There's Just Something Missing At Packer Training Camp

Note: This particular blog is longer, almost a newspaper-feature length. Rather than break it into several postings, I decided to go with one. JW

 Players reported to Green Bay this week as the Packers, and the NFL, started training camp.

Ahhh...this has always been an optimistic sign. Which rookies look good? Which veterans are back and still have something in the tank.

Players riding kid bikes, keeping the tradition alive. A Family Night event, the 25th that, while once a bona fide scrimmage, is now no more than a practice. Yet nearly 60,000 fans pony up $12.42 a pop (with tax; add $5.16 for a parking pass) to come and enjoy the atmosphere.

Yet in Green Bay, there's something missing this training camp. Dr. Pat McKenzie is no long on the sidelines, or out checking on players, as he has for 35 years.

"It just feels odd, you know," McKenzie admitted. "I'm not there. I have nothing going on. It makes for a whole new experience, and I know it will take time to get used to..."

It's not so much that McKenzie had a long, stellar run with the Packers. It's more about HOW a kid born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, pretty much grew up in Oshkosh and ended up there, in Green Bay.

We all have a road that we're on for our journey through life. Some roads are straight, some have twists and turns. Some uphill, some downhill. Some smooth as glass, some rough as the ocean in a hurricane. Some are deliberate, some surprisingly random.

Doesn't matter who you are, the road is there until we reach the end.

Sometimes it's an unusual road that our journey takes, as it did for Doctor Pat McKenzie.  Still, he's just Pat to me, a three-sport athlete I covered while the beat man on Oshkosh Lourdes Academy back in my college days, as a stringer for the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern.

After his recent retirement, Pat and I renewed a friendship via telephone for a few lengthy catch-up chats -- and a lot of laughter. (I always thought it was a VERY good game if we didn't see him on the field, looking over an injured player, and told him so!)

Retirement will give more time for Pat and wife Anne (Williamson) McKenzie, to see children -- three are in the Twin Cities area, and another in New Jersey, as well as time with 14 grandchildren. 

Fun fact: McKenzie followed Dr. Eugene Brusky, hired by Vince Lombardi in 1960 as the team physician. He held the post for 29 years, and Dr. Clarence Novotney bridged the gap for a couple of seasons before McKenzie started his 35-year run. It's now filled by Dr. Michael Ryan. Essentially, that's three team doctors in 66 years has to be some sort of record.

Just, exactly, how does one prepare for this career? Pat's dad was Dr. John Redmon McKenzie, mother Marilyn Cartwright McKenzie. Dr. John was a graduate of Marquette University of Medicine, which ended affiliation with the university in 1967, becoming the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1970.

"Dad and Mom started out in Milwaukee, and then Dad became a family practice doctor in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where I was born," explained McKenzie, who is the middle of eight children. "I was probably in kindergarten, maybe five years old, when Dad decided he wanted to get into radiology and we returned to Milwaukee for his residency.

"I was eight when we moved from Milwaukee to Oshkosh, and I consider that my home. Attended Sacred Heart Grade School, then Lourdes Academy for high school."

It was at Lourdes where our paths crossed. As a college student working for the sports department of The Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, my beat, starting in 1972, was Lourdes, one of three city high schools at the time. In 1974, Lourdes was the WISAA state football champion. Pat was a senior defensive back on a team that reeled off eight straight wins to take the title. In basketball that season, he was first team All-Fox Valley Christian Conference, capping off a career as a three-year starter.

Off To College

"While growing up I watched my Dad all the time. When he joined the group in Oshkosh, on Saturdays I would go in and watch him work. I kinda thought about medicine at the time. When it came time to tour colleges, Dad asked if I wanted to road trip and check out schools.

"As one of eight kids, I thought this one-on-one time with Dad was a GREAT idea. We laid out a plan to visit five colleges and thought we would start at the farthest one and work our way back."

That turned out to be St. John's University, a small D-III college with between 1,500 and 1,600 students -- 1,400 undergraduates -- located, along with the College of St. Benedict, in College, MN.

"We walked around, met the people there. The place had a great atmosphere. The minute you walked onto campus, you were a Johnnie with everyone, treated that way by the upperclassmen.

