By Adam Roberts – 7/22/2021

The newest WIAA associate director has a Coulee Region connection.

Mel Dow will take over for Wade Labecki, who will be retiring from the position effective September 1st.

Dow has served as the athletics and activities director in the Stoughton School District since 2010. He attended UW-La Crosse and received a bachelor of science degree in exercise and sports science in 1997 followed by a master’s in education in 2002.

“Mel’s passion, work ethic and vision for interscholastic athletics will enhance the service that our WIAA team provides to the member schools and student-athletes,” Executive Director Stephanie Hauser said.  “I am confident that he will embrace this new challenge as an opportunity to make a positive difference, and we can’t wait to have him here on staff with us to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

Dow also served as an assistant wrestling coach at UWL during the 1999-2000 season.

By Adam Roberts – 7/21/2021

The Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony is set for Friday and we now know who will serve as flag bearers for the U.S. delegation. Veteran women’s basketball star Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm says she has an idea what it will be like.

Joining her will be Major League Baseball infielder Eddy Alvarez. Both are familiar with the Games, Bird is the owner of four gold medals she’s won with Team USA since 2004.

Alvarez scored a silver medal in speedskating at the 2014 Winter Olympics before joining the Miami Marlins. In the past, just one person has been selected as flag bearer, but this year the International Olympic Committee urged each country to appoint one male and one female as a symbol of gender equality. The IOC vowed that this will be “the first gender-equal Olympic Games ever.”

Of course the news this week pertaining to the Olympics has mostly circulated around COVID spread and the possibility of the games’ cancellation. As of right now the games are on as planned, with some softball and soccer games already in the books ahead of Friday’s ceremony.

By Adam Roberts – 7/21/2021

In 2013, a skinny kid from Greece was selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Draft. That kid was a relative unknown even withing knowledgeable basketball circles, and few expected him to turn into a force to be reckoned with in the league. In fact, even the local market struggled to pronounce his last name. I know that as a college kid passively following the Bucks at the time, I had never heard of a guy named, erm, Yee-ah-nus Ahn-teh-tuh-ku-noom-pouo? Gee-ah-nis Ah-te-kuh-num-poh?

Eight years later, Giannis Antetokoumnpo has etched his name into the long and storied history of Wisconsin sports legends with another piece of hardware to add to a growing list of accolades.

The Bucks are NBA champions for the first time in 50 years after beating the Suns 105-98 in Game Six of the NBA Finals in Milwaukee. Giannis went off for 50 points and 14 rebounds, earning NBA Finals MVP honors. The Greek Freak is just the seventh player all-time to score 50 or more in the Finals. The Bucks also become just the fifth team to win a title after trailing 2-0 in the Finals. It’s just their second championship and first since 1971. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday were each double figure scorers, and while they didn’t explode in the points column they were contributors in other ways and Middleton DID have a clutch shot late. Holiday also defended well again against Devin Booker and had 11 assists and nine rebounds to go with his 12 points. Bobby Portis also continued his rise to the status of folk hero with 16 points off the bench.

It was also a historic evening outside the arena last night. More than 65-thousand fans crowded into the Deer District, and the whole area erupted in celebration when the Bucks won it. Milwaukee asked for, and the governor gave them, 150 National Guard troops to help direct traffic and manage the crowds. There were lots of reports of celebrations, but no reports of any damage or rioting.

However, three people are recovering after being shot around North Water Street downtown during the celebration. A suspect is under arrest after a 22-year-old man was wounded in one shooting overnight as thousands of fans poured into the streets to celebrate the Bucks’ 105-98 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Authorities say two other people were wounded in another incident at the exact same time. No arrests yet in that case. Police say they are looking into the circumstances around both shootings.

As for the victory parade in Milwaukee, team president Peter Feigin did say this week on The Wendy’s Big Show the plan is to celebrate both this year’s champions and the 1971 Bucks champs, who were never truly given any kind of celebration by the city when they swept the Baltimore Bullets. Feigin also told WTMJ in Milwaukee the parade is being planned for Thursday.

In any case, the real story today should be the path this team has taken over the last fifty years to get to this point. From falling off the top the world after Kareem goes to LA, to getting close but never to the top in the 1980s. From struggling through the 90s and then once again getting close but not quite there in 2001. From the dark years of mediocrity last decade and the 15 win season in 2013-14. From dealing with the real threat of relocation before Fiserv could be secured and another bout of close but no cigar over the last few years. To now, on July 21st, 2021, where the Bucks sit atop a league where many never gave them a chance. A league where many expected their superstar to bolt and join a super team to get a ring.

To quote Bucks play-by-play announcer Ted Davis: “Wisconsin, we’ve got a room at the top of the world tonight!” Somewhere this morning, Brandon Jennings is smiling as he overlooks the Milwaukee skyline and says quietly to himself…

“Bucks In Six”

By Adam Roberts – 7/202021

The Mitch Olson era has begun at Central High School.

Olson was named the Riverhawks’ newest head football coach this morning by athletic director Mark Ambrose. He takes over for Tony Servais, the school’s new dean of students.

But it shouldn’t be too difficult of a transition; Olson served as the Riverhawks’ defensive coordinator last season, his sixth with the program. On the offensive side of the ball, Olson will also inherit senior quarterback Mason Herlitzke, a running back in 2019 that in his first season as quarterback last spring threw for 803 yards, nine touchdowns, and completed 62% of his passes in six games played. Herlitzke has attracted some attention from recruiters at the D2, D3, and NAIA levels and is Wissports.net’s 11th ranked quarterback of the senior class.

The Riverhawks open the season at Roger Harring Stadium August 19th against Eau Claire North.

By Adam Roberts – 7/19/2021

Speaking as someone who has partaken in the fun of the Deer District this postseason, I can say wholeheartedly the experience was worth the 3.5 hour drive there and the 2.75 hour drive back early the following morning to work. Having remembered the days of nosebleed seats at the Bradley Center and top athletes from other teams being the main draw only for them to sit out Bucks’ games, the complete 180 from those days that has built up over the last few years has been remarkable to see.

Now combine the ludicrous prices for tickets to tomorrow night’s Game Six of the NBA Finals plus the prospect of a historic opportunity for the home team, and that area will be rocking on a whole ‘nother level tomorrow night. So much so that more space will be needed to accommodate the insanity.

Bucks team president Peter Feigin was on WSSP 1250 The Fan in Milwaukee today saying the Deer District will be expanding for tomorrow night’s game. To quote Wendy’s Big Show executive producer Dan Plocher’s tweet today: “The Deer District will expand another 5 acres to accommodate for another 15,000 people. We are forging new ground for an excess of 40,000-50,000 people.”

Now when I was there, the Bucks had just expanded the district to the south side of Fiserv where the Bradley Center used to stand, and it was about 50% full for Game Three. I don’t know where the extra space will come from, but it should be a welcome sign for anybody who can’t afford to shell out four figures for a top-of-the-arena seat (though I’ve sat in those seats in Fiserv, and it really is true that there isn’t a bad seat in the house).

Also don’t forget, our coverage tomorrow night from Milwaukee begins at 7pm on ESPN La Crosse 105.5 and espnlacrosse.com!