By Karen Klement DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 28, 2008
After a long winter, Door County baseball players are itchin' to get back out on the field. The Door County Baseball League will start their season with the annual spring meeting on Sunday. League
secretary/treasurer Jocko Rader says there's lots that will be
addressed at this meeting. Rader says everyone is welcome to
attend. (Audio Here)
There are eight teams in the Door County Baseball League and 14 games played each season. New players can join a team but there is one rule.
(Audio Here)
Baseball teams are in Kolberg, Maplewood, Baileys Harbor, West Jacksonport, Washington Island, Egg Harbor, Sister Bay and Institute. Rader says you'll see some very competitive baseball in the Door County League. He says the league is loaded with tons of talent. The Door County Baseball League Spring Meeting will be on Sunday. The first official pitch of the season will be thrown on Mother's Day.
By Nick Freimuth DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 27, 2008
Sturgeon Bay track and field coach Darren Berg led his teams to the first Packerland Conference Championships in the history of the school. The boys and girls won conference championships and they will look to repeat that feat this spring. Practice started nearly four weeks ago and the team will compete in their first meet next Thursday in Kewaunee.
Coach Berg joined me on the Sports Page last night on 96.7 FM WBDK. We broadcast every Wednesday at the Ladder House from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Berg said this year's team will look at Southern Door as their best competition in the conference. The Eagles are returning almost all of their letter winners from last year. The Sturgeon Bay team will only have two home meets this season. April 15 and April 17 are the only chances that local residents will have to cheer on the student athletes on their home track.
By Nick Freimuth DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 26, 2008
Rob Davis, a 12-year NFL veteran, has announced his retirement from the Green Bay Packers and now will join the team’s front office. Davis was one of the all-time nice guys in the Packers locker room. His is a soft spoken man that has been thoughtful and thorough with the media.
He was named director of player development Wednesday by General Manager Ted Thompson.
Davis served as the Packers’ long snapper for 11 seasons and played in 167 games in a Green Bay uniform, the third longest streak in team history. Only Brett Favre (255) and Forrest Gregg (187) played in more consecutive games than Davis.
As the director of player development, Davis will be vital in maintaining locker room cohesiveness and overall player health. He will assist players in acclimating to their roles, both on and off the field and in the Green Bay community.
"This transition for me is an example of player development at work, as we try to assist players for life after football," Davis said. "I’m very grateful for the opportunity to have played 11 years for the best organization in professional sports and I look forward to making an impact on the players I will work with."
Thompson is pleased to have Davis working in the team’s front office.
"We’re looking forward to having Rob evolve into his new role within our organization," Thompson said. "He’s been a tremendous contributor as a player and I have no doubt that he will carry that commitment and enthusiasm to his position. He is someone who has always been respected as a leader and mentor in the locker room and we know that will continue."
Tim Terry had served as the director of player development since last July – with Davis assisting – while also continuing his previous duties with the team’s personnel department.
"We were very grateful for the work Tim performed as the director of player development and, while we are glad to have him return full-time to the team’s personnel department, we expect that his guidance and influence will continue to be felt in our locker room," Thompson said.
By Nick Freimuth DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 26, 2008
Since re-joining the Green Bay Packers in 2005, Ted Thompson has displayed his eye for talent. The 55 year-old, who serves as the team’s Executive Vice President, General Manager & Director of Football Operations, has blended the right mix of players, keeping productive veterans such as Aaron Kampman, Donald Driver, Nick Barnett and Chad Clifton, while acquiring talent like linebacker A.J. Hawk, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, cornerback Charles Woodson, running back Ryan Grant, tight end Donald Lee, and wide receivers Greg Jennings and James Jones. Thompson also hired Mike McCarthy, who won a division championship in only his second season as a head coach.
Thompson was the top vote-getter in balloting conducted by Sporting News. NFL general managers and other executives cast 48 votes. Thompson received 19 votes, beating out Giants’ general manager Jerry Reese who received nine. Ten other NFL executives received at least one vote.
Thompson earlier spent eight years with the Packers as assistant director of pro personnel (1992), director of pro personnel (1993-97) and director of player personnel (1997-99). He left the Packers and spent 2000-04 as vice president of football operations for the Seattle Seahawks. His first draft pick for Seattle was running back Shaun Alexander, who eventually became the league’s most valuable player. Nine players who started for the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL were drafted by Thompson.
“Ted understands every aspect of how an organization works. That’s why he was able to put together a winning team so quickly,” said Packers former general manager Ron Wolf. Wolf himself received the George Young NFL Executive of the Year award in 1992, the same year he hired Thompson.
By Paul Schmitt DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 25, 2008
Yetta Sheller, head coach of the Gibraltar Softball team, was the guest at the "Sports Page" Monday night in Fish Creek. Ms. Sheller is in her first year as head coach and was the assistant last year under John Sawyer. She grew up in Monticello near Madison and moved to Gibraltar last year for the 5th Grade Social Studies position after graduating college. Gibraltar will return two seniors, three juniors, and two sophomores to the team that will have eight freshman join the club. Gibraltar is to start it's season next Monday at Sevastopol, weather permitting.
By Nick Freimuth DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 25, 2008
The Green Bay Packers signed unrestricted free agent linebacker Brandon Chillar yesterday. Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson announced the signing. Today, the Packers also announced the signings of long snapper Thomas Gafford and tackle Joe Toledo.
Chillar, a 6-foot-3, 242-pound linebacker, spent his first four NFL seasons with the St. Louis Rams, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. In 63 games, including 40 career starts, Chillar tallied 254 tackles (173 solo) and 4.5 sacks.
A three-year starter at UCLA, he earned All-Pacific Conference 10 honors as a senior in 2003. His last name is pronounced “chill-ER.”
Gafford (6-foot-2, 252 pounds) spent the 2006 training camp with Green Bay. He was a reserve/future signing by the Seattle Seahawks in January 2007, but was waived in June and spent last season out of football. The Houston alum was a four-year letterman (2001-04), serving as the team’s short and long snapper.
The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Toledo was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft (114th overall) and had been listed at guard and tackle during his two seasons with the team. Collegiately, he played tight end his first three seasons at Washington, before transitioning to tackle.
By Nick Freimuth DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 24, 2008
The Wisconsin Badgers breezed through the first two rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament this weekend in Omaha, Nebraska. The second-round game against Kansas State on Saturday, displayed the talents of Trevon Hughes. He matched a career high with 25 points, to go with three assists and one turnover, in the Badgers' 72-55 victory at the Qwest Center.
Marquette would end their tournament run on Saturday afternoon with a loss to Stanford. The 82-81 loss for the Golden Eagles was heartbreaking. However, they played in one of the most entertaining games of the tournament.
Tournament play resumes Thursday evening. UW-Madison will play Davidson in Detroit in their third round match up. Number ten seeded Davidson knocked off number two seed Georgetown yesterday.
By Karen Klement DoorCountyDailyNews.com
March 22, 2008
Eight
new players will be inducted to the Door County Baseball Hall of
Fame this year. Door County Hall of Fame Historian Jocko Rader says
players are chosen by a committee. Each player has a different story
says Rader. He lists this years hall of famers. (Audio Here)
Hall of Famers are inducted every two years. This recognition started in 1992 and there are currently 93 baseball players in the Hall of Fame. The Door County Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony will be on May 3.