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UW football: Rudolph a happy Camp-er

Jim Polzin — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

If you watch the University of Wisconsin football team's sidelines closely just prior to kickoff Saturday, you might catch Joe Rudolph taking a few moments to look around Camp Randall Stadium and soak up the atmosphere. It'll be a pinch-me moment that would be almost impossible to avoid for Rudolph, a former standout for the Badgers. "It'll be pretty neat,'' said Rudolph, who's in his first season as ...

Badgers frozen out in bid for NCAA hockey regionals

Adam Mertz — 2008-08-28T05:00:00Z

The University of Wisconsin came up short in its bid to host NCAA men's hockey regionals in 2010 and 2011. That's due largely to a trend toward hosting such events on NHL-size rinks at off-campus facilities in neutral cities, but in Badger hockey circles could also be interpreted as another reaction to Wisconsin's success in the West regional in Madison last spring. The good news for UW? One of those regionals was awarded to the Resch Center in Green Bay, ...

UW game not in HD Saturday; Charter broadcast still in works

Jeff Richgels — 2008-08-28T05:00:00Z

The University of Wisconsin's football opener on Saturday is not being produced in high definition by the Big Ten Network. BTN is broadcasting six games on Saturday, and only four are being produced in HD, with the stumbling block simply being a lack of equipment, BTN spokesman Mike Vest said in an interview Thursday. "When producing that many games it's tough to procure enough HD-capable production trucks," Vest said. "We have some HD trucks but ...

Brewers top 3 million in ticket sales

Associated Press — 2008-08-28T05:00:00Z

MILWAUKEE -- Baseball fans are filling Miller Park in record numbers this season. The Milwaukee Brewers said Thursday the team has reached the 3 million mark in total tickets sold for the season. The Brewers have sold out 21 consecutive home games so far and have 37 sellouts for the season overall, both all-time highs for the club. Through 65 home games, the Brewers' average attendance is 37,994. That ranks ninth best in all of Major League Baseball. The Brewers' ...

Mike Lucas' Big Ten Rhap: Multiple schools have multiple QBs

Mike Lucas — 2008-08-28T05:00:00Z

Capital Times columnist Mike Lucas' weekly tour around the world of Big Ten Conference football. Northwestern's C.J. Bacher, Purdue's Curtis Painter, Minnesota's Adam Weber, Indiana's Kellen Lewis, Michigan State's Brian Hoyer, Illinois' Juice Williams, and Ohio State's Todd Boeckman should be the constants. Barring injury (Williams was knocked out of last season's opener) or suspension (Lewis sat out the spring), they should be fixtures at the quarterback position throughout the 2008 season. Everybody else in the ...

An hour of Badger talk ... on two radio stations

Dennis Punzel — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

"The Badger Hour," meet "On Wisconsin." Madison's two sports talk radio stations are going head-to-head with shows totally devoted to discussion of University of Wisconsin athletics. WTSO-AM/1070, the local ESPN radio affiliate, started its new show, "On Wisconsin," last week. The show airs Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. with host Brian Posick. It's going up against "The Badger Hour," hosted by Lance Davis on WTLX-FM/100.5 during the same hour. The timing is just a ...

Tales from the tundra: 5 women paddle the Canadian wilderness

Lisa GoodmanCorrespondent for The Capital Times — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

Waking up to the snort of a grizzly bear at the tent door was a risk for which Emily Stirr had prepared. She and Nina Emery remained calm, grabbed their bear spray and quietly awakened their friends in the adjacent tent. Two shotgun blasts overhead sent the bear to a safer distance. During their two-month journey into the Canadian wilderness this summer, Stirr and the other members of the Borealis Paddling Expedition saw a wolf fishing ...

7 ways to play in Madison

Adam Mertz — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

Fall is arguably the best time of year for the sports spectator, and the most beautiful time of year for sports participants. Check out our list of seven opportunities to get the blood pumping for fans and athletes alike: 1. Only the elite (or arguably deranged) compete in Ironman Wisconsin, but this 140.2-mile test of will -- mental and physical -- is underrated as a spectator event. The best viewing on Sept. 7 will be at ...

Dennis Semrau's 2008 prep football preview

The Capital Times — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

With the season kicking off Thursday night, Capital Times preps coordinator Dennis Semrau delivers everything you need to know about Madison metro area prep football. Points to ponder: Ten talking points for the season, including a look ahead to Friday's season-opening battle between Madison West and Madison Memorial for the "Burt Hable Traveling Clipboard." Conference previews: A rundown of the races in each league. Elite 11: ...

Milwaukee Bucks preseason schedule released

Associated Press — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

Here is the schedule for the Milwaukee Bucks' 2008-09 NBA preseason (all times Central): Monday, Oct. 6, vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Detroit, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, vs. Dallas at La Crosse, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, vs. Golden State at Guangzhou, China, 7 a.m. Friday, Oct. 17, vs. Golden State at Beijing, China, 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at Minnesota, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at Chicago, 7:30 p.m. ...

