An overtime loss & major injuries add up to a tough weekend for Bucky. The Badger offense was stymied on Saturday in an overtime loss to Michigan State. The Spartans shut down the Badger running game and yet Wisconsin still had a chance to win at the end...but an exhausted defense could not stop a late drive by Mich State that tied the game and then lost it in overtime. We wont even talk about the horrible clock management at the end of regulation that resulted in Wisconsin not using any of the three time outs they had left. The other problem was the loss of quarterback Joel Stave who was getting better each week. He suffered a broken collarbone and is probably done for the year. Transfer Danny O'Brien was not effective and is not mobile enough to be effective. Since Wisconsin is going into a bye week and still controls their own destiny for a trip to the Big Ten Championship game I would use Curt Phillips against Indiana. Using O'Brien would only be stubborness and not wanting to admit they made a mistake to go after him.

The injury bug didnt stop with the football team. This will be the first year in quite some time that the Badgers enter the basketball season with an unproven point guard. Josh Gasser blew out his knee on Saturday and is done for the year. Red-shirt freshman George Marshall will have the job and the season just got alot more challenging for Bo Ryan.

Congrats to the UW-Stevens Point football who pulled off the upset of the year...beating Whitewater on Saturday 17-14. The loss dropped the Warhawks out of the top-25 and they are in danger of not making the D-3 playoffs after winning the last three titles.

The Packers struggled mightily against an inferior opponent but prevailed in the end...beating Jacksonville 24-15. This was more than playing down to an opponent. The Packers injury problems are really affecting their ability to execute their offense. And the running game continues to struggle. There is a rumor that Green Bay is one of the teams interested in Stephen Jackson if the Rams make him available before the trade deadline.

The San Francisco Giants sweep the World Series. The old adage is that pitching wins championships and the Giants have shown that...winning their second title in the last three years with a dominating staff.

Songs of The Day  (from my I-pod)

The Lady Wants To Know-Michael Franks (1977) another languid classic from Franks second album...featuring the backing of the Crusaders and other 70's jazz session greats like Larry Carlton & David Sanborn

Lady Writer-Dire Straits (1979) from the second album....Knoflers guitar playing was so refreshing back then...this band could really cook when they wanted too