"As we walked around, we ran into the head football coach, John Gagliardi (winningest coach in D-III history at 489-138-11).  Turns out Dad played for him at Carroll College in Helena, Montana and had a blast catching up

"We never made it to the other four colleges for a tour. I settled on St. John's and had a great college experience. I was influenced there by Dad, Coach Jim Smith (basketball), my guys at basketball practice, Sal's -- the college bar where everybody knows you and there are no real cliques -- and the four guys in my house that I lived with -- friends forever."

Basketball Ties

Pat played for Coach Jim Smith, the winningest coach in Minnesota college hoops. As a 5-10 point guard, I recall him telling me during a break home from college that his job was "to just keep the big guys out of one another's way..."

He wasn't the only McKenzie to play at St. John's, as sons Patrick and Kevin both played for Coach Smith.

But it goes further.

"Patrick went on to be the analytics guy at UW-Green Bay for two seasons, then St. John's hired him as an assistant, a spot he held for nine seasons. Then he took over as head coach and he's been there 11 years, winning over 70% of his games -- and he graduates all his guys. They play a tough schedule, and this year have taken their lumps as he is heavy in freshmen and sophomore."

After St. John's, what next?

"I was probably halfway through college when I decided that I wanted to pursue medicine. I listed as a Biology Major so that would transition to medicine. I did a lot of classes that opened my eyes to the career. Physics, biology, every science class I could take.

"But I almost didn't graduate. When I looked at the Biology Major, one of the classes listed was botany. I thought 'well, that doesn't make any sense. My Dad never looked at plants..' And I just never took the class. I skipped on by it and it caused me some problems at graduation.

"Two weeks before graduation, I get called in and told I can't graduate because I didn't have a major. I didn't have the right courses that fit a major at St. John's. We thought about an Independent Major, but the priest in charge of that was a stickler. I was told he would never grant me an Independent..."

In steps fate.

"The priest gets called to the Vatican in Rome for something, and the one who steps in turns out to be a priest who was something of a Chaplin to the basketball team. He knew me and gave his approval.

"I graduated, got an early admission to Medical College of Wisconsin (indirectly his Dad's alma mater). Choose Milwaukee because I thought it was valuable to be close to home (Oshkosh). Knowing Dad went there and the stories he told helped."

From there, McKenzie completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin and fellowships in both arthroscopy and sports medicine at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, AL under the direction and tutelage of Dr. James Andrews. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery

"I did seven years at the Andrews Institute working under Dr. James Andrews, probably the best ortho surgeon in the country. I moved on to join a group Bellin Health. I got to know some people in the Packer organization through Julie Uecker (her husband, Keith, was a guard/tackle with Green Bay 1984-85, 1987-88, 1990-91).

"Julie was a physical therapist and referred a lot of players to me. Then (General Manager) Bob Harlan called looking for another team doctor to come I board. I spent a year working alongside an orthopedic surgeon like me, and we did not get along. At the end of the year, he want to the draft combine but he had me stay in Green Bay. I learned from a friend later that he was bad-mouthing me at the combine.

"Bob called to talk about the future, I told him I didn't think things were working out and told him the reason. He said give me a minute, called back and said I had the job solo if I wanted it. That was 1991."

And 35 Years Later

"I actually had to give up my practice. Being the team doctor requires so much time. I knew I couldn't last forever in the position, but the hope is the next guy does 35 years as well. I recruited Mike Ryan to be my assistant in 2023, and the on-field show was his. He also comes from the Andrews Institute, so we see things pretty much the same.

"So I'm retired (now), after serving as a consultant until after the combine and draft in May. It's been a good run, a great experience that blended my life so well.

"I'll miss the good friends I've made of family, players, coaches. It's fun to run into players. When we were at the hotel in Chicago (before this year's wild card playoff game with the Bears), I was in the lobby looking for my family and ran into Earl Dotson (offensive tackle, 1993-2002). I hadn't talked with him in ages, but he grabbed me in a hug and picks me up off the ground. We had such a great time catching up."

What's Next?

"I've always sort of lived by the Bruce Springsteen quote 'Blind faith in your leaders, or in anything, will get you killed.' So I keep my eyes and ears open. Am I done working? Nah.,

"I consult on insurance policies. Got a call from Billy Turner (guard/tackle, 2019-2021) over in the Twin Cities. He has been telling me about CTM-Biologics injections, that's a matrix of tissue to allow the body to grow and heal itself.

