Give the WIAA An "E" For Effort

 The abbreviated high school football playoffs start in Wisconsin this week.

The WIAA, the governing board for high school sports in the state, released that schedule last weekend. A schedule that, for this Covid-19 season, was limited to just two games. No sectional games, no state championship games.

I'll give the WIAA an "E" for effort on this, although I did think long and hard about giving an incomplete. Why? Well, looking over the playoff pairings, I saw several teams with 0-5 and 0-6 records. My own alma mater, Wautoma, qualified with a 2-2 mark. Okay, I'll admit, I'm a real nerd who still looks over the agate type on the Wisconsin State Journal sports pages. Blame my years as a sportswriter and sports editor for that.

But I digress. I get the move to have a post-season, even though many state high schools (pretty much all of the Dane County schools) didn't play this season. It's one thing to put winless teams in a playoff. It's another to adjust that schedule on Friday (game day, that's Friday The 13th) to reflect that 25 (that's right, 25) games have already been determined by forfeit. That's nearly a quarter of the games NOT being played.

High school sports isn't the only area to be C-19'ed this year. Look at the Wisconsin Badgers, who had their last two games cancelled. Or this weekend's Alabama-LSU tilt in the SEC has been postponed, along with three other SEC contests. 

Give 'em all an "E" for effort. And keep your fingers crossed that all these teams, plus the NFL, can get their games in.

Brewers Bid Braun Bye-Bye

 The Milwaukee Brewers have decided, rightfully so, to not pick up Ryan Braun's option for a $15M contract for 2021.

Don't cry for the Hebrew Hammer (team leader in homers with 352) as he gets a cool $4 buyout. I would not be surprised IF the Brewers and Braun reach a very team-friendly deal to come back for one more season -- but only if the NL embraces the DH for good.

Speaking of baseball, the Chicago White Sox went to the retirement home to get their next manager, signing 76-year-old Tony LaRussa to manage the team. Back when I was a sportswriter with the Neenah-Menasha office of the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, LaRussa at 34 was the youngest manager in baseball. He came to town to promote the team and the sport -- at that time the Appleton Foxes were part of the White Sox farm system (the Foxes became the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, now with the Milwaukee Brewers).

Not sure what the White Sox are thinking with this addition, though you can bet that Chicago's pitching staff will be throwing at opposing hitters on a regular basis. That's LaRussa's style.

Covid-19 continues to bedevil sports. The Wisconsin Badgers were forced to cancel their game with Nebraska after 16 positive cases came up -- including starting quarterback Graham Mertz, backup qb Chase Wolf as well as head coach Paul Chryst and offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph.

That puts next week's game with Purdue at risk as well. Not sure exactly why players in the Big Ten must sit for 21 days after a positive test. Think that might be under discussion.

And quarterback Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, probably the Number One pick in the next NFL draft, also tested positive this week with "mild" symptoms. 

The Justin Turner debacle in Game Six of the World Series just highlights the whole Covid-19 issue. A positive test sidelined Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers DURING the game! But when the Dodgers won, out comes Turner, first with a mask, then without, to celebrate with (and infect) his teammates and families.

Seriously, WTF was he thinking? And what sort of blame should fall on Major League Baseball officials who let Turner go?

Green Bay needs to pull the trigger on a trade before Tuesday, and the Packers could sure use a quality wide receiver to go along with Davante Adams and give Aaron Rodgers another top target. Granted, up-and-coming talent Allen Lazard is due back from injury in the next three weeks. But GM Brian Gutekunst needs to help the team NOW!

Would he be willing to send a high pick to the Houston Texans for Will Fuller V, in the last year of a contract? And on the defensive side, would the Packers send Houston a low pick for J.J. Watt?

We can speculate all we want, but odds are, the Packers won't pull the trigger on anything.

Packers Ponder Pathetic Performance

 Now that many Green Bay Packer fans are on the window ledge following Sunday's dramatic, and surprisingly pathetic, performance against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it's time to put things in the proper perspective.

It's not that bad, people!

Did anyone who had watched the first 4 games REALLY think this version of the Green&Gold was that good? I certainly wasn't thinking an unbeaten season was in the future. But a 4-1 record after five weeks? I'll take that all day long.

Serious issues on defense, injuries on offense -- primarily to wide receiver, a somewhat weak area to being with -- all add to question marks with this team.

Perhaps the biggest question mark should be quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Blasphemy to doubt him, I know, but in Sunday's game the change was noticeable.

Not after the Pick 6, mind you. A poor throw, yes. And if you watched the replay, you could see that Rodgers never took his eyes off the intended target, Davante Adams. So the Tampa defensive back read the eyes, made the play.

