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The Woelfel World of Sports
October 2008
Thursday October 30, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 5:43PM CST on October 30, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
The Green Bay Packers will reach the midway point of their regular season SundaY when they play the titans of the NFL -- Tennessee. For the Packers, the game against the NFL’s only undefeated team should serve as an accurate barometer of where they are headed this season.
So far, after seven games, the Packers have been nothing more than a run-of-the-mill team. They have a 4-3 record, one that is deceptive in the fact they have yet to beat a quality team. Consider the Packers’ four victories: -- They beat the Detroit Paper Lions, who are 0-7. -- They beat Minnesota which, at the time, had the inept Tarvaris Jackson as their starting quarterback. The Vikings are 3-4. -- They beat an injury-ravaged Seattle team that had to resort to using its third-string quaterback. The Seahawks are 2-5. -- The beat Indianapolis, which didn't have the services of its second-best offensive player in running back Joseph Addai (We all know who is the Colts' best offensive player) and was without perhaps the best strong safety in the game in Bob Sanders. The Colts are 3-4. The combined record of those aforementioned four teams that the Packers defeated is … 8-20. Horrible. On the flip side, Green Bay's three setbacks were to good teams: Dallas, Tampa Bay and Atlanta, all 5-3. Suffice to say, if the Packers want to get back to the NFC championship, much less the Super Bowl, they need to step it up.
Monday October 27, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 5:17PM CST on October 27, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
The biggest question surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks during training camp had been this: Who’ll be the team’s starting power forward? . But with the Bucks set to play their regular-season opener Tuesday night at Chicago, the biggest question now is: Who will be their starting point guard.
Since the start of training camp, Bucks coach Scott Skiles has been rather coy about the power forward situation.
Charlie Villanueva seemed the likely candidate to start, although veteran Malik Allen and rookies Joe Alexander and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute were also in the picture.
Skiles heightened the intrigue last week by saying Villanueva, who played well in the second half of last season, wasn’t a lock to start and that he wanted a defensive presence at the position, something that Allen and Mbah a Moute could offer.
But after Villanueva started the eight and final preseason game for the Bucks against the Bulls last Friday night at the United Center, Skiles praised the fourth-year pro and hinted the spot was his.
“Charlie Villanueva was looking good,’’ Skiles said.
While Skiles still hasn’t acknowledged Villanueva will start against the Bulls, Villanueva spent most of the Monday morning practice working with the first unit.
That wasn't the case with Luke Ridnour, the team's starting point guard. Ridnour, whom the Bucks acquired from Oklahoma City over the summer, was no where to be found at the Cousins Center.
Skiles said Ridnour was experiencing "tightness'' in his back and added Ridnour was "ify'' for the Chicago game.
If Ridnour can’t go, the Bucks will likely start second-year pro Ramon Sessions, who started seven games late last season after Mo Williams got hurt.
Skiles could also consider starting veteran point guard Tyron Lue, whom the team signed as a free agent over the summer.
But Lue said his preference would be to come off the bench.
In two other injury-related developments, Bucks center Andrew Bogut, who missed the last two preseason games with a sprained left ankle, returned to practice and will start against the Bulls and Allen, who has been slowed by a contusion to his left quad, also returned to practice and will be available against the Bulls.
Bogut wasn’t sure how many minutes he could play against the Bulls and was somewhat concerned about future games as well.
