General Manager/Football Writer at
@wissportsnet
. Golf fan/novice golfer. Beware of Packers/Badgers/Brewers tweets. Communications/website for
@wifca
&
@wisbca
On July 13, 2014 at 6:06 pm, Arike Ogunbowale tweeted her final five colleges she was considering. UCONN was not included on her list. 14 minutes later, Geno Auriemma tweeted. Arike gets the last laugh.
Juwan Howard played a long time in the NBA. He knew exactly what he was doing starting an NBA fight by slapping at a guy with four people in between them, then running away while everyone else got into it.
LaFleur chose Mike Pettine over Aaron Rodgers with the Super Bowl on the line. That decision will live forever, no matter what LaFleur does in Green Bay.
I still struggle with the idea that in-person college classes are ok for tens of thousands of students, but a few hundred athletes, who would receive significant testing, support, & protocols, cannot play sports.
Ok. How about as part of this public funding, the Brewers be required to host state baseball championships at no cost, similar to how Minnesota’s deal with Vikings stadium requires them to host MN state football.
Public $ = public use
What a run by J.J. Watt, from Pewaukee HS to Central Michigan to walk-on at Wisconsin and finally to one of the best defensive players in NFL history. And along the way making an impact on millions via charitable work. Salute and thank you to
@JJWatt
Wisconsin sports status:
Bucks: choked
Brewers: bad; worst farm system in majors
Packers: still have Aaron Rodgers but drafted a bunch of third-stringers and apparently don't care about WR's
Badgers: sports, what's that?
We've never needed high school sports so much...
BREAKING: Muskego (WI) 2021 safety Hunter Wohler has committed to coach Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin
#Badgers
. Wohler is two-time All-State pick and the 2019 WFCA Large School Defensive Player of the Year. Had offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, & a host of others.
#wisfb
About 3,000 seniors will play their last organized football game ever this week. This game will stick with you forever; how do you want to remember it? Hold nothing back, leave nothing to regret (which will occur anyways, trust me). Rage against the dying of the light.
#wisfb
About 3,000 seniors will play their last organized football game ever this week. This game will stick with you forever; how do you want to remember it? Hold nothing back, leave nothing to regret (which will occur anyways, trust me). Rage against the dying of the light.
#wisfb
BREAKING: The WIAA Board of Control has voted 8-3 to amend the start date of fall sports. "Lower risk" sports of golf, tennis, swim, x-country) will start practice Aug. 17; "higher risk" sports of football, soccer, volleyball will start practice week of Sept. 7.
207 schools, 30000 athletes, 16000 practices, 4000 games....there was ONE known instance of COVID-19 transmission from sport contact out of 271 positive cases.
The case rate & incidence rate for athletes were less than the overall rates for 14-17 yr olds in WI.
About 3,000 seniors will play their last organized football game ever tonight. This game will stick with you forever; how do you want to remember it? Hold nothing back, leave nothing to regret (which will occur anyways, trust me). Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
#wisfb
In all the things I’ve seen in 16 years of covering
#wisfb
, this story, this game, this kid might just be the coolest. How do you not just smile hearing Laurenz and his reflections on his moment. Fairytale, storybook, Disney movie type stuff.
#wisfb
Laurenz Plattner is the hero for Stratford! An incredible story as Laurenz is a German foreign exchange student and had not kicked a FG for the team until today.
It is disheartening the number of people who think Milwaukee City athletes should not get the same opportunities as other student-athletes.
They face more barriers to participation, barriers to success, & challenges than just about anyone in the state. And deserve their chance.
Waunakee's Pat Rice has announced his retirement after a legendary career leading the Warriors. He went 342-44 with seven WIAA state titles at Waunakee.
#wisfb
Have heard that one football team had 18 players suspended in Week 9 for vaping. Another team lost their star QB, one of most productive players in the state, for same thing and he could be out all of playoffs. Hope it was the best vape ever.
#cmonman
What horrible decisions by
@ASUFootball
&
@HermEdwards
to recruit & accept commitments from
#wisfb
players Marcus Mbow & Garrett Gillette then kick both to the curb. I hope every HS coach in WI sees that and never lets them in the state again.
