Scholarship table
Gard's on a warm seat and playing up to his base why he's losing players. Easy to just blame the craziness that is NIL.
Madison's the only school with an active "alumni network."Tonight, my wife and I went to an outdoor concert. I was wearing my gold Marquette hat. A guy with a Marquette polo shirt comes up and we have small talk. Turns out he was an engineering grad who has a job with a suburban Charlotte engineering firm - along with 4 other Marquette alums. Seems the owner of the company also was a Marquette grad.
I’d be surprised if he’s their coach this time next year. Seems clueless on how to navigate this new landscape and just points fingers at everyone but himself. Despite losing 3 in a row to them, it’s good for MU as long as Gard is the coach. They’re pretty much irrelevant now.
Between the "Harvard of the Midwest" and the "active Alumni network" - the delusions are grand at UW-Madison
I’ll use the Brett Favre analogy. Favre could toss 3picks and still fire heaters through double coverage. No conscience. Badger basketball had a 50 yr run w/o a ncaa tourney bid. No matter. Badger guy still talked trash like there were ucla. Football? Mention the late ‘80’s and the veer offense that produced a winless BIG season. Badger guy starts to mumble incoherently before beating his chest about that ‘92 Rose Bowl. Red football and basketball have been solid since the early ‘90’s, sure. But to Badger guy UW is Alabama football Duke basketball in a blender. I think you have to live in-state and NOT be a Badger fan to fully grasp this cult of delusion. academics? Don’t get me started.
I actually wonder if this is a move by UW to move on from Gard. Barry's hand was forced by Bo's retirement timing and Gard was never McIntosh's guy. So say the NIL coffers are dry, leave him with a gutted roster, and if (when) he fails put all the blame on Gard and bring in a new coach, new style, and suddenly announced the NIL coffers are full to bursting for the new guy. I'd be very curious to know what happened to his buyout with his latest rolling extension.
After the firing of Chryst, I'm not sure I'd see McIntosh prolonging anything. It almost feels a crummy season could be more expensive than just pulling the plug now.
TAMUI do know, Newsie is right on you knowing ball.
I think Gard is just an average basketball coach, and always has been. He went to two Sweet 16s with Bo's rosters (and system) his first 2 years. He's had 2 Tournament wins in 7 years since and missed 3 NCAA Tournaments. They had made 19 straight NCAA Tournaments prior to that, and prior to Gard taking over they were lower than a 5 seed once in the previous 9 years.This isn't a transfer portal or NIL thing. It's not something that just came about. He's just an average college basketball coach, who took over for a Hall of Famer.
Who’s done just good enough to keep his gig.
doubtful they play .500 ball next season with their current roster. The AD, McIntosh, is a football guy (former UW player) but he’ll probably move on from Gard at that point, though not sure of the financials of that.
I think Gard is just an average basketball coach, and always has been. He went to two Sweet 16s with Bo's rosters (and system) his first 2 years. He's had 2 Tournament wins in 7 years since and missed 3 NCAA Tournaments. They had made 19 straight NCAA Tournaments prior to that, and prior to Gard taking over they were lower (as in a worse seed) than a 5 seed once in the previous 9 years.This isn't a transfer portal or NIL thing. It's not something that just came about. He's just an average college basketball coach, who took over for a Hall of Famer.
Kirk Penney added to Gard's staff as a special assistant to the coach.Gard's replacement on deck.