Bucks Draft Picks are Introduced

The Milwaukee Bucks introduced the second pick from the 2008 NBA Draft, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute from UCLA. He joins West Virgina's Joe Alexander who was taken with the #8 pick last week by the Milwaukee Bucks. Unlike last year's Yi circus, these two players are actually excited to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks.

On draft day the Bucks sent Bobby Simmions and Yi to the New Jersey Nets for Richard Jefferson. Jefferson should be a huge upgrade to the Bucks. I'm personally thrilled that the Bucks shipped Yi off who was a huge disappointment and even seemed to be drafted out of spite. Yi did not want to be a Buck and honestly we did not want him either. He moves on and hopefully will be buried on the Nets bench further upsetting his handlers and the Chinese government. It's their problem now!!!

But back to the Bucks picks, Joe Alexander brings his freakishly athletic game and energy to a team in desperate need of a change. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, an actual Prince in Cameroon, is a 6-foot-8 defensive-minded forward with a high basketball IQ.

The Bucks passed on such players as Bill Walker PF Kansas State and Chris Douglas-Roberts, a star F from Memphis to take Mbah a Moute, proving that coach Scott Skiles is looking to improve the Bucks defense, rather than add another scorer.

Hopefully he also brings a few extra wins this upcoming season.

Brewers leading Sabathia race?

Brewers general manager Doug Melvin laughed Monday when asked if his team really was the leader in the C.C. Sabathia Sweepstakes. "Just the same old rumors," Melvin said. ESPN's Buster Olney has ranked the Brewers first among the teams most likely to trade for Cleveland's big lefty, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner. Olney cited other team sources and noted that the Brewers have the motivation to make such a move and the prospects to land a big fish such as Sabathia.

If the Crew would go after C.C., it would cost them at least 1 of their star prospects, either Mat Gamle or Matt LaPorta. The Crew will not part with both. Expect a player like Bill Hall, Tony Gywn Jr. and maybe a pitcher to be thrown in the mix as well. Someone like Dave Bush, Zack Jackson, or Brian Shouse could be packaged. The Brewers do in fact have the ammo, but will they be willing to gamble on a pitcher that could even leave at the end of the season.

My guess is that the Brewers are trying to see if C.C. would sign an extension before pulling the trigger. Knowing that Sheets will test the open market, the chance of having him back becomes slim. The Brewers will have a very hard time competing with teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, & even Cubs for his services.

The Brewers would pull the trigger if they can get C.C. signed to an extension. That seems to be the only hold up for now. Expect things to heat up around the All-Star break, especially if the Brewers stay hot.

Sheets Intends to Test Free Agency

Ben Sheets confirmed Tuesday that he has every expectation of testing the free-agent market this winter.

“That’s the direction I’m headed right now,” Sheets said. “You can’t invite yourself back.”

The Milwaukee Brewers’ staff ace referred to the club’s decision not to try to negotiate a new deal before or during the 2008 season. General manager Doug Melvin has said on more than one occasion that he preferred not to address Sheets’ contract status until after the season.

That decision was based in large part on the series of injuries Sheets suffered during the first three years of the four-year, $38.5 million deal he signed before the 2005 season. Melvin figured it was in the best interests of all involved to see how Sheets fared this season first before broaching a new deal.

Sheets is having the kind of year that every free agent-to-be covets. After tossing a complete-game four-hitter Monday night against Atlanta, he is 9-1 with a 2.59 earned run average through 15 starts, with a league-best three complete games.

Now, even if the Brewers came calling with a new offer, Sheets admitted that he probably wouldn’t listen.

“In all honesty, that would be pretty tough (not to test the market),” he said. “We’re getting pretty deep (into the season). It would be hard not to (test the market), especially when you start putting together a (big) year.”

The Brewers became skittish about another long-term commitment because Sheets has had so much trouble staying healthy. Beginning with a torn muscle behind his pitching shoulder in August 2005, it had been one thing after another, including various shoulder ailments, inner ear disorders and a finger injury.

After making 34 starts each year from 2002-’04, Sheets was limited to 22 in 2005, 17 in 2006 and 24 last season.

Asked how he felt about the decision not to negotiate, Sheets said, “You got it from the main man. My mind is always open to anything. That’s all I can say about it.”

Reported by Tom Haudricourt JSOnline

Taylor to Green Bay???

Green Bay Packers news has recently centered around the possibility of the trading for Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor.

General manager Ted Thompson has apparently been in contact with the Miami Dolphins about their interest in dealing the 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

"Packers general manager Ted Thompson recently discussed Taylor with defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and defensive tackles coach Robert Nunn, who both coached Taylor with the Dolphins," reports Greg Bedard for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Both assistants have a fondness for Taylor and would undoubtedly be in favor of acquiring the 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year."

It's been an interesting offseason for Taylor and the Dolphins. After reports the contrary, the Dolphins have more recently said they're interested in having Taylor play for them in 2008. However, all signs point to the Dolphins having interest in trading him despite a recent press conference in which Taylor denied making trade demands. And none of the craziness even touches on Taylor's appearance on Dancing with the Stars.

The Dolphins were reportedly asking for a first round draft choice before April's draft, but reports seem to indicate that they're willing to trade Taylor for a second round choice now.

But will the Packers be willing to part with such a high draft choice?

"Thompson wouldn’t offer Oakland any more than a fifth-round pick last offseason for receiver Randy Moss, so it’s probably a long shot that he’d be willing to offer much more than that for a one-year player with a high salary," suggests Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

The Packers do have a little bit more need at the position now that Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is injured and Cullen Jenkins has been working more at defensive tackle due to injuries on the interior of the defensive line.

Perhaps the best case scenario for the Packers would be a mid-round draft choice and a player. With great depth, the Packers could afford to trade away one of their fringe players, but who could help the Miami Dolphins.

Bush Flirts with No-Hitter through 7 in Brewers Sweep of Jays

Say "Dave Bush" and "no-hitter" in any sports bar that was overwhelmingly occupied by Milwaukee Brewers fans and you would get laughed at before being forcibly removed from the establishment for mocking their team.

It's not as if those fans didn't want Bush to do it. It's just that he wasn't the likeliest candidate.

But that seemed to change around the end of the fourth inning Thursday afternoon as Bush continued to retire the Toronto Blue Jays in order. A rumble emerged with every out from the 35,173 fans at Miller Park who witnessed the Brewers' 8-7 victory to sweep the Blue Jays.

The magic disappeared in the eighth, when former Brewer Lyle Overbay broke up Bush's no-hitter, but it all became secondary when Milwaukee allowed six runs in the ninth inning to put the outcome in real jeopardy. Closer Salomon Torres was forced to enter the game and close Bush's third victory of the year.

But before that almost complete collapse, thoughts of a no-hitter were in everyone's head as the eighth inning got under way.

That's when Overbay, the man Bush was traded for in 2005, stepped to the plate and hit a 1-0 fastball toward leftfielder Ryan Braun.

Braun, knowing what was at stake, sprinted toward the sinking liner and dived - something he admitted he wouldn't have done if a no-hitter wasn't on the line - but he was well short. The ball bounced to the wall and Overbay ended up on third to break up Bush's unthinkable "no-no."

"I thought I had a chance off the bat, but it was slicing away," Braun said. "I did everything I could to try to get close. Obviously, with that situation I'm diving every time."

Bush reacted by slapping his glove with his bare hand. The crowd reacted by giving Bush a standing ovation.

"I knew if Braun was going to make the catch, it was going to be an outstanding play," said Bush, who took a no-hitter into the eighth during his rookie season with the Blue Jays in 2004. "I guess I'd rather give it up on a nice, clean line drive than maybe a ground-ball single."

Bush also lost the shutout later in the inning thanks to a single by Alex Rios that scored Overbay, who also received a standing ovation in his final at-bat in the ninth before he smoked a two-run homer over the center-field fence.

