ESPN Wisconsin Thinks MU Is An Afterthought

[Tugg Speedman]

No mention of Luke Fisher or Denote Burton.  Or Philip Nolan, Or Jaymeel McKay.

Could it be because none appeared interested in UW and all were MU targets (players)?

Thinking about this, read this article.  It seems that all that matters is Bucky and MU is about as important as UW-Oshkosh as all MU gets is the obligatory afterthought.

And this from the home state website!

-----------------------------

Badgers basketball: UW targets among best NBA prospects

http://www.espnwisconsin.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=45&post_id=39231

MADISON - The state of Wisconsin has produced some very good high school basketball players in recent years.
 
There was J.P. Tokoto (North Carolina) from Menomonee Falls and Sheboygan’s Sam Dekker (Wisconsin) in the class of 2012.
 
The following year, La Crosse’s Bronson Koenig decided to go to Wisconsin despite offers from most of the major programs in the country. There was also Dominican’s Duane Wilson (Marquette) and Onalaska’s Matt Thomas (Iowa State).  
 
In the class of 2014, Milwaukee Hamilton’s Kevon Looney chose UCLA over Duke, Kansas, Louisville and others, while Seymour’s Sandy Cohen picked Marquette.
 
But all of those players – and classes for that matter – will have to take a backseat to the 2015 group that is heading into their senior year this fall.  
 
4-star guard Brevin Pritzl (De Pere) committed to Bo Ryan and the Badgers earlier this year, while new Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski has 4-star guard Nick Noskowiak (Sun Prairie) and 3-star forward Matt Heldt (Neenah) on board.
 
But it’s the top two players in the state that have every coach in the country salivating. 5-star center Diamond Stone (Dominican) is rated as the top player in the state by ESPN, and the No. 4 overall prospect in the entire country. And just a spot behind him in the national rankings is 5-star forward Henry Ellenson (Rice Lake), who tweeted on Tuesday that he had made the Team USA U-17 squad.
 
The Badgers are recruiting both heavily – as is Marquette, Kentucky, Duke and others. If UW does manage to get either player to commit, they may not be around long.
 
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman published a story in which he names Stone (No. 3) and Ellenson (No. 6) among the top NBA prospects in the class of 2015.
 
On the 6-foot-10, 255-pound, Stone:

“He’s a legit big man who is skilled and can score in the post. Stone possesses good footwork and already has the body at 6-foot-10 and more than 250 pounds. Stone will make a college decision on Nov. 12 -- likely choosing from Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas, Marquette and UConn.”
 
On the 6-foot-10, 230-pound, Ellenson:
 
“He’s a long and skilled big man who has dropped significant weight in the past year. We’re not saying he’s going to be Dirk Nowitzki, but he’s got a similar skill set for someone his size. Ellenson can shoot and handle the ball at 6-foot-10, and rarely posts up nowadays. His older brother, Wally, recently transferred to Marquette -- and other schools squarely in the equation include Wisconsin and Michigan State. Duke, Kentucky, UNC and Michigan are also involved.”

[Tums Festival]

It is a little strange they would omit the two highest rated players from the state's 2013 class. Then again ESPN is renown for their objectivity and fairness.

[Skatastrophy]

That's the ESPN blog by their UW-Madison reporter. Nothing to get butthurt over.

[The Lens]

Heisenberg, your enthusiasm for MU is commendable but...

YOU'RE READING ESPN WI's UW BEAT WRITER'S BLOG!

This would be like complaining about Patriots coverage in Kevin Seifert's articles.

[GoldenWarrior11]

It has been well documented that ESPN doesn't want any of its writers or coverage to acknowledge the Big East.  It officially doesn't exist to them.  When the old Big East refused the huge money deal a few years ago, they made their priority to destroy the league (convincing Syracuse and Pittsburgh to leave for the ACC).

Between that and the latest Stephen A. Smith garbage, I'm officially done with ESPN.  I will be watching FS1 from now on.

[tower912]

The way it is trending, at least in the short term, MU is an afterthought.

[The Lens]

It has been well documented that ESPN doesn't want any of its writers or coverage to acknowledge the Big East.  It officially doesn't exist to them.  When the old Big East refused the huge money deal a few years ago, they made their priority to destroy the league (convincing Syracuse and Pittsburgh to leave for the ACC).

Between that and the latest Stephen A. Smith garbage, I'm officially done with ESPN.  I will be watching FS1 from now on.

Please tell me you're only 10 years old.

[GGGG]

It has been well documented that ESPN doesn't want any of its writers or coverage to acknowledge the Big East.

