This Week in Badger Takes

Take \’tak\ (noun): a strong opinion, frequently wrong to a hilarious degree, designed primary to elicit a visceral response in the listener and to boost social media traffic.

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The world’s got takes about Wisconsin Badgers guard Brad Davison.

Davison, in case you hadn’t heard, had himself a bit of a game against NC State in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge on Tuesday, taking four charges to help turn the tide in the Badgers’ victory.

The sophomore’s performance became the story of the game, outshining Ethan Happ’s double-double and D’Mitrik Trice’s four three-pointers. Media hither and yon swooned. Former coaches and “play the game the right way”-ists loved the #truegrit. The snarks cried flop.

Whether Davison is the platonic ideal of hustling gym rat or the heir to the college-basketball-purveyor-of-the-dark-arts throne is a bit irrelevant. He’s ours, Badger Nation, and we love him.

(And let’s be honest, you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.)

Regardless, the national media was a’ twitter (and/or Twitter) on Wednesday, falling over each other for the hottest #truegrit takes. Here’s a sample...

Sam Vecenie creates Brad Davison Announcer Bingo

Heat Index:

Assessment: I mean, this one’s funny, but feels a bit stock. I suspect he keeps the template ready for each college basketball season and just swapped in Davison’s picture to replace some guy from Duke.

Kyle Koster at the Big Lead claims Davison reached peak grittiness last night.

Heat Index:

Assessment: Low heat, but the upside to the plethora of “gritty” takes is the prevalence of all things “Gritty,” whom I love. Perhaps Davison’s gritty grittiness (#truegrit) will convince our lord and savior Gritty to adopt Wisconsin as its team of choice.

Barstool’s Big Cat loses his mind

Heat Index:

Assessment: Same, Big Cat. Same.

Dan LeBatard hates...

Heat Index: Mulled Haterade.

Assessment: I like LeBatard, but he and Jon “Stugotz” Weiner broke out the hate on this one, making fun of Davison’s celebrations and claiming that “Wisconsin gets in the way” of enjoying basketball.

You know what, LeBatard? You just made the list.

Ricky O’Donnell at SB Nation calls Davison “college basketball’s grossest, best flopper.”

Heat Index:

Assessment: Straight fire, with O’Donnell breaking down video from each charge call. Look, all of this attention on Davison is fun, but the downside is that it will no doubt have an impact on how he is refereed the rest of the season. Mark my words: he’ll foul out of at least one game this year trying to take charges.

If he does, we’re blaming you, Ricky O’Donnell.

Bomani Jones goes full troll.

Heat Index:

Assessment: Now here is a man who understands what a take should be. It should be STRONG and SCORCHING-hot and just absurd enough to drive rational humans absolutely bonkers. Jones’s personal Twitter feed is now littered with the corpses of ethered Wisconsin fans who took the bait. Hats off to you, Mr. Jones. Your take game is platinum.

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Let’s hear from the man himself...