January 29, 2012

You are here: Home / 2009 / Archives for April 2009

NFL Draft over three days?

April 28, 2009 By

The National Football League is reportedly considering taking the NFL Draft in the future to a 3-day event.  Why doesn't that surprise me?

In an effort to get the event more prime time coverage, the NFL is at least thinking about the first round on a Thursday night, rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night and rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday.   The current format has rounds 1 & 2 on Saturday, starting at 3pm central time and rounds 3 through 7 on Sunday, starting at 9am central time.

The hard core serious football fans will probably eat up 3-days of drafting.  They'll probably use vacation time, or call in sick, not missing a single moment.  Others will be interested in the first three rounds regardless, but might totally ignore the final four rounds on Saturday.

What the NFL wants is it's day in the sun.  They want as much prime time coverage as they can get and don't be surprised if they get it.  The NFL usually gets what it wants. 

Why stop at three days?  Why not take it over seven days.  Seven rounds over seven days.  Alright, I'm being sarcastic.  But if you want prime time, how about speeding up the rounds even more.  Why not do the draft on Friday and Saturday nights.  7-minutes for round 1 picks and 5-minutes for round 2 and 4 minutes for round 3.  Speed it up, don't slow it down. 

Two days is long enough.  The NFL is the best thing going in sports.  I say don't fix it if it's not broke.  Too much of a good thing might not be a good thing anymore.

What do you think?  Can you dedicate yourself to three days of the NFL Draft, or is that too much?

Filed Under: Top Story

AG defends crime victims' rights at capitol

April 28, 2009 By

Wisconsin's top cop defends crime victims at a ceremony in the capitol rotunda.

Although Wisconsin is known for being progressive, including its passage of the nation's first Crime Victims' Bill of Rights back in 1980, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen fears the state could move backward.

“…depending on what happens during this budget and legislative session.”

Van Hollen warns, due to the recession, crime victims could feel the pain.

“We've all been made painfully aware that cuts are necessary because we're in tough, difficult budget times. Unfortunately, many of those cuts could come at severe detriment to public safety and crime victims' rights.”

Van Hollen says a criminal should stay in prison for the duration of his sentence, which gives the crime victim at least some closure and peace-of-mind. He says victims living with the uncertainty of an earlier release date continue to be victimized.

“Unfortunately there are serious discussions going on right in this building right now about releasing prisoners early.”

Van Hollen opposes the early release of prisoners as proposed in the state budget. In addition, he calls for more funding to continue restitution for victims of crime, and to stay current on notice requirements to victims and witnesses. 

NOTE: Monday's ceremony at the State Capitol commemorates the 2009 National Crime Victims' Rights Week, as well as the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the U.S. Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report (1:26 MP3)

Filed Under: Politics & Government

Coke overdose sends four year-old to hospital

April 27, 2009 By

Beloit police are investigating the source of cocaine that led to the overdose of a four-year-old child Saturday night. Captain Bill Tyler says the cocaine is a "component" of the child's condition, but not the entire problem.

Tyler says the child had been taken to the emergency department of a local hospital for a medical condition that required immediate medical attention. Tyler says once the hospital staff realized the child had ingested cocaine, they contacted law enforcement. No arrests have been made, although child protective services removed a younger child from the home.

AUDIO: Captain Bill Tyler (:36 MP3)

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Skepticism on global warming driven corn crisis

April 27, 2009 By

Is Wisconsin's corn crop in danger from global warming? One expert doesn't buy an Environment America report claiming global warming will cost farmers $1.4 billion every year in reduced corn production. "A lot of the conclusions they draw really, really stretch the evidence," says Dr. Matt Roberts, Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Developmental Economics at Ohio State University. Roberts says the study portrays "an unfamiliarity with the way agriculture works.

The study, released in Wisconsin last week through the group Wisconsin Environment, claims global warming will reduce corn yields, but Roberts says the study ignores the factor of supply and demand. "In years if it were true that this production were actually declining, we would see a price increase," says Roberts. "If production were actually higher as they said that it should have been, we would have seen prices fall and largely offset that. That right there shows a misunderstanding of how agricultural markets work."

Then, there's the fact corn yields have been increasing, not decreasing as the study claims. "The conclusion that the University of Illinois looked came to is actually very benevolent weather, that in fact the last ten or twelve years we've seen some of the most peaceful weather we've seen in the last hundred years," says Roberts. "From an agricultural perspective, weather is getting better."

AUDIO: Paul Knoff reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Agriculture

Hoffman's available for the Brewers tonight

April 27, 2009 By

Trevor Hoffman The Milwaukee Brewers saw their 4-game winning streak end yesterday with a
3-2 loss in Houston.  After a 9-game road trip, the Brewers return home tonight to open a 3-game series against the second place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ryan Braun goes into the series swinging a hot bat.  He hit .457 with 4 home runs and 11 runs batted in on their recent road trip.  That's help raise his average to .338.

Braden Looper (2-0) shoots for his 3rd win of the season for the Brewers.  Jeff Karstens (1-0) goes for the Pirates.

The Brewers didn't use closer Trevor Hoffman yesterday, but he'll be available again tonight after coming off of the disabled list on Sunday.  Hoffman started the season on the DL after suffering a right oblique strain in spring training.

Filed Under: Brewers
« Previous Page
Next Page »