Bush was perfect through five innings until he walked Gregg Zaun to start the sixth. He had some nice plays behind him but none of those only-in-a-no-hitter anomalies.

Bush finished with eight innings pitched, two hits and one run allowed and just one walk, avoiding some of the wildness that has plagued him throughout this season.

While the no-hitter was still intact, it was not talked about in the dugout. Bush came in after every inning and retreated up the tunnel into an equipment room, as he always does when he pitches, and his teammates and coaches didn't speak a word about what was happening.

"When a guy's on a roll, you just leave him alone," pitching coach Mike Maddux said. "Anytime a guy's on a roll, you don't want to do anything to distract him. The baseball gods all say don't talk to a guy when something like this is happening.

"You got to listen to the gods."

For Bush, it was a thrill.

"It was exciting," Bush said. "I was obviously disappointed in the way it came out.

"I always know if I have guys on base or if I'm giving up hits. I'd say probably after the sixth that I actually started thinking about it, when the game's starting to wind down."

The offense gave Bush an eight-run cushion after five innings. Russell Branyan hit his 10th home run of the season, a three-run shot, and Prince Fielder picked up an odd one when he hit a ball into right that came to rest under the padding of the fence. Rios threw his hands up, looking for a ground-rule double, but Fielder kept running and made it home without a throw as the Jays objected that the ball should have been ruled dead.

But that lead evaporated in the ninth. After Overbay's home run cut the lead to five, Toronto loaded the bases before Joe Inglett crushed a grand slam to right off David Riske, who was making his first appearance since being activated from the disabled list.

"You have to trust your stuff and be aggressive," said Riske, who walked David Eckstein to load the bases. "That's what got me in trouble. I wasn't aggressive enough."

Even with those late follies, the day belonged to Bush, who pitches to contact, which typically doesn't translate to no-hit bids.

"Usually guys like that aren't (good candidates)," Bush said. "More often than not it's the guys who have overpowering stuff where they can get strikeouts when they need them and maybe have a better chance at it.

"But it's still hard to do. There aren't very many no-hitters, regardless of your stuff."

Redd Picked for Team USA for Beijing Olympics

Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd will be part of the U.S. Olympic basketball team, to be named Monday at a news conference in Chicago.

Olympic and National Basketball Association sources have confirmed that Redd will be named to the 12-man roster for the Beijing Olympics. The 28-year-old Redd has played with the Bucks for his entire career, after being chosen with the 43rd overall pick in the 2000 draft.

Redd earned his Olympic spot with a stellar performance last summer in the FIBA Americas tournament in Las Vegas, as the U.S. team qualified for the 2008 Games. Redd came off the bench to average 14.0 points, the fourth-highest mark on the team, and he shot 53% from the field and 45.3% from three-point range.

Jerry Colangelo, managing director of the U.S. senior national team, was impressed with Redd from their first meeting in 2005, when the Columbus, Ohio, native showed up in his sweats at Colangelo's hotel room and asked where he could change clothes. Redd then emerged in a suit and tie for his interview with Colangelo, who was charged with forming a deep pool of players for the three-year cycle leading up to the Beijing Olympics.

Bucks general manager John Hammond said today he had "no official word yet" but "it sounds like he has a great opportunity to make the team."

"It would be great for the city of Milwaukee, Bucks basketball and Bucks fans to have Michael on the team," Hammond said.

Redd will fill a role as a knockdown, three-point shooter, something the U.S. squad was lacking in the 2004 Olympics and the 2006 World Championships. The U.S. finished third in the Athens Olympics, posting a 5-3 overall record while Argentina won the gold medal.

Redd did not play in 2006 (he was married that summer) as the U.S. went 8-1 in the World Championships, losing in a semifinal game to Greece. But he got his chance in 2007 and immediately bonded with veteran point guard Jason Kidd and shooting guard Kobe Bryant as the U.S. posted an unbeaten record and claimed the gold medal in the FIBA Americas tournament.

Kidd confirmed his participation on the team on Wednesday.

"I have talked to Jerry Colangelo and I think they're announcing that on Monday," Kidd said. "I'm not supposed to say anything, but I talked to Jerry and I'm looking forward to participating. I think everybody who is participating has gotten a phone call in the last couple of days from Jerry Colangelo. I think it is pretty much set."

It is believed the final spot on the roster comes down to a decision between Detroit's Tayshaun Prince and New Orleans' Tyson Chandler. Others expected to be named on Monday are: Bryant, Kidd, Redd, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Earlier this week, Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups withdrew from consideration.

The team will be announced at 10 a.m. Monday at the National Italian Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago, the same place where Colangelo convened a meeting of basketball greats three years ago to discuss the future of the U.S. program.

The Bucks will have three players in the Olympic Games, with Redd being joined by China's Yi Jianlian and Australia's Andrew Bogut.

Hammond said he and Bucks coach Scott Skiles are planning to attend the Beijing Games to show their support for the team's players.

The Cleveland Cavaliers recently denied permission for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas to compete for the Lithuanian team in the Olympics, citing injury concerns.

"Of course you'd be concerned for the health and well-being of your players, but we're not in the same position as some other teams," Hammond said. "You have a healthy Mike Redd, and you have two younger pieces in Andrew and Yi, who can physically take the wear and tear of the Summer Olympics and be ready to go 100% once the season starts."

Despite the differences in rules between the NBA game and international brand of basketball, Hammond said the experience can benefit the Bucks players.

"I really believe this, anytime you're on the floor with the ball in your hand - whether an individual workout, team practice or game situation - and with something with the magnitude of playing for an Olympic team, it can only help you improve as a player," Hammond said.

The members of the U.S. team will participate in a mini-camp in Las Vegas on June 27-29. The team will reconvene in Las Vegas from July 20-25 and will play the Canadian national team on July 25 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The U.S. team will play tune-up games against Russia and Australia in Shanghai in early August and will open Olympic play on Aug. 10 against host China at the 18,000-seat Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing.

Story from Charles Gardner, Bucks Blog JSOnline

Report: Fielder Behind on Taxes

According to the Detroit News, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder owes the Internal Revenue Service $409,149.

The report says the IRS filed the lien on Oct. 6, 2005, for unpaid income taxes. According to the lien, which you can read here, Fielder owes the money from 2003, the year after he signed his first contract with the Brewers and after he received a $2.4 million signing bonus.

Fielder and the Brewers were unable to agree on a salary for this season, so his contract was renewed at $670,000, up from $415,000 a season ago.

Fielder is not eligible for salary arbitration until next winter. The Brewers use a system to determine salaries for all players with less than three years of service time, including incentives for winning awards and placing high in the balloting.

The Brewers referred a call for comment to Scott Boras, who is Fielder's agent. Boras could not be immediately reached for comment.

Ex-Packer Walker Found Unconscious in Las Vegas

Former Green Bay Packer wide receiver Javon Walker was found unconscious on a Las Vegas street, the victim of a robbery and brutal assault.

Walker was taken to a hospital and has what's been described as "significant injuries" including a fractured orbital bone. He told Las Vegas police that he was beaten and robbed early Monday of $3,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of jewelry in an incident along the Vegas Strip.

Walker told investigators that he was approached by at least two people, who put him into a car and beat him. Walker said the robbers took a watch, a necklace and other jewelry worth an estimated $100,000.

Walker was a first-round draft choice of the Packers in 2001 and had a big season in 2004, when he caught 89 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns.After a contract dispute with the Packers, Walker was traded to Denver in 2006. In that season, Walker caught 69 passes for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns.Walker, 29, has had three operations on his right knee. The last surgery was performed early last season.

It's been mostly downhill for Walker ever since leaving the Packers after threatening to hold out prior to the 2005 season. He enjoyed one good season with the Denver Broncos since, but has been injury-plagued for the most part.

He's now a member of the Oakland Raiders, and his status is unclear until more reports begin to trickle in regarding his incident in Las Vegas.

