The Return of El Tigre

After years of back problems led to a new re-engineered swing, Tiger Woods is back.

Here we are again. Yet another example of how time stops and the world is on the edge of its seat when this guy steps on the tee box. Tiger Woods is back after a nine month hiatus from golf. During that time we had to prepare ourselves for the possibility of never watching Tiger compete again. Thankfully, those thoughts take a back seat to the Hero World Challenge starting this Thursday. 

At the Hero World Challenge in 2016, Tiger came back to lead the 18 man field in birdies, and unfortunately also double bogies. He finished 15th, and somewhat brought expectations back down to earth for Tiger. See this is the tough thing with these comebacks. It is truly a cynical cycle for the golf community, especially for Tiger. Kevin Van Valkenburg of ESPN noted in his latest piece on Woods, that we are addicted to the idea that Tiger Woods can be great again. It’s so true. We so badly want it to be 2008 again, with Tiger walking down a stinger 3 iron followed by a pure club twirl. The problem is, the more we try to believe Tiger can be his old self, the worse it is for his actual health. He feels the expectations. Tiger has never been someone to back down from a big moment. Which is exactly why the massive expectations ultimately hurt Tiger, literally. Over the past couple weeks though, it seems like Tiger isn’t hurting at all. He has said this is the first time in years he is pain free on the golf course. Tiger played a nine hole practice round with Patrick Reed on Monday at Albany, and Reed had some pretty impressive things to say about the round. Reed said on every hole they had driver out on Woods would be blowing it by him off the tee. Now we need to put a little perspective on this. Reed in 2017 was 75th on the Tour driving the ball an average of about 296 yards. Still, to hear Reed say he was blowing it by him and that Tiger hit one over 50 yards past him on the last hole, is encouraging to say the least. I think it is important to examine how Tiger is making this comeback possible, and the changes he has made to his game and swing in order to be painfree. 

Tiger Woods has always been known for his vicious, powerful golf swing. It is what made so many people fall in love with watching him play golf. Unfortunately his body wasn’t able to sustain the level of torque he produced with each swing. It has resulted in several back and knee surgeries. I want to show a couple videos showing the difference in Tiger’s swing pre-back injuries to his swing this week at the Hero World Challenge. 

This is Tiger off the 2nd tee at the US Open in 2000. A pretty prototypical swing from Woods, just really getting after one. Now there are a couple things I want to take note of that go on in Tiger’s swing. 1. As he takes the club back, his back and legs load up. It’s a golf term for generating power in your backswing with more than just your arms. 2. Notice how far back his club head is at the top of his swing. It is almost pointing down towards the ground in front of him. 3. When he starts to bring the club down, watch how fast his back and legs flip through to get at the target. There is an insane amount of thrust and torque in his downswing, majority of it stressing his back and knees. Now I am going to show his swing earlier this week in the Bahamas. 

If you watch this video there a couple things to note about his swing. 1. As mentioned in the tweet, his swing is more abbreviated. You don’t see him reaching back as far as he can in his backswing. 2. His posture looks a lot better compared to previous years. He looks very balanced and very relaxed. In an interview he did with UConn Women’s Head Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma, he said that the surgery has helped his posture while addressing the golf ball. “Any time (before surgery) I tried to build a good posture over the golf ball, I would get pain down my leg and my right foot wouldn’t work”. It is very noticeable the changes he has made. 3. Watch how much longer he takes to get through his entire swing. It’s almost as if he is taking his time a little bit, where in the 2000 US Open swing, it’s so much more rapid. The differences in these swings come down to one thing: club head speed. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Tiger’s club head speed was mid to high 120’s, and even low 130’s. That is unheard of. Now a day’s, you see the biggest hitters in the low 120 mph range. It is clear that the torque Tiger created before his back surgeries were the key component to his injuries. The power Tiger created back in his prime is something we will probably never see again.

It is clear Tiger made a pretty drastic swing adjustment that will hopefully help him sustain his health and success for years to come. Even with the emergence of the younger guys in golf like Spieth, Fowler, DJ, and Day, the golf game will always be better with Tiger in it. It will be interesting to see how his swing plays out over the course of an entire weekend, with different lies and swings he will have to execute. One thing is for certain, we will all be on the edge of our seats watching. 

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Lavar Ball Did What?

Meet the master of earned media.

Have you heard of Lavar Ball? If you have, great! We’ll talk more about him in a bit. If you haven’t, well, he’s the father to three sons in Chino Hills, California. Each of his three sons are extremely good at basketball, and Lavar is extremely passionate in supporting them. While some might say he’s a little too passionate, there are a few things you should know…

-He claimed that his son Lonzo Ball, a highly coveted NBA prospect, would only play for the Lakers. The media didn’t like that.

-He said he could beat Michael Jordan in a game of one on one. The media didn’t like that either.

-He openly sought a $1 Billion co-branding deal for his three sons and the BBB Big Baller Brand. Refusing to back off the billion-dollar valuation, Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour each moved on from negotiations without completing a deal with Lonzo. The media really didn’t like that, and did their best to call him all sorts of names, some of which rhymed with “Fad Bother”.

And then there are the shoes. The first, signature model of shoes he made for his son, Lonzo. They retail at $495. He defended the price of the shoe by saying, “If you can't afford the ZO2'S, you're NOT a BIG BALLER!”

If there’s a trend here, it’s that the mainstream media isn’t very fond of Lavar Ball. They didn’t like a newcomer coming in, flipping the script, and dictating the way the game is played. They wrote articles, they filmed segments, they hosted interviews, all talking about how crazy he was. Lavar, the proud man that he is, never backed down. Instead, he embraced being called crazy, saying “Tell us something we don’t know”. He never went back on his claims, and firmly believes his son will be a big enough star to warrant a $1 billion-dollar shoe deal.

The result?

The family BBB Big Baller Brand is bigger than ever, Lonzo was drafted second overall by his hometown Lakers, and everyone in the sports world knows about Lavar Ball and the BBB brand. Fully on board with the business strategy, Lonzo said at the shoes’ unveiling: “At the end of the day, it’s up to us, the athletes. We push the culture forward, don’t let the culture push us”.

