SB Nation - Joe Krabbenhoft

Badger Bits: Talking about the Axe already

Adam Hoge — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:15:20 -0000

The Daily Gopher released an in-depth Wisconsin Badgers preview today full of pessimistic comments from yours truely. Actually, I wasn't that tough on the Badgers, just fair. Be sure to check it out.

Meanwhile, TDG will return the favor next week when Tom joins me on The 5th Quarter Radio Show to preview the Gophers as part of the 2009 Schedule Tour. It all starts Tuesday at 1 PM CT and we might even make it a one hour show! Is that something you might be interested in?

On to some other links:

Landry and Krabbenhoft closer to NBA dream - UWBadgers.com
Marcus Landry has signed a summer league contract with the Sacramento Kings and Joe Krabbenhoft has a tryout with Portland. This is great news for these guys, but it is still a stretch to think that Landry, Krabbenhoft or Greg Stiemsma (who will play for Memphis this summer) will be with an NBA team in the fall.

World University Games Blog #7 - UWBadgers.com
Matt Ryan has another update from Serbia.

"Coach" Bohannon? - UWBadgers.com
With coaches not able to participate in summer programs, senior captains have to take over the team and Jason Bohannon is serving as "head coach" right now.

Badger Bits: Weekend wrap-up

Adam Hoge — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:06:58 -0000

Note: The 2009 Schedule Tour continues Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT (special time) as we break down the Michigan State Spartans with Pete Rossman from The Only Colors. As always, your phone calls are welcome. Don't miss it!

If you haven't noticed yet, it's Wisconsin Day on the Big Ten Network. At 5 a.m. CT this morning 24 hours of Wisconsin programming started with a replay of the UW men's basketball team's win over Maryland in 2000, followed by the 2000 Rose Bowl. Still to come today: a Wisconsin-Minnesota hockey game from last season, a Wisconsin-Michigan basketball game from last season and the "Brian Butch Bank Shot" game at Indiana from 2008 (that airs at 6 p.m. CT tonight). For some reason, the 2003 Wisconsin-Ohio State football game doesn't air until 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, but set your DVRs.

Patterson and Patacsil win Big Ten Medal of Honor

BoilerTMill — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:23:10 -0000

I just recieved the following press release from Scott Chipman, Assistant Comissioner of Communications for the Big Ten Conference. Purdue highlights are brought out after the jump, as Wrestler Jake Patacsil and Track and Field Olympian Kara Patterson were named as winners from Purdue.

BIG TEN MEDAL OF HONOR WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Park Ridge, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference office announced the 2009 Medal of Honor winners today. The award was established in 1914 when the Big Ten endowed a Medal of Honor to be given annually to a student in the graduating class of each university that demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics. In 1982, the Medal of Honor was expanded to include a senior female athlete from each institution.

This year, 22 student-athletes, representing 14 sports, have been chosen for the Medal of Honor. The recipients include 16 All-Big Ten selections and 21 Academic All-Big Ten honorees.

In addition, six Medal of Honor winners were named Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honorees for their respective sports during the academic year, including Illinois' Trent Meacham (men's basketball), Indiana's Austin Starr (football), Minnesota's Matt Nohelty (baseball), Northwestern's Eric Peterman (football), Penn State's Zoe Bouchelle (soccer) and Purdue's Jake Patacsil (wrestling). Of the more than 270 Sportsmanship Award honorees named throughout the year, Meacham and Peterman were chosen as two of 22 winners of the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award announced on June 4.

On the field, Medal of Honor selections guided their teams to four Big Ten Championships and two Big Ten Tournament titles during the 2008-09 campaign. Iowa's Lauren Pfeiffer led her field hockey team to the Big Ten Tournament crown, Ohio State's Brian Robiskie boosted his school to a share of the Big Ten Championship in football, while Penn State's Bouchelle helped her squad claim the Big Ten Championship and Big Ten Tournament title in soccer. Both Michigan State Medal of Honor winners claimed titles, with Doug DeMartin helping the Spartans to the Big Ten Championship in soccer while Sarah Schmidt was part of a Big Ten title team in rowing. Five Medal of Honor choices also garnered individual Big Ten titles, including Michigan's Steve Luke (174-pound wrestling title) and Tiffany Ofili (indoor 60-meter hurdles and outdoor 100-meter hurdles and long jump champion), Minnesota's Jenny Shaughnessy (200- and 400-yard individual medley swimming champion), Purdue's Kara Patterson (outdoor javelin champion) and Wisconsin's Gwen Jorgensen (indoor 3,000-meter champion).

