ESPN La Crosse 105.5

Brewers Hit Four HRs; Defeat Arizona 7-4

By Adam Roberts – 6/4/2021

Talk to any athlete, and ask them about how particular they are about their gear. Chances are most would be reluctant midway through the season to use a completely new piece of equipment as integral to the game as a baseball bat is to a ballplayer.

But Brewers’ outfielder Christian Yelich decided to give it a try last night against Arizona, switching out his black bat for a blonde and taking a third inning pitch for a ride into right field. The three-run homer was the difference ultimately in a 7-4 Milwaukee win that also featured home runs by Jackie Bradley Jr. Avisail Garcia, and birthday boy Luis Urias.

On the mound, Brent Suter got the win in relief for Brett Anderson, who gave up three runs in 4 1/3 innings. Josh Hader posted his 13th save in 13 attempts this year.

Second baseman Kolten Wong did leave the game in the fourth inning with oblique discomfort. The left oblique is the same spot that sent Wong to the IL back in April.

The series continues tonight, with Freddy Peralta starting against Matt Peacock.

NFL To Drop Race Bias In Concussion Claims

By Adam Roberts – 6/3/2021

The past year has seen a rise in calls for racial and social justice the scale of which hasn’t really been seen before this millennium. Last summer’s racial protests were probably the second biggest story of the year behind COVID, and the conversation has crossed into many areas of our everyday lives, sports included. And with the rise in conversation, old ways of thinking and processes are being challenged.

In line with this, the NFL says it will stop settling concussion lawsuits using a racially-biased formula.

The league was sued by two Black former players who claimed white players had a better chance of winning concussion settlements because Black players were assumed to have lower levels of cognitive function. The two Black players had been refused payouts by the NFL under a billion-dollar settlement for brain injuries, and launched a civil lawsuit over so-called “race-norming.”

The lawsuit was dismissed in March, and a judge ordered the NFL to negotiate a settlement with the players. The league pledged yesterday to halt the use of “race-norming.” The judge also called for a full report on the racial bias allegations, which one of the Black players called “classic systemic racism.”

USFL To Return In Spring of 2022

By Adam Roberts – 6/3/2021

If you feel like you haven’t gotten your proper fix of the Memphis Showboats these past 36 years, I’ve got some good news for you.

The United States Football League is coming back!

The USFL was created in 1983 and was meant to compete with the NFL, but folded in 1986 largely due to trying to compete directly with the NFL in the fall. USFL officials announced today it will return in the Spring of 2022 with a minimum of eight teams and will have the rights to old team names, including the New Jersey Generals and Oakland Invaders. At the time, the New Jersey Generals majority owner was former President Trump.

Games will air on FOX Sports, and more details on what the league will look like and where teams will be is still to be determined. One thing that will also remain the same from the previous iteration of the league will be its red, white, and blue stars-and-stripes logo.

As for the XFL, plans for it’s revival of the revival are still in flux as negotiations with the CFL remain ongoing.

Loggers Win Season Opener Vs Minnesota

By Adam Roberts – 6/3/2021

In front of a crowd just shy of 2,200 people, the La Crosse Loggers arrived home to Copeland Park prepared to capture their first win of the 2021 regular season.

To do so, they’d need to get a couple of clutch hits. Those hits came from Ronald Sweeny III and Kyle Casper, who’s two solo shots proved the difference in a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Mud Puppies. Sweeny’s home run in the third tied the game at 1, then after giving up three to the visitors in the sixth, La Crosse would score the winning run in the eighth on a sac fly from JT Reed to bring in Darrian Escobar-Winter.

With the win, La Crosse improves to 1-2 on the season with the series finale tonight at Copeland Park.

Chris McIntosh Confirmed As Wisconsin Athletic Director

By Adam Roberts – 6/2/2021

The heir apparent to Barry Alvarez as athletic director for the University of Wisconsin has been officially granted the title.

Chris McIntosh was named today to replace long-time A-D Barry Alvarez. Since 2017, McIntosh has overseen the athletic department’s day-to-day operations, student-athlete recruiting, business development, human resources and strategic planning. McIntosh also played football for Wisconsin, and was a team captain for the Badgers’ 1999 and 2000 Rose Bowl teams.

Barry Alvarez announced his retirement earlier this year, and will officially vacate the position at the end of the month. McIntosh was officially welcomed by UW chancellor Rebecca Blank and Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren today in Madison.

Packers OTAs Continue; Rodgers and Starting Receivers Still Not Present

By Adam Roberts – 6/2/2021

It sure is fun to keep up to date on the latest in the Aaron Rodgers situation! So much fun!

Anyway, today the Packers continued their voluntary organized team activities in Green Bay, with many of the previously missing names still not present. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky tweeted the full list of today’s no-shows including: Rodgers, Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, Devin Funchess, Elgton Jenkins, Jaire Alexander, Ka’dar Hollman, and Stanford Samuels.

