Tom Oates: Painful year for annual Tommy awards
http://host.madison.com/sports/columnists/tom_oates/tom-oates-painful-year-for-annual-tommy-awards/article_0957fdb6-df1a-5d78-b8dc-2e02814b4a2b.html
The Wisconsin sports scene over the past year can be summed up in a single word:
Injuries.
From collarbones to thumbs to eye sockets to — what else? — hamstrings, no body part was safe. In the past 12 months, the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks had seasons ruined or seriously compromised because key players were sidelined. The injury epidemic caused state fans to turn their lonely eyes to the college ranks and, for the most part, they liked what they saw.
That is reflected in the ninth annual Tommy Awards, a Wisconsin-only version of the ESPYs as selected by yours truly that chronicles the exploits of the state's athletes and teams over the past year.
And the Tommys go to:
[snipped]
Turkey of the year: Marquette coach Buzz Williams pulled a Bret Bielema, bolting unexpectedly for a job that wasn't as good as the one he had. Virginia Tech? Really, Buzz? That disappointing 17-15 season at Marquette might seem pretty good by this time next year. If you don't believe it, just call Bielema down in Arkansas.
Many would say Arkansas is a better job than Wisconsin in football. SEC, SEC, SEC.
Quote from: bradley center bat on April 28, 2014, 03:02:39 PM
Many would say Arkansas is a better job than Wisconsin in football. SEC, SEC, SEC.
And VT is a better job than MU in basketball. At least, conference-wise. ACC, ACC, ACC.
Quote from: 77ncaachamps on April 28, 2014, 03:05:13 PM
And VT is a better job than MU in basketball. At least, conference-wise. ACC, ACC, ACC.
Would you rather take a job at a good program in a good conference or a dumpster fire in a great conference? If we are going for football comparisons, it would be like leaving Texas Tech for Purdue.
What time frame is this guy using for Turkey of the year? How is it not Braun?
Quote from: bradley center bat on April 28, 2014, 03:02:39 PM
Many would say Arkansas is a better job than Wisconsin in football. SEC, SEC, SEC.
It is a better job than Wisconsin. Plain and simple.
This article was kind of light. Don't know that I would describe it as "tearing a new one"
I don't know if this is worthy of a new thread and I'm not sure if it's been mentioned here, but Virginia Tech plays at West Virginia next year. If nothing else, it will be entertaining to see how the student section treats Bazz.
Hard to disagree with anything Oates said.
Isn't this the same guy that refers to Marquette as a community college on Twitter?
Quote from: Skitch on April 28, 2014, 04:51:58 PM
Isn't this the same guy that refers to Marquette as a community college on Twitter?
Dunno. But if true, it'd be interesting to hear his description of VT.
I've never heard of this guy.
Some of you sure have a hard on for Buzz hate. Kinda funny.
Quote from: Skatastrophy on April 28, 2014, 05:06:18 PM
I've never heard of this guy.
Some of you sure have a hard on for Buzz hate. Kinda funny.
Yeah I don't get it.
Quote from: CornMeehl on April 28, 2014, 03:52:26 PM
I don't know if this is worthy of a new thread and I'm not sure if it's been mentioned here, but Virginia Tech plays at West Virginia next year. If nothing else, it will be entertaining to see how the student section treats Bazz.
I wasn't aware of that. It should be a special homecoming of sorts for Buzz.
Quote from: Skitch on April 28, 2014, 04:51:58 PM
Isn't this the same guy that refers to Marquette as a community college on Twitter?
Tom Oates hates everything MU and loves to report on transfers or coaching changes as being black eyes for MU saying things like "couldn't happen to a more deserving group of people."
He's a real deek.
Quote from: EnderWiggen on April 28, 2014, 03:09:35 PM
Would you rather take a job at a good program in a good conference or a dumpster fire in a great conference? If we are going for football comparisons, it would be like leaving Texas Tech for Purdue.