“It’s the type of injury that can go away and then come back,’’ said Bogut, who added his ankle was about 85 percent healthy. “We’ll see how it holds up.’’ Wednesday October 22, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 9:06PM CST on October 22, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL ST. FRANCIS — When the Milwaukee Bucks surprisingly traded Yi Jianlian to the New Jersey Nets in June, it was assumed Charlie Villanueva would inherit the starting power forward position. And that seemingly is the case. Villanueva has started all six of the Bucks’ preseason games and has acquitted himself well, especially on offense. Villanueva is averaging a team-high 14.6 points. But Villanueva hasn’t been nearly as proficient defensively and that’s why it’s not a lock he’ll be in the Bucks’ starting lineup for their regular-season opener against the Bulls Tuesday night in Chicago. Bucks coach Scott Skiles, whose team is 1-5 in the preseason, acknowledged he wants more of a defensive presence out of Villanueva, or someone else. "At the four spot ... we’re not getting any defense in that spot and that’s hurting us in the games,’’ Skiles said. "Everybody knows Charlie is a quality scorer. There’s no question about that. "But we also need defense there. We need defense at every spot on the floor. Our defensive numbers are horrible. "I’m not singling him out, but he needs to pick it up on that end and the rebounding aspect of it, too.’’ Villanueva is averaging 4.0 rebounds in 20.8 minutes a game during the preseason. His backup and chief competitor for the starting spot, Malik Allen, is averaging 3.0 rebounds in 14.8 minutes. While Allen doesn‘t possess Villanueva’s skill level, he has two things working in his favor: 1) He’s a proven veteran, having started 119 games during his seven-year pro career, including six in the playoffs, and 2) He’s got a firm grasp of Skiles’ system, having played for the latter from 2005-2007. In that span with the Bulls, Allen played 114 games and started 25 of them. Allen claims his admiration for Skiles is the principal reason he’s with the Bucks. The 30-year-old Allen was a free agent over the summer and opted to sign with the Bucks instead of New Orleans and Orlando, two teams that could go deep into the playoffs. What’s more, Allen said he took less money — $1.3 million this season and a player option of $1.3 million for next season — to sign with the Bucks and play for Skiles. "I know Scott and I think he’s a great coach,’’ said Allen, who aspires to be a coach himself after his playing days are over. "I was familiar with his system and his philosophy. "He’s what drew me here.’’ And he admits so was the prospect of starting. Unlike Miami or New Orleans, where his chances of starting were virtually non-existent, he has a decent chance to start with the Bucks. "I would love to start,’’ Allen said. "The guys at my position are very talented. Not to take anything away from them, but it’s about what makes our team the best team. "Right now, we’re still growing as a team. We’re still learning about each other and learning who plays best with each other.’’ And who plays the best defense. Tuesday October 21, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 12:04AM CST on October 21, 2008
By Gery Woelfel Nobody on the Milwaukee Bucks’ roster has a better handle on their head coach than Malik Allen. The veteran power forward played two seasons for Scott Skiles while the latter was the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. To Allen, Skiles doesn’t care if you’re a starter or scrub. He doesn’t believe in preferential treatment. "He holds guys accountable,’’ Allen said, "no matter who you are.’’ Andrew Bogut will attest to that. In a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors last week in China, Bogut, the Bucks’ starting center and former No. 1 overall draft choice, treated the game like an exhibition. By his own admission, Bogut simply didn’t come to play. And Skiles didn’t tolerate it. "I didn’t come out of the gates that well against Golden State,’’ Bogut said after Monday’s practice at the Cousins Center in St. Francis. "I missed a couple of easy shots and I made a couple of defensive mistakes on things that we talked about before the game. "I was out of the game in 2 1/2 minutes.’’ Bogut, who signed a lucrative guaranteed $60 million contract with an additional $12 million in incentives over the summer, acknowledged he deserved to be yanked from the game. Bogut realized he was, as Allen noted, held accountable. Bogut said accountability was something that was lacking at times in his previous three years with the Bucks. "I think what he did was great,’’ Bogut said of Skiles. "I was held accountable, and that was the first time I’ve been held accountable as a Milwaukee Buck. "I’m not taking anything away from anybody else (past coaches), but I definitely respected what he (Skiles) did. It was a wake-up call, that no matter who you are or what position you play, nobody’s spot is certain.’’ Bonus shots: — Veteran reserve guard Charlie Bell worked out with the team after recovering from off-season ankle surgery. Skiles was encouraged by Bell’s showing and knows Bell couldn’t be a key piece to the Bucks’ puzzle this season, especially if he plays to the same level he did two seasons ago. That’s when Bell played in all 82 games and averaged 13.5 points while shooting 44 percent from the field. Bell wasn’t nearly as good last season, averaging 7.6 points in 68 games while shooting 38 percent from the field. "If it’s the Charlie Bell from two seasons ago, he can help us an awful lot," Skiles said. "Charlie last year, by his own admission, didn’t have a very good year, on a team that didn’t have a very good year. "We need the things he can do. He can shoot the ball; he has a good head about him out there. He can do some ball handling for you. Historically, he’s been a very good defender and a very good guard rebounder. "Those are all valuable things." — Scott Williams, who was a television analyst for Bucks’ games last season, has taken a similar job with the Phoenix Suns. Tony Smith, a former Marquette University standout who played with the Bucks and later became a scout for them, appears to be the front-runner to replace Williams. — Skiles on the Bucks’ mental makeup: "Our mental toughness needs to improve greatly.’’ — Guard Damon Jones, whom the Bucks acquired in a trade with Cleveland over the summer, is still looking for a new home. With little playing time available for Jones, the Bucks and Jones reached an agreement where Jones will try to latch on with another team with the Bucks paying a portion of his $4.4 million salary. — It’s a rare occurrence to be thrown out of an exhibition game — much less in the first quarter. But that’s what happened to former Bucks and current Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mo Williams in a game against Philadelphia Saturday night. Williams, who was part of that multi-player, multi-team trade involving Jones, drew two quick technicals following a skirmish with 76ers guard Andre Miller. Williams departed with 6:06 left in the first quarter. Monday October 13, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 4:40PM CST on October 13, 2008
By Gery Woelfel
I was debating whether to write this blog because essentially it’s a waste of my time.
And it’s probably going to be a waste of your time reading it.
That’s because, when it comes to trades or free agency, Packers general manager Ted Thompson moves as quickly as a mastodon. If he moves at all.
Still, with rumors swirling that the Kansas City Chiefs are willing to trade Tony Gonzalez, their extraordinary tight end, I can’t help but wonder how he would be a godsend for the Packers.
After all, the Packers need a tight end in the worst way. Donald Lee, it’s abundantly clear, can’t cut it. And his backups – Tory Humphrey and Jermichael Finley -- are simply projects.
Gonzalez, on the other hand, may be the greatest tight end EVER. He would be the perfect complement to the Packers’ main wideouts -- Greg Jennings and Donald Driver – and at 6-2, 251-pounds, would be an imposing red-zone target for Aaron Rodgers.
The skeptics, of course, will say Gonzalez’s best days are behind him. They are the same skeptics who said Brett Favre was washed up several years ago, too.
This season Gonzalez has grabbed 21 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns. He is coming off a sensational 99-catch, 1,172-yard, five-touchdown season.
Naturally, the Chiefs want to be compensated nicely for Gonzalez and they should. Gonzalez is still an impact player.
I’d wouldn’t give the Chiefs a first-round pick, but I’d give them a second- and another late-round pick.
But, like I noted at the outset of this blog, the idea of obtaining Gonzalez before Tuesday's 3 o'clock trading deadline is merely wishful thinking -- as long as Thompson is running the show.
Friday October 10, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 1:11PM CST on October 10, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL The "Old Man'' still has it. Boy, does he. Brett Lorenzo Favre, now a graybeard by NFL standards at 39, is proving to everyone that he still can play the game. Granted, it's only four weeks into the season but, to date, Favre has been nothing short of sensational. Favre has thrown 12 touchdown passes and has had only four passes picked off. Favre's passer rating is a gaudy 110. That, folks, is the best passer rating in the entire NFL. San Diego's Philip Rivers is a distant second at 103. For those of you keeping track, Favre's successor in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, has a passer rating of 95.5. What makes Favre's highly-successful start even more impressive is that he's doing it in a radically different system from the one he had with the Packers. He's also doing it with a decent but hardly great wide receiving corps. Favre has won an unprecedented three MVP awards. He could be on his way to a fourth.
