Bo & Badgers Cannot win it all

Gullikson lost his scholarship.  Evans has it for next year.  It's been rumored that it could be for next year only and then Wilson would get it.

Remember, Bo can offer to whoever he wants (Crean has offered to half the state), and either way don't use Scout to keep track of who has been offered.  Use Recruiting Planet.  Here's who the Badgers have officially offered to for 2009:

• Jamil Wilson - THE target
• Rodney Williams - Probably going to end up at Minnesota (his dad is pushing the Gophers, he likes Wisconsin's atmosphere a lot) but would be almost as big a get as Wilson, considering transferring to Oak Hill Academy for his senior year
• Royce White - His academic problems and dismissal probably ended Bo's interest in him
• Jordan Prosser - Favors Iowa, Purdue, and UW, Bruesewitz's commitment likely closed the door on him
• Kyle Rowley - Was in Milwaukee this past weekend and was reportedly wearing a Wisconsin basketball shirt around
• Nick Russell - Probably got crossed off the list by Diamond Taylor's commitment

Here's the likely ways that a scholarship could open up for the 2009 season:

• Ryan Evans gets the scholarship for next year and has to play it by ear after that.  If this does happen it would mean that Bo would have 14 scholarship-deservable players on the roster (if you include Gavinski).  I'd have to say this is the most likely.
• Someone decides to transfer.  Could be Gavinski or Jarmusz, but I don't see it happening.
• An underclassmen jumps to the draft after next year.  The only one I can see even having the possibility of doing this would be Hughes, and I just don't see it happening.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention.  I really think that next year's team will be forced to be more offensive oriented, though I don't know if "forced" is the right word.  Maybe that should say "next year's team will be more offensive oriented by nature."  Take a look at this past year's starters and how each player measured up as better offensively v. defensively:

• Trevon Hughes: push, maybe weak offense
• Michael Flowers: defense
• Joe Krabbenhoft: defense
• Marcus Landry: push
• Brian Butch: offense

That's 2 for defense, 1 offense, and 2 push.  Now look at next year's starters:

• Trevon Hughes: push, maybe weak offense
• Jason Bohannon: offense
• Joe Krabbenhoft: defense
• Landry: push
• Leuer: offense

That's 2 for offense, 1 defense, and 2 push.

I don't think Bo will have a problem with this.  The defense will only be very good instead of nation-leading, but the increase in offensive production will balance that.

Wilson really is smart.  By putting off his commit date he avoided getting caught in the Marquette change over, and he's receiving interest from everywhere now.  Wisconsin is obviously still one.  Marquette, with master recruiter Buzz Williams now at the helm, is another.  Crean has already contacted him and let him know that he wants Wilson at Indiana.  Izzo is trying to get him to MSU.  All four teams that made the Final Four this year are actively pursuing him, and he also has offers from Ohio State, Tennessee, and Purdue (I don't know how current those last three are).  I know that being in-state schools were major bonuses for UW and MU, but that does not mean that someone else doesn't have the perfect pitch for him.

Also, I've kept forgetting to make this "point" for over a month.  No one on the Badgers has a tattoo.  I can't remember the last Badger that did (Chappell's scripture on his biceps don't count).  Would Bo really risk ruining his teams image with Wilson, who has tats on both arms?
(Please notice the use of quotation marks around the word *point* in the first sentence there before calling me an idiot.)

There is a point to Komaki's remark about the lack of tats on Badger players. I'm not judging individuals based on tattoos but Bo has always looked to develop players into his system over time and the players that come in know that. Who was the last real starter to leave early before Devin Harris? Rashard Griffith? (I could be forgetting someone.)

Even if they are juniors and seniors, Bo challenges his upperclassman earn their spots on the floor. Recruits like OJ Mayo or Eric Gordon aren't likely to choose Wisconsin for just that reason, though Bo's not so dumb as to overlook a young star in any season.

But really talented youngsters like Gordon etc. have their sights already set on the NBA, and good luck to them, pro basketball is a brutal dream to reach. And certain kids with a range of talent all the way up to great will like Bo's system because they understand the whole package. With a growing resume of Sweet 16s, the Badgers will attract more I hope.