Lucas: I'm no bust, says Dayne, who awaits another NFL shot

Mike Lucas — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

Ron Dayne enjoys a celebration as much as the next tailback. But the 1999 Heisman winner hadn't planned to be here this weekend for the reunion of the 1998 University of Wisconsin football team. Nothing personal. Dayne still stays in touch with some of his former teammates, like Donnel Thompson and Cecil Martin. But instead of attending a Friday night reception at Heritage Hall -- honoring the '98 Big Ten champions and Rose Bowl winners -- he was ...

Mike Lucas: For Vincent, Madison 'is where it all started'

Mike Lucas — 2008-08-26T05:00:00Z

"The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams." -- Eleanor Roosevelt Reflecting on the path that his life has taken, and the aforementioned quotation, Troy Vincent remembered going one-on-one with Barry Alvarez shortly after Alvarez took over a floundering University of Wisconsin football program. Vincent had just completed his sophomore year when Alvarez pulled him aside after a team meeting at Camp Randall Stadium. Alvarez was fresh out ...

Prep Profile: Danielle Cushley

The Capital Times — 2008-08-26T05:00:00Z

School: Lodi Year: senior Sport: volleyball Volleyball highlights: Cushley is a three-time letterwinner and in her fourth year as a starter at outside hitter. She has the school record for career aces and ranks second in career kills. A two-time co-captain, as a junior she was the Blue Devils' Most Valuable Player and earned second team All-Area and first team All-Capitol North Conference honors. As a sophomore, she earned first team all-conference honors, led the team ...

Prep Profile: Jake Zadra

The Capital Times — 2008-08-26T05:00:00Z

School: Madison La Follette Year: Senior Sports: football, baseball Football highlights: Zadra is a returning letterwinner for the Lancers. He started on defense at safety his junior year and helped lead La Follette to a share of the Big Eight Conference championship, a berth in the second round of the WIAA Division 1 playoffs and a 9-2 overall record. He played quarterback as a freshman before moving to defense the past two seasons. He will move back to ...

UW football: Goals aplenty in 2008

Jim Polzin — 2008-08-25T05:00:00Z

University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema and his players sat together in a room one night last week and set the team's goals for the 2008 season. The results of that discussion are apparently confidential. "I can't really share them right now," senior linebacker DeAndre Levy said politely. Here's one thing we do know: The list is long. "We have, I think, 14 goals this season," said senior fullback Chris Pressley, a co-captain along ...

Packers' Harrell out at least first six weeks of season

The Capital Times — 2008-08-25T05:00:00Z

The Green Bay Packers announced that they have placed former first-round draft choice Justin Harrell on the reserve/physically unable to perform list on Monday morning, meaning he will be unavailable for at least the first six weeks of the season. Additionally, the Packers released four players to reach the NFL-mandated limit of 75 players: running backs DeShawn Wynn and Ryan Powdrell, along with wide receiver Chris Francies and offensive lineman Ryan Considine. Harrell, who was selected No. ...

Tracking Wisconsin's Olympians: The wrap-up

Todd D. Milewski — 2008-08-25T05:00:00Z

Each day during the Beijing Games, The Capital Times updated how Wisconsin's Olympians did. Here's a summary: WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD Milwaukee swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale was the big winner among Wisconsin's Olympic connections, taking two gold medals away from the Water Cube. He was part of the final in the 400-meter freestyle relay on Aug. 11 and took part in the heats in the 400 medley relay four days later. Milwaukee native ...

Hardy hits winner to lift Brew over Pirates in 12

Colin FlyAssociated Press — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

MLB_GAME-20080824-08-1 MILWAUKEE -- J.J. Hardy's patience was wearing thin in extra innings, but he waited -- exactly one more pitch. Hardy drove in the winning run on his bobblehead day at Miller Park, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat Pittsburgh 4-3 in 12 innings on Sunday for their 12th straight home win over the Pirates. "It's just a coincidence that it's bobble day for me that it happened, but it's nice to have that many fans out there and win a ...

Mike Lucas: Purdue's Painter, Northwestern's Bacher aim high

Mike Lucas — 2008-08-25T05:00:00Z

Editor's note: Last in a series previewing Big Ten Conference football teams. The table was covered in hype: DVDs and calendars promoting Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter for the Heisman Trophy. Painting a masterpiece. That was the theme. Painter couldn't escape the hyperbole, either. He was seated at the table/shrine for two hours. That was the length of the interview session during the Big Ten kickoff meetings in late July. What question do you think Painter got ...

