Bo Ryan a “No Brainer” for Basketball Hall of Fame

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates provide the history for why former Wisconsin men’s basketball coach Bo Ryan deserves to be inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 

“What he did at UW-Platteville — alone — is worthy of getting him into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame,” says Oates, the former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “Bo didn’t get there by recruiting 5-star players. He’s a phenomenal coach…. It’s ridiculous he’s not in already.” 

Lucas says Ryan has great passion for the sport. 

“If you watched his practices, he didn’t vary from day one to the final day of the regular season,” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “Bo is a big-time yes.” 

The veteran sports journalists also discuss Wisconsin’s recent loss to Iowa and what that means heading into March Madness. The Badgers' shortcoming can be summed up in one word: Defense.” 

“Wisconsin still uses Bo Ryan’s defense and it’s very involved with a lot of rules. A lot of rotation,” says Oates. “Wisconsin has made an absolute living out of playing that great team defense but this team doesn’t seem to be real attuned to it, for whatever reason.” 

Finally, Lucas thanks listeners for all their support after he shared recently that he’s fighting stage 4 colon cancer. 

“Use me as a lesson. I had a colonoscopy many years ago and then I put it off. I was always too busy,” says Lucas. “Do me a favor, do yourself a favor, schedule a colonoscopy. Do it.”The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

A weekly podcast with insights and analysis on the Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Bucks from two of Wisconsin’s most experienced sports journalists. Mike Lucas is a veteran sports columnist for the Cap Times and was a Badgers radio color commentator for over 25 years. Tom Oates was a sports reporter and columnist for the Wisconsin State Journal for 40 years.