“OLD MAN” A.R. SHOWS HE’S STILL GOT IT WHEN IT COUNTS, AS PACK REACHES NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH 28-23 VICTORY OVER SEATTLE!

Aaron Rodgers
Quarterback
Green Bay Packers

Devante Adams
Wide Receiver
Green Bay Packers

“OLD MAN” A.R. SHOWS HE’S STILL GOT IT WHEN IT COUNTS, AS PACK REACHES NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH 28-23 VICTORY OVER SEATTLE!

By Paul Wickham Schmidt

Special to Courtside Sports

Jan. 13, 2020. January night darkness fell over historic frigid Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI. Late fourth quarter, third and long, from deep in Packer territory. Aaron Rodgers drops back and throws a strike to his favorite target, wide receiver Devante Adams for a first down in Seahawk territory.

Game over? No way! The Seattle defense stiffens and less than 20 seconds later, Rodgers and the Pack face another “moment of truth:” third and nine at the Seahawk 45 with two minutes left. Rodgers avoids the ferocious rush and shoots a pass to former Seahawk Jimmy Graham for exactly 9 yards and a game-ending first down. With Seattle out of timeouts, the Packers kneel down, run out the clock, and keep the dangerous Russell Wilson from getting another shot at late-game heroics.

Too old, too spoiled, overrated, lost his touch – Rodgers heard all the criticism during a 14-3 regular season where the Packers more often than not “won ugly.” They frequently relied on the running and catching of “the other Aaron” – Aaron Jones — and a “stout when it had to be” defense led by the newly acquired “Smith boys” at linebacker. With only a few exceptions, Rodgers and the passing offense were regularly accused of “underperforming” by the pundits and the media even as the Pack piled up wins en route to a NFC North Championship.

Another Pack veteran stalwart who “showed up” on Sunday night was Adams, who had been slowed by injuries during the regular season. He set a franchise playoff record with 160 receiving yards (including two touchdowns) on eight catches. Jones added two rushing touchdowns, bringing him within one of the season team record held by Ahman Green. He also added 62 hard-fought rushing yards on 21 carries to allow the “Pack attack” to remain “balanced” against a Seahawk defense keyed on stopping the run.

The heroics of Rodgers, Adams, Jones, Graham, and the Smiths overcame an amazing performance by Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, who finished out his collegiate career as a Wisconsin Badger. The vastly underappreciated Wilson wasn’t just Seattle’s best player, he basically was the franchise Sunday night.

He single-handedly willed and played the Seahawks back into contention, with a chance to win, in a game where they twice trailed by 18. The Seahawks couldn’t run, didn’t block well, putting Wilson under extreme pressure on nearly every down, dropped some key passes, missed a field goal, and had no answer for Rodgers and Adams when it counted. Yet, with 21 completions and a team-high 64 yards rushing, Wilson bobbed, weaved, evaded, ran, threw, and led the Seahawks to three second half touchdowns to close the gap to a mere five points in the fourth quarter.

Amazingly on such a cold night under so much pressure, there were no turnovers by either team and very few penalties, a tribute to Packer Head Coach Matt LaFleur and Seahawk Head Coach Pete Carroll and their respective staffs. Speaking of LaFleur, seldom has a “rookie” coach of a 14-3 team gotten so little credit or “buzz” in the media or from the fans.

Most of the focus this season was on his relationship with Rodgers, the struggles of the offense, the failure of either the offense or defense to rank among the league’s best, an “easy” schedule, “lucky” wins, and some embarrassing defeats. All the guy did was take a team that won only six games and was and in shambles after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season, and lead them to within a game of the Super Bowl with only a few major roster changes, almost none on offense.

But, the lack of accolades is probably of little moment to LaFleur and Rodgers right now as they prepare for San Francisco. It’s a huge chance to avenge one of their worst moments of 2019 – a 37-8 creaming at the hands of the 49ers at Levi’s field back in November. In that game, Rodgers was simply horrible, passing for just slightly over 100 yards. And, Lafleur was thoroughly out-coached by Kyle Shanahan, as the Niners literally and figuratively ran all over the hapless Pack that afternoon on both offense and defense.

LaFleur and Rodgers promise that things will be different this Sunday. From the standpoint of “Packer Nation,” let‘s hope they are right! But, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas are having none of the “Packer hype.” They quickly installed the Niners as solid seven point favorites!

PWS

01-13-20

COURTSIDE SPORTS: Badger Women’s Volleyball Team Dominates #1 Baylor To Advance To National Championship Match!

After losing the first game 27-25 to #1 Baylor, the #4 seed Wisconsin Badgers Women’s Volleyballers dominated the Lady Bears in three straight games 25-21, 25-17, 25-19 Thursday night in Pittsburgh to advance to the NCAA National Championship for the third time in history. The Badgers have never won the big one. They will play the winner of #2 seed Stanford and #3 seed Minnesota on Saturday.