Since the release, celebrities such as Chad Ochocinco have purchased the shoes and shared photographs online. Lavar Ball has inked an autograph deal, where he is paid every time he inscribes his signature on merchandise. This is a fantastic example of the power of “earned media”.

What exactly is “earned media”? It’s synonymous with “free media”. Earned media is made up of shares, comments, reviews, mentions, recommendations, or content picked up by third party sites and networks. Online word-of-mouth. Earned media is when people spread the word of your brand for free.

As crazy as some of Lavar’s statements might be, he’s stuck to his vision, and now prominent outlets such as Forbes have referred to him as “Marketing Genius”, and “Visionary”. Championship, Hall-of-Fame bound athletes within the sport, such as Paul Pierce, have praised his genius as well. What should we take away from all this? Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Don’t be afraid to stand out. If your industry is doing things the same way for a long time, why can’t your company be the one to try something new? As Lavar Ball demonstrates on a daily basis, online word-of-mouth can go a long way in boosting your bottom line.

How can your company incorporate and take advantage of earned media?

1.     Community Events & Tradeshows 🎪 – getting out and interacting with the community can be a great way for people to learn more about your company, people, and overall brand. Give them a good experience and they just might tell someone else, or post on social media about it.

2.     Fun & Practical Giveaways 😎 – Find a unique item people can get practical use out of, and put your brand logo on it. Examples could be hats, sunglasses, and bottle openers. The more extravagant the giveaway (Bluetooth speakers, phone chargers, insulated coolers, etc) the higher quality your earned media will be.

3.     Creative Social Media 📲 – Stand out amongst your industry. Maybe this means adopting a unique “brand voice”, or incorporating emojis, even humor. Hearing things from a different perspective can result in your company standing out to current and new customers, and result in people talking about your brand because of it. 

4.     Think Outside the Box 💡– Do an assessment of your competition, and ask your team: “How can we do better? How can we stand out?” In the age of social media and smartphones, it’s the creative approaches that go viral, and result in free publicity. Just be sure to keep your brand’s best interest in mind when being creative.

*In case anyone wonders how Lonzo feels toward his father, check out this Father’s Day letter: To  the Loudest Guy in the Gym

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Follow KJ Eichstaedt on Twitter: @kjeichstaedt

2016-17 College Men's Basketball Preview

Our handicapper is back and explains why Wisconsin is the smart pick this year

Veteran’s Day has come and gone, which means we are ready to begin a new men’s college basketball season. For the general sports fan this is not a big deal, but for the handicappers and fans of college basketball this is an exciting time as we gear up for another season. For handicappers it is important to start watching and evaluating teams before the general public starts following the sport around the Holidays when conference play is set to begin. Remember that, “Preparation is the key to success.”

This article is meant to prepare you for the 2016-17’ season; and hopefully this advice can fatten your wallet with fat stacks of cash next April.  By the time spring rolls around and the average fan is trying to pick a good team to bet on to win the tournament; you will already have a solid sleeper undervalued team because you read this article. Please remember this is only my forecast, and I never guarantee any of my picks. No professional handicapper guarantees any forecast; only fools do.

With that said; I forecast that the Wisconsin Badgers will be the team cutting down the nets in Phoenix, Arizona on April 3rd for the national championship. Below are the 5 reasons I like the Wisconsin Badgers to be the champs.

1. Front Line

Each year when I look for my national championship pick before the season I look for three things that a team must have for me to wager my hard earned dollar on them. The first thing I look for is a strong front line.

Not every college team has the ability to recruit the same kind of players. The better college teams always have the better high school players on their teams. Better players usually also have more height. Not every school can bring in 7-foot high school players onto their teams. Therefore the better teams always have more height at the collegial level. To play with the big boys; you must have height of your own, or else risk getting outplayed on the interior/around the rim. As the old coach’s saying in basketball goes, “you can’t teach height.”

In my opinion, the single most important statistic is basketball is rebounding. Think if your team can out rebound your opponent by 5 extra rebounds in a game. That is more possessions that you get to have the ball to either shoot a field goal attempt, or turn the ball over. Do you think 5 extra possessions will matter in a close game? Out shooting a team doesn’t matter if they have 20 extra possessions on you, so you must not turn the ball over and be able to rebound on bother ends of the floor.

The Badgers starting front line this season will be Ethan Happ, Nigel Hayes, and Vitto Brown. Or in other words; the best front line in all of college basketball. The box is checked for requirement #1 on my list.

Happ, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season, might be the most fundamental big man in the country. His shot faking and finishing around the rim are second to none. His only real weakness last season was his lack of strength. Last season he was 19 years old playing against grown men like AJ Hammonds of Purdue. This season he will be a red-shirt sophomore, and I would expect that Happ will do as all players do going from their freshman year into the sophomore seasons; add muscle/weight. Happ will probably be the only player on this Badger team that will be able to play in the NBA someday. If you don’t know the name, then you will be season’s end.

Nigel Hayes had a terrific season with the badgers in 2014-15 and helped the team advance to the National Championship game versus Duke. Part of the reason Hayes was able to succeed was the fact that he had two NBA players starting with him, or even more specifically, he had two NBA players playing on the same front court as him. When you have Sam Decker and Frank Kaminsky next to you, then you probably won’t see a double team all season. Last season (15-16’) Hayes lost the comfort of Decker and Kaminsky and was supposed to become Wisconsin’s premiere player. The transition did not go as Hayes had probably had hoped, or as Badger fans had wanted. As I explained the benefits of playing with two NBA players above, it was an unfortunate regression for Hayes that I expected to come.  

The good news for the Badgers was that Ethan Happ turned out to be a better player than anyone could have hoped. Also, Nigel Hayes is setup for a big season this year. Hayes considered leaving to go to the NBA after his sophomore season, but as he struggled last season at the collegiate level, it became clear that he had made the right decision to return to school. That decision should pay off this season as Hayes is now a senior who has the experience of multiple final four runs. Expect Hayes to have a solid season, and to be one of the leaders in rebounds in the country. As Happ is lean and skilled, Hayes is the perfect complement in the front court with his size and strength.

