By Adam Roberts – 5/10/2021

Depending on your school, your alma matter’s baseball team may be either a couple games or as many as eight to ten contests in to their 2021 season at this point. But the end goal for all teams remains the same: raising the trophy at Neuroscience Group Field in Grand Chute next month. For some of our area’s D1 teams, that path will also include a stop in Fond du Lac.

The WIAA has determined locations for the baseball, softball, and golf state tournaments. Division One baseball and softball will have quarterfinal stops at Herr-Baker Stadium in Fond du Lac and Bay Port High School in Green Bay respectively. The baseball quarterfinals will be Friday, June 25th, while the softball quarters will be Monday, June 28th.

As for section group pairings, here’s what this year looks like for our area’s teams:

Baseball

D1 Section 3 Region A – Baraboo

• Holmen, La Crosse Central, Onalaska, Tomah

D2 Section 1 Group C – Rice Lake

• Arcadia, Black River Falls, G-E-T, La Crosse Logan, Sparta, West Salem

D3 Section 3 Group A – Viroqua

• Aquinas, Luther, Mel-Min, Viroqua, Westby

D4 Section 1 Group D – Shell Lake

• Blair-Taylor, C-FC

D4 Section 3 Group A – Pecatonica

• Bangor, Cashton, De Soto

Softball

D1 Section 3 Group A – Middleton

• Holmen, La Crosse Central, Onalaska, Tomah

D2 Section 1 Group B – Mosinee

• Black River Falls, La Crosse Logan, Sparta, West Salem

D3 Section 1 Group B – Arcadia

• Aquinas, Arcadia, GET, Westby

D3 Section 3 Group A – Prairie du Chien

• Viroqua/Youth Initiative

D4 Section 3 Group A – Blair-Taylor

• Blair-Taylor, C-FC

D4 Section 3 Group B – Blair-Taylor

• Cashton, Luther, Mel-Min

D5 Section 3 Group A – Bangor

• Bangor

D5 Section 3 Group B – Bangor

• De Soto

By Adam Roberts – 5/7/2021

Jerruh still owns the most valuable sports team in the world.

The Dallas Cowboys are still the world’s most valuable sports team per Forbes, who released their latest list Friday, valuing America’s Team at five-point-seven billion dollars. Dallas holds the top spot over the New York Yankees and New York Knicks. Soccer clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid round out the top five. The NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are also in the top ten, along with the NFL’s New England Patriots and New York Giants.

The Packers are listed at #31 with a value of 3.05 billion dollars. Their five-year change in value has been a 56% increase; the Vikings aren’t too far behind at 33rd overall with a value of 2.98 billion dollars.

By Adam Roberts – 5/7/2021

Did you forget that there’s anything else to keep track of with the Packers other than whether or not Aaron Rodgers will be back? I’ll admit I did a little bit.

Regardless of what happens after June 1st, the Packers still have to continue with their offseason calendar, and that includes rookie minicamp, OTAs, and the mandatory June minicamp. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported yesterday on the dates for each of these, but today the team has updated some of those dates.

Green Bay will run their mandatory team minicamp a little earlier than expected, with the dates June 8th, 9th, and 10th. There are a number of OTAs that will begin starting May 24th and 25th, and three more have been added to the docket for June 14th, 15th, and 17th.

Here’s the complete list as of this morning:

Rookie minicamp: May 14-15

OTA dates: May 24-25, May 27, June 1-2, June 4, June 7-8, June 10, June 14th, June 15th, June 17th

Mandatory Minicamp: June 8th, June 9th, June 10th

By Adam Roberts – 5/6/2021

We’re a week removed from the news reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicating that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is so disgruntled with the team that he reportedly doesn’t want to return. And to say that much speculation has been made in the week since would be a gross understatement. But as of this morning, we still don’t know too much. Perhaps the reason Aaron hasn’t outright stated it’s all hogwash and he does really want to stay in Green Bay is because there hasn’t been a good enough reason to stay. And I’m not talking about high-skill players surrounding him on offense, or a stacked offensive line to protect him, or even a big fat contract extension connected to a dollar amount featuring a bunch of zeros.

I’m talking about the real goods: food and beverage.

We see all the time governors of states that have teams facing each other in big sports championships will wager foods, beverages, and other goodies native to their state for the other should their team lose. It’s clear that the food and drink game is interconnected to the world of sports, so why not entice Rodgers to stay with some good ol’ fashioned Wisconsin cuisine?

It would appear one chain of restaurants is ready to step up and do what it takes to keep the reigning MVP in Titletown.

Mr. Brews Taphouse, a chain with locations across the country but primarily in the Badger State, is making the offer to Rodgers if he finishes his career with the team. The restaurant CEO says they just can’t let him go, calling Rodgers the face of their beloved franchise. They’re begging him to stay with the promise of free food and brews for life. That also extends to his fiancée, actress Shailene Woodley.

As a side note, this article is not sponsored by Mr. Brews, BUT I did scan their menu off hand while looking up info for the article on an empty stomach. Needless to say I’m shamelessly craving a pulled pork sandwich, cheese curds, and one of their 60-plus beers on tap. Excuse me for a second, I’ll be right back. Gotta make a quick drive to Madison…

By Adam Roberts – 5/5/2021

With the NFL Draft in the rear view mirror, now comes the signing of undrafted free agents looking to prove to teams they should have been selected last weekend.

The Vikings are reportedly expected to sign two interesting new undrafted free agents. 30-year-old rookie punter and former M-L-B sixth round draft pick Zach Von Rosenberg is joining the team, according to his agent, and he’ll compete with incumbent Britton Colquitt for the job. 24-year-old former Minnesota State-Mankato wide receiver Shane Zylstra is also signing, according to his agent, and is switching positions to tight end after breaking the school’s single-season receiving records in 2019.

The Packers have so far added UDFAs Jacob Capra (San Diego State), Coy Cronk (Iowa) and Jon Dietzen (Wisconsin), receiver Bailey Gaither (San Jose State), defensive lineman Jack Heflin (Iowa), linebacker Carlo Kemp (Michigan) and safety Christian Uphoff (Illinois State).