The Badgers were led by overpowering performances from 6’8” Junior Dana Rettke and Redshirt Junior Molly Haggerty. Rettke, who led the Badgers with 17 kills, attributes much of her on-court success to her parallel career as a dancer. Haggerty, the third of three sisters to star in NCAA volleyball, added 14 kills.

Go Bucky!

PWS

12-19-19

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? — NATS COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT ASTROS 6-2 & WIN FIRST WORLD SERIES AS HOWIE KENDRICK STRIKES BIG BLOW AGAIN!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? — NATS COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT ASTROS 6-2 & WIN FIRST WORLD SERIES AS HOWIE KENDRICK STRIKES BIG BLOW AGAIN!

By Paul Wickham Schmidt

Exclusive for Immigrationcourtside.com

Oct. 30, 2010. For more than seven innings, Astros starter Zack Greinke had baffled the Washington Nationals, shutting them out on one hit while nursing a 2-0 lead. He outdueled Nats starter Max Scherzer, who despite giving up seven hits and two runs in five innings kept his team in the game.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Nats third baseman Anthony Rendon hit a home run to cut the margin in half. Following a walk to young superstar Juan Soto, Astros manager A.J. Hinch pulled Greinke and went to reliever Will Harris to face the Nats designated hitter Howie Kendrick.

Kendrick was the hero of Divisional Series win over the L.A. Dodgers and the MVP of the League Championship Series win over the St. Louis Cardinals. But, his World Series had been less than stellar. As he came to the plate, he was sporting an average of just over .200. It didn’t matter. The 36-year-old part-time starter, who was the Nats leading hitter for average during the regular season, drove a Harris pitch down the right field line where it hit the screen just inside the foul pole for a two-run homer that put the Nats ahead to stay 3-2.

With help from Adam Eaton and Juan Soto, the Nats added three big insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Patrick Corbin, normally a starter, but also pitching out of the bullpen in the postseason, threw three scoreless innings in relief for the win. Daniel Hudson closed it out with a thee-up, three-down ninth inning. Then pandemonium broke loose.

So, the Nats completed an amazing resurrection from a 19-31 start to World Series Champs, beating the heavily favored Astros. Lots of credit to Manager Davey Martinez for righting the ship after many were screaming for his head back in May.

Among the interesting facts generated by this Series: Nats became first team in postseason history to win five “elimination games” (they trailed in each one); Nats are the first team to win four Series games on the road; this is the only major sports championship in which the visiting team won every game.

Nats pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who was 2-0 in the World Series and 5-0 in postseason was named the MVP.

Congrats again to the Nats and their organization, particularly the Lerner family which owns the team and brought baseball back to Washington. They join the Caps and the Mystics in bringing recent championships to D.C., and showing that good things can come out of Washington.

WORLD SERIES: RENDON DRIVES IN FIVE, EATON, SOTO HOMER, & STRASBURG SHUTS DOWN ‘STROS AS NATS WIN 7-2 IN HOUSTON TO FORCE GAME 7 TONIGHT!

Game seven from Houston tonight at 8 pm on Fox. This is the first time in major sports playoff history that the visitors (in this case, the Nats) have won six games. By going 5-0 in the postseason, Nats’ ace Stephen Strasburg ties a major league record!

Tonight, Max Scherzer (hopefully) goes for the Nats after missing game five in DC with severe back spasms. The Nats’ Davey Martinez became the first manager ejected from the Series since 2015 for arguing a questionable interference call on Trea Turner at first base that looked like it had killed a Nats’ rally in the seventh inning. However, two batters later, Anthony Rendon saved the day by blasting a majestic two-out, two-run homer to give the Nats some breathing room. Nats’ 21-year-old superstar Juan Soto continued to impress with a “moon shot” home run to give the Nats a 3-2 lead they would not surrender, thanks to Strasburg and Rendon.

Go Nats! Bring the World Series Championship home to DC!

PWS

10-30-19

THEY DID IT: NATS SWEEP CARDS 7-4, WIN NL PENNANT, & HEAD TO FIRST WORLD SERIES! – Will Face Astros Or Yankees!

Washington Nationals celebrate NLCS sweep of Cards, move on to world Series.

By Paul Wickham Schmidt

Exclusive for immigrationcourtside.com

Oct. 15, 2019. Banishing years of bitter postseason disappointment, the Washington Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 tonight at Nationals Park for a four-game sweep and their first ever trip to the World Series. This will be the first World Series game in Washington, D.C. since the Washington Senators faced the New York Giants in the fall classic in 1933. FDR was in his first term as President, and America’s entry into World War II was still eight years in the future. Many of today’s Nats stars would not even have been welcome on that field, as the game then was still totally and disgracefully segregated.

The Nats started fast, basically putting tonight’s game away with a seven-run outburst in the first inning. They then held off the Cards rally that brought them within three runs and had long-suffering Nats fans thinking “No, not again.” Jeremy Corbin had the strikeout pitch going, but was touched for four runs in five innings. However, the bullpen, a vulnerability during the regular season, came through brilliantly, with four scoreless innings by Tanner Rainey, Sean Doolittle, and Daniel Hudson.

