Wisconsin sports fans blessed to have terrific teams to cheer all year

fpadmin | 03/20/2017

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By CHRIS HAVEL

Badgers men’s basketball team bridges gap between Packers’ post-season, NFL draft

Congratulations are in order, if not overdue, for the Wisconsin men’s basketball team.
Through head coaches Bo Ryan and Greg Gard the UW has sustained excellence in the Big Ten regular season and beyond.
Wisconsin’s most recent rush onto the national stage came Saturday when the Badgers KO’d the NCAA Tournament’s defending champion and this year’s top No. 1 seed, Villanova.
The 8th-seeded Badgers’ 65-62 win over the Wildcats in Buffalo, N.Y., means Wisconsin (27-9) faces 4th-seeded Florida (26-8) on Friday night in Madison Square Garden.
Wisconsin trailed 57-50 with five minutes to play before going on a 15-5 run to close out the victory. Along the way, top players Ethan Happ and Bronson Koenig were saddled with foul trouble. Nevertheless, Nigel Hayes and the rest kept the Badgers close until they returned to help key the victory.
It is the fourth straight spring that Wisconsin has advanced to the Sweet 16. The Badgers are the only NCAA team to be able to make that claim.

The Badgers/Packers Connection

If you’re wondering the link between Badgers basketball and Packers football it should be obvious: The Badgers have provided the state’s sports fans with a first-rate program that is able to compete – and dominate – on a national level.
Whether it’s “draft-and-develop” or “recruit-and-develop” it is the results that matter. It minimizes the lull between the Packers’ final game – which has come in the post-season each of the past eight seasons – and free agency and the draft.
The Packers’ post-season typically requires fans to be patient. The Badgers’ success makes that much more do-able.
This offseason Packers’ GM Ted Thompson has been his usual conservative self in free agency. Thompson has re-signed linebacker Nick Perry, edge rusher Jayrone Elliot, offensive lineman Don Barclay and punter Jake Schum thus far.
Thompson also has gone out and signed former Packers cornerback Davon House, as well as free agent tight ends Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks. Those moves have been sensible and obvious.
Bennett, Kendricks and Richard Rodgers give the Packers and Aaron Rodgers its best tight end trio ever. It should allow the Packers to move the chains, run the football and have more success in the red zone.

Offense Set; Defense Next

Clearly, there is much more work to be done, but the reality is that most of that must come on defense.Whether the Packers sign a running back in free agency, or select one in the draft (or perhaps both), the offense is all but set.
Defensively, I expect the Packers to cross their fingers and hope a complete defensive end such as Michigan’s Taco Charlton is available with the 29th pick. If not it’ll be an edge pass rusher or a cornerback.
The Packers’ need is much more pressing along the defensive line than it is at edge rusher where Clay Matthews returns along with Perry, Elliot and second-year pro Kyler Fackrell. Matthews needs to pick his spots and make sure he’s fresh for the post-season run. That is much more difficult if nobody emerges behind him on the depth chart.
Perry must continue to build on a strong 2016 and carry it over into this season. Health concerns presumably are in the past.
Fackrell needs to add weight and strength, while Elliot needs to transform occasional flashes and glimpses into consistent impact. The departures of Julius Peppers and Datone Jones most certainly create a void that must be filled.
The Packers would be wise to add another veteran pass rusher, perhaps ex-Eagles linebacker Conner Barwin, or longtime Ravens edge rusher Elvis Dumervil. Green Bay can’t be caught short in the postseason without a significant pass rush merely because Matthews and/or Perry are banged up and available on a limited basis.

What’ Next

Meantime, Thompson plots and plans for much-needed help in the draft.
That leaves the state’s sports fans to cross their fingers and pray for two things:
1) The Packers’ next move in free agency and then the draft
2) The Badgers’ next game and possible berth in the Elite Eight.
It’s a great way to pass the time.
Chris Havel is a national best-selling author and his latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’s MVP Parties the evening before home games.

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Kudos to Amy for making sure that the tickets to the tailgate party were waiting for me at the reception desk! Your personal phone call and text messages went above and beyond customer satisfaction! I can't wait for the 2024 season, rest assured that my go-to Packer's game supplier will be Event USA for a long time.
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-Jean-Pierre Mallette, Montréal, Canada

"Thank you so much Cathy, greatly appreciate your help. As always, EventUSA has been awesome to deal with in booking the Lodge Kohler package for the Tampa Bay Game, particularly for me traveling from Sydney, Australia, it takes the stress out of the booking process. "

-Kayle

"Good Morning, Nicole - Everything you did turned out great. The seats were great. Access to the air conditioned club lounge was great. Lots of Packers fans in the club lounge and overall at the stadium. The tailgate party at the fancy restaurant in the hotel was fabulous. The servers just kept on bringing out different sliders and desserts. Good thing that I got in a 30-minute run along the river in the morning. So, thank you! You may be speaking with me in November if I can work out getting up to Green Bay for a game. It's been too long since my last time. One of the best aspects of this weekend was interacting with so many people from Wisconsin and learning their personal stories of things Packers. And we even met a couple from St. Petersburg, Florida (my home county) and were able to tell them about the Varsity Club tavern and Packers bar in Clearwater where Mark Murphy's mother is in attendance -- very nice lady whose retirement home is in Clearwater, which borders my little city of Dunedin. Pre-COVID, I always went to the Varsity when the Packers games weren't televised locally -- lots of Wisconsin natives there, too + they serve brats and sauerkraut during Packers games. I'm glad that you are working for Event USA. "