"It's a brand new area that I'm learning about. When St. John's came down to play UW-Oshkosh early in the (2025-26) season, I used it with positive results on one of Patrick's guards."

Fitting for someone who has had a storied medical career, one that includes:

•  the Bob Harlan Leadership Award from The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. in 2022
•  In 2011, he received the Jerry "Hawk" Rhea Award as the NFL's physician of the year in honor of his work during the 2010 season when the Packers had the longest injured-reserve list in the league.
•  McKenzie has taught numerous classes in the athletic training program at UW-Oshkosh while also serving as the team physician for the Titans for over 25 years and has been a member of the WIAA Medical Advisory Committee.

Well, all in all it's not a bad 35 year career. And not a bad life for a guy who still thinks of  Oshkosh, Wisconsin as home., no matter where he's settled.

Brewers At Trade Deadline: Stand Pat Or Wheel & Deal?

 Were you one of those fans who jumped off the Milwaukee Brewers' bandwagon after the squad stumbled into the All-Star break with a three-game losing skid (to the Pirates, no less)???

Did you forget the team was 59-37 and leading the NL Central? Or are you just spoiled with the success that manager Pat Murphy has produced?

The squad wrapped up July on Friday with a win and a 16-10 record, and now stand at 69-41 with a 6.5 game lead over those hated Chicago Cubs.

That was then, this is now. The trade deadline is 5p on Monday. Will the team go all in? It made a pretty minor trade on Saturday, sending OF Blake Perkins and RHP Craig Yoho to the Cleveland Ind...oops, Guardians for 26-year-old catcher Bo Naylor and 30-year-old relief pitcher Codi Heuer, then sent the pair to AAA Nashville.

The big fish in the trade pool, tho, would be pitcher Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers. He's a two-time AL Cy Young winner. That's the upside. He's in the last year of his contract and will no doubt command beaucoup bucks when all is said in done.

Yes, the Brewers have the best minor league system in baseball and the prospects that could entice the Tigers. That, along with a young already-in-the-majors player could be packaged.

Question is, DO they rent Skubal for the rest of the season or fish elsewhere for the starting pitching they could use?

Well, that became a moot point in a hurry.  Was working on this yesterday (Saturday) and this morning learned the Los Angeles Dodgers sent three prospects to the Tigers for Skubal. 

Next, LA will just park the Brinks truck in front of his house in the offseason. Why not change the team logo to a dollar sign as well?

Getting more and more obvious that baseball has to do something to level the playing field a bit. Granted, players don't want to give up their right to get more (and more and more....) but eventually this is going to backfire on all of us.

If the owners and players can't come to a middle ground that benefits both, you can expect a lock-out and no 2027 season.

The Grass Is Seldom Greener In The Other NFL Stadium

 Didn't watch every match, but did see a number of World Cup games. Interesting that no matter where the games were played, be it Mexico or Canada or in the US, the pitch was always grass.

That includes the NFL stadiums that hosted World Cup matches, with said stadiums tearing up their artificial turf and installing grass. Why? Because the players demand it. That's right. World Cup soccer players, well, professionals in Europe, etc., say the will only play on grass. And NFL owners said OK.

And right after the World Cup wrapped up, said NFL owners tore up the grass to go back to artificial surfaces.

Huh?

Never mind that  92% of NFL players would much rather play on grass, and want that to extend their careers.

Nope. In the NFL, 16 of the 32 stadiums are turf, while the other 16 are grass (14 fully grass, 2 hybrids of 97% grass).

The reasoning from NFL owners who have turf? It's done so they can use their stadiums for other events, like rodeos and monster truck rallies.

Too bad those owners won't listen to their employees, the players, and follow the lead that soccer has provided.

LaBron James took a $50 million pay cut to sign with Philadelphia. You read that right. He was making $54 million last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, this year will make $4 million with the 76ers -- part of a two-year contract worth $8 million.

Talk about a bargain!

Going back to the World Cup, which was so successful -- and hats off to Spain for their dramatic win over poor-loser Argentina. In the wake of the tournament, FIFA head Gianni Infantino said that they should turn FIFA into a commercial venture and sell a stake in it. 

