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WIAA Wrestling Regionals This Weekend

By Adam Roberts – 1/29/2021

Despite no Bi-State at the La Crosse Center to showcase to the masses our area’s high school wrestling talent, the Coulee Region’s best grapplers will take to the mats this weekend with state on their minds.

The schedule for this Saturday’s competition looks like this:

DIVISION 1

Holmen Regional (Holmen, La Crosse Logan/Central, Onalaska/Luther, Sparta, Tomah) – 10am

DIVISION 2

Prairie du Chien Regional (PDC, Viroqua) 9:30am

Arcadia Regional (Arcadia, Black River Falls, Melrose-Mindoro/GET, West Salem/Bangor) 10am

DIVISION 3

Westby Regional (Westby, De Soto) 10am

Cashton Regional (Cashton, Brookwood/Necedah) 10am

Independence Regional (Aquinas, Blair-Taylor, Coulee Christian) 10:30am

The top four finishers in D1 and the top two in D2 and D2 will advance to sectionals on February 6th.

Bucks Executive Alex Lasry Receives COVID-19 Vaccine at Age 33

By Adam Roberts – 1/29/2021

Currently, individuals age 65 or older can apply for a COVID-19 vaccine along with people in certain positions such as front-line health care workers, first responders, police, and firefighters.

That apparently also includes Bucks executives.

Alex Lasry, son of co-owner Marc Lasry, was reportedly able to receive a COVID vaccine by way of his wife’s uncle who had extra doses at the senior center where he serves as a rabbi.

This is certainly interesting, since I feel pretty certain that though I’m only a few years younger than Mr. Lasry, I probably would not be so lucky to be afforded that same opportunity, nor would many other people who are clamoring for a vaccine currently in our state where over 90% of residents are still waiting for the chance at their first dose.

The Bucks face the New Orleans Pelicans on the road tonight.

Brewers Make Sara Goodrum the First Female Minor League Hitting Coordinator

By Adam Roberts – 1/29/2021

In a week of our area NFL teams promoting from within to coordinator positions, yesterday the Brewers followed suit.

Milwaukee has promoted Sara Goodrum to minor league hitting coordinator.

Brewers vice president of minor league operations Tom Flanagan says that “to our knowledge, she would be the first” woman to hold that position in an MLB organization.

Goodrum’s official new title with the Brewers is coordinator for hitting development initiatives. Relating to her experience, she played softball for Oregon from 2012-15 and had spent the last three seasons in the Brewers’ sports science department.

Packers Promote Maurice Drayton to Special Teams Coordinator

By Adam Roberts – 1/28/2021

Within the past hour, our two area NFL teams replaced the hold at the special teams coordinator position.

Earlier, the Vikings promoted Ryan Ficken to the spot in place of Marwan Maalouf, and now the Packers have followed suit, moving up Maurice Drayton from the assistant special teams coach to take over for Shawn Mennenga.

Drayton was an assistant during the Mike McCarthy era, and has had a pretty wild path to arrive at this point. His previous experience has taken him from The Citadel in college football, to Arena 2 football and then to Finland as a coach for the Seinajoki Corcodiles before a tenure in the CFL and also with the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts.

We are still following what will happen at the defensive coordinator position, with Mike Pettine having met with Matt LaFleur yesterday.

Vikings Promote Ryan Ficken to Special Teams Coordinator

By Adam Roberts – 1/28/2021

A longtime Minnesota Vikings assistant will be getting a shot at running special teams.

Assistant Ryan Ficken has been promoted to special teams coordinator today, taking the place of Marwan Maalouf, whose contract head coach Mike Zimmer allowed to expire after this season.

Ficken has been the assistant special teams coach for the last eight of his 14 seasons with the Vikings, making the move likely the path of least resistance for the team. Ficken has been involved with plenty of turnover and turmoil within the Vikings special teams department over the years, with a number of different kickers in particular moving through an apparent revolving door at the position.

Packers Fire Special Teams Coordinator Shawn Mennenga

By Adam Roberts – 1/28/2021

One coordinator has been shown the door in Green Bay, now we’ll see if another one will follow.