Buzz had one year with a solid team of Crean recruits before he had to build almost from scratch after losing the previous year's recruiting class. He still managed to build a Big East regular season co-champion within four years. The ACC is tougher
now then the Big East was then, but untli Buzz fails to crack the top half of the ACC within say five years, I'm not counting him out. We'll see.
Quote from: TAMU Eagle on April 28, 2014, 03:38:13 PM
It is a better job than Wisconsin. Plain and simple.
This article was kind of light. Don't know that I would describe it as "tearing a new one"
It is not a better job than Wisconsin. Arkansas has little if any chance of going to BCS bowl games. They have been to one since 2000. Wisconsin has been to 4 since 2000. Arkansas got lucky the year they went, as several SEC schools had down years in 2011. They are a bottom rung SEC school and are probably the 10th best program in that league. The USA Today ranks the Badgers program as the 23rd best job in the country...Arkansas was 40th. It will be much easier to play for a NC at Wisconsin than Arkansas. Arkansas throws more money around, but the results are clearly in favor of the Badgers.
Quote from: We R Final Four on April 28, 2014, 05:41:39 PM
Tom Oates hates everything MU and loves to report on transfers or coaching changes as being black eyes for MU saying things like "couldn't happen to a more deserving group of people."
He's a real deek.
So, enemies of our enemies aren't always our friends, eh?
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 28, 2014, 05:43:56 PM
It is not a better job than Wisconsin. Arkansas has little if any chance of going to BCS bowl games. They have been to one since 2000. Wisconsin has been to 4 since 2000. Arkansas got lucky the year they went, as several SEC schools had down years in 2011. They are a bottom rung SEC school and are probably the 10th best program in that league. The USA Today ranks the Badgers program as the 23rd best job in the country...Arkansas was 40th. It will be much easier to play for a NC at Wisconsin than Arkansas. Arkansas throws more money around, but the results are clearly in favor of the Badgers.
Wisconsin football loses every big game it plays. Marquette has as much of winning a NC in football as Bucky does.
Quote from: ecompt on April 28, 2014, 05:48:39 PM
Wisconsin football loses every big game it plays. Marquette has as much of winning a NC in football as Bucky does.
That's not true at all. Plus next year they don't play Ohio St, Michigan St, or Michigan. If there was ever a chance for them to run the table and get to the NC, next year would be it.
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 28, 2014, 06:01:02 PM
That's not true at all. Plus next year they don't play Ohio St, Michigan St, or Michigan. If there was ever a chance for them to run the table and get to the NC, next year would be it.
LSU will smoke them, as will whoever they play in the B1G Championship, as the rest of their schedule is a complete and absolute joke.
Quote from: wadesworld on April 28, 2014, 06:33:07 PM
LSU will smoke them, as will whoever they play in the B1G Championship, as the rest of their schedule is a complete and absolute joke.
LSU loses their starting QB and a host of others. They are ranked 9th in the preseason rankings and the Badgers 18th. Wisconsin has a chance to beat them.
Quote from: bradley center bat on April 28, 2014, 03:02:39 PM
Many would say Arkansas is a better job than Wisconsin in football. SEC, SEC, SEC.
Nobody says that. Nobody.
Arkansas still gets better recruits and has a better budget. He just went to a tougher conference is the only downside. Vt on the other hand has a worse budget and worse recruiting. I think Bret did a lateral move depending if you prefer winning or playing in the big leagues. Buzz on the other hand was clearly a step down.
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 28, 2014, 06:57:44 PM
LSU loses their starting QB and a host of others. They are ranked 9th in the preseason rankings and the Badgers 18th. Wisconsin has a chance to beat them.
When was the last time the Badgers beat anybody relatively good from another conference? Was Ron Dayne on the roster? Could he read the roster?
Quote from: 77ncaachamps on April 28, 2014, 03:05:13 PM
And VT is a better job than MU in basketball. At least, conference-wise. ACC, ACC, ACC.
Arkansas has a history of winning. They were just in the Sugar Bowl and the following year a pre season top 10 team before Bielema took over. I'm not talking MU. Just the Hogs in this case.