According to the New York Post,  that plan was to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling about a 20% stake in a new unit, valuing it at $20 billion. (And, what a coincidence, leading one of those major investors would be a guy who happens to be the brother of a son-in-law of a certain head of state....)

The move was quickly rejected by controlling bodies in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Europe, and it's 55 members, going so far as to say they would boycott FIFA events. Of course, that would probably impact the upcoming women's World Cup as well.

Even Infantino's senior advisor termed the plan "a bad deal for football" and resigned. He also said "It is a bad deal for FIFA's Member Associations...and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game."

Infantino finally read the room and said "oops, never mind..."

Won't surprise me if there's a major shakeup coming at FIFA after the "peace prize" and all the other sucking up was done.

The Head Overflows With Random Thought

 So much is happening on the sports scene this week. World Cup matches are in the knockout round. Wisconsin High Schools are adding a shot clock. Giannis has left town. The Brewers keep winning. The Badgers STILL lack an Athletic Director. A college quarterback who has placed over 9,000 bets has a gambling problem, is banned by the NCAA but a Texas court rules he can play for Texas Tech. A venerated high school coach passes away.

Geez, does this list ever end? Here's just a few thoughts fleshed out.

In soccer, or futbol if you prefer, the US Men's team advances to the knockout round, in part thanks to a goal by it's youngest member, defender Alex Freeman.

He has ties to Wisconsin via his dad, former Green Bay Packer wide receiver Antonio Freeman.

Get excited for the men's team. Reaching the knockout stage is big.

Shot clock in Wisconsin? Some would say it's about time. Nothing more boring than teams running out the clock with pass-pass-pass, forcing fouls and a parade to the foul line. The WIAA Board of Control voted 10-1 to use the 35-second shot clock in nonconference boys and girls games with mutual agreement by both teams involved.

It also advanced the implementation of the shot clock for all boys and girls varsity games beginning in the 2028-29 season.

The permanent move awaits a vote from the WIAA member school.

Questions abound about just HOW schools can pay for this, especially in light of shrinking budgets. 

Here's a thought. The three major professional teams in the state, the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks and Milwaukee Brewers, get together and fund the whole shootin' match. Great way to generate positive PR as well as showing community support.

Adios, Giannis. We enjoyed a 13-year-run with the Greek Freak, who brought a championship to Milwaukee -- the first for the Bucks in 50 years -- and cemented his place as one of the best to ever come through town. He was also one of the most down-to-earth, community-minded guys to wear a Bucks uniform.

But, realistically, Milwaukee was wise to trade him. The team wouldn't be able to resign him come fall -- price tag of $275 million is just too steep for a turning 32 in December.

It seems like Pat Riley of the Miami Heat just rolled up the Brinks truck to Fivserv Forum. With the Bucks playing him off against the Boston Celtics, Riley put together a monster deal.  The Bucks got Miami's first round (No. 13) pick, turned into forward Nick Ament. Plus Greenfield native, guard Tyler Herro (26), forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (25), Kel'El Water (22) and guard Kasparas Jakucionis (20) for immediate help. Then there's unprotected first-round draft picks in 2031 and 2033, as well as a first-round swap in 2033 and a second-round pick in 2033.

Wish Giannis well in his new digs. And will not be surprised if he signs a one-day contract to retire as a Buck.

Brendan Sorsby is the quarterback with the gambling problem. Geez, placing 9,000 bets on college football -- and a lot of other stuff, am sure.

The NCAA bans him from the game. A Texas judge (what a coincidence!) rules he is eligible to play for Texas Tech. Conferences file lawsuits, vow to not schedule any Texas Tech teams in any sport, etc. In something of a limbo, Sorsby hopes the NFL will hold a supplemental draft so he can turn pro. NFL says no thanks, don't need that headache. The Canadian Football League says no thanks as well.

Personally, think he will be sitting out the season entirely. College football DOES NOT need this pain in the butt/no win situation.

RIP Ron Einerson, who passed away this week at the age of 94.

Einerson coached the Neenah High School Rockets to state titles in 1975 and 1978 while I was covering teams out of the Neenah-Menasha office of The Oshkosh Northwestern. And his Neenah team fell in the state tournament to the infamous LaMont Weaver 55-foot bank shot that ultimately took Beloit Memorial past Neenah in the 1969 title game.

