Written by Brent Yarina, BTN.comThe final stop on our Twitter Tips series takes us to Wisconsin. It was a long, fun journey (see all the lists), but now it’s time to turn our attention to the guys who tweet about the Badgers. Our goal with this 12-installment project was simple: to share some of our favorite school-specific Twitter accounts with the fans. Without further delay, let’s get to the Wisconsin handles.
The Badgers boast a bunch of worthy follows, from informative beat writers (@TomOatesWSJ) to dedicated blogs (@B5Q) to passionate former players (@JJWatt). Basically, whatever it is you’re looking for, Wisconsin has a presence on Twitter.
See our list of recommended Badger follows below:
Name: Tom Oates
Twitter handle: @TomOatesWSJ
Twitter profile: “Tom Oates is a sports columnist for the Wisconsin State Journal and Madison.com. He joined the WSJ team in 1980.”
Followers: 3,916
Sample tweet:
Finally, a Big Ten player is drafted. Lions take Iowa tackle Riley Reiff at No. 23. And the Big Ten had one of its better seasons last fall.—
Tom Oates (@TomOatesWSJ) April 27, 2012
Name: Tom Mulhern
Twitter handle: @TomMulhernWSJ
Twitter profile: “Covering Badgers football since 1999 for Wisconsin State Journal. Before that, 12 years of the Green Bay Packers for various newspapers.”
Followers: 1,551
Sample tweet:
Just talked to Al Toon prior to spring game. Nick Toon will wear #88 for the Saints. Nice.—
Tom Mulhern (@TomMulhernWSJ) April 28, 2012
Name: Jim Polzin
Twitter handle: @JimPolzinWSJ
Twitter profile: “I cover the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team for the Wisconsin State Journal. Help out with Badgers football, too.”
Followers: 1,591
Sample tweet:
It obviously didn't help Bo Ryan's PR cause when news broke today that Michigan's Evan Smotrycz is transferring to the ACC (Maryland).—
Jim Polzin (@JimPolzinWSJ) April 18, 2012
Name: Andy Baggot
Twitter handle: @AndyBaggotWSJ
Twitter profile: “Andy Baggot covers University of Wisconsin men’s hockey and football for the Wisconsin State Journal and Madison.com.”
Followers: 1,177
Sample tweet:
Outdoor men's hockey game between WCHA rivals Wisconsin and Minnesota at Soldier Field to be finalized this week.—
Andy Baggot (@AndyBaggotWSJ) April 23, 2012
Name: Dave Heller
Twitter handle: @dave_heller
Twitter profile: “Writer, author, web producer, vintage base ball player, sports nut, husband & dad. Not necessarily in that order. OK, definitely not.”
Followers: 1,194
Sample tweet:
Brad Nortman is the first punter ever to be drafted by the Carolina Panthers #badgers—
Dave Heller (@dave_heller) April 28, 2012
Name: Jeff Potrykus
Twitter handle: @jaypo1961
Twitter profile: “My idea of a gourmet meal? Taco Bell, Taco John’s or Del Taco.”
Followers: 1,509
Sample tweet:
I'd go with Wilson as #badgers ambassador for one reason only: he packed YEARS of goodwill into one season. Unreal.—
Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) April 28, 2012
Name: Mike Lucas
Twitter handle: @LucasAtLarge
Twitter profile: “I write for UWBadgers.com. Color analyst on Wisconsin football & basketball. Catch me mornings on The Big 1070. See me Saturday nights on Sidelines (WISC-TV).”
Followers: 2,525
Sample tweet:
Lost in national debate on Bo Ryan is his loyalty 2 players. He keeps mistakes. Doesn't run off anyone. How many other coaches can say that?—
Mike Lucas (@LucasAtLarge) April 19, 2012
Name: John McNamara
Twitter handle: @McNamaraRivals
Twitter profile: “Publisher, BadgerBlitz.com of the Rivals.com network.”
Followers: 679
Sample tweet:
#Badgers pull in a verbal commitment in the 2013 class today.
wisconsin.rivals.com/content.asp?CI…—
Jon McNamara (@McNamaraRivals) April 29, 2012
Name: Adam Hoge
Twitter handle: @AdamHogeCBS
Twitter profile: “Sports editor & columnist for CBSChicago.com. College football/basketball insider for 670 The Score. White Sox coverage too. When in doubt, assume sarcasm.”
Followers: 2,402
Sample tweet:
The same people preaching the "importance of the regular season" are now against college football semifinals being played at home sites.—
Adam Hoge (@AdamHogeCBS) May 01, 2012
Name: Tom Lea
Twitter handle: @ESPNTomLea
Twitter profile: “I eat, I write, I play and I sleep. In that order. Every day. Cover Badger football and hoops for ESPNWisconsin.com in the meantime.”
Followers: 962
Sample tweet:
I know he's going against the No. 2 defense, but Melvin Gordon is fast. He's got some burst. 7 carries, 50 yards now. #Badgers—
Tom Lea (@ESPNTomLea) April 28, 2012
Name: John Veldhuis
Twitter handle: @JohnVeldhuis
Twitter profile: “#Badgers beat reporter for BadgerBlitz.com. Tweeting about: CFB, CBK, MLB, potpourri since aught ’9. And frankly, I’m still angry with the Empire.”
Followers: 312
Sample tweet:
I'll tell you my top 3 #Badgers from the spring right now though: RB Melvin Gordon, TE Sam Arneson, and DT Beau Allen.—
John Veldhuis (@JohnVeldhuis) May 02, 2012
Name: Nick Grays
Twitter handle: @NickGrays_TSB
Twitter profile: “An aspiring sports journalist with a neurobiology degree from the University of Wisconsin! Frequent contributor to the thesportsbank.net.”
