Wisconsin Sports Headlines – 6/15/2020

The Latest Sports Headlines: 

>>Study Gives Packers Strong Marks For “Draft Efficiency”

(Green Bay, WI)  —  A new study of draft efficiency over a 10-year period finds only the Seattle Seahawks did a better job than the Packers – specifically former general manager Ted Thompson. The study by FootballOutsiders-dot-com measured the return each NFL team got on its so-called “draft capital” during the period 2010 to 2019.  Thompson was the G-M during eight of the 10 drafts, hitting the motherlode in 2013 when Green Bay picked Pro Bowl players Eddie Lacy, David Bakhtiari and Micah Hyde.  The Packers were consistent winners during the period, so they had to find value without high draft picks.  The rating system is less kind to current general manager Brian Gutekunst, but an expected improvement from players like Darnell Savage and Rashan Gary could boost that measurement.

 

>>Badgers OL Cole Van Lanen Named 2020 Preseason All-America By Walter Camp Foundation

(New Haven, CT)  —  The next standout offensive lineman for the Wisconsin Badgers is redshirt senior Cole Van Lanen.  The Walter Camp Football Foundation has named Van Lanen to its 2020 preseason All-America team.  He is one of five Big Ten Conference players named – along with offensive lineman Wyatt Davis of Ohio State, kicker Keith Duncan of Iowa, defensive lineman Micah Parson of Penn State and wide receiver Rondale Moore of Purdue.  Van Lanen played left tackle in all 13 games during the 2019 season.  Coaches will look for him to anchor an offensive line unit which will have to replace Tyler Biadasz, David Moorman and Jason Erdmann.

 

>>2 Transfers Will Bolster Already-Strong Marquette Volleyball

(Milwaukee, WI)  —  The addition of a pair of transfers strengthens an already-strong Marquette volleyball team for the coming season.  The Golden Eagles bring back a lot of experience after two straight 28-win seasons.  Breyan Ashley from St. Mary’s in California and Savannah Rennie from the University of California are coming to Milwaukee.  Rennie is enrolling as a graduate student and is seeking a medical waiver for a sixth year of eligibility.  Ashley will have two seasons of eligibility left.  Marquette needs to replace the university’s all-time kills leader, Allie Barber, who graduated in May.

 

>>Malcolm Brogdon’s Wish To Be A PG Part Of Reason He’s A Pacer

(Indianapolis, IN)  —  Malcolm Brogdon says he’s more of a point guard than a shooting guard.  That’s part of the reason he plays for the Indianapolis Pacers this season.  He was solid during his time with the Bucks.  Brogdon says it was hard leaving a system like Milwaukee’s – which “works perfectly” – and leaving a place where he fit in and had a very good role.  Playing point guard for the Pacers his scoring average is up just a little bit, but his assists have more than doubled.  His three-point shooting had dropped significantly before the current season was stopped, 42 percent with the Bucks and 31 percent this year in Indianapolis.

 

>>Former Badger JJ Watt:  “Don’t Speak For Me”

(Houston, TX)  —  Former Wisconsin Badger J-J tells another twitter user not to speak for him about taking a knee during the national anthem.  When a right-learning website creator shared the news late last week that Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien would take a knee with his players, another twitter user posted, “Pretty sure you won’t see @JJWatt taking a knee.”  The post was reported by ESPN.  That was Friday – Watt responded Saturday:  “A) don’t speak for me B) if you still think it’s about disrespecting the flag or our military, you clearly haven’t been listening.”  Watt and several other Texans attended last week’s funeral for George Floyd in Houston.  The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has said, “Racism is a problem and silence won’t solve it.”