Coach Einerson could be a bit intimidating and crusty with the media, but once you got to know him he shared a different side. A big supporter of ALL Neenah sports, I recall several times when I was covering a Rocket girls game and Coach with sit down and talk about the game, the team, anything and everything.

Both of the 1978 teams, Einerson's boys and Jean Kessler's girls team, went undefeated.

 

The Times They Are A Changin'

They held the annual NFL draft recently, with Pittsburgh playing host. Remember all the amazing crowds when it was at Lambeau Field? What an electric atmosphere that was.

Got me to thinking, though. Never thought the day would come when college football players, in some instances, will take a pay cut to play professional football, but here we are.

With the Wild West of NIL (Name/Likeness/Image) running amok on college campuses (and at the high school level as well), where are the sheriffs or marshals that can reign this in with some control. The NCAA currently has no Wyatt Earp or Bat Masterson ready to ride in and tame the town. Mores the pity, cuz more than ever, we could use him.

Might be a good time for that sheriff to ride in and set a salary cap.

It's not just the college guys who are affected, tho. How many high school athletes already have agents and  take NIL money with them into college? The whole business gets more out of control, and really REALLY needs some common sense to come into play.

The Wisconsin Badgers are not immune to any of this. They came to the NIL party late, but are trying to catch up. The basketball team recently announced that Nolan Winter, the junior 7-footer who averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 56.9% from the field, has signed a deal to return for his senior year.

The key word there is signed. For how much? Only the parties involved know. The pay that college athletes make is not public record.

Winter, for his part, decided on being a four-year Badger. That's pretty unusual in today's college climate, saying "...honestly, like I've continued to say: Being a Badger had meant everything to me. And what they've offered to me for three years is more than anything I could have asked for."

Not the same for junior guard John Blackwell (he was part of the same recruiting class as Winter), who decided to take his talents to Duke -- undoubtedly for more than Wisconsin could pony up AND a better chance to chase a national title.

Those Wisconsin Badgers are in the market for a new Athletic Director after Chris McIntosh bolted for a job in the Big Ten front office.

Among those who might, or might not, get serious consideration is Wautoma High School grad Josh Moon, in his 5th year as the Mark Murphy Endowed Director of Athletics at UW-Green Bay.

The NFL is looking at hiring replacement refs in case the two parties can't reach a contract agreement.

We Packer fans all remember just how GREAT that decision worked out for Green Bay in that Seattle game. Geez, pony up NFL!

Manager Pat Murphy is working miracles for the Milwaukee Brewers. The team has been missing three key cogs (Jackson Chourio, Andrew Vaughn and Christian Yelich), in addition to numerous injuries to the pitching staff.

Yet Murph has the squad at 17-14 (as of 11a on May 2) and playing gutty, aggressive baseball. The entire NL Central is playing + .500 baseball, so the Brewers are staying in the mix. And the good news is that Chourio and Vaughn have started rehab assignments in Triple A Nashville and should be back soon.

In the meantime, gotta love the contributions of everyone on the roster.

FINALLY! We Get To The Big Game...And Other Thoughts

Have never been a fan of the two-week break between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. There reaches a point when, having exhausted the stories on facts, figures and human interest, we reach into the obscure.

So, happy as can be that Super Bowl LX -- 60 -- has arrived. Was just thinking of where I watched that very first game between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was carried by not one, but two networks (CBS, NBC) and wasn't even referred to as the Super Bowl at the time. That moniker came several seasons later.

By the way, the AFC holds a 33-26 advantage over the NFC in the overall standings. But this writer thinks it will be Seattle taking home the Lombardi Trophy, topping New England.

Up in my hometown, paid my cash and got onto a Super Bowl pool at a tavern that bears the name of a late high school classmate. Like having something to pull for in these games, have for years. Yes, this was popular well before gambling found it's way into legal, accepted forms. Did a piece for the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern back in the late 1970's about the fact that most local police departments turned a blind eye to bars running their pools.

In fact, sat down with of one of the local police -- the chief no less! -- who talked freely about ignoring pools as long as they were paid out 100%, with nothing going to the establishment. And admitted he was known to go in on a pool or two.

In that hometown, the bar I've referenced has no less than a pair of $100 a square pools that pay out by the minute and seven others that pay by the quarter. Add in a few 10 line envelopes and you have a day that is pretty typical for the big game.

