Best of 2005: Top Wisconsin Sports Stories

Wisconsin had a year packed full of stories, ranging from Cinderella, a rebirth, a team and legend on the decline, and the exit of a savior. Here are the top 10 stories of 2005.

10. Terry Porter Gets The Dreaded Vote Of Confidence

After Larry Harris held a press conference to announce that Terry Porter was his guy and shouldn't worry about his future. Less than two months later, Porter was fired. The Bucks had some money to spend and had recently won the NBA draft lottery, so Harris thought he'd flirt with a big name coach, Flip Saunders. Saunders, a friend of Harris, wanted to wait until the situation in Detroit was resolved. After the organization thought they could wait no more (and a failed last minute run at Doug Collins) Harris settled on his man, former Bucks assistant coach Terry Stotts.

9. The Marquette Golden Eagles-Gold-Golden Eagles

After finally realizing what Marquette faithful have been saying ever since the name change, Marquette decided the nickname Golden Eagles was no good so they sought out to find a new one. From now on, Marquette would be the Marquette Gold. The Gold? What does that stand for, like the color gold? So after taking national heat, the University decided to vote on a new name. Warriors was not an option however. The list would get trimmed down to finalists, and in June the University announced their new nickname. The Golden Eagles. Apparently the University is just a big fan of the Julie Cooper-Nicol-Cooper character on the OC.

8. Pearle Volunteers His Services

Literally fresh off the heels of his UWM Panthers NCAA tournament run to the Sweet 16, head coach Bruce Pearle announced to his team on sunday March 27 that he intended to take the head job at Tennessee. On Monday March 28, Pearle was introduced as Buzz Peterson's replacement and the new head coach at Tennessee. The Panthers went on a job search shortly after before settling on Bo Ryan longtime diciple Rob Jeter.

7. What I Did On My Summer Vacation

The Milwaukee Bucks had arguably the best offseason in basketball. First they announced that their 2003 1st round selection TJ Ford would be healthy enough return to the hardwood when the season opened in November. Then they won the draft lottery and with the first overall pick selected Utah Center, and National Collegiate Player of the Year Andrew Bogut. Next they brought in a new head coach in Terry Stotts. After the new coach was in place, thier next move was to announce the re-signing of Michael Redd. The Bucks rounded out the summer by resigning Dan Gadzuric and Toni Kukoc, siging free agent swingman Bobby Simmons, and trading for New Orleans center Jamaal Magloire.

6. Tell Me You Saw That Creepy Grinn...

They should have wound up with the 6th or 7th pick, and the odds were definitely not in their favor, but somehow in need of a big man in a year where the best player in the country played that position the Milwaukee Bucks beat the odds and won the NBA 2005 Draft Lottery. When the second card was pulled and revealed the Hawks, the screen cut to Larry Harris and the creepy grinn he was flashing. Priceless. Also priceless was the "ANDREW BOGUT-CHA-CHA-CHACHACHA-ANDREW BOGUT.." chant started by three dudes in the Miller Park bleachers when the scoreboard flashed the news that the Bucks had won the lottery. Those three dudes were us (Fabos, Platta and myself), and man did the crowd dig it.

5. Wake Me Up When December Ends

Most Packer fans didn't know what to think about their chances going into the season as it was, but assumed teh team would be competitive and challange the Vikings for the divisional title. Fast forward to Christmas day at approximately 7:30pm. The Packers sit at 3-12 and the Bears have clinched the division. The team lost two pro bowl lineman in the offseason, and countless skill position players to major season ending injuries resulting in the team finishing below .500 for the first time in the Brett Favre era, and looking horrible in the process. Packer fans are now seeing something we never thought we'd see, Brett Favre on a losing team, and a horrible one at that.

4. Barry

Badger Head Coach and UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez announced before the season that this would be his last as head coach so he could shift his focus solely on serving as the University's Athletic Director. Alvarez also announced that Defensive Coordinator Brett Bielema would take over as the team's Head Coach in 2006. Alvarez goes out as the Univerity's all time winningist coach, the winner of three Rose Bowls in three appearances, and the only coach in Big Ten History to win consecutive Rose Bowls. Farewell and Thank You Barry.

3. The Times They Are A Changing

The Packers went through a drastic overhaul in the offseason. It started when Head Coach and General Manager Mike Sherman was striped of his General Manager title. Ted Thompson was plucked away from the Seahawks to replace Sherman as GM. The team also saw many coaches leave. Jethro Franklin went to USC, Ray Sherman left for the Titans, Bob Slowik was replaced and so was Kurt Schottenhimer to name a few. Slowik's replacement was former Dolphins interim Head Coach Jim Bates. Many speculated Bates was brought in to be a potential replacement to Sherman. The team also let a lot of veteran players leave via free agency or by releasing them. Mike Whale, Marco Rivera, Darren Sharper, Cletidus Hunt, Hannibal Navies were all amungst the names gone when training camp rolled back around. Since Thompson's arrival he has had the clear plan of a GM (rather than a coach) in rebuilding to make the team better for the futre at the cost of the present.

2. When Animals Attack

The NCAA tournament saw the state of Wisconsin put forth a good showing. The Badgers took eventual NCAA Champion North Carolina to the limits in their Elite 8 Matchup before UNC could narrowly escape the upset, but the story was the UWM Panthers. Making the tournament for just the second time in three years (and School history)UWM knocked off 5 seed Alabama in the first round, and then two days later stunned Boston College in another upset. The run would 5 days after that when they went down to the eventual National Runner up Illinois, but UWM captured the hearts of the nation and became the tournament darlings.

1. Come See What's Brewin'

For the first time in 13 sesons, the Milwaukee Brewers held the attention of the city for not only April and May, but the duration of the summer as well. Fans were even interested once September was winding to a hault. The reason, the Brewers broke their futility streak by finishing 81-81 (a record not sub .500 for the first time since 1992) and remained in a wild card hunt for the better part of the summer. Attendance records were set, and fans got the chance to finally see the prospects we've heard so much about for the past few years (JJ Hardy, Ricky Weeks, Corey Hart, Prince Fielder). The team has captured the city much like UWM did during their tournament run. With the Packers seemingly on the decline, it looks like the Brewers now have the stranglehold on the state with no intentions of releasing it.