‘Project Leap’ set for Febuary 18 at Lambeau Field Atrium

January 26th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

The ninth annual ‘Project LEAP!’ is set for Saturday, Febuary 18, 2012, at the Lambeau Field Atrium. The free community event is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

‘Project LEAP!’ (Lambeau’s Exercise and Activity Playground) is focused on getting kids out of the house to enjoy non-strenuous physical activity.

In addition to the popular inflatables, climbing walls, bungee trampolines and face painting, the day will feature entertainment by the Sideswipe Performance Team, a martial arts-based group that blends traditional martial arts, such as karate and tae kwon do, with gymnastics and acrobatics, to create an extreme, high-flying display of talent, strength and stamina. Based in Los Angeles, Sideswipe has been entertaining audiences across the country over the last six years, performing on television, stage, at sporting events, live action shows and karate tournaments.

The group is scheduled to perform three times: 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. It also will offer three workshops: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

‘Project LEAP!’ is one of several free community events the Packers host each year, each geared toward bringing families together.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Green Bay Packers.

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Green Bay Packers and Sargento raise $100,000 in “Touchdowns For Charity” program

January 22nd, 2012 by Robert Rosati

During the regular season, Sargento donated $1,000 to the Wisconsin Hunger Task Force for each touchdown scored and $500 to Paul’s Pantry for each touchdown scored by the team’s wide receivers and tight ends. The program raised $70,000 (on 70 TDs) for the Hunger Task Force and $24,000 (on 48 TDs) for Paul’s Pantry. Sargento then raised the stakes in the postseason by doubling the touchdown contributions, resulting in an additional $6,000 donation toward fighting hunger in Wisconsin.

In total, Sargento donated $74,000 for the Wisconsin Hunger Task Force and $26,000 for Paul’s Pantry during the regular and postseason.

“For nine seasons, we’ve been proud to demonstrate not only our commitment to the hometown team, but also our long-term commitment to helping feed those in need,” said Louie Gentine, president and chief customer officer at Sargento. “We look forward to watching the Green and Gold drive this program to success next year as two great Wisconsin passions—great cheese and explosive football—unite.”

Since partnering nine years ago, Sargento – the official cheese of the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field – has contributed $775,000 to Wisconsin food charities such as the Hunger Task Force and Paul’s Pantry.

Sargento, a family-owned, Wisconsin-based company, is supporting Packers’ licensing throughout Wisconsin grocery retailers during the season with in-store displays and special product promotions to generate excitement with Packers fans. Sargento is also present at Lambeau in concessions with cheeseburgers featuring Sargento Deli Style Sliced Mild Cheddar cheese and breaded cheese curds.

Sargento Foods Inc. has demonstrated its passion for cheese and cheese-based meal solutions throughout its history. Founded in 1953 in Plymouth, Sargento is a leading manufacturer, packager and marketer of natural shredded, sliced and snack cheeses, cheese appetizers, ingredients, sauces and other culinary solutions. Sargento is owned and operated by the Gentine family, and has net sales of more than $1 billion.

Since 1984, Paul’s Pantry has distributed over 71.4 million pounds of food to the needy of Brown County. Paul’s Pantry was one of the first food pantries to seek available surplus food from the marketplace and relies entirely on the community for its donations. Its goal is to provide a family with enough food every week for as long as needed, so that they may use their food dollars to avoid homelessness.

A United Way agency, the Hunger Task Force is the only major food bank in Milwaukee County that provides all of its food to area pantries free of charge. The agency believes that every person has the right to adequate food obtained with dignity, and works to prevent and alleviate hunger and malnutrition by providing food to people in need today and by promoting social policies to achieve food security tomorrow.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Green Bay Packers.

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Packers sign eight free agents

January 20th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

The Green Bay Packers have signed Diondre Borel, Chris Campbell, Sampson Genus, Tori Gurley, Jon Hoese, Johnny Jones, Anthony Levine and Brandian Ross. The transactions were announced Thursday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.

All eight players finished the 2011 season on the Packers’ practice squad.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Green Bay Packers.

