Bo Ryan Takes Not So Subtle Shot At The Foundation Of Duke Basketball

Sports Illustrated- In a post-game interview with CBS, when asked what he thought of the game's officiating in the second half, Ryan said, "It’s just a shame that it had to be played that way."

"I just feel sorry for my guys that all of a sudden it was like that," he continued. 

At the post game press conference, Ryan blasted not only the officiating but the idea of one-and-done players. 

"We don't do rent-a-player," Ryan said, when asked about departing senior Frank Kaminsky. The comment was a reference to players playing one year of college basketball and leaving to go play in the NBA. 


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Listen, I hate Duke as much as the next logical basketball fan with a functioning brain. I hate how 90% of their fans have no affiliation to the university. Hell, most of their fans need 6 degrees of separation to even find someone that gotten within spitting distance of the Duke campus. I hate their fan base's sense of entitlement. I hate how they always have one weasily looking white boy that manages to succeed, on the biggest stage, against all odds. 

With that said, you got to be better than this coach. You're a white guy named Bo. That unofficially officially makes you the coolest customer that I have never met. Hold yourself to a higher standard. Should Bo Ryan be commended for building his team through experience? Should he be proud of the fact that his players grew into the truest sense of team? Does it feel wrong that they lost to a university that is going to send more than one player to the NBA after only one year of schooling? Yes, yes, and fuck yes. However, you can't come out and fully endorse your players pregame and imply that things might be different if you had better players postgame. It's disingenuous. 

What Wisconsin accomplished was impressive. They showed that there is another way to build a successful team without a bunch of players that already have one foot in an NBA training camp before even stepping on a college court. However, while they proved it is indeed possible, they also proved that it's certainly not the easiest way to build a winner. As much as fans of college basketball don't want to admit it, Wisconsin is far more the exception than the rule. That's what made them so likable. It's what made them so special.

I love me some Bo, and yes, it's mostly because of his name. However, there is no way he can convince me that he wouldn't offer a scholarship to a player whose talent level may be worthy of only a single season on campus. It's easy to say you don't cheat on your girlfriend until Scarlett Johansson is standing in front of you naked. Just because it hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. And you can bet your ass if the opportunity presents itself Bo will be the one sacrificing his ideology to hand him the pen.

P.S. Officiating. You're doing it wrong.....