The Wisconsin Badgers had high hopes for Vitto Brown during the Final Four season. The team needed a player that could come off the bench and give quality minutes while Decker, Hayes, and Kaminsky were out of games for rest or foul trouble. Unfortunately Vitto Brown did not have a good season, and was more of a liability than an asset to the team with his poor decision making and bad shooting. I thought this kid was a bust. Then came last season, and Vitto was entirely new player. This is why people like myself love college hoops. One year the kid sucks, but after jumper after jumper in the gym Vitto Brown became the Badgers best shooter—hitting 40.0% from beyond the 3 point arc last season. Now that Brown has developed, I expect him to have a season more similar to last season than a season like he had two years ago.

Happ is listed at 6’10”, Hayes is listed at 6’8”, and Brown is listed at 6’8”. Even though they can’t say they have a seven-footer, this is a tall frontline in regards to what most teams have. I except the Badgers will be able to out rebound team after team this season, which means they will be getting more shot possessions than their opponents each night. Couple that with the fact the Wisconsin is known for leading the country year after year in lowest turnovers, then you can see the Badgers are going to have a huge statistical advantage mostly every game; more shot attempts than their opponents. If doesn’t matter at what percentage you shoot the ball from the field, if you can put up more shots. Rebounding is the number statistic I look at when handicapping basketball at any age level. The Badgers just don’t meet my requirement to have a good front line, they have the best front line in the country. #VALUE

Check #1; emphatically! #VALUE

2. Coaching

Last season long term Badgers Coach Bo Ryan left the program in the middle of the season in December. Numerous boosters and fans following the program actually thought Ryan was going to retire after the national championship loss to Duke two seasons ago. The same boosters and fans were surprised that Ryan would come back unexpectedly, and just as surprised that he retired when he retired. Why did he even come back many asked?

Ryan stated that he could no longer coach the game with the passion he wanted to have, and that he was burnt out from his long college coaching career. The boosters and fans, however, didn’t buy it. The only thing that made sense to the Badger fan base was that Coach Ryan is a man of highest integrity, and he orchestrated his retirement exactly the way he did because he wanted to ensure that his long term assistant Greg Gard was his replacement coach.  By Ryan leaving the team in Mid-Season, it left Athletic Director Barry Alvarez with no option, but to promote Greg Gard as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2015-16’. 

Ryan had been publically campaigning for Gard to be his replacement for the entire 2014-15’ season. The AD, Alvarez however, did not have the same faith in Gard that Ryan had. Ultimately as AD, it was Alvarez’s decision to hire Ryan’s replacement, and many alumni, boosters, and Badger fans believed that Alvarez was going to bring in a lot of strong coaching candidates with big names to help replace the loss of a big coaching name like Ryan. Losing a Coach like Bo Ryan can hurt recruiting, which Alvarez understood. This is why even though Gard would have been interviewed for the job, many knew he would not get it. One of those people who knew it was Bo Ryan, and that is why he timed his retirement the way he did. To support his longtime friend and assistant. Coach Ryan will not admit this to the media, but that is because he is a man of high integrity and does not want to be in the spot light.

Coach Ryan did what he had to do get Coach Gard his opportunity. But, it still wasn’t an ideal situation to inherit. The Badgers appeared to be deflated to start the season last season after losing in the national championship the year prior. The team also had the youngest roster in the Big Ten, and was one of the youngest teams in the entire country. Add to the fact that they just lost two players to the NBA in Decker and Kaminsky, lost their Hall of Fame Coach in Ryan, and an AD who had little faith in the interim head coach.

This is why last season, many experts and myself included thought the Badgers were in for a long season. Boy were we all wrong.

After Greg Gard took over as head coach, the Badgers were able to finish the season with one of the strongest second halves of the seasons in the entire country. The team made upset after upset late in the season, and advanced all the way to sweet sixteen after knocking off Xavier with Bronson Koenig’s game winning three in the second round. The Badgers weren’t the best team in the country last year, but they did surpass their expectations further than any team last season. A tribute to the players, but even more of a tribute to coaching.

Why did I just go through all this explanation of the coaching situation? Because number two on my list is coaching. Actually it is the most important, but sequentially it is the second thing I am talking about, so I will call it check #2.

Last season was Coach Gard’s first season as a head college basketball coach. So that is all the data we have on him for his head coaching career. But we also know that coached with Bo Ryan from 1993-2015. Ryan’s and Gard’s teams surpassed expectations year after year after year. Their teams played slow fundamental team basketball. They were unable to recruit top level players, but instead they just developed the players they had. Bo Ryan never was a big recruiter. He never liked how AAU had infiltrated the college basketball recruiting scene.

I’ll never forget going to Badger games as a kid and seeing the Badgers use the entire 30 minute warm up before the game to practice passing. I guess if you want to lead the country year after year with the fewest turnovers, then you have to practice it.

Bo Ryan was a great coach. Greg Gard deserves some of that credit, and he also is lucky that he can call himself a Bo Ryan coaching disciple. In the college game where men are coaching kids still in their teens and early twenties, having a good coach is ten times as important as it is in the NBA. That is why coaching is the number one thing I analyze when handicapping a college team. Not only is Coach Gard a top ten coach in the country, but no other member of the national media will say this. Therefore this means not only is Gard a great coach, but like Ryan, he is an EXTREMELEY UNDERVALUED head coach. And man do I love to find VALUE.

Check #2; emphatically!

3. Senior PG

The third check on my checklist is senior point guard. Villanova last season with Ryan Archidiacono is a great example of why I value senior PG led teams. The Badgers have this in senior point guard Bronson Koenig. Why do I want a team I’m going to bet on to have a senior PG? The tournament. Year after year, tournament after tournament; the teams with elite PG’s win it all. They don’t always have to be seniors, but they usually are. My first two checks (coaching and rebounding) will matter much more over the entire season, but when the tourney rolls around in March then this might be the most important check. When it’s do or die, single elimination, and it is a close game, then you need a heady, cool, calm, and collective PG who can withstand the pressure and make his team plays.

Koenig had a similar season last season to Nigel Hayes. High expectations for him to be the “guy” without Frank and Sam on the team, but in reality he suffered greatly without those two NBA guys around. Again like Hayes, I expect the growing pains of last season to pay off and for Bronson Koening to become an elite point guard in the country. Koening is pretty heady PG, which is always a must for to be considered a good PG. His shot struggled last season as he had to create a lot more off the dribble opposed to more catch and shooting two seasons ago during the title run.