Mike Tomlin walked as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 seasons in which he NEVER had a losing season. What's more amazing is that his replacement will be just the fourth head coach the franchise has had in 57 seasons. Incredible.

The Milwaukee Brewers made the right, though difficult, decision in trading away pitcher "Fast" Freddy Peralta. Better to get something in return, like they did in shipping off Corbin Burns, than have Freddy hit free agency and not get a thing for him.

Speaking of the Brewers, 14 members of the organization, from the majors to the minors, will take part in the World Baseball Classic. Of those, only Brice Turang will play for Team USA.

Was thinking that, after a somewhat disappointing season with the Steelers that quarterback Aaron Rodgers, 42, would end his football career. He's a free agent. But along comes Mike McCarthy, taking over the helm in Pittsburgh and hinting he would like to reunite with his quarterback.

If it is the end for Rodgers, his Hall of Fame resume is impressive.

• 66,274 passing yards (fifth all-time)
• Four MVPs
• One Super Bowl win (and a Super Bowl MVP)
• 10 Pro Bowls

Need proof that the NFL will turn more and more to streaming services? Look no further than the wild-card game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers that was on Amazon Prime. It was the most-streamed NFL game ever with 31.6 million viewers.

Not a good sign for fans as the NFL turns away from broadcast television.

Total Collapse In Chicago Is Disappointing Finish

Will admit I'm an optimist in most things, including our Wisconsin sports scene.

But the fiasco in Chicago, a 31-27 loss in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs (AGAIN) tries even the patience in this household. That means the Green Bay Packers wrapped up the season with a five-game losing streak -- will forgive that season-ending loss at Minnesota, when Clayton True was thrust into a starting quarterback role along with a plethora of second- and third-teamers.

The third meeting between the Bears and Packers in just over a month. Tough to pull off any surprises.

Dare I say it is time to move on from Coach Matt LaFleur? Yes. The Green Bay Packers of 2025 suffered numerous injuries, some season-ending that totally changed the complexion of what was on the field. The loss of Micha Parsons is first and foremost there. But this team gave away six games with late-game collapses, resulting in the 9-8-1 final record.

In game adjustments by LaFleur are an issue. As creative as the play-calling was in the first half, leading to a 21-3 halftime lead, he seemed to go timid & conservative in the second half. There's only so many times Josh Jacobs can be stuffed in the middle of the line before somebody says enough is enough. Start the second half with four possessions that led to punts means your defense has no time to rest. Lucky punter Daniel Whelan, who went three weeks  with only a single punt, was up to the task.

Too bad return coverage couldn't support him.

Did Jordan Love make some stupid mistakes in the second half. For sure. Yet there was plenty of blame to go around. Poor pass coverage, no answer for Chicago tight end Colston Loveland, failure to stop or contain quarterback Caleb Williams. (While we're at it, will someone explain how the Bears could go the entire game without an offensive holding call? Their O-Line is good, but it ain't THAT good.....sorry, sour grapes.)

Not-So-Special Teams coach Rich Bisaccia has to shown the door for sure. Will keep LaFleur around, putting him on a very hot seat in a lame duck 2026 season, but Bisaccia? His "we-fense" was the weak link in many games. Missed field goals and extra points (costing the Packers 7 key points against the Bears in the playoff loss), poor coverage on punts and kickoffs.

There's gotta be some changes coming as 1265 Lombardi Avenue. The extent of those? We will see.

Tiger Woods turned 50 on December 30th, that makes him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions, the senior tour if you will. Woods could ride in a cart in these tournaments (John Daly does). And with his multiple injuries and surgeries, taking a ride might be the best thing for Woods.

Bringing this up because, while he may not take advantage of the Tour Champions circuit, an appearance at the American Family Insurance Championship is not a far fetched notion.

Woods and AmFam organizer Steve Stricker are good friends. Wouldn't surprise me at all if Tiger did his friend a solid and stopped into Madison.

Packer Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley has been getting looks for one of the many head coach openings around the league. The collapses in the three Chicago games, two leading to defeats, notwithstanding, Hafley has done a good job in his two Green Bay seasons.

Don't think he will leave, but it remains a strong possibility. The question is, how many of the openings will go to re-treads and how many to teams thinking a bit out of the box.

