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The Woelfel World of Sports
January 2008
Sunday January 27, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 10:40PM CST on January 27, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL MILWAUKEE -- The reserves for the NBA All-Star Game will be announced Thursday and you can go to the bank Caron Butler will be one of them. If he isn’t, a full-scale investigation should be launched. NBA commissioner David Stern should immediately summon each and every one of the 15 head coaches in the Eastern Conference to his office in New York and demand an explanation. That’s because Butler is having not only one of the best seasons by a player in the Eastern Conference, he’s having one of the best seasons in the league -- period. Sure, there are better scorers than Butler and there are better rebounders and better passers as well. But when you combine all those phases of the game, Butler, ranks up there with the best of them. Wizards coach Eddie Jordan will attest to that. “He’s a strong player that can handle the ball,’’ Jordan said of Butler, the former Park High School standout. “He can make nice passes, he’s got a heck of a mid-range game, he can go out to the 3-point line, he can mix it up with drives to the basket, he’s good at getting into the passing lanes and making steals and locking down his guy one-on-one and he’s a good rebounder. "He has a total package.'' One thing Butler doesn’t really have yet, though, is the marquee rep. He doesn’t receive the notoriety, not to mention the endorsements, that is extended to players of his caliber. Yet, here’s one eye-opening tidbit that should tell you in no uncertain terms how good Butler has become: Just three NBA players are averaging more than 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. One is Kobe Bryant. Another is LeBron James. And the third is Butler. Milwaukee Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak, like his fellow Eastern Conference coaches, will fill out his ballot for the seven reserves in the next day or so. After watching Butler scorch his team for 40 points Sunday, Krystkowiak was suitably impressed. Not that he wasn’t before. “I’m a fan of his,’’ said Krystkowiak, adding that the Wizards’ winning record also helps Butler’s cause to be in the Feb. 17th All-Star Game in New Orleans. Another member of the Butler fan club is Bucks center Andrew Bogut. Bogut said he’s admired Butler’s game for several years now. “He’s great,’’ Bogut said of Butler. “I followed him when I was in college (at Utah). I’ve liked his game ever since he was in Miami (as a rookie). "He's one of the major reasons for their sucess. He does so much for them. And he's one of the few superstars that tries to 'D' it up. "I think he definitely deserves to be an All-Star.'' If Butler is chosen to the upcoming All-Star Game, it’ll mark the second straight season he’s been chosen to the mid-season showcase. That may surprise some NBA observers who never felt that Butler would be more than a decent pro player, but it doesn’t come as a surprise to Butler himself. “I’m confident in my craft; I’m confident in what I do,’’ Butler said. “Throughout the course of my life I’ve proven my doubters wrong. "When people said I couldn't go to the NBA, I proved the doubters wrong. When people said I was a trouble-making kid and I couldn't turn my life around, I proved the doubters wrong. "I'm not being cocky or arrogant, but I have the utmost confidence in my ability to be an All-Star again.'' While Butler is pursuing another All-Star selection, he is also chasing a piece of NBA history. The 6-foot-7 forward has made an amazing 70 straight free throws – the seventh-longest in NBA history. Only Sam Cassell, who made 71 straight, has made more consecutive free throws since the 1997-'98 season. The all-time record is 97 straight, set by Michael Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 1993 and '94 seasons. “I got a nice rhythm,’’ said Butler, who was 10-for-10 against the Bucks. “I’m on line right now.’’ And in line to be an All-Star once again. . Thursday January 24, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 10:26PM CST on January 24, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL It seems all through his life Travis Diener has had to prove the critics wrong. After being an all-state basketball player at Fond du Lac High School, the skeptics said Diener wasn’t athletic enough to be a quality college player. He proved them wrong by having a stellar career at Marquette University. Then, after Marquette, the cynics said the 6-foot-1 Diener wasn’t good enough to make the NBA. He not only made the NBA, but he’s now in his third pro season after being drafted in the second round by the Orlando Magic. And then, after making the NBA, the naysayers said Diener would never start. Well, Thursday night, Diener not only started his first NBA game for the Indiana Pacers against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center but he played well. In 40 minutes – the most by any Pacer – Diener finished with 15 points and nine assists. He had only one turnover. Before the game, Diener discussed his NBA career and his fond times at Marquette University. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET BACK TO WISCONSIN AND PLAY IN THE BRADLEY CENTE AGAIN? TD: “I love coming back here. I always look forward to these trips here. I’m happy to be here.’’ CONSIDERING THE SUCCESS YOU HAD WHILE PLAYING AT MARQUETTE, THE BRADLEY CENTER HAS TO BE ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE NBA ARENAS. TD: “Oh, yeah. It IS my favorite arena. I’ve played so many games here. I’m used to the surroundings. I love playing here.’’ WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY IN THIS BUILDING? TD: “That’s a tough one. The year, my junior year, when Dameon Mason hit that shot against Louisville at the buzzer, got fouled and made the free throw to win after I had fouled out because of a phantom call. And it was a phantom call. I still don’t know what happened with that call. That was one memory I’ll always have about this place. “And, obviously, when we won the conference championship here and got to raise some banners. That’s always nice.’’ ALMOST EVERYONE FROM YOUR FAMILY IS AT THE GAME TONIGHT. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU TO PLAY IN FRONT OF THEM AS A PRO? TD: “Anytime you have a family like mine, one that has supported me so much, it’s great. I’m very fortunate to have people around me who care and want to support me.’’ YOU SPENT TWO SEASONS WITH ORLANDO BEFORE SIGNING A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH INDIANA. HOW HAPPY ARE YOU TO BE WITH THE PACERS? TD: “Very happy. I love it. It’s been a good transition for me.’’ WHAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORLANDO AND INDIANA? TD: “The weather. … We push the ball a little more than they do, but they like to play small and shoot a lot of 3s and that’s what we do, too.’’ GOING BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL, YOU’VE ALWAYS HAD THE DOUBTERS… TD: “Oh, yeah.’’ HAVE THOSE DOUBTERS HELPED MOTIVATE YOU INTO BECOMING A BETTER PLAYER? TD: “A little bit. You hear it all the time. But I’m more of a guy who motivates himself. I want to be the best player I can be. Just for myself. "The doubters … there will always be people doubting you. But everybody has faced that as an athlete, so it’s not a big deal.’’ DO YOU HAVE ASPIRATION OF BEING A STARTING POINT GUARD IN THIS LEAGUE? TD: “Oh, yeah. That’s my goal. One day I want to be a starter and I want contribute and I want to win a championship. It’s all about winning. "I’d rather be a backup and win a championship than be a starter and lose a championship. Winning is what it’s all about.’’ I’M SURE YOU WATCH OTHER POINT GUARDS IN THE LEAGUE AND TRY TO LEARN FROM THEM. WHO ARE SOME OF THOSE PLAYERS? TD: “(Steve) Nash. And there are a couple of other younger guys. Chris Paul (of New Orleans) is turning into a phenomenal player. Tony Parker (of San Antonio) is a winner. “There are so many good players in this league. That’s why it’s the NBA. Every night we play against great players. Tonight, we’re going against one of the best scorers in the league in Michael Redd. Every night, it’s a different challenge.’’ YOU’RE ONE OF THREE FORMER MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY PLAYERS IN THE NBA, THE OTHERS BEING DWYANE WADE OF MIAMI AND STEVE NOVAK OF HOUSTON. DO YOU STAY IN CONTACT WITH THEM? TD: “I talk to Dwyane probably once every month or so and, after tonight’s game, we go down there (to Miami) and I’ll see him. I talk to Steve every two weeks or so. “I stay in contact with most of the guys I played with at Marquette and see how they’re doing because we’re like a family. They’re like my brothers.’’ DWYANE WADE HAS BEEN BOTHERED BY AN ASSORTMENT OF INJURIES AND THE HEAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING. DO YOU FEEL HIS PAIN? TD: “Oh, yeah. I feel bad for him. But he’s going to keep working hard. … He’s won a championship already, so I don’t feel too bad for him.’’ DO YOU STILL FOLLOW THE MARQUETTE PROGRAM? TD: “Oh, yeah. Every chance I get I watch them on TV and pay attention to them.’’ WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THEM? TD: “They need to start winning some of those tough road games. It’s hard. They’re in a tough conference. "They’re going through a little rough stretch here, but I expect them to be in the Big East title run.’’ Monday January 21, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 12:37AM CST on January 21, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL It shouldn’t have ended this way for Brett Favre. If life was fair, Favre would be celebrating now, rejoicing after a Green Bay Packers’ victory over the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game Sunday at Lambeau Field. After all, if not for Favre’s fabulous season – which I contend was his best in his illustrious career -- the Packers wouldn’t have fashioned one of the most amazing seasons in the storied franchise’s history. But Favre’s pass on the Packers’ first possession in overtime was intercepted by Corey Webster, and that led to Lawrence Tynes’ dramatic, game-winning 47-yard field goal. The 38-year-old Favre said after Sunday’s bitter loss that he hadn’t determined whether he’ll come back for another season – even though a recent published report said he would. Let’s hope Favre sticks around for at least another season and gets an opportunity to end his career on a more positive note. Some other observations of Sunday’s titillating game, which should go down as one of the greatest games ever played: + Can someone explain to me why Packers coach Mike McCarthy didn’t call a time out and “freeze’’ Tynes before his big-time kick – especially after the Giants kicker had missed his previous two attempts? + Ryan Grant