Reports circulating on Wednesday regarding the supposed death of former Wisconsin Badgers football coach and athletic director Barry Alvarez turned out to be unfounded. The rumors gained momentum after a tweet from Matt Finkes, a former Ohio State and NFL player and local TV analyst, who has a significant following on Twitter. Despite Finkes later deleting the tweet, it sparked widespread speculation and prompted numerous reporters, including Jim Polzin and Colten Bartholomew from The Wisconsin State Journal, to verify the information with current Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh and other officials, confirming that Alvarez was alive.
A former Ohio State player and Columbus media personality falsely shared news of legendary Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez's death. ⤵️ https://t.co/njcdeoExOv
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 7, 2024
It remains unclear where Finkes obtained this misinformation, as his tweet appears to be the earliest reference to Alvarez’s supposed death on Twitter. This incident isn’t the first time Finkes has been involved in Twitter controversies, having engaged in public disputes, particularly with CBS’ Jay Feely, and attracting attention for his comments on COVID-19.
Premature reports of death are not uncommon, as famously seen with Mark Twain and numerous sports figures such as Joe Paterno, Pelé, Jim Fregosi, Ken Stabler, and Mino Raiola. Nonetheless, it’s a relief to learn that Alvarez is alive and well.
