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Former Badgers land on College Hall of Fame ballot

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Two former Wisconsin Badger football greats are among those on the ballot for the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class.

Defensive back Troy Vincent and offensive lineman Joe Thomas, are both on the ballot.  Vincent has been up for consideration on the ballot since 1027, but Thomas is new to the list.

Thomas just retired following an outstanding career with the Cleveland Browns, a career that will likely land him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  He was taken with the third overall pick of the 2007 NFL draft.  Thomas was selected to 10 Pro Bowls and seven first-team all-pro selections.  At Wisconsin, he won the 2006 Outland Trophy for the nation’s best offensive lineman, was a unanimous All-American in 2006 and twice was named first-team all-Big Ten.

Vincent was drafted as the seventh-overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992.  He played 16 seasons in the NFL, including five Pro Bowl appearances.  Vincent finished second in voting for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back.  He is currently the executive vice president of football operations for the NFL.

A total of 76 players and six coaches from major college football will be considered for the Hall of Fame this year.  The latest class of about 15 players and coaches will be announced January 7, the day of the College Football Playoff national championship.

 

Lebron James leads Cavs past Bucks

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Lebron James imposed his will on the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night as the Cavaliers pulled out a 124-117 win.

With Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue announcing earlier in the day that he would be taking a leave of absence to address health issues, James responded with his  third triple-double in the last four games, 16th of the season and 71st of his career.  James tallied 40 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to move four games in front of the Bucks in the NBA Central Division race.

Kevin Love also returned to the Cavaliers lineup after missing six weeks with a broken left hand, scoring 18 points in 25 minutes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points and was perfect (11 for 11) at the free throw line.  Khris Middleton added 30 points on 11 of 16 shooting, but the Bucks fell into eighth place in the Eastern Conference after Miami knocked off Denver.

The Bucks once again struggled to defend the three.  Cleveland his 15 of 38 from distance, while the Bucks were just 8 of 31.

The Bucks (37-33) will return to Milwaukee to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

Thomas honored

The Cavaliers honored former Browns tackle Joe Thomas, introducing him to the crowd during a timeout.  Thomas, who held his retirement press conference on Monday, received a standing ovation.  The Wisconsin native played his college football with the Badgers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas calls it quits in Cleveland (AUDIO)

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Barry Alvarez says Joe Thomas is the best lineman to play at Wisconsin

Former Wisconsin Badger Joe Thomas announced he is retiring after 11 seasons in the NFL.

The 10-time Pro Bowler with the Cleveland Browns made the decision after spending several months contemplating his future.

Thomas had played 10,363 consecutive snaps before tearing his left triceps during an Oct. 22 game against Tennessee.  It’s believed to be the longest run in pro football history.

The Brookfield, Wisconsin native played for the Badgers from 2003 to 2006.  He won the Outland Trophy as college football’s top interior lineman in 2006 and his former coach, Barry Alvarez, said Thomas may have been the best offensive lineman to every play at Wisconsin.

Thomas was selected by the Browns with the third overall pick in the 2007 draft.

The Browns plan to enshrine the number 10,363 to recognize his consecutive snaps streak in the team’s Ring of Honor at a home game this season.  The former Badgers shouldn’t have to wait too long before he is elected as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame down the road in Canton.

AUDIO: Barry Alvarez says Joe Thomas is probably the best offensive lineman to ever play at Wisconsin :19

AUDIO: Joe Thomas exemplified what being a Badger was all about :20

Martinez out 2 to 4 weeks

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Blake Martinez

Blake Martinez

The Green Bay Packers may be forced to move Clay Matthews back to inside linebacker after losing rookie starter Blake Martinez.

Martinez is expected to miss two to four weeks with an MCL sprain to his left knee, an injury that he suffered late in the Packers 42-24 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday night.

The Packers finished the game Sunday with Joe Thomas and Carl Bradford manning the inside.  Bradford has just been signed off of the practice squad earlier in the week. [Read more…]

Matthews misses practice again, McCarthy wants more from ILB’s

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Clay Matthews

Clay Matthews

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews skipped training camp practice for the second straight day on Tuesday.  He continued to rest his sore knee that he first experienced on Saturday.

Matthews not practicing opens the door for a number of other inside linebackers to get valuable opportunities alongside Sam Barrington.

The problem is, those linebackers aren’t producing.

“It’s a big opportunity for the inside linebackers,” McCarthy said. “And they need to start making more plays, frankly.”

The players vying for added opportunities are Nate Palmer, who is practicing with a club like cast, Carl Bradford, Joe Thomas and rookie Jake Ryan.

Palmer is getting the majority of the first team reps with Barrington.

McCarthy knows his team is in the installation phase for the rest of the week.  “There’s too much thinking going on, and that’s understandable,” McCarthy said.  “They need to settle in and start playing.”

AUDIO: Mike McCarthy wants to see more from ILB’s

Packers release Lyerla

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Colt Lyerla

Colt Lyerla

The Green Bay Packers changed their minds on rookie TE Colt Lyerla.  Instead of keeping him on season ending injured reserve, the Packers waived Lyerla, reaching an injury settlement that covers the first eight weeks of the regular season.

After eight weeks, Lyerla could sign with any other NFL team.  He wouldn’t be allowed to resign with the Packers until after the 14th week of the season.

Lyerla tore his MCL and PCL trying to hurdle a Packers defender during the team’s Family Night practice on August 2.

Packers reach 75 player limit

The Packers reached the NFL’s 75-player limit yesterday by placing six players on injured reserve.  Among the six is defensive lineman B.J. Raji who tore his right biceps in Friday’s 31-21 win over Oakland.

The Packers also placed Jared Abbrederis, Don Barclay, Andrew Tiller, Rajion Neal and Joe Thomas on I.R.

None of the six were designated as the team’s player to return from injured reserve.  The Packers will have to make their final cuts, getting down to 53 players by 3pm Saturday.

Nelson sidelined by hamstring injury

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Jordy Nelson

Jordy Nelson

What was originally believed to be a day off on Saturday night, it was learned that wide receiver Jordy Nelson’s absence from the Green BayPackers preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans had to do with a hamstring injury that he suffered in practice last Thursday.

Nelson missed four games with a hamstring injury in 2012 and it continued to affect him throughout the second half of the season.

Nelson missed twelve practices and three preseason games last year after undergoing knee surgery, but he played in all 17 games last season.

Nelson signed a four-year contract extension with the Packers at the start of training camp worth nearly $40 million.

Nelson wasn’t the only player sidelined by injury as the Packers returned to practice yesterday.  Rookie receiver Davante Adams was sidelined by a wrist injury.  Running back Rajion Neal and linebacker Joe Thomas suffered knee injuries in Saturday’s game but aren’t believed to be serious.

Defensive lineman Josh Boyd watched from the sidelines after suffering a rib injury in Saturday’s game.