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 28, 2014, 05:43:56 PM
It is not a better job than Wisconsin. Arkansas has little if any chance of going to BCS bowl games. They have been to one since 2000. Wisconsin has been to 4 since 2000. Arkansas got lucky the year they went, as several SEC schools had down years in 2011. They are a bottom rung SEC school and are probably the 10th best program in that league. The USA Today ranks the Badgers program as the 23rd best job in the country...Arkansas was 40th. It will be much easier to play for a NC at Wisconsin than Arkansas. Arkansas throws more money around, but the results are clearly in favor of the Badgers.
I must be watching different Arkansas teams than you have. Houston Nutt had sone good teams that went to a Cotton Bowl and Capitol One Bowl. If Bobby Pitrino didn't screw up, the Hogs would be a top10 program, year after year.
It's hard for SEC teams to get BCS games, when the max was 2 bids per league and the SEC has 5 teams always ranked in the top 15.
Quote from: Ganzer's Source on April 28, 2014, 06:59:25 PM
Nobody says that. Nobody.
Really, do you follow stats for nobody.
Quote from: bradley center bat on April 28, 2014, 08:49:48 PM
I must be watching different Arkansas teams than you have. Houston Nutt had sone good teams that went to a Cotton Bowl and Capitol One Bowl. If Bobby Pitrino didn't screw up, the Hogs would be a top10 program, year after year.
It's hard for SEC teams to get BCS games, when the max was 2 bids per league and the SEC has 5 teams always ranked in the top 15.
I don't know how old you are, but the Cotton Bowl isn't what it used to be. A top ten program?? C'mon that's just nonsense. Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, and Texas A&M are 7 programs better than them in the SEC. I think you could lump them in with Missouri and South Carolina in the next tier. Have you looked at the Badgers bowls the last 20 years? Far more impressive than Arkansas. A top ten program doesn't go winless in their conference and finish with a 3-9 record. They might be a top 35 program, but that is all they are.
Oates (I think) was the one that said that the Badgers were justified in Vander Blue not coming, because they used his scholarship for Duje Dukan. That was two years ago when they said that. Oates loves his statistics but often is completely wrong (Wisconsin must have a good defense because teams don't score on them). He used Pomeroy as justification for Wisconsin going to the Final Four before the tournament started. However, he didn't mention that Arizona was the number one defense in the country.
Quote from: LittleMurs on April 28, 2014, 05:42:57 PM
Buzz had one year with a solid team of Crean recruits before he had to build almost from scratch after losing the previous year's recruiting class. He still managed to build a Big East regular season co-champion within four years. The ACC is tougher now then the Big East was then, but untli Buzz fails to crack the top half of the ACC within say five years, I'm not counting him out. We'll see.
Oh, I'm not doubting Buzz, I'm doubting the program he went to.
Nothing in this shallow, unoriginal column is untrue. Still, Tom Oates is a hack. How big a hack? Journalistically, Hunt is Woodward compared to Oates.
Plus, Oates loves Bucky and pretty much disses the Warriors whenever he bothers thinking about us at all.
In other words: Who gives a rat's rump what he has to say?
And, as another poster said, who chooses a turkey of the year in April? Can't wait to see his list of Xmas gifts for Bo next month!
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 28, 2014, 05:43:56 PM
It is not a better job than Wisconsin. Arkansas has little if any chance of going to BCS bowl games. They have been to one since 2000. Wisconsin has been to 4 since 2000. Arkansas got lucky the year they went, as several SEC schools had down years in 2011. They are a bottom rung SEC school and are probably the 10th best program in that league. The USA Today ranks the Badgers program as the 23rd best job in the country...Arkansas was 40th. It will be much easier to play for a NC at Wisconsin than Arkansas. Arkansas throws more money around, but the results are clearly in favor of the Badgers.
True. But that's only because the SEC is so far ahead of every other conference in the nation. Put simply, for football, every SEC job outside of Vandy and Kentucky is better than Wisconsin. Wisconsin would be a perennial basement dweller if they joined the SEC.
