Varsity Magazine Vol 7 No 20

CONTENTS JANUARY 5, 2017 ▪ VOLUME 7, ISSUE 20 DAVID STLUKA DAVID BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD Fresh off a victory in the Cotton Bowl, Wisconsin’s returnees are eager to flip the calendar and excited about the potential of 2017 with hungry new leaders ready to start preparations. DAVID STLUKA DAVID FEATURES FOOTBALL IN [FOCUS] OUT ON TOP The week's best photos Together, the Badgers’ record-set- THE VOICE ting senior class — the most wins in DAVID STLUKA DAVID Badgers take care of business UW history — reached the end of a ‘tough road’ as Cotton Bowl champs. BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW LUCAS AT LARGE WHAT TO WATCH Where to catch the Badgers GREATER BONDS ASK THE BADGERS Favorite things about winter For Greg Gard and the Badgers, the focus on keeping things simple DAVID STLUKA DAVID allows for growth and learning as INSIDE FOOTBALL they build a stronger team. Watt ready for NFL dream -SCROLL FOR MORE- INSIDE MEN’S BASKETBALL Cool Badgers pass the test Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St. Madison, WI 53711 VIEW ALL ISSUES Brian Lucas Director of Athletic Communications Jessica Burda Director of Digital Content Managing Editor Julia Hujet Editor/Designer Mike Lucas Senior Writer Andy Baggot Writer Matt Lepay Columnist Chris Hall, Jerry Mao, Brandon Spiegel Video Production Max Kelley Advertising Drew Pittner-Smith Distribution Contributors Paul Capobianco, Kelli Grashel, A.J. Harrison, Brandon Harrison, Patrick Herb, Brian Mason, Diane Nordstrom Photography David Stluka, Neil Ament, Greg Anderson, Bob Campbell, The Players Tribune, Cal Sport Media, Icon Sportswire Cover Photo: David Stluka Problems or Accessibility Issues? [email protected] © 2017 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM Small experiments lead to greater bonds here were no known rep- interim head coach in mid-De- said. “It’s amazing what that resentatives from Major cember after Bo Ryan’s retire- does when you take away the TLeague Eating or the In- ment. “But everything was set in phones.” ternational Federation of Com- place before the season. There The objective was obvious. petitive Eating on the premises was no flexibility, no options. “It was good to have actual of the restaurant, a popular hang- Everything was booked and re- conversation and person-to-per- out in downtown Bloomington, served and the meals were con- son interactions,” Gard said. “I Indiana, a three-minute walk from tracted.” watched the table that they the team hotel. But an “eating” But he kept the idea on the were all sitting around and no- record was set Monday night. front burner. “I just thought it body appeared to be going into For the first time in at least would be a good learning expe- any type of withdrawals without two decades, maybe longer, rience for the players in terms of their phone. Including me. They maybe dating well back into the a different etiquette, a restaurant all turned into chatterboxes.” etiquette,” said Gard, who had Hayes knew exactly what Gard DAVID STLUKA DAVID Dick Bennett era of Wisconsin basketball, the UW players and another motive in mind, too, a was up to. “I’m sure he did it coaches ate together the night more appetizing and lasting one. to maybe get us to talk to each before a road game at a local “Team building.” other,” he said. “But we talk a lot. dining establishment rather than Before the players departed for We definitely enjoy each other’s the customary team meal at the the restaurant, they had to place company and presence. We can hotel. their cell phones in a bucket. survive without our phones. We For the record, the Badgers are “Myself included,” Gard don’t need them to live.” now 1-0 when doing so under head coach Greg Gard. “It must have been the trick,” Nigel Hayes rationalized, “because I had never won in Indi- ana.” The fact that Wisconsin ex- tended its winning streak to nine straight games Tuesday night with a 75-68 win over the Hoo- siers at Assembly Hall left Indi- ana coach Tom Crean with a bad case of indigestion. He has not only lost three in a row this season, but 14 out of the last 16 to the Badgers. How long has Gard been cook- ing this up? Eating together as a team, that is. “I looked at doing it last year,” said Gard, who took over as the LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 1 OF 2 LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ▪ UWBADGERS.COM DAVID STLUKA DAVID “REALLY GOOD TEAMS DON’T CHANGE OR CHANGE VERY LITTLE NO MATTER WHERE THEY’RE PLAYING. THEY STICK TO THE THINGS THAT MAKE THEM GOOD. WE’VE STUCK TO SIMPLE THINGS.” tle no matter where they’re playing. They stick to the things that make them good. We’ve stuck to simple things.” Gard wants a clear picture of the team’s goals, not a fuzzy one. “It’s part of not over-compli- cating road trips,” said Gard, who ▲ TAP TO WATCH - Gard Could Have New Road Game Tradition was asked about back-to-back There was an adjustment, if “It’s just something a little trips to Indiana and Purdue, not culture shock, for senior different,” said Gard, who’s will- two of the Big Ten’s toughest Bronson Koenig. “I know every- ing to think outside the box if it venues. “We just lock in on one one, myself included, checked produces a positive result. “We opponent and prepare for that our pockets a few times to get may do it again down the road if one and when that one is over, our phones out but they weren’t it works in terms of the city, the you shut the book on them and there,” he said. “I enjoyed it a lot restaurant, the timing of every- move on to the next.” — just getting out of our hotel thing. It has to fit the schedule. The Badgers will play the Boil- and doing a little team bonding But I thought it was good.” ermakers on Sunday in West without phones.” The Badgers have been one Lafayette. Whereas many Big Ten bas- of the better road teams in col- “Anytime you get tested by ketball coaches have dined with lege basketball. What’s the rec- very good teams — home, road, their teams at Madison restau- ipe? “You have to make sure to neutral court — you’re going to rants the night before playing adhere to the things that make learn some things,” said Gard. the Badgers — Bob Knight fa- you good no matter where you “On some, you’ll say, ‘Yeah, we vored Smoky’s — Ryan never play,” Gard said. “For us, it’s tak- did pretty well on this and it re- saw any benefits in doing it. ing care of the ball, getting good ally helped us.’ On other things, Bennett’s teams would some- shots, transition defense. it’ll be, ‘Hey, we’ve got to get times go out for dinner, but “Sometimes, I think the ven- better at this.’” he would often eat in his hotel ue or the location is given more Gard broke it down further, room. credit than necessary because “Take the result. Learn. Continue In many cases, it’s cheaper it’s really what you need to do to grow.” dining out. Win a game against a on the floor. Really good teams It was offered as food for tough foe and it can be priceless. don’t change or change very lit- thought. ▪ LUCAS AT LARGE PAGE 2 OF 2 THE VOICE BY MATT LEPAY ▪ VOICE OF THE BADGERS Badgers took care of business in Texas nyone wondering wheth- sion. Yes, matchups matter, but downs in the final period, then er the Cotton Bowl was it is difficult not to notice what won it with a walk-off field goal. A a “no-win” bowl for Wis- happened to the Big Ten East. The Big Ten fan in us would consin clearly didn’t bother to Many of the pundits will have have liked some better results. watch the game — and perhaps, their fun at the conference’s Then again, your favorite team more specifically — how the 3-7 record. Go ahead. Take your held up its end of the bargain. It’s players reacted after Bart Hous- shots. That is how it works. I okay to be a bit selfish. The Bad- ton took a knee on the final snap would still argue the league was gers earned their third-straight at AT&T Stadium. very strong this season and it bowl triumph by ending a dream The joy was real. As well it would be dangerous to assume season for a very good Western should have been. This Wiscon- it suddenly became weak in De- Michigan team. Group of Five sin football team put together an cember and early January. programs have an excellent track 11-win season. The seniors leave record in major bowl games. Just as the winningest class in school ALL SUMMER LONG THEY not this time. The Badgers made history. There are plenty more WERE ASKED ABOUT THE a few more plays, from the near- statistics you can easily look up SCHEDULE. ALL ALONG THE ly perfect passing performance regarding these 2016 Badgers. PLAYERS TALKED ABOUT of Houston and Alex Hornibrook, But what I will remember is how HOW THEY EMBRACED THE to the receiving day of Troy Fu- they stuck together and, as head CHALLENGE.

Load more