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Craig Counsell named Special Assistant to the General Manager by Doug Melvin

January 18th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

Yesterday The Milwaukee Brewers named Craig Counsell Special Assistant to the General Manager. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Melvin.

We are pleased to have Craig join our organization in a very significant role,” said Melvin. “His knowledge of how to play the game along with his work ethic and passion to see the Brewers succeed will now be utilized and welcomed by our front office.”

Counsell, 41, completed his 15th Major League season as a player in 2011. He owns a career .255 batting average in 1,623 games with Colorado (1995, ‘97), Florida (1997-99), Los Angeles (1999), Arizona (2000-03, ‘05-06) and Milwaukee (2004, ‘07-11). He played on four teams that qualified for the postseason, including World Series championships with Florida (1997) and Arizona (2001). He was named Most Valuable Player of the 2001 National League Championship Series after batting .381 in the Diamondbacks’ five-game victory against Atlanta.

“I am excited to begin a new challenge in baseball,” said Counsell. “I look forward to contributing in any way I can to the success of an organization that has been a special part my life for many years.”

Counsell follows in the footsteps of his father, John, who worked in the Milwaukee front office as Director of the Speakers Bureau from 1979-85 and Director of Community Relations from 1986-87 following a five-year playing career as an outfielder in the Twins organization (1964-68).

Counsell, a 1988 graduate of Whitefish Bay High School, currently resides in that same town with his wife, Michelle, their sons, Brady and Jack, and daughters, Finley and Rowan.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Milwaukee Brewers sign outfielder Norichika Aoki

January 18th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

The Milwaukee Brewers yesterday evening signed outfielder Norichika Aoki to a two-year contract with a club option for 2014. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Melvin.

Aoki will be introduced to the media at a date and time to be determined.

The Brewers were awarded the negotiating rights to Aoki on December 19 after the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League accepted the highest bid. The team had until 4 p.m. CT yesterday to sign Aoki to a Major or Minor League professional contract. Had Aoki not been signed, he would have returned to Japan and the Brewers would have received back their bid.

Aoki, who turned 30 on January 5, has played his entire eight-year professional career with Yakult, batting .329 with 84 HR, 385 RBI and 164 stolen bases in 985 games. He has batted over .300 in six of his seven full seasons and was Central League batting champion in 2005 (.344), 2007 (.346) and 2010 (.358). He was 2005 Central League Rookie of the Year and is a six-time Golden Glove Award winner.

Aoki has participated in both World Baseball Classic events (2006 and 2009), batting .310 with 8 RBI in 15 games, and competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, batting .294 with 1 HR and 7 RBI in 9 games for Japan.

Aoki worked out for the Brewers on January 8 at the team’s Spring Training facility in Maryvale, Arizona. He bats left and throws right and wore uniform number one (1) while playing for Yakult.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. to induct Mike Holmgren

January 17th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. announced this morning that it will induct former Packers head coach Mike Holmgren at the 42nd Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held Saturday, July 21, 2012, in the Lambeau Field Atrium.

Holmgren joined the Green Bay Packers in 1992 and enjoyed a spectacular run as head coach through the 1998 season, including a victory in Super Bowl XXXI following the 1996 campaign. Launching his success with a 9-7 record in ’92, a five-game improvement from the year before, Holmgren led the team to a 84-42 overall record (75-37 regular season; 9-5 postseason); seven consecutive winning seasons, the first such skein since the 1960s; a club-record six consecutive playoff berths; a 47-5 record, including playoffs, in Lambeau Field; a club-record 25 consecutive home-field victories, the second-longest such streak in NFL history; 13 regular-season wins in consecutive years (1996-97) for the first time in team history; three straight NFC Championship Game appearances (1995-97), including back-to-back wins (1996-97); and back-to-back Super Bowl appearances (1996-97), the last such feat by an NFC team.