managed just 29 yards on 13 carries, but nobody should be pointing fingers at the Packers’ young running back. Instead, they should be pointed at the Packers’ interior offensive linemen. They were simply manhandled by the Giants defensive line and seldom created any running lanes for Grant. At the top of Packers’ GM Ted Thompson’s “Things To Do’’ offseason list should be drafting or signing or trading for a big-time, run-blocking guard. + Donald Driver was outstanding, but Plaxico Burress was brilliant. While Driver was one of the few bright spots for the Packers’ offense, Burress was almost unstoppable for the Giants as he repeatedly scorched Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris. In a blog last week, I wrote Burress was perhaps the most underrated player in the NFL. After his stunning performance Sunday, nobody is likely to call him underrated again. In fact, Burress just might be the best wideout on the planet not named Randy Moss. + Speaking of Moss, he and his New England Patriots teammates have an appointment with Burress and the Giants in the upcoming Super Bowl. There is already plenty of chatter – some even coming from Favre – the Giants could upset the Brady Bunch and ruin the Patriots heretofore perfect season. I’ll believe that when I see it. + Giants coach Tom Coughlin has a reputation of being a jerk and, if you watched Sunday’s game, you can see why. After Tynes missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt with 6:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Coughlin got in his face and read him the riot act. It was painfully obvious Coughlin’s tirade affected Tynes as the latter totally botched his next field-goal attempt. Making a 43-yard field in even ideal conditions isn’t a sure thing; it’s even less of a sure thing when it’s during an NFC Championship game played outdoors in minus-3 degree temperatures with wind chills at minus-24 degrees. + Paging A.J. Hawk. Paging Nick Barnett. Paging Brady Poppinga. The aforementioned Packers’ linebackers were conspicuously absent Sunday – as the game stats vividly indicated. Hawk and Barnett had only four tackles apiece and Poppinga had only two. Not that the Packers’ front four did much better, especially highly-paid veteran tackle Ryan Pickett, who had a meager two tackles. The Packers’ front seven was so ineffective that the team’s leading tacklers were defensive backs: Atari Bigby (eight tackles) and Harris (seven tackles). + While the prospects for next season look quite encouraging for the Packers, especially if Favre returns, it’s hardly a lock they’ll return to the NFC Championship game. Just ask the Chicago Bears. The Bears went further last season than the Packers did this season. The Bears advanced to the Super Bowl and were predicted by many of the so-called experts to make a return visit this season. But the Bears made some unwise personnel moves, sustained some key injuries and didn’t even make playoffs. It’ll be imperative for Thompson to upgrade several areas on the Packers, most notably in the secondary and offensive line. If he doesn’t, the Packers could experience the same problems – and suffer the same fate – next season as the Bears did this season. Saturday January 19, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 7:23PM CST on January 19, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL MILWAUKEE – The Green Bay Packers are Super Bowl bound. At least that’s the consensus opinion of the Milwaukee Bucks, who are firmly convinced the Packers will beat the New York Giants in today’s NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Here’s what some Bucks had to say about today’s showdown: BUCKS CENTER JAKE VOSKUHL: “I really feel the Packers will win. They’ve been in a kind of a flow all season and they won some games they probably shouldn’t have won. They seem to be a team of destiny.‘’ BUCKS GUARD CHARLIE BELL: “(Laughing) I’m taking the Packers … because I live in Wisconsin. Seriously, I think the home-field advantage the Packers have is big. I know the Giants have won (twice) on the road, but winning at Lambeau Field is different. “I don’t think the Giants can beat Brett Favre in the cold.’’ SMALL FORWARD DESMOND MASON: “Unless my (Dallas) Cowboys are playing, I don’t really care. But I’ll be watching the game. I live in Wisconsin, so I’m going with the Packers.’’ POWER FORWARD YI JIANLIAN: “Most people in China don’t know much about football. They don’t have the opportunity to watch the games because of (a lack) of broadcasts there. “Since I’m from the same state as the Packers, I want the local team to win.’’ CENTER ANDREW BOGUT, who attended his first NFL game earlier this season when the San Diego Chargers played at Green Bay: “You’re asking the wrong guy about who’s going to win. I have no idea. “For Green Bay’s sake, I hope they win because there’s going to be a lot of suicidal people out there if they lose.’’ BUCKS GUARD MICHAEL REDD: “It’s going to be a great game. It’s going to be a cold game. I like the Packers’ chances. They’re playing really well right now “I love their defensive backs: Charles Woodson and Al Harris. Charles Woodson is a good friend of mine, so I’ll be rooting for the Packers all game.’’ Wednesday January 16, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 11:52PM CST on January 16, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL The bookies in Vegas have the Packers as a touchdown favorite in their NFC Championship game Sunday against the Giants from New York. I agree with their assessment that the Packers should be the favorites, but I don’t agree with the spread. My line would be the Packers by 10 – or more. Consider these two points: 1) The strength of the Giants’ offense is their talented receiving tandem of Plaxico Burress (maybe the most underrated player in the game) and wily veteran Amani Toomer. But guess what? The Packers may have the two best cover corners on the planet in Charles Woodson and Al Harris. 2) The strength of the Giants’ defense is their ends. In Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the Giants have arguably the best pair of pass-rushing defensive ends in the game. Strahan, who is on his way to the Hall of Fame, had nine sacks this season and Umenyiora finished with 13 – the fifth-most in the league. But guess what? The Packers may have the best pair of offensive tackles in the game in Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher. In other words, the Giants, who usually have a distinct advantage over their opponents at those two critical spots, won’t have any advantage over the Packers. Packers 24, Giants 13 Tuesday January 15, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 4:43PM CST on January 15, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL Often times, you get a better understanding of people and their character in adverse times. In difficult situations, you’ll often see an individual’s true colors – for better or worse. For many years now, I’ve perceived Terrell Owens as a brash, selfish, “It’s all-about-me’’ type of guy. And my perception was based on some of Owen’s bizarre comments and bizarre actions. But last Sunday I saw a different Terrell Owens. I saw a man who was anything but selfish or self-centered. Rather, I saw a man who was a compassionate, highly sensitive and acutely aware of the moment. It was after Owens and his Dallas Cowboys suffered an extremely bitter loss to the New York Giants in the second round of the NFL playoffs that Owens began crying while talking to the media. Now Owens has cried before in public, but mostly because of something that happened to him. But that wasn’t the case this time. This time Owens was talking about Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Owens knew Romo was going to get scorched by the media after having his second straight sub-par playoff performance. Romo had vaguely played like the Romo who played so brilliantly for most of the regular season. What’s more, in the fourth quarter with the game on the line, Romo couldn’t deliver. He was called for intentional grounding and misfired on two potential touchdown passes, including one where he waited too long to release the ball after Owens beat his defender. But instead of throwing Romo under the bus, like some might have expected, Owens made an emotional plea to reporters gathered around him. Owens tearfully told them that blaming Romo for the Cowboys’ defeat was “unfair’’ and that he certainly wasn’t going to fault Romo because Romo was “my teammate.’’ There were probably other Cowboys who came to Romo’s defense after what had to be another excruciatingly painful game for him, but none of them rushed to his side as quickly or compellingly like Owens. I have a different take of T.O. now and, to say the least, it’s a much better one. Saturday January 12, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 2:28AM CST on January 12, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL Now we’re going to find out how good the Packers really are. Now we’re going to find out how good of a coach Mike McCarthy really is. The Packers will play the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC second-round playoff game today at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Next to the Dallas Cowboys, the Seahawks will be the best team the Packers have encountered this season. While hardly an imposing team, Seattle can be an especially explosive on offense, and that’s vividly illustrated by the number of points they’ve put up since their bye week in late October. Since then, in nine games, the Seahawks have scored a whopping 256 points. That’s an average of 28.4 points a game. On two occasions in that span, the Seahawks’ offense scored more than 40 points, including 42 against a decent Arizona Cardinals defense. Of course, nobody should be surprised by the Seahawks’ offensive capabilities. They are, after all, coached by Mike Holmgren. And even Packers fans, whether they like him or not, have to acknowledge Holmgren is the closest thing to an offensive guru as you’ll find in the game. You know Holmgren will have his team thoroughly prepared for today’s game, especially after his team’s bitter overtime playoff loss to the Packers a few years ago in Green Bay, a place where he started his sterling head coaching career and where he became so revered they even named a street after him. You know Holmgren has looked at reams of film on the Packers, and you know he studied the Packers’ loss to Dallas and saw how Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo repeatedly found gaping holes in the Packers’ secondary. And you know McCarthy knows that as well. That’s why it is imperative for McCarthy to have formulated a defensive game-plan that will foil Holmgren’s strategies. While McCarthy has pushed virtually all the right buttons this season, he’ll never be more scrutinized than today when a nation-wide television audience will watch and critique his every move. McCarthy will discover today – just like his predecessor Mike Sherman did – that in Green Bay coaches aren’t measured for what they did in the regular season. They are measured by what they did – or didn’t do -- in the playoffs. . Friday January 11, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 2:23AM CST on January 11, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL Journal Times Let’s squelch these two, almost laughable rumors about the Bucks right here and now: 1) They won’t acquire Zach Randolph from the New York Knicks. 