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Packers To Sign Veteran Whitney Mercilus

By Adam Roberts – 10/21/2021

It’s no secret that despite a 5-1 record, some have concerns about the Green Bay Packers long-term ability to stay competitive if the injuries keep piling up particularly on defense. While Aaron Rodgers described the season to this point in the same vein as the 2010 Super Bowl season for that reason, it is a bit worrisome looking at just how many injuries have piled up in the first six weeks of the season with the bye a lonnnnng ways away. To try and combat the rash of injuries, the Packer front office is adding some more pass-rushing help.

Green Bay is signing edge-rusher Whitney Mercilus, who was released from Houston on Tuesday. The deal was made official by the team earlier this morning. Mercilus is in his tenth season in the NFL and has registered three sacks in six games this season. Last week the team brought in Jaylon Smith from the Dallas Cowboys to add another veteran presence to the linebacking corps.

In injury news from yesterday, safety Darnell Savage and linebacker Preston Smith were two of four Packers to miss practice. The initial injury report for week seven lists cornerback Kevin King as a limited participant as he deals with a shoulder injury. Wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown also has a shoulder injury, but he was a full participant in practice.

The Packers host Washington on Sunday.

Brewers Fire Hitting Coach Andy Haines

By Adam Roberts – 10/20/2021

Well it’s safe to say the Brewers’ offseason is off to a spicy start after floundering offensively down the stretch.

Beat writer Adam McCalvy among others reports the team has fired hitting coach Andy Haines. Additionally the team has informed assistant hitting coach Jacob Cruz that he is free to pursue other opportunities.

Fans for months had been wondering if this move would come after a highly disappointing end to the year for the Brewers’ offense. In particular, people have pointed to the disappearance of Christian Yelich at the plate for the past year and a half. In the NLDS against the Braves, Milwaukee notably only scored in one of their first 29 innings.

There’s no word yet on who the Brewers might pursue to fill the spot or when a hire could be made.

Vikings Make Roster Adjustments

By Adam Roberts – 10/20/2021

After last week’s overtime walk-off win against Carolina, the Minnesota Vikings are likely starting to feel better about their 2021 season than they did at the start of the campaign. And with a week off this week, the team’s front office took some time to realign their running back corps.

Dalvin Cook got 140 yards against the Panthers, but admitted afterwards he felt very tired, so that spot on the roster is very important to have a little depth. So today the Vikings are switching up the bottom of their running back depth chart.

Minnesota designated rookie running back Kene Nwangwu to return from injured reserve and released Ameer Abdullah. Nwangwu hasn’t seen any regular season action with the Purple this season after being taken in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft. Ameer Abdullah has rushed for 30 yards on seven carries, and he’s caught three passes for 17 yards this year.

Cook has dealt with his lingering ankle injury these last few weeks, though he says when the team plays next he should be a full-go. The Vikings return to action in a big Halloween night showdown at U.S. Bank Stadium against Dak Prescott, Zeke, and the Dallas Cowboys.

Bucks Beat Nets 127-104 In Season Opener

By Adam Roberts – 10/19/2021

On a night when some wondered whether the Milwaukee Bucks would be victims of the moment and get caught up in the celebration of unveiling a championship banner and handing out rings, that couldn’t have been further from what happened on the court.

Giannis had a double-double with 32 and 14, Khris Middleton added 20 points, and Pat Connaughton and Jordan Nwora were solid off the bench in a 127-104 opening night win over the Brooklyn Nets. Defensively the two Nets giving the Bucks the most grief appeared to be Kevin Durant with an unsurprising 32-11 night and Patty Mills who was a perfect 7-7 from three.

Kyrie Irving was notably absent tonight as he and the team continue to be at an impasse over his vaccine refusal. James Harden had 20 in 31 minutes of action.

Offensively, the Bucks shot 45.7% from the field and 37.8 from three. Free throws were pretty even between the two teams with Giannis hitting seven of nine.

In injury news, Jrue Holiday did not play in the second half after suffering a right heel contusion. No word yet on his status going forward, but it

Milwaukee next travels to Miami on Thursday.

Tim Harris, Greg Jennings To Be Inducted Into Packers’ Hall of Fame

By Adam Roberts – 10/19/2021

Though some may not be his biggest fans during his time off the field, the abilities of former Packer wide receiver Greg Jennings are indisputable. The second rounder from Western Michigan recorded 53 touchdowns during his seven year Packers’ career, including two critical ones in Super Bowl XLV, and was a great first or second option for both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

For his efforts, he will be enshrined into Packers’ immortality next year along with an 80s linebacker who is in essence the definition of an American football success story.

Jennings and Tim Harris will be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame next September. While Jennings’s story is well known by most modern fans, some might forget about the impact of the 1986 fourth-round OLB from Memphis State. Upon his arrival to Green Bay, it became evident that his pass protection was less than stellar, something which Harris notes then-head coach Forrest Gregg made very clear from the beginning. In response, Harris made pass rush his bread and butter; his 55 sacks in five years are the fourth-highest in team history and the 19.5 he recorded in a Pro Bowl 1989 season are still the highest single-season total in franchise history.

The enshrinement will be September 1st, 2022 at the Packer Hall of Fame facility.