His overall win total, 84, is the third most in franchise history, trailing only Curly Lambeau, 212, and Vince Lombardi, 98. His winning percentage, .667, is tied with Lambeau for the second best in team history, behind only the .766 mark of Lombardi. With at least one postseason win in five consecutive seasons (1993-97), Holmgren is one of only three coaches in NFL history to have achieved the mark, along with John Madden (Oakland, 1973-77) and Bill Belichick (New England, 2003-07).

His 1996 Super Bowl championship team led the league in both points scored (456) and points allowed (210), becoming one of only 12 teams in NFL history to accomplish the feat and the first since 1972.

Tickets for the banquet, which begins with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. with a cash bar, and dinner and program to follow at 7 p.m., are $135 each. Tables of 10 also are available for $1,300 and are assigned in the order in which they are purchased. Early reservations are recommended. To purchase tickets, call Gwen Borga at (920) 965-6984, or e-mail her at gwenb@packershalloffame.com. No refunds are available 30 days prior to the event.

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a non-profit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual Induction Banquet, Golf Classic and other events to develop new exhibits and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. Golf Classic is set for Monday, July 9, 2012, at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls, Wis.

Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Hall moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it was relocated to a spectacular new, 25,000-square foot facility in the Lambeau Field Atrium

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Green Bay Packers.

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Son of Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin passes away

January 11th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

Green Bay Packers Packers general manager Ted Thompson made the following statement regarding the passing of Michael Philbin. “The Packers family was saddened to learn of the passing of Michael Philbin, son of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. Our thoughts and prayers are with Joe, his wife, Diane, and the Philbin family as they cope with their loss. This is an emotional and difficult time for them, and we ask that everyone respect their privacy. All of us in the Packers family share in their grief.”

Yesterday there was a missing persons report regarding Michael Philbin.

Joe Philbin issued the following statement. “We love Michael so much and will miss him dearly. He loved his family, friends and life. His memory will live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew him. We are appreciative of the prayers and the support of our family, friends and the Packers family. We ask for continued respect and privacy for our family as we deal with our loss.

“Our family also wants to thank the Oshkosh Police Department, Winnebago County Dive/Rescue/Recovery Team and the Winnebago County Coroner’s office for their efforts and compassion during this difficult ordeal.”

The body of Michael was discovered in Fox River in Oshkosh yesterday.

Information used in this article was retrieved from press releases on the official website of the Green Bay Packers.

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Brewers Community Foundation to receive award from YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee

January 11th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

Brewers Community Foundation, the official charitable arm of the Milwaukee Brewers, will be honored as the recipient of the M&I, a partner of BMO Financial Group, Lincoln Gaines Award from the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee.

The Lincoln Gaines Award was created to honor the memory of Lincoln Gaines and his commitment to Milwaukee’s central city. Gaines was a co-organizer of the North Central YMCA in 1929 and devoted over 50 years to improving the quality of life for Milwaukee’s youth. Brewers Community Foundation will be honored at the YMCA 15th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Monday, January 16 at the Frontier Airlines Center.

The YMCA seeks to recognize those members and organizations of the Milwaukee community that build awareness, speak on behalf of justice, celebrate diversity, and impel action in building a better future for all mankind. Award recipients are organizations that meet these criteria and embody the values articulated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Brewers Community Foundation harnesses the pride, passion and commitment of Brewers fans, players and other supporters to positively impact the lives of children and their families in Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Milwaukee Brewers name Fred Dabney Pitching Coach at Triple-A Nashville

January 10th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

Yesterday the Milwaukee Brewers announced that Fred Dabney has been named pitching coach at Triple-A Nashville. He takes the position vacated by Chris Bosio, who was hired as pitching coach of the Chicago Cubs on December 16, 2011. Meanwhile, Mark Dewey has joined the organization as pitching coach at Class-A Brevard County, which was previously occupied by Dabney.

Dabney spent the past seven seasons as pitching coach at Brevard County. He joined the organization in 2004 and spent his first season as pitching coach at Double-A Huntsville. Dabney served as interim bullpen coach with the Brewers from April 23-May 23, 2010 after Stan Kyles underwent prostate surgery. Prior to joining the Brewers organization, he spent five seasons as a pitching coach in the Texas Rangers organization.