Twins Baker Strikes Out 4 in 1 Inning Against Brewers

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Minnesota starter Scott Baker struck out four in the third inning of Sunday's game with the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the first Twins pitcher to accomplish the feat.

Baker started the inning by striking out Ryan Braun swinging, then got Prince Fielder to strike out, but the ball bounced far away from catcher Mike Redmond.
That allowed Fielder to easily reach first on the wild pitch. Baker then struck out Russell Branyan and Mike Cameron looking on three pitches apiece to end the inning.

"Somebody told me about it when we got in here. It's pretty crazy," Baker said after the game. "Those guys are pretty free swingers and that's the way it was. There's a first time for everything."

The last pitcher to accomplish four Ks in an inning was Brad Penny on Sept. 23, 2006, for the Dodgers against the Diamondbacks.

Baker was the first AL pitcher to do it since Kazuhiro Sasaki on April 4, 2003. Sasaki, pitching for Seattle, struck out four in a row in the ninth against Texas.

The Brewers won the game 4-2.

Story Courtesy of AP.

Ryan Gets His Raise

After winning a Big Ten title and advancing to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin basketball head coach Bo Ryan is getting a raise.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents gave the go ahead on a pay raise that will increase Ryan’s salary from $950,000 to $1,175,000 beginning next season.

Wisconsin’s season ended with a 73-56 loss to the Davidson Wildcats in the Midwest Regional Semifinal at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.

In addition to Ryan’s raise, UW-Madison athletic director Barry Alvarez will see his current salary of $600,000 increase to $750,000 for the 2008-09 school year, officially starting July 1.

Both raises will not be funded by the state, but rather from additional compensation agreements.

Story courtesy of Jon McNamara, BadgerBlitz.com Publisher

Brewers Hanging Around in NL Central

Coming off an 8-1 homestand, the Milwaukee Brewers gained some ground trying to battle back to the top of the NL Central. After there hot homestand, the Crew dropped 2 out of 3 in Colorado and now face Houston tonight, who they previously swept at home.

The Brewers are 33-30 and 6.5 games back of the Chicago Cubs. Not a bad position to be in right now. The Brewers also have 10 games left against the Cubs with 7 of them at home.

Rickie Weeks was recently put on the 15-day DL with a sprained knee, after a collision with Colorado's Jeff Baker and a questionable take-out slide into second base. Weeks also has been the talk of recent trade rumors with Baltimore's Second Baseman Brian Roberts. Weeks is hitting .210 in 59 games this year and has battled injuries his whole career in Milwaukee.

Brewers recalled infielder / outfielder Hernan Iribarren from Class AAA Nashville to take Week's spot on the roster. Iribarren spent a brief time with the Brewers earlier in the season. In five games, he collected two hits in six at-bats (.333), including a double. In 49 games with Nashville, he was batting .273 with 15 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

Interim closer Salomon Torres, has been pitching great for the Crew, filling in for Eric Gagne who also is on the 15-Day DL. The question is what to do with Gagne once he's ready to come back. Torres is 4-1 with a 2.5 ERA and 7 Saves while filling in.

Green Bay RB Herron Foils Burglary With Bed Post

Green Bay Packers running back Noah Herron thwarted a would-be burglar by hitting him with a bed post during a break-in at his home.

Brown County Sheriff Dennis Kocken said Tuesday that the break-in happened late last Friday and the injured the intruder remained hospitalized but is expected to recover.

"Noah Herron used necessary, reasonable and justifiable force in protecting his life and property," Kocken said in a statement. "Herron, the victim in this random home invasion, is cooperating with law enforcement."

Herron, 26, missed all of last season with a knee injury.

Chief Deputy John Gossage said Herron called police at 11:19 p.m. Friday after he heard glass breaking in the lower level of his suburban Green Bay home. He said an unknown number of people had entered the house.

One of the intruders entered Herron's bedroom, and Herron hit the person with a post he had unscrewed from his bed, Gossage said. Herron was not injured.

The injured burglar was taken to a hospital, and a second suspect was arrested outside the home, Gossage said.

Stolen property and a vehicle believed taken earlier Friday from another home were found near Herron's home, Gossage said. The two people in custody are suspects in numerous burglaries and home invasions throughout Brown County, he said.

Pittsburgh took Herron in the seventh round of the 2005 draft out of Northwestern. The Packers signed him off the Steelers' practice squad in 2005.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson released a statement Tuesday, saying the team knew about the break-in and had no comment.

Story Courtesy of AP

Bill Hall Wants Out of Milwaukee

Hall's agent, Terry Bross, said Monday that he believes it would be best for both the Milwaukee Brewers and his client if Hall is traded to another club where he could play regularly.

Hall made it clear he was unhappy when the Brewers called up Russell Branyan from Class AAA Nashville on May 24 to platoon at third base. The right-handed hitting Hall was batting .158 against right-handed pitchers at the time, prompting the Brewers to summon the left-handed-hitting Branyan to share the position.

A .262 career hitter against right-handed pitchers before 2008, Hall felt unfairly singled out after switching positions several times in recent years at the club's bequest. Manager Ned Yost stopped short of calling it a strict platoon, but Hall has not started against a right-handed pitcher since Branyan arrived.

"If Billy's not going to be an everyday player, it's probably best for him and the team to be traded," Bross said. "They could get a pitcher for him that would really help the team. I'm sure there are some teams out there that could use a third baseman or shortstop."

Bross indicated he had not formerly requested a trade from Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. Hall said he preferred to be moved to another club but left it to Bross to do the talking on that subject.

"(Bross) knows how I feel," Hall said.

Melvin said he spoke with Bross after Branyan was called up but did not discuss the possibility of a trade.

"I didn't get the impression then (that he wanted a trade)," Melvin said. "I don't look at it like (Hall should be traded). Billy's still a very helpful player on the club against left-handed pitching. We haven't talked about (a possible trade)."

Hall, 28, filled in for injured shortstop J.J. Hardy in 2006 and had his best season, slugging 35 homers and driving in 85 runs, earning team MVP honors. After agreeing to move to center field last year, Hall was given a four-year, $24 million contract, at the time the biggest deal in club history for an everyday player.

Packers Middle LB Dilema

When the Green Bay Packers are forced with trimming their roster down to 53 players in early September, they could face some tough decisions at middle linebacker.

The Packers currently have four middle linebackers that might deserve to be playing on Sundays, but unfortunately only one can play at a time.

A lot can happen between now and September, but right now the Packers have Nick Barnett, Desmond Bishop, Abdul Hodge, and Danny Lansanah all pushing for playing time.

Barnett is coming off his best season in the NFL at middle linebacker, and there's no reason to think he won't be the starter come opening day. At the very least, there's plenty of competition to keep Barnett sharp once training camp opens. Plus the Packers look to have a viable backup if anything should happen to Barnett.

The top backup as of this moment is Bishop. With Barnett gone from this past Thursday's OTA practice, Bishop has been getting plenty of repetitions with the No. 1 defense too. And according to reports, Bishop has impressed.

"Linebacker Desmond Bishop, who was playing middle linebacker with the No. 1 defense in place of the absent Nick Barnett, got his hands on another pass but couldn't haul it in," reports Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

One of the toughest battles of training camp will be between Bishop and Hodge. It appears Hodge is the healthiest he's been in years, and will be pushing for playing time.

"The former third-round draft choice says his troublesome knees are in their best shape since his junior season at the University of Iowa," writes Mike Spofford of Packers.com.

Fans will remember the impact Hodge made at the beginning of his rookie year before injuries slowed him down. Being a first day draft choice, there's hope that he can regain the form of his college days and early in his rookie year.

Bishop spent a lot of time learning the outside linebacker positions last year in a reserve role. So perhaps the biggest compliment Hodge could possibly get is if the Packers decide to move Bishop to the outside full-time to Hodge could be the primary backup.

Flying in under the radar may be Lansanah who likely happens to be the crown jewel of dozen or so undrafted rookies the Packers signed after the draft. An All-Big East first team selection, it was surprising Lansanah wasn't drafted after a stellar career at Connecticut.

