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Aaron Rodgers "Perfect" Drive at Dallas Recap | Ticket King Inc.

There are few words that can properly describe how great the Packers-Cowboys game was last Sunday. The Packers found themselves down 21-6 late in the second half. This team does not have a history of a great comebacks, and usually, when the score reaches that point, Mike McCarthy will “pull the plug sooner” than most coaches. Not this time. The Packers scored a touchdown late in the first half, and just like with their first touchdown, Mason Crosby missed the extra point. Fortunately for the Packers, Crosby was able to work out the issues with his replacement holder in the second half. We will see how this may come into play, long term.

The second half of that game was spectacular. Back and forth they both went. There were five lead changes in the fourth quarter alone. On that final drive, the Cowboys did everything right. They took nine minutes off the clock, methodically moved the ball down the field, and scored the go-ahead touchdown on the drive’s 17^th play. There’s just one little problem. They left Aaron Rodgers with 73 seconds and a timeout, going up against rookie corners, and needing just a field goal to tie, or a touchdown to win. With Rodgers having to shield his eyes from the sun during those first few plays, Cowboys fans surely felt confident that a home team victory was in the bag, over, done.

To say Aaron Rodgers was magnificent on that final drive would be a serious understatement. Rodgers was “perfect.” The final 73 seconds of that game shows the vast difference between a team with an elite franchise quarterback, and a team without one. In 73 seconds, Aaron Rodgers took the Packers from what was surely to be a 3-2 record to 4-1. With complete control over the offense, as he has had for almost a decade, Rodgers made one perfect decision after another. This includes a gutsy call to run the ball on second and ten from the 45, which resulted in a 15-yard gain. What about the final two plays Aaron Rodgers made on that drive? Watch the replay and you will call it “The Miracle Escape” that resulted in an 18-yard gain. Watch him take a second shot at the same play that failed on the first try, this time tossing a back shoulder fade “on a frozen rope.” It was a perfect throw to Davante Adams, and it was the game winning touchdown. Could any other quarterback put that combination of plays together, with the game on the line?

Now the team moves onto the Vikings. At this point in time, we have no clue as to who is going to start at quarterback for Minnesota (or even finish the game for that matter.) Sam Bradford’s knee won’t quit flaring up. Casey Keenum has been pulled and reinserted several times over. It is almost that time to make way for the “Teddy Train,” as Bridgewater is about to come off the PUP. Then there is also the un-drafted, free agent rookie Kyle Sloter who spent training camp with the Broncos. All three, Sloter, Keenum, or Bradford, could come into play on Sunday. In future games, Bridgewater will make it four, after he is ready to go. We could preview the game, but nobody really has any clue how this game is going to unfold. For now, Packers fans hope that the spark that turned to flame in Dallas, still burns in Minnesota this Sunday.

Milwaukee Bucks Look to Improve Upon Their 2017 Season | Ticket King Inc.

The NBA season is almost upon us, and here in Wisconsin, that means Bucks basketball. Considering the circumstances, the Bucks had a very good season a year ago, finishing the year with a record of 42-40, and made it as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Sadly, they lost to the Toronto Raptors in six games. The Bucks accomplished all of this without star forward Jabari Parker, who injured his leg for the second time in his young career. The team better be careful with Parker’s minutes going forward, perhaps even turning him into the team’s 6^th man, so he doesn’t turn into the next Derrick Rose.

As far as the rest of the team is concerned, the pecking order has been established. This is Giannis’ team going forward, and the towering forward from Greece has become one of the NBA’s prized young players. Giannis is just 22, and it looks like he will only get better. It would help Giannis significantly if small forward Khris Middleton built upon his play from a year ago, when he averaged nearly 15 points a game. The bucks will also continue to look to get something out of former first round draft choice power forward John Henson, and center Greg Monroe. Both players have fallen short of expectations to this point. Speaking of first round draft choices, the Bucks were 17^thoverall, and focused on power forward D.J. Wilson from Michigan. He may not start the year with the team, but expect him to be called up sooner rather than later.

Looking at the Bucks early season schedule, right out of the gate, they get the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the two teams involved in that mega-swap this off season of all-star point guards. The game against Cleveland is the first of four straight at home, with the next three opponents being Portland, Charlotte, and Boston. After that the Bucks play five of their next six on the road, with the sole home game in between all of that coming against the new look Oklahoma City Thunder on Halloween. If the Bucks want to compete with Cleveland and Boston this season, they need to get off to a fast start.