Saturday October 4, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 8:56PM CST on October 4, 2008
GERY WOELFEL You didn’t have to have 20/20 vision to see this one coming. After Green Bay Packers general manager Teddy "Bear’’ Thompson decided to take the keys to a potential Super Bowl machine from Brett Favre and give them to a raw and unproven Aaron Rodgers, everyone knew it wasn’t a question of if Rodgers was going to get hurt but when he was going to get hurt. Just four games into a 16-game regular season, Rodgers is hurt. Rodgers injured his throwing shoulder in last Sunday’s 30-21 loss to Tampa Bay. The severity of the injury isn’t really known. After the game, Rodgers said had a separated shoulder. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said it was a mere bruise. I’ll believe Rodgers. Whatever the severity of the injury, it isn’t known whether Rodgers will play today against the Atlanta "Where have you gone, Michael Vick?’’ Falcons. If Rodgers doesn’t start, or is unable play at some point in the game, the Packers will be led by Matt Flynn. This is the same Matt Flynn who brought back horrific memories of T.J. Rubley when he replaced Rodgers in last Sunday’s game. Flynn was, in a word, dreadful. He looked every bit the lowly, seventh-round pick that he was. But no one should blame Flynn for his pathetic showing. He should have never been placed in that critical situation. Rather, Thompson should have had a competent, veteran backup on hand to replace Rodgers. Thompson should have had someone like Kerry Collins, whom the Tennessee Titans turned to when Vince Young faltered. Or Kurt Warner, whom the Arizona Cardinals turned to when young Matt Leinart faltered. Both Warner and Collins are battle-tested. Both give their teams a chance. Can the same be said about Flynn? How Thompson neglected to add an experienced backup QB on his roster, especially after seeing his team nearly advance to the Super Bowl last season, is simply inexcusable.
Friday October 3, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 11:34AM CST on October 3, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL While the Milwaukee Brewers are down 2-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, they still have staunch supporters in the Milwaukee Bucks. Many of the Bucks have followed the Brewers' fortunes closely this season and are delighted to see them in postseason play for the first time in 26 years. Bucks power forward Charlie Villanueva said he's been so caught up in the excitement of the Brewers' success that he's even switched allegiances -- at least temporarily. "I've been a New York Yankees fan all my life, but I've jumped on the Brewers' bandwagon,'' Villanueva said. "I went to some of their games this season and I watched some, too. When (Ryan) Braun hit that home run (to clinch a playoff berth), he got me out of my seat. I was so excited. "The Phillies are a tough match-up, but I think the Brewers can pull it off.'' Bucks center Andrew Bogut candidly acknowledges he doesn't know much about baseball, much less the Brewers. Bogut grew up in Australia, where baseball doesn't rank high on the sports pecking order. But Bogut said he's intrigued by the hysteria surrounding the Brewers and wants them to do well. "I barely know the rules of baseball, but this is great for the fans and great for the city,'' Bogut said. 'Everybody around town is talking about them. It's been really cool. "It's great to see a small-city team do well.'' Small forward Richard Jefferson, whom the Bucks acquired in a trade with New Jersey in June, said he's pulling for the Brewers as well. But while Jefferson isn't predicting the Brewers will advance to the NLCS, he isn't dismissing the possibility After all, Jefferon fully realizes anything can happen in the playoffs. "I'm happy for the Brewers; I hope they do well,'' Jefferson said. "But nobody knows how they're going to do. We'll see. "I'm just happy they're in the playoffs.'' So is young point guard Ramon Sessions. Sessions took in some Brewers games at Miller Park this season and watched how interest in the Brewers has soared. "I"m not even into baseball, but it's been great to see the Brewers succeed,'' Sessions said. "This has been really exciting. "I was so excited to see that team tear up the locker room after they won to get into the playoffs. "I hope they keep going.'' Bucks guard Charlie Bell admitted he's got a bad case of "Brewers Fever'' and he's in no hurry to get over it, either. "It's just a great story,'' Bell said. "Twenty six years they've waited for this. "It's great for the city, great for the fans. It's been great for me watching this. I love it. "I hope they win the World Series.'' |
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