One key for Lansanah, as well as for Bishop and Hodge, will be special teams play. If any one of them is going to secure a roster spot, they're going to be competing with guys like Tracy White who make their living off becoming special teams demons.

If there happens to be an injury to any of the players at the mike linebacker position, the Packers are covered. But it's doubtful the Packers will keep all four of them. It will be a battle to watch in August.

Story Courtesy of Railbird Central

Briscoe takes Milwaukee Mile

It's amazing what can happen in a week. Take for example Ryan Briscoe. Last week he became famous after crashing into Danica Patrick on pit row at the Indy 500. A week later he was in victory lane in West Allis at the Milwaukee Mile.

Briscoe maneuvered his way through an amazing crash sending one car airborne in Milwaukee. "All of a sudden I'm seeing smoke in front of me and I'm seeing cars flying. I think I would have been in tears if I would have been hit."

Briscoe went on to say, "since Indy and the incident . . . the one thing I always said was I wanted to put it in the past and move on. There's no better way to do that than win here on the following weekend."

Briscoe became the 15th Indy-car driver to win for Team Penske, the second of them after the four-time Indy winner Mears (June 1978) to collect his first at the Mile.

Briscoe also gave the team its 300th victory in all forms of racing.

Favre locker to be retired, too

The Green Bay Packers won't be keeping Brett Favre's locker as a shrine to their legendary quarterback. In fact, they're not keeping it at all.

One day after the future of Favre's former dressing space became a matter of national debate, Packers general manager Ted Thompson said the club will take the locker out following the mandatory minicamp in June and give it to Favre as a gift.

A new cherry wood replacement locker will then be installed at the entrance of the locker room in time for training camp at the end of July.

"Obviously I didn't realize it was going to get this kind of attention," Thompson said from his office Thursday afternoon. "We talked to Brett and (his wife) Deanna several weeks ago, and we thought that anybody who played 16 years here as well as he did might want his own locker. I think it makes it a little easier, quite frankly, for the next guy to go into there."

Thompson said the team never planned on encasing the locker in glass and keeping it in the locker room. He said he came up with the gift idea while talking with coach Mike McCarthy shortly after Favre's decision to retire in early March.

"I was just sitting here with Mike and said, 'You know what we ought to do ... ' I mean, you can't really put anybody in his locker," Thompson said.

Asked why he or McCarthy, who was asked specifically about Favre's locker at the NFL meetings in late March and at the rookie orientation camp in early May, didn't make the plans known sooner, Thompson replied, "There was no deep dark secret. I probably messed the timing up. I'm sorry if I caused any angst for anyone.

"Obviously the story sort of got the better of us and took on a life of its own."

That it did. Even though the topic previously had been broached locally, the national media seized upon it earlier this week, with ESPN devoting time to the issue on its various platforms.

ESPN.com's Page 2 even created an interactive build-a-shrine where you could click-and-drag various items into a file photo of Favre 's locker.

"I think it's been totally blown out of proportion," McCarthy said after practice Thursday. "It's been discussed with Brett, and we can talk about it at a later date, but its really a construction concern (that) is the reason why the locker hasn't been taken out of there. So there's nothing more to it."

McCarthy said Thompson told the board of directors about the plans Wednesday and received a standing ovation. It's up to Favre what he wants to do with the locker after the team removes it, since it could make for an extremely popular exhibit at the Packers Hall of Fame should Favre not want it in his rec room.

When the media was allowed into the locker room after Thursday's organized team activity practice, the "FAVRE" nameplate had been replaced with a generic "PACKERS."

"We're doing that just because you guys seem to have so much angst about it," Thompson said. "It's still Brett Favre's locker in there, but we switched the nameplate."

As for new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the laid-back Californian took all the hullabaloo in stride.

"I have a lot of things to worry about besides whether they keep the locker or not," Rodgers said. "I mean, it's not even on my mind. I got to try to figure out a way to lead this team on my mind -- workouts, OTAs -- so I'm not worried about that at all."

Article from Jason Wilde Wisconsin State Journal

AND BY THE WAY, WHO THE HECK IS FOPPIANO


I hope this is the end of the Brett Favre Circus.........for now!!!!

Several Packers Already Nursing Injuries

It was recently reported that KGB just had his knee scoped. He'll be out for a few weeks, but expected back in time for Training Camp.

Last year's 1st Round pick, Justin Harrell had surgery on his back to fix a problem with a disc that happened while lifting weights. Harrell seems to be injured quite often, sitting out most of last year while still recovering from his torn triceps muscle from his Senior year at Tennessee.

Defensive Tackle, Daniel Muir injured his pectoral muscle and is being withheld from practices. Another DT,Johnny Jolly is limited with an injured shoulder, as is Colin Cole with an injured forearm. After trading Corey Williams, the D-Line is looking a bit thin right now with several vets nursing injuries. This gives some younger guys a chance to compete and they can play at this level.

"We're just being cautious with those guys," McCarthy said at the time. "Because with the 13 linemen that we have, we anticipate that being the number that we will probably take going into training camp. We just want to make sure those guys are healthy for the training camp work."

The defense saw the return of third-year linebacker Abdul Hodge for the first time in nearly a year.

He has battled patellar tendinitis in both knees in his more than two years with the Packers. The tendinitis was so bad in training camp last season that Hodge felt sharp pain that affected his change of direction, explosiveness and his overall playmaking abilities.

The Packers put him on injured reserve rather than releasing him. It was a major disappointment for Hodge, who showed flashes of potential in his one season (2006) with 12 tackles and one fumble recovery in eight games.

Now he has a chance to resurrect his career.

Photo Credit: AP

Packers Mount Rushmore!?!?!?!

An interesting questions comes to mind regarding the Green Bay Packers. Who would you put on a Mount Rushmore for the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are one of most storied franchises in all of football. From generation to generation the Green Bay Packers have produced legends in the sport of football. They have 26 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Super Bowl trophy is named after our beloved coach, The Lombardi Trophy. One of the original teams of the NFL founded in 1919, winners of 12 Championships,

So who would you put on the Packers Mount Rushmore??? Only being able to chose 4 people was a challenge in itself, but here's my thoughts:

1. Vince Lombardi - The SB Trophy, Historical Coach winning 5 World Titles
2. Bart Starr - Before Favre came along, Starr was the greatest QB in GB history and the face of the franchise
3. Brett Favre - He's Brett Freaking Favre, do I need to say more
4. Don Hutson - Called the Greatest All-Around player in NFL History

Now I left out several names, and when it came to the #4 person I was torn. I felt the need to put Curly Lambeau on there considering he founded the Packers and without Curly there is no Green Bay Packers. My heart told me I needed to put Starr & Favre as locks. Lombardi of course needed to go up, and Don Hutson is a forgotten soul who is considered the Greatest NFL Player in history. It absolutely killed me to have to leave out the founder Curly Lambeau's name on this glorious monument. If it were 5 faces, he would be on there in a heart beat.

Reggie White, Ray Nitschke, Paul Hornung, Bob Harlan are all names that could have gone in that #4 slot. The real need here is for a #5 position on Mount Rushmore. Then Curly Lambeau could go right next to Lombardi and have a good representation of 3 players and 2 Front Office/Coaches.

As you can see this debate could go on and on. Each person having their own 4 people to put a top the Packers Mount Rushmore.....your thoughts???

Leave a Comment!!!

Commissioner Stern says Bradley Center OK, For Now.....

NBA commissioner David Stern said Thursday that the Bradley Center will suffice for now as the home of the Milwaukee Bucks, but the community will have to consider a new arena some day. The building is one of the oldest NBA arenas in use.

"Everybody agrees that this is not the revenue producing arena of the future that will enable the Bucks to compete in the future NBA. But based on good faith on both sides and the attempt to deal with the problem on an ad hoc basis, they seem to be doing OK. The crunch hasn't quite hit yet. But everybody knows this is a building that will ultimately need to be replaced."