Brewers Impress Throughout the Season | Will They Repeat in 2018? | Ticket King Inc.

To say that the Milwaukee Brewers have defied logic in 2017 would be an understatement. Every analyst on the planet has been waiting for the moment this season when the Brewers fall back to earth. While the Brewers missed the playoffs by just a couple games, that “fall back to earth” moment really never came.

The Brewers had indeed been the story in baseball of 2017. On the night of September 19, the Milwaukee Brewers sat at 81-70 which placed them currently 3.5 games behind the first place Chicago Cubs. More importantly, the Brewers were at that moment, one game back of the Colorado Rockies for the second Wild Card spot. The Brewers had won three in a row, and were 8-2 in those last 10 games. There was still a chance the Brewers could have won the division, but it was more more likely they would reach the playoffs via the Wild Card at that point. The Cubs had gotten their act together and won seven in a row. The Rockies and Diamondbacks meanwhile, were both sputtering to the finish line. Can we find a sports writer that declared that the Brewers would have been deciding their fate in the last ten days of the 2017 season? No, we can’t.

So how exactly had the Brewers defied logic in 2017? Their offense had been up and down all season, but their pitching had been phenomenal. Zach Davies became the Brewers new ace for the time being. Davies was 17-9 with a 3.89 ERA. Closer Corey Knebel has been outstanding. For the season, Knebel had 37 saves at that point, a strikeout-per-9 ratio of 15.3, a WHIP of 1.10, and an ERA of 1.29. For a closer, that was wandering into the “Joe Nathan” zone of the territory of insanity.

On the offensive side, we do have to notice that certain batters got “hot” just as others went cold. The fact that there was always a core of batters that could put up runs, the team was able to stay in the hunt. As of this post, the Brewers announced that their entire staff will be returning in 2017. Can the team keep riding that high in 2018. Chances are good.

2017 NFL Predictions | Ticket King Inc.

NFL Preview

The 2017 NFL season is finally upon us, so that can only mean one thing. It is time for our big NFL preview. Ticket King likes to turn to T.J. Bryce for his take on all things NFL. We’re holding him to these predictions, and will revisit this exhaustive list in January 2018.

Opening remarks from Mr. Bryce:
“As I examine the landscape of the NFL just before the start of the 2017 season, I see a stark contrast compared to the past several seasons. In recent years, the NFL has been ruled by mediocrity. This year, I see a clear difference between the good and the bad. Let’s begin with the AFC East.”

AFC

AFC East

New England Patriots (12-4) – Did anyone really think I was going to pick any other team here? The Patriots will win the AFC East based on the overall weakness of the division, but they may not be as strong of a team as they were a year ago. I don’t care what anyone says or how well he takes care of himself, “Father Time” is undefeated, and he’s coming for Tom Brady. The Patriots will also be without their top receiver Julian Edelman, for the entire season. Guys may step up, but that’s a huge loss for New England.

Miami Dolphins (9-7) – Yes, Jay Cutler is a better quarterback than Colin Kaepernick, and yes, he fits this system better. However, the Dolphins Super Bowl aspirations will not come to be in 2017.

Buffalo Bills (6-10) – Tyrod Taylor is not the long term answer in Buffalo, and I predict that he struggles mightily through the 2017 season. The longest playoff drought in North American professional sports marches on.

New York Jets (0-16) – Yes, you see that right. 0-16. This may be the worst NFL team I have ever seen in my (young) life. The Jets won’t just lose every game. They are going to get blown out of the freaking building in at least twelve of them. Why? Their QB is 38 years old, and can claim just two victories in the last twenty-two starts. His best wideout has been on the team for about five minutes, and that guy’s biggest weapon (his speed) won’t be utilized by a QB that’s too old to throw it that far. If the Bills can manage to lose the opener, against these Jets, that will be the only victory for this hapless franchise.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) – The best offense in the AFC currently resides in Pittsburgh. All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell has ended his holdout and reported to the team. For what it’s worth, Some fans may hope that James Connor runs for 1,500 yards as the Steelers kick Bell out the front door. But Bell is still a Steeler, and he will play a part in this season for the team. My guess is he’ll play at least the first six weeks. Don’t be surprised if the team tries to move him before the trade deadline.

Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) – Okay, maybe we overreacted saying this was the best roster in the league a year ago. Still, they are not as bad as their 2016 record indicates. But is the team good enough to make the playoffs in 2017?

Baltimore Ravens (7-9) – The Ravens are going to struggle through another injury-plagued season, highlighted by Joe Flacco and his knee. They really need to focus on getting him healthy and making sure he stays that way.

Cleveland Browns (2-14)- Sorry, I think DeShone Kizer is going to be a terrible NFL quarterback, and that will show this season as the Browns struggle through yet another bad year.

AFC South

Tennessee Titans (11-5)- The rise of Marcus Mariota is coming, if it didn’t start already. Mariota is healthy, and ready to lead the Titans back to the playoffs. This team plays classic smash-mouth football, a throwback to the days of yesteryear.

Houston Texans (8-8)- Yes the Texans defense may be Super Bowl ready, but their quarterback position isn’t. Tom Savage is just a placeholder, and I don’t think Deshaun Watson is going to be anything more than a below-average NFL starter.

Indianapolis Colts (8-8)- This will be a strange season for the Colts. They will dig themselves into an early hole while Andrew Luck gets healthy. The hole will become too deep to dig out of, but they will try. I think if they find themselves in too deep a hole, they should just send Luck home and concentrate on him being fully healthy for a return to the lineup in 2018.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)- The Jaguars are just bad, and Blake Bortles is on his way out the door. Moving along.

AFC West

Oakland Raiders (14-2)- The Oakland Raiders are the best team in the AFC. Just let that sink in for a minute. The Raiders have some elite high impact players, and their depth is vastly improved from two years ago. Could this be the year the Raiders return to the Super Bowl?

Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)- The Chiefs had a very unstable off season, but things appear to have calmed down. Alex Smith is just buying time for Pat Mahomes to learn the system, and the Chiefs will be good enough that he will sit the entire season.

Denver Broncos (6-10)- Towards the end of 2016, the fabled luck this franchise has enjoyed the last several seasons began to run out. With the luck gone, the holes in this roster, specifically at the quarterback position, will be exposed.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)- Another year, another good statistical season for Phillip Rivers, another missed playoff year for the franchise. Phillip Rivers is the Dan Marino of this generation.

AFC Playoffs
Seeds: 1. Raiders 2. Steelers 3. Patriots 4. Titans 5. Chiefs 6. Dolphins

Wild Ward Weekend
Patriots vs. Dolphins- This is an “interesting” game, but one the Patriots win, 34-20.
Titans vs. Chiefs- Marcus Mariota makes his NFL playoff debut as the Titans roll on, 24-10.

Divisional Playoff Weekend
Steelers vs. Patriots- Big Ben gets one last crack at the Patriots, and it ends well for him. Steelers win 34-24.
Raiders vs. Titans- The new look Raiders make their debut as the big boys on the block in convincing fashion. One of the big blowouts of the playoffs. 38-17 Raiders.

Raiders vs. Steelers- This will be a very high scoring game as Derek Carr throws for five touchdowns and the Raiders win 38-31.

NFC

NFC East

New York Giants (13-3) – Three years back I predicted the rise of the Giants. The Giants will get back to being the Giants, and win the NFC East with an elite pass rush and top rated passing game. This is Manning’s 14h season, and the clock it ticking. He may not put up 2015 numbers this season, but he won’t need to.

Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) – Carson Wentz is the real deal, and he’s part of a collection of elite young quarterbacks in this league. The Eagles continue to add pieces to support him, and it could get them back to the playoffs in 2017.

Dallas Cowboys (8-8) – There may be a number of Cowboys fans screaming at me through their computers right now. I’m just not sold on Dak Prescott. There was an element to his success in 2016 that a lot of people do not take into consideration. It’s called “shock value” and later on this season, I will explain further. Nobody expected Prescott to play a year ago, and nobody had any tape of him in a pro-style offense. The nature and style of his play came from his college years, just like all other QB’s that come into the league. Every team will be ready for him now. The Cowboys are about to find out that they have bet the house on a mediocre quarterback.

