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NBA Keeping Coach’s Challenge

By Adam Roberts – 12/18/2020

One sizable change you might have noticed from the 2019-20 NBA season (apart from the obvious bubble format to finish the season and playoffs) was the inclusion of the coach’s challenge. And it appears it will be here to stay, at least for this upcoming season.

The NBA board of governors voted to keep the coach’s challenge for this season after it was introduced last year on a trial basis. Last season, coaches challenged 700 calls and got 308 overturned. Teams will also be able to have 15 players on the roster on game nights instead of 13 this season.

Milwaukee wraps up the preseason tonight against New Orleans.

Canadian NHL Teams May Play In US

By Adam Roberts – 12/18/2020

While Wisconsin doesn’t, and likely never will, have a professional hockey team, there is still a lot of National Hockey League interest in the state and interest in the sport in general. When it comes to playing in a pandemic, the NHL finds itself in a rather difficult position of juggling teams between two nations. Sure, in baseball the Toronto Blue Jays needed a second home and were eventually able to find one, but remember the chaos that came along with that process? Now try applying that to seven teams.

ESPN is reporting the seven Canadian NHL teams were told by the league they may have to play in the United States this season because of the roadblocks put in place by the Canadian health authorities. The league is hoping to play a 56-game season starting January 13th with teams in their home markets.The plan reportedly included divisional realignment and an all-Canadian division because the US-Canada border remains closed to non-essential business — including sports.

The NBA has also had to find a second home for their Canadian franchise; the Toronto Raptors have taken up residence in Tampa, Florida for the basketball season.

Packers to Invite Frontline Healthcare Workers & First Responders to Panthers Game

By Adam Roberts – 12/18/2020

While the general public won’t be admitted to Packers games this regular season, one group of special individuals is being added to the guest list for this weekend’s home contest against Carolina.

WBAY-TV’s Emily Matesic tweeted this morning that both frontline healthcare workers and first responders will be invited to this weekend’s game as a show of appreciation for the work they have done since the pandemic began. They will be at the game along with team employees and their families, who themselves have been at the last few Packer home games.

This move mirrors one the NFL is planning to take for Super Bowl LV with vaccinated workers.

Plans for the Packers home playoff game, whether it’s the first or second weekend of the postseason, have yet to be determined.

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Cases on Whether NCAA Athletes Should Be Compensated

By Adam Roberts – 12/17/2020

A case that could fundamentally change college athletics in America is going before the top court in the nation.

The Supreme Court will hear two cases on whether NCAA athletes should be paid. The two landmark cases could forever change the current student-athlete business model by examining whether the NCAA violated antitrust law by limiting the amount of college benefits athletes could receive.

An appeals court recently upheld a ruling barring the NCAA from capping player compensation in Division I football and basketball programs. The NCAA appealed the case and it will be argued in 2021 with a decision expected before the end of June.

PGA Tour Won’t Require Golfers, Others To Get Vaccine

By Adam Roberts – 12/17/2020

While the COVID-19 vaccine continues to slowly begin its distribution in the US, different sports leagues will likely be announcing their plans on vaccination for their athletes. One association won’t be requiring it’s members to vaccinate.

The PGA Tour isn’t going to require golfers, officials or spectators to be vaccinated as they look to add more fans in 2021. Commissioner Jay Monahan said Thursday that vaccination is an individual’s choice and he’s not considering mandating it. The PGA Tour already announced most events will be without spectators through February, except for the Waste Management Phoenix Open. That event, traditionally a fan favorite, is expected to have less than 10-thousand fans per day.

Badger Football Brings In 21 Recruits on NSD ’21

By Adam Roberts – 12/17/2020

For the third straight year, Wisconsin football is bringing in a historically good recruiting class.

On National Signing Day ’21 yesterday, the Badgers appropriately brought in 21 new scholarship signees. The class was ranked 16th in the nation by 247 Sports and 15th by Rivals, both the highest in school history for either site. Highlights of the class include:

Jake Ratzlaff, OLB, Rosemount, MN – Ratzlaff was named the 2020 Metro Football Player of the Year, and also was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and finalist for Minnesota Mr. Football. The four-star linebacker also is a captain for the U.S. U-18 Men’s Hockey Team.
Deacon Pe’a Hill, QB, Santa Barbara, CA – The Polynesian Bowl All-Star threw for 3,102 yards and 33 TDs as a junior and also ran for 13.
Hunter Wohler, DB, Muskego, WI – The class features a number of in-state talent, including the four-star Wohler who had 78 total tackles, 2 picks, and forced a fumble for 9-0 Muskego. Wohler also was named the Associated Press’s Wisconsin Player of the Year for the second consecutive year and is a three-time first-team all-state athlete.
Skyler Bell, WR, Bronx, NY – One of the fastest recruits in the class, the wideout from the NYC borough caught 36 passes for 549 yards and 8 TDs in his junior season.
Jake Chaney, ILB, Cape Coral, FL – The linebacker corps gets a big boost from the Florida District 7A Player of the Year who recorded 100 total tackles as a junior, including 10 tackles for loss.
JP Benzschawel, OL, Grafton, WI – Another member of the Benzschawel Klan will join Wisconsin for 2022, and it should be no surprise given the talent in the program with that last name that he is a four-star talent.
Ayo Adebogun, OLB, Mequon, WI – More in-state talent for the defense, and it comes courtesy of the Tim Krumrie Award winner for outstanding defensive lineman. Adebogun recorded 52 tackles, 21 for loss, and 7.5 sacks his senior year.

And that’s just a sample of the 21 new Badgers. It’s safe to say with proper development, Wisconsin will remain a contender for the short-term future.

Minnesota HS Sports To Remain Paused Until January 4th

By Adam Roberts – 12/16/2020

While winter sports have begun or are beginning for most Wisconsin high schools, Minnesota remains on pause due to Governor Tim Walz’s executive order. And now the pause will continue into next year.

Today, an update to the order stated that organized youth sports are to remain on hold until at least January 4th. With the 10 day requirement between first practice and first competition, that puts the first possible date for games to begin at January 14th, which would be about halfway through most standard winter sport seasons.

Thus far, winter sports have avoided the mass cancellations that plagued most of the high school football season, but of course most seasons have just begun, and with the holidays around the corner, there could be more cases cropping up in the next few weeks.

Wisconsin Pro Teams Start Equity League

By Adam Roberts – 12/16/2020

Wisconsin’s pro sports teams have come together to start an investment group.

The Packers, Brewers and Bucks have partnered to create the Equity League, which is an investment network that will help create more opportunities for Black and LatinX founders. The project is a new division of the venture capital fund TitletownTech, which the Packers and Microsoft founded three years ago.

According to the Packers’ website: “TitletownTech is a partnership between Microsoft and the Green Bay Packers that has created an exciting venture studio and fund, is located across the street from iconic Lambeau Field, and is now shepherding more than 20 new startups into formation with many beginning operations in Northeast Wisconsin.”

#7 Tomah Boy’s Basketball Now 6-0 With Win Over Sparta

By Adam Roberts – 12/16/2020

It might be a surprise to some in the Coulee Region, but it’s no surprise to the community of Tomah that the Timberwolf boys are one of the upstart teams in Wisconsin high school basketball this season.

Tomah first-year head coach Jeff Brieske has himself a juggernaut to begin his tenure at the position, and last night the T-Wolves once again took care of business 61-24 over Sparta to improve to 6-0. Tomah has dispatched teams it should beat to start the year, but one look at how the team plays shows that their undefeated start is not just because of an easy schedule. Their offense failed to score 70 for the first time this season last night, and is averaging 72 points per game even with last night’s 61-point performance. The Timberwolves are long, averaging 6’2″ per player, and they aggressively get after the ball on defense. Last night against the Spartans, 6’6″ senior center Zander Williams had himself four blocked shots to go along with 8 points and 13 rebounds. As a team, they got 10 ball swats and forced 13 Spartan turnovers.

Between established players like Williams, Kade Gnewikow, Carson Lindauer, and Justin Gerke, and the junior class led by leading scorer Dustin Derousseau, Tomah will be a force to be reckoned with in the MVC this year, and even perennial contenders La Crosse Central and Onalaska will need to take heed of the Timberwolves this season. Tomah next faces a good 3-1 Mauston team Friday night which should provide the first real test for this roster.

Giannis Signs Supermax With Bucks

By Adam Roberts – 12/15/2020

Breaking News today: Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is signing the supermax contract with the team. Per Woj and Shams, the details of the contract keep Giannis with the Bucks for five more years once his contract wraps up following this season. It is valued at 228.2 million dollars, making it the biggest deal in NBA history.

Giannis on his Twitter said the following this afternoon: “This is my home, this is my city.. I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.”

An important note on the deal: there is an opt-out available to Giannis after year four.

Milwaukee wraps up the preseason this Friday against New Orleans.