2) They won’t acquire Ron Artest from the Sacramento Kings, either. Those rumors have been circulating on the Internet the last couple of days and, while they make for lively talk show banter, they’re simply unrealistic. Take Randolph, for example. The guy has a history of off-court issues, not to mention $61 million still remaining on his contract. Do you think for one nano-second Bucks owner Herb Kohl would even contemplate taking on such a plump contract, much less for someone who has hardly been a choir boy? As for Artest, the Bucks have had opportunities in the past to trade for him and wisely passed on him. While Artest’s contract is relatively reasonable -- $7.8M this season with a player op of $8.45 for next season -- do you think Kohl and Co. wants to deal with anyone as combustible and oft-times immature as Artest? So, who will the Bucks try to acquire before the Feb. 21 deadline? That’s the $64,000 question. It’s no secret, though, the Bucks would like to acquire an athletic small forward like Golden State’s Mickael Pietrus, who not only has a small contract ($3.47M) but a willingness to play defense. The Bucks, who are apparently open to dealing Charlie Villanueva, Bobby Simmons, Charlie Bell or Dan Gadzuric, will have a plethora of options besides Pietrus. That’s because seldom, if ever, has there been so many quality players available before the in-season deadline. In conversations with several general managers and player personnel directors within the last week, here is a list of some “name’’ players besides the aforementioned Artest and Randolph who could be relocated to a different zip code by next month: New Jersey guard Jason Kidd, Philadelphia guard Andre Miller, Memphis forward-center Pau Gasol, Memphis swingman Mike Miller, Lakers forward Lamar Odom, Cleveland guard Larry Hughes, Sacramento point guard Mike Bibby, Phoenix power forward-center Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix forward Shawn Marion, Atlanta forward Josh Smith, Chicago small forwards Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni, Chicago center Ben Wallace, Denver forwards Kenyon Martin and Nene, Houston shooting guard Tracy McGrady, Seattle power forward Chris Wilcox, Seattle point guard Luke Ridnour, Miami swingman Ricky Davis, Miami point guard Jason Williams and virtually anyone on the New York Knicks not named David Lee. Suffice to say, basketball junkies should have plenty to talk about during the next couple of weeks -- besides Scott Skiles possibly becoming the next Heat coach and Larry Brown possibly becoming the next 76ers coach. Thursday January 3, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 2:05AM CST on January 3, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
Before the NFL season began, nobody – repeat, nobody -- ever envisioned the Packers posting a gaudy 13-3 regular-season record. However, most observers expected the Packers to be in the playoffs – even if they had gone 8-8 as I expected – because they have the good fortune of playing in the NFC, an acronym for the Nothing Fabulous Conference. In the Nothing Fabulous Conference, there aren’t any superpowers like there are in the AFC with New England and Indianapolis. In the Nothing Fabulous Conference, you don’t have the depth of quality teams like the AFC, which wouldn’t admit such a worthy team like Cleveland and its 10-6 record to its postseason party. (A 10-6 record, by the way, would have been the third-best in the NFC). Instead, the Nothing Fabulous Conference playoffs will consist of the Packers, the Cowboys, the Seahawks, the Bucs, the ’Skins and Giants. Not one of them is remotely close to being a great team. That’s why every player and every coach on those just mentioned Nothing Fabulous Conference playoff teams has to be convinced that their chances of going to the Super Bowl are as decent as Mike Huckabee moving into George Bush’s white house on Pennsylvania Avenue next January. That’s because, out that Nothing Fabulous Conference contingent, only one team is truly on a roll. And that’s Washington. The Redskins have won four straight games and they’ve won them impressively. They have outscored their last four opponents – Dallas, Minnesota, the Giants and Chicago – 105-53. But as dangerous as the Redskins figure to be in the playoffs, their first-round game is in Seattle. The Seahawks are 7-1 on their own turf. Of course, the Seahawks just lost to the pathetic Falcons and are just 3-2 in their last five games. Likewise, the Cowboys, Packers and Giants are a ho-hum 3-2 in that span as well. And the Bucs? They’re stumbling into the playoffs with just two wins in their last five outings. So, while the Nothing Fabulous Conference playoffs won’t boast the most talented teams, it could still have the some of the most interesting games. |
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