Followers: 550
Sample tweet:
It's cool to think of Melvin Gordon as a hybrid between James White and Montee Ball because you can see he's learned from both #Badgers—
Nick Grays (@NickGrays_TSB) April 28, 2012
Name: Evan Flood
Twitter handle: @Evan_Flood247
Twitter profile: “Wisconsin football and basketball recruiting analyst for Badger247. I also cover Wisconsin athletics for 247sports.”
Followers: 974
Sample tweet:
Wisconsin watched Huntley (Ill.) 2014 Forward Amanze Egekeze again last weekend. #badgers #OnWisconsin—
Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood247) May 01, 2012
Name: Badger Football
Twitter handle: @BadgerFootball
Twitter profile: “Official news about the Wisconsin football team. Coming off two straight Big Ten titles and consecutive trips to the Rose Bowl Madison, Wis.”
Followers: 31,270
Sample tweet:
7 #Badgers have been chosen among top 75 in last two NFL Drafts. Only Alabama (9) has more top 75 picks bit.ly/JxaTSd—
Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) April 30, 2012
Name: Patrick Herb
Twitter handle: @BadgerMBB
Twitter profile: “Crawl into the mind of Bo Ryan. Ok, maybe that’s a little too close. How about into the locker room? Official news from the Univ. of Wisconsin hoops insider.”
Followers: 7,988
Sample tweet:
Research confirms, #Badgers not only led NCAA with 53.2 ppg scoring defense, but posted the lowest mark in #B1G since MINN in 1971 (51.8).—
Patrick Herb (@BadgerMBB) April 30, 2012
Name: Wisconsin Athletics
Twitter handle: @UWBadgersdotcom
Twitter profile: “Official news from the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department.”
Followers: 12,667
Sample tweet:
On this date in '97 @BadgerSoftball plays longest game in team history (16 inn. 4 hrs, 5 min) #flashbackfriday ow.ly/i/eYJ7 #badgers—
Wisconsin Athletics (@UWBadgersdotcom) April 27, 2012
Name: Paul Capobianco
Twitter handle: @BadgerMHockey
Twitter profile: “The official Twitter feed of University of Wisconsin Men’s Hockey, with updates from Paul Capobianco of UW Athletic Communications.”
Followers: 4,777
Sample tweet:
The team voted for their season awards this week.. Who would be your pick for the Otto Breitenbach Most Improved Player in 2011-12? #Badgers—
Paul Capobianco (@BadgerMHockey) April 12, 2012
Name: Bucky Badger
Twitter handle: @UWBuckyBadger
Twitter profile: “The official Twitter account of the one and only Bucky Badger. On Wisconsin!”
Followers: 1,026
Sample tweet:
Smell that? It smells like Spring Game… I'll bet you $20 that the Badgers win—
Bucky Badger (@UWBuckyBadger) April 28, 2012
Name: Phil Mitten
Twitter handle: @hoopsmarinara
Twitter profile: “Wisconsin Badger basketball editor at Bucky’s 5th Quarter @B5Q.”
Followers: 370
Sample tweet:
Crazy how many #B1G teams are currently under 13 scholarship limit for 2012-13. Lots of recruiting left to do.—
Phil Mitten (@hoopsmarinara) April 25, 2012
Name: Sam Zastrow
Twitter handle: @SamZastrow
Twitter profile: “Sam studies political science and journalism at UW-Madison, writes about the Badgers @B5Q and produces content for @CloudTactix.”
Followers: 174
Sample tweet:
DE Brandan Kelly on DT Beau Allen: "That dude’s lower body, it’s the size of my whole body. One of his calves is the size of my thigh."—
Sam Zastrow (@SamZastrow) April 29, 2012
Name: Benjamin Worgull
Twitter handle: @TheBadgerNation
Twitter profile: “Covering football, basketball and recruiting exclusively for our subscribers. Nobody does the Badgers better on the Web!”
Followers: 1,621
Sample tweet:
2014 offensive lineman Brian Allen shows why the #Badgers have offered him fb.me/1CtyvWDua—
Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) May 01, 2012
Name: Bucky’s 5th Quarter
Twitter handle: @B5Q
Twitter profile: “Official Twitter account for Buckys5thQuarter.com.”
Followers: 1,453
Sample tweet:
Right or wrong, Bret Bielema and Bo Ryan have both managed to create PR nightmares for themselves in the last few months. #Badgers—
Bucky's 5th Quarter (@B5Q) April 19, 2012
Name: J.J. Watt
Twitter handle: @JJWatt
Twitter profile: “Houston Texans DE #99 — Wisconsin Badger — Dream Big Work Hard!”
Followers: 68,065
Sample tweet:
Big Ten Takeover. Welcome to the Texans @Merci380 @JrodVCrick @DPo8 @KeshawnMartin82 #LetsWork—
JJ Watt (@JJWatt) April 28, 2012
Name: Big Ten Network
Twitter handle: @BTN_Wisconsin
Twitter profile: “Wisconsin Badgers video & headlines from @BigTenNetwork.”
Followers: 2,177
Sample tweet:
#Badgers video: Jared Abbrederis Talks Wisconsin Football bit.ly/KFjfbU—
Big Ten Network (@BTN_Wisconsin) May 01, 2012
Have a worthy Badger Twitter account that we missed? Leave it as a comment in the box below.
Brent Yarina is a web editor and blogger for BTN.com. Find all of his work here and follow him on twitter at @BTNBrentYarina.