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 28, 2014, 09:21:10 PM
I don't know how old you are, but the Cotton Bowl isn't what it used to be. A top ten program?? C'mon that's just nonsense. Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, and Texas A&M are 7 programs better than them in the SEC. I think you could lump them in with Missouri and South Carolina in the next tier. Have you looked at the Badgers bowls the last 20 years? Far more impressive than Arkansas. A top ten program doesn't go winless in their conference and finish with a 3-9 record. They might be a top 35 program, but that is all they are.
I'm sure I am older than you.
The Cotton Bowl in 2011 had 6 vs 8 in the BCS standing when Arkansas played Kansas State. Plus, starting this season the Cotton is in the new6 bowl college football playoff, 12 year deal.
They were pre-season a top ten in 2012.
A top ten program doesn't go winless? Well, Auburn went winless and then played for the national title the next season.
Texas A&M was a 6-6, 8-5 type school, until the move to the SEC and Johnny football.
I actually root for Arkansas because I have two cousins that went there and their grandpa is Frank Broyles. The old AD there whom the football stadium is named after. So I must agree that Arkansas is a better program than that school to the west.
Quote from: bradley center bat on April 29, 2014, 12:40:03 PM
I'm sure I am older than you.
The Cotton Bowl in 2011 had 6 vs 8 in the BCS standing when Arkansas played Kansas State. Plus, starting this season the Cotton is in the new6 bowl college football playoff, 12 year deal.
They were pre-season a top ten in 2012.
A top ten program doesn't go winless? Well, Auburn went winless and then played for the national title the next season.
Texas A&M was a 6-6, 8-5 type school, until the move to the SEC and Johnny football.
I think you are older than me, I'm not debating that. The Cotton Bowl is no longer a premier bowl. Maybe it will be going forward, but it isn't currently. Wisconsin is set to be in contention for the bowl playoffs much more than Arkansas. Bielama will be fired within the next couple of years and will wish he never left Wisconsin. Wisconsin has been to the Rose Bowl 3 of the last 4 years. I really could care less about either team to be clear, but multiple publications have ranked the programs and not a single one has said Arkansas is a better job/program.
Quote from: swoopem on April 29, 2014, 01:00:04 PM
I actually root for Arkansas because I have two cousins that went there and their grandpa is Frank Broyles. The old AD there whom the football stadium is named after. So I must agree that Arkansas is a better program than that school to the west.
Nice logic on whose a better program ::)
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 29, 2014, 01:02:00 PM
I think you are older than me, I'm not debating that. The Cotton Bowl is no longer a premier bowl. Maybe it will be going forward, but it isn't currently. Wisconsin is set to be in contention for the bowl playoffs much more than Arkansas. Bielama will be fired within the next couple of years and will wish he never left Wisconsin. Wisconsin has been to the Rose Bowl 3 of the last 4 years. I really could care less about either team to be clear, but multiple publications have ranked the programs and not a single one has said Arkansas is a better job/program.
Ahh, so you do care.
Quote from: swoopem on April 29, 2014, 01:00:04 PM
I actually root for Arkansas because I have two cousins that went there and their grandpa is Frank Broyles. The old AD there whom the football stadium is named after. So I must agree that Arkansas is a better program than that school to the west.
(https://s-media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/4a/a6/50/4aa65085797365e51f269b2254db1f05.jpg)
Oates hates the Golden Eagles, but credit where credit is due.
Quote from: bradley center bat on April 29, 2014, 12:40:03 PM
Texas A&M was a 6-6, 8-5 type school, until the move to the SEC and Johnny football.
Yep. The SEC is just about the best thing to happen to TAMU. We weren't much of anyone in the Big 12. Now we are bringing in top 10 recruiting classes, top 15 seasons, and SO MUCH MONEY. We are currently renovating our stadium. We are adding 25,000 more seats and completely redoing the interior. When it is done it will be the fourth largest stadium in that nation. The entire renovation is already paid off due to the money coming in from the SEC. Not only is that renovation paid off, but so is the renovation to the basketball stadium we are doing...in four years. We have already fully funded projects that haven't even started yet.
