Hometown Broadcasting Sports Monday 2/8/21
8 February 2021 Sports
Sports for February 8th
Tom Brady made his seventh Super Bowl title look familiar – despite moving south to a new team and conference during a pandemic. Brady threw two touchdown passes to old teammate Rob Gronkowski and one to good pal Antonio Brown, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City 31-9 on their home field in Super Bowl 55 on The GOAT extended his Super Bowl titles’ record in his 10th appearance, his first without Patriots coach Bill Belichick and won the game’s MVP Award. The 43-year-old Brady broke his own mark for oldest player to win a Super Bowl and joins Hall of Famer Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks to win one with multiple franchises Sunday.
Brady completed 21 of 29 passes for 201 yards and three first-half touchdowns. Gronkowski led the Bucs with six catches for 67 yards and the two touchdowns. Leonard Fournette, the former No. 4 overall pick, led an efficient Bucs rushing attack, gobbling up 89 yards on 16 carries for a 5.6 yards-per-carry average. Fournette’s 27-yard TD run midway through the third quarter essentially put the game on ice. The RB also added four catches for 46 yards, second-most on the Bucs.
Patrick Mahomes never could get untracked. He finished 26-49 for 270 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. Tight end Travis Kelce lad Kansas City with 10 catches for 133 yards while speedster Tyreek Hill caught seven for 73 yards. On the ground Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the Chiefs with 64 yards on nine carries while Hill was held to five yards on one carry
Penalties played a huge role early as the Chiefs dug themselves a hole for which they could never recover. In the first half, K.C. was flagged eight times for 95 yards, the most penalty yards against any team in the first half of a game this season.
After the Chiefs took an early three-nothing lead the Bucs led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter and upped it to 21-6 at halftime. It was 31-9 at the end of three quarters and that held up for the final score.
The Buccaneers (15-5) won their second NFL title and first in 18 years while becoming the first team to play the big game at home, capping an unusual and challenging season played through the novel coronavirus. They won three road games as a wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl. Tampa’s victory prevented Mahomes and the Chiefs (16-3) from becoming the first repeat champions since Brady’s Patriots did it in 2003-04. The NFL completed its 269-game season on time without any cancellations, a remarkable accomplishment that required nearly 1 million COVID-19 tests for players and team personnel.
Due to the virus, only 25,000 mask-wearing fans were allowed in, including approximately 7,500 vaccinated health care workers who were given free tickets by the NFL. About 30,000 cardboard cutouts made the stadium look full.
No surprise about The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers has won it for the third time. Rodgers had perhaps the best season of his 16-year career, leading Green Bay to a 13-3 regular season, the NFC’s best mark. Just a few months after questions arose about his comfort level with the Packers — and their choosing a quarterback in the first round of April’s draft — Rodgers, who turned 37 in December, tore up the NFL.
Rodgers topped the league with 48 touchdown passes, completion rate (70.7 percent) and a 121.5 rating. He was picked off just five times.
“It is really special to have won it in my fourth year as a starter and now to win it in my 13th year as a starter in a new offense is pretty amazing and something I am very proud of,” Rodgers said, “To have sustained success and be able to play your best football at 37 in my 16th season is something I take a lot of pride in.”
Also no surprise is that only quarterbacks received votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. After all, pro football in recent years has been all about the QBs: The past eight MVPs and 13 of the past 14 have been quarterbacks. Rodgers received 44 votes, followed by Buffalo’s Josh Allen with four, and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, the 2018 MVP, with two. Rodgers was league MVP in 2011 and 2014. He joins former teammate Brett Favre and Tom Brady as a three-time winner.
“The guys on that list are guys I grew up watching and idolizing,” he said. “I was fortunate to play with Brett for three years — a guy who won it three years in a row, something that will probably never be done again; it’s so difficult to have that sustained success, and do it in consecutive years three times. And Tom is one of the greatest of all time, and to join that list of guys who have won it more than two times is really special.”
Peyton Manning has the most MVP awards with five. The winner was revealed on the NFL Honors television show.
Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald took home his third Defensive Player of the Year Award, moving him into a tie with Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt for the most of all time. Normally, the game’s most dominant defensive player playing on the game’s most dominant defense winning the award wouldn’t be surprising, but there was at least one team that thought differently. Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt had what some believed to be a stronger year than Donald’s, accruing more sacks, tackles for loss, QB hits and passes defended.
Both of Watt’s NFL-playing brothers also chimed in, and one of them brought stats to the table: J.J had this to say.
“Aaron Donald is an absolutely incredible player. I love watching him play & he’s headed to the Hall of Fame without question. This has nothing to do with AD personally.
This is me saying what my brother won’t.
TJ played 1 less game and STILL led the NFL in every major category. “
Meanwhile, another award of sorts for Aarron Rodgers. Rodgers says he’s engaged. He made the announcement during his MVP Award acceptance speech Saturday night. Rodgers said, quote, “2020 was definitely a crazy year. Filled with lots of change, growth, and some amazing memorable moments. 180 straight days of getting of having my noise hairs scrapped, playing with very little fans no one in the stands the entire season, I got engaged and I played some of the best football of my career.”
