Let's talk Wisconsin Badgers winter sports for a bit.
Women's hockey? They just won their sixth National Championship. Kudos to Coach Mark Johnson.
Men's hockey? Back in the National Championship tournament for the first time in six years, and Coach Tony Granato's squad is a Number One seed in the 16-team tourney with a great opportunity to win it all.
Men's basketball? Coach Greg Gard's squad closed out a somewhat disappointing season with a quick exit in the NCAA tournament, falling to a Number One seed (Baylor) after shocking North Carolina. Streaky team on offense, but it was Baylor's defense that sent Bucky home. Still, Wisconsin went dancing, again.
Women's volleyball? Technically a fall sport competing now in this Covid-19 season, but still this squad is the top-ranked team in the nation and the program is consistently ranked among the best under coach Kelly Sheffield .
Then there's the women's basketball team. WHY can't Wisconsin put a competitive team on the court? Hell, they haven't had a winning season since the 2010-11 season, and haven't been in the NCAA tournament since 2010.
Just hours (maybe minutes!) after falling in the Big Ten tournament, Athletic Director Barry Alvarez fired Coach Jonathan Tsipis. In five seasons (counting this year's 5-19 record, and a pathetic 2-18 Big Ten mark) Tsipis was only 50-99 overall and a miserable 16-74 in conference.
To add insult to injury, the team's best player, 6-1 junior forward Imani Lewis, entered the transfer portal.
Come on, Barry. Let's think out of the box on hiring a new coach, maybe take a long, hard look at bringing in someone out of the WNBA. Wisconsin hasn't been able to attract most of the state's top women's talent, keeping them home like the Badgers have done in football.
Certainly someone with a WNBA background might be able to stir things up a bit, bring some attention to a program that needs desperately needs it.
Shake things up, Barry. Do the unusual.
What does Wisconsin have to lose?
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