"I think down the road given the shape of the bowl and constriction of the site . . . that eventually the citizens of Milwaukee will be facing the issue of a replacement for the Bradley Center," Stern said. "But why rush it? It's a good dialogue to have, a good discussion to have. The negotiations between the Bucks and the Bradley Center will have to reflect on the need to squeeze additional dollars out of this facility. But the Bucks are well managed, and for a period of time, this arena will do. And the planning process will obviously have to begin."

The Bucks have a lease through Sept. 30. Both the Bucks and members of the Bradley Center board have had preliminary discussions on a new lease.

Stern did not offer a specific proposal for how Milwaukee might consider a new arena, or the more controversial question of how to pay for it. Stern admitted as much in his opinion piece, acknowledging that taxpayers do not want new taxes to pay for arenas.

"Every city has its own needs and desires and abilities," Stern said. "You know, I'm not as imaginative as some of the financial wizards are. . . . I don't want to impose my view upon an issue that is not yet a problem."

Former Packer Schroeder Signs With Pack, Then Retires

Former Green Bay Packers receiver Bill Schroeder signed a one-day contract with the team Thursday and then promptly retired.

Schroeder, a Sheboygan native and graduate of UW-La Crosse, played five of his eight seasons with the Packers. He caught 225 passes for 3,435 yards and 20 touchdowns in 74 games from 1997-2001.

"It was a great privilege to have played for the Packers for the majority of my NFL career," Schroeder said in a statement. "I am honored that the Green Bay Packers have allowed me to end my playing days as a member of one of the greatest franchises in professional sports. I look forward to my continued relationship with the team and helping them and the community in any way possible."

Schroeder also played two seasons with the Detroit Lions before playing his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004.

McNeal to return to Marquette for Senior Season

Jerel McNeal will withdraw his name from the National Basketball Association draft pool today, less than a month after declaring himself eligible.

Having failed to land an initial invitation to next week's NBA pre-draft camp in Orlando - McNeal was instead named an alternate - McNeal will instead return to Marquette University for his senior season, a move made possible by his decision to not hire an agent when he initially declared himself eligible on April 25.

"I felt after yesterday and thinking about things and weighing all the options, it was the best decision," said McNeal. "I've still got things here I want to accomplish and goals to work toward. Getting better on the court and off the court, in the classroom, and winning championships with my teammates."

Photo From Kevork Djansezian AP

NBA Lottery = Bucks #8, Division Rival Bulls Take Top Spot

Last night the NBA held its annual NBA Draft Lottery. The 14 teams to not make the playoffs compete to see who gets the top pick. The worse the teams record is, the more ping pong balls go into the wheel. The teams are then picked at random and the chips falls where they may.

This year, the Milwaukee Bucks had a 4.3% chance of securing the No. 1 spot. They fell one position and will pick eighth in the draft. Last year, the Bucks dropped three positions and drafted sixth.

"I guess we're disappointed to a certain extent but it could be worse," said general manager John Hammond, who represented the Bucks on the stage during the televised portion of the program. "Slipping one slot, you know . . . we'd have loved to have had seven but we feel OK about having eight, that's for sure.

Central Division rival, Chicago Bulls won the overall #1 pick with only a 1.7% chance of getting the top pick. The big dilemma now is who will be the top pick. Many people feel Kansas State PF Michael Beasley will be the pick, while others feel Memphis PG Derick Rose could be the pick.

Many mock drafts show the Bucks taking Indiana SG Eric Gordon. Badger fans are pretty familiar with him, who had a sensational Freshman season, but cooled off down the stretch. All that is known is the Bucks do not need another PF or C, already having last year's pick Yi, Charlie-V, and Bogut solidified in that position. Look for the Bucks to go after the Guard position after getting spotty at best play out of Mo Williams and Michael Redd last year.

Brewers swept in Boston, Fall to Last Place in NL Central; Braun Opens Up on his Team

The Brewers took on the defending World Series Champs over the weekend and boy was it ugly. The Red Sox sure made the Brewers look YEARS away from contending. The Brewers have lost five in a row and 12 of 17 this month, falling into last place in the NL Central, after being swept by the Red Sox.

Brewer Left Fielder and recent signee of a multi-year deal with the Crew had this to say about the disappointing way the Brewers have played:

"I almost felt like this series, we didn't expect to win," Braun said after the 11-7 defeat. "We were competing; I know everybody tried hard. But it's not about trying hard. You've got to expect to win. I almost feel like we never really expected to win any of these games. I just kind of had that feeling.

"It's just a feeling. Every time we were winning, I just didn't feel we expected to win. It was like we were just content to be there and compete. I don't think we necessarily expected to win.

"Obviously, they're a great team. It's a good gauge of where we're at when we can go out and compete with those guys. For us, as a team, our goal can't be to compete. Our goal has to be to win.

"Obviously, to come in here and win the series would have been extremely difficult but it's a real disappointment to come in here and get swept.

"A team like (Boston), they come out every day and expect to win. You can just sense it. I feel like we're there at times but we need to come with that approach every day. No matter who we're playing against, no matter who's throwing against us, and expect to win. Part of that comes with success, comes with beating good teams and good pitchers. We're too talented to approach the game any other way.

"We've got to figure it out and figure it out in a hurry. We're better than that. We're certainly talented enough to win games. But a lot of it, our approach mentally, sometimes has to improve.

"We've got to go to Pittsburgh and try to find a way to win the series and go to Washington and find a way to win that series. We can't play like this for very long, as deep and talented as our division is. We're six weeks into it now.

The Brewers head to Pittsburgh for a 3-game series on Tuesday, followed by a 4-game series in Washington. Both are perfected teams for the Brew Crew to bounce back and get back in the win column. The Pirates, no matter their record, have always given the Brewers problems. The Washington Nationals are one of the worst teams in baseball. We need this underachieving Brewers team to bounce back in a big way, before it gets too late. GO BREWERS!!!!

Brewers Lock Up LF Ryan Braun to 8-Year Deal

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers signed Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun to an eight-year, $45 million contract.

The contract includes this season and a seven-year extension, meaning Braun will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2015 season, general manager Doug Melvin announced Thursday.

The deal exceeds the six-year, $31 million contract signed by Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who fell short in the rookie balloting.

Braun hit .324 with 34 homers and 97 RBIs last season after a May 26 callup. He has hit nine homers and driven in 29 runs so far this season, batting .287.

Stroy from AP

St. Louis Rams To Hold Training Camp in Mequon, WI

The St. Louis Rams have chosen Concordia University in Mequon as their new home for NFL Training Camp. In addition to Concordia, the Rams had considered UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater, Western Illinois in Macomb, Ill., and the Bishop O'Connor Center near Madison.

Concordia emerged as the front-runner largely because of the abundance of practice facilities on the Concordia campus and a new residence hall to house players, staff and coaches. The Rams also have a scrimmage scheduled this summer in Tennessee against the Titans and wanted access to a major airport.

Coach Scott Linehan also indicated last week that he was in favor of holding camp at Concordia.

The Rams are expected to report to camp beginning July 24

The decision means that three professional football teams will stage their summer camps in Wisconsin. Besides the Green Bay Packers, the Kansas City Chiefs spend their summers at UW-River Falls.

It's great for the state of Wisconsin and fans of the NFL. Being able to drive just down the road and watch the Rams will be very exciting for the metro Milwaukee community.

One Day Removed From Closing Duties, Gagné Says He's Ready to Close Again

Just one day removed from his closing duties, former Brewers closer Eric Gagné says he's ready to start closing games for the Milwaukee Brewers.

"I know I belong in the ninth inning," Gagné said Monday afternoon.

Gagné was summoned into a game before the eighth inning for the first time since April 2, 2002. Entering in the seventh with the Brewers leading St. Louis, 8-1, Gagné allowed two hits, two walks and a run in two innings of work.

