Early Monday afternoon, Badgers fans received news that they had long feared—the Bo Ryan era in Madison is coming to an end.
The announcement of Ryan’s forthcoming retirement sent shockwaves throughout the state of Wisconsin and all of college basketball, and gave everyone another opportunity to reflect upon his illustrious career and appreciate all he’s accomplished.
Perhaps the news that a 67-year-old coach is ready to hang up his whistle shouldn’t come as that big of a surprise. Then again, few 67-year-old coaches have meant as much to a program as Ryan has to Wisconsin basketball.
In fact, it’s not a stretch to say that what Ryan has done for Badgers men’s basketball is comparable to what Barry Alvarez did for the UW football program.
Admittedly, it’s not a perfect comparison, but it’s hard not to notice the parallels between the two prolific coaches.
When Alvarez arrived in Madison in 1990, he inherited a program that could be politely described as abysmal and less politely as a smoldering dumpster fire. He would of course orchestrate a dramatic turnaround, leading the Badgers to a trio of Rose Bowl victories and Big Ten titles and winning a school-record 119 games during his tenure.
Ryan didn’t inherit the kind of mess that Alvarez did, but Wisconsin was far from a Big Ten powerhouse when he took over. The Badgers had made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under Dick Bennett and interim head coach Brad Soderberg (who took over during the 2000-’01 season after Bennett resigned), including a run to the Final Four in 2000.
Though there was forward progress being made prior to Ryan’s arrival, he has taken the program to heights that would’ve at one time seemed unimaginable. His accomplishments are numerous and remain impressive no matter how many times you read them: 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and top-four finishes in the Big Ten, four Big Ten regular-season titles, three Big Ten Tournament championships, two Final Four appearances and a school-record 357 wins.
Before Ryan came to Madison, the Badgers had never won more than 22 games in a season. Under his watch, they won 30 or more games four times. In the pre-Bo Ryan era, the Badgers posted seasons of 19 or more wins on just four occasions. During his tenure, they’ve never won less than 19 games in a season.
Ryan helped establish a national identity for Wisconsin basketball that helped its rise to prominence. His teams have become known for player development, limiting fouls and turnovers, a hard-nosed defense and a slow-tempo, ultra-efficient swing offense. In the same vein, Alvarez helped UW football become synonymous with a dominating power run game, mammoth offensive lines and physical play on both sides of the ball.
Like Alvarez, Ryan announced his retirement prior to his last season, giving Badgers fans an opportunity to savor every game they have left before their beloved coach’s final curtain call.
Wisconsinites of a certain age (myself included) who have followed Badger sports their entire lives have experienced nothing but success in football and men’s basketball, something that certainly can’t be said about older UW fans.
That’s a testament to the extraordinary work done by both Alvarez and Ryan during their time in Madison, and it helps explain why the news of Ryan’s retirement was so staggering to Wisconsin fans.
Life after Ryan has long been a frightening proposition for the Badger faithful, but he’s put the program in a place where it can continue to flourish long after his departure, much like the football team’s sustained success since Alvarez’s retirement.
For many Wisconsin fans, Alvarez has become the standard by which all future UW coaches will be measured. If that’s the case, then there’s no disputing that Bo Ryan is the Barry Alvarez of Badgers basketball.