Additionally, six Medal of Honor winners garnered Big Ten individual accolades for their performances during the 2008-09 campaign. For the Spartans, DeMartin was picked as the Men's Soccer Player of the Year while Schmidt was named the Rowing Athlete of the Year. In track and field, the Wolverines' Ofili was chosen as the Indoor Track Athlete of the Year while the Boilermakers' Patterson was tabbed the Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. In field hockey, the Buckeyes' Linda Haussener was named offensive Co-Player of the Year. In the pool, the Gophers' Shaughnessy was honored as the Swimmer of the Championships.

The 2009 Big Ten Medal of Honor winners are:

Illinois

Trent Meacham, Men's Basketball

Emily Zurrer, Women's Soccer

Indiana

Austin Starr, Football

Whitney Thomas, Women's Basketball

Iowa

Eric MacTaggart, Men's Cross Country and Track and Field

Lauren Pfeiffer, Women's Field Hockey

Michigan

Steve Luke, Wrestling

Tiffany Ofili, Women's Track and Field

Michigan State

Doug DeMartin, Men's Soccer

Sarah Schmidt, Women's Rowing

Minnesota

Matthew Nohelty, Baseball

Jenny Shaughnessy, Women's Swimming and Diving

Northwestern

Eric Peterman, Football

Samantha Nemecek, Women's Fencing

Ohio State

Brian Robiskie, Football

Linda Haussener, Women's Field Hockey

Penn State

James Pagana, Men's Track and Field

Zoe Bouchelle, Women's Soccer

Purdue

Jake Patacsil, Wrestling

Kara Patterson, Women's Track and Field

Wisconsin

Joe Krabbenhoft, Men's Basketball

Gwen Jorgensen, Women's Track and Field

Memorandum to Big Ten Basketball Players

PJS — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:14:51 -0000

MEMORANDUM

To: Big Ten Basketball Players

From: Concerned Fans

Subject: No Respect

Date: March 16, 2009

Dear Big Ten basketball star,

It's time to stand up and tell all of the two-bit talking heads ENOUGH ALREADY! From CBS' Digger Phelps to SI's Andy Glockner and just about every overworked and underpaid columnist and blogger in the country, they all spout the same foolish talking points.

They say with bravado, while sometimes waving magic markers that match their ties at you, that Big Ten basketball is no good. The pace of play isn't fast enough, you're told. Teams actually milk the shot clock (blashphemy, don't tell the advertisers!!!). The scores aren't high enough. Most coaches preach defense before offense, which is obviously insane because we can all see how well David Stern and the NBA has fared with its run and shoot version of basketball.

And then, simply by looking at the score (thanks a lot, Illinois and Penn State), the gatekeepers of opinion tell you that the players in the conference just aren't good. OK, sure.

Have they actually watched Kevin Coble play? How about Evan Turner? Raymar Morgan? Have they seen Damian Johnson take over a game without scoring? Have they seen Joe Krabbenhoft set the best pick in the country? How about Wisconsin senior Marcus Landry do just about everything on the floor? Have the pundits watched Kalin Lucas run around like a posessed lightning-bug? How about Purdue's Chris Kramer, JaJuan Johnon or a healthy Robbie Hummel? Let's not forget Talor Battle and Jamelle Cornley, the best one-two duo Penn State has ever seen.

Big Ten alums know that these are good players. We know these are sound and talented teams. But you get no credit. You didn't even get credit for having just about the best non-conference season possible. For the record, here's a snippet of who you beat: Oklahoma State, Texas, Vanderbilt, Tulsa, Missouri, Boston College, Davidson, Miami, Notre Dame, Butler, Virginia Tech, Louisville, UCLA, Duke, and Florida State.

But as Phelps, Glockner, Hubert Davis or just about anyone else would have it, because the Big Ten prides defense over offense, and because scores are lower, well, that means there is just no chance you could beat these same teams later this week.

So, our message to you is this: Put a chip on your shoudler and change that perception this weekend. You're good and great players. And you can beat just about anyone that is put in front of you. Let's shove the mainstream media's talking points back at them, shall we?

Good luck!

Badgers clinch No. 4 seed with win over Indiana

Adam Hoge — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:28:10 -0000

Joe Krabbenhoft scored a career-high 19 points in his final game at the Kohl Center and the Badgers clinched a first-round bye in next week's Big Ten Tournament with an 85-61 win over Indiana Sunday night.

