BY MATT LEPAY
Voice of the Badgers
MADISON, Wis. — It is important to understand there is a significant difference between being the person who makes suggestions and the person who makes decisions. The former can be pretty easy. The latter? Not so much, for he or she is the one who ultimately is accountable.
Which brings me to the Wisconsin basketball program. As the season continues, no doubt an increasing number of fans and media will offer suggestions about who should lead the program.
For the record, I think very highly of Greg Gard. Always have. Seven games into his gig as the interim boss, I believe he already is a very good head coach. To this observer, be it in practices or in games, Gard shows the poise of someone who has been doing this for years.
The same is true with postgame media sessions, be it on our radio broadcasts, TV interviews or news conferences. After last week's loss at Northwestern, it was obvious Gard was steamed about his team's performance. His answers were honest, but he avoided launching into an on-air tirade against his players. Perhaps it was a bit different behind the closed doors of a locker room, but that is the team's business — not ours.
Following a win, he remains quite level. Happy, but he acts like he has been there before.
Gard is taking nothing for granted. Video sessions sometimes take a little longer than usual. After Sunday's dramatic victory against Michigan State, Gard said the players joked that there would be 80 teaching points in their next review. They understand how he operates. Assistants Gary Close, Lamont Paris and Howard Moore are working like crazy to develop this very young team.
On a side note, I can't say enough how cool it is to have Coach Moore back. He has always been one of my favorites. He loves this school. He has been a head coach. Back in the day, he played for multiple head coaches here, so he gets what this crew is going through now. Moore had a good TV gig with BTN. He could have continued to be an analyst and gone undefeated this season, but he loves helping players. It was a brilliant move to bring him back to Madison.
Just my opinion, but these are not ideal circumstances. Any in-season coaching change means tweaks to the process happen on the fly, with the next game right around the corner. But this is how it played out, and everyone is moving forward.
The good news for the Badgers is that Gard, much like football coach Paul Chryst, chooses not to dwell on what factors might be working against the team. Rather, they both embrace the challenge of making their programs as competitive as possible, no matter the circumstances. Not only do they embrace it, they appear to genuinely enjoy it.
Chew on that for a minute. Consider who Gard is following: Bo Ryan, the greatest hoops coach in UW history. For that matter, Ryan is one of the best ever in this, or any, conference. Yet, similar to Chryst, if Gard is feeling any pressure, he is hiding it well. In fact, he is having fun.
OK, so I probably have dropped a hint regarding my thoughts about the future of Wisconsin basketball. But it is worth a reminder that your friendly columnist falls under the category of someone who merely makes suggestions. As the decision-maker and the one who ultimately is accountable, UW Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez wants to see this through. Then he will make as informed a decision as possible. Since Greg Gard understands how it works, the rest of us should as well.
There are 12 regular season games remaining, plus the Big Ten tournament, plus whatever follows. Let's see what unfolds and hope for the best. In the meantime, it is encouraging to know the Badgers are in good hands.
