Tom King's Blog

The Badger Football team gave up a long kickoff return and a touchdown run on the first two plays of the Champ Sports Bowl last night in orlando and the pundits started shaking their heads. They're too slow...don't matchup with all the bluechippers from Florida....it's a nice midwestern team...but....And then Wisconsin showed the pretty boys from South Florida what Big Ten smashmouth football is. John Clay ran for 121 yards and 2 scores and Bucky's defense came up huge in a 20-win. With so many good player returning next season I would think that the Badgers should be a pre-season favorite to win the Big ten and will be lookig at a bigger Bowl stop next year.

Big win for the Pointer men's basketball team last night as they rolled over the 2nd ranked Tommies from St. Thomas It was the 100th win of Bob Semling's Pointer career and ended a 33 game winning streak for the Tommies dating back to Feb of 2008.

It was the first day of the Big Rivers/Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Basketball Challenge in Chippewa Falls yesterday. the two day event matches up schools that may face off in the sectional playoffs later this season and is a great idea. I'm surprised no one thought of this sooner. Wausau East beat Menominee, Eau Claire North topped DC Everest, Marshfield beat Chippewa Falls and Wausau West got a nice win over Eau Claire Memorial. The event continues today...I'll have Wausau East against Chippewa Falls tonight at 6:30 on our sister station...Foxsports 1390 WRIG.

Songs of the Day

Do-Rei_Mi-Nanci Griffith (1993) an old Woody Guthrie tune about the influx of people from the Dust Bowl states to california during the Great Depression. Griffith does a good version on her excellent cd "Other Voices, Other Rooms".

Do Nothin Til You Hear From Me-Duke Ellington (1940) orignally recorded as an instrumental featuring Cootie Williams trumpet...this classic has been sung many times as well ...ella Fitzgerald had a hit with it among others..

It's hard to understand from a fan's perspective why the Indianapolis Colts threw away their chance at history by pulling Peyton Manning and other starters from their game with the Jets on Sunday. The Colts went on to lose the game and their chance at becoming the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to run the table. From Coach Jim Caldwell's perspective it's a little easier to understand. He's being judged by how deep the Colts go into the playoffs and a Super Bowl win is more important than a perfect season. If Manning stayed in a meaningless late season game and suffered a season-ending injury, Caldwell would have been skewered by the same people who are criticizing him now. If it was me...I'm keeping my key guys healthy until the games matter. Manning probably didn't like it....We know Brett Favre doesn't like it....but that's why the inmates don't run the asylum...they don't hold the proper long term perspective to make a good decision.

Packer coach Mike McCarthy will face that decision this week. The Packers made the playoffs Sunday with a stomping of Seattle. Now they face Arizona this week...a team they likely will play again the following week in a first round playoff game. Expect a vanilla game plan this week with the subs getting alot of time.

The Badger Men's basketball team keeps on rolling with wins over UW-MIlwaukee and Illinois-Chicago to prepare for the Big Ten schedule. They play Ohio State on New Years Eve. Alot of the pundits have Bucky finishing low in the conference this year. I think they're nuts. Hughes, Leuer  & Bohannon have Wisconsin playing well. Look for Bo Ryan's bunch to challenge for the conference title again.

i see the Daily Herald has chosen the 2000 Mosinee girls basketball team as the "Girls Team of the Decade. I covered that team and broadcast most of their games on WSAU. Before that I hadn't watched alot of girls basketball but that team was fun to see in action. They had a strong inside game with Amanda Nechuta and Becky Stieber and their guards could hit the 3. Rory Mckellips would have them practice against grown men so they were much more physical than any team they faced. That was a great few years as they made it to Madison three years in a row.

Sportstalk tonight at RJ's Bullshooters Saloon in Weston. We'll be giving away a pair of airline tickets from United Airlines. Also Denny Tauscher is scheduled to join us. It all starts at 6:05 on WSAU.

Songs of the Day

Do I Ever Cross Your Mind-Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmy Lou Harris (1999) from "Trio II" the second collaboration from these songbirds. It's a Parton song but Harris sung the lead on this version. Released 12 years after the original "Trio".

Dixie Chicken-Little Feat (1973) Lowell George may be the most underated singer-songwriter of the rock era. The 70's incarnation of this band was so good but so overlooked. George's untimely death in 1979 changed everything although Bill payne and Fred Tackett kept the band going...and they still tour & record today.