Good handicappers never ever want to admit that we are a fan of a certain player or team. We might need to bet on one team one game, and the next game we might need to bet against that same team. Good handicappers don’t bet on teams, we bet on numbers. A disciplined professional bettor learns to treat players and teams like robots instead of people like the average fan gets to. We try our best to remove all emotional thinking from our professional monetary decision, but at the same time, we are still human beings ourselves. So as much as I don’t want to admit it; I am a fan of Bronson Koenig. Let me share a story on why.

Basketball was my first love. I was always something coaches called, “a gym rat.” If a gym is open, I was there.

Completely switching gears, I have a younger brother that is currently attending the University of Wisconsin Madison. He is a junior, thus one year younger than Koenig. My brother had been visiting the Rec-Center which is a gym student’s at UW get access to from their tuition costs. Keep in mind that the UW Athletes get special access to the Kohl Center to work out, so you usually don’t expect to find football or basketball players working out at the Rec with the normal Joe-blows on campus. Guess who my brother would always see at the Rec? Bronson Koenig the gym rat.

I’m sure there are lots of stories about players from all around the country about being “gym rats.” But I’m not giving Wisconsin the third check on my list because I think Koenig is a gym rat. I am giving the third check because Koenig is a not only a senior guard, but he also has Final Four experience. The three years that Koenig has played for Wisconsin the team has finished in the Final Four, the national championship, and the Sweet 16. That makes Bronson Koenig not only a senior PG, it makes him the most experienced PG in the entire country.

Case in point, Koenig just doesn’t just meet the criteria for my third checkpoint, but he is able to greatly surpass the requirements. This equals VALUE to the highest degree. I’ll take the most experienced PG in the country, the rest of you can bet on some 18 or 19 year old highly touted freshman that was playing AAU basketball last season.

Check #3; empathically! #VALUE 

4. Vegas

The odds makers and experts in Vegas are pretty good at what they do. They don’t build billion dollar properties by giving away free money. Sometimes though, the bookies make mistakes. They make a lot of mistakes actually over the course of a season. Usually those mistakes are small like 0.5-1.0 point off in a betting line, and since they are small mistakes it makes it hard for the professional gamblers to take advantage of their errors. BUT…. once in a while, Vegas/The Book will make a Big Mistake.

It is my professional opinion that they made a huge mistake when they first released their opening odds for the future odds of this year’s NCAA men’s basketball championship. Which team, do I think they so grossly undervalued?

The odds were first released after the end of last season’s championship game between Villanova and North Carolina. The favorites were the usual teams; Duke (4 to 1), Kentucky, Kansas (8 to 1), and North Carolina (15 to1). Oregon (12 to 1), Villanova (14 to 1), Michigan State (16 to 1), Indiana (18 to 1), Arizona (21 to 1), Louisville (22 to 1), Syracuse (25 to 1), and Virginia (25 to 1) were all also valued higher than Wisconsin. Wisconsin opened at 30 to 1 at the Mirage’s Casino’s Sportsbook. According to Mirage’s sportsbook manager Jeff Stoneback, “one team that we have taken quite a bit of money on is Wisconsin. We opened them up at 30-1, and we have taken quite a bit of money on them. They are down to 12-1 right now.”

If you shopped for numbers at offshore books you could have found the Badgers as high as 40-1. They opened with 40-1 odds at 5dimes.eu, but were listed at 20-1 hours before the season tip off.

Contrary to belief, Vegas does make mistakes. In Vegas they moved form 30-1 to 12-1, or in other words Vegas was off by a factor of 2.5 (150%) when valuing Wisconsin. Off Shore they moved from 40-1 to 20-1, or in other words they were off by a factor of 2 (100%.) That is not like a small half point mistake that I previously was describing. That is a huge mistake they made. They were off by over double! Imagine if Vegas was off this much for one NFL game. This is like the Cleveland Browns being favored by seven points over the New England Patriots.

Now let’s analyze the odds dropping a little closer. The Badgers are not a fan favorite for the public to bet on. Teams that have won national championships in the recent past, teams that have sexy head coach names, and teams that have dominated recruiting classes will generate the most betting action from the betting public. These teams include Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, NC, Michigan St., Louisville, and Arizona. The Badgers and Virginia are probably just as likely to win a National Championship, but they don’t have the flash appeal that the favorite teams have. Don’t get me wrong, the favorite teams are really good. The problem is they don’t hold any value because everyone in America already knows they are good.

The favorite teams always generate a higher ticket count (total number of bets) for the books. But the casino’s odds makers don’t move lines based on the number of bets, they move the lines based on the liability they have in terms of dollars. Remember that Vegas does not want to take a gamble, they only want to act as a broker. Weather it is a future bet where the house advantage is around 8-10%, or an induvial game where the house advantage is about 5%, the book wants to balance their risk (liabilities) on both sides, so not matter the outcome they win their house advantage. This is why the bookies/Vegas moves the odds; because when they have too much action on one side, they need to lower their liabilities by getting people to bet on the other side so they have balanced action on both sides.

To summarize, the Badgers are getting less total bets than the favorite teams, but we also know they are getting the most money on them if their odds are dropping the farthest. The books have a huge liability on Wisconsin this season. How is that possible if fewer people are betting on Wisconsin?

Because the bets that have been placed on Wisconsin are significantly larger than the bets that the favorites have received. This all leads to my main point, professional handicappers bet bigger than the average member of the betting public. Professional gamblers have hammered the snout of Wisconsin with huge bets, and they have exposed the bookies. Remember the bookies don’t fear the general bettor, they fear the professionals. These are the men and women that make a living off of them, while the books make a profit of everyone else.

The Wise guys are on Wisconsin this season. They don’t think Wisconsin is anymore likely to win the championship than one of the betting favorites, but when you can get 2, 3, 4, or 5 times the payout that those teams would get then they are getting the value. In the long run that value is what makes a professional a professional.

Check #4; Yes.

5. Officiating

Because anything can happen. Best of luck this College Basketball season.

-ZWiseGuy

**This article does not promote sports gambling, condone sports gambling, or suggest the readers to bet on sports in any such way. Any reader that chooses to gamble on sports is doing so against the advice of the writer. **

Remember to Always Play Responsibly. 

