Former Badgers react to Barry Alvarez stepping down as athletic director April 6, 2021 5:42 PM Gabriella Bachara Updated: MADISON, Wis.– Every current Badger athlete only knows Wisconsin as a sports powerhouse. It’s been that way their whole lives, but former players and those around the program know Barry Alvarez truly helped make it that way. “Coach Alvarez, he’s such an inspiration for a lot of us,” former Wisconsin Badger Brian Calhoun said. An inspiring person who had already built a legacy by the time Calhoun arrived on campus in the mid-2000’s. “It’s a legacy of success. It’s a legacy of hard work,” Calhoun said.