By Adam Roberts – 1/7/2021

We already know if the Badgers make the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, it won’t be a very long road trip from Madison to Indianapolis. Now we know more about the strict COVID policies they’ll have to comply with there.

The NCAA is revealing its health and safety protocols for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Tier One individuals will be required to have seven consecutive negative COVID-19 tests before arriving in Indianapolis. That includes players, coaches, trainers, and other staff members. They will also undergo daily PCR testing once they arrive in Indy and throughout the entire tournament. Individuals who have tested positive in the past 90 days, are at least two weeks post-infection and are asymptomatic will not be required to have daily testing. Those who are at least two weeks removed from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine are also immune to the daily testing.

All Tier One individuals will also be required to wear a device to monitor their movements and help with contact tracing, much like the ones currently used by the NBA. Attendance policies will be announced after February 1st, but the NCAA says up to six family members per Tier One participant will be allowed in each game.

By Adam Roberts – 1/6/2021

Organized sports in the state of Minnesota have been on hold for some time. But now, governor Tim Walz is slowly preparing to get things going again.

Per the Associated Press, youth and adult sports, which were allowed to resume practices this week, will be allowed to resume games under indoor venue limits of 25% of capacity for a maximum of 150 spectators, and outdoor venue limits of 25% capacity with the maximum increasing to 250 people. But interregional tournaments and out-of-state games are discouraged.

There will be no Minnesota schools at the Midwest Players Classic this year for this reason.

By Adam Roberts – 1/6/2021

The 2021 NFL Hall of Fame modern-era class candidates are down to fifteen, with three former Packer and Viking legends up for consideration.

Former Packers defensive back Charles Woodson and safety LeRoy Butler have been selected as finalists. Woodson earned a Super Bowl ring with the Packers in 2010 and was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection. Butler was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and logged 38 interceptions and 20-and-a-half sacks while also christening the Lambeau Leap in 1993.

Also former Minnesota Viking Jared Allen is among the first-time finalists. Allen was traded to the Vikings by the Chiefs in 2008, where he stayed until 2013. After his first year with Minnesota, he was selected to his second Pro Bowl, and in 2012, set the single-season record for the Vikings for the most sacks – he had 22. Allen finished his career in Carolina but signed a one-year contract with Minnesota so he could retire a Viking in 2016.

The class of 2021 will be revealed February 6th, with Enshrinement set for August 8th. The class of 2020 will also be enshrined this year, after the ongoing pandemic canceled last year’s event.

By Adam Roberts – 1/5/2021

Amidst all of the craziness of the past year, we’re happy that there will still be a Midwest Players Classic this winter for both the excellent matchups it brings as well as our ability to cover the event to the max once again.

There will be a few changes to the event this year, however, in the spirit of staying COVID conscious.

Per the event’s Twitter page, there will be some capacity limits for the January 16th event: “This year we will not have general admission tickets available at the door. Each school will be given 60 tickets to distribute and you will need to be on their submitted list to enter (ID required).”

Of course, if you don’t make the cut for your respective school, or your team isn’t represented at the event this year, fear not! ESPN La Crosse 105.5 will be at the event from the beginning of the day providing live updates on the games. It all leads up to our doubleheader in the afternoon with Holmen-Northwestern at 3pm followed by #6 (D2) Onalaska taking on Menomonie Falls.

This year’s event is limited to strictly Wisconsin school to avoid cross-state COVID travel concerns, but that doesn’t mean the event will lack quality games. In addition to the contests we’ll have live, the Aquinas girls will once again open the Classic against Prairie du Chien, while the 10th-ranked (D4) boys take on Luther, currently #5 (D5) Bangor boys get 9-2 Somerset, #4 (D4) Darlington faces Classic regulars from Lourdes Academy, #4 (D2) River Falls meets #2 (D4) The Prairie School, the Raiders of Hudson take on Verona of the always competitive Big Eight, and #9 (D2) Tomah brings a stacked roster to the La Crosse Center against the FVA’s Kaukauna.

By Adam Roberts – 1/4/2021

Turns out, the Badgers loss to Maryland didn’t end up hurting their standing in the AP poll as much as some thought it would.

The Wisconsin men fell from sixth to eighth in this week’s poll, while interestingly despite their loss to the Badgers, Minnesota moved up five spots from 21st to 16th. There was also upward movement for Iowa (10th to fifth), Michigan (16th to 10th) and Illinois (15th to 12th). Michigan State meanwhile dipped down from 17th to a tie for 23rd following losses to both Wisconsin and Minnesota plus a close win over Northwestern. Rutgers also fell from 10th to 15th after a loss to Iowa, albeit a close one.

The Badgers had a game against 3-4 Penn State postponed yesterday due to COVID, so they next prepare to take on Indiana at the Kohl Center on Thursday evening. ESPN La Crosse 105.5 is your official Badger station and we’ll have coverage beginning at 5pm after The Sports Lead.