Greg Barajas joins the Nashville Sounds as athletic trainer. The two-time athletic trainer of the year and 14-year industry veteran spent the previous two seasons as assistant athletic trainer for the Boston Red Sox following 12 seasons in the minors. He returns for a second career stint in the Milwaukee organization (previously 1998-2004). Andrew Emmick returns for his third season as strength and conditioning specialist with Nashville.

Dewey joins Brevard County’s coaching staff following two seasons as pitching coach with the Washington Wild Things, an independent league team. He served as pitching coach at Emory & Henry College in 2009 and has additional experience as pitching coach with the Aiken Foxhounds of the South Coast League (2007) and with the Kingsport Mets (2000 and 2002). Dewey pitched six seasons in the Major Leagues and compiled a 12-7 record with a 3.65 ERA in 205 games between San Francisco (1990, ’95-96), New York-NL (1992) and Pittsburgh (1993-94).

Aaron Hoback returns to Double-A Huntsville for his third season as athletic trainer and Tim Gifford will join the Stars as strength and conditioning specialist following a season with the Timber Rattlers. The strength and conditioning specialists include the following: Jonah Mergen (second season with Brevard County), Christian Polega (Wisconsin), Matt Cole (Helena) and Jake Marx (second season with Arizona Brewers).

In addition, the Rookie Dominican Summer League staff will return for 2012. Manager Nestor Corredor enters his third season at the helm. The staff also includes coach Luis De Los Santos, pitching coach Jose Nunez, coach Jose Pena, pitching coach assistant Geraldo Obispo and athletic trainer Ken Johnson. Russell McCarthy will join the club as strength and conditioning specialist.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Aaron Rodgers nominated for Air NFL Player of the Year

January 10th, 2012 by Robert Rosati

Quarterbacks Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers are the finalists for the Air NFL Player of the Year honors, the NFL announced yesterday.

Fans can vote for one player in each category on NFL.com until Friday, January 27 at 9 p.m. ET to determine the Air NFL Player of the Year.

The Air NFL Player of the Year will be announced on Wednesday, February 1 at a press conference during the week of Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns. He set the NFL record for passer rating in a season, at 122.5, and is the first quarterback in NFL history to begin a season with 12 straight weeks with a passer rating of 110 or higher. Rodgers led the Packers to a 15-1 record in the regular season, the best mark in the league, and was named the NFC’s starting quarterback for the 2012 Pro Bowl. His 9.25 yards per attempt were the highest in the NFL, and his passing touchdowns and completion percentage ranked second in the league. Rodgers was nominated eight times for FedEx Air Player of the Week honors, winning six times. Rodgers was named 2010 FedEx Air Player of the Year.

New England’s Tom Brady threw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2011 as he led the Patriots to a 13-3 record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. His passing yardage total is the second highest in NFL history. Brady is the first quarterback in NFL history to amass three seasons with at least 36 touchdown passes. Brady’s 8.57 yards per attempt average was second in the NFL in 2011, his 105.6 passer rating placed him third and his completion percentage and touchdown passes both ranked fourth. His Week 1 and Week 2 performances marked the first time in NFL history that a quarterback passed for 400 yards in a game after throwing for 500 yards in his previous outing. The AFC starting quarterback in the 2012 Pro Bowl, Brady was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week four times, winning once.

New Orleans’ Drew Brees set the single-season record for most passing yards with 5,476, eclipsing Dan Marino’s record of 5,084 yards set in 1984. Brees also set the NFL record for completion percentage (71.2) and most completions in a season (468). Brees, who was named to the NFC’s 2012 Pro Bowl roster, led the NFL with 46 touchdowns passes and an average of 342 passing yards per game. His 110.6 passer rating ranked second in the NFL. Brees, who led the Saints to a 13-3 record in 2011, was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week honors seven times, winning the award three times. Brees has been named FedEx Air Player of the Year three times, most recently in 2009.

The illustration in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the official website of the Green Bay Packers.

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