"Well-documented?"

[HutchwasClutch]

Heisenberg, your enthusiasm for MU is commendable but...

YOU'RE READING ESPN WI's UW BEAT WRITER'S BLOG!

This would be like complaining about Patriots coverage in Kevin Seifert's articles.

Wasn't Kevin Seifert the Vikings beat writer for the Star-Tribune prior to joining espn.com?  I don't think he's ever had anything to do with N.E.

[Tugg Speedman]

Heisenberg, your enthusiasm for MU is commendable but...

YOU'RE READING ESPN WI's UW BEAT WRITER'S BLOG!

This would be like complaining about Patriots coverage in Kevin Seifert's articles.

That makes it ok to forget about Luke Fisher and Denote Burton (and Philip Nolan and Jaymeel McKay) in his list of players but made sure he noted that THREE STAR Matt Heldt committed to MU.

Why not tell Bucky Fans  that both of the big basketball schools are competing for the two big prizes in the state.  Then argue the uw position?

Why be a second rate hack?  Is that his goal in life?

[bilsu]

It mentioned that UW got a four star commitment and MU has a 4 star and 3 star all from the State of WI. I see nothing wrong with that. Better than not mentioning Matt Heldt at all.

[MU82]

I'm too busy getting all worked up about Wojo recruiting too many bigs to get all worked up about this article.

[rocket surgeon]

i can see it...the article was definitely being written while being bent over by bucky, but espn?  they are slowly becoming the MessNBC of the sports world to me.  brevin pritzl?  seems like a great kid and all, but 4-star?  i'll admit that i've only seen him play a few times.  he has scored a lot of points through his junior year, but 4-star?  i'm open and ready to be proved wrong, but he just didn't seem to have a big ten(eleven, twelve,...) body.  yes, i know he's only 17ish, but you know how when you look at certain guys, you can tell by their frames, that they have the ability to get bigger.  not just taller though.  unless he gets barry bonds as his trainer...he may surprise as josh gasser did develop into a very solid player under bo. 

[Tugg Speedman]

It mentioned that UW got a four star commitment and MU has a 4 star and 3 star all from the State of WI. I see nothing wrong with that. Better than not mentioning Matt Heldt at all.

I wasn't in any way dissin Heldt.  I was noting that he (purposely?) did not mention Luke Fisher and Denote Burton and made sure everyone knew Heldt was lower ranked. 

It came off and selective use of facts to make sure MU came off as poorly as possible.

[WarriorInNYC]

I wasn't in any way dissin Heldt.  I was noting that he (purposely?) did not mention Luke Fisher and Denote Burton and made sure everyone knew Heldt was lower ranked. 

It came off and selective use of facts to make sure MU came off as poorly as possible.

I'm assuming the reason Pritzl and Heldt were included over Burton or Fischer is that they are both in this year's class, the same as Stone and Ellenson.  Don't really think there is much here.

[The Equalizer]

That makes it ok to forget about Luke Fisher and Denote Burton (and Philip Nolan and Jaymeel McKay) in his list of players but made sure he noted that THREE STAR Matt Heldt committed to MU.

Why not tell Bucky Fans  that both of the big basketball schools are competing for the two big prizes in the state.  Then argue the uw position?

Why be a second rate hack?  Is that his goal in life?

The purpose of the article was not to catalog and rank all players from Wisconsin. It was to highlight that while there have been some great players, none compare to Stone and Ellenson.  You don't have to list EVERY player from Wisconsin over the past few years to make that point.

So what if the guy didn't mention Fischer or Burton? He did mention Noskowiak, Heidt, Duane Wilson and Flory--and not in any manner derogatory to MU. 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I know this is going to hurt some people to admit:

MU is an afterthought in the state of Wisco.

MU could win 15 National Championships in a row, and it wouldn't matter. UW is what most people like.

[Tugg Speedman]

And the state of Wisconsin is an after-thought to the city of Milwaukee (or the metro area).  They're a bunch of hicks with cow crap on their shoes.

[LAMUfan]

Lots of chicago peeps like MU, just draw a circle around milwaukee and chicago and make that a new state.  Cool?  cool. 

[rocket surgeon]

Lots of chicago peeps like MU, just draw a circle around milwaukee and chicago and make that a new state.  Cool?  cool.  

chicago is a great place to visit, but otherwise, it'll be called "detroit-south" if they don't clean up their chit

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

And the state of Wisconsin is an after-thought to the city of Milwaukee (or the metro area).  They're a bunch of hicks with cow crap on their shoes.

