Saturday, November 22, 2008
Bielema mounts heroic 4th quarter comeback.
That's going to be the standard headline tomorrow. Every time the Badgers have won, I've praised the team and any areas of improvement. I thought it was unfair and hypocritical to demand change and then complain when the team wins, even if the win is ugly. Today, that standard is getting thrown out the window. I'm standing out there in the cold, and for the first time ever I don't feel happy that we won. I feel relieved, but also a little angry and dejected. I really don't like watching us celebrate like we clinched the conference when really we just barely avoided abject humiliation. The defense spent 4 quarters being mystified by the option and the offense somehow managed to not drop 60 points on Cal Poly. This game makes me not want to watch, talk, or even think about Badger football. I need to get some air and clear my head. More posts later and the poll is back up.
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21 comments:
The Badgers did not deserve to win this game, which is just sickening. Not until today did I really think that firing Bielema after just three seasons was reasonable. But I now think it is.
The Badgers probably don't even deserve a bowl bid. And, after this awful performance, they just might not get one.
Terrible. Just terrible.
Bret has done enough. Get rid of him.
Terrible, fire the guy. How you can have John Clay on your team and come that close to losing to Cal-Poly is beyond absurd. 4th and 1 they don't think to put someone in the middle?
Clay is a man, only bright spot for next two or three years. PJ Hill, nice runner for sure, but am I missing something? Would Clay not have gained 350 yards today? After Clay, they don't have much, and I don't think much coming in. Get ready for mediocre or worse in a bad league until new coach.
For the first time since the end of my freshman year at UW (2002), I am not looking forward to next year. Nothing will be done about BB. BA will remain pigheaded regarding his choice of coaches. The recruiting will be non-existent.
R.I.P. Badger Football
How many of you have ever played against or coached against a true veer option...not Don Morton...but one in which there are truly three options on 70% of plays?
This would have been a difficult match up for a lot of solid D-1 teams.
Scherer actually showed some nice flashes, definitely has a rec. corp that has a chance to be special.
I remember this. Watching the secondary play and get worse through last season, watching the bowl game and nearly vomiting my Miller Lite I couldn't believe they did not improve at all before the bowl game.
I went to the spring game with my wife and kids. After the first set of possessions I didn't say another word to my wife, ignored my kids and had a terrible day. Later, she asked if everything was OK? I told her no, that I couldn't believe the starting secondary was the same and the 2nd string offense dominated them in the spring game.
It's a lot more than Bielema. One of the difficult things a young leader faces is firing staff. I expect BB to stay and it would be safe to say that 3-5 coaches will be packing their bags.
Now, all of you get out some paper and stop the veer option! Good luck ~:-)
Nice comments regarding the veer offense. It helps me understand. I respect your knowledge and love of Badger football.
I felt the same way about last year's declining defense and spring ball.
If this was the first time Bucky had trouble with a team this year, I would not be as disappointed.
But, we all know that Bret's coaching mistakes have been legion -- against any type offense.
Friends, we were one point away from joining Michigan vs. App. St. in the Hall of Shame.
I predict, with certainty, that Wisconsin will join Michigan and Notre Dame and Washington on a long trip down.
Folks, we are circling the drain.
FIRE BRET!!!
I said 3 weeks ago he should go.With 17 returning starters there should have never been those blown leads an very stupid penaltys.I go to there bowl game every year.I think this year i will pass.Im to sick.--Ken,Big Badger Fan in Florida
Ok, here's point #1, when did WI football become a national power? When did WI start challenging consistently for national championships and top 5 finishes? Folks, as much as I love the Badgers, the fact remains that this team will be just as likely to post a 6 or 7 win season as they are a 9 or 10 game season. The badgers can compete in the big 10 because it's a throw back conference that matches their style of play. They DO NOT have the players to compete against the big boys and until the offensive and defensive philosophies change, that will remain the same. Firing Bielema is not going to solve that. It wasn't until I move out of WI that I've come to understand how truly myopic WI fans are. We think we've crashed like we are florida State. That fact is, for every Rose Bowl BA got the Badgers into, there were also Copper Bowls or Music City Bowls...or, no bowl at all. WI football is what it is. Frustrating and occasionally exihilarating. Stop acting like WI is a football power, because we are not and probably never will be.
Sheesh...What's point #2?
Point #2, if you fire BB, who are you going to bring in to replace him? What "name" coach in his right mine would come to Madison? Especially when the TN is open, the Washington job is open and heck, even the ND could be open. If you a coach with a "name" you're not looking @ WI as your "dream" job. Before you look at firing BB, you better take a look in the mirror and ask yourself, who replaces him? Point #3, I think we've been a little spoiled by the occasional great seasons in Madison, I think you need a refresher on that late 80's and earlier 90's. Appreciate what you have because it could be a LOT worse!
