Every Thursday, we send out the great OnMilwaukee Weekend Preview filled with awesome things to do. Some are sports-related; many are not. So every Monday, we recap what happened in the world of Wisconsin sports while you were doing all those other awesome things.
Friday
Panthers introduce new head coach: At the UWM Student Union, school chancellor Mark Mone and athletic director Amanda Braun welcomed 36-year-old LaVall Jordan as the new men’s basketball coach. There was little evidence of the recent discord that dogged Milwaukee's program after former head coach Rob Jeter and his staff were let go three weeks ago, and Jordan said, "They make the front windshield bigger for a reason, so we're moving forward and looking forward."
Packers cornerback suspended: Demetri Goodson, going into his third year as a Green Bay cornerback and special teamer, was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL regular season for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances. Goodson, who is eligible to participate in all offseason activities and preseason practices and games, is the second Packers defensive player to be suspended for violating the league’s policy, as lineman Mike Pennell received the same discipline. Green Bay also released third-year inside linebacker Nate Palmer on Friday. But, hey, at least the offense should be decent.
Brewers beat Astros, 6-4: In beloved outfielder Carlos Gomez’s return to Miller Park for the first time since being traded last year, Milwaukee used three dingers (courtesy of Scooter Gennett, Chris Carter and Ryan Braun) to take the first game in its weekend series against Houston. New starter Chase Anderson was impressive in his Brewers debut, pitching five shutout innings with five strikeouts to get the win, which ended with the Astros being called out at second base on the controversial "Chase Utley rule."
Bucks lose to Celtics, 124-109: Beginning a three-game road trip, Milwaukee faded hard after a strong first quarter and was overwhelmed by an efficient and playoff-ready offense in Boston. Backup center Tyler Zeller poured in 26 points off the bench for the Celtics, while Bucks counterpart Miles Plumlee had 16. Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 27, also adding seven rebounds and seven assists.
Saturday
Brewers lose to Astros, 6-4: In his second straight poor start at Miller Park, Milwaukee pitcher Wily Peralta allowed all six earned runs, including three homers, in 4 1/3 innings of the loss to Houston. Scooter Gennett continued to lead the Brewers’ offense, going 2 for 4 and blasting his third home run, while in the stands a fan licked vomit for $100.
Admirals beat Checkers, 6-3: Milwaukee went down to Charlotte, got two goals apiece from Stefan Elliott and Adam Payerl and skated to its fifth win in a row. Goalie Juuse Saros stopped 20 shots to earn his 27th win of the season. Team points leader Kevin Fiala continued his strong season, adding a power-play goal and an assist.
Sunday
Brewers beat Astros, 3-2: Milwaukee closed out its opening-week, six-game homestand with a series victory over Houston at Miller Park that got the team to 3-3 to start the season. Pitcher Jimmy Nelson picked up the win with a strong quality start, allowing two runs in six innings with nine strikeouts, and the bullpen worked three no-hit frames to secure it. Aaron Hill had a two-run single in the first inning, and Domingo Santana went 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI double.
Bucks beat 76ers, 109-108: Prying victory from the jaws of defeat against the NBA’s worst team, Milwaukee kept itself from sinking further down the standings (and improving its draft lottery odds, if you care to look at it that way), snapping a three-game losing streak and winning in overtime in Philadelphia. Khris Middleton returned from a thigh injury to score a game-high 36 points and rescue the Bucks from their second-half collapse. John Henson had a double-double off the bench, with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Admirals beat Checkers, 4-2: In the second game of a back-to-back in Charlotte, Pontus Aberg scored a pair of goals and Juuse Saros made 31 saves, as Milwaukee swept its road trip and won its sixth contest in a row. With the victory, the Admirals extended their points streak to 12 games (10-0-0-2) and clinched the American Hockey League's Central Division title for first time in five years.
Born in Milwaukee but a product of Shorewood High School (go ‘Hounds!) and Northwestern University (go ‘Cats!), Jimmy never knew the schoolboy bliss of cheering for a winning football, basketball or baseball team. So he ditched being a fan in order to cover sports professionally - occasionally objectively, always passionately. He's lived in Chicago, New York and Dallas, but now resides again in his beloved Brew City and is an ardent attacker of the notorious Milwaukee Inferiority Complex.
After interning at print publications like Birds and Blooms (official motto: "America's #1 backyard birding and gardening magazine!"), Sports Illustrated (unofficial motto: "Subscribe and save up to 90% off the cover price!") and The Dallas Morning News (a newspaper!), Jimmy worked for web outlets like CBSSports.com, where he was a Packers beat reporter, and FOX Sports Wisconsin, where he managed digital content. He's a proponent and frequent user of em dashes, parenthetical asides, descriptive appositives and, really, anything that makes his sentences longer and more needlessly complex.
Jimmy appreciates references to late '90s Brewers and Bucks players and is the curator of the unofficial John Jaha Hall of Fame. He also enjoys running, biking and soccer, but isn't too annoying about them. He writes about sports - both mainstream and unconventional - and non-sports, including history, music, food, art and even golf (just kidding!), and welcomes reader suggestions for off-the-beaten-path story ideas.
