Running track and cross country may appear to be one of the most individually centered sports out there.
You must stay in your own lane for many events, and there’s no real sense of defense or legal ways to impede on your opponents’ abilities – you’ll be disqualified for blatantly cutting off or knocking over your competitors. Like golf, swimming, and tennis, many distance runners spend a significant portion of their days training, stacking repetitions, concerned with their breathing, tempo, and other factors within their control.
Though it can certainly be an isolating sport, the story of Madison native Caleb Easton provides young runners extremely valuable advice in terms of dealing with the adversity that exists in the sport, whether injuries or the inherent nature of comparison and self-doubt – especially at the highest level.
What is considered illegal contact, what isn’t, and what can the NFL do to clear up the debate for coaches, players, and fans alike?
As any football fan would agree, roughing the passer calls are great when they are in favor of your team. But when the call is made against your defense, it’s a different story.
Despite optimism from fans heading into the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks lasted only five games. So what’s next for the team, and what changes need to be made to ensure they don’t repeat this performance next season?
The Milwaukee Bucks went into the 2023 postseason with high hopes. Led by MVP finalist Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks were rolling into the playoffs hoping to make a 2021-esque NBA Finals run after being eliminated by the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals last year.
From Green Bay to Madison, the Racine, Wisconsin native knew staying home was always in the plan.
Sophomore Kamari McGee – once the team leader in scoring for the UW-Green Bay Phoenix – entered the transfer in the spring of 2022 with hopes of taking his skills to the next level, to see himself play on a bigger platform.
March Madness certainly lived up to its name this year. For the first time ever, no top-ranked seeds made it past the Sweet Sixteen, none of the top 12 teams made it to the Final Four, and — for only the second time ever — a 16-seed took down a 1-seed.
This is pure madness, right?! Well, after one takes a closer look, these seemingly “David vs Goliath” type upsets don’t appear to be so surprising. In fact, I’d argue we can’t accurately characterize such games as ground shattering upsets any longer.
From Lebron James’ record-breaking season to presumptive 2023 NBA No. 1 Draft pick Victor Wembanyama, basketball fans have plenty of reasons to be excited. So why is the future of the NBA in jeopardy?
On the surface, the NBA’s future is as bright as ever.
The Wisconsin men’s basketball team finished the 2022-23 season with a record of 17-14, excluding the results from the NIT, and embarrassingly missed out on the NCAA Tournament. So, how did the Badgers get here, and who’s to blame?
I’d argue that Head Coach Greg Gard should receive a majority of the blame.
A 15-second pitch clock, bigger bases, and a ban on shifting has increased excitement and action for baseball fans.
In recent years, Major League Baseball has struggled with slow-paced, low action contests that push fans further away from the game. Once America’s pastime, baseball has now become only 11% of adults’ favorite sport – well behind football at 34%, according to CNN Sports.
This season, the MLB has employed a few new changes that promise to not only make baseball more exciting and entertaining for fans, but to increase the speed of action throughout the game.
On Wednesday night, the Bucks hosted the Heat in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Facing the threat of a 2-0 deficit and missing their MVP finalist, the Bucks cruised to a 138-122 victory.