"I had my mental break (Sunday). I'm good to go now," he said. "I know I'm a great closer. I know I'm going to do all right. I've just got to work out of it. It's just a confidence thing. The only way you'll be all right is keep going out there in a closing situation."

Gagné admitted a loss of confidence, which was only natural, considering the pounding he has taken this season. Though he ranks among the league leaders with nine saves, Gagné is 1-2 with a 6.62 earned run average, with 20 hits, 13 walks and 13 runs allowed in 17 2/3 innings.

Gagné has a burdensome 1.87 WHIP (walks and hits per inning). He has not pitched a clean inning in 10 outings.

The 32-year-old right-hander spent time in the outfield during batting practice, chatting with St. Louis' Jason Isringhausen, who also was removed as his club's closer over the weekend and was used in the eighth inning of the Cardinals' 8-3 defeat.

"It always helps to talk to closers," Gagné said. "We're the only people that really know how we feel. We're a little different."

Gagné said he also benefited from the arrival of wife Valerie, whom he had not seen since spring training.

"She told me it's stupid to doubt myself," he said. "I also talked to my friends and family. I was frustrated. It was good to take a step back.

"As a closer, you feel like you let the team down (when you fail). That's part of it. It's hard to go home and feel good about yourself when you do that. The next time I go out there, am I going to succeed? I don't know. But I expect to succeed."

Gagné said he thought his stuff was still sufficient to close games. And he made it clear that he wasn't saying Saturday, after surrendering the losing runs in the ninth, that he didn't want to close. He meant that he didn't deserve it because of his repeated failures.

As for getting his confidence back, Gagné said, "If you do good, you don't worry about it. That's exactly what I need to go back to. I need to go back to the way I was before: no doubt, no negative thinking, just go out and do my job.

"I know I'm ready. I just want to keep going back out there. There's a lot of frustration I went through this year and last year. But I'm going to go out there, save situation or not."

Gagné Announces No Longer Fit for Closer Duties

Gagné announced that he was no longer fit to have the closer's job, he was relieved of the duty indefinitely for a closer-by-committee philosophy. Gagné took it upon himself to unofficially demote himself by saying he no longer deserved to be the closer and that negative thinking was hurting his performance. His stats on the year: 15 2/3 innings, 18 hits, 11 walks, 6.89 earned run average, 1.84 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched), five blown saves - Gagné called his recent performances "embarrassing."

So Sunday's game the Brewers sent in Salomon Torres and Brian Shouse, to close out a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park.

So far, so good. The Brewers have been getting good results lately from its bullpen. Pitchers such as David Riske, Salomon Torres, Brian Shouse, and Guillermo Mota have pitched solid and each one could be inserted as the Brewers closer. Even Dave Bush could be used as the closer, who was sent to the minors, but recently called back up after Yovani Gallardo injury. Bush was a closer in college at Wake Forest. The team was 73-0 when Bush came in as the closer. Not too bad. Discussions have been made to insert Seth McClung into the starting rotation and put Bush in the bullpen.

Derrick Turnbow was recently sent down to the minors and Gagné is no longer the answer for now, the Brewers will have to insert a different guy depending on the situation, and use the closer-by-committee approach.

Packers Release Koren Robinson

The Green Bay Packers released WR Koren Robinson late last week. In a move that was destined to happen, the Pack surprised a few by doing so this early. Green Bay used its first pick in the 2008 NFL draft on WR Jordy Nelson from Kansas State. Nelson figured to be the 4th or 5th WR for the Pack this year and brings his tenacious playing ability and excellent hands to an already deep receiving corps. Green Bay also drafted another WR, Brett Swain in the 7th round this year. He looks to be a practice squad guy.

The two guys who's jobs were in jeopardy with the Packers were Ruvell Martin & Koren Robinson. It was even thought Robinson had an edge due to his special teams ability, but his time has run out. The former 1st round pick (9th overall in 2001) of the Seattle Seahawks has had his fair share of problems off the field, but had looked to keep clean with his time in Green Bay. He also had chronic knee problems which has troubled him late in his career.

The Packers tried to trade Robinson but found no takers, so rather than go to camp with K-Rob, the Packers did the right thing and released Robinson giving him a chance to sign with another team and get to know their offense rather than scramble to find a team at the start of the regular season. A few teams have shown interest in Robinson, but as of today remains unsigned.

4 state teams in NCAA Div III Tournament Field

Led by the UW-Stevens Point, four state teams have qualified for the 54-team NCAA Division III baseball tournament.

The field was announced this morning and regional play is scheduled to being Wednesday at eight sites. All regionals use a double-elimination format.

The Pointers (28-14), who won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament title Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids, are seeded second in the six-team Central Regional, which will be held in Moline, Ill.

They are to face fifth-seeded Linfield College of Oregon (30-10) likely at 1:15 p.m. in the opening round.

Illinois Wesleyan (33-9), which won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin regular-season and tournament titles, is seeded No. 1 in the regional.

UW-Whitewater (35-8), UW-Oshkosh (29-9) and Carthage College (35-8) received at-large berths and were placed in the six-team Midwest Regional, to be held at E.J. Schneider Field in Oshkosh.

Packers Rookie Camp Kicked Off over the weekend

Here's the official list of 19 players trying out for the Packers:

CB Kyle Ward (Louisiana-Lafayette)
CB Condrew Allen (Portland State)
RB Justin Beaver (UW-Whitewater)
S Matthew Harper (Oregon)
RB Lance Ball (Maryland)
CB Michael Medina (Wyoming)
S Brandent Englemon (Michigan)
FB Louie Runnels (Stephen F. Austin)
CB Tierre Green (Nebraska)
LB Durell Mapp (North Carolina)
S Marlon Fair (Hampton '07)
LB Josh Ferguson (Purdue)
C Adam Hill (Louisiana-Monroe)
DT Tui Alailefaleula (Washington '06)
T Ryan Considine (Louisiana Tech)
DT Fred Bledsoe (Arkansas)
DT Ola Dagunduro (Nebraska '07)
DT Chris Walker (Western Kentucky)
DE Marque Fountain (Oklahoma State)

If the Packers want to, they have room to sign four tryout players to contracts. Whether they'll offer contracts to any or a couple of players is up in the air.

How it works is this: The roster limit is 80 players. They currently have 86 players on the team, but ten of them don't count until they sign contracts. That includes the nine draft choices and running back Ryan Grant who is currently unsigned.

So the Packers have a little bit of wiggle room until the rookies start signing, but they're going to have to start cutting players to make space for the rookies anyway.

The best guess is that they might sign a tryout player or two. Whitewater running back Justin Beaver might be a good bet if he can provide value as a third down back and return specialist.

Michigan safety Brandon Englemon also helped his chances during the orientation camp too. According to Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, "Practice ended on the defensive play of the day: an interception by tryout S Brandent Englemon (Michigan), who broke underneath WR Taj Smith (Syracuse) on a deep post and picked off Flynn."

Gagne Blows Another Save, Brewers lose in 12 Innings

Gagné blew his major league-high 5th save Sunday by surrendering 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th in a game the Brewers eventually lost to the Houston Astros, 8-6, on Hunter Pence's 2-run homer with 1 out in the 12th inning.

Gagné allowed two hits - one on the infield that was close to being an out - and three walks. The killer was a two-out, bases-loaded walk to Lance Berkman that tied the score. A BASES-LOADED WALK BY YOUR CLOSER!!!!!! WITH 2 OUTS!!!!!

The veteran closer, who was given a $10 million free-agent deal over the winter, got no borderline calls from home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi but admitted afterward that he never should have been in that position.

"You've got to put yourself in position not to depend on anybody," said Gagné, who ranks among the league leaders with nine saves but also has a 6.14 earned run average to go with the five blown saves, also a league leader.

"I made some good pitches, made some bad pitches. I put myself in a situation I shouldn't have been. We played a really good game and I came in and messed it up."