Follow Ike Sport Report on Twitter: @IKE_SportReport

Despite Lackluster Season, Axe On the Line

Sitting here in September, looking to this weekend’s game in Minneapolis, we all expected much more to be on the line in the 123rd edition of the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s axe. Gone are the illusions of an appearance in the Big Ten title game for the Badgers, but with the axe on the line, all is still to play for.

With Big Ten losses to Iowa and Northwestern, all prospects of the Badgers returning to Indianapolis are now gone. But at 8-3 and a chance to beat the Minnesota Gophers for the 12th-straight season, motivation is still incredibly high. If anything, axe-week is coming at the perfect time for the Wisconsin Badgers taking their mind off of Saturday’s controversial loss to Northwestern. The Badgers, from the leaders on down, are ready for Minnesota and not looking back to Northwestern.

“The seniors, our class, we don’t want to be the group to let it go,” Senior Receiver Alex Erickson said. “We’re going to bring a little more urgency this week. Not that we haven’t been bringing urgency, but just find a little bit more to not allow that Axe to leave our place.”

Minnesota, too, will be incredibly motivated after a tumultuous season that left the Gophers at 5-6 and with a new head coach. Minnesota, with a win, will become bowl-eligible. For a team that saw its head coach—Jerry Kill—retire for health concerns, a win against the Badgers would be monumental in salvaging a rough season.

With both offenses being relatively ineffective throughout the year, the game will come down to defense and special teams. The Badgers, sporting the conference’s best defense, should have the clear edge. But as we’ve seen this season, defense can’t solely win games for the Badgers, and the game will likely be decided by the offense and special teams. Badgers Quarterback Joel Stave has thrown 10 interceptions this year, including 2 last week against the Wildcats. The Badgers have also been quite inept in special teams. Badger Kicker Rafael Gaglianone sports a conference-worst 63.6 percent field goal percentage. The punt-game has also been a bit of an adventure this year, with Badger Punter Drew Meyer averaging under 40 yards per-punt.

Bottom line, the Badgers should still win this game (2:30 pm BTN), but if the Gophers were to win I wouldn’t be too shocked. With the Badgers only favored by only 2.5 point, it doesn’t appear that I am the only one skeptical in the Badgers as they take the field at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Call it biassed naivety, but I predict the Badgers take care of the ball and retain the axe for the 12th straight year, but if they cough it up a couple times, don’t be surprised if the Gophers nab the upset and become bowl-eligible.

Prediction: UW 24-17.

Follow Ike Sport Report on Twitter: @IKE_SportReport

Follow Keaton Walkowski on Twitter: @KeatonWalkowski

How to Watch Live Sports Overseas

Imagine - Your team has made it to the big game and you couldn't be happier - except when you realize you have to be overseas for that work conference right at the time of the big game. Even if it's not a crucial game you're missing, it can still be frustrating to find yourself overseas with no way to watch your favorite team. But fear not, we live in the digital age, and no matter where you are in the world, as long as you have an internet connection, its possible to find ways to watch the game live. Here are five steps (hopefully you won't have to use all of them!) to watching the game from abroad:

1. Set Up a VPN

The first step is to install a Virtual Private Network (VPN) on your computer or other device. Whenever you try to access a website, that site can see your IP address, which clues the site in to where you're currently located. A VPN will route your information through a third-party server before sending it on to the site you're accessing. That third-party server could be located anywhere in the world, meaning the IP address received by the website could be anywhere in the world. Set your IP address to be somewhere in your home country and suddenly the site won't know that you're abroad.

2. Check with Your Service Provider

Once you have your VPN set up, check out your television service provider's website to see if you can stream the game online through your regular TV account. Plenty of service providers—including DirectTV, dish, Comcast, and others—allow you to stream different channels online. If this is included in the package you already pay for, it can be one of the easiest ways to watch sports abroad, but the VPN part (above) is important since a lot of those service providers won't allow you to stream abroad due to possible copyright restrictions.

3. Check with the Broadcast Channel

If your service provider doesn't allow you to stream the sports you want (or you don't subscribe to a TV provider), the specific channel that broadcasts the sport might offer streaming services as well. Some of these require a subscription service, and others might allow streaming only via apps rather than through a computer's web browser, so it's best to figure out what your options are before the start of the game. But you might be surprised at the number of broadcasters who have begun to allow streaming as a means of boosting their viewers and revenue.

4. Find a Streaming Website

If these options fail, another way to view your favorite sports from overseas is to find a streaming website. Due to copyright restrictions, the legalities of streaming broadcasts from different locations is kind of a grey area, but streaming sites are definitely out there and are a popular way to view sports while abroad. Warning, though—depending on the site you use, you may not always experience the high-speed, smooth playback that you would if you were streaming directly from a service provider or broadcaster.

5. If All Else Fails…

If none of the above options work for you, there might be other possibilities. For example, if you're staying in a hotel, you might be able to just watch the show on the room's TV, or you might be able to find the game for viewing in a restaurant or sports bar. If you don't know where to go, try asking local expats on social media groups. Or there might be an online radio station that will allow you to at least stream the commentary (I know, I know—less than ideal). Be creative, and you should be able to find a way to get your sports fix even if you're overseas.

About the Author: Cassie Phillips is a freelance technology and internet security blogger. She frequently takes advantage of the ability to travel that her freelance position gives her—but she'd be lost without the ability to tune back in to the hometown games while she's gone! 

Follow Ike Sport Report on Twitter: @IKE_SportReport

Don't Forget About 'Em - Aged Golden Eagles Ready to Take Big East By Force

Following a disappointing first year of the Steve Wojciechowski era, the Marquette Golden Eagles are primed for resurgence. 14-19 didn’t tell the full story, as hard-fought losses plagued the Golden Eagles. Looking to this year, lessons learned from the 2014-15 season, plus an electric new cast, will see the Golden Eagles rise to the standard Marquette fans expect following the years of success under Tom Crean and Buzz Williams. 

The 2014-15 Eagles experienced heartbreak a bevy of times but they’ve aged and learned. Tough losses to the likes of Wisconsin, Ohio State, Villanova, and Georgetown have the Golden Eagles hardened and prepared to redeem themselves. With a recruiting class that sports top-ten recruit Henry Ellenson along with three talented guards, the 2015-16 Eagles will be a team to watch in the Big East.

