The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Sportsday; Broncos Bucking Plenty of Experts

If you want to root for a National Football League team to win Super Bowl XL based on the number of informed pre-season prognosticators it would embarrass, then the Denver Broncos should be your choice. If you prefer the most havoc done to pre-season predictions, then your dream match-up on Feb. 5 in Detroit is Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks.

Big Ten Notes; Moving On Without Its Star; Indiana Playing As If White Won't Return

There is no benefit to losing a player of D.J. White's caliber, but at least Indiana coach Mike Davis has a good idea what kind of team the Hoosiers are without their star forward. Indiana went 5-2 without White, who is out indefinitely with a broken bone in his left foot unrelated to the one he suffered before the season. The Hoosiers' losses during that stretch were to top- ranked Duke, 75-67, and at Indiana State, 72-67.

Adjusting Mu's Attitude; Mcneal Brings Killer Instinct to the Table

Statistically speaking, no one can quibble with the season Jerel McNeal has had thus far for the Marquette Golden Eagles. The starter at shooting guard for all 17 of MU's games, the 6- foot-2, 185-pounder ranks third in scoring (11.2 points per game) on solid 45% shooting, fourth in rebounding (4.4), third in assists (2.5) and first in steals (2.1) for a team still in the hunt in the ultra-competitive Big East Conference.

Weekly Golden Eagles Report

Who's hot Freshman point guard Dominic James took a big step forward in his development Saturday in MU's 104-85 loss at West Virginia. Not only was he unstoppable at times he finished with a collegiate-high 28 points on 10-for-15 shooting, six rebounds and eight assists he was a vocal leader throughout for the Golden Eagles, and didn't wilt under the pressure of playing in front of a hostile crowd of 13,571 that was on his case from nearly the opening tip. "I know with the type of atmospher...

The List

TALKIN' BASEBALL Now that the Green Bay Packers have hired a coach, there are more pressing issues to attend to.

Stars of the Week

JANELLE GABRIELSEN, Menomonee Falls Menomonee Falls girls basketball player Janelle Gabrielsen had 25 points, 12 rebounds and five steals Friday in a 50-43 victory over Brookfield East. It was the sophomore's second 25-point game in the last five outings. She averages 15.7 points per game and leads the Greater Metro Conference in scoring. The Indians are 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the league, and Gabrielsen has led the team in scoring seven times.

Garry D. Howard; Day Honoring Dr. King Gets Assist From Former Bucks Coach

Spotlight introductions, hip-hop music, television crews, drum lines and a big-time atmosphere were on display all afternoon and well into the evening Monday at the U.S. Cellular Arena. And for that, the players, coaches and fans in attendance at this high school extravaganza can thank one man:

Hoopfest Roundup; Hughes Avoids Foul-Up; St. John's Star Sticks Around Just Long Enough

Trevon Hughes playing in foul trouble is no trouble at all. The Delafield St. John's boys basketball player picked up two fouls in the first 2 minutes of his game with Milwaukee Juneau, and got his fourth foul with more than 5 minutes left, but he still helped the Lancers to a 70-59 victory in the fourth and final game of the annual Hoopfest at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

Bates Steps Aside; He Agrees with Team to Part Ways

Green Bay Jim Bates, one of the National Football League's leading defensive coordinators, has coached his final game for the Green Bay Packers. In a stunning development, Bates and new coach Mike McCarthy came to what both parties described late Monday afternoon as a mutual parting of the ways. They reached their joint decision earlier in the day after two face-to-face meetings and two telephone conversations over a span of about 48 hours.

Packers Notes; Ex-Saints Aide Expected to Fill Strength Position

Green Bay The Green Bay Packers haven't announced their new strength and conditioning coach but barring late complications it will be former New Orleans Saints assistant Rock Gullickson. A National Football League source said Gullickson had told people that he has accepted coach Mike McCarthy's offer to join the Packers as the replacement for Barry Rubin, who was fired last week.

Candidates Line Up to Lead Defense; Moss has Links with Mccarthy

Green Bay Winston Moss, the linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints since 2001, is on coach Mike McCarthy's list of candidates to become the next defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy coached with Moss in New Orleans for five years, is known to admire the job that he has done and has discussed him in recent days with former colleagues, a National Football League source close to the situation said.

Game Report Mavericks 114 Bucks 95

On the court PLAYER OF THE GAME: Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki was very quiet Nov. 29 in the Mavericks' 113-111 overtime loss in Milwaukee, scoring 18 points on 5-for-22 shooting. But he made plenty of noise Monday by sinking 14 of 21 shots and scoring a game-high 35 points. "Offensively, we really were able to get anything we wanted," he said. "We were moving the ball well, we were penetrating, we got open shots and we're at our best when running and moving the ball like we did tonight. We re...

Mavs 114 Bucks 95; Time to Talk It Over; Players Meet After Being Soundly Beaten

Dallas If the Milwaukee Bucks were ever going to have a players- only meeting, this was the time. The Bucks' players stayed sequestered behind closed doors much longer than usual after their one-sided, 114-95 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at the American Airlines Center. The players were rather tight-lipped about what was discussed other than to indicate that it was a time for some self-examination.

Musky Mark Stands Test of Time; Illinois Group's Effort to Rescind Record Denied

Louis Spray's world-record musky a 69-pound 11-ounce monster caught on Oct. 20, 1949, on the Chippewa Flowage in northern Wisconsin will stand. Members of the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward voted Monday to reject a request from an Illinois-based group to overturn Spray's record.

Soccer; Bennett Gets Ball Rolling at Mu

Louis Bennett said he and associate head coach Stan Anderson have "hit the ground running" in their move to Marquette University, after leading UW-Milwaukee's program to five consecutive NCAA tournament berths. The stunning news of the off-season was Bennett's jump to Marquette, which endured a disappointing 2005 season in men's soccer with a 1-8-1 Big East Conference record and 5-11-1 overall mark.

King Holiday Hoopfest; Playing with Pain; Memories of Griff' Drive Vincent

The Milwaukee Vincent girls basketball team was tired of waiting. Because this game was for Griff. Thirty minutes before game time Monday afternoon, the Vikings displayed the energy and determination of a team ready to battle for a state championship. They wanted to play, and they wanted to play now.

Wisconsin Football Notes; Tailback Inquires About Returning; but Smith Will Need Medical Clearance First

Madison Although Bret Bielema would welcome the return of former tailback Dwayne Smith to the Wisconsin football team, he will not do so at the risk of Smith's health. "My position will not change from the university's position," Bielema said Monday. "He will not be allowed to participate on our team until we have full medical clearance."