Home Talent League playoffs: Utica beats Middleton; Sun Prairie nips Verona (with photos)

Photos by Michelle Stocker — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

Home Talent League Southern section champ Utica got the upper hand in the first round of the HTL playoffs with a 2-0 victory Sunday over Northern section champ Middleton at Sorenson Field. Utica's victory in week one of the league's round robin tournament snapped Middleton's 10-game winning streak. In the other HTL game Sunday, Sun Prairie edged Verona, 6-5, when pitcher Aaron Gross slammed a home run in the ninth inning in a victory at Marshall. The tournament continues next Sunday with ...

U.S. wins men's basketball gold

Associated Press — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

BEIJING -- Arm-in-arm, they climbed onto the middle of the medals platform, the spot that for so long was U.S. private property. Some players flashed their Olympic medals to the crowd. One pretended to take a bite, just to make sure it was real. Yep, it was gold -- the color the Americans always used to win but hadn't since 2000. Culminating a three-year mission to end years of embarrassment, the U.S. team survived ...

Tracking Wisconsin's Olympians: Sunday, Aug. 24

Todd D. Milewski — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

Each day during the Beijing Games, The Capital Times will update how Wisconsin's Olympians are doing and highlight some upcoming events. GOLD FOR U.S. HOOPS Behind another powerful performance by former Marquette star Dwyane Wade, the U.S. men's basketball team returned to the top of the podium with a 118-107 victory over Spain in the gold-medal game on Sunday. Wade led all scorers with 27 points, 12 of them from 3-point range. ...

Emotional U.S. squad nets volleyball gold

Associated Press — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

BEIJING -- When it was all over, Hugh McCutcheon didn't have to tell his wife that his U.S. men's volleyball team had beaten the odds -- and overcome tragedy -- to win the Olympic gold medal. "She said it first," the coach recalled. "She said, 'You won, you won, you won!' Nothing else to say there, just listening to each other smile on the phone." The men's team claimed the gold with a 3-1 victory ...

Edwards bumps way to win at Bristol

Associated Press — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

BRISTOL, Tennessee -- Carl Edwards nudged Kyle Busch out of the lead to win the Sharpie 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup event Saturday, heightening the ill feeling in their growing rivalry. Edwards saw Busch lead 415 consecutive laps Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, then used his bumper to nudge Busch's Toyota aside with 30 laps to go, causing it to wiggle just enough so Edwards could drive by for his second consecutive victory in the Sprint ...

Sellout streak boosts performance at Miller Park, Yost says

Dennis Punzel — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

MILWAUKEE -- If Ned Yost had it to do over again, he'd have negotiated an attendance clause into his contract when he signed on as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2003. At the time the Brewers aimed to draw 2 million fans a year, and they'd accomplished that only twice in their history. But Yost says he foresaw the day of 3 million fans making their way into ...

Todd D. Milewski: Long, successful chapter in UW hockey history has closed

Todd D. Milewski — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

A generation of hockey viewers in this state grew up with Bill Howard's tell-it-like-it-is analysis of the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team. Those appearances as the color commentator on Wisconsin Public Television broadcasts may have been the public face of Howard, but it was on the ice where the longtime UW assistant coach and goaltending guru made his impact. He did it much the same way, by telling it like it is. Howard, who ...

Tracking Wisconsin's Olympians: Saturday, Aug. 23 (with TV listings)

Todd D. Milewski — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

Each day during the Beijing Games, The Capital Times will update how Wisconsin's Olympians are doing and highlight some upcoming events. TEGENKAMP FALLS TO 13TH Former University of Wisconsin runner Matt Tegenkamp had the fastest time in the 5,000-meter heats, but that didn't come close to carrying over to the final. Tegenkamp finished 13th in the 15-person field in 13:33.13, almost four seconds better than his heat time on Wednesday but more ...

Rodgers, Packers bounce back in win

Associated Press — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

DENVER -- Aaron Rodgers went from pathetic one week to just about perfect the next. Brett Favre's replacement as Green Bay's quarterback bounced back from a bad game at San Francisco to complete 18-of-22 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown in the Packers' 27-24 win over Denver on Friday night. Rodgers led four scoring drives in his five possessions and was 16-for-19 for 178 yards against the Broncos' starters, including a 10-yard touchdown to ...

Brewers overpower Pirates

Associated Press — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

MILWAUKEE -- Dave Bush seems to always struggle in the opening innings. Good thing a run or two doesn't matter to these Brewers. Bush rebounded from another slow start to toss seven solid innings, then watched Mike Cameron homer to cap a six-run seventh as Milwaukee rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-4 on Friday night. "I wish I could be more consistent in the beginning of the game. That's kind of been a problem ...

