There’s no good way to move on from a loss like the Wisconsin Badgers had in Round 1 against High Point, but in today’s college basketball landscape, you don’t really get the luxury of sitting idle for very long.

The offseason starts the moment the clock hits zero — and if we’re being honest, it typically begins well before that. And for Wisconsin’s front office, that means balancing two things at once — acknowledging the frustration of another early NCAA Tournament exit while also recognizing that this program is still operating from a position of strength.

Because both can be true.

Greg Gard and his staff built a team this year that could score with anyone in the country. That wasn’t accidental. It was a conscious shift made over the last few years as they leaned into spacing, tempo, and offensive efficiency.

The result? A group that averaged 83.0 points per game, the program’s highest scoring output in more than five decades, and one of the most efficient offenses Wisconsin has had in the modern era.

They knew what they were building. And they’re owning it.

But the trade-off was real, too. Defensively, this wasn’t up to the standard Wisconsin has historically set. The balance wasn’t quite there. And in March, when possessions tighten and margins shrink, that showed up.

So now the question becomes simple. How do you maintain what made you dangerous as a team — while fixing what held you back?

That’s the puzzle this offseason.

And it starts, as it always does now, with retention.

There’s a strong belief internally that if Wisconsin can keep the right core pieces in place, they’ll once again be in position to go out and add impact talent through the portal. This staff has earned that benefit of the doubt.

They’ve adapted to this era as well as anyone — identifying fits, developing them, and, more often than not, hitting on key additions. You don’t have to look far for proof. AJ Storr. John Tonje. Nick Boyd. It’s not hard to sell that track record to players on the open market when you can point to what those guys were able to do in this system.

And it’s why there’s confidence they can do it again. With the transfer portal officially opening on April 7, what this staff targets this time around matters — because the needs are pretty clearly defined.

We are managing the land to preserve native vegetation and reduce invasive species. Perhaps the greatest invasive will now be the MariBell project’s huge metal stanchions.

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• Massive 765kV transmission lines are being proposed for construction across western and eastern Wisconsin.
• One proposed project, the MariBell transmission line, would cut through the state’s Driftless region.
• The new lines would replace existing 161kV lines with structures soaring 200 feet high.
• Concerns have been raised about the project’s impact on the landscape, wildlife, and property values.

How much power do we really need and where should it come from? 

Across the state people are being asked to sacrifice precious land for the construction of massive 765kV transmission lines that are mounted on erector set-like structures that soar 200 feet into the air and cut a swath 250 feet wide across the landscape of both western and eastern Wisconsin. Land and resources that cannot be replaced.

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One of these lines is the MariBell transmission line that will cut through the heart of the Driftless region. This line, if it were to go through the Driftless area as proposed, will cross miles of land that avoided the assault of glaciers eons ago to now be destroyed by bulldozers to erect gigantic metal towers for the worship of greed.

This line would replace existing 161 kV lines with 765 kV lines that are more than double the width of existing lines. This means taking out trees, prairies, farms and homes for not only people but endangered wildlife.

Wisconsin wants more power, but at what cost?

The metal towers that soar 200 feet up in the air will be seen for miles away, some on ridgetops may need lights at night. Lights that could harm nocturnal animals and bring diffuse light for all of us who would prefer to see stars at night and occasionally the Northern Lights.

There has not been an established need for this massive line nor is the Driftless region a location worth destroying. This project will place an ever increasing financial burden on utility users who do not even benefit from the line and adversely affect property values in Crawford and Vernon counties. It will cause irreparable damage to the land, air and water as well as the beauty of the Wisconsin landscape that we all love.

It is past time for all Wisconsinites and all those we elect to take a step back and really identify what it is we value and what we want our future to look like. Then act to protect those values! Do electric power utilities, and the regulatory Public Service Commission, only have a responsibility to provide power and not the responsibility to do no harm to the people and native landscape?

Stewardship of Driftless landscape becoming more difficult

We are landowners in Crawford County, Wis., that currently has a 161kV power line going over it and will most likely be right on the route of this new 765kV powerline. We have a cabin that is not connected to electricity, as we are trying to have as small of a footprint on the land as possible. 

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We are managing the land to preserve native vegetation and reduce invasive species. Perhaps the greatest invasive will now be the huge metal stanchions. The challenge of being responsible, sustainable stewards of the land has just become harder.

OSHKOSH (WLUK) — ‘No Kings’ protests took place across Northeast Wisconsin Saturday in opposition to President Donald Trump.

These protests align with the national ‘No Kings’ protests occurring across the country Saturday.

People showed up with signs and flags at Rainbow Park in Oshkosh Saturday beginning at 10 a.m., protesting against the president to voice their concerns.

Protesters expressed their concerns over Trump’s decisions surrounding the war in Iran, as well as his immigration policies– which the protesters believe reflect an expansion of presidential power they oppose.

“This is also an open invitation to anyone who feels disappointed or even betrayed– those who promised greater affordability, fewer global conflicts/wars and transparency on issues such as the Epstein files, and are still waiting,” protester Deb Martin said.

Similar ‘No Kings’ protests and marches took place in Appleton, Green Bay, De Pere and Sturgeon Bay.

Beginning at 3 p.m. in Appleton, protesters marched from Houdini plaza down College Ave. for two blocks in a loop. Several organizations collaborated for the march including Appleton Area NOW, Wisconsin Resist, Hate Free Outagamie, ESTHER, Forward Fox Valley, Democratic Socialists of America and Citizen Action of Wisconsin.

Protesters say the Trump Administration’s actions are an attack on democracy.

Organizers planned more than 3,000 events nationwide, with turnout expected to reach into upwards of nine million people.

A flagship rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, drew thousands and featured high-profile speakers and performers, underscoring the scale and national reach of the movement.

Headlining the observance will be Bruce Springsteen, performing “Streets of Minneapolis,” which he wrote in response to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and in tribute to the thousands of Minnesotans who took to the streets over the winter.

The White House dismissed the planned protests as the product of “leftist funding networks” with little real public support.

“The only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

Trump reacted to previous “No Kings” rallies by insisting “I’m not a king” and saying attendees were “not representative of the people of our country.”