But after the second interception, this off the hands of Adams, it looked like Rodgers checked out. Missing a wide-open Mercedes Lewis in the middle only added to that frustration and change. He wasn't the same quarterback and the Buccaneers sensed blood in the water for sure.

In his career, he has lost by 14 or more points 19 times. And in his career, when trailing at any point, Rogers has a losing record, coming back to win just 47.7% of the time.

Of course, going against a top-notch, aggressive defense also added to Green Bay's woes.

The key to consider here: Will this blow out loss snowball into a loss at Houston, and beyond? Or can Coach Matt LaFleur and Rodgers get the team refocused?

Tune in Sunday to find out.

Musical Chairs In The NFL

 Didn't take long for Covid-19 to impact the NFL, or as I like to think of it now, the National FUBARed League.

FUBARed? Well, that's a military term from World War II. Unfamiliar? Check out the movie "Saving Private Ryan" which summed it up nicely.

After this past weekend, it's musical chairs with the NFL schedule makers. When the music stops, all teams have to have a week to play. Can't follow baseball's leads and play doubleheaders, you know.

So far, we've had two games on Mondays and games on Tuesdays. This week, no game on Thursday because the scheduled tilt (Kansas City at Buffalo) was moved to be an additional Monday game next week. And weeks 7, 8, 10 and 11 have also seen changes.

Covid Football, whether it's professional, college or high school, is a challenge that, frankly, we're just not prepared to deal with. Numbers going up-up-up in many states, especially here in Wisconsin, and that's forced games to be cancelled.

At least, at this point, the NFL has flexibility to move games around.

But for how long?

orced to forfeit games

Will 2020 Be Ryan Braun's Last With Milwaukee?

 As the Milwaukee Brewers wrap up the regular season week, still with a shot at post-season play, you have to wonder if we've seen the last of Ryan Braun.

Granted, the 37-year-old had a stellar final three games at Miller Park (it will ALWAYS be Miller Park to me, no matter which corporate sponsor has naming rights). In the three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals, Braun was at his vintage best.

The truth is, he ain't what he used to be. There's not a home for him in the outfield on a regular basis, and limited time at first base just won't justify the salary. Yes, his contract is up after this season. But he and the club hold an option for an additional $15 million for 2021.

Unless the National League adopts the Designated Hitter rule, after implementing it during this Covid-19 shortened season, I just can't see the club exercising the option. Yes, Braunie is great in the lockerroom, and would be a fine DH for the Brewers. But an every day player? Or a bench player? Probably not.

How To Improve Professional Golf

Caught some of the US Open yesterday from Winged Foot, won by a bulked-up Bryson DeChambeau (the only golfer on Sunday to shoot a sub-par round for the day).

On a 170-yard par 3, for example, DeChambeau hit the green with a friggin' pitching wedge!

And drives of waaaay over 300 yards are become routine for these young guns.

Tired of seeing some of this, as technology changes the game? Here's my suggestion: for at least one tournament, have these guys use the same equipment that Jack and Arnie used.

Wouldn't that be entertaining?

Reading The (Dollar) Signs, Big Ten Shoulders On

 I thought back when it happened that the Big Ten was a little too quick to pull the plug on the season.

Despite all the confusion their on-again off-again thoughts have created, the move to start up college football at the Midwest's major universities is the right move. Although not necessarily for the right reason.

It's clear the Big Ten was swayed by the dollars being left on the table. An Estimated $55 million per school for nearly  $800 to the conference has that effect. Am sure that, with the SEC, Big 12 and ACC playing, the threat (led, no doubt, by THE Ohio State)  that missing the fall would also have an impact on future recruiting had to weigh heavily.

Now, of the remaining Power 5 conferences, the cheese -- in this case, the Pac 12 -- stands alone. Only a matter of time before the Western schools decide that maybe fall football isn't such a bad idea after all.

The proposed Big Ten schedule calls for an 8+1 format. Gotta say, I like it! Eight schedule games, then a final that will pit West Division and East Division against one another (One vs. One, Two vs. Two, etc.), at sites yet to be determined.

Maybe the Big 10 should have come up with this a LONG time ago!

Also, I can see the hesitation coming from Madison officials (likely being echoed in all Big Ten cities) cautioning fans NOT to gather in groups to tailgate, group view, etc., games. Cooler heads need to prevail.

Go Bucky! And On Wisconsin.

Pump The Brakes, Packer Fans

I'm as much a homer when it comes to the Green Bay Packers as the next guy. Even hold a share of stock in team.

So despite the glee that came from besting the hated purple, those Minnesota Vikings, by a 43-34 score, I just have to call for caution (for several reasons).

First off, no preseason games, which leads to a number of questions about schemes, young players and the like.

It was clear that quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Coach Matt LaFleur  were on the same page Sunday. Rodgers was flawless running the offense, his second year in LaFleur's system. Mixing the run with the pass, moving the ball around to multiple receivers. Taking advantage of young Viking defensive backs.

