Let me preface this by saying, I’m not into knee jerk reactions.

However, since we’ve seen the speculation about the new Big Ten football divisions for weeks, I’ve had plenty of time to digest what might happen.  Once one of those scenarios came to pass tonight, my opinion had already been formed for weeks.  And, as it usually goes with the NCAA and the Big Ten, my opinion is that (to quote John Lovitz in ‘The Critic’): it stinks!

In the interest of full disclosure, I’m an Ohio State graduate.  Hence, for me, there was only one right answer where the much-ballyhooed OSU-Michigan debate was concerned.  The two rivals must be placed in the same division and continue to play each other at the end of every regular season.  This did not happen.  Since I doubt anyone reading this blog cares too much more about that topic, I’ll digress.

However, if I’m a Wisconsin fan…I’m equally peaved at Jim Delany and company.  At one point in this process, the outside appearance was the Barry Alvarez had some serious pull in these discussions.  Now, I’m not so sure that Mr. Alvarez didn’t do something to make Mr. Delany mad!  Wisconsin not only got thrust into the tougher division (although I think they’re pretty equal), but they also got separated from all of their rivals.  Obviously, the Paul Bunyan’s Axe game against Minnesota was indispensable…and the teams will meet every single season as “protected cross-over rivals.”  But if I was to conjure up a list of the other teams Wisconsin wants to play every year, the next 3 out of the chute would be Iowa, Michigan, and Nebraska.  Even Northwestern seems to have a decent mini-rivalry with the Badgers, at least as of late.  Yet every school that I’ve named in those last 3 sentences is in the opposite division from the Badgers. 

The league also released the conference schedules for 2011 and 2012 on Wednesday.  Indeed, neither Iowa nor Michigan appears on the UW slate.  The only consolation for Bucky is that he gets to host Nebraska’s first-ever Big Ten game (Oct. 1, 2011).  That’s it.  After 2012, the Huskers could transition off the schedule for several years.

Although I am opposed to a championship game, I was pleasantly surprised when the conference added Nebraska this summer.  Since expansion and an accompanying title tilt seemed inevitable, I thought, “hey, maybe the league officials know what they’re doing after all.”  Then 10 seconds later I thought, “but I’m sure they’ll screw it up when they make the divisions.”  Good to see that my cynicism was right-on once again!

Posted under College Sports, Sports

Yesterday, the WIAA Board of Control approved 3 major changes to the high school football and basketball seasons.  One of them was a no-brainer, as far as I’m concerned.  I was blown away when I first moved to Wisconsin and found that some teams had to play 3 football games in 10 days at the end of the regular season/start of the postseason.  That’s too much…period.  Why would we subject our kids to the increased workload and chance of injury?  We don’t ask college or pro athletes to do this…and they’re getting paid!  (well, only some of the college kids are getting paid, wink wink, but the rest ARE getting scholarships, etc.)  The WIAA was determined to change the practice and I applaud them on the decision.  They chose to do so by moving the start of the season up 5 days.  I think that was probably the best of the proposals.  I know I didn’t want them to eliminate a regular season game.  I like football way too much to see the season get shorter!

Another move by the WIAA on Thursday was to approve several conference changes for football only.  Big picture, I am against “football-only” conference alignments.  Mainly, this is because I am a sports nerd and like to have everything neatly organized.  Secondarily, it’s because it makes my job a little more confusing, remembering what is a conference game in one sport may not be in another.  However, sacrifices must be made to eliminate problems in scheduling and travel, so I guess if the schools are happy with the new lay-out, then I am too!  I will say this: stop with the shifting.  In the short time I’ve been here, I have heard a lot about teams moving (and having recently moved) into and out of conferences.  Pick one and stay put.  I’m getting tired of it at the college level and have no patience for it in my high schools!  Conference rivalries are one of the things that make sports great.  A constantly shifting landscape is not good for athletics.

