Friday, October 12, 2007

I can't wait for Badger Football season to start!

Don't you love the beginning of a new season? All of the unknowns will finally be answered. Especially with a team as young as Wisconsin...

Seriously though, I think Badger fans need to adjust their perspective. As Mr. Man pointed out, with the exception of our All-American TE and our currently injured tailback, Bucky is incredibly green at all of the skill positions. I am including Stumpy Guns in this group because, though he is a 5th year senior, he is playing like a first-year starter (which he is). The defense, while more experienced than the offense, clearly lacks the leadership that they typically rely on from their scrappy, undersized, less-athletic (read: white kid from Northern Wisconsin) safety.

From here on out I will view Wisconsin's season as a building year in which I will be pleased with a late December bowl, and ecstatic with a New Years Day bowl. I have been miserable watching the Badger's first 6 games because I expected so much and they gave me so little. It was awful having to suffer through all of the mediocrity. With my new perspective though, I will accept the mediocrity as growing pains, and be excited with the big plays, viewing them as strides forward. I hope this will make me a much happier college football fan.

This new perspective does raise a couple of questions though:

1. Was Bielema just riding on Alvarez's coat-tails last year? I think time will tell. I believe he will be an excellent coach, but I don't think we will truly know until he has all of his own recruits playing his system.

2. Should Evridge be starting or at least playing more? He is going to be the starter next year, and needs some time in the offense. He has better skills than Donovan and might be more entertaining to watch. I say if we lose 1-2 more games Everidge gets the ball.

In regards to PSU, I find Ando's theory compelling, but I fear multiple INTs due to balls forced into triple coverage against Beckum.

1 comment:

Mr.Man said...

Unfortunately, coaches' abilities, particularly head coaches' abilities, take a long time to discern. Bielema's abilities will be revealed, unfortunately, in the long term. Some of the decisions he's made-- Donovan over Evridge, throwing Cooper off the team-- you have to wonder how things would look otherwise.

I think the only way Evridge plays is if Donovan gets hurt. And that could happen this weekend. PSU may still be pissed about Levy breaking Paterno's leg.

I tried to change my attitude last week when I was down in Champaign--being calmer and more analytical--and it sort of worked. I wasn't mad or sick to my stomach. But it kind of felt like I wasn't all there. I think I'm going to go back to being nervous.