Duane Wilson and Luke Fischer will usher the young Eagles along. A riveting idea is talented, long three-guard Ellenson complementing the post game of Center Luke Fischer. Two skill-sets—along with Duane Wilson—that will be tough to defend.

Projected to finish 6th in the Big East, the Golden Eagles are also noted as a sleeper in the Big East, making people familiar with the conference aware of the dangers Marquette offers. Individually, Henry Ellenson was picked to the Preseason Big East Second Team, and Fischer was selected as an honorable mention.

With a challenging schedule, Marquette will have the opportunity to prove that they’ve grown from the struggles of last season. The Golden Eagles have a tough start to the conference season that includes trips to Georgetown, Providence, and Villanova. The end of the season is no easier, as the Golden Eagles conclude the conference season facing Creighton, Villanova, Georgetown, and Butler, in that order. To compete in a difficult conference, teams have to maneuver through a tough schedule on a yearly basis, and after spending years in the old Big East, Marquette should have the tools and mentality to thrive despite this schedule. With the combination of aged experience with youthful naiveté, this roster could be the perfect combination for the Golden Eagles as they look to deliver in the Big East this year.

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Follow Keaton Walkowski on Twitter: @KeatonWalkowski

For Quarterback Joel Stave, the start of the 2014 season was a tumultuous one. Although outplaying his competitor—Tanner McEvoy— in fall camp, Stave was overlooked for the starting quarterback position.  The fallout caused the quarterback to lose confidence in his game and his performance suffered.  Throughout September, however, Stave grew, repairing his frayed confidence and by early October he was ready to go.  McEvoy, unable to find continuity in his game, opened the door back up for Stave, and the former walk-on got his chance against Northwestern, reclaiming his rightful starting spot.  Although the Stave-led Badgers cruised to an 8-1 finish, things weren't always smooth for the 6’5” quarterback. He threw for 1350 yards and 9 TD’s, which was the okay, but he only completed 53 percent of his passes and threw 10 picks.

That being said, there are several indications that the 2015 season will be a good one for Stave.

1. Stave has done it before. He had a very strong 2013 season. As a redshirt sophomore: he threw for close to 2500 yards, 22 TD’s against only 13 INTs with a QB efficiency of 138.1 in 13 games. That year Stave finished 6th in the B1G in passing —which doesn’t sound too impressive— but when you take into account Wisconsin’s rushing arsenal that year of: James White, Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement —that accounted for 3600 yards— throwing for 2500 yards was extraordinary.

2. With the hiring of Paul Chryst, Stave’s prospects for 2015 sky rocketed. First, Stave has a bit of familiarity with coach Chryst.  Chryst was still the offensive coordinator for Stave’s signing and his freshman year.  Also in Chryst, Stave has gained a quarterback guru. As offensive coordinator, he was in charge of coaching and grooming Badger stars Scott Tolzien and Russell Wilson. During Chryst’s second stint with the Badgers, he was recruited to higher profile coaching jobs that he would turned down. Former Texas head coach Mack Brown hoped to make Chryst his new OC before Chryst took the Pitt job. Also, in 2007, Wade Phillips courted Chryst to be the Cowboys quarterback coach. 

3. He’s won big games. Stave has won when the pressure has been highest. Last year, the Badgers needed three wins down-the-stretch against their three biggest rivals: Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota and he got the job done. In those three games, Stave threw for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns on 29 completions. He completed 67 percent of his passes during that period, and of the passes that didn’t find their mark, none of them found the other team. That three game series sweep clinched the Western Division for the Cardinal and White. While on the topic of rivalry games, Stave has beaten Minnesota three times and Iowa twice — both times at Kinnick Stadium—Those victories, along with January’s Outback Bowl, start to compound a pretty decent legacy for the former Whitnall standout. He can tack-on to it this fall as well. Because if the Badgers want any chance to repeat as division champs, they’ll have to go through: the Gophers, Huskers and Hawkeyes once again.

4. His receiving core is a year older. Although mostly unproven, the Badgers’ receiving core is a year older and wiser. Led by Alex Erickson, —who had 772 receiving yards along with 3 tds—the core will prosper with contributions from: George Rushing, Reggie Love and Jazz Peavy.  Also, reports from camp are the converted safety Tanner McEvoy has been playing extremely well at wide-out another outlet to showcase his athletic flexibility.  In addition, the Badgers will have a tight end group that will be capable this year. Troy Fumagalli will lead a clan of youngsters most notably 4 star recruit Kyle Penniston. Only a redshirt freshman himself, he made several clutch grabs last year including one in OT of the Outback Bowl.

5. A relatively easy schedule, excluding Alabama, of course.  The Badgers do have to make trips to Minneapolis and Lincoln, but they will avoid match-ups with: Michigan State, Michigan and defending champion Ohio State. The Badgers will see Maryland and Rutgers from the East, which shouldn’t cause the Badgers much trouble. How that all adds up, the Badgers should be in pretty good shape. For Stave specifically, the Badgers will face some pretty mediocre secondaries. The Badgers will face the: 9th(Illinois), 10th(Purdue), 12th(Rutgers) and 13th(Maryland) ranked pass defenses in the B1G. The Badgers non-conference season will shape up well for the pass game as: Troy ranked 5th in the Sun Belt, Miami OH ranked 7th in the MAC and Hawaii placed 8th in the Mountain West in secondary competence.

6. Lastly, but still critically, the run game will provide Stave with wider spaces in the defensive backfield. With Doak Walker Award watch list candidate Corey Clement gashing opposing defenses, Stave should be passing against defensive looks littered with linebackers. Not only that, once the run game gets going, the defenses will load the box. That will give the Badger quarterback better match-ups on the outside and safeties playing closer to the line of scrimmage. This will open up the deep ball yielding opportunities for the Stave-Bomb.

Stave’s whirlwind career will come to a head this fall. As Stave goes, so will the 2015 Badgers. Whether that is a place of destiny or dismay, the buck ultimately stops with Stave. Over his five year Badger career, Stave has learned the tricks of the trade and possesses all the necessary tools to lead Wisconsin on a fruitful run this season. With the final destination dependent on Stave, confidence is high that he will deliver.

