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The Woelfel World of Sports
October 2009
Friday October 23, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 10:25PM CST on October 23, 2009
GERY WOELFEL Don't expect the Milwaukee Bucks to reap immediate dividends after radically revamping their roster during the offseason. At least, that's the opinion of numerous roundball pundits around the country. The Bucks, in an attempt to gain roster and salary-cap flexibility, lost three starters over the summer: Veteran starting small forward Richard Jefferson was dealt to San Antonio, and starting power forward Charlie Villanueva and starting point guard Ramon Sessions moved on to Detroit and Minnesota, respectively, via free agency. The Bucks are expected to have eight new players on their regular-season roster. The new-look Bucks aren't looking too good to many scribes. Consider: * Lindy's Pro Basketball magazine predicts the Bucks will finish last in the five-team Central Division. * Sports Illustrated magazine ranks the Bucks 15th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference. * Sporting News magazine projects a fourth-place finish for the Bucks in the Central Division. * ESPN magazine lists the Bucks as the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference, just in front of New Jersey. * ESPN's Bill Simmons envisions the Bucks posting a 19-63 record. The only team that will win fewer games, according to Simmons, is Sacramento. Simmons sees the Kings going 15-67. The oddsmakers aren't exactly on the Bucks' bandwagon, either. The over-under in Las Vegas on the number of Bucks' wins is 25.5, and Bodog.com gives the Bucks' odds of winning the 2010 NBA championship at 150/1 -- the worst odds of the 30 NBA teams. And my prediction? I expect the Bucks to win 30 games and finish third in the Central Division behind Cleveland and Chicago and ahead of Detroit and Indiana. Thursday October 22, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 10:25AM CST on October 22, 2009
GERY WOELFEL Joe Alexander seemingly can't catch a break. Alexander, the Milwaukee Bucks' 2008 Lottery pick, who has been sidelined all preseason with a right hamstring injury, is expected to be sidelined now for approximately eight -to-12 more weeks. Alexander recently got a second opinion from a doctor on the Green Packers medical team and the news wasn't enouraging. Bucks officials have said Alexander has a strained hamstring, although it is now believed the hamstring is at partially torn. "It's definitely tough anytime you're not on the court, but you can't think about that all the time,'' Alexander said. "All you can think about is what you have to do to get better.'' Alexander had a bitterly disappointing rookie season after being the eighth overall pick in the draft. He played in 59 games last season but didn't start any of them. He wound up averaging 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. Alexander worked hard during the offseason and played well in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He appeared to be making noticeable progress in at least breaking into the Bucks' rotation this season. But then Alexander suffered his hamstring injury just prior to the start of training camp and has been virtually an observer during training camp. "I feel for Joe,'' Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "He had a very good summer. It's a big setback for him.'' Despite the setback, Alexander said the injury shouldn't affect his contractual situation. The Bucks have until the end of the month to decide whether to pick up the option for his third season. "Absolutely not,'' Alexander said. "A hamstring injury is a very temporary problem whereas extending my contract has to do with what will happen in the next four or five years. "When if you put that against what is happening to me in the next month, this hamstring thing is a very small issue. "So I don't think it should affect the contract decision, and I don't think it will.''
Wednesday October 7, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 10:42PM CST on October 7, 2009
GERY WOELFEL It has become painfully obvious Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson has a radically different draft philosophy than his predecessor Ron Wolf. When Wolf brilliantly ran the Packers football operations, he made it a priority to draft offensive linemen. In fact, Wolf consistently used high draft picks to select such quality offensive linemen as Chad Clifton and Mike Flanagan and Aaron Taylor and Earl Dotson. Wolf also chose another highly-productive offensive lineman, Mike Wahle, in the second round of the 1998 supplemental draft. Thompson, meanwhile, has refrained from using high draft picks on offensive linemen. Thompson has overseen five drafts in Green Bay and has secured 18 players in the first three rounds. In those five years, Thompson never expended a first-round pick on an offensive lineman. He has used only one second-round pick -- Daryn Colledge in 2006 -- and just one third-round pick -- Jason Spitz in 2006 -- on an offensive lineman. Now, do you understand why the Packers offensive line is so offensive? Thursday October 1, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 11:01PM CST on October 1, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL Monday night's NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings will likely be the most anticipated one of the regular season. It may be the most anticipated game of the entire season, including the Super Bowl. And we have Brett Favre to thank for that. If Favre had gone into retirement, like so many perturbed Packers fans had desired, this Packers-Vikings grudge match would still be an entertaining affair. After all, the admiration these teams harbor for the other resembles that of Hatfields for the McCoys. But Favre's imposing presence takes this game to a whole different level. His decision to sign with the Vikings during training camp may have been the most sacrilegious act ever in PackersNation. Can you image Bart Starr ever doing such a despicable thing? Can you image Vincent Lombardi ever coaching another team? Never mind! Favre's presence in this early-season showdown between NFC North Division powers creates countless storylines. Like: * What kind of game will Favre's successor in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, have? * What will be running through the collective minds of Packers GM Ted Thompson and Packers coach Mike "the train has left the station'' McCarthy if Favre scorches the green and gold? * What will Favre say to the media if he stubs his toes? * Is there a bounty out on Favre? * Who will be the first Packer to sack Favre? And will he given a game ball for it? * Will Favre shake hands and embrace McCarthy before the game -- like Favre did when he faced the his old coach Mike Holmgren and the Seattle Seahawks for the first time? * If Favre scores a touchdown, will he hightail out of the end zone and do the Lambeau Leap? * How many times will the TV cameras zoom in on Deanna? I don't know about you, but this game can't start soon enough. |
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