Green Bay will need all of that, and more, this week when the Detroit Lions come to town. You can bet the visitors will do more to take Davante Adams (he of the 14 catches, two for touchdowns, and 156 yards) out of the mix. That means Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard will have to continue to step up.

But. But. But, the defense allowed 34 points and seemed to ease up once the Pack had a big lead. This team, in today's NFL, simply cannot afford to take their boot off the neck of an opponent. The gamble by Jaire Alexander, blitzing to score a safety when the blitz had not been called, paid dividends. But taking chances like that on a regular basis are gonna burn you more times than not.

Losing offensive lineman Lane Taylor for the season (again) doesn't help Green Bay. It will force rookie Jon Runyan from Michigan to step up his growth, again without the benefit of off-season camps or preseason games. Runyan was an eighth grader when the quarterback he is being called on to protect was leading the Pack to the Super Bowl Championship in 2011.

This is Rodgers' 16th season with Green Bay, a franchise that has been blessed in that regard, since Hall of Famers Bart Starr and Brett Favre also put in 16 years in the Green&Gold.

Best line from the opening NFL weekend came from an unusual source, Coach Bill Belicheck of the New England Patriots. In a lengthy question (to paraphrase "you've seen a football in your years, have you ever seen anything like with with no fans?")

Known more for terse, colorless comments, Belicheck replied "Practice".

Damn, Bill, nice mic drop!

Musings On A Rainy Day

After the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks were unceremoniously ejected from the NBA playoff bubble, most pundits around the country started to ask that haunting question: Will Gannis Antetokounmpo forced his way out of Milwaukee, or will the Bucks be able to re-sign their star?

Trust me, if I knew the answer to that question, I would make a lot of money in Vegas!

But, seriously, I think Giannis (aka The Greek Freak) will remain in a Bucks uniform. Granted, Milwaukee was not the same team in the bubble that it was during the pre-Covid season. And having their star injured to the point of missing the final game didn't help the Bucks.

Giannis may well be a back-to-back MVP selection. He certainly is deserving. And from my observations, he doesn't seem like the type of guy that needs to be in a New York or Los Angeles. He has said over and over that he's happy in Milwaukee, and Milwaukee has loved him back.

In order to help the process, though, the Bucks may need to bring in another piece to their puzzle. Sorry, I'm just not all that sold on Khris Middleton or Eric Bledsoe. I'm hearing the name Chris Paul being linked to Milwaukee. Wouldn't be a bad fit. Here's Robin to Giannis' Batman.

WILL THEY or won't they complete the NFL season? It kicks off tonight in Kansas City, and the Green Bay Packers head to Minnesota on Sunday to face the Vikings in a quieter stadium (only 22% capacity or thereabouts).

As much as I WANT the NFL season to go the distance, I just have my concerns that the league can pull it off. But then, I'm surprised baseball has managed to get this far into it's abbreviated season.

AS FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL, well let's just say that's a different beast. While NFL players are working for pretty hefty salaries and know what's on the line for them, college players are still kids who will party, gather and enjoy college life.

Yes, I know the SEC, ACC and Big 12 have said  they'll play this fall. Truth is, while Covid-19 continues to ramp up around the country, I still have my doubts it will happen for a full season.

Lessons From A Reading List

Following up a recent post, dealing with summer reading, just finished one that seems to ring pretty true based on today's atmosphere.

The book, Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend by Larry Tye, is a very in-depth biography on Negro Leagues pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige. Even a non-baseball fan would find this an interesting read. Paige growing up in the south, dealing with Jim Crow laws and prejudice. It's a worthy biography written on a guy who was clearly larger-than-life in his heyday.

Born in 1906, Paige pretty much pitched 12 months a year for most of his career, which amazingly wrapped up in his 60s. Loved by the minority he represented, Paige was larger-than-life and denied the ability to compete against the white stars of his day until he was signed, at age 42, by the Cleveland Indians. By his estimation (and keep in mind records and newspaper coverage was spotty at best), Paige says he pitched in over 2,500 games (keep in mind he often pitched 4 innings or less as team owners would rent him out for a game just to help boost attendance), winning 2,000 or so. He said he played for 250 teams and threw 250 shutouts.

I'd believe that, since he played all year around,  heading out to California for winter leagues; playing in Bismark, North Dakota (on a mixed white/Black team long before Blacks were allowed into the MLB. And without issue, it should be noted); playing in Cuba, Puerto Rico...well, all over. Baseball was his job and he did it well.

Throughout the years, he had barnstormed against white stars like Dizzy Dean, Ted Williams, Bob Feller and the like, earning their respect along the way.

But the door to the Majors remained shut. Over and over he heard "If you were white..."