Washington Redskins (6-10) – Boy, what a mess this team made of themselves during the offseason. They were finally finding their way out of the wilderness. Daniel Snyder didn’t like the fact that he wasn’t the reason why. All I can say is “Yikes!” The drama will carry over into the regular season, as Cousins forces his way out the door. It’s “All Aboard” for a one-way trip to San Francisco for “Team Cousins.”

NFC North

Green Bay Packers (13-3) – Aaron Rodgers enters the 2017 smoking hot, unlike a year ago, and is recommitted to his work ethic. This could very well be the year Aaron Rodgers finally goes an entire season without turning the ball over. Crazy as that sounds, Rodgers is prepped and ready, with lots of targets to throw to.

Minnesota Vikings (9-7) – It is no secret the Vikings brass has put Spielman and Zimmer on the hot seat. Based on how this team looks at the moment, the chances of Spielman and Zimmer still being there in 2018 are not great. The rumors are something like “Make the Super Bowl or you’re fired” for Spielman.

Detroit Lions (8-8) – Matthew Stafford is now the highest paid player in the NFL. Too bad it’s still the same old Lions. This team may be a spoiler for a game or two, but not much else will come from paying Stafford top dollar.

Chicago Bears (4-12) – The Bears are in the midst of a rebuild. They bet the house on Mitch Trubisky in the draft. That will pay off for them in the long run, but not in 2017.

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4) – This is a hot young team. I believe that Derek Carr and Jameis Winston are on their way to being the two best quarterbacks in the game at some point in the future.

Carolina Panthers (10-6) – The Panthers have been up and down the last few years. 10-6 may be their happy medium.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6) – The Falcons will still be a good team this year, but the biggest meltdown in sports history will affect them more than it won’t.

New Orleans Saints (7-9) – This team kind of frustrates me. They operate as if it still 2009. They need to let the bottom drop out, and start from zero. Their schedule in 2017 is tough. They face the Patriots, Packers, Buccaneers, and Dolphins, all in the first half of the season.

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks (10-6) – The Seahawks have really settled down as a solid, but not elite, team. That trend will continue in 2017. “Good, but not great.”

Arizona Cardinals (8-8) – The Cardinals are an old team on their last legs in 2017. Too bad it won’t end with Palmer and Fitzgerald riding off into the sunset as Super Bowl champions. When you look at their schedule, they could possibly pick up a couple more wins and make the playoffs as a Wild Card opponent, but don’t count on it.

Los Angeles Rams (5-11) – Jared Goff needs some stability, and now that they know who their head coach is going to be for the foreseeable future, perhaps he can get that stability. They won’t see the results this season, and I wonder how long until Todd Gurley wants out of Los Angeles, based on what we know about his personality.

San Francisco 49ers (2-14) – I think John Lynch will make for a good NFL general manager. I listened to him when he did play by play, and his grasp of the game makes me think he would fit perfectly as a “front office” executive. The 49ers may be bad now, but they won’t be bad forever.

NFC Playoffs

Seeds: 1. Giants 2. Packers 3. Buccaneers 4. Seahawks 5. Panthers 6. Falcons

Wild Card Weekend
Buccaneers vs. Falcons – “Famous Jameis” makes his playoff debut in style, throwing for three touchdowns and leading the Buccaneers to 34-27 victory.

Seahawks vs. Panthers – This is the type of team that can go into Seattle and win a road game. Newton and his Panthers advance 24-16.

Divisional Playoff Weekend
Packers vs. Buccaneers- This is going to be a very good game. Home field advantage is what wins this one, and the Packers advance 35-28.

Giants vs. Panthers – One thing is for sure. These two teams are going to beat each other into oblivion in this one. We might see upwards of 10 penalties for late hits. 13-10 Giants.

NFC Championship

Giants vs. Packers – I don’t think these Packers and their fans could take another conference championship loss. But it is what it is. The Giants advance to the Super Bowl 31-24.

Awards
Rookie of the Year: Christian McCaffery/RB/Panthers- McCaffery will play a huge role in the Panthers return to the playoffs.

Coach of the Year: Jack Del Rio/Raiders- Del Rio gets this award based on his ability to keep the Raiders focused despite all of the Las Vegas talk.

Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack/OLB/Raiders- Mack has his best season to date, leading the Raiders to the Super Bowl.