The reaction shot of the Badgers bench to Hepburn hero ball was perfect. All of them knew it was coming, all knew it was a bad decision, and none had faith it would go in.
Former Catholic Memorial standout J.C. Latham, who played his final two years of HS at IMG Academy, is the 7th pick in the NFL Draft, as the Alabama offensive lineman goes to the Tennessee Titans.
#wisfb
Two game changing calls (PI & the early hold on Taylor run) with potentially a third looming when refs didn’t review Stokke run and UW had to take a TO to try to get them to do so. Badgers turned it over four times but still shouldn’t be in this position. Unacceptable officiating
Today, the WIAA Board of Control voted to pause spring sports until further notice. They are not canceled, but obviously timeline is dependent on what state says about school resuming. A good thing, I think, as opposed to simply fully canceling.
WIAA Deputy Director Wade Labecki on last week's WFCA Radio Show:
"I do believe that we will, on August 4th, issue football equipment. And on August 5th, hear the first whistle for practice."
This is the wrong take. D3's don't just take whoever shows up. They actively recruit players & offer anticipated spots on the team to select players. It might not be a football scholarship offer, but it is a select opportunity. Less than 6% of HS players play any level of college
Some day I hope we can get to a place where student-athletes can celebrate their success and be proud of state titles without adults demeaning, minimizing, or criticizing what they accomplished.
#wisfb
About 3,000 seniors will play their last organized football game ever tonight. This game will stick with you forever; how do you want to remember it? Hold nothing back, leave nothing to regret (which will occur anyways, trust me). Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
#wisfb
This is not a typo: Stoughton (WI) 2020 offensive lineman Jack Nelson, a
#Badgers
commit, ran 4.19 in the 5-10-5 shuttle at the WFCA Combine. That would have been third fastest of all players last year. He’s 6-7, 280 pound or so. That is amazing.
#wisfb
Iowa started high school football practices this week (though I believe some have been canceled after the devastating storms that went through Monday).
Utah high school football begins games this week (the first one is tonight!)
It can be done.
#wisfb
#FridayNightLights
Nebraska opening up youth baseball and softball practices on June 1st and games on June 18th. And, high schools can open weight rooms on June 1st.
There are restrictions to be followed, but a huge step forward. Hopefully, Wisconsin can follow suit.
I miss the days that people cheered on their favorite high school student-athletes and teams and couldn’t run to the internet to troll, complain, bash, and often be outright wrong about other teams, situations, players, and communities.
Sad news to report tonight, as legendary Somerset football coach Bruce Larson died today at the age of 58.
Larson guided the Spartans to three state titles & three runner-up finishes and was named the Don Shula NFL National High School Coach of the Year in 2015.
#wisfb
Reason
#24823
why the statewide conference realignment for next year can't get here soon enough:
- Marshall went 2-7 overall but gets in at 2-2 in conf
- Lodi goes 6-3 overall but gets left out at 2-3 in conf
- Lodi beat Marshall 40-0 this year
#wisfb
Bay Port senior Josiah Azure recognized as WFCA Large School Defensive Player of the Year.
Azure was diagnosed with cancer during the playoffs & saw his season come to abrupt end. He recently finished his final round of chemotherapy.
Continued best wishes to Josiah.
#wisfb
I don’t really know how Wisconsin won that game any more than I know how Wisconsin won a Big Ten title. Simply amazing, made more amazing by all the distractions and adversity. Huge credit to Greg Gard and a bunch of flawed but incredibly gritty players.
#Badgers
BREAKING: Fond du Lac (WI) 2022 defensive back Braelon Allen has committed to Wisconsin. Had offers from a who’s who of college programs around the country.
#wisfb
Here’s the winning play, as Whitnall sophomore Myles Herro is fouled on the three at the buzzer. He’s make the first to win it 53-52 over La Crosse Central.
