2025 Wisconsin Season Thread

[SFBadger96]

To Badge847's point up-thread, the reality is I'm just getting numb to it. This season is lost. I'm watching more as a voyeur. And I will have a hard time getting excited about next season. I'm sure it will be better, because the schedule is easier, but it's not going to be where this team should be four years after firing Chryst to try to turn the program into a championship-caliber team. So then what? 6-6 and a bowl is improvement. So Fickell stays. Then another year or two of mediocre and lots of empty seats before this experiment ends?

I'm thinking Wisconsin football will be in the wilderness for a while. So my attention will drift. I'll always love Wisconsin, and I'll always want to know what's going on, but my enthusiasm for spending money on travel/games is gone until they actually right the ship. My current emotional energy is going into the frustration of seeing the implosion of something I've put a lot of time into over the years.

Who knows, maybe in 2027 I'll be singing McIntosh's praises for sticking with Fickell and proving that he was the right hire all along. Strong leadership during difficult times and all that.

I doubt it.

[MrNubbz]

It's been 13 years.

Ha I was just going to post that,shame Illinois can't get their kids to stay home they'd be a perennial

[SFBadger96]

It's been 13 years.

We don't need to go back; we need to move forward. Bielema did what he thought was best for Bielema. I can't be too upset about that. I think Chryst elevated the program above where Bielema had it. The difference was Ohio State wasn't going through a rough patch in the late teens like it was at the end of Bielema's time in Madison.

But all that is in the past.

[MrNubbz]

I'm thinking Wisconsin football will be in the wilderness for a while. So my attention will drift. I'll always love Wisconsin, and I'll always want to know what's going on, but my enthusiasm for spending money on travel/games is gone until they actually right the ship. My current emotional energy is going into the frustration of seeing the implosion of something I've put a lot of time into over the years.

You're always welcome to come cheer for Clevelands Sports teams - see how the other half lives 

[MrNubbz]

Bielema did what he thought was best for Bielema. I can't be too upset about that. I think Chryst elevated the program above where Bielema had it.

Not for that no,but trying to make the program out like hell,he deserved what he got....sans the money

[betarhoalphadelta]

You're always welcome to come cheer for Clevelands Sports teams - see how the other half lives

I was gonna say, it's kinda cute as a Purdue fan, to see Badger fans starting to acknowledge and embrace the suck...

[SFBadger96]

I've probably said this here before, but there was a period 2010-2014 that was insane for sports fandom in my house. The SF Giants won three world series, the Badgers played in three Rose Bowls (earning two of them with conference championships), Notre Dame played for a national championship (while that ended in a thud, the season to get them there was a lot of fun), the Packers (my NFL team) won a Super Bowl with one of the greatest QBs of all time, and the 49ers (the local team) played in a Super Bowl and became good again under Jim Harbaugh, after several futile years. Even the Sharks were really good, though they never could quite seal the dal. It was a good time to be a sports fan in my house. And since then there have been a lot of good years, too, including with the Warriors becoming one of the dominant teams.

I tried to explain to my kids that this is not what sports fandom is really like. Typical is losing the one game you need to make the bowl game you were hoping for; missing the playoffs, or the next round in painful fashion; watching other teams stockpile talent and wondering why your team can't do the same; having a brilliant first half against a long time rival/thorn in your side, only to watch their superior talent overcome the solid fundamentals that your team relied on to get you there. Etc., etc., etc... (fortunately I'm not really a Brewers fan--I just hate the Dodgers--but that last example sure played out during the NLCS last week).

[SFBadger96]

Not for that no,but trying to make the program out like hell,he deserved what he got....sans the money

Fair. I'm just not still upset about it. I was at the time. Anger fades--especially when Chryst had us in conference championship games and winning the Orange Bowl. Bielema is a good football coach. I would say not a great one. But good.

[847badgerfan]

https://twitter.com/TheRealRedShed/status/1980324966798385532

[SFBadger96]

I would say more like the offspring of a successful family business who had no idea that running the business takes hard work; it doesn't succeed on its own.

[ELA]

I've probably said this here before, but there was a period 2010-2014 that was insane for sports fandom in my house. The SF Giants won three world series, the Badgers played in three Rose Bowls (earning two of them with conference championships), Notre Dame played for a national championship (while that ended in a thud, the season to get them there was a lot of fun), the Packers (my NFL team) won a Super Bowl with one of the greatest QBs of all time, and the 49ers (the local team) played in a Super Bowl and became good again under Jim Harbaugh, after several futile years. Even the Sharks were really good, though they never could quite seal the dal. It was a good time to be a sports fan in my house. And since then there have been a lot of good years, too, including with the Warriors becoming one of the dominant teams.

A couple MSU beat writers always refer to the period from 2008-2016 as Camelot, as a nod to the JFK White House.

You had Izzo and Dantonio, in total lockstep with the administration.  Now they did that at the expense of literally every other sport, which fell off a cliff, most notably hockey.

But it was an 8 year span where football won 3 Big Ten titles, played for a 4th, ranked in the top 10 5 times, and the top 5 3 times.  Basketball reached 3 Final Fours, plus an Elite 8, and won 5 Big Ten titles.  Neither team ever missed the postseason.

In the 9 years since then, basketball has still won 4 Big Ten titles, but just one Final Four, and one Elite Eight (although arguably their best team was the year the tournament got cancelled).  So very good, but not elite.  Football has not returned to a CCG, they are about to miss a bowl for the sixth time, and only posted 3 winning records.

[betarhoalphadelta]

I would say more like the offspring of a successful family business who had no idea that running the business takes hard work; it doesn't succeed on its own.

I think it's more along the lines of if Barnes & Noble decided they needed a new CEO in 2000 to help them combat this upstart company called Amazon.

So they poached away the CEO of Waldenbooks. Who told them B&N just needed a bigger shopping mall presence because "nobody really wants to buy books online". And then later told them "you don't need to compete against the Kindle; people LOVE a physical tactile book experience".

The game changed. Wisconsin went away from what used to work, the power run game and developing players. But they didn't fully embrace the new reality--that you have to pay to play. 

[MrNubbz]

I've probably said this here before, but there was a period 2010-2014 that was insane for sports fandom in my house. The SF Giants won three world series, the Badgers played in three Rose Bowls (earning two of them with conference championships), Notre Dame played for a national championship (while that ended in a thud, the season to get them there was a lot of fun), the Packers (my NFL team) won a Super Bowl with one of the greatest QBs of all time, and the 49ers (the local team) played in a Super Bowl and became good again under Jim Harbaugh, after several futile years. Even the Sharks were really good, though they never could quite seal the dal. It was a good time to be a sports fan in my house. And since then there have been a lot of good years, too, including with the Warriors becoming one of the dominant teams.

3 facking series and a Super Bowl??? I'm still pissed the Indians lost the '54 series to Say-Hey over the shoulder grab at the Polo Grounds.After setting an Modern day record of 111 wins in a season then getting broomed in 4 - I was there in another life,Packers beat the Browns for one of their NFL titles

 I'm sad the Buckeyes don't play the Badgers again until 2028

[847badgerfan]

3 facking series and a Super Bowl??? I'm still pissed the Indians lost the '54 series to Say-Hey over the shoulder grab at the Polo Grounds.After setting an Modern day record of 111 wins in a season then getting broomed in 4 - I was there in another life,Packers beat the Browns for one of their NFL titles

I'm sad the Buckeyes don't play the Badgers again until 2028

At least it won't hurt your SoS rankings for a while.