MVP: Aaron Rodgers/QB/Packers- Rodgers adds a third MVP award to his shelf, and has the best season statistically, of his career.

Super Bowl

Giants vs. Raiders – The Super Bowl will be played in Minnesota this year. The hot young Raiders vs Eli and his band of angry Giants. I know the Raiders had a marvelous season, but this is the Super Bowl. Age and wisdom reign supreme in February. Prediction: 30-27 Giants.

Packers 53 Man Roster for 2017 | Ticket King Inc.

The Green Bay Packers revealed their 53 man roster this past weekend, in preparation for the 2017 home opener at Lambeau Field. The Packers will take on the Seattle Seahawks on September 10th. Tickets for the game are still available. Are their any surprises in this new roster? Possibly. Let’s take a look at some key players that “made the cut” in 2017.

Ty Montgomery needed a back up, and that job goes to Aaron Ripkowski, a fullback that was already on the roster in 2016. Ripkowski will be backed up by Jamall Williams and Aaron Jones. As for wide receivers, it looks like Geronimo Allison and Jeff Janis will be the number five and six picks for the year.

With the signing of Martellus Bennett, the back up position goes to Lance Kendricks and Richard Rodgers. Green Bay hopes to capitalize on the acquisition of Bennett, giving the Packers more options on plays and schemes. As for the offensive line, Justin McCray and Lucas Patrick were named as back ups for the year.

Did the rookie Kevin King have a good camp? It looks like the young draft pick from Washington State will be getting some playing time, but hopefully learning quickly on the job. Josh Hawkins and Lenzy Pipkins also made the roster this season. Quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Joe Callahan will be looking for a roster spot on other teams this year.

Packers Family Night Recap | Green Bay Preseason Starts on Thursday | Ticket King Inc.

NFL training camp is in full swing. On Saturday night, the Packers had their annual “Family Night” at Lambeau Field, which is basically a cross between a full practice and inter-squad scrimmage. It’s a great time for children and adults. Fireworks follow the event.

Aaron Rodgers looked sharp all night, hitting Malachi Dupree to DeAngelo Yancey to Randall Cobb right in the numbers. This might very well be the longest “look” we will get of Rodgers until week one of the regular season, as nobody is expecting him to play much during the preseason. He will not play the first preseason game on Thursday against the Eagles, we know that’s for sure. Speaking of those two rookie receivers, Yancey and Dupree, they both looked very good Saturday night. Dupree ran very good routes and Yancey caught several key third and fourth down conversion passes during live drills. Backup quarterback Brett Hundley looked solid as well. Late in simulated live play, he threw a touchdown pass during the two minute drill to tight end Aaron Peck, who is not expected to make this team. So it was nice to see Peck get in perhaps the lone Lambeau Leap of his career.

Joe Callahan Struggles on Family Night

Third-string quarterback Joe Callahan did not look good, at all. He missed several open targets throughout live drills, and bobbled several snaps out of the shotgun. He also was way off during the drill where they throw the ball into the net. Joe Callahan’s roster spot is far from guaranteed, so stay tuned. No, it is not a competition between Callahan and undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Taysom Hill from BYU, Hill will be cut at some point this month. It’s a competition between Callahan and somebody else on the roster, say cornerback LaDarius Gunter. Kicker Mason Crosby did not look too great as well. He had several misses during kicking drills, including a very bad shank from about 45 yards away. Hopefully that is not a sign of things to come. Family night is good fun, but it’s just practice.

Green Bay will get its first test on Thursday night against the Eagles. As stated before, Rodgers will not play, and we don’t expect Hill to play either. It will be Hundley and Callahan getting every snap, much like last preseason, with Hundley probably getting 60% of them. Hundley has been in this system for two years now, and it will be time to see how good he really is in year three. If he is the “real deal,” Ted Thompson (or whoever the Packers GM is next offseason,) could fetch several high ranking draft choices for Hundley in a trade. Callahan is going to have to shake off a rough family night and get back on track if he wants to make this roster.

MLB Trade Deadline Predictions | Ticket King Inc.