I've been hearing alot of grumbling about the explosion of sports on tv on Christmas Day. This year there were 5 NBA games and an NFL game televised on December 25th. Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy is one who favors abolishing the practice.  I personally like the availability of the games and if the fans will still fill the arenas on that day they will keep scheduling them. You notice also that the NBA features their best teams on Christmas so the league has no intention of changing the practice anytime soon. I have a bigger problem with scheduling a college bowl game on Christmas Eve. If the sports world can't take a breather on the night of the 24th....then something is wrong.

Donna Shalala is the former Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin and current president of the University of Miami. The two teams meet in the Champs Sports Bowl on Tuesday in Orlando. There has been alot written this week about how Shalala saved the Wisconsin athletic program by firing Ade Sponberg and Don Morton and hiring Pat Richter and Barry Alvarez and that is certainly true. But let us also remember that Shalala also presided over the demise of the Badger baseball program which had been in existance for over 100 years. It sure would have been nice if she had found a way to "save" the athletic department without  eliminating one the oldest sports offered by the university.

Caught up with Andy Brandt for a few minutes at the East/West hockey game the other night. The West grad is still playing pro hockey with the Victoria BC Salmon Kings of the ECHL. He's got 8 goals and 6 assists so far this season. Brandt won a national championship as a member of the Wisconsin Hockey team.

Join us for Sportstalk on Monday at RJ's Bullshooters Saloon. We will have a pair of airline tickets from United airlines to giveaway good for anywhere in the continental US. It all starts at 6:05.

Songs of the Day

Disco Inferno-Trammps (1976) originally released on their album in 76' but didnt become the huge smash until it was included on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1978. Burn, Baby, Burn!

Disco Lady-Johnnie Taylor (1976) he's been recording for 20 years and had a few hits in the 60s....but nothing like this one which became the first Platimum selling single (2 million sold).

Christmas Wishes of a sports fan....may the Packers clinch a playoff spot with a game winning Fg from Mason Crosby....May the Badgers take down the "U" and bring a signature win back to Madison to set up for a national championship run next year.....may the Bucks make some free throws and win some close games....may the Brewers find one more pitcher as they get ready for spring training (less than 2 months until pitchers & catchers report).....may I have alot of close exciting high school games to broadcast like last nights East/West hockey game....may you get what you want this Christmas season or better yet give someone what they want (or need)....and don't get behind the wheel if you have too much holiday cheer. 

I'll be back from vacation on Monday....have a great weekend. Merry Christmas

TK

I'm taking a few days off from the morning show to recharge my batteries. i'll still be doing  Sportstalk on Monday night at Bullshooters Saloon. We have Packer -Seahawk tickets to give away this week and former Packer linebacker Michael Hunt is scheduled to join us.

I'll also have a couple of hockey games for you this week on our sister station Foxsports 1390 WRIG. Today (saturday) Wausau East takes on Mosinee at Greenheck at 530...Tuesday it's East and West battling at Marathon Park.

I'll probably post sporadically this week so check back and see what's cooking. Have a very Merry Christmas and stay safe this week. watch out for Drunk Drivers and of course, don't drink & drive yourself.

Songs of the Day

Dirty Martini-Joe Jackson Band (2003) the reuniuon Lp of Jackson's original band is a good one and this funky, down & dirty tune is a good example.

Dirty Work-Steely Dan (1972) from their first Lp "Can't Buy A Thrill"...the original lead vocals were done by David Palmer who left the band after the 2nd Lp. Here is a concert version from a few years ago.

The Wausau West Warrior Hockey team has dominated the Marathon Cup tournament almost since it's inception in 1977. Pete Susen's squad has won the Cup 19 times since it's first win in 1979.to contast, Mosinee has won it 5 times...DC Everest and Wausau East 3 each...Antigo and Spash have one win in the tournament years ago. The 33rd cup will be contested today and Saturday at Greenheck Fieldhouse at DC Everest high school. The first game is Mosinee and West at 5:30 with Everest and East to follow. West is obviously the favorite as the number 1 team in the state at this point....but East is 5-1 to start the season...Everest is playing well beg=hind top notch goalie Mark Lambrecht...and Mosinee is scoring goals as well. The 2nd day of the cup pits the two losing teams from today in game 1 at 5:30 and the championship game at 730 on Saturday night. The teams that don't face off this week will face each other next Tuesday.You can hear all of the Marathon Cup action on our sister station...Foxsports 1390, WRIG.