Finally, the most-debated move made by the WIAA this week was to add a 5th division for the state basketball tournaments.  It’s funny that this is the hot-button issue for those involved, yet it’s the one change that I can’t really form an opinion on.  I guess when something doesn’t effect you at all, it’s natural to be lukewarm on it.  Most coaches who either love or hate the move do so because of how it will effect their team’s chances at reaching the state tournament.  I’m not affiliated with any team.  Most non-affiliated fans who love or hate the move hinge their opinion on the amount of division one basketball that will now be played on the state’s biggest stage.  I like the small school games as much as I do the big school contests.  Really, the only way this effects me is by giving us one less game to produce on our statewide telecasts of the state tournaments!  Those weekends are so busy that one game either way isn’t going to make a big difference.

That’s my 2 cents.  What do you think?

Posted under High School Sports, Sports

After Wednesday’s state semifinal win over Elk Mound, Marathon baseball coach Steve Warren referenced how his squad had worked as a team all year and how they never really relied on one star player.  The comment seemed to be strange in it’s timing, as Red Raiders junior Cody Hanke had just thrown a complete game 3-hitter with 4 strikeouts…and added a 4-for-4 performance with 2 RBI at the dish. 

There is little doubt that Hanke is this team’s star.  The Marawood South player of the year finished league play with a 9-0 record and a 0.14 ERA.  He struck out 76 batters in 51 innings of work. 

However, after stepping back and looking at the big picture following Marathon’s championship game victory over Aquinas, I can see that Warren was right.  Sure, Hanke is the team’s star.  But this squad gets contributions from so many players that the stat book still shows a team effort. 

You need look no further than the very same pitching mound at Fox Cities Stadium to start proving this point.  One day after Hanke’s performance, Nick Blume pitched a complete game for the Raiders in their championship win.  He also had a division 3 state championship game record 5 hits and drove in a pair of runs at the plate.  Throughout the post-season, the Raiders got big performances from all the usual suspects: Koleman Schilling, Will Reiche, the Krautkramers (Ryan and Ben), Cole Petersen, and Josh Ahles.  The list is long and impressive…and it illustrates Coach Warren’s point.  Every member of the Raiders roster, and I didn’t name them all, can celebrate his role in bringing the school’s 3rd state baseball championship back to Marathon.

Posted under High School Sports, Sports

Nebraska alum and Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez isn’t the only one that’s thrilled with the addition of Big Red to the Big Ten.  Count me amongst the fans of this league that consider the Cornhuskers a solid addition.

Even though conference expansion (whether anyone will admit it or not) is all about football, I like to use baseball terms in describing the scenario.  To me, only one of the schools in the expansion rumor mill is a “homerun” addition…and that is Texas.  I consider Notre Dame to be a triple, even though they haven’t been a consistent football power in 20 years.  That makes Nebraska a good, strong double in my scorebook.  The league probably gets an RBI or 2 out of it, as well!

The Huskers bring a football-crazy fan base that makes them a natural fit in the Big Ten.  They have one of the most storied histories in the sport.  Plus, most would agree that former Packers assistant Bo Pelini (a Big Ten boy out of Ohio State, himself) has Nebraska back on the road to relevance.  The men’s basketball team should get nice and cozy in the conference cellar, but the school does bring along a good reputation in several non-revenue sports such as women’s volleyball, gymnastics, baseball, softball, and bowling.  Add into the mix that the academics appear to be in line with the Big Ten average, and I don’t see any way the league’s presidents could have turned the Huskers down.

Plus, any school who’s mascot was at one point the “Mankilling Mastodons” is alright in my book!

So, maybe the Big Ten is set at an even dozen schools.  Maybe they put up a bunch of runs later in the inning by adding Texas, Notre Dame, and possibly 2 others.  Or maybe expansion takes them east instead.  In a college football world that looks much different today (or, technically in July of 2011) than it did yesterday morning, it’s hard to guess what’s next.  After all, in just the last 24+ hours…Nebraska joined the Big Ten, Colorado joined the Pac 10, and Boise State jumped to the Mountain West.  I wait with baited breath to see who becomes the next domino to fall.

