Madison (WI) Columnist Tom Oates Tears Buzz A New One

[bradley center bat]

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.

[bradley center bat]

Nobody says that. Nobody.

Really, do you follow stats for nobody.

[Wojo'sMojo]

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.

[MUDPT]

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.

[EnderWiggen]

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.

[MU82]

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!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

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.

[bradley center bat]

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.

[swoopem]

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.

[Wojo'sMojo]

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.

[Wojo'sMojo]

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 

[wadesworld]

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.

[keefe]

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.

[GB Warrior]

Oates hates the Golden Eagles, but credit where credit is due.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

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.

[bradley center bat]

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).

[ZiggysFryBoy]

ah, the rare belly uni-boob.  good find.

[bradley center bat]

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!

[Boozemon Barro]

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.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

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.