Don't be butthurt. People like the Badgers. So what?

Even in Milwaukee, MU is an afterthought. Big. Deal.

Modern media isn't necessarily about "fair", it's bout sales/demand. There is more demand for Badgers coverage. This ain't new.

Again, MU could win every national title from now until forever, and people would still like the Badgers more. It's just the way it is.

[Schmidtyfactor]

I know this is going to hurt some people to admit:

MU is an afterthought in the state of Wisco.

MU could win 15 National Championships in a row, and it wouldn't matter. UW is what most people like.
[/qoute

Agree in general with the Wisconsin theory.

But if MU really won 15 NCs in a row, MU would be ellivated higher than UCLA, DUKE, Kentucky, Indiana, etc.......and far, far above Wisconsin as far as hoops supremecy is concerned. That would be an epic, unprecedented run in a era of hoops equality. MU would get 5 top ten recruits a year with that resume.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Agree in general with the Wisconsin theory.

But if MU really won 15 NCs in a row, MU would be ellivated higher than UCLA, DUKE, Kentucky, Indiana, etc.......and far, far above Wisconsin as far as hoops supremecy is concerned. That would be an epic, unprecedented run in a era of hoops equality. MU would get 5 top ten recruits a year with that resume.

Yes and no.

If you look at North Carolina (as a state), there are not many Duke fans compared to UNC or even NC State.

Nationally, Duke gets a lot of pub and they have a big fanbase, but don't be mistaken, it's the "Tar heal State", just like Wisconsin will always be the "Badger State".

MU is never going to have the fanbase that UW has locally. It just won't happen.

Now, I don't say any of this to be a wet blanket, but just so people don't get so excited every time something appears to be "pro Badger". The vast majority of people in this state don't care about MU, so the media is going to reflect that.

The same way everything is PACKERS PACKERS PACKERS, and the Bucks don't get much coverage unless they are in a deep playoff run.

[boyonthedock]

I don't find this article particularly dismissive of MU hoops, and if it was, one team went to the final four last year and the other... did not. But I'm ot gonna get twisted up in knots about an article that mentions 4 MU guys and has MU listed right behind bucky for Stone and Ellenson.

Also, I think Marquette would get Milwaukee over the 50/50 badgers/MU mark with the hypothetical 15 NCs, if not the whole state.

[brandx]

i can see it...the article was definitely being written while being bent over by bucky, but espn?  they are slowly becoming the MessNBC of the sports world to me.  brevin pritzl?  seems like a great kid and all, but 4-star?  i'll admit that i've only seen him play a few times.  he has scored a lot of points through his junior year, but 4-star?  i'm open and ready to be proved wrong, but he just didn't seem to have a big ten(eleven, twelve,...) body.  yes, i know he's only 17ish, but you know how when you look at certain guys, you can tell by their frames, that they have the ability to get bigger.  not just taller though.  unless he gets barry bonds as his trainer...he may surprise as josh gasser did develop into a very solid player under bo. 

Yes - Scouts and Rivals both have him as a 4-star.

Do your homework instead of trying to be clever with MessNBC.

[rocket surgeon]

Yes - Scouts and Rivals both have him as a 4-star.

Do your homework instead of trying to be clever with MessNBC.

easy brandy. first off, i was just asking about the star thing.  if he's a legit 4-star, good for him-thanks, kind of.  wow, isn't that what this board is for?  a little information exchange?  people are so damn quick to lift their leg on this board if you're not in the club.  2nd, so what if i was being clever with Msnbc-hit a nerve?  

[brandx]

easy brandy. first off, i was just asking about the star thing.  if he's a legit 4-star, good for him-thanks, kind of.  wow, isn't that what this board is for?  a little information exchange?  people are so damn quick to lift their leg on this board if you're not in the club.  2nd, so what if i was being clever with Msnbc-hit a nerve?  

I'm not saying you're wrong - but the scouts see him as a 4-star. I agree with you as to whether he is that good. Maybe a step up from Jake Thomas or Riley Lachance.

[bilsu]

I am pretty sure that Pritzel was a three star when he committed to UW. The next rankings moved him up to a 4 star. Wojo also offered him a scholarship.

[GGGG]

I am pretty sure that Pritzel was a three star when he committed to UW. The next rankings moved him up to a 4 star. Wojo also offered him a scholarship.

He also had a pretty good summer. 

[MU82]

I know this is going to hurt some people to admit:

MU is an afterthought in the state of Wisco.

