Overnight State Sports Briefs: Driver speaks on retirement at Super Bowl
Wisconsin Sports-- Donald Driver’s been talking about his retirement today to some of the four-thousand media members assembled at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
GREEN BAY - Donald Driver’s been talking about his retirement today to some of the four-thousand media members assembled at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Driver broke the news this morning on ESPN’s “Mike-and-Mike in the Morning” show – and the Packers made it official around the same time. Driver, who turns 38 on Saturday, was drafted in 1999 out of Alcorn State. And he played all 14 of his NFL seasons in Green Bay, as he broke a number of receiving records that include catches and total receiving yards. On Tuesday, Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers saluted Driver on his Milwaukee radio show, in anticipation that an announcement would come this week. Rodgers said Driver has had an incredible, and he’s been a “pleasure to be around.” The quarterback said Driver endeared himself to the fans, made a quote, “ton of plays,” and did things the “right way.” Rodgers also said Driver would have no problem making a transition to other parts of the sports business, or entertainment. Rodgers said Driver would quote, “be great at whatever he decides to do.” The Packers’ top brass will speak at Driver’s retirement ceremony, set for 11 a.m. next Wednesday morning in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
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The Milwaukee Brewers have finalized a minor league contract with pitcher Alfredo Figaro. The Brewers made a deal with the 28-year-old right-hander in December – but the team learned later that Figaro was still on the reserve list for a Japanese team, the Orix Buffaloes. The Journal Sentinel said Figaro and his agent worked out the pitcher’s release from Japan, clearing the way for his audition with Milwaukee. Assistant general manager Gord Ash said the front office received a good scouting report about Figaro from Mike Guerrero, the skipper at Triple-“A” Nashville. Figaro pitched in Japan the past two years, going 8-and-11 with a three-point-three-one ERA. Before that, he made 13 appearances with the Detroit Tigers.
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Pewaukee native Mark Wilson is the only Wisconsin player in the PGA’s Waste Management Phoenix Open which begins today in Scottsdale, Arizona. He took a breather a week ago, after playing in the season’s first three tournaments in Hawaii and La Quinta, California. Wilson made the cut in two of those events, and his best finish so far is 11th at the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
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Alec James is not going anywhere. The state high school defensive player-of-the-year from Brookfield East has re-affirmed his verbal commitment to Wisconsin next fall – even though the coach who recruited him, Bret Bielema, bolted for Arkansas. Bielema made a late effort to steal James from the UW – and the senior also considered Michigan State and Oregon during the past few weeks. James’ high school coach Tom Swittel said Wisconsin has always had the inside track – but he needed to get to know new coach Gary Andersen and his staff. Swittel said James respects and likes the new coach – and he remains comfortable at Wisconsin. James had 11 sacks last fall at Brookfield East, and 97 total tackles.
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Randy Hill of Saint Norbert College is the men’s indoor field athlete-of-the-week in the Midwest Conference. Hill, a sophomore, broke a school record in the triple jump and tied a Saint Norbert mark in the high jump, to help the Green Knights finish third in last weekend’s Oshkosh Invitational.
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Defending champion Aurora is the pre-season favorite to win the baseball title in the Northern Athletics Conference. Aurora went 38-and-10 overall last season. And the Spartans received 7-of-the-12 first place votes in the pre-season poll for this spring. Concordia-Chicago is picked to finish second. Madison Edgewood is the top Wisconsin team in the pre-season poll, projected to take fifth. Marian is predicted to take seventh, Concordia-Mequon eighth, Wisconsin Lutheran ninth, Lakeland 10th, Milwaukee Engineering 11th, and Maranatha Baptist 12th-and-last.
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The son of former NBA player and Kenosha native Nick Van Exel is on trial in Dallas for capital murder. 22-year-old Nickey Maxwell Van Exel is accused of shooting a long-time friend, Bradley Eyo in 2010 in a suburb east of Dallas. Van Exel’s lawyer said both men were playing with a shotgun, and Van Exel did not know the gun was loaded until it went off. His trial began yesterday. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. Nick Van Exel played 13 years in the NBA. He’s now a player development instructor for the Atlanta Hawks.
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A high school football player from Somerset will join his sister at Wisconsin. Jack Cichy said on Twitter that he has committed to the Badgers. He’ll be a preferred walk-on, and will play at linebacker. Cichy goes to school in Maplewood Minnesota at Hill-Murray High. His sister Tessa is a freshman on the Badger women’s basketball squad. And both their parents were also athletes in college.
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There’s a chance that former University of Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien will move up to the Number-two spot on San Francisco’s depth chart next season. The 49’ers are expected to cut Alex Smith, after he lost his starting job to former New London resident Colin Kaepernick during the season. That creates an opening for Tolzien, who served as the Number-three quarterback this year, and the captain of the scout team which acts as the 49’ers upcoming opponents at practice during the week. This week, Tolzien is playing the role of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco in preparation for Sunday’s Super Bowl. While he does that, Tolzien says he’s learning as much as he can from Smith before he leaves. There’s no guarantee that Tolzien will move up to the Number-two quarterback slot – but he’s on the inside track for it. Tolzien is a second-year pro whom the Niners picked up after San Diego cut him after last summer’s training camp.
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Michael Tenzer of UW-Green Bay and Maddy Soule of Milwaukee have been named the men’s-and-women’s tennis players of the week in the Horizon League. Tenzer, a sophomore, posted victories in the top-two singles and doubles categories as Green Bay opened its season at 3-0. The Phoenix beat Western Michigan, Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, and Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis. Soule, a senior, also went 4-0. She won the top singles-and-doubles categories in a pair of meets against Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis and Ball State. Soule became U-W-M’s all-time leader in career singles victories with 59, and she tied the school record for doubles’ wins with 54.
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A high school football player from Somerset will join his sister at Wisconsin. Jack Cichy said on Twitter that he has committed to the Badgers. He’ll be a preferred walk-on, and will play at linebacker. Cichy goes to school in Maplewood Minnesota at Hill-Murray High. His sister Tessa is a freshman on the Badger women’s basketball squad. And both their parents were also athletes in college.
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There’s a chance that former University of Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien will move up to the No. 2 spot on San Francisco’s depth chart next season. The 49’ers are expected to cut Alex Smith, after he lost his starting job to former New London resident Colin Kaepernick during the season. That creates an opening for Tolzien, who served as the Number-three quarterback this year, and the captain of the scout team which acts as the 49’ers upcoming opponents at practice during the week. This week, Tolzien is playing the role of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco in preparation for Sunday’s Super Bowl. While he does that, Tolzien says he’s learning as much as he can from Smith before he leaves. There’s no guarantee that Tolzien will move up to the Number-two quarterback slot – but he’s on the inside track for it. Tolzien is a second-year pro whom the Niners picked up after San Diego cut him after last summer’s training camp.
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Michael Tenzer of UW-Green Bay and Maddy Soule of Milwaukee have been named the men’s-and-women’s tennis players of the week in the Horizon League. Tenzer, a sophomore, posted victories in the top-two singles and doubles categories as Green Bay opened its season at 3-0. The Phoenix beat Western Michigan, Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, and Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis. Soule, a senior, also went 4-0. She won the top singles-and-doubles categories in a pair of meets against Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis and Ball State. Soule became UWM’s all-time leader in career singles victories with 59, and she tied the school record for doubles’ wins with 54.
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