When I was manager, '71-'72, recall that Texas A&M won the Presidential Classic. Shelby Metcalf was the A&M coach -- very nice guy. But not a great "classic."  

I live in Madison, retired from the UW and am a former season-ticket holder. The Gard story was the front-page headline in today’s local newspaper.

My impression of Gard is that he is not an a-hole. Seemed like a solid and low-key guy. He is also, however, a protégé of Bo Ryan who, by all accounts, was not such a good guy. And resigned suddenly after it was revealed he had an extramarital affair with a massage therapist (I’m not making this up). I recall Frank Kaminsky, when asked what thought about Ryan, saying “he’s mean” (and he didn’t seem to be joking). So, some of that tough love may have rubbed off on Gard.

The AD here, Barry Alvarez, and his successor (Alvarez is retiring) have both come out publicly supporting Gard. Trying to shift the conversation away from what the players said to how disappointed they are that the meeting was recorded, and the recording was leaked. However, only 37 minutes of the two-hour meeting was leaked. Some players said that Gard responded with empathy to what the players said.

Fans here are impatient, and some were already disgruntled about last year’s performance, given all the hype about the team and its maturity. The Kobe King departure was a big mystery -- as was the apparent firing of Alando Tucker. It appears that Howard Moore will not be returning.

Of the seven seniors who could have returned next year, only one will be coming back.

So, we’ll see what happens. I think this story will have some leg here in WI.

Hurts my heart to see the clips from the NIT championship - what a good team that was.

I continue to be frustrated by how poorly we screen and defend against screens. In today's game, if you can't execute the high ball screen or defend it, you're nowhere.

We switch on screens all the time. This creates bad mismatches and/or allows the offense player a clear path to the hoop. If you watch elite teams, you see that they fight over screens or even go under them, but don't switch all the time.

And on offense, we don't set or use screens well.

Need to fight over screens

Let’s not forget Eddie Leonard’s and the gourmet delicacies available all night at the Greyhound bus station.

Say what you want about Bishop and his ball dominance, but he wants the ball in clutch situations. Need a guy like that.

Meant “cynical”

We did not defend their screening action well (poor rotations when we double teamed)

They defended our screening action well (Bishop needs to pass out of the double team much better)

We continue to be disinterested in 50/50 balls (long rebounds and balls on the floor)

And, of course, FTs


 

When we play man, we constantly switch on screens instead of fighting over them. This creates mismatches that I think resulted in a lot of their drives to the basket. They constantly beat us on drives.