The Nats recovered from a horrible 19-31 start to win the NL Wildcard Game, the Divisional Championship, and now the League Championship Series. 36-year old Howie Kendrick, the hero of the Nats victory over the Dodgers in the Divisionals, was also named the MVP of this series.

Congratulations to the entire Nationals team, the organization, and the fans. The Nats will play the AL Champion, either the Houston Astros or the New York Yankees, in the World Series. The Astros currently lead that best of seven series 2-1.

MYSTICS BRING FIRST WNBA CHAMPIONSHIP TO DC! — Talent, Teamwork, Coaching Pay Off As Washington Downs CT Sun 89-78!

MYSTICS BRING FIRST WNBA CHAMPIONSHIP TO DC! — Talent, Teamwork, Coaching Pay Off As Washington Downs CT Sun 89-78!

By Paul Wickham Schmidt

immigrationcourtside.com Sports Exclusive

Oct. 11, 2019. They finally did it! After falling just short last year, and trailing much of the way last night in Washington, the Mystics seized control and beat the Connecticut Sun 89-78 in the decisive game five of the WNBA finals. Current and two-time WNBA MVP Elena Della Donne and Coach Mike Thibault jointly celebrated their first crown. It was a particularly sweet moment for Thibault, the winningest coach in WNBA history, who had never won the big prize. Thanks to Delle Donne and friends, his legacy is now complete.

But, it wasn’t easy. The home team team didn’t take the lead for good until about the five minute mark of quarter four. And, they had to withstand a dominating performance by the “Bahamian Behemoth,” Sun star Jonquel Jones (who played at George Washington) had a game-high 25 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and almost single handedly kept the Sun in the contest. Indeed, the turning point was midway through quarter three when Jones was on the bench with four fouls and the Sun saw their 9 point advantage slip away.

For much of the final series the Mystics overall talent advantage was negated by an untimely, debilitating back injury suffered by Delle Donne, causing her to miss most of game two and limiting her play in games three and four. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Mystics lost two of those three games.

But, last night, the MVP returned to form, scoring 21 points and capturing 9 rebounds. She had lots of help. 6’5” “Playoff Emma” Meesseman lived up to her nickname by coming off the bench with 22 points and earning the Finals MVP Award, the first reserve do so. Natasha Cloud hit two big threes and chipped in 18 points. Veteran Kristi Toliver, a former Maryland Terps star, added another 18. After a tough start, Toliver settled down, draining all 7 of her free throws, including some clutch ones to seal the victory.

In addition to the overall high level of play, constant energy, and outstanding teamwork, an impressive feature of the WNBA is that the players actually make free throws. The Mystics shot nearly 88% for the season. By contrast, the best free throw shooting team in the NBA last season, the San Antonio Spurs, were at about 81% and the Mystics NBA brothers, the Wizards, shot only about 77%. Speaking of the Wiz, it was great to see stars John Wall and Bradley Beal, both sporting Toliver jerseys, enthusiastically pumping up the crowd and leading the cheers for their good friends.

Delle Donne came over from the Chicago Sky, where she had reached the finals without success, with the goal of bringing a long-awaited championship to DC. She has done exactly that, by being great on the court, humble off it, and making everyone around her better. Along with fellow superstars Alex Ovechkin, Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, and John Wall, she has established herself as one of the “faces of Washington sports excellence.”

Congrats to Mike Thibault and the women of the Mystics for a season well-played and consistently showing how teamwork, leadership, perseverance, and sportsmanship can be a winning combination. That’s a positive example from which many others in our nation’s capital could learn.

PWS

10-11-19

CONGRATS TO THE NATS: Howie Kendrick’s 10th Inning Slam Banishes Demons, Sends Washington To The League Championship Series For The First Time!

By Paul Wickham Schmidt

immigrationcourtside.com Sports Exclusive

October 10, 2019. Nightmare! That’s the only way to describe Howie Kendrick’s playoff series against the LA Dodgers. The normally reliable, hard hitting, 36-year-old “utility star” had a spectacular regular season, leading the Nats with a .344 average (although lacking sufficient at-bats for the NL hitting crown) and many clutch hits. He is also one of the Nats’ veteran leaders who helped guide a team with some up and coming young stars to the playoffs after the team’s disastrous start to the 2019 season.

But, things took a nosedive for Howie against LA this October. Inserted into the starting lineup for consecutive games, he committed three untimely errors, an egregious base running mistake, and his failures at the plate left key runners stranded. Yet, Nats’ Manager Davey Martinez stuck with the flailing vet.

When Howie arrived at the plate in the top of the10th inning of a 3-3 tie to face Dodger reliever Joe Kelly, he was 0 for 4. That included two strikeouts and a rally-killing double play. His series batting average hovered just above a pathetic .200. Indeed, so convinced were the Dodgers that former teammate Kendrick was their patsy, that Kelly intentionally walked young slugger Juan Soto (who had homered earlier) to load the bases and bring up Kendrick. Obviously, the Dodgers were thinking double play or at least another strikeout.

