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The Wisconsin State Journal Tom Oates Column: Ryan Puts Smile on Game Face

Posted on: Friday, 17 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Tom Oates, The Wisconsin State Journal

Mar. 17--PHILADELPHIA -- It didn't take long for Bo Ryan to know he was home.

One question, in fact.

The University of Wisconsin men's basketball coach had barely settled into his seat for an NCAA tournament news conference Thursday at the Wachovia Center when a Philadelphia reporter, speaking with a heavy East Coast accent, asked if it was a thrill for Ryan to have a team playing in the "TORN-a-ment" just a few miles from his hometown of Chester, Pa.

"Just the way we say TORN-a-ment, just the way you asked that question, makes me feel good," Ryan said. "I'm at home. I don't hear that a lot out there and it's nice to hear that again."

It's nice to see Ryan smile again, too.

Historically, his news conferences at NCAA tournaments are unpleasant affairs for everyone involved. Ryan, so personable and glib in real life, is usually edgy and guarded in large media gatherings and more uptight than usual when the stakes are high and the questions come from the pushy national media.

Some of Ryan's responses, like his unprovoked 9-minute rant about the media at Spokane, Wash., in 2003 and jumping down the throat of a respected national college basketball writer for an innocuous (and misunderstood) question at Syracuse, N.Y., in 2005, leave reporters who don't know Ryan walking out of the room wondering aloud what is his problem.

There were no such reactions Thursday after Ryan spent 20 minutes rambling on about UW's first-round game against Arizona, his basketball philosophy and his Philadelphia roots, not necessarily in that order.

Ryan, who has lived in Wisconsin since 1976, was charming, entertaining and chatty as he discussed how happy he was his father Butch, a former coach who is well-known in the area, could drive to the game in 15 minutes, how the rich ethnic mix at Chester High School influenced his life and how he was forced to admit current NBA star Jameer Nelson was the best point guard to ever come out of Chester.

Asked what he missed most about Philadelphia -- besides the cheesesteaks, of course -- Ryan said it was the personalities.

"The Philly area has more characters per square foot than anyplace," he said. "That's what I miss the most, the characters and the sports fanatics that are here. Now, we have them in Wisconsin. They're there. But it just seems in this area they're more outspoken. And my dad's probably one of the top 10."

All in all, Ryan was as relaxed as a coach whose team entered the tournament on a three-game losing streak can be. Clearly, the trip home has been good for his soul.

"I haven't seen him smile this much all year," guard Kammron Taylor said. "That's a good thing. Seeing him relaxed is definitely going to relax the players."

Until this year, UW always entered the tournament playing its best basketball. That's one reason the Badgers have never lost a first-round game in Ryan's four seasons.

However, with shooting woes that are getting worse by the game threatening to end that streak today, a relaxed, smiling Ryan might be just what UW needs to get its confidence back.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Wisconsin State Journal

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Wisconsin State Journal

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