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Open Wide - In the NBA Title Business, Longer is Better

Size rises. It’s the old rule of thumb in the NBA.  Bigger players are better players. If teams are torn between two similar draft prospects, sheer physicality is often the deciding factor. The seven-footer is going to be drafter ahead of 6’10 guy with similar stats.  Teams covet size because of the ability it offers; a taller player will be able to block more shots, a taller player will be able to shoot jump shots over smaller players, etc.  With size always having been emphasized in the NBA, a new trend is emerging that is absolutely crucial to success. 

As of today, there is only one active player in the league with a wingspan shorter than his height (JJ Redick).  Across the NBA, length has become the trendy new infatuation.  Yes the vast majority of players have wingspans larger than their heights, but how much larger? The same concept of height applies to length: the lengthier the better. 6’1 PG Rajon Rondo’s 6’9 wingspan allowed him to get away with mediocre defensive effort en route to becoming an NBA Champion.  The 6’7 Kawhi Leonard became the 2nd youngest player to win NBA Finals MVP, using his 7’3 wingspan to increase his pts/reb/ast/stl/blk/FG% rates each of his first three seasons in the NBA.  Anthony Davis is currently wrecking the league with his 7’7 wingspan, and his 31.32 player efficiency rating is on pace to set become the highest ever in a single season.  Yes height is important, but length gets rebounds. Length gets points. Length gets steals, blocks, assists, and opportunities.  Around the league, teams have begun to take notice.

The Milwaukee Bucks are the league’s 2nd most effective team defensively, yet they don’t have any expensive defensive specialists. They don’t have a dominant center, or even the shot blocking abilities of Larry Sanders. What they do have is tremendous size and length up and down the roster.  After acquiring Michael Carter-Williams on the 2015 trade deadline, the Bucks have a shot to improve in their smothering defensive ways. With the 6’6 MCW at the PG position (6’7 wingspan), the Bucks are able to field a lineup featuring the 6’8 Middleton at SG (6’11), with the 6’11 Greek Freak at SF (7’5), the 6’8 Jabari Parker at PF (7’4), and 6’11 Henson at Center (7’6).  Collectively, the wingspans in that lineup average out to be over 7’0 per player.  While none of the Bucks are standout defenders at this point in their careers, the team sports incredible defensive prowess that can be attributed to sheer length clogging up passing lanes and making it difficult for opponents to effectively run an offense without committing turnovers. Shooting can take nights off, but length never does. 

As advanced metrics continue to grow in NBA front offices, the importance of length will become even more apparent among teams trying to not only provide a powerhouse offense, but a quality defense.  Players are being paid based upon their contributions on both ends of the floor, and players who offer little to no defensive help (Isaiah Thomas, Brandon Jennings) find themselves on bad teams, upset about their contract status. More and more, offensively skilled players with the lengthiest wingspans are earning the big contracts, as their length allows them to not only score with the best, but to stop the best from scoring. More and more, length is winning. 

Follow KJ Eichstaedt on Twitter - @kjeichstaedt

Thank You Klinsmann - How the USMNT Coach is Changing American Sports

The moment U.S. Men’s National Soccer coach Jürgen Klinsmann left Landon Donovan off the 2014 World Cup roster will be regarded in the future as the principal moment American sports changed forever. Why? Because Klinsmann was the first person to blatantly point out the fault in American sports. Keeping aging stars on rosters past their prime IS an American thing that needs to change if leagues are to reach and sustain the highest level of competition.

Klinsmann: “Kobe Bryant, for example — why does he get a two-year contract extension for $50 million? Because of what he is going to do in the next two years for the Lakers? Of course not. Of course not. He gets it because of what he has done before. It makes no sense. Why do you pay for what has already happened?”

That’s a question fans and spectators ask in response to numerous free agent signings. Is a player like Kobe really going to help the Lakers win? No. Is his salary going to allow other stars to sign with the Lakers? No. Do other players (Carmelo, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol) even want to play with a guy like Kobe? ** sigh** Jürgen?

Of course not.

Then why do American general managers insist on re-signing “stars” that are past their prime? The answer given to fans can be frustrating. Often, the word “veteran” is attached to these players. GMs defend their signings saying so-and-so was signed for their experience and/or leadership. A player like Kobe certainly possesses these qualities, but are they really worth $25 million a year in a league with a salary cap?

Of course not.

General Managers defend their signings, saying an expensive veteran such as Kobe is signed so that young players have a chance to learn from him. Stars have been given the label “stars” for a reason. They demand the ball and aren’t accustomed to sitting on the bench. A good deal of these players would probably demand a trade if forced back to the pine. It’s another mediocre excuse that fails to justify the millions wasted every year on old age.

American GMs will discover in the future that not only are past-their-prime “star” players overpaid, but they also hinder youth development. Take a look at Indiana’s Paul George. He never had a chance to develop into the star he is until Danny Granger was removed from the picture due to injury. A similar thing happened with Stephen Curry, who truly blossomed when Monta Ellis was traded to Milwaukee. Of course there are exceptions to this rule - a veteran such as Jason Kidd can still teach young players new tricks without consuming too much playing time, but these “exceptions” to the rule are mostly hall of fame players with A+ attitudes that are wise enough to accept pay cuts in order to win. THANK YOU TIM DUNCAN. THANK YOU DIRK.

For a team to achieve success and undergo a successful rebuild, it comes down to youth players using playing time and touches to grow and develop without limitations. As in life, there’s no better way to learn than being thrust into the action. When GMs discover this and begin to transition toward this new way of thinking, the money poured into ex-stars will drastically decrease. This is already becoming evident in the NFL (no doubt America’s favorite and most competitive sport). Seattle, fresh off its championship, is already considering having star running back Marshawn Lynch split carries with second year man Christian Michael. Bill Belichick consistently flips old expensive players in exchange for young, inexpensive draft picks. The Packers are constantly recycling their receiving core (casting away Greg Jennings for Cobb) and having players take pay cuts. Examples are plentiful throughout the league. Look at LaDainian Tomlinson and Donald Driver a couple years back.

