No Naz or Bo, so basketball season got less interesting

Tuesday was a day of loss in Midwestern college basketball.

Not death, mind you. Nothing tragic, just two people leaving the spotlight of this basketball season in different ways.

Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan announced his immediate retirement Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, the news was released that Iowa State senior guard Naz Mitrou-Long was shutting it down for the season because of hip-related issues, and would apply for a medical red-shirt so he can play for the Cyclones next season.

Ryan's story is borderline phenomenal. In his 14 full seasons as Wisconsin's head coach, the Badgers reached the NCAA tournament 14 times. The Badgers won four regular-season Big Ten titles under him, including last season.

Bo's last two teams went to Final Fours. Last year's squad was a win from a national title.

It wasn't Kansas or North Carolina, where basketball success was ingrained. Wisconsin had been to a Final Four and had been competitive in the sport before Ryan got the job, but he made it a model of consistent winning.

He changed the balance of power in the Big Ten, and he never gave opponents an easy night. He did so with teams that played the game smartly and, often, beautifully. Last season's Badgers, in particular, played a very pleasing style of ball.

You have to have players to do that, of course. Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker were first-round NBA draftees, the kinds of talents that don't come around every year. But the players had help.

There is the matter of a coach bailing in midseason. Players who did that would get crucified. Ryan greased the skids for assistant Greg Gard to make his case as successor.

That's big-time college sports, where high-profile coaches have towers of power. Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin's athletic director, knows what that feels like. He was the boss of Madison when he was football coach. He hand-picked Bret Bielema to be his replacement after Alvarez became the full-time athletic director.

Coaches who win get a lot of clout, and rare is the one who doesn't use it. The next athlete who transfers from a team in midseason, though, will be judged to be lacking in character.

As for Mitrou-Long's situation, it's just unfortunate. Iowa State has a very interesting team with a lot of potential. Whether it's got the right stuff or the depth to win the Big 12 regular-season title or make a deep NCAA tourney run, I don't know. But it's a fun, talented squad.

That team got hurt considerably by the announcement Mitrou-Long won't be able to play the rest of this season. He's been a talented, strong-willed guard who has saved some of his finest play for big moments. He wasn't himself late last season, nor this season, and it's unfortunate.

Such is sports, such is life. My advice to Cyclone fans is enjoy what you have and see what happens. Seasons, as Iowa football fans can tell you, are more fun when less is expected.

Maybe Matt Thomas continues his wonderful play of the last two games and is an able replacement for Long in the starting lineup. Maybe Deonte Burton gets out of the blocks quickly now that he's eligible for the second semester, and fills the void Mitrou-Long leaves.

But you can never have enough skilled veterans, and Mitrou-Long was indeed one. Plus, how you could not like someone from Mississauga, Ontario named Nazareth J. Mitrou-Long?

Get well, Naz. This season won't be quite as interesting without you.