At that point, Nats’ fans were hoping against hope that Howie would return to form long enough to hit a sacrifice fly to the outfield to score Adam Eaton from third and give them their first lead of the game. But, Howie, with perhaps his last shot at post-season glory on the line, had other things in mind. Behind in the count 0-1, he took a mighty swing, squarely connected with a Kelly fastball, and sent a beautiful towering 400 foot blast over the center field wall for a grand slam putting the Nats ahead 7-3. As Howie triumphantly rounded the bases, Kelly hung his head, and the Dodger fans sat in stunned silence, some even heading for the exits, as the visiting dugout and the few Nats’ fans in attendance went berserk!

The Nats sent rejuvenated reliever Sean Doolittle to the mound for the bottom of the 10th, and he set the clearly dispirited Dodgers down in order. The game ended on a spectacular catch from another “forgotten Nat,” Michael A. Taylor, who had been inserted into the lineup only because of an injury to regular Nats’ center fielder Victor Robles.

Howie’s heroics capped an amazing comeback by the “never say die” Nats. After a gutty, but not up to usual high standards, effort from starter Stephen Strasburg, the Nats faced a 3-1 deficit going into the eighth inning. Baffled most of the night by Dodgers’ starter Walker Buehler, the Nats faced future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, normally a starter, appearing in a rare relief role. With only six outs to go in their season, things looked dim for the visitors — for a moment. Then, on consecutive pitches from Kershaw, MVP candidate Anthony Rendon and Soto slammed homers to tie the game at 3-3 and send a shell-shocked Kershaw to the dugout.

So, the Nats, who started the season 19-31, appeared dead in the water, and had many fans screaming for Martinez’s head, move on to face another traditional nemesis, the St. Louis Cardinals, in the NL League Championship Series, starting in St. Louis tomorrow night at 8:08 pm on TBS. The Cards are fresh off a 13-1 humiliation of the Atlanta Braves, ending the game early with a remarkable 10-run first inning.

And, the Dodgers, who had a league-best 106 regular season victories, are done for this postseason, their dreams of World Series rings dashed. The Nats and their long suffering fans know that feeling of disappointment well — “been there, done that.” Thanks to Howie and a real “team effort,” this year is different in DC.

PWS

10-10-19

FOOTBALL WEEKEND IN WISCONSIN — LAMBEAU LEAP — Rainy Afternoon Doesn’t Dampen Enthusiasm As Pack Downs Broncs 27-16!

PACKERS — Approaching Lambeau Field, Oneida Gate, in the rain

Packers -- Family Group- — Me, Wick, Nathaniel, Jospeh enjoying Packer win

A good time was had by all at the Annual Schmidt Family Visit to Lambeau on Sunday.

And, as an extra bonus, on Saturday the Badgers ran all over the Michigan Wolverines (literally and figuratively) 35-14 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. Badger superstar Jonathan Taylor ran for 205 and 2 TDS, despite playing only about half the game!

Oh yeah, and in equestrian competition on Saturday, Cassie Schmidt on “Rooster” takes a second!

PWS

09-23-19

HAIL TO THE U.S. WOMEN — X-Badger Rose Lavelle Leads US Women’s Soccer Team To Back To Back World Cup Triumph — Scores “Backbreaker” Goal Against Tough Dutch!

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2019/07/07/former-badger-rose-lavelle-scores-world-cup-final/1668577001/

JR Radcliffe reports for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

University of Wisconsin product Rose Lavelle scored a goal on the biggest stage in women’s soccer, the World Cup final, Sunday at Stade de Lyon in Lyon, France. Her strike gave the United States a 2-0 lead over the Netherlands.

Lavelle, a 24-year-old native of Ohio and former Badgers star soccer player, has been a breakout star in the World Cup, starting with two goals in the first U.S. match in group play and continuing with a highlight-reel “nutmeg” maneuver in the semifinal win over England.

Lavelle was three times an All-American at UW and four times a member of the All-Big Ten squad during her time with the program from 2013-16. She was the first overall pick in the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League draft. .

JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com.

Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.

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Congrats to Rose and the rest of her amazing teammates on a truly remarkable accomplishment: back to back World Cup Championships! What great competitors and role models!

No, The U.S. Women don’t deserve to be paid the same as the U.S. Men — they totally deserve to be paid significantly more based on demonstrated results and what they have done for soccer and the US!

PWS

07-08-19

IN MEMORIAM: BART STARR (1934 – 2019): Packer All-Time Great Was A Winner On & Off The Field — Fierce Competitor, One Of The Most “Cerebral” NFL QBs Ever, Remembered As Respectful, Humble, Generous!

https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2019/05/26/bart-starr-green-bay-packers-quarterback-dies-obit/513133002/

Pete Dougherty reports for the Green Bay Press Gazette:

The quarterback who guided the Green Bay Packers to five NFL championships and was as popular as any figure in franchise history has died.