Marcus Landry added nine points in his final home game, while classmate Kevin Gullikson finished with seven points in 19 minutes of playing time. Even seldom-used senior Morris Cain added a late field goal to cap a great Senior Night.

Wisconsin will now take on No. 5-seeded Ohio State Friday at approximately at 1:30 PM on ESPN. UW won the only previous meeting between the two teams this season 55-50 at the Kohl Center Feb. 14.

We will have much more on the Big Ten Tournament tomorrow, but here is the official bracket.

By the way, if you haven't heard, Gus Johnson will be calling the Big Ten Tournament for the Big Ten Network. BTN has the first game on Thursday and the last two quarterfinal games on Friday night.

Golden Nuggets for 3.4.09

PJS — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:00:12 -0000

You know what I'd really like to see happen tonight?

With about one minute left in a somewhat close win by Minnesota over Wisconsin, I'd like to see Wisconsin senior Joe Krabbenhoft foul out and be serenaded to his seat below The Barn's floor with a rousing version of "left, right, left, right, left, right, SIT DOWN."

I'm not exactly sure why, but Krabbenhoft might be one of the most annoying Badgers in recent memory. He simply embodies everything that is Bo Ryan basketball. I'm not trying to slam Krabbenhoft, this is a compliment. He's hard-nosed, plays solid defense, and like most Ryan players, has limited offensive ability.

And so it's no surprise that Ryan is crediting Krabbenhoft, and fellow senior Marcus Landry, for an improved defensive effort over Wisconsin's last 7 games (where they are 6'1) to help the team rebound from an 0-6 slide.

On Sunday, Krabbenhoft was assigned to guard Manny Harris, the leading scorer in the Big Ten this season. For Ryan, the work ethic shown on defense by Krabbenhoft has paid dividends on the court.

“Joe just goes hard all the time, so that’s always going to get results.

Furthermore, part of what has enabled Landry and Krabbenhoft to become premier defenders is their experience on the court.

“Everybody that has been back a year has been better defensively,” Ryan said.

Didn't see the Wisconsin-Michigan tilt, but Krabbenhoft manning up on Manny Harris is impressive. Thankfully for the Gophers, we don't have an athletic wingman that can score at will, so I'm not sure who Krabbenhoft will be called on to sit down.

Whoever it is, here's hoping Krabbenhoft and the Badgers are swept by the Gophers out of Minnesota.

Tubby Smith and UK's BIlly Gillispie are mentioned in this Bleacher Report post that suggests fanbases get the coaches they deserve.
Tubby Smith names Ralph Sampson III and Colton Iverson as his team's most consistent players this season. I'd swap Damian Johnson for Colt 45, but I think the point here is that Tubby's saying his backcourt has been atrocious.
I tend to agree with this assessment from an NBC writer that Minnesota must win against Wisconsin and Michigan to win. This article looks at a handful of teams that need to do some work this week. No pressure.
Another new SBNation Big Ten blog. Now Hoosiers fans are represented by The Crimson Quarry. Say hello to John when you have a chance. It's a rough season for IU fans.
Finally, I found this very interesting courtesy of Adam Rittenberg. Former Ohio State star Maurice Clarett is blogging from prison. I agree with Rittenberg, Clarett's blog is worth checking out. Here's a passage I liked, as I probably share Clarett's disdain for our natinoal sports media.
There’s no need to talk to a reporter these days. I am my own newspaper. I am my own editor. I am my own censor. I am able to put things into the proper context. I am able to control the content and I am educated enough to accurately express myself. I am able to distinguish to people in a unique fashion that football is just something that I do. Football is not Maurice Clarett.

Instead of entertaining people with my life, I am using certain events to educate, inspire and help others make conscious choices so they can avoid circumstances like this. It is easy to say that I messed up my life and show pictures while creating a storyline for entertainment, but it does nothing for humanity as a whole. That’s good for water cooler conversation, but it does nothing for the young men who didn’t make it to the NFL and have no future in college and are looking to the streets for an outlet. Newsflash: Crime costs tax payers’ money. If I can help a few young men make better decisions, then maybe America can save a few dollars. Time in prison was necessary due to my actions but it’s my personal belief that I can use my celebrity to assist more people in so many creative ways that I’ve come up with than to occupy this cell at $25K per year.