I'm telling you now, nobody in the state of WI is feeling sorry for you Gagné. You did mess it up and it's not the first time either.

What bothers me about the Gagné situation is this: Last year everyone was accepting of the Brewers late season collapse, saying it wasn't their year and that the team was built for next year. Enter next year.....Gagné is considered a Brewer killer who is in the same class as Cubs catcher Sotto or the entire Pittsburgh Pirates team. The point is everyone's reaction to Gagné troubles is that it's a 1-year experiment and he will be gone next year regardless. Brewers Manager continues to feel the need to tell the media and the fans how great Gagné pitched and how it was 1 bad throw for his entire outing. Wake up Ned, that's baseball. 1 bad pitch makes a HUGE difference. 1 catch by Alou and the Cubs are in the World Series. 1 routine ground ball and the Red Sox beat the Mets and nobody knows who Bill Buckner even is. 1 bad pitch goes a long way.

HE SHOULD BE GONE TOMORROW!!! HECK EVEN TODAY. He's a shell of his former self and the lack of "juice" is destroying his game. The Brewers need a WIN NOW attitude and not another "We'll get 'em next year. Next year is our year." Pull the plug and stick a fork in him folks, Eric Gagné is done!!!

Several players drafted from the State of Wisconsin

The Badger state had several players taken in this year's NFL Draft. All but 1 were from the Badgers, but all have WI ties.

The first WI player taken was Jack Ikegwuonu in the 4th Round (#131) by the Philadelphia Eagles. Ikegwuonu was a star CB for the Badgers. He had been projected as a 2nd-3rd Round pick until he suffered a serious knee injury training for the NFL Combine. Ike is a bit of a project that will most likely sit out the entire 2008 season.

The next WI player taken was Owen Schmitt, FB from West Virgina in the 5th Round (#163). Schmitt started his college career at Div III UW-River Falls before transferring to West Virgina. He's a throwback FB who has great hands and decent speed. He's a punishing blocker who will compete with Leonard Weaver for Seattle's Fullback position.

Next off the board was UW Kicker Tyler Mehlhaff by New Orleans in the 6th Round (#178). Mehlhaff has a strong leg and was very consistent at UW over his career. In his workouts he nailed a 55 yarder into the wind. He also consistently put the ball deep into the end zone on kickoffs.

Yet another Badger came off the board in the 6th Round (#181), Defensive Tackle Nick Hayden, a graduate of Arrowhead High School, going to Carolina. He will be competing for the job vacated by recently retired Kris Jenkins.

UW WR Paul Hubbard went in the 6th Round as well to Cleveland (#191). Hubbard is a tall body with decent speed. He should make a roster spot with a solid camp for the Browns.

Other players not drafted, but did sign with teams after the draft were UW P Ken DeBauche to the Packers, and UW WR Luke Swan with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Packers Already Active with Undrafted Rookie FA

The University of Wisconsin's Ken DeBauche, a native of nearby Suamico and graduate of Bay Port High School, agreed to sign with the Packers shortly after going undrafted in this past weekend's NFL draft.

"My house is about 15 minutes away from Lambeau Field, so I've been a fan ever since I can remember," said DeBauche on Sunday night. "Obviously tickets aren't easy to come by, but I've been to at least 10 (games) during my life. I was actually at both playoff games this season.

"So I definitely know about the Packers."

The 6-foot-1, 218-pound DeBauche averaged 42.5 yards from 2004-'07 for the Badgers, with only 115 of his 231 punts having been returned. DeBauche can also hold on place-kicks.

DeBauche follows former UW and Green Bay Preble product Kevin Stemke, who signed with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2001.

"Actually I know Kevin pretty well. I've known him for four years now, so we talk from time to time," DeBauche said. "He tells me what he went through at this time, and I'm sure I'll be talking to him in the next day or two. I'm sure he'll give me some insight, and some of the things that he learned when he had a chance with the Packers."

DeBauche visited the Packers' facility a few weeks ago in advance of the draft, and also worked out for representatives from the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams.

"I knew going in that it was pretty unlikely that I was going to be drafted," he said. "So I was just hoping to get a chance with a team, and it just so happens that team is the Packers and they're right down the road from me.

"We thought the Packers were a good situation so once that was out there we jumped on it."

DeBauche will provide competition for both incumbent Jon Ryan and first-year player Ryan Dougherty, who spent some time in camp last year with the Packers.

OTHER UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FA:
Also on Sunday night, the Packers were known to have agreed to terms with five other rookie free agents: running back Kregg Lumpkin of Georgia; wide receiver Taj Smith of Syracuse; tight end Mike Peterson of Southwest Missouri State; linebacker Danny Lansanah of Connecticut and long snapper J.J. Jansen of Notre Dame.

Also, UW-Whitewater running back Justin Beaver will work out for the Packers at their rookie orientation camp this coming weekend.

Story from Todd Rosiak from today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Packers New Rookie QB Matt Flynn......Matt Damon???

Possible Rookie FA

Scouts are now working hard to sign some undrafted rookie free agents to try and compete for a roster spot and the list of players that were not drafted has some pretty good names on it.

That list includes: Erin Henderson (LB-Maryland), Tommy Blake (DE-TCU), Ali Highsmith (LB- LSU), Wesley Woodyard (LB- Kentucky), Devon Bess (WR- Hawaii) and Jaime Silva (S- B.C.).

Henderson, Blake, Highsmith, & Silva are all players I would love to see wearing Green & Gold in 2008. Lets hope TT has already started wowing these players. We do know Ali Highsmith has been contacted in the past with a relative working in the Packers scouting department.

Pack Finish off 2008 NFL Draft with WR Brett Swain at #217 in 7th Round

Another interesting move by Ted Thompson taking another WR with the Packers final pick. Brett Swain, WR San Diego State is 6-1 200 lbs. He's not flashy in any one area but solid all-around. Last year the Packers hit gold when they took another WR from San Diego State in James Jones.

The second WR pick by the Packers brings up the question once again, who is out in Green Bay at WR? Koren Robinson, Ruvell Martin....their will be some tough competition in training camp. I can see Swain as a practice squad player and an injury away from the 53-man roster.

Packers Choose QB Matt Flynn from LSU with Pick #209 in 7th Round

An interesting pick by the Packers. Having already taken a QB in Round 2 (Brian Brohm, Louisville), the Pack take LSU QB Matt Flynn. The 6-3 227 lbs Flynn was the starting QB for the BCS National Champion LSU Tigers and set a school and bowl record, throwing 4 TD's against Ohio State.

Flynn has good decision making ability and is a very mobile QB who is very accurate on the run. He can hurt you with his arm or with his feet. Flynn is a running threat behind center rushing for 4 TD's as a senior. He's known for throwing away a pass when it's not there, something Packer fans struggled with for many years with future HOF QB Brett Favre. Does a great job of locating second, third options, as well as check-downs.

Not known for having a strong arm and has a low release point, having some passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. Also not a lot of experience filling in for 2007's #1 overall pick Jamarcus Russell as a junior sparingly and a full-time starter as a senior.

Packers Take Breno Giacomini With Pick #150 in Round 5

2nd Round Pick QB Brian Brohm is very familiar with yet again another OT. Breno Giacomini is a huge body at 6-7 305 lbs. Was considered the leader on the O-Line. Giacomini is an athletic Lineman who has rare quickness which allowed him to also play TE early on in his career as a Freshman and Sophomore. He's a perfect fit for a Zone-Blocking team, who prides themselves in quick athletic Lineman.

He's considered somewhat of a project and bulked up from 242 lbs as a Freshman to 300+ lbs by the time he graduated. He could still add some bulk to his frame in the NFL. The Packers can afford to be patient with this prospect. Since the weight has come late in his career, he's still working on his technique and will improve with coaching.

Giacomini is intense and a hard worker all around. That intensity got him into trouble in September when he flipped his middle fingers to the Kentucky crowd during pregame warmups. Issued a formal apology for the action.

