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Why Not Wisconsin?
Why Not Wisconsin?

Why Not Wisconsin?

From Barry to Bo: Broadcasting the Badgers from the Best Seat in the House
By Matt Lepay, Foreword by Brad Nessler

SPORTS & RECREATION

256 Pages, 6 x 9

Formats: Cloth, EPUB, PDF

Cloth, $24.95 (US $24.95) (CA $27.95)

ISBN 9781600787058

Rights: WOR

Triumph Books (Aug 2012)

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Overview

Reflections on the most successful era in more than a century of Wisconsin athletics
Based on more than 20 years behind a Madison microphone, this autobiographical account follows the University of Wisconsin Badgers’ play-by-play announcer as he witnessed the college’s famed golden era of athletics. Sharing the author’s memories of the Badgers’ successful run on the gridiron, the chapters document highlights such as Barry Alvarez leading the team to 11 bowl games in 16 seasons—including three Rose Bowl wins—and his successor, Brett Bielema, posting four 10-win seasons and advancing to a bowl game each year. Badgers’ basketball is also covered, chronicling the men’s streak of five winning seasons, four qualifications for the NCAA tournament, a Final Four appearance in 2000, and more. Detailing the personalities that have helped shape Wisconsin sports during this monumental period, this sports memoir also features revealing stories on the teams’ legendary coaches as well as star players including Mike Kelley, Alando Tucker, Erasmus James, and Montee Ball.

Author Biography

Matt Lepay
See Author
Matt Lepay is a college sports commentator, having called for University of Wisconsin football since 1994 and Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball since 1988. He is a six-time winner of the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year Award and has called 15 postseason football games and 15 NCAA tournaments, including the Wisconsin Badgers’ run to the Final Four in 2000. He serves as cohost with Brett Bielema and Bo Ryan on the coaches’ respective radio shows. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Brad Nessler is one of the leading play-by-play commentators in the business and calls games for both ESPN and ABC. He has worked for ESPN since 1992, and added ABC assignments in 1997 while continuing to handle college football and basketball games for ABC and ESPN. He is also the play-by-play voice of EA Sports NCAA Football and college basketball March Madness video games. He currently calls the ESPN College Football Primetime game on Saturday nights with analyst Todd Blackledge and reporter Holly Rowe. In 2010, he was inducted into the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He resides in Duluth, Georgia.

Media

Matt LePay, author of Why Not Wisconsin?, interviews live on Kielbasa Kings Sports Extravaganza, the podcast for Bucky's 5th Quarter, a UW Badgers blog.
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Listen as Matt Lepay, author of Why Not Wisconsin?, interviews on "The Watercooler" on WBIZ.
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Why Not Wisconsin? was featured in The Capital Times.
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Why Not Wisconsin? was featured in the September issue of Madison Magazine.
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Watch Matt Lepay, author of Why Not Wisconsin? interview on "Live at Five" on WISC-TV Madison.
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Why Not Wisconsin? was featured on JSOnline, the website for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
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Book Signings

Past Events

Dec
13
Matt Lepay - Why Not Wisconsin? ›
Spring Green, WI
6:30pm
Dec
09
Matt Lepay - Why Not Wisconsin? ›
Madison, WI
2:00pm
Oct
26
Matt Lepay - Why Not Wisconsin? ›
Madison, WI
4:30pm

Press Releases

Why Not Wisconsin?
From Barry to Bo: Broadcasting the Badgers
From the Best Seat in the House
By Matt Lepay / Foreword by Brad Nessler

The Voice of the Badgers relives the best moments of an

unprecedented run of success for UW Athletics


From Ron Dayne crushing college football records and racking up Rose Bowl victories, to an unlikely Final Four run and a basketball program that's a perennial Big Ten contender, the past two decades have made for a golden era of Wisconsin athletics. There every step of the way, from cutting the nets down to hoisting Paul Bunyan's Axe, has been The Voice of the Badgers, Matt Lepay.

 

In Why Not Wisconsin? From Barry to Bo: Broadcasting the Badgers From the Best Seat in the House, seven-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year Award recipient and Badgers play-by-play announcer Matt Lepay travels from his early days in the business and some of the lower points in University of Wisconsin athletics, all the way through the ongoing triumphs of Badger sports over the last twenty years. Included among the unforgettable tales of UW excellence on the gridiron and hardwood are:

 

  • Humorous and astute insights into the unparalleled accomplishments of some the most celebrated players, coaches and administrators in program history
  • The Top 10 Badger football and basketball moments during Lepay's illustrious career covering the teams
  • Behind-the-scenes perspective on the coaches that turned around Wisconsin football and basketball - from Barry Alvarez and Dick Bennett to Bret Bielema and Bo Ryan

 

Detailing the personalities that have helped shape UW sports during this monumental period, this autobiographical account also features revealing stories on the teams' star players including Russell Wilson, Jim Leonhard, Jordan Taylor, Michael Finley and many more. An essential read for Badger fans old and new, Why Not Wisconsin? is a celebration of the resurgence of University of Wisconsin athletics from a man indelible to the Badger experience.

 

About the Author:
Matt Lepay has been a commentator for University of Wisconsin football since 1994 and Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball since 1988. He is a seven-time winner of the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year Award and has called 16 postseason football games and 16 NCAA tournaments, including the Wisconsin Badgers' trip to the Final Four in 2000. He serves as co-host with Bret Bielema and Bo Ryan on the coaches' respective TV and radio shows. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

 

CONTACT: Josh Williams ∙ Independent Publishers Group ∙ 312.337.0747 ∙ jwilliams@ipgbook.com

 

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