-- Martin Lawyer, Dunedin, Florida

"Dennis - I was blessed to join Amy and some of your customers at the Morton's tailgate as well as after the game. She does an amazing job for you. Every single customer I met praised Event USA for being able to arrange the hotel and tickets and fabulous tailgate party in such a quick time. Having been to some great tour tailgate parties in Jacksonville and Kansas City and old San Francisco, a lot can be said of the long-term benefit of having really great tailgate parties. Morton's was probably one of the best - amazing food, patio sitting on the riverfront, walk to stadium, open bar!!! It was first class fun!!!"

-Matt

"Hi Amy- Just wanted to say thank you for making Jacksonville happen! We had a wonderful time and looking forward to more Packers games with Event USA in the future! Even though the game was not what we expected- we are packers fans for life-lol! Go pack go!!"

-Julie Mastrianni

"I want to thank Event USA and in particular Amy Flores for the Jacksonville trip. We have used you before and always were very pleased with the packages you have set up and your service. My son who lives in Charleston, SC and myself who lives in Minnesota, decided we needed to do a guys trip and decided to go through your company to see the opener in New Orleans. I initially called and talked with Amy about some questions I had and booked our trip. After itinerary and info was emailed to us, it soon became apparent that the trip to New Orleans wouldn’t happen. In steps Amy, wondering if we would be interested in Dallas if the game was moved there and a package was set up. Then finally the move to Jacksonville and continued communication from Amy on our interest. It was getting late at that point and I was wondering if she would be able to pull off setting up a package in Jacksonville. She did it. We went to Jacksonville and had a great time. The accommodations and the tail gate were fabulous. If only the Packer team we were hoping for had made the trip. Thank you Event USA and in particular Amy Flores."

-Tom Sohrweide, White Bear Lake, MN

"Thank you for all your help. I had a great time at the Packer-Raider game opening day. I have already begun telling interested Packer fans in Sacramento about your service. The next time I come to Green Bay for a game, I’ll be sure to ask for your help. God bless you and God bless the Green Bay Packers."

-Frank Chavez, Sacramento

"I just wanted to say that I had such a great time. The whole weekend was so much fun. I enjoyed the Player Autograph Party and the tailgate party was just the best. After coming from a country that loves soccer, it was nice to mix with people who have the same interests as me. Thank you once again, Green Bay is one very special place."

-Beverley Moore, Lancaster

"My accommodations at the Best Western Midway were excellent. I was picked up at the airport and returned promptly. No problems at all. Your representative at the hotel on game day was very pleasant and helpful. The tailgate party was super, great food, great drinks and lots of fun. Obviously, Lambeau Field and the game itself was great. I will continue to use Event USA in the future, and I will definitely tell anyone who I come across to give you a call. One last thing, the hospitality I experienced in Green Bay was incredible. I have traveled to many places, and I don’t think there are more friendly people than the people of Green Bay. Thank you again and see you next year!"

-David Anastas, Worchester

"My wife and I booked the tour to Tampa. The trip was so well organized from start to finish. It started with the people in the office with their friendly help over the phone, to receiving the tickets in the mail, and meeting the tour guides with their upbeat personalities. Signs guided us in the airport and information was posted in our motel lobbies to keep us posted. Your people had everything in order. Talk about organization, you had it. Event USA made this a most memorable trip. Thanks for all involved."

-Dick Koerner, Neenah

"I wish to convey my sincere thanks and gratitude for providing my husband and I with, what he refers to as the greatest experience of my life, apart from my wedding day."

-Lara and Matt Appleton, Thornhill, Ontario

"Thanks for all your help, the great tickets and service, and the chance to help me make one of my son’s dreams come true, seeing the Packers playing at home in Lambeau Field."

-Sam Jones, Sedalia

"I just want to thank you for the wonderful job your staff did last weekend for the Packers vs. Lions game. This was our first time utilizing your program and we were not disappointed at all. In fact, we can’t wait to schedule and event for next season’s games. From my first experience with your staff placing my order until the very end at checkout of the hotel, everything was perfect. You truly out-do yourselves to please everyone. Thanks again for making our stay in Green Bay one of the best."

-Kim Ewing and Bruce DeMaine, Ann Arbor

"Thanks so much for the best weekend ever! You not only got us in all the Magazines, TV, WWW pages and even the big screen at Lambeau Field, but Disney World on the side? Nice job – You and your family are top notch – we were on the best tour for the Super Bowl! Seeing the Green Bay Packers win back the Lombardi Trophy was a life long dream of this Packer fan, and you all were so dedicated to the job of taking care of us that, like the Packers, we were a winning team! Keep me on your list."

-William D Lorge, Representative to the Wisconsin State Assembly