The team has relieved special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga of his duties after he joined the Packers in 2019 as a part of head coach Matt LaFleur’s staff. His two-year tenure was certainly underwhelming, with the team finishing 26th in the league in special teams during 2019 and 29th this past season.

The lowlights on special teams this year include a J.K. Scott punt getting blocked against Houston, allowing a 73 yard punt-return touchdown against Philadelphia and a 91-yarder against Jacksonville, and missing numerous extra points including a botch against the Rams in the divisional round that injured kicker Mason Crosby’s shoulder.

As for Pettine, he is not under contract past the 2020 season, and given how exposed the defense looked against Tampa Bay early in the NFC Championship Game, it’s reasonable to assume change could come there as well.

No Players Elected For National Baseball Hall Of Fame

By Adam Roberts – 1/27/2021

No players are heading to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the 2021 class.

All 25 players up for election fell short of the required 75-percent of the vote needed to make it to Cooperstown. It marks the first time since 2013 that no player was selected and just the ninth time ever. Curt Schilling was the highest vote-getter after receiving 71.1-percent of the vote. Barry Bonds was next at 61.8-percent followed by Roger Clemens at 61.6-percent. Schilling as requested to be removed from the 2022 ballot, but it looks like the Baseball Writers of America will try to keep that from happening.

The 2020 class of Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, and Ted Simmons will be inducted into Cooperstown July 25th after last year’s ceremony was wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Midwest Players Classic To Expand To Two Days

By Adam Roberts – 1/27/2021

Sitting court side for another Midwest Players Classic on the 16th was such a joy. It’s a simple little pleasure, but getting to be a part of a signature showcase like the MPC is a highlight of both my and the station’s years.

Now it’s looking like our 2022 coverage of the event will be a two-day extraveganza.

On Twitter today, the MPC’s official page confirmed it will be moving to a two-day format for next year, with the event scheduled for January 14th and 15th at the La Crosse Center.

It’s not known what the game format will be like or who will play what day, but so far the following schools are confirmed for 2022:

Aquinas Boys
Onalaska Boys
Catholic Memorial
Deforest
Madison East
Minneapolis North
Lincoln HS, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Invitations have been extended to the Caledonia, Minnehaha, Totino-Grace, Ames, and Waukee.

Twins Sign SS Simmons To One-Year Deal

By Adam Roberts – 1/27/2021

The Minnesota Twins have come to an agreement with shortstop Andrelton Simmons for a one-year, $10.5-million contract.

ESPN reports that Simmons will be the starting shortstop for the Twins, moving Jorge Polanco to second base and Luiz Arraez switching to a super-utility role. The four-time Gold Glove comes to Minnesota from spending the last five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, after being traded by the Atlanta Braves in 2015, who drafted him in the second round of the 2010 MLB Draft.

Meanwhile in Milwaukee, hot stove talk has been interesting with the Brewers linked to a number of notable free agents. While nothing is even close to being certain, such names include former Dodger Justin Turner, outfielder Eddie Rosario, and infielder Marcus Semien.

As for the on-going discussions over reliever Josh Hader, it appears that any team vying for his services would have to pay a hefty price. According to Robert Murray, the Brewers think Hader is the best lefty reliever in the game, and so it will take an “overwhelming” amount for them to part ways with him.

Baseball Hall of Fame 2021 Results Come Tonight

By Adam Roberts – 1/26/2021

Though no Brewers or Twins look to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2021, and for that matter maybe no one will, IF there are additions to Cooperstown we’ll know later tonight.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame will reveals its 2021 voting results this evening, though most insiders say there’s a real possibility no one will get the necessary 75-percent from the Baseball Writers Association for enshrinement in Cooperstown. All-time home run leader Barry Bonds and ace pitchers Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling are the top holdovers from last year.

Others getting support last year include hitters Scott Rolen, Todd Helton, and Gary Sheffield and closer Billy Wagner. Last year, former Brewer Ted Simmons was voted in by the Veterans Committee.