Sportandfashion-news Super Bowl Preview: 3.) It's about Wisconsin, not Bret Bielema

Wisconsin Badgers football is known for pumping out solid National Football League players, but more so, they are the ones behind the scenes also known as offensive lineman. Sure they have a great deal of successful college running backs, but most of them, if not all of them, have failed to live up to expectations.  Wisconsin football produces many great cogs to important units but rarely do they produce a recognizable player to the casual fan.

Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt is one of the few that come to mind. Recently, Russell Wilson and Montee Ball are two more, and both will play an active part in the Super Bowl this Sunday where 75+ million people will hear where they went to college, the University of Wisconsin (In Wilson's case, North Carolina State too, but you get the point). It should be about the school, but currently, their former coach now at Arkansas, is trying to make it about himself versus the university.

Best of luck to these four Uncommon men next week #BeUncommon pic.twitter.com/43IhSefFaQ
— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema) January 22, 2014

This is a recruiting tactic without question, and something Bielema needs to do with National Signing Day being a mere month away with some change. Additionally, SEC more than any conference in America wants to show their recruits that their coach can get them to the National Football League versus another coach in the SEC. Frankly, it is dumb luck Bielema has four players in the Super Bowl. If New England and San Francisco were the two teams in the Super Bowl, want to guess how many former players Bielema would have in the Super Bowl?  Zero.

I would be curious to hear Ball, Wilson, Chris Margos and O'Brien Schofield's thoughts on Bielema promoting these guys to a program that is not Wisconsin. These guys do not have any ties to Arkansas football. There is a complete understanding that this is 'recruiting 101', but at the same time, there is a sense of exploitation by Bielema here. Interesting enough, Bielema retweeted information about Chris Borland, a guy whom only played three years under him, not even the full four which might be even more awkward seeing as he really did shine as a 3-4 linebacker this season.

All of this being said, it is a great stage for Wisconsin Football and Bielema to a smaller degree. For the first time ever, a Wisconsin quarterback will lead a team into a Super Bowl. It is crazy to think with all the great running backs Wisconsin produced over the past two decades that Ball will be the second running back to be in a Super Bowl with Ron Dayne getting there as well his rookie season. It is always important for an university's football team to have star players in the NFL. It builds the brand more than anything else because the pitch can be 'At Wisconsin, you can be the next Russell Wilson/JJ Watt/Montee Ball.' And that's why this is so important to Madison.

For the former coach, he needs to reflect on the glory days because right now, Alex Collins is his only saving grace at Arkansas.

Charlie.

CBB Stock Market: January 18th-19th

Looking for something else on Sports News on Tap, I found a gem called 'CBB Stock Market' which highlighted what happened on the weekend of college hoops. Sometimes I will use this space for a longer form recap, but mostly, it will be a subheading. 

BUY BUY BUY 

Kansas Jayhawks - What a week for Kansas. They look like the second best team in the country. They beat
Iowa State and Oklahoma State led by a big time performance on Saturday afternoon with Joel Embiid going for 13 points, eleven rebounds and eight blocks. This is a national broadcast where everyone's eyes are on him. Andrew Wiggins struggled against Oklahoma State, but he dominated against the Cyclones on Monday night. This team is coming together in a tough Big 12. Naadir Tharpe is another big reason why Kansas is playing well. In the last two games, Tharpe is averaging 22 points a game with five assists. That's important to the Jayhawks' success in the short and long term.

Texas Longhorns - People love to pick on Rick Barnes. He did not have a good 2012, and people believed him to be on the hot seat. With a new athletic director in town, people thought Texas might move Barnes like they did Mack Brown. But Barnes figured out to win with this team, and they are back in the top 25 for the first time in over a year. Texas has NO seniors, and they are still winning games in a tough Big 12. I feel like Barnes no matter what happens in the coming weeks, he has a job for a couple more years. Incredible effort with this squad.

Syracuse Orange - We gave Arizona some credit with last week's Stock Market and it is time to give Syracuse some love as they are one of the last unbeatens. Pittsburgh gave them their best shot. Lamar Patterson drilled four 3-pointers in the second half and Panthers had the lead at certain points coming back from being down double-digits. Tyler Ennis, the freshman no one talks about, had two monster layups to push the Orange ahead for another win. This season is really setting up perfectly for Syracuse to get an ACC crown in their first year. They do not have a difficult road game until February 12th against Pittsburgh, but it really looks like there are only three to five losses at most on their schedule. I loved nothing more than Boeheim's comments after the game calling it an 'old Big East game.'

HOLD HOLD HOLD

Creighton Bluejays - Fair to say the Jays look ahead to this one with Villanova on the slate tonight? They were beat pretty good by Providence as Doug McDermott received no help as he was the only player in double-digits. People do say the knock on the Jays is their lack of defense, and it showed in this game. If they are not getting a supporting cast with McDermott, they will suffer losses like this one.

Iowa State Cyclones - Even though they have lost three straight, I really do not think it is time to push the panic button here. They were too high at number eight without any question. Iowa State is not a top ten team rather a solid team with a great deal of talent. They need to find some scoring that is not shooting the 3-pointer. You can only live and die by it for so long.