In college football, there are SEC jobs, and then everything else.
Quote from: Wojo'sMojo on April 29, 2014, 01:02:00 PM
I think you are older than me, I'm not debating that. The Cotton Bowl is no longer a premier bowl. Maybe it will be going forward, but it isn't currently. Wisconsin is set to be in contention for the bowl playoffs much more than Arkansas. Bielama will be fired within the next couple of years and will wish he never left Wisconsin. Wisconsin has been to the Rose Bowl 3 of the last 4 years. I really could care less about either team to be clear, but multiple publications have ranked the programs and not a single one has said Arkansas is a better job/program.
I don't agree or disagree on Bielema. I guess we will see.
Since the BCS era started in 1998, the Cotton Bowl hasn't been a premier bowl. Now, the they are in the New College Football Playoff. As they are one of the six major bowls. Rose, Sugar, Orange, Cotton and Peach & Fiesta.
I'm not really saying Arkansas is a better job or not than Wisconsin football. The SEC is in a league of their own in terms of winning in college football. Plus, the Badger fanbase didn't like Bielema. It's hard being the man following the man (Barry).
Quote from: keefe on April 29, 2014, 01:20:02 PM
(https://s-media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/4a/a6/50/4aa65085797365e51f269b2254db1f05.jpg)
ah, the rare belly uni-boob. good find.
Quote from: TAMU Eagle on April 29, 2014, 02:54:53 PM
Yep. The SEC is just about the best thing to happen to TAMU. We weren't much of anyone in the Big 12. Now we are bringing in top 10 recruiting classes, top 15 seasons, and SO MUCH MONEY. We are currently renovating our stadium. We are adding 25,000 more seats and completely redoing the interior. When it is done it will be the fourth largest stadium in that nation. The entire renovation is already paid off due to the money coming in from the SEC. Not only is that renovation paid off, but so is the renovation to the basketball stadium we are doing...in four years. We have already fully funded projects that haven't even started yet.
In college football, there are SEC jobs, and then everything else.
Yep, I know and agree on all fronts. Texas A&M is out of the Longhorn shadow. Must get better at defense!
Quote from: TAMU Eagle on April 29, 2014, 02:54:53 PM
Yep. The SEC is just about the best thing to happen to TAMU. We weren't much of anyone in the Big 12. Now we are bringing in top 10 recruiting classes, top 15 seasons, and SO MUCH MONEY. We are currently renovating our stadium. We are adding 25,000 more seats and completely redoing the interior. When it is done it will be the fourth largest stadium in that nation. The entire renovation is already paid off due to the money coming in from the SEC. Not only is that renovation paid off, but so is the renovation to the basketball stadium we are doing...in four years. We have already fully funded projects that haven't even started yet.
In college football, there are SEC jobs, and then everything else.
Oh you're such a homer. Alabama is up there for best job in the country, but there are plenty of schools considered better jobs than the SEC. Texas, OSU, FSU, USC, Oklahoma, and Michigan would all be better jobs than the next best SEC job except maybe Florida. Congrats on the 1997 and 2010 Big XII championships. I could have sworn other teams won that year, but your stadium says differently.
Quote from: Boozemon Barro on May 01, 2014, 12:52:47 PM
Oh you're such a homer. Alabama is up there for best job in the country, but there are plenty of schools considered better jobs than the SEC. Texas, OSU, FSU, USC, Oklahoma, and Michigan would all be better jobs than the next best SEC job except maybe Florida. Congrats on the 1997 and 2010 Big XII championships. I could have sworn other teams won that year, but your stadium says differently.
Texas, OSU, and Michigan can compete because of the Longhorn and B1G networks. The others can't.
Depending on what you value in a coaching position, there are many jobs that could be consider better. So I suppose the way I phrased it was incorrect. But the reality is if you place any of those schools in the SEC, they go from top of the pack to middle of the road teams. OSU was undefeated last season until the B1G championship. They would have had a .500 conference record at best had they played in the SEC.