Brewers Deny Mets Permission To Speak To GM David Stearns

By Adam Roberts – 10/18/2021

Every Wednesday afternoon during the football season, I set aside some time in my busy production/writing/recording schedule to take in the work of Youtuber UrinatingTree‘s “This Week In Sportsball” videos summarizing the previous week of NFL football (they’re highly entertaining btw and I recommend checking them out starting with this video on the Packers-Bengals game). But UTree isn’t just limited to football, also offering his comedy and insight into the other big sports as well. One of his favorites is baseball, and while he’s an equal opportunity offender he takes great pride anytime he can lambast the New York Mets, or “LolMets”.

Today provided a very LolMet moment, with the team being denied permission to speak to Brewers general manager David Stearns for the opening in New York. This in and of itself isn’t a really LolMet kind of moment, since it was Brewers’ owner Mark Attanasio who denied the Mets a chance to talk with Stearns as he has every right to do. But when you consider that earlier today Oakland executive VP of baseball operations Billy Beane publicly said he was withdrawing from interest and Theo Epstein already was out of the running after talking to team owner Steve Cohen, it’s looking more and more like the Mets are running out of options and could have to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

It is known that Stearns grew up a Mets fan and was briefly employed by the team early on in his baseball career, but with the recent run of measured success in Milwaukee, Attanasio would have been a fool not to flex his owner’s muscles in this situation.

Stearns has one final year guaranteed in his contract.

Badgers’ KR Devin Chandler Enters Transfer Portal

By Adam Roberts – 10/18/2021

Those that follow college sports, specifically Division One sports, know that we have officially entered the “Transfer Portal Era”, where loyalty to one school/program has been rendered obsolete in the face of pseudo-free agency that has made its way into the sport.

It affects every school across the country, and yes that does include Wisconsin.

The 3-3 Badgers will need to find a new kick returner after Evan Flood from 247sports reported that Devin Chandler has entered the transfer portal. Chandler has been involved in four kickoff returns included one for 12 yards in the 20-14 Wisconsin win over Army last Saturday. While his offensive snaps have been limited, he has made at least an appearance in all six games this season.

Wisconsin hits the road this week to face a good #25 Purdue team that just upset formerly second-ranked Iowa on the road last weekend. Coverage from West Lafayette begins at Noon Saturday on ESPN La Crosse 105.5 and locally at espnlacrosse.com, your official Badger station!

Packers Beat Bears For Fifth Straight Win; Deal With More Injuries

By Adam Roberts – 10/18/2021

In case you didn’t know, it would appear that the majority owner of the Chicago Bears franchise is not, in fact, Virginia Halas McCaskey.

In actuality, it appears to be Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers quarterback scored a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter to seal a 24-14 Packers, and then let the lower bowl know just who is the Bears’ owner. Afterwards, Rodgers would attribute the outburst to “blacking out” and the plethora of middle fingers pointed in his direction. If you seek evidence of Rodgers’s “ownage” of Chicago, he is now 22-5 against the Bears including the postseason.

Rodgers also passed for 195 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay’s fifth straight win. Aaron Jones had 110 total yards and a receiving touchdown. On defense, the Packers registered four sacks and an interception against Justin Fields.

In more unfortunate news, the injury bug continues to be a nagging problem for Green Bay, with three more big names leaving the game and not returning yesterday. Safety Darnell Savage, who made the interception of Fields, suffered a concussion at the start of the third quarter, center Josh Myers was dealt a knee injury in his first game back, and linebacker Preston Smith was sent off the field with an oblique injury. Of the three, it appears Myers got the luckiest; head coach Matt LaFleur said after the game the medical staff don’t think the injury is season-ending.

The Packers are in first place in the NFC North with a 5-and-1 record. Green Bay will host Washington on Sunday.

Packers Injury News: C Myers Full Participant At Practice Today; OL Jenkins Questionable; CB Kevin King Out

By Adam Roberts – 10/15/2021

The grab-bag nature of the Packers’ offensive line these last few weeks has actually worked out fairly well, but many are likely eager to see the best five back on the field again.

Signs today at practice point to that being closer to reality this week.

The injury report this afternoon indicated rookie center Josh Myers was once again a full participant at practice today. He appears set to return after missing last week against the Bengals with a finger injury. Meanwhile fellow lineman Elgton Jenkins was officially listed as questionable today after limited practice work once again.

Additionally, wide receiver Malik Taylor, while listed as questionable, was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list today. Taylor was not at practice this afternoon.

Also cornerback Kevin King officially was ruled out today as he continues dealing with a shoulder injury. The only other Packer with an injury designation today was tackle Dennis Kelly; he is doubtful with a back injury.

Aquinas’s Danica Silcox, Viroqua Doubles Team Fall At State Tennis

By Adam Roberts – 10/15/2021

The road has ended for the final three Coulee Region athletes competing at the WIAA State Tennis Tournament in Madison this week.

Earlier today, Aquinas’s Danica Silcox fought hard in the second set against fellow sophomore Jessica Jacobson from Catholic Memorial, but the sixth-seeded singles athlete was too much to handle and Silcox fell 6-1, 7-5. She finishes her still highly impressive sophomore season 21-4.

In doubles action, Viroqua seniors Cammie Leer and Anneka Cress won a hard fought match in round 1 against the Sheboygan Falls senior duo of Claire Liebe and Rianna Krist, but against fourth-seeded JJ Krohn and Lexi Kass of Brookfield Academy the difference was clear in a 6-0, 6-1 defeat. The Blackhawk duo finishes 14-3 for 2021.

Don’t forget Week Nine of the high school football season continues tonight on ESPN La Crosse 105.5 and espnlacrosse.com as Holmen fights for their postseason lives against West Salem.