UW men's hockey: After 36 years and six NCAA titles, Howard stepping down

The Capital Times — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

Bill Howard, the only member of all six University of Wisconsin men's hockey NCAA championship teams, is stepping down after 36 years as an assistant coach.Howard, a longtime volunteer with the program, is credited with developing UW into "Goaltender U." through his work with a series of accomplished backstops that includes Julian Baretta, Marc Behrend, Dean Anderson, Mike Richter, Curtis Joseph, Duane Derksen, Jim Carey, Kirk Daubenspeck, Graham Melanson and Brian Elliott.

Brewers' Braun back after ribcage 'spasm'

Dennis Punzel — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

MILWAUKEE -- Ryan Braun is back in the Milwaukee Brewers' lineup Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and manager Ned Yost expects him to stay there. Braun was sidelined for seven of the last nine games with a sore ribcage. His most recent start was Monday against Houston and he had to leave the game when the problem flared up again.

NFL union head Upshaw leaves legacy of unity and laughs, Garvey says

Adam Mertz — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

It was 1982, and with the NFL and its players union at an impasse that led to a strike, Gene Upshaw caught wind of a meeting called by the Dallas Cowboys to convince their rookies to stay out of the union and instead join a team of replacement players."Gene walked into the meeting, and a lawyer for the NFL was talking to the players," recalled Madison lawyer Ed Garvey, who preceded Upshaw as ...

Backup plan on UW offensive line is untested

Jim Polzin — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

The University of Wisconsin football team's offensive line is top heavy, and we're not talking about how the collective 1,595 pounds are distributed on each of the five members of the starting unit. While the offensive line is widely considered to be one of the Badgers' strongest position groups, some giant question marks exist when you examine what's behind an experienced starting five. It's made for an interesting training ...

Tracking Wisconsin's Olympians: Friday, Aug. 22 (with TV listings)

Todd D. Milewski — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

Each day during the Beijing Games, The Capital Times will update how Wisconsin's Olympians are doing and highlight some upcoming events. MEN'S HOOPS EASES INTO FINAL The U.S. men's basketball team is into its first major gold-medal final in eight years after a 101-81 victory Friday over Argentina. Former Marquette star Dwyane Wade scored 12 points and grabbed four offensive rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench. Michael Redd of the Milwaukee ...

UW athletics seeks $51 million in state bonds for building projects

Todd D. Milewski — 2008-08-21T05:00:00Z

Three University of Wisconsin athletics building projects are included in the biennial budget that the UW System Board of Regents is considering Thursday, but that doesn't necessarily mean the athletic department is any closer to breaking ground. The proposed budget for 2009-11 includes a portion of the funding for the projects, which will not be paid for with tax dollars. Instead, the state would issue bonds that are to be repaid with athletic department revenue.

Mike Lucas: Illinois' Juice Williams ready to put squeeze on foes

Mike Lucas — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

Editor's note: Part 8 of a series previewing each Big Ten Conference football team (scroll to bottom for complete schedule). Coming Monday: Purdue and Northwestern. There was a time when you could get better odds on Ron Zook, the over-caffeinated Illinois head coach, standing in place for 50 seconds than you could get on Juice Williams, the scatter-armed quarterback, completing 50 percent of his passes. Two years ago, Isiah John Williams -- the aforementioned Juice, who ...

Tracking Wisconsin's Olympians: Thursday, Aug. 21 (with TV listings)

Todd D. Milewski — 2008-08-21T05:00:00Z

Each day during the Beijing Games, The Capital Times will update how Wisconsin's Olympians are doing and highlight some upcoming events. GOLD FOR TARPLEY, MARKGRAF The start of the tournament was far from golden for the U.S. women's soccer team. The finish certainly was. Madison native Lindsay Tarpley and Whitefish Bay resident Kate Markgraf successfully defended their 2004 Olympic championship in a 1-0 U.S. victory over Brazil after extra time Thursday in Beijing. Carli ...

Mike Lucas: Freshman Nortman gets the snap as UW punter

Mike Lucas — 2008-08-21T05:00:00Z

What is the risk and reward associated with having a freshman punter? Depends on the punter. In 1984, Scott Cepicky, a true freshman, averaged 39.5 yards per kick for the University of Wisconsin football team. Cepicky, a prep quarterback, was an outstanding all-around athlete who also starred in baseball for the Badgers and signed a pro contract in that sport. Cepicky was a character who earned the nickname of the "Free Spirit of St. Louis" ...

UW football: For Pressley, being 'bell cow' has a nice ring to it

Jim Polzin — 2008-08-21T05:00:00Z

If there was any question whether Chris Pressley had emerged as one of the leaders on the University of Wisconsin football team, all you had to do was be within shouting distance of Bascom Hill during one particular hot Tuesday afternoon this summer to realize the senior fullback had taken on that role wholeheartedly. There, after a group of four dozen Badgers had finished running the hill as part of their strength and conditioning program, ...