Bart Starr, who served as the extension of coach Vince Lombardi on the field during the Packers’ glory days of the 1960s, has died, his family said Sunday in a statement. He was 85.

Starr’s health had been in decline since he suffered a mini-stroke while giving a speech in Madison in 2012. After suffering another stroke, a heart attack and multiple seizures in 2014, he underwent stem cell treatments in 2015 and ’16 and rebounded to some degree.

“We are saddened to note the passing of our husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Bart Starr,” the family statement said. “He battled with courage and determination to transcend the serious stroke he suffered in September 2014, but his most recent illness was too much to overcome.

“While he may always be best known for his success as the Packers quarterback for 16 years, his true legacy will always be the respectful manner in which he treated every person he met, his humble demeanor, and his generous spirit.

Next Slide

“Our family wishes to thank the thousands of friends and fans who have enriched his life – and therefore our lives – for so many decades and especially during the past five years. Each letter, text, phone call, and personal visit inspired him and filled him with joy.

“His love for all of humanity is well known, and his affection toward the residents of Alabama and of Wisconsin filled him with gratitude. He had hoped to make one last trip to Green Bay to watch the Packers this fall, but he shall forever be there in spirit.”

Starr’s place in Packers lore is cemented by his role in Lombardi’s 1960s Packers dynasty, which remains the most successful seven-year stretch in NFL history with five titles, including wins in the first two Super Bowls.

“The Packers Family was saddened today to learn of the passing of Bart Starr,” Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said in a statement. “A champion on and off the field, Bart epitomized class and was beloved by generations of Packers fans. A clutch player who led his team to five NFL titles, Bart could still fill Lambeau Field with electricity decades later during his many visits. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cherry and the entire Starr family.”

RELATED: The Ice Bowl and beyond: Packers legend Bart Starr’s six greatest games

RELATED: Bart Starr legend grew from humble beginnings

He is most famous for leading the legendary drive and scoring the touchdown on the iconic play in Packers history, the quarterback sneak against Dallas that won the Ice Bowl in 1967.

The Ice Bowl drive and sneak were the culmination of the Lombardi-era Packers’ will to win, toughness and discipline that Starr embodied as quarterback of those teams.

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr donated his Super Bowl II championship ring and other items to the Hall of Fame during, what his family says, was his last trip to Green Bay on Oct. 23, 2017. Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

“That’s the sign of a champion,” Cowboys tackle Ralph Neely told the Green Bay Press-Gazette after the Ice Bowl. “They needed a score, and Starr got it for them.”

Starr’s jersey No. 15 is one of only six numbers retired in Packers history.

. . . .

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Go to the link for the complete article with more pictures and videos of Starr’s fabled career.

Growing up in Milwaukee, I was fortunate to see Starr and the Lombardi-era Pack play “live” on several occasions. In those days, unlike now, the Packers played three “home” games at Milwaukee County Stadium. While we didn’t have season tickets, my parents had a few friends who did, so occasionally two tickets would come our way.

While Starr’s most famous play was the successful quarterback sneak against the Cowboys in the “Ice Bowl,” he was also noted for crossing up defenses on third down plays. I remember sitting with my Dad, feet freezing, at County Stadium for a late season game between the Pack and the Cleveland Browns, who at that time had “all world” running back Jim Brown and a stout defense.

The Pack had a third and one in their own territory in tight game. In those days, most offenses were focused on running, rather than the wide-open pass-oriented game of today. That was particularly true of the Pack under Lombardi. “Grind it out” and punish your opponents with tough physical play was more or less the “Lombardi culture.” With future Hall of Fame running backs Jimmy Taylor and Paul Hornung, and one of the premier offensive lines ever, everyone in the stadium, including the Browns, expected a run up the middle or maybe one of the famous “Packer Sweeps” with “pulling guards” leading the way for Taylor or Hornung.

Starr changed the play at the line. On the a snap, he took three streps back and hit his receiver (probably Boyd Dowler, but perhaps Max McGee) with a strike resulting in an untouched trip down the field into the end zone. Classic Starr! It changed the momentum of the game, allowing the Pack eventually to prevail.

I think Starr’s relationship with the legendary Vince Lombardi was the key to Packer success. While Lombardi was undoubtedly a coaching “genius,” he also was a “larger than life figure” who “sucked the air” out of any room he was in. Additionally, he was known for being rather frank and brutal in assessing failures to perform up to his high expectations.

I doubt that most of today’s “top tier” quarterbacks could have existed in Lombardi’s system. And, without somebody like Starr, who understood the “big picture” of what Lombardi was doing, and always delivered under pressure, I don’t think Lombardi and the Pack could have reached the heights of football dominance in the 1960’s as they did.

R.I.P Bart! Thanks for the memories, the excitement, and the inspiration of a life well-lived.

