Nick Grays, Author at The Sports Bank.Net

Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan should be the 2013 Big Ten Coach of the Year

March 10, 2013 by Nick Grays 1 Comment

At the end of a tough non-conference schedule, pundits and fans alike speculated that there was no way Bo Ryan could take a Wisconsin Badgers team without their starting point guard and contend for a Big Ten Title.

The Badgers were throttled at Florida (74-56 loss), picked apart by Creighton (84-74 loss), shocked by Virginia at home (60-54) and embarrassed by in-state rival Marquette (60-50 loss).

Not exactly the ideal way to go in to play in the best conference in America.

And now at the conclusion of their Big Ten slate and a 12-6 conference record, we’ve learned what everyone should have already known.

NEVER DOUBT BO who should be the Big Ten’s 2013 Coach of the Year. [Read more...]

Will the Green Bay Packers draft Wisconsin’s Montee Ball?

March 6, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

The Wisconsin Badgers held their annual Pro Day on Wednesday and in attendance was the architect of the Green Bay Packers potent offense.

Packers General Manager, Ted Thompson, made the short drive to Madison to take a look at a small group of Badgers prospects who have high hopes of being drafted in the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft.

Wisconsin’s most notable prospect is Montee Ball, a highly regarded running back and the NCAA’s all-time leader in touchdowns.

Could Thompson and the Packers select Ball with the 26th or 55th selection in April? [Read more...]

Packers Aaron Rodgers is set to become a rich man due to Baltimore’s ‘Wacco for Flacco’

March 2, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

The Baltimore Ravens initiated an earthquake on Friday night when they made their 28 year old quarterback Joe Flacco the highest paid player in the NFL. Flacco, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, is set to make a staggering $120.6 million over six years.

Intuition would say that Flacco is the happiest man in the league, but in reality, that’s just not true.

Green Bay Packers front-man Aaron Rodgers is considered by most the best player in the league and just happens to be up for a contract extension this upcoming season. Rodgers currently is the 13th highest paid player at his position at 12.7 million per year.

Can’t you just picture Rodgers walking by Packers General Manager Ted Thompson with that sparkle in his eye? [Read more...]

Wisconsin’s Ryan Evans goes with the unorthodox jump shot free throw

February 27, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

In an attempt to improve his woeful free throw percentage, Wisconsin Badgers starting forward Ryan Evans decided to change up his free throw shooting style a bit.

Channeling former NBA pros Hal Greer and Rick Barry, Evans decided to take a step back from the charity stripe and throw up a jump shot.

On the two occasions he was at the line in a 77-46 drubbing of Nebraska, he went 2-of-2 and will most likely make the permanent switch to the jump shot free throw. [Read more...]

Bret Bielema’s slight shot at Wisconsin is telling for the school and the Big Ten

February 16, 2013 by Nick Grays 14 Comments

Arkansas’ new head coach, Bret Bielema, has been anything but shy in regards to expressing his feelings on almost anything via twitter.

The former Wisconsin Badgers head coach has increased his online activity ten-fold since moving to Fayetteville and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

It’s obvious that Bielema hasn’t completely moved on from his former job, evident from petty fights with disgruntled Badgers fans, but not all of his thoughts are random twitter fodder.

Some of his tweets accurately reflect why the Big Ten currently resides so far behind the nation’s mecca of college football, the much-hated Southeastern Conference. [Read more...]

Wisconsin’s Ben Brust may be the Badgers most important player by a longshot

February 9, 2013 by Nick Grays 2 Comments

With only 2.4 seconds left on the clock, Wisconsin Badgers junior guard Ben Brust made one of the most memorable shots in the history of the program. Brust took an inbound pass from teammate Mike Bruesewitz at half-court, turned the corner and hit a game-tying 40 foot running jump-shot at the buzzer with a Michigan defender draped all over him.

Not only did he hit one of the best shots of the college basketball season, he displayed ice-cold veins by knocking down a critical three in overtime to seal the Badgers home-win over third ranked Michigan.

Some would credit Brust’s heroic acts on this day as just another role player stepping up, but statistically it could be argued that he’s been the Badgers most important player all season.

[Read more...]

Gary Andersen lands a solid class for the Wisconsin Badgers in 2013

February 7, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

Even with a new coach at the helm, the Wisconsin Badgers football program put forth another successful National Signing Day with one of their best classes ever.

With the departure of Bret Bielema to Arkansas, the Badgers thoughtfully hired Gary Andersen and made recruiting the first priority of the new regime.

The 2013 class is headlined by four-star running back Corey Clement and JUCO transfer quarterback Tanner McEvoy.

Here are the notable signees (four-star recruits) who hope they can play a part in the Badgers returning to the Rose Bowl for a fourth year in a row. [Read more...]

Ravens-49ers Super Bowl XLVII freestyle rap and prediction

January 30, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

Once the highly energized AFC and NFC Championship games end, the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl make for one of the most annoying experiences for hardcore football fans. Not only do you have to be subject to intense commercialism, but also the same story-lines over and over day in, day out.

Here at The Sports Bank we like to have a little more fun with out Super Bowl story-lines. Instead of writing the same-old preview and prediction, we decided to amp it up with our prediction.

Drum up a beat in your head and enjoy the prediction for Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens via a dope freestyle.

[Read more...]

The mysterious play of the Wisconsin Badgers Traevon Jackson

January 27, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

Coming into the season, Wisconsin Badgers sophomore point guard Traevon Jackson‘s claim to fame was being the son of Big Ten legend and former NBA pro Jim Jackson.

Now he’s in the midst of an unpredictable point guard shuffle for a decent Badgers team (14-6) who has surged to a 5-2 record in the best conference in America.

To say Jackson’s season has been defined by up-and-down moments would be an understatement; the latest moment being a game-winning shot against 12th ranked Minnesota. [Read more...]

Four former Wisconsin Badgers headed to the 2013 Pro Bowl

January 22, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

Late scratches to Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and New England’s Rob Gronkowski paved the way for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Houston Texans tight end Owen Daniels to join the league’s best in the 2013 Pro Bowl.

Wilson and Daniels join Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Joe Thomas and Texans defensive end J.J. Watt as the four former Wisconsin Badgers to make the team.

Here’s a quick summary of their great seasons and how they ended up as Pro Bowl invitees: [Read more...]

Colin Kaepernick sets NFL records in win over the Packers

January 13, 2013 by Nick Grays 1 Comment

San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh went from potential idiot to genius in a matter of a few hours after his hand-picked quarterback shredded the NFL record books in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Second-year guy Colin Kaepernick who resembles a human-like gazelle on the football field ran for a NFL-playoff record 183 rushing yards on 16 carries against the Green Bay Packers. As a whole, the 49ers racked up an astounding 581 of offense in the 45-31 win.

For a team who dedicated the entire off-season to improving their defense, it has to be a tough loss for the Packers.

[Read more...]

Packers blow past the Minnesota Vikings despite Joe Webb-mania

January 5, 2013 by Nick Grays Leave a Comment

Hours before the highly-anticipated playoff meeting between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings it was announced starting quarterback Christian Ponder was inactive with an elbow injury.

Enter back-up Joe Webb who was actually trending on twitter for much of Wild-Card Saturday.

What started as good trending (“Webb is super fast and runs the read-option, something the Packers haven’t seen”) quickly turned into bad trending when the audience learned Webb cannot throw a football.

Subsequently, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers picked apart the Vikings in a 24-10 win.

[Read more...]

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