#wisbb
As you may have noticed, I have been largely off social today. A health issue prevented me from attending the Game of the Week. Tonight, out of an abundance of caution, I went to the hospital for further evaluation. Doing well and expect to release tonight…
BREAKING: Longtime head football coach Dave Keel has resigned at Homestead. He posted a 292-70 career record with six state titles and a runner-up finish. Guided Highlanders to at least a share of 18 straight North Shore titles before streak ended last season.
#wisfb
It's funny how many people think Wisconsin will suddenly be getting all four- and five-star recruits and won't be taking three-star (or two-star) players anymore.
Those folks are in for a lot of disappointment.
I love Green Bay. Directions to hotel:
Turn left on Mike McCarthy Way, then right on Bart Starr Road before a left on Tony Canadeo Run. You'll pass Reggie White Way, but if you get to Brett Favre Pass you went too far and might have to turn around on Holmgren Way.
#Packers
Awesome! It’ll be South Dakota State against North Dakota State in the D1-FCS national title game after SDSU won today. Lots of former Wisconsin HS players on both team rosters and coaching staffs.
#wisfb
Well, a Ryder Cup win, an NL Central title, and a game-winning field goal aren't a bad way to make up for whatever it was Badgers football team did yesterday.
Over 1,000 seniors will play their last organized football game ever tonight. This game will stick with you forever; how do you want to remember it? Hold nothing back, leave nothing to regret (which will occur anyways, trust me). Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
#wisfb
Wow! Mineral Point rallies from a 7 point deficit with under 30 seconds to play to win 62-61 over Aquinas on this Landon Thousand three pointer with just a few seconds left.
#wisbb
Joe Barry’s defense gave up 312 passing yards and a 110 passer rating to Bryce Young.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, it was a career day for a quarterback against the Packers.
Let’s take a moment to recognize those great people that refuse to pay $3-$5 to support their local high school and instead stand outside the fence watching high school football games.
#wisfb
Sad news this morning: Former Arrowhead coach Tom Taraska died yesterday. Coach Taraska had a 265-96 record as a HS coach (including 4 years at Franklin) and guided Arrowhead to 4 state titles & 5 runner-up finishes. Taraska was inducted to the WFCA Hall of Fame in 2004.
#wisfb
About 5,000 seniors will play their last HS
#wisbb
or
#wisgb
game ever in coming weeks.
This game will stick with you forever; how do you want to remember it? Hold nothing back, leave nothing to regret (which will occur anyways, trust me).
Rage against the dying of the light.
BIG NEWS: State Football Championships have a new TV home. Tonight, the WIAA announced the WIAA Statewide TV Network, which already does state basketball & hockey, will broadcast additional sports championships, formerly on Bally Sports Wisconsin:
Football
Boys soccer
Boys &…
Yes, Milwaukee Public Schools combined for 0
#wisfb
wins. But so did:
- 4 Green Bay
- 4 Madison
- 3 Appleton
- 3 Kenosha
- 2 Janesville
- 2 Brookfield
- 2 Wausau
- 2 West Allis
- 2 Wauwatosa
- 2 Sheboygan
- 2 Eau Claire
The point: It's really hard to win in multi-HS districts
Encounter something new every youth BB tournament. Today: Ref said the Spalding TF-500 (size 28.5) ball I gave him was illegal & we couldn’t use it.
“It doesn’t have the NFHS stamp. You really want me to use an illegal ball?” He was dead serious.
It’s 3rd grade basketball.
With Kimberly's loss to Kaukauna last night, it almost certainly will be D1
#1
Muskego against D2
#1
Kettle Moraine next Friday night. What a way to end the regular season.
#wisfb
Marquette University High School has successfully appealed to the Milwaukee health department and will be playing football this fall. Practice starts tonight. Game scheduled being finalized.
Team was originally slated for fall, then Milw Health forced to spring.
#wisfb
Unfortunately last night's story does not have the positive ending we'd hoped, as tragically the official who collapsed during the Richland Center vs Mount Horeb boys basketball did not make it, passing away a short time later.
Daguera drops easy pass. Lewis fumbles. Jones doesn’t score and doesn’t get of bounds. Stokes misses pick 6. Blocked FG. Blocked punt. Alexander missed tackle. So many opportunities to make plays that failed.
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