PWS

05-26-19

I also highly recommend ESPN’s Ian O’Connor’s moving tribute to Starr “The Toughest Football Player Who Ever Lived” that shows how Starr’s greatness went far beyond statistics and on field successes. http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26826288/bart-starr-was-toughest-football-player-ever-lived

PWS

05-26-19

HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST: ADMINISTRATION’S LATEST IMMORAL GIMMICK — A “REGIONAL REPRESSION COMPACT” — FURTHERS PERSECUTION WITHOUT ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES OF REFUGEE FLOW FROM NORTHERN TRIANGLE!

February 21, 2019

Homeland Security Regional Compact Plan Won’t Address Root Causes of Refugee Crisis

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New York City—In response to today’s announcement that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is discussing the development of a regional compact plan with Central American countries in the northern triangle, Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer issued the following statement:

The so-called compact announced today sounds like a short-sighted and heavy-handed attempt to stop people in desperate need of safety from finding it in the United States, rather than an actual commitment to address underlying human rights violations in the region. It is yet another move from an administration that has spent the past two years dismantling the systems put in place to protect the world’s most vulnerable people.

This announcement does not reflect any commitment to address the actual root causes pushing people to seek protection—political repression, gender-based persecution, brutal murders, and other human rights violations.

The Trump Administration is enlisting the very countries that people are fleeing to prevent the escape of individuals plagued by this persecution and violence. The United States should certainly work with countries in the region to counter and prosecute smugglers and traffickers who prey on migrants and asylum seekers. This plan, however, aims to stop asylum seekers who do not employ smugglers but travel with other people for safety through dangerous territories.

Human Rights First urges the Trump Administration to implement regional strategies that strengthen the rule of law and human rights conditions in Central America, strengthen refugee protection in Mexico and other countries, and stop its efforts to block refugees from asylum in the United States.

For more information or to speak with Acer contact Corinne Duffy at DuffyC@humanrightsfirst.org or 202-370-3319

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It’s “Kakistocracy in Action” — malicious incompetence institutionalized. Certainly, Nielsen has to be the worst excuse ever for a DHS Secretary. Indeed, those who actually might threaten our security must be “licking their chops” at her continuous display of idiotic Trump sycophancy and White Nationalist lies and obsessions with bedraggled families seeking refuge while smugglers, drug traffickers, cartels, and gangs reap profits from her failed policies and take delight in her inability and unwillingness to address the real security problems.

While real human rights crises are unfolding, and real human lives are in danger, the Trump Administration dawdles away time and resources on endless “designed to fail” White Nationalist gimmicks that appear intended to enable and encourage persecution rather than addressing the problems that cause forced migration.

The Obama Administration did a genuinely lousy job of addressing the refugee and human rights issues in the Northern Triangle. But, Trump, Nielsen, and McAleenan are making to Obama group look like humanitarian geniuses by comparison.

As the great Casey Stengel once said while attempting to manage the 1962 NY Mets: “Can’t anybody here play this game?” Sadly, in the case of the Trump Administration, the answer is a resounding “No.”

Bad things happen to countries that allow themselves to be run by malicious incompetents (that is, a Kakistocracy).

As I have said before, “We Are diminishing ourselves as a nation, but that won’t stop human migration.”

Join the New Due Process Army and help restore humanity, Due Process, competence, and good government to America before it’s too late!

PWS

03-07-19

SPORTS: BADGERS END DISAPPOINTING REGULAR SEASON WITH “FTA” AGAINST NOT-SO-GOLDEN GOPHERS! — Program Appears To Be Stuck In Reverse!

FTA = Failure To Appear

Putting an ugly exclamation point on a most disappointing season that started with a (in hindsight totally bogus) #4 national ranking, the Wisconsin Badgers “no showed” at Camp Randall Stadium on a gray and gloomy Saturday against the highly motivated, yet mediocre at best, Minnesota Golden Gophers. The game was not nearly as close as the blowout 37-15 final score would indicate.

The Badgers stunk in all aspects of the game — offense, defense, special teams, kicking, and coaching. The game essentially was over by the end of the listless first quarter.

The Badgers last lost to Minnesota when George W. Bush was in his first term! And, for what it’s worth, they also lost the “Paul Bunyon’s Ax Trophy.”

Coming off several weeks on the sidelines with a concussion, Badger QB Alex Hornibrook was truly horrible — interceptions, fumbles, missed receivers, lack of leadership, bad decisions, etc. The offensive line played like a group of oversized flag footballers, failing to open holes against a not very talented Gopher defense whose best player departed early as the result of a “targeting” call.

Star Badger running back Jonathan Taylor exceeded the 100 yard mark while having no discernible impact whatsoever on the outcome of the game, thus proving that flashy rushing stats in the 2018 version of the “Medium-Small Ten” can be deceiving. Meanwhile, the inept Badger defense made the very pedestrian Gopher offense look like the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Indeed, in so-called “crunch time” in the fourth quarter, the Badgers allowed a nine plus minute drive — the longest in the Big Ten this season!