As for players getting some practice today, left tackle David Bakhtiari was in the rehab group with Josiah Deguara, and all the media members present seemed to concur that it didn’t appear like his mobility was limited at all by any ACL injury. Cornerback Kevin King was also working out today.

The quarterback group was once again composed of Jordan Love, Kurt Benkert, and Blake Bortles. Notably, it appears as though Love has picked up a little trick of the trade from Rodgers as he was working on the hard count and drew a few players offsides.

The next Packer OTA will kick off on Friday, and it will be final voluntary workout before a very interesting mandatory minicamp starting June 8th.

Tennis’s Pledge To Address Mental Health Provides An Opportunity To Continue The Discussion Locally Opinion

By Adam Roberts – 6/2/2021

While not a local story, I do believe what is going on involving Naomi Osaka and her decision to withdraw from the French Open is an important reminder of the constant pressure on athletes at all levels to remain the best at any cost, and some of the discussions around the story can be applied at the local level. The timing of this story is particularly apt, given that May was Mental Health Awareness Month.

The organizers of tennis’ four Grand Slams are pledging to address player concerns about mental health. This, after four-time champion and number two in the world Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open, citing anxiety about talking with the media and long bouts of depression. Much like in other professional and high-level collegiate sports, players are required to talk with the media, so Osaka was fined 15-thousand dollars for skipping out on reporters. She said she wants to work with the sport to find ways to make things better for players, press and fans. Organizers say they support Osaka and empathize with the unique pressures tennis players may face.

Applying this story to a local level, it’s no surprise that athletes of all levels, all the way down to your local little league, can often be placed under intense pressure to win or be the greatest like I mentioned before. Parents and coaches have the most important role in making sure our student athletes are in an environment of sports education first, and wins second. I can recall a number of friends from my past who gave up on a sport they excelled at simply since the pressure to succeed superseded any amount of fun the sport provided. I’d highly encourage anyone in a sports leadership role to place a high value on ensuring players’ mental health is as fostered as their physical health.

For more resources, check out the below websites:

UWL Track and Field Finds Success at D3 Championship

By Adam Roberts – 6/1/2021

The 2020-21 athletic calendar year has come to a close for UW-La Crosse, and as per usual it ended in some hardware for the track and field programs.

Competing in Greensboro, North Carolina over the weekend, the Eagle women placed 2nd in the D3 NCAA Championship behind only Loras College. That’s the UWL women’s fourth second place finish in the event and their first since 1997. The men also performed very well, placing 5th.

Perhaps the biggest honor of the tournament for an Eagle runner went to Emma Lawrence; the Benton sophomore became the first student-athlete in school history to earn All-America honors in the 100 and 400-meter hurdles at the same championships. In the 400 run, her time was second in school history behind only Marissa Mahr’s 59.95 run in 2015.

In total, the women grabbed 17 All-America honors over the weekend. The only first place finish between the two programs came in the men’s 4×100 meter relay for Seth Holden, Troy De Bruin, Spencer, Reichart, and Josh Koenecke.

University of Wisconsin Planning AD Discussion Tomorrow

By Adam Roberts – 6/1/2021

The University of Wisconsin has begun preparing for a future without Barry Alvarez working in some form of leadership for the school. The long-time head football coach and athletic director is set to retire in a month, and so the school will need to find his replacement before the start of July.

Deputy athletic director Chris McIntosh has been with the athletic department since 2014 and is considered by many to be the popular selection for Barry’s replacement. The UW System said in a news release today that the Wisconsin Board of Regents will meet in a closed session tomorrow to consider an employment agreement and compensation for a new athletic director. The item is of the utmost importance for the board; it’s the sole item on the agenda.

UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank has previously said she hopes to have a replacement in place by the end of this month.

WIAA Deputy Director Wade Labecki Announces Retirement

By Adam Roberts – 6/1/2021

Last Thursday, one of the top-ranking leaders within the WIAA announced his retirement after 12 years in the deputy director position.

Wade Labecki assumed the position in July of 2009 and has been responsible for student-athlete eligibility, interpretation of all association rules, tournament planning, and committee leadership in the sports of football, wrestling, and baseball, as well as the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. He had most recently had worked with the WIAA Sports Medical Advisory Committee and other health officials to effectively navigate the membership through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Labecki also served as a legislator to moved Wisconsin high school sports forward by way of new opportunities and rule changes. He provided guidance and leadership in the development and implementation of the 8-player football tournament, sponsorship and a tournament opportunity for girls wrestling, football-only conference realignment, concussion and football acclimatization policies and protocols, pitch-count limits in baseball, and bringing Wisconsin into compliance with NFHS rules in wrestling.

Labecki will work in the position until the end of August.