SELL SELL SELL 

Georgetown Hoyas - I am going to trend very lightly with this one because my team plays Georgetown tonight so I am in no position to throw stones yet this Hoya team is struggling to score points. They had a double-digit home loss to Seton Hall something virtually unheard of, and just another dent in a rough year thus far for the Hoyas. Georgetown this week also had a 17-point lead with 15 minutes left only to have Xavier go on a 44-14 run to close out of the game beating them by 13 points. 

Indiana Hoosiers - This team beats Wisconsin at home only to lose on Saturday to Northwestern AT HOME. Indiana is an average team at best. 47 points to a weak Wildcat team. This is a team that should not be considered on the bubble right now. If you are not beating teams you are supposed to at home, there is no room for you in the tournament.

Arkansas Razorbacks - It felt like maybe the SEC was finally getting off the ground with Arkansas beating Kentucky at home maybe showing the Hogs were a better team than expected. Yet they lose on the road to Georgia in overtime. Bulldogs are not a bad team per say, but if Arkansas wants to be a tournament team, they win these type of ball games. Razorbacks needs to start getting some wins away from Bud Walton Arena. .

GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK 
Monday: Creighton at 4. Villanova 6:00 pm FOX Sports 1, 24. Baylor at 8. Kansas 8:00 pm ESPN

Tuesday: 22. Texas at Kansas State 6:00 pm ESPN2

Wednesday: 10. Iowa at 21. Michigan 6:00 pm Big Ten Network, 18. Duke at Miami 6:30 pm ESPN2,
                    9. Wisconsin at Minnesota 8:00 pm Big Ten Network

Thursday: Colorado at 1. Arizona 8:00 pm ESPN2 

WALK OFF PUT-BACK DUNK

There are certain games that have incredible finishes but really were not good games. This is what happened to Kentucky and Arkansas on Tuesday night. The game was as choppy as AOL dial-up internet with 58 personal fouls called throughout the game including 50 during regulation. But this game had an unreal finish with Andrew Harrison hitting a game-tying 3-pointer with two seconds left to sent the game to an extra session. That makes things exciting, but the overtime period delivered in more ways than one. Once again, Kentucky hits a three to tie the game late with James Young after an unreal rebound Alex Poythress then madness happened as Rashad Madden missed a three only to have Michael Qualls dunking the ball with only .03 seconds left. WOO PIG SOOIE.

Charlie.

Bobby Petrino: King of Second Chances

Louisville lost Charlie Strong, but many people thought they could bring a coach to the caliber close to Strong making sure the Cardinals do not miss a beat when they move into the Atlantic Coast Conference. There were a couple really strong candidates in Michigan State's defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi or Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris plus one strange candidate... Bobby Petrino. The same coach that left Louisville in the dust to go to the National Football League. People thought it was not possible Petrino would be back in Louisville but he returns to the place that made his career. But he returns with a great deal of baggage.

Everyone would think when the term 'baggage' is said, we are referring to his motorcycle scandal, and while that is a major part of it, Petrino napalmed bridges almost everywhere he had a job.  I mean this guy completely set the previous job employer on fire before leaving for the next job. Look at what happened to him left Jacksonville according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post..

Favorite Petrino story: He was Jaguars' OC in 2001 when I covered them. Sneaked away to Auburn after season without telling Coughlin. (1/2)
— Bart Hubbuch (@HubbuchNYP) January 8, 2014

Coughlin wasn't aware Petrino had left until Auburn announced his hiring. Coughlin was furious, supposedly never spoke to him again. (2/2)
— Bart Hubbuch (@HubbuchNYP) January 8, 2014

 Let's not forget about how he nearly left Louisville in the night for the Auburn head coaching job. Petrino signed a 10-year contract with Louisville in 2006 before the season only to head to Atlanta Falcons the following January. It continued when he was with Atlanta as he left with a dog with his tail between his legs after the Michael Vick scandal and Atlanta's 3-10 record leading then Atlanta, now Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to calling him every name in the book. And then yes, one of the craziest scandals in college football history with the motorcycle incident that ESPN's Bomani Jones described perfectly when Petrino was in deep trouble.



The fact he found a way back to a power conference in under two years since the scandal is incredible, and the finest form of throwing morality clauses out the window because winning trumps all. Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich is considered one of the top athletic directors in the country and he knows damn well they cannot go through a pseudo rebuilding process with Louisville headed to the ACC next year. He wants this team to be in a New Year's Day bowl or damn near close to one even if Teddy Bridgewater will not be there. Petrino seems to get results early and often and that's why he keeps getting chances. Winning makes people forget about everything even if that's a wrong way to look at things.

We spend countless hours criticizing a guy like Johnny Manziel for not caring about his team by his off-the-field antics yet we hire a coach with a multitude of problems creating the ultimate double standard. These men at Louisville are 18-24 meaning they can make their own decisions/opinions yet football players will always look toward their coach as a leader, an older brother and even in some cases a father figure. Does Petrino really feel like one of those?  Not really, just a man obsessed with winning and himself. Petrino is a selfish human, but he really has not been humbled due to continued success. It happens with even common people around the country.

Even though the money given to Petrino is not really that high, I cannot believe they have him for seven years with a 10 million dollar buyout essentially locking him into this role until 2021. Winning needs to happen immediately for a variety of reasons. Louisville is the classic case of a program having sustained success in their two major spots, and they do not want to lose this feeling meaning they will go to all lengths to ensure it keeps happening even if it means bringing a snake oil salesman back to town.

Charlie.