The Gophers improved to 6-6, thus becoming “bowl eligible” a fairly meaningless, almost dubious, honor in this time of irrelevant, over-hyped post season games. The NCAA should let the top eight teams compete for the national championship and keep everyone else at home with the eggnog during the holiday season,

Last season, Coach Paul Chryst took the Badgers to new heights with a 13-1 record and a major bowl victory. But, this season the under achieving Badgers more closely resembled “Little Ten Bottom Feeders” Indiana, Illinois, and Rutgers than they did a “Top 25” outfit. After the game, Chryst expressed gratification that his 7-5 group would have a chance to “redeem” themselves in a totally meaningless “Grade C” bowl game. Based on their season finale, fans would be well advised to take in a holiday movie instead.

PWS

11-24-18

ONE FOR THE AGES – CARTED OFF IN THE FIRST HALF, A LIMPING A.R. RETURNS TO ERASE 20-0 DEFICIT IN 2D HALF FOR AN UNBELIEVABLE 24-23 VICTORY OVER THE BEARS @ LAMBEAU FIELD!

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers leads comeback after returning from knee injury

Jim Owczarski, Milwaukee Journal SentinelPublished 8:31 p.m. CT Sept. 9, 2018 | Updated 10:30 p.m. CT Sept. 9, 2018

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Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears: Week 1

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) scores a touchdown on a 75-yard reception during the fourth quarter of their game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, September 9, 2018 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sent

(Photo: Mark Hoffman/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL S)

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GREEN BAY – Just over nine minutes of game action and halftime was all that was needed for a quiet Lambeau Field to erupt in cheers Sunday night, as Aaron Rodgers ran out of the Green Bay Packers’ locker room to his sideline after ending his first half being carted off the field.

The final 30 minutes of game play nearly brought the house down as Rodgers led the Packers to a 24-23 comeback victory.

Rodgers returned with 9 minutes, 10 seconds left in the third quarter and fired an 8-yard pass to Davante Adams on the next play. He led a 12-play drive that produced a Mason Crosby field goal that trimmed the Bears’ lead to 20-3.

The scare woke up the Packers offense, as Rodgers brought the Packers to within 20-17 with touchdown throws to Geronimo Allison and Davante Adams in the fourth quarter.

After Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky led a 14-play, 61-yard drive that took up 6:22 and ended in a 32-yard Cody Parkey field goal to put the Bears up 23-20, Rodgers had 2:39 and 75 yards in front of him to win the game.

He only needed 26 seconds.

On 3rd-and-10, Rodgers found Randall Cobb in the middle of the field and the receiver raced up the field untouched, outrunning Khalil Mack. Rodgers drifted out of the pocket to his left, and Cobb cut away from Bears safety Eddie Jackson. It was a relatively easy pitch-and-catch and Cobb was home free.

LIVE BLOG: Packers-Bears updates, analysis, Q&A

It was a much different feel at the 9:22 mark of the second quarter, as a silence fell over the stadium as trainers hustled out to the Packers quarterback, who had been sacked at his own 25-yard line by Bears defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris.

Rodgers got up to try and walk off, but immediately grabbed his left knee and went back to the turf. After a few more moments on the ground, he walked off – albeit gingerly – to the Packers sideline.

Rodgers spent the next Chicago possession being examined under the blue medical tent on the Packers’ sideline. At the 6:44 mark, DeShone Kizer came out to lead the Packers’ offense and Rodgers was carted to the locker room.

The Packers were trailing 10-0 at the time.

Rodgers, who missed nine games last season due to a broken collarbone suffered in Week 6 at Minnesota, had dropped back to pass on third-and-nine at his own 36 before the Bears’ defense collapsed the pocket. As Rodgers went down to take the sack, his left leg was left extended and the 294-pound Robertson-Harris dove on top of him. No flag was thrown on the play.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) lies crumpled n the field after being hit by Chicago Bears defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris during the second quarter of their game Sunday, September 9, 2018 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. (Photo: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sent)

To that point in the game, Rodgers was just 3-for-7 for 13 yards (42.9 percent) for a rating of 50.3. He was sacked twice.

After the injury?

Rodgers went 17-for-23 for 273 yards. He wasn’t sacked again and his rating shot up to 130.7.

At halftime, the Packers deemed his return to action in the second half as questionable before he ran out of the locker room to cheers.

In his absence, Kizer fumbled away the ball in the Bears’ red zone on a strip-sack by Khalil Mack with three minutes to go, and then Kizer threw a pick-6 to Mack with under a minute left to give the Bears a 17-0 halftime advantage.

Rodgers had his 2013 season interrupted by the Bears when he suffered a broken collarbone at Lambeau on Nov. 4.

The 34-year-old quarterback signed a $134-million contract extension on Aug. 29, a deal that could keep Rodgers in a Packers uniform through the year 2020.

Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers is carted of the field following a second quarter injury against the Chicago Bears in the season opener on Sunday, September 9, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. (Photo: Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis)

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And, yes sport fans, recently retired auto racing star Danica Patrick was there cheering on A.R. and the Pack!

Go Pack Go!

