curry some added motivation.

Ed Hightower, Shrimp Cocktail and Two Teams Ready to Dance

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:16:18 -0500

Seated next to Ed Hightower and over a choice strip steak, Hoopraker reflected on having just watched Wisconsin and Michigan State, two of the Big Ten's best, play to the music of the zebras' whistles. Both are ready to dance deep into March.

MSU at Wisconsin Live Blog!

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:51:30 -0500

Want to rant about the game? Want to hear me rant on the game? Well, you got it. MSU faces Wisconsin in a big road game tonight at 9pm. I'll be keeping you up to date with scores, highlights, and thoughts with my profane laden running commentary.

LavinBurger Getting a Little Creepy on Erin Andrews

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 06:07:24 -0500

Steve Lavin and Brent Musburger talk about Erin Andrews' "guns", her workout habits and visiting the Playboy Mansion with her. Yes, it is very awkward. Thank you for asking.

Nurture 1, nature 0: Bo Ryan edition.

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 07:56:42 -0500

Plenty of folks are doing the Soulja Boy. So what if Bo Ryan is a 60-year old white dude. Who lives in Wisconsin. Okay, so he's also the coach of the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team.

Old White Men Now Do The Soulja Boy

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:40:09 -0500

This dance is really taking over the world. This is a video of Wisconsin Badgers coach Bo Ryan doing the dance, and I must say, he is pretty good.

Wisconsin Swing Offense Breakdown

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 23:57:57 -0500

Bo Ryan has been incredibly successful at Wisconsin using his Swing Offense. Here is a quick explanation on how it works and why it is so successful.

NCAA Cheerleaders

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:45:32 -0500

Video compilation of cheerleaders from the March Madness tournament, cut to a catchy hip hop song about a guy's new girlfriend. Great visuals and even better song.

Wisconsin Stakes Claim to #1

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:10:03 -0500

Congrats Madison, not only are you the top party school in the nation, you also lay claim to the best basketball team in the land. The Badgers snagged the top spot in the AP poll after a weekend that saw the former top team, Florida, fall to Vanderbilt.