MU could win 15 National Championships in a row, and it wouldn't matter. UW is what most people like.

I'll tell you what: Let's win the 15 straight titles and then see what happens!

[GB Warrior]

The following year, La Crosse’s Bronson Koenig decided to go to Wisconsin despite offers from most of the major programs in the country.
 

I laughed at this until I looked it up. Does he dabble in LAX?

[KenoshaWarrior]

Besides the Bucks; public interest is tied to wins and losses with Marquette than anyone else.   I can always judge how big Marquette is with the general public when I go to large festivals such as State Fair.
Last year at State Fair I would say that for every 3 Badger hat/shirt, their was 1 Marquette hat (Which is a very good ratio when you consider that State Fair draws people from across the state who might have never heard of Marquette).
This year at State Fair I would say the ratio was more like 15 to 1.    Which is the worst that I have seen it in the past 12 years of going to state fair. 

Marquette and the Bucks are always going to be treated like Supplements.  Sometimes you take them when you hear good reviews about them, but your not going to be taking them everyday like you would your heart medication (Packers, Badgers, Brewers).       
This is okay because I have always said as long as the young people thought we were cool than things would be alright.   
As someone who works at a diverse high school I can tell you that Marquette is still considered the edgier school, the cool one.  If the Badgers are CNN than Marquette is MTV.   I think a lot of this had to do with Buzz.  We recruited players that were not saints, but could ball and make it to the league.   With WOJO I am worried that the cool factor might start running dry.  We are recruiting a different type of player, and I think we are probably going to be more like Mike Brey ND teams (Not bad, but Vanilla).    In the meantime I am worried that with a Diamond Stone commit for the badgers, which looks like a real possibility, they will get that inner city cred factor that could make them the ultimate hot bed for recruits.

[Texas Western]

Besides the Bucks; public interest is tied to wins and losses with Marquette than anyone else.   I can always judge how big Marquette is with the general public when I go to large festivals such as State Fair.
Last year at State Fair I would say that for every 3 Badger hat/shirt, their was 1 Marquette hat (Which is a very good ratio when you consider that State Fair draws people from across the state who might have never heard of Marquette).
This year at State Fair I would say the ratio was more like 15 to 1.    Which is the worst that I have seen it in the past 12 years of going to state fair. 

Marquette and the Bucks are always going to be treated like Supplements.  Sometimes you take them when you hear good reviews about them, but your not going to be taking them everyday like you would your heart medication (Packers, Badgers, Brewers).       
This is okay because I have always said as long as the young people thought we were cool than things would be alright.   
As someone who works at a diverse high school I can tell you that Marquette is still considered the edgier school, the cool one.  If the Badgers are CNN than Marquette is MTV.   I think a lot of this had to do with Buzz.  We recruited players that were not saints, but could ball and make it to the league.   With WOJO I am worried that the cool factor might start running dry.  We are recruiting a different type of player, and I think we are probably going to be more like Mike Brey ND teams (Not bad, but Vanilla).    In the meantime I am worried that with a Diamond Stone commit for the badgers, which looks like a real possibility, they will get that inner city cred factor that could make them the ultimate hot bed for recruits.

In general I agree with what your saying.I think these things go in fairly long cycles. If you look back into the 70s , the Badgers were a joke in basketball and football and no one cared. The university administration in Madison was trying to emulate Northwestern and holding athletes to the academic standards similar to the student body at large. Marquette was a Basketball blue blood and a very clear number 2 after UCLA. There was no cable or internet in those days, The networks and  newspapers focused primarily on Marquette.

A couple of things happened at Wisconsin. In the 80s, They lowered the standard for Athletes and upped the academic standard for regular students. The football team started to show some life. The school became a much more sought after institution to attend.  When Donna Shalala took ove in the late 80sr, she brought in  Pat Richter to take sports to the next level in order to raise more money for the endowment. This culminated in the Badgers winning the Rose Bowl and becoming a football force. This provided the rocket fuel for the basketball program to take off. So now with their large entrench alumni base and success the Badgers are definitely more in media focus than Us. That is to be expected.

On the other hand we have fully recovered from our dark days. We have built a very strong program and our academics are on the rise. We are a very desirable school in many respects. As you say we are considered more edgy.  As a result we still get a solid amount of media coverage. Our media coverage ebbs and flows with our success.  Right now Wisconsin is doing well and we are obviously down so the differential is a little wide than recent years.I don't think Diamond Stone going to Wisconsin will radically change their image and street cred as long as Bo is their coach. They are a Big Ten program and will always have that going for the.