PWs

09-09-18

PACKER UPDATE: AARON RODGERS STANDS UP FOR FELLOW SUPERSTAR LeBRON JAMES!

https://washingtonpress.com/2018/08/07/nfl-superstar-aaron-rodgers-just-waded-into-trumps-lebron-feud-with-powerful-statement/

POLITICS

NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers just waded into Trump’s LeBron feud with powerful statement

BY COLIN TAYLOR

PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 7, 2018

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On Monday, the superstar quarterback of the Green Bay Packers weighed in on President Trump’s burgeoning feud with NBA legend LeBron James in a new interview with NFL.com’s Mike Silver, sharing a telling statement that clearly shows how he feels about Trump’s attacks on his fellow NFL players and on black athletes in general.

“I think that the more that we give credence to stuff like that, the more it’s gonna live on. I think if we can learn to ignore or not respond to stuff like that — if we can — it takes away the power of statements like that” said Rodgers, imploring the nation and the media to stop obsessing over the president’s tweets and cut off the stream of attention that our narcissistic president hungers for.

Rodgers applauded James’ “absolutely beautiful” decision to stand strong and not respond to Trump’s childish insults but instead sticking to what really matters — the opening of his I Promise school in Ohio and all the underprivileged children whose lives he will transform with his generosity.

“At a time where he’s putting on display his school, which is changing lives, there’s no need. Because you’re just giving attention to that (tweet); that’s what they want. So just don’t respond.”

When asked if he was considering sending out a tweet or statement in support of LeBron, Rodgers announced he stood in solidarity with the King but noted that “LeBron needs no help. He has stood on his own two feet for years, and he has done some incredible things, and he needs no support. He knows he has the support of his contemporaries, in his own sport and in other sports, and he’s gonna be fine.”

The president’s war on black athletes took a new turn last week when he insulted and demeaned NBA superstar LeBron James in a vicious Twitter attack, insulting both James and CNN host Don Lemon by questioning their intelligence in response to their critical discussion of Trump’s constant demonization of NFL players.

Trump’s judicious use of feuds with black athletes is a double-win for him, distracting the media from his interminable legal issues and advancing his white nationalist agenda at the same time. We should all take Rodgers’ advice to heart and stop playing into this would-be tyrant’s hands every time he hits the “send” button.

Read the whole post-training camp practice interview here.

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Way to go AR!

According to today’s Green Bay Press Gazette, the “Leader of the Pack” was considerably less mellow about the performance level of some of his young wide receivers during yesterday’s practice:

“It was one of the worst card sessions we’ve had,” Rodgers said. “I don’t know how you can make it any simpler. You literally have what the play would be in our terminology on the card, and the effort level was very low. Especially with what I’m accustomed to. I’ve been running that period for a number of years.

“So it’s not a good start for us on the card period for the young guys.”

Rodgers then drew a line in the sand. He made clear which young receivers have earned his favor: Geronimo Allison, DeAngelo Yancey and Jake Kumerow.

“Everybody else,” Rodgers said, “was kind of piss poor.”

Go Pack Go!

PWS

08-08-18

🏆CONGRATS TO THE CAPS! – WASHINGTON TOPS VEGAS 4-3 TO WIN STANLEY CUP FOR FIRST TIME IN 44-YEAR HISTORY! – DC’s 26 Year Dry Spell Of Major Sports Champs Ends In The Desert! 🏆

Putting years of Stanley Cup frustrations behind them, the Washington Capitals skated to a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the home team Las Vegas Golden Knights to win their first Stanley Cup in the team’s 44-year history. By contrast, Vegas was playing in the Cup finals in the first year of their existence as an expansion team. The Caps won the series 4-1.

After a scoreless first period, Washington jumped to leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but couldn’t hold on. Each time, the home-standing Golden Knights fought back to tie the score and took a 3-2 lead into the dressing room at the end of the second period.

Near the halfway point of the third period, the Caps’ Devonte Smith-Pelly tallied to tie the score. Then, with under nine minutes left Lars Eller added what proved to be the game winner. The Caps held off the Golden Knights’ frantic last-minute push to notch the win.

The “Great 8,” Caps’ Captain Alex Ovechkin scored the first goal and was named the MVP of the Cup series. It was a sweet moment for Ovechkin, one of the NHL’s all-time top goal scorers who more or less “reinvented” himself as an even better all-around player and inspirational leader this season under the guidance of Caps’ Coach Barry Trotz. By winning the elusive Cup, Ovechkin also shed the dubious title of being the “greatest hockey player never to win the Stanley Cup” which had been hanging over his head for most of his amazing and prolific career in DC.

So, tonight DC is “rockin’ the red” and celebrating its first major sports championship in 26 years, since the Redskins won the Super Bowl in 1992! Congrats again to the Caps, Coach Barry Trotz, long-suffering owner Ted Leonsis and the entire “Caps family” on a spectacular season and for bringing some joy to the DC area. Let’s Go Caps!

PWS

06-07-18

“OLD MAN” A.R. SHOWS HE’S STILL GOT IT WHEN IT COUNTS, AS PACK REACHES NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH 28-23 VICTORY OVER SEATTLE!

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