An idea popped in my head as I was hustling from the Kohl Center to the UW Field House last Saturday, going from covering the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team to attending the Badgers volleyball team’s win over Florida Gulf Coast.
People are also reading…
What are the chances the Badgers pickup a quarterback from the portal for 2022? Seems like some good ones out there!
— JMW123 (@jmw1235) December 6, 2021
Any info on Deacon Hill and his ability to challenge next year? Also does Chase Wolf transfer as his limited appearances demonstrate an affinity for turning the ball over
— South Jersey Pete (@SJerseyPete) December 6, 2021
After what Michigan did this year, especially after cleaning house, I think everyone wants to know if Bucky brings in new voices? Does Chryst stay loyal to a fault? With Pryor, Davis and Ferguson gone, who picks up the slack in WR/TE duties next year?
— Frozenwriter (@repattermann) December 6, 2021
After observing OSU's NIL strategy to Get Quinn Ewers, I'm wondering if we should have an NIL fund set up to attract 5 star WRs and CBs....
— GT Schutz (@GTSchutz) December 7, 2021
Jim, I’m confused by the All-Big Ten results. For most of the season we lamented the performance of the OL, and yet each starter received honorable mention or better. Beach, arguably our worst performer overall, was 3rd team? What’s your view on why?
— Mike Heindl (@HeindlMike) December 6, 2021
Why is Haering still on the staff? Why are we not openly looking for an OC?
— John Schneider (@OnWisJohn) December 7, 2021
It seems to me Wisconsin football doesn’t use the transfer portal as much as it could, but that may just be my perception. Is there any evidence of this? It seems like Wisconsin could use the transfer portal now more than ever.
— University and State (@UnivAndState) December 6, 2021
What are the chances if we lose In Nevada that jim Leonard is the new head coach
— Smoothie Smith (@SmoothieMU) December 6, 2021
Any hard-hitting, analysis-based predictions for the volleyball team this weekend?
— Chris Cesar (@Cesar_Chris) December 6, 2021
Dear Open Jim,
— Robb Vogel (@RobbVogel) December 6, 2021
Are you finally willing to stop being a wet blanket and get on the "Badgers to the Final 4" train? I mean, what does a team have to do?
Stay healthy,
Badger Nation
Can you write some words on how much fun this Badgers basketball team is to watch. I've enjoyed every minute of this squad so far.
— whitey (@Whiteywilhelm) December 6, 2021
Jim - do you think getting Alando Tucker out of the program has had a positive impact on the team? It seems to me like team chemistry is way better this year than last,. I think he was undermining the Gard w many of the key players, many of who are now gone.
— Dan Bendtsen (@BendtsenDan) December 7, 2021
What are your thoughts about the culture for the basketball team? Quite an off-season mess yet things are humming now.
— Matt Man (@matthew2ingham) December 6, 2021
What are the chances that Brad Davison is the basketball version of Jim Leonhard and becomes an amazing assistant coach and probable future head coach for the Badgers?
— Craig Smith (@smithcp1) December 6, 2021
Does the men's basketball team have strong enough 3-point shooting depth to maintain their early season strong start?
— Ross Leinweber (@BoldCoastCap) December 6, 2021
Why is Ben Carlson not playing more? Defense? Decision-making against zone teams? Other?
— dewey229 (@dewey229) December 6, 2021
How does Gilmore get this many minutes?😇
— Butch Gebhardt (@ButchieGee) December 6, 2021
Do you plan to see the Kurt Warner movie “American Underdog”? Part of it takes place in GB. Doesn’t get better than Dennis Quaid as Dick Vermeil!
— Steve Schuster (@SteveSc84123682) December 6, 2021
Fave 5: Jim Polzin picks his favorite stories of 2021
Jim Polzin stepped into a new role in June, going from University of Wisconsin men’s basketball beat reporter to Lee Sports Wisconsin columnist.
Polzin wore both hats later that month when, on back-to-back days, he broke the news about seven seniors confronting coach Greg Gard in a secretly recorded meeting during the 2020-21 season and followed up with a column about how that recording had exposed cracks in the program’s foundation.
I wish I didn’t have to write this story about the daughter of former UW football standout Al Toon, who was killed in an apparent murder-suici…
I was assigned this story when the news broke in early April that Alvarez was “retiring.” A couple months later, I’d produce what may have bee…
I wanted to get a game column in this list and there were handful from which to choose. But selected this one from the opener against Penn Sta…
Moseley is a fascinating woman who’s in the early stages of a major rebuilding project. Not as many people read this story as I’d hoped, so ma…
This story has been on a Microsoft Word document of stories I’d wanted to pursue ever since Smart, who grew up in the Madison area, was named …
Contact Jim Polzin at jpolzin@madison.com.
A former Badger tweeted that to be elite they need to be able to throw downfield and stop teams from the same. Certainly those were problem areas this year. But is that just this year or is he on to something?
— Chris Davis (@cdavis20000) December 6, 2021
Early in the fall it was stated that the Badger football coaches will “own” the decision, or lack thereof, to not encourage Jack Coan to compete for the starting QB role. On New Years Day Badger fans will watch Coan lineup behind center for the Fighting Irish. Thoughts?
— John D Baumann (@John_D_Baumann) December 6, 2021
I know your past mail bag response indicated you didn’t think Tony Granato was on the hot seat, but if the athletic department decided to make a change after this year, any thoughts on who you think would be on the short list of candidates for the men’s hockey HC position?
— Andrew Zimdars (@andrew_zimdars) November 30, 2021