Posted under College Sports, Sports

Wow!  Talk about a story that transcends the sports segment of your nightly news. 

The announcement just came down that commissioner Bud Selig will not overturn the call and award Galarraga with the perfect game that he earned.  I understand that doing so sets a dangerous precedent, but taking this as a single case…I wish Selig would give the kid what he deserves.  It’s not enough for him, this coming offseason, to institute an expansion of the replay rules to include end-of-game scenarios…which I’m almost sure he’ll have to do.  That doesn’t help this player recapture his once-in-a-lifetime moment.

I am also thrilled at Joyce’s reaction to all this.  In a pro sports world where officials rarely own up to mistakes, Joyce immediately owned this one.  He seems truly remorseful and even distraught over his mistake.  In fact, it seems that he is taking it much harder than even Galarraga.  It doesn’t correct his screw-up, but it speaks to his character as a human being who is allowed to make a mistake.  It’s too bad his latest mistake happened at such a historic juncture.

Finally, what in the world is going on with this baseball season?  In just 2 months, we’ve already had 2 (should be 3) perfect games, a no-hitter, a player hit for the cycle, and multiple inside-the-park homeruns…and now, one more major controversy.

Posted under MLB, Sports

I’m looking forward to a great regional baseball final in Stevens Point this afternoon, if this rain doesn’t cause a postponement!  (update: the game was rained out and rescheduled for Thursday, June 3 at 7:30pm.)  When top-seeded Pacelli hosts #2-seed Marathon, it’ll be a clash of 2 of the top-5 ranked teams in the baseball coaches poll.  In fact, these two teams are so evenly-matched, on paper, that 2 rounds of voting at the seed meeting didn’t decide who should be the top seed.  Instead, I’m told by Pacelli assistant coach Kermit Wallin that it ended up being a coin flip that finally differentiated between the two squads.  That fateful flip gives Pacelli homefield advantage.  We’ll see if that helps decide the outcome. 

(update: we’ve also been told the Newman at Rosholt regional final has been postponed until June 3 at 4:30pm)

Posted under High School Sports, Sports

I borrow a title from Minneapolis supergroup Golden Smog because homegrown hero Joe Mauer raced home on a sacrifice fly to spoil the Brewers comeback.

The Twins again loaded the bases, this time with no outs in the bottom of the 12th inning.  Unlike the past 2 occurrences, this one did in the Brew Crew.  After getting Alexi Casilla (who fits the theme of Minnesota musical greats because he was an injury “Replacement” today) on a force at the dish, Jason Kubel provided the game-winning sacrifice fly to score Mauer and end it.

Posted under MLB, Sports

In case bottom 9…bases loaded…wasn’t good enough, the Brewers bullpen loads the bags in the bottom of the 10th as well.  This time Corey Hart robs Delmon Young of a game-winner at the wall.  The largest crowd in the (short) history of Target Field is getting their money’s worth!

Posted under MLB, Sports

Naturally, the Twins get one back in the bottom of the 9th.  Let’s be honest, the way the Brewers are going right now, we’re all surprised they got out of that bases-loaded situation (and did so with at least a couple of feet to spare!)  It’s a nice evening at a beauty new ballpark.  Why not stay a while?!?

Posted under MLB, Sports

After the homestanding Twins put up a 4-run 1st inning…the Brewers save their best for last and score 5 in the 9th to take a 7-6 lead!  Fitting that a guy named “Prince” scored the go-ahead run (busting it from 1st base, by the way!) in Minneapolis.  We’ll see if there’s a “Dylan” or a “Westerberg” on the Minnesota bench now.   Runners at the corners with no outs in the bottom of the frame.

Posted under MLB, Sports