Green Bay saw a front office member leave, when the Miami Dolphins picked vice president of player personnel, Jon-Eric Sullivan, to be their new general manager. Packer GM Brian Gutekunst was quoted as saying he was happy when his guys got an opportunity to move up.

Don't like the trend of NFL TV analysts working for front offices around the league. Fox's Tom Brady started it with his ownership/management of the Las Vegas Raiders. Seems to me there's a bit of a conflict of interest here. Of course, the NFL seems to ignore that...it is, after all, Tom Brady! 

Troy Aikman of ESPN is helping  Miami find a GM and keeping his TV day job while from CBS, Matt Ryan has become part of the front office with the Atlanta Falcons. Not sure if he gets to stay with the analyst gig or not.

What's Up With NFL Officiating?

Don't think I have ever seen such a rash of poor officiating in the National Football League that we have as of late. The guys and gals in the zebra shirts seem to have gotten worse at their jobs, week after week.

What's up with that?

Yes, there's holding on pretty much every play in the offensive line. But come on...when a uniform is pulled away from a defender in the middle of the field, is that or is that not holding? Or the blatant tackle of a New England wide receiver that does NOT result in pass interference. Could go on and on, but you get the drift.

Maybe the officials are hesitant, hoping the replay people in New York will get it right. But to do that, a flag's gotta be thrown in the first place. THEN we can all wait breathlessly while viewing said play from every angle possible.

The NFL just has to address this in the off-season.

The Kansas City Chiefs join the list of teams pushing for new stadiums. Team announced yesterday they will leave Arrowhead stadium, where weather has always been a home field advantage, and cross the border from Missouri to Kansas. It's said a brand-new, shiny DOMED stadium will be ready 2031.

Forgive my skepticism, but the whole thing seems like a ploy. No different from Da Bears saying they will leave for Gary, Indiana -- despite the fact the team bought the old Arlington Park race track in Arlington Heights with an eye on building a stadium.

Think Da Bears are just using the Gary, Indiana thing as leverage to get better concessions in Arlington. Using that site is perfect, as it is right on the metro line, making it easy for fans to come and go.

Am so tired of East Coast media and loud mouths like Colin Cowherd bitching that our Greek freak, Giannis, has got to leave our small market Milwaukee Bucks for the bright lights of, well, New York City and the Knicks.

Big trades seldom happen in the NBA these days, and the Knicks probably don't have enough capital to swing a deal. And if they did send some quality players and draft picks to the Bucks, would Giannis still have enough talent around him to win?

Bucks are struggling, yes. Giannis is out with an injury and the team just can't get the train back on the rails.

But the NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. Many feel the real season doesn't start until Christmas.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf had a very expensive temper tantrum Sunday. Being taunted by a fan behind the Steelers' bench (the n-word and the c-word may or may not have been used; he-said, he-said applies), Metcalf confronted the fan, took a swing and found himself with a two-game suspension from the NFL.

Not only does he lose game day salaries (around $500,000), he forfeits his guaranteed money of $40 million. He doesn't lose it, mind you, it's just no longer guaranteed. He'll have to earn it back.

Packer M*A*S*H Unit Has Tough Road ahead

 A common phrase in sports is "next man up!" Men's or women's sports, doesn't matter. Injuries come, sometimes in bunches, and the stand-in becomes the focal point.

That's the case for the Green Bay Packers, hit with a multitude of injuries of late, like losing wide receiver Christian Watson, edge rusher Micha Parsons and tackle Zach Tom in last week's loss in Denver. The wounded join a long list of players out of action or playing through various hurts.

And lined up to face Green Bay down the stretch are the Chicago Bears, the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings. The games with the Bears (road) and Ravens (home) have both been flexed to Saturday night starts. Now word yet on the Vikings road game.

The rest of the NFL won't shed tears for the Pack, though. Look around the league and a LOT of stars are out. Top quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, lost to an ACL (knee) injury for the rest of the year in Kansas City, comes to mind. According to the NFLPA, 309 players have been placed on the Injured reserve through 15 weeks of regular-season action, slightly down from 319 in 2024 but higher than the 274 through the same point in 2023.

Some 59 players have been shelved with knee injuries, another 11 by a popped Achilles tendon.

These totals make it hard to justify the 18-game schedule that the NFL is pushing. If worried about player health, then stay at 17 if you must but get rid of the Thursday game!  Give players enough time to at least come close to healing.