One of the most notable deadlines on the yearly baseball calendar is fast approaching, it’s the in-season trade deadline, July 31. Now every general manager understands that the real deadline is August 31. That is the day 40-man rosters for the postseason must be finalized. But waiver wire deals are a little more tricky to do. The trade season has already gotten started with some big deals. Todd Frazier and Daniel Robertson went the Yankees. J.D. Martinez went to the Diamondbacks. Jamie Garcia went to the Twins. Jose Quintana was sent to the Cubs, and there are more names on the way.

The first two players that come up are the big names from the Oakland Athletics roster that are on the trade block, starting pitcher Sonny Gray and first baseman Yonder Alonzo. Gray is having a decent season, as he currently sits with a record of 6-5 and an ERA of 3.43. Meanwhile, Yonder Alonzo is having one of the best seasons of his career. Alonzo currently sits with a .264 average, 21 home runs, and 45 RBI’s. The Yankees had interest in both before the Todd Frazier trade, but the team could still pull off a move for Gray if they wanted to. Also in on Gray could be the Twins, Astros(Although trades within the division rarely ever happen,) Brewers, and Rockies. Looking across the list of contenders, an Alonzo trade looks unlikely for now, but it’s still possible. Another name on the Athletics roster that could be moved is the 34-year-old relief pitcher John Axford. The former Brewers closer could help a lot of contending bullpens down the stretch.

Next up we have the Phillies. They have a mix of smaller names that could be moved, and probably will be. Relief pitchers Pat Neshek and Joaquin Benoit could both help many a contending bullpen. Second basemen Andres Blanco could provide good spot starting and bench play for many teams as well. Veteran outfielders Daniel Nava and Howie Kendrick could both be on the move. Nava might have just a little more value because he is a left-handed hitter. I don’t list specific teams here because these are the types of players who would come cheap, and could end up with just about any contending team.

Then we have the Reds. Over the last couple of years, the Reds have made a lot of moves as they have gone into a full blown rebuild. But, they still have a couple of contracts they would like to get out from under. Those two players would be starting pitcher Homer Bailey and first basemen Joey Votto. Bailey is not having a good season at all, so that one might be tricky to work out. Votto has, simply put, the worst contract in baseball. He would like to play for the Blue Jays, but they are not in contention this season, so that move may have to wait at least until the offseason.

Finally we have the Giants. What a mess this team is in right now. They are old, overpaid, and underachieving. But, they do have a lot of big names they could move, including several pitchers, Jeff Samardzija and Matt Moore comes to mind when we talk trades. They are both having bad seasons statistically, as many players on this team are, so we would have to rely on their past track record here. Moore could be affordable for smaller payroll teams like the Astros, Twins, and Brewers. Samardzija could be had by larger payroll teams like the Yankees. Another name on the move could be outfielder Hunter Pence, who could end up with the Red Sox, Indians, or Nationals among other teams.

Packers Tickets Ready To Ship | Parking Available For Each Game | Ticket King

Ticket King Green Bay – Just yards from Lambeau Field

The 2017 Green Bay Packers season has been out since April, and now Packers tickets have started to arrive at the doorsteps of season ticket holders across Wisconsin. Ticket King is happy to make an offer on your Packers tickets, and we pay top dollar for seats in demand. Hundreds of families trust Ticket King to make sure that their coveted tickets are safely resold to other fans across the nation. Do you have tickets to sell? Give us a call, and we’ll take it from there.

The Packers home opener is sure to be a huge game. They take on the Seattle Seahawks on September 10th, at Lambeau Field. This is an afternoon game. From there, they face the Atlanta Falcons, on the road. The Bengals come to Green Bay on September 24th, for another afternoon game.

Packers Parking and Tailgate Options

Looking to park or tailgate before a Packers game? We have you covered. Ticket King has a limited number of Lambeau Field parking passes for each game, along with parking spaces at our Green Bay office, just yards from the stadium. We’re on Oneida Street, just south of the Don Hutson practice field. Tailgate in our lot, and walk to your seat at Lambeau. Tickets for all away games are also available. See you in Green Bay, Packers fans!