Making the news even more shocking was that Rodgers was reported to be dating actress Shailene Woodley only three days earlier.. It’s not even confirmed the engagement in question is to Woodley, as Rodgers didn’t mention the name of his fiancée. Itotal, Rodgers made two off-hand mentions of his engagement. The first came as he reeled off the season’s events. The second came as he thanked his off-field support system, going out of his way to mention his fiancée last after a lengthy list of other names:
The Green Bay Packers appear to have a new defensive coordinator. According to multiple reports, the team has hired Joe Barry for the position. Barry was going to be the linebackers coach and passing game coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers after spending the four pervious seasons as the linebackers coach and assistant head coach for the Los Angeles Rams. Barry has previous experience as defensive coordinator for two seasons each in Detroit (‘07-‘08) and Washington (‘15-‘16). The Packers first offered the job to Wisconsin Badgers defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. However, Leonhard decided to stay in Madison and told head coach Matt LaFleur of this decision on Friday night.
The Packers parted ways with Mike Pettine after the NFC Championship game loss. Pettine held the job for three seasons.
Ten years after helping the Packers win Super Bowl 45, Charles Woodson is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Packers and Raiders cornerback will be inducted as part of the 2021 class. It was his first time being on the ballot. Woodson played 18 years in the NFL. He started and ended his career with the Oakland Raiders, playing seven seasons in Green Bay in between those two stints. His Green Bay seasons were 2006-2012. Woodson’s individual accolades include being named the 1998 Defensive Rookie of the Year and winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year as a Packer in 2009. The former Heisman Trophy Winner was named to nine Pro Bowl teams, four as a Packer, and was a first-team All Pro four times, twice as a Packer. In his career, Woodson intercepted 65 passes, forced 33 fumbles, and sacked the quarterback 20 times. He is the Packers franchise record holder for most touchdowns on interceptions (nine) and defensive touchdowns (10). Wodson will also be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in August, along with former cornerback Al Harris. They were elected in 2020, but the ceremony has been pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Donald Driver’s Charity Softball Game will return this summer, as the Timber Rattlers announced Saturday that it will be held on Sunday, August 22. Driver’s charity game was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The game will be held at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium at 1:05 p.m.
All fans who purchase tickets for the game in February will have a chance to win one of two on-field meet and greet opportunities after the game. Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 9 either in person at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium Box Office , online at the Timber Rattlers website, or by phone at 800-WI-TIMBER or (920) 733-4152.
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers say that they will be getting in touch with those who purchased tickets for last year’s canceled game to send tickets for this year’s game.
Money will be raised at the game for the Donald Driver Foundation whose mission is to “display Strong Hands, Strong Minds, and Loving Hearts to serve as a hand up, not a hand out.”
Tickets are $53 for a front row seat, $43 for a standard box seat, $25 for a reserved bleacher seat and $12 for general admission grass seats. 69 all-you-can-eat seats will be available for $80 which include admission to the game, a 90 minute all-you-can-eat picnic, and two beverages (beer, soda, or water). A limited number of patio tables that seat four people are also available for $212. Each table includes one autographed item signed by Donald Driver.
Some past participants of the charity game include: Packers Super Bowl Champions Dorsey Levens, James Jones, Nick Collins, Jermichael Finley, Brady Poppinga and Jarrett Bush, five-time Olympic Gold Medal Winner Bonnie Blair, celebrity trainers Chris and Heidi Powell, and Wounded Warrior Dancing with the Stars sensation Noah Galloway. Antwaan Randle El, Steve Novak, NBC Celebrity Trainer Jen Widerstrom, Ruvell Martin, Gavin DeGraw and multiple Wisconsin Badgers Legends
The Badges lost at Illinois Saturday afternoon 75-60. The Badgers trailed 36-23 at halftime and was trailing by seven in the second half before Illinois broke away. D’Mitrik Trice led Wisconsin with 22 points and Nate Reuvers had 11. Koh Cockburn led Illinois with 22.while Ayo Dosunmu had a triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Wisconsin falls to 14-6 overall and 8-5 in the Big Ten while Illinois improves to 13-5 and 9-3 in the conference. The Badgers play at Nebraska on Thursday.
Marquette lost at home to Creighton on Saturday 71-68. Christian Phillips led four Creighton players in double figures with 14 points while D.J. Carton led the Golden Eagles with 16. Creighton improves to 14-5 and 10-4 in the Big East while Marquette drops to 9-10 overall and 5-8 in the conference. Marquette plays at Villanova on Wednesday.
In the NBA tonight Milwaukee plays at Denver. The Bucks won two straight at Cleveland on Friday and Saturday night. Milwaukee (15-8) has won four staight and is in the second place in the Eastern Conference, one-and-a-half games behind Philadelphia while the Nuggets (12-10) have lost two-in-a-row and are five-and a half-games behind Utah in the West Conference.
In golf Brooks Koepka won the Phoenix Open shooting a final round 65 to finish at 265 and edge Kyong Hoon-Lee by one stroke. Madison’s Steve Stricker finished in a tie for fourth at 267.
World number one Dustin Johnson carded his worst round of the tournament but did enough to win the Saudi International on Sunday for a second time in three years. The American managed only three birdies, offset by a bogey on the 16th hole, to sign for a two-under-par 68 and finish at 15-under, two shots ahead of his compatriot Tony Finau and Englishman Justin Rose who tied for second place.
Boys Basketball (Mon.)
Kettle Moraine Lutheran at Ripon-Tipoff at 7:15 on AM 1600/93.1 FM, WRPN.
Winneconne at Appleton West
Laconia at Markesan
Omro at Lomira
Kiel at Mayville
Cedar Grove-Belgium at Saint Mary’s Springs
Waunakee at Fond du lac
Hortonville at Kimberly
Neenah at Notre Dame
Wautoma at Wisconsin Dells
Reedsburg at Adams-Friendship
Central Wisconsin Christian at Horicon
Valley Christian at Cambria-Friesland
Randolph at Fall River
Pardeeeville at Montello
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