Greg Gard Gets Flamed For His Comments on Transfers
The transfer market is one of the more controversial things in college basketball and college football. The free market of the sport has never been higher. Kids can choose when they want to leave or stay with a team whenever they want. Coaches are obviously not happy about this including Wisconsin Badgers’ head coach Greg Gard. The comments that Gard made yesterday to Jason Wilde and Mark Tauscher feel like they’re out a generation before us. Here’s what the Badgers coach said that drew a huge reaction from Twitter including Marquette’s Koby McEwen.
Good stuff from @GregGard on growing numbers in NCAA transfer portal, while on @WildeAndTausch:
"What are we teaching these young men and women where anytime there's a little sliver of adversity, we go to where we think the grass is greener?https://t.co/AqkiIvbqUX #Badgers pic.twitter.com/qyKcUEFBRY
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) March 25, 2021
There’s numbers of reasons for transferring. In the real world if you’re extremely unhappy with your job you leave. But players are held to a different standard…coaches and staff can switch jobs like crazy and nobody says “what are we teaching these adults?” GTFOH https://t.co/j6mPR3Cr91
— Koby McEwen (@TheTrueOne1_) March 25, 2021
We live in the era of player empowerment. It is a players-driven society. Gard should have chosen his words better when it comes to dealing with the transfer portal. He could have easily explained how there are going to be problems, but Wisconsin will help work through them versus trying to start all over. Almost a sell on what Gard has available as a head coach. You don’t need to cater to every players’ needs, but you do need to figure out what works for this individual and what doesn’t. It is a weird thing for him to rant about when Wisconsin could be looking for transfers this offseason.
McEwen nailed it on the head honestly. Coaches do not adhere to their contracts. Marquette will likely hire someone who has multiple years left on his deal. It sucks for the kids who were recruited there, but that’s how it goes. And Gard’s comment about adversity? Coaches bolt all the time when shit is hitting the fan. Ask Buzz Williams about that.
Gard should have chosen his words better, and I bet the next time he talks transfers, it will be a little different.
Charlie.