Despite this turnover, the NFL needs to broaden the cuts and rotation. The quarterback position has always been the focal point, and they are becoming increasingly expensive each year.  Players like Peyton Manning are being stitched back up and thrown back onto the field for massive amounts of dollars, and hell, even Brett Favre was given a call last year. Someone should enlighten GMs to the fact that every SuperBowl dating back ten years has been won by a QB under the age of 32 (the last over 32 being Brad Johnson in 2002). Brees is 35 making $20 million a year, Brady is 36 and (to his credit) making 12, and Manning is 38, making $19 million.

It’s not worth it.

32 appears to be the de-facto age teams should use as a guideline to know when to let players go. David Beckham was cast away to the Galaxy at age 32. Thierry Henry was sent to the Red Bulls at 32. Carlos Boozer was released from his max deal at 32 and Amare Stoudemire as a late 31 year old. Those players were all elite in their prime, but those days are long gone. Kobe is 35.

In the future, expect players like Kobe to be out of the league by age 32 or have their pay significantly cut. It’s only a matter of time before GMs stop feeling as if they “owe it to the players” to re-sign ex-stars to massive deals, and start paying players for what they can produce in the future, rather than the past. Leagues will become more competitive, and player turnover will increase so that the product we fans pay for is better.

                  Thank you, Klinsmann.

Follow Alex on Twitter - @alexeichstaedt

The Stanford Effect

Could there be a new prominent attribute in sports? 

Ivy League schools and other institutions such as Stanford are among a select group prestigious enough to be given the “powerhouse” label.  While these schools may not be the traditional powerhouses we are accustomed to identifying with in sports, they bring something to the playing field that is unmatched by the Ohio State’s, LSU’s, Florida’s , and North Carolina’s of the sports world: Intelligence.  The rise of players from these “academic” institutions in various sports leagues does not appear to be a fluke, or something meant to pass in time.  With modern technology effectively being used in tandem with these intelligent athletes, the “Stanford Effect” is in full swing.

The 2014 NBA Draft was (is) supposed to be one for the ages.  Analysts and executives alike hyped up the draft to be the best since the heralded class of 2003.  Where that draft produced franchise players LeBron, D-Wade, Bosh, and Melo, this year’s draft is expected to follow suit with Wiggins, Parker, Exum, Embiid, and even more.  Thinking about trading to get into the lottery? Forget about it.  Wanna “buy” a late first round pick or “dump it” for cap space? Not this year.  Not only did the 2014 NBA Draft hype machine put enormous pressure and expectations on the players, but it catapulted the value of first round draft picks into the stratosphere. In order to have any hope of acquiring one of these coveted 1st rounders, a team would need to dangle, at the very least, a star player.  Prospects were seemingly given star status before their names were even called.  Draft night finally rolled around, and something curious happened: The Oklahoma City Thunder, who happen to be “oh so close” to becoming a championship caliber team, used their first round pick on Josh Huestis. 

You may be asking yourself, “Who the hell is Josh Huestis”? He’s the little known senior from Stanford University.  You probably won’t recognize him from college box scores, as he only averaged 12.5 points per 40 minutes over the last two seasons.  Senior players are NEVER drafted in the NBA anymore, which makes it so utterly perplexing that a team as close to a championship as OKC would use their coveted first round pick on a player who’s claim to being drafted seems to hinge on one thing: He was the man who shut down Andrew Wiggins and bounced Kansas from the NCAA tournament. That’s pretty much it. While the rest of the league values him as a player who had one spectacular defensive showing, the Thunder drafted him for another quality they value higher than the rest of the league: He is a Stanford player.  Compared to the other athletes on the court any given night, the man is damn near genius.

What the Thunder and various other sports franchises in major leagues are realizing: Players drafted out of academic institutions such as Stanford not only come with their athletic traits, but they come with intelligence and comprehension.  Both are essential to a player reaching his highest ceiling.  A player can have all the physical ability in the world, but that alone will not make him a good player.  All across sports, teams are starting to draft smarter players because they have higher floors, and are better bets to reach their ceilings than some “baller” who can’t qualify academically (sorry N.Carolina) or players who lack the basic intelligence to realize that guns and drugs as a scholarship athlete are a BAD IDEA (sorry “powerhouse” schools everywhere).   Sure enough, a second little known senior out of Stanford by the name of Dwight Powell was drafted in this superdraft. A coincidence? More like a trend.

Taking a look at America’s most prominent sports league, the NFL, The Stanford Effect might even be ahead of the curb.  The game’s best cornerback, Richard Sherman, played his college ball at Stanford.  Like most other Stanford athletes, he wasn’t a top pick like many other “ballers” from powerhouse schools. He had to earn his way from the back.  Since being drafted in the 5th round, Sherman has outworked and outsmarted the competition until he has reached his ceiling of “Shutdown Corner” and SuperBowl Champion.  Yes, his media antics may turn off some fans, but the thing is, the man has made it.  Would he be where he is right now if he were dumber than a box of rocks? Unlikely.  It wasn’t his athleticism that progressed him from good to great…it was his brains. Teams especially look for intelligence and comprehension in QB prospects, so it is not a coincidence that Mel Kiper Jr’s top rated QB prospects of all time, (Jon Elway, Andrew Luck) both came from Stanford.  Intelligence is gaining value in sports everywhere you look and rightfully so.  The Seattle Seahawks won the SuperBowl with one of their main receivers, Doug Baldwin, undrafted in the NFL. A Stanford guy, he runs routes and gets open because he’s smart enough to read and react to defenses.  Jim Harbaugh, before moving to the NFL, was able to have immediate success at Stanford because his players were able to identify and comprehend his philosophies and teachings as a coach.  This two way street allowed him to unlock his players’ ceilings, and deliver them the guidance and communication comprehension necessary to allow them to reach those levels as players. 

Sports are sports because intelligence is supposed to take a back seat to athleticism.  Everywhere you look, the trend is changing. Schools such as Harvard are consistently making noise in the NCAA tournament, teams like Wisconsin somehow manage to win with nearly all white guys, and players from academically prestigious schools are consistently being drafted higher, earning more money, having more success, and perhaps more importantly, staying out of trouble.  To be successful in sports, teams and players must obtain competitive advantages over the competition, and that’s why The Stanford Effect won’t be unknown much longer. 

Follow KJ on Twitter - @kjeichstaedt