2017 Wisconsin Badgers Roster and Schedule | Ticket King Inc.

The summer is upon us, which means it is time to begin discussing the upcoming football season. For the Wisconsin Badgers, it should be another solid year. The first order of business for the Badgers will be replacing their departed players. The Badgers ended up with three players drafted into the NFL, and several others who signed as un-drafted free agents. The first to go was quarterback Bart Houston, who went un-drafted and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, departs. Alex Hornibrook now takes over full time. Hornibrook was inconsistent a year ago. He will need to shore that up. The Badgers ended up with two players being drafted in the first round this year. First to go was outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who went to the Steelers late in round one. The other was offensive lineman Ryan Ramczyk, who went to the Saints with the last choice in round one. The other Badgers draftee is outside linebacker Vince Biegel, who was the Packers first choice in round four. They will also have to replace the departing running back Corey Clement, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after the draft.

Badgers 2017 Schedule

In 2017, the Badgers begin the season at home against Utah State on September 1. That game will will be broadcast on ESPN, so it’s a good chance to see the “new look” Badgers on national television. Eight days later, they take on Florida Atlantic at home. The following week, they hit the road for the first time, heading to Provo, Utah, to take on BYU. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. The Badgers have an off week and then they come home for their Big Ten Conference opener, against Northwestern on Sept. 30. The Wildcats will be looking to build on their 7-6 record from a year ago. The following Saturday the Badgers hit the road for the first time in conference play, heading to Nebraska. The following week they come home to take on Purdue.

The second half of the schedule is where it gets testy for Wisconsin. After a home game against Maryland on Oct. 21, they hit the road to take on Illinois. That is not always an easy game for this bunch. The following week they stay on the road to take on Indiana. The final three games of the season is where the Badgers could face their biggest challenges. The first of those three games is at home against Iowa. The second of those two games is also at home against Michigan. Their final game of the season, as always, is at Minnesota.

Who Will Win the NL Central in 2017? | Ticket King Inc.

Who’s Going To Win This Airtight NL Central? Four games. That is all that separates all five teams in the National League Central at the moment. The question must be asked, who’s going to win this airtight NL Central?

Milwaukee Brewers

Why they will: The Brewers are off to one of the most surprising starts in baseball so far this season. Milwaukee currently sits at 33-31, 1.5 games out in front. The Brewers have reached this point with a stunning season so far from Eric Thames, timely hitting, and a bullpen that is performing well above expectations. That will continue, and the Brewers will shock the world by winning the NL Central.

Why they won’t: Every year we have a few teams that jump out to starts like this that aren’t supposed to. This one shouldn’t be any different. That bullpen will come back down to earth and Eric Thames will continue to fade.

Chicago Cubs

Why they will: The Cubs are the defending World Series champions, and have played above average baseball so far this season. That overpowering rotation of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, and Kyle Hendricks have pitched, at best, below average to this point in 2017. They will get it going, and when they do, look out.

Why they won’t: The Cubs may have won the World Series a year too early. When a team races to the top ahead of schedule like the Cubs did, they get a little too big for their own britches before they are ready for it. The Cubs ego as a team is through the roof right now, and they are paying for it on the field.

St. Louis Cardinals

Why they will: To get straight to the point, the Cardinals have played like garbage so far in 2017. That offense is stalled in the parking lot of Walmart and can’t get their car started. The bullpen has been bad, and that rotation has been spotty at best. They just lost seven in a row as well. Yet here they sit at 29-32, 2.5 games out of first place. You just wait.

Why they won’t: That Yadier Molina contract extension was the worst decision this organization has made in goodness, nobody knows how long. It’s been a while. That is going to affect them for the rest of the season. Sorry Cardinals fans, their will be no second half surge in 2017.

Cincinnati Reds

Why they will: Raise your hand if you thought the Cincinnati Reds would be 29-33, three games out of first place on June 12. Liars. Our man T.J. Bryce had them pegged for less than 60 wins on the season. The clubhouse is real loose right now, and they are letting it all hang out.

Why they won’t: Much like the Brewers, these kinds of starts from these kinds of teams don’t last. Expect a major second half fade from this bunch.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Why they will: The Pirates have not been the Pirates so far in 2017. Their offense has been miserable, even for their standards, that bullpen has been awful, and Gerrit Cole is pitching like a number five starter. They are also playing without Starling Marte, who was suspended 80 games for drugs. He will return soon, and provide a boost to this offense. The Pirates are about to get hot, and will climb to the top of this division at some point during the summer.

Why they won’t: Sometimes, you just have these sorts of seasons, where no matter what you do, you can’t figure out what’s wrong, or how to fix