Morning State Sports Briefs: Tolzien decides to sign with Chargers instead of Colts

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MADISON - University of Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien apparently changed course yesterday and told a radio station he would sign with the San Diego Chargers.

He had appeared to be headed to Indianapolis. Wisconsin running back John Clay signed with Pittsburgh, as did corner Niles Brinkley. Badgers’ receiver and kicker returner David Gilreath was expected to sign with the Colts.

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The Green Bay Packers have reported a net income of just over $17-million-dollars last year – way up from five-point-two million the previous year. As a publicly-owned team, Green Bay is the only one that releases its financial figures. They came out yesterday, in advance of the Packers’ annual stockholders’ meeting tomorrow at Lambeau Field. Operating profits totaled $12-million-dollars, up by just over two-million from a year ago. Team revenues hit a record $283-million-dollars, up by almost 25-million. Investment income was up after $10-million dollars of losses the previous two years. Player costs were down by about two-million to $159-million, but that due mainly to the NFL owners’ lockout. Packers’ president Mark Murphy said the team’s Super Bowl run last year contributed nicely to the bottom line – along with extra revenues from Lambeau Field and the Packer Pro Shop. The Packers have been talking about adding up to 7,500 seats in Lambeau’s south end zone, plus a standing room area where tickets would be sold on an individual game basis.

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The Packers opened the doors to their training facilities yesterday after the nearly five-month NFL owners’ lockout. Donald Driver was among those reporting three days before the official start of camp on Friday. Tight end Tom Crabtree also showed up early, as did offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith and rookie receiver Randall Cobb. All players are required to be at camp on Friday. The Packers’ first official practice is on Saturday night across from Lambeau Field. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, it must be held without pads and helmets. Players won’t put those on until next Monday.

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Franklin High School will go for back-to-back championships when the WIAA summer baseball tournament begins this morning in Stevens Point. Eight teams will square off in one division. Brookfield East will face Milwaukee Marquette in the opener of today’s quarter-finals. Franklin will then take on Waukesha West. Later this afternoon, Sheboygan Falls will go against Whitefish Bay. And West Salem will close out the day against last year’s runner-up, West Bend West. The semi-finals will be played tomorrow morning. The championship game is set for late tomorrow afternoon.

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If you agree with the media that Wisconsin will win its division, you might want to know that tickets go on sale Saturday morning for the inaugural Big Ten football championship game. The contest will feature the champions of the new Leaders and Legends Divisions, with the winner advancing to either the Rose Bowl or the BCS national championship game. The Big Ten title match-up will take place Saturday night, December third at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Tickets go on sale at nine Saturday morning online through Ticketmaster. An informal media poll made Wisconsin and Nebraska the favorites to win their inaugural division crowns, and face each other in the league championship game.

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Former University of Wisconsin receiver Kraig Appleton was hospitalized in stable condition at last word, after he was shot in his home town of East Saint Louis, Illinois. Police said the 21-year-old Appleton was shot several times – but they did not give other details. An investigation continues. Appleton was an honor student at East Saint Louis High School, and he was an all-state receiver and track athlete before joining the Badgers in 2009. But Appleton did not play much during his freshman year. And afterward, he and two other Badgers were released from the program for undisclosed violations of team rules. Appleton then left the UW and never returned.

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In hockey, Madison native Craig Smith has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators of the NHL. The Predators drafted Smith in the fourth round two years ago. He has played for his hometown Wisconsin Badgers since then, with 76 points in 82 games and 159 minutes in the penalty box. Smith scored 19 goals last season, good for 11th in the WCHA. He had 23 power-play points, and five game-winning scores.

SCORES

In the Northwoods League…

La Crosse 6, Wisconsin Rapids 5

Wisconsin 11, Eau Claire 9

Battle Creek 10, Madison 5

Green Bay 5, Waterloo 2

Saint Cloud 7, Duluth 6 in 11 innings

Mankato 4, Rochester 3

Brainerd 7, Willmar 6 in 10 innings

Alexandria 10, Thunder Bay 5 in 7 innings

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Here are Tuesday's results in the American Association:

St. Paul 6, Kansas City 5

Wichita 12, Fargo-Moorhead 1

Gary 9, Sioux Falls 1

Winnipeg 11, Sioux City 6

Lincoln 7, El Paso 1

Shreveport-Bossier 5, Grand Prairie 4

Amarillo 7, Fort Worth 6

Fort Worth 17, Amarillo 13

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Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, proam