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Barstool 'Big Cat' calls Wisconsin Badgers' Luke Fickell decision 'slap in the face'

Dan 'Big Cat' Katz, a Barstool Sports personality and vocal Wisconsin Badgers fan, called Wisconsin Badgers athletic director Chris McIntosh's explanation 'a joke'
Kedrick Stumbris|
Dan \"Big Cat\" Katz, Barstool Sports Rough N Rowdy C4 9874
Dan \"Big Cat\" Katz, Barstool Sports Rough N Rowdy C4 9874 | Eric Rueb / The Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Wisconsin Badgers

Despite Wisconsin football currently being in the midst of its least successful period in over three decades, its head coach is going to get at least one more crack at turning it around. Following a bombshell announcement by University of Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh, viral Wisconsin Badgers fan, Dan "Big Cat," Katz is fed up.

Luke Fickell is in the final stretch of his third year at the helm of the Wisconsin football program. At the end of his first year on campus in Madison, the former Cincinnati Bearcats head coach extended a record streak of 22 consecutive bowl appearances for UW. The following season, however, the Badgers lost to their Border Battle rival, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, falling to 5-7, and missed out on a postseason appearance for the first time since 2001.

With four games to play, Wisconsin (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) will most likely have to win out in order to be eligible for postseason play. Otherwise, the Badgers will miss a bowl in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1991 and 1992 seasons. Those were years two and three of the Barry Alvarez era.

Former Wisconsin football, NFL player 'at a loss for words' on Luke Fickell's return

With losses stacking up, McIntosh decided to publicly declare his intention to bring Fickell back to the sidelines in 2026. One of the internet's most vocal fans of the Cardinal and White was none too pleased with McIntosh's explanation as to what it means for Wisconsin football moving forward.

Wisconsin Badgers fan 'Big Cat' displeased with 'no longer counting wins and losses' under Luke Fickell

McIntosh explained the decision to retain Fickell, who is 0-9 against ranked opponents in his tenure at UW, through a series of interviews on Thursday. During a conversation with Jesse Temple of Badger Connect, McIntosh explained how he plans to measure success, especially given "championship level expectations" when Fickell was first hired.

"The priority for me is to continue to grow the program in a way that puts us in the position to achieve those expectations. That comes in many forms. It's not limited to wins and losses," McIntosh said. "There are so many factors that contribute to that and that's where my priority is. I think just to reiterate, I am excited about where the program can go. There's a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done."

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Katz took issue with the idea that success in the Wisconsin football program "is not imited to wins and losses."

"We're no longer counting wins and losses in football games," the Barstool Sports personality said in response to a video clip from the interview. "What a joke and a slap in the face of every alum and fan."

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Kedrick Stumbris
KEDRICK STUMBRIS

Kedrick Stumbris has covered the Wisconsin Badgers since 2022 with a focus on the Badgers football, men's basketball, and women's hockey programs. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science.

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