Packers Take OT Josh Sitton With #135 in 4th Round

Josh Sitton is a 6-3 324 lbs OT from Central Florida. He played both Right Tackle and Left Guard at Central Florida due to injuries. Sitton is a player that was discovered at Central Florida's Pro Day. Most scouts were there to watch RB Kevin Smith. He was part of an Offensive Line that was 9th in the nation in rushing with 234 yards per game rushing and 41 TD's last year.

His versatility on the Offensive Line makes him yet another solid pick by Ted Thompson. Sitton can bring depth at the Tackle position and could also rotate in at Guard, a position that is essentially up for grabs in camp. Sitton is a mauler when it comes to blocking and also does a good job of finding a LB at the next level while blocking downfield.

Only knock on him that really stood out was his speed. That might be a problem for a team looking for athletic Offensive Lineman and one that uses the Zone-Blocking scheme.

Packers Trade up, Take DE Jeremy Thompson Wake Forest #102

Great pick by Ted Thompson. He's not being "flashy", but drafting solid players. Jeremy Thompson had some injury concerns with a torn ACL in 2005 from a lot of teams, but looks to have overcome them. He's solid against the run with 11 tackles for loss as a senior. Also had 6 1/2 sacks as a senior, so can rush the QB as well, but not his strength, with a so-so first step off the line. He's got a nice frame at 6-5 264 lbs, and should be able to contribute right away for the Pack.

Thompson is considered a "Tweener" player by some teams. He could be moved the LB because of his lateral ability. This guy has a motor on him and just keeps going. He might not have the strength to bull-rush a Tackle, but can frustrate him with his constant pressure.

A solid pick for the Packers and will add some depth to the line and might be able to earn a spot in the rotation.

Packers add TE Jermichael Finley with #91 pick in 3rd Round

The Packers finally add a TE with pick #91 in the 3rd round. Jermichael Finely, TE Texas is a tall body at 6-5 240 lbs. He'll have to bulk up from 240 lbs as a TE in the NFL. Finley, a third year Sophomore, is a raw talent, but has great hands and will go up and fight for the ball. He had 31 receptions for 372 yards and 3 TD's as a Redshirt Freshman in 2006 and 45 receptions for 575 yards and 2 TD's in 2007.

Finley is an adequate blocker and good route runner. Both are areas he'll need to improve at the next level. He does go up and fight for the ball and could have the best hands of any TE in the draft. He is a little raw playing only 2 years at Texas. He'll be great in two TE packages and can even be moved into the slot in motion. With some good coaching and adding a little bulk, Jermichael Finley will be a great TE at the next level and a great fit for the Green Bay Packers.

Packers take CB Patrick Lee at #60

Packers finally take a CB with the #60 pick in Round 2. Patrick Lee, CB Auburn had a solid career in the SEC. He had 55 tackles and 4 INT's as a senior. Known for his physical bump and run style, Lee will fit in nicely into the Packers scheme.

Lee also returned kicks at Auburn, so he becomes the second player out of 3 that adds special teams value to the Green & Gold. Most expected the Packers to take a DB early. It was surprising that the Packers did take a WR instead of a DB with their first pick.

Expect the Packers to add 1 if not 2 more DB with some of their late round picks. This year's draft is deep with CB's this year.

Packers pick QB Brian Brohm at #56 in 2nd Round

Brian Brohm would have been a top 5 pick in last year's draft. Instead, he decided to return for his senior year. Louisville did not have a good year last year, but Brohm threw for 4,024 yards and 30 TD's in his final season. He's not a mobile QB and is regarded as a pure pocket passer. He's got a strong arm and is an accurate passer. He does not have a cannon, but can get the ball there. Some scouts have called Brohm a more polished QB than the #3 pick QB Matt Ryan, Boston College.

The Packers actually tried traded up to get Brohm, which TT said fell through. The Packers were fortunate that Brohm still fell to them at #56. Brohm will be Aaron Rodgers backup and push Rodgers in camp. Ted Thompson did say Aaron is still their guy, even with drafting Brian Brohm.

Brohm has also had some injury problems, tearing his ACL in his right knee, torn ligament in his right thumb that required surgery, and a torn labrum in his left shoulder that also required surgery.

"We feel he adds value to our team," Packers GM Ted Thompson said. "He'll be a good, solid guy to have behind Aaron (Rodgers). We'll get him ready to play, but in our minds Aaron's the guy and I even told Brian that. He understood it."

Packers first pick #36 overall Jordy Nelson WR Kansas State

Jordy Nelson from Kansas State is a productive WR who catches everything that's thrown to him. The 6-2 217 WR had 122 receptions in '07, which was the 2nd best in all of college football. He also bring Special Teams value to the Packers, returning 3 TD's on punt returns over his career. He runs a 4.5 40, which is not blazing, but adequate. He also was a 1st team All-American in 2007.

Nelson was considered a "sleeper" pick by many "experts". It was surprising the Packers added a WR with their first selction. It also was surprising to be Nelson with some marquee names like: James Hardy (Indiana), Desean Jackson (Cal), Malcom Kelly (Oklahoma), & Mario Manningham (Michigan) all avialble when the Packers picked.

The selection of Nelson might signal the end of one WR's career in Green Bay. Could it be Koren Robinson, Ruvell Martin?? My guess would be K-Rob, who's "real" value is as a returner. The Packers found a few bodies last year who can do the job: Will Blackmon, Tamron Williams, and now Jordy Nelson.

Packers finish Day 1 in 2008 NFL Draft with Solid Picks

We'll breakdown the Packers 3 picks in just a minute. Packers GM did not surprise anyone by trading the 30th pick in Round 1 to the Jets for a 2nd & 4th Round pick. Jets selected one of my favorite picks and one I thought the Packers should have taken, in Purdue TE Dustin Keller. The Packers basically moved down 6 spots and picked up a 4th Round selection so overall a good move.

With the 36th pick in the 2nd Round, Green Bay selected "sleeper" WR Jordy Nelson from Kansas State. Packers then selected QB Brian Brohm from Louisville with the 56th pick from the Corey Williams trade with Cleveland. The Packers finished out the day selecting CB Patrick Lee from Auburn.

A solid day for the Packers. Expect more trades today as the NFL draft continues Rounds 3-7 at 9am. The Packers have 6 picks remaining, with 3 in the 4th Round. Expect Green Bay to pick up a RB, OL, and another DB with their remaining picks. We'll breakdown each of the Packers 3 picks shortly.

Favre on Letterman 4/24/08

NFL Draft this weekend

The 2008 NFL Draft is upon us. History shows that Packers GM Ted Thompson most certainly will trade some of his pics, maybe even players to gain more choices.

Currently the Packers sit at #30 in the 1st Round. Packers also have picks #56 and #60 in the 2nd round, an extra pick coming via the Corey Williams trade to Cleveland. Having 3 picks in the first 60 gives the Packers some ammo to actually move up for once. The only likely scenario is if the Packer are extremely high on someone and cannot live without him. Nobody in this draft stands out as a player the Packers just can't live without.

At #30 teams might be interested in the Packers pick, similar to Cleveland last year, trading a 1st rounder to Dallas to get QB Brady Quinn. Ted Thompson will listen to trades for teams interested in his pick. A likely scenario would be a team interested in QB Brian Brohm or QB Chad Henne who will not go very far in round 2 before they are chosen.

So the question remains, who will the Packers pick at #30. Most mock drafts have the Pack taking CB Antoine Cason from Arizona. Last year all the "experts" had the Pack taking Marshawn Lynch RB Cal, but he was taken a few picks earlier by Buffalo. Other mocks are showing TE Dustin Keller from Purdue as a popular choice.

The fact of the matter is nobody knows what Ted Thompson is thinking, and he sure proved that last year taking DT Justin Harell with his 1st round pick. The 2008 NFL draft begins Saturday at 2:00 on ESPN. Good Luck to TT and the Green & Gold!!!