Bret has to go.
Lousy preparation, lousy gameplan, lousy.............evertthing.
Bret has to go.
Lane Kiflin, here you come.
Hey I'm with you brother. I have never supported BB getting the axe. However, you have to remember that when you reference the late 80's and early 90's that you had a stadium falling apart and a season ticket holder group of around 15,000. There was no Mclain Center. The weight room was the old Den in the bowels of the Camp. My point. 6 and 7 win seasons would have been enough to march State Street back then.
Now, double digit wins or bust. BCS or at least the doorstep or its just becoming another game.
The leader must regroup and narrow in on the types of players he is going to recruit. The old Wisconsin put a fence around the state with a scattering of the East Coast. The new way is to watch the top 50 national lists and pound the pavement after them.
My point. Look at Cal-Poly, I don't know about you, but I saw some athletes. The important thing is that they obviously recruit to fit their offense.
I'll stop now. I will judge this team by what I see between now and the Spring Game. I can predict the bowl game.
it's going to be a long off season.
part of me died when we lost to michigan. it'll be a long time before that pain goes away.
bielema has ruined this team and dampened my spirit.
I think the head coaches at Oregon State, Texas Tech, Boise State, Vanderbilt, etc., etc., etc. would view Wisconsin as a step or two higher and come here.
Great college town, fine school, great fan support, great facilities, a conference begging for a school to "rise up," lot's of money, etc., etc. etc.
Ever been to Lubbock, TX? -- it ain't pretty.
Fire Bret -- Hire a proven winner with a 21st Century plan.
I am truly sorry we won today.
PS: To the fans who say "live with it and be thankful" -- What if we had taken that attitude in 1988 going forward?
you people that want bielema fired leave out some things. stupidity by evridge when he was playing that costed us the michigan game. offsides penaltys, holding penalties and late hit penaltys especially against michigan which game them the ball back and they got a TD out of it. its not all bielema you just wanna blame somebody like always
1. punt return touchdown. BB is the special teams coach - and special teams has done nothing but hurt the team over the last 3 seasons. he can't even get HIS one area of the team he is directly responsible for right...
2. no discipline. offsides on 4th and 6? seriously? if that isn't bad enough, how can a coach not PULL THE PLAYER WHO WAS OFFSIDES to AT LEAST send a message - doing nothing speaks loudly.
3. WTF were the post game comments about? the guy is a fraud. period. you can only pull out the company line(s) when they aren't 100% insulting. how about the truth every once in a while? how about "we just somehow averted what would have been the most embarassing loss in UW history because some poor kid missed THREE PATs...sometimes being lucky works, but we are not at all satisfied by today's game"?
Lets not forget Michigan. Lets not forget MSU. Yes, the Badgers are off to another bowl game - but in context, this season should go down in the books for what it is - nothing short of miserable. If there wasn't a rumored FOUR MILLION DOLLAR buyout clause in his contract...who knows. Barry, who has been SILENT thru this has to check his ego at the door and let his boy go...I am not holding my breath. Whether BB stays or goes (probably stays) I can say with 100% certainty that Badger fans and donors now have a different perspective on the program, and THAT will take many seasons far, far from this type of season to fix.
To the guy 2 posts above:
YES, people want to blame somebody. Someone needs to be blamed for the many mistakes of the season. The person 'in charge' is the head coach. Those mistakes are the head coach's responsibility. period. no discipline? coaching. poor decisions? coaching. a player makes dumb plays? get him out of the game (coaching). The defense overall was a huge negative suprise this year - and BB let the former D coordinator leave - actually he fired him, only for him to go to Northwestern and turn that team's defense around. Another HORRIBLE decision, again, by the head coach.
Who is responsible when it is all said and done? THE FREAKING HEAD COACH!
yes but if idiot wouldnt of been holding on that third down play against msu wisconsin would of won. and if evridge didnt throw that stupid interception against michigan and then the stupid late hit penalty on 3rd down we would of beat them to. so realistically wisconsin should be 9-3 but players had a role in screwing that up to
Fire Bret Bielema!!!
Really, a shockingly bad performance by the Badgers, in a season littered with them. I was really rooting for Cal Poly because a loss to them might have dislodged Bielummox from his sinecure. But thanks to a CP kid who can't kick a PAT to save his life, Bielummox saves his job. Again.
Barry,
His name is Chris Petersen. Offer him $1.5 milion( doubling his current salary at BSU), then fire Bret Bielema.
The $4 million you have to pay off Bret will be the best money you ever spent!!!
what is chris peterson gonna do? if you want bielema fired then your an idiot. he has taken wisconsin to a bowl game every year so quit whining
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