Speaking the ACL and knee injuries, let's talk about Parsons. He went down on a non-contact knee injury. One can argue he's the heart and soul of the Packer defense, the engine that pulls the train. It's not necessarily reflected in his stats each game, but his impact is huge.

Through 15 weeks, according to NFL Pro, Parsons was tied in sacks with 12.5, first in total quarterback pressures (83) and first in pressure percentage (20.7). 

What's amazing are those numbers come despite being double-teamed 56.68 percent of the time and TRIPLE teamed 12. 09 percent, a higher rate than any other edge rusher in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

Seems like the rest of the defense, guys like Rashan Gary, Quay Walker, Lukas Van Ness, Isiah McDuffie and....and....well, pretty much everybody, will need to take their play up a notch.

The All-American teams were announced, and the Big Ten had 9 players on the first team, 8 on the second. That's 17 from the 18-team conference, a pretty solid showing. But will that carry over to a national championship? We'll see. 

Curious about the how much of a big business college athletics has become? In addition to the ridiculous salaries being doled out to head coaches, how about the money spent by football teams in this year's playoff, topped by Alabama's $112.2 million, compared to a revenue of $138.7 million.

'Bama's spending was $30 million better than Texas A&M, $33.6 million above Ohio State. Of the dozen CFP teams, looks like poor little Tulane is dead last, putting $13 million into the Green Wave.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL...AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Housecleaning, Rambling & Packer Observations

Have a good friend dating back to our high school days. We've managed to stay in touch over the years, even as he followed up his Navy career with another, heading the IT department with a Florida university. He's maintained his Green Bay Packer loyalty, and we text during games.

He emailed after the Packers tamed the Chicago Bears, commenting how gassed the defense looked in the second half (they were) and wondered how the elevation at Denver's Mile High Stadium would factor in.

While the Broncos are a respectable team, let's consider that during this 10 game winning streak (nine won in comeback fashion ). Let's also consider WHO they played -- Cincinnati (4-9), Jets (3-10), Giants (2-11), Las Vegas (2-11), Washington (3-10) and Las Vegas again. Teams that are combined 15-51.  Hardly a murderer's row. The other wins were against a struggling Philly team, a Jekyll-Hyde Dallas team, Houston, and a Kansas City Chiefs squad that is REALLY struggling after four straight Super Bowl appearances, sitting at 6-7.

Denver lacks the strong running game the Bears brought in. Think if Green Bay can limit the stupid mistakes and penalties (looking at you here, Keisean Nixon) and control the ball, the Packers could be in good shape. And is it asking too much of the men and women in stripes to call a game that gives Micha Parsons the respect he deserves?

Was skimming through the paper -- online, as we let our high-cost physical subscription lapse -- and saw a reference to the Super Bowl. Seems there are those who want the NFL to move the game to the weekend before the President's Day federal holiday, thus giving more people a day off to recover.

Wouldn't it be just as simple to move the game from Sunday to Saturday? Or has that idea escaped all of those deep thinkers?

Happy for Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy for winning well-deserved back-to-back NL Manager of The Year awards -- the first to do so since Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves in 2004 and 2005.

The Indianapolis Colts, decimated at quarterback, have turned to 44-year old father of 10 (and grandfather of one) Philip Rivers. He's what, five years removed from the NFL? What, was Slingin' Sammy Baugh not available?

Lived down on the Louisiana bayous for a couple a couple of years, and still follow the fortunes of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (I knew them as the University of Southwest Louisiana, USL), Southern, Grambling and, of course, the LSU Tigers.

Is there a better soap opera than the one playing in Baton Rouge? The Tigers fire Brian Kelly as football coach -- at the behest of the governor, who got mad that the school had to Kelly $54 million to go away. THEN they go over to playoff-bound Ole Miss and hire away Lane Kiffin for seven years at $98 million (with a buyout said to be 80%).

And Kiffin has effectively been run out of town from pretty much every pro and college job he's held -- including being dismissed as Alabama's offensive coordinator just on the cusp of the 2017 title game because he had taken the Ole Miss job.

Oh, and not only did he say adios to Ole Miss, he asked if he couldn't please stay on and coach the team in the post season. That takes balls...

As they say, WTF!!??