Heartbreak for the Bucks last night. They had the chance to beat the defending champs at the Bradley Center but Kobe Bryant, playing with a broken finger, scored 39 including the game winner at the buzzer in overtime for a 107-106 win.

Had a great time with former Packer great Dave Robinson at Fred Mueller yesterday. His new book is winner. if you're looking for a gift for that Packer fan on your list...this is it.

Songs of The Day

The Dirty Boogie-Brian Setzer Orchestra (1998) the title track from an excellent cd of jump jive from the guitar slinger that fronted the Stray Cats. Put a hot band and horn section behind him and it's all good.

Dirty Laundry-Don Henley (1982) from his first solo Lp "I Cant Stand Still", comes this trashing of the tabloid media. He wasnt happy with the coverage of the deaths of John Belushi and Natalie Wood and vented with this tune. It also features a Joe Walsh guitar solo and also work from Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro from Toto.

A well rested Milwaukee Bucks team will welcome Kobe Bryant and the Lakers to the Bradley Center tonight. The lakers are playing on back to back nights after beating the Bulls in Chicago. The Bucks are coming off a Saturday night win over Portland which returned them to the .500 mark. They need to shoot better if they hope to beat the defending champs and western division leaders.

The Badger men's basketball team is back at it as well hosting Cal-Poly at the Kohl Center.

Congrats to the Spash boys basketball team. After going winless in the Valley all last season they opened this year with a win over a good DC Everest team scoring 22 points in the 4th quarter.

The Northwoods League has expanded, adding a team in Wisconsin Rapids. The as-yet named team will play at Witter Field. Earlier the summer college league had added a team in Willmar, Minnesota.

I promised yesterday to include the ballot for this years Central Wisconsin Baseball Hall of Fame. It's divided into 4 categories.

Category 1-resident and Non-Resident Professional

Jack Baldschun

Juan Berenguer

Ray Boone

Darnell Coles

Jim Delsing

Ken Frailing

Gary Gaetti

Louis (Bud) Heyman

Moe Hill

Mike Jirschele

Tom Metcalf

Ward "Grumpy" Miller

Omar Minaya

Edwin Nunez

Shirley Palesh

Jim Presley

Walter Wilmot

Mookie Wilson

Gregg Zaun

Ben Zobrist

Category 2-Resident Amateur Player

Andy Augustine

Jerry Barwineck

Roger Breske

John Goodman

Wally Hriber

Bill Kautzer

Bill Kuse

Morrie Nowitzke

Joe Petka

Frank Schade Sr.

Craig Scheffler

Mike Simon

Dan Thompson

Joe Westfall

Jon Winter

Category 3-Amateur Coaches/Managers

Bill Helmuth

Roy Larson

Tom Lechnir

Tom Magnuson

George Scherer

Jim Schymanski

Keith "Whitey' Steinagel

John Westfall

Category 4-non uniform personnel

Randy Allen

Judge Gerald Boileau

Ron Carpenter

Archie Davis

Pam Gardner

Bob Gifford

Ed Kent

John Henry Moss

Mike Osterbrink

Chuck Summers

The voting is going on now and the results should be available in a couple of weeks.

Songs of the Day

Different Drum-Stone Poneys (1967) Linda Ronstadt fronts the band and has a hit with a song written by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. The other Poneys were Bob Kimmel and Kenny Edwards. Edwards toured and recorded with Ronstadt through the 70's.

Diamonds on The Soles of Her Shoes-Paul Simon (1986) from his masterwork "Graceland" featuring the fabulous Afreican group Ladysmith Balck Mambazo. Here is a live version recorded at a 1987 concert in Zimbabwe.

Linebacker Brandon Chillar likes playing in Green Bay. Some players don't. The towns too small...too white...too whatever. But Chillar has said he likes everything about playing for the Packers and the team likes Chillar too. They have signed him to a contract extension of 4 years worth a reported 21 million dollars...7 million of it guaranteed.  Coach Mike McCarthy called him flexible and versatile and especially solid on special teams. He was one of several Packers that would have become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.

A smoking hot stove heated up yesterday. The Phillies, Blue Jays and Mariners are reportedley close to a deal involving two former Cy Young award winners. Seattle would get Cliff Lee...Philly would get Roy Halladay and the Mariners top prospect...and Toronto would get three top Phillie prospects. Halladay has been great but could be even better now that he has escaped the AL East and constant starts against the Yankees and Red Sox. The Sox meanwhile tried to keep up with the eveil empire in the Bronx by signing the top free agent pitcher out there John Lackey. Spring Training is only a month and a half away!

I am humbled that someone has nominated me for the Central Wisconsin Baseball Hall of Fame . My long time love affair with baseball led me to take over the Wausau American Legion Baseball program in 1983 and I've been at it ever since. The category I am nominated in is loaded with worthy choices anyone of which would be an excellent addition to the Hall. A number of my former players are also nominated in some other categories. I'll print the entire ballot tomorrow.

Songs of the Day

Devil With A Blue Dress-Mitch Ryder & Detroit Wheels (1966) written at Motown for Shorty Long in 1964.. Ryder grabbed it and paired it with "Good Golly Miss Molly" in a much faster arrangement for his 66' hit. Also check out the live version at the 1979 'No Nukes" concerts from Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.

Diamonds & Rust-Joan Baez (1975) a commercial hit for the crystalline voiced folkie. Is it about her ex-husband David Harris or her involvement 1o years before with Bob Dylan. She says Harris but has dropped hints that Dylan also inspired some of it. Take a listen....

When Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference years ago the jokes abounded about an 11 team conference named the Big Ten. Since that time the talk has been to add a twelfth team to even the number...set up two divisions and have a conference playoff game for football. Who would be the 12th team? Notre Dame doesnt want to do it.  Alot of other midwestern schools are too small or don't offer enough sports including football. Well, Barry Alvarez said on Friday that Big Ten commisioner Jim Delaney is at work identifying and recruiting a 12th school. Alvarez said a number of schools from all over the country are being considered. Bob Wolfley, in his Journal-Sentinel Sunday column suggested that one front-runner may be Rutgers. The New Jersey school is certainly big enough with 34,000 students, has a good academic reputation and can field Big Ten level teams. Plus it's located in the New York City market. I've  seen Boise State mentioned as another possible candidate and although they would be able to compete in football...I don't know about the other sports.

The Brewers announced over the weekend they would not offer contracts to Seth McClung, Mark Defelice or Mike Rivera. They also said that Craig Counsell will be back and a deal should be announced today. Counsell is a good guy to have...he can play numerous positions and with the injury history of Rickie Weeks and Casey McGehee's balky knee he will see action at both 2nd and 3rd. Plus I'm told he's a great clubhouse guy.

The Central Wisconsin Saints salvaged the final game of a three game series with Chicago at KB Willet Arena on Sunday 6-3. The Saints now head to Flint, Michigan this weekend for the big Great Lakes League Showcase event.

Sportstalk tonight at RJ's Bullshooters Saloon in Weston. We'll have Packer-Seahawk tickets to giveaway.  Join us at 6:05.

Songs of the Day

Devil Inside-INXS (1988) a big hit for the Australian band fronted by Michael Hutchence who had a string of dalliances with some of the most beautiful women of the day and dies a mysterious death in a Sydney hotel room in 1997.

Detroit Rock City-KISS (1976) from the Destoyer LP. I had friends who were huge KISS fans but I never really saw the appeal although this song has a good rock hook. Also many radio stations played the flip side of the record which was a Peter Criss ballad "Beth" which became an unlikely hit.

Let's start with the high school hockey from last night . In a battle of 1 vs 3 in the state  the Wausau West Warriors sent a message hammering Spash 8-1 at MArathon Park. Wausau East beat Rapids on the road. Mosinee, DC Everest and MArshfield won as well. Next week is the Marathon Cup with West, East, Everest and Mosinee meeting at Greenheck...Thursday and Saturday of next week.

The Badger hockey team plays in North Dakota tonight. The Badger women are in Mankato.

It's Wisconsin and Marquette Saturday afternoon in men's basketball  at the Kohl Center and here on WSAU. We'll see how the Badgers rebound from the loss to UWGB earlier this week.

The Central Wisconsin Saints Junior Hockey team returns to action after a weekend off. They host Chicago. Tonight's game is in Neenah so the Saints players from the Fox Valley can play in front of friends and family...The other two games will be at KB Willet in Stevens Point...Saturday at 2:30 and Sunday morning at 11.

A Tripleheader of high school basketball tonight on our sister station Foxsports 1390 WRIG. First up the DC Everest girls face off with Madison East..pre game at 5:30...that will be followed by the Everest boys against Wausau West and the night will conclude with the Wausau East boys hosting Rhinelander. All games on Foxsports 1390 WRIG.

Songs of The Day

Detox Mansion-Warren Zevon (1987) a more humorous look at his battle with substance abuse which plagued him for much of his life...from an underated Lp called Sentimental Hygiene.

Destination Unknown-Missing Persons (1982) will you really miss the 80's after watching this video? Lead singer Dale Bozzio almost makes you forget the fashion sense of the rest of the band and the annoying synthesyziers which dominated the music industry of that time

A week after beating Duke and hitting the top 25 the Wisconsin Badgers go to green Bay and lose to the UWGB Phoenix in overtime 88-84. The Phoenix aren't bad but this is disappointing on so many levels. The Badgers pride themselves on their defense which was sloppy and disjointed last night and I don;t care who you're playing..if you leave an underdog hang around long enough they will find a way to pull the upset.

The Bucks broke their 4 game losing streak...beating Toronto last night. How tough is Luke Ridnour...playing with a dislocated elbow he scored 15 points. Still not a great defensive effort and they welcome in 2 pretty good teams next in Portland and the Lakers.

Congrats to Tyler Day of Wausau West for winning the Brockmeyer Award this year. I only saw him play once but that was the Log game when he used his superior cut-back ability to torch the Lumberjacks for 4 touchdowns.

When the weather's bad there's nothing like talking baseball. The Brewers improved their pitching yesterday signing Randy Wolf and Latroy Hawkins. They had to overpay a bit for Wolf but he slides right into that #2 spot in the rotation. The Tigers got younger and picked up a nice haul for Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson. Also it was announced at the winter meetings that Peter Gammons has left ESPN and joined MLB Network andMLB.com

I'll have East Hockey tonight from Wisconsin Rapids on FOXsports 1390 WRIG...pre game at 6:50 and the puck drops at 7pm.

Songs of the Day

Desperado-Eagles (1973) Title track from my favorite Eagles Lp. This song is so good it's hard to do a bad version. It's been covered by alot of people including Cher, George Michael and even the Carpenters.

Desire-U2-(1988)...from "Rattle & Hum"....a concert staple for the boys from Dublin...here is a live version from Slane Castle.

After months  of hedging Danica Patrick said yesterday she would enter Nascar racing this coming season driving for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. Patrick finished 3rd in IndyCar points this past year and 3rd at the Indy 500 and as popular as she is in open wheel racing...think of the possibilities as she joins Nascar Nation. As feisty as she is on the track she should fit right in and of course her look will lead the marketing folks to spasms of joys as they count the dollars flowing in. Should be interesting. Her first race will Feb 6th in an ARCA race at Daytona.

The Badger basketball team braved the roads yesterday and made it to Green Bay to face the Phoenix tonight. They should have no problem with the Phoenix as they look ahead to Marquette on Saturday. You can hear the game tonight on WSAU...pre game show at 6:30

The Wausau West hockey team survived a scare on Tuesday night trailing Wisconsin Rapids 4-1 in the 3rd period before rallying to tie. The Warriors won it in OT as Mitch Borneman got the game winner.  The 4-0 Warriors face Spash on Thursday.

The Brewers are after Randy Wolf. Reports out of the winter meetings say Milwaukee has offered the former Dodger 30 miillion plus over three years. He is one of the top free agent pitchers available this year.

The Dave Robinson appearance at Fred Mueller Automotive has been postponed today because of the weather.

Songs of the Day

Desperadoes Under The Eaves-Warren Zevon (1976) Zevon's take on his own alcoholism appears on his self-titled first LP. A scary talented guy taken too early.

Desperadoes Waiting For A Train-Guy Clark (1975) Just a great song about a guy that a young Clark treated like his grandfather...(it was actually his grandmothers boyfriend). This tune has been done by alot of people....my favorite version is Jerry Jeff Walker's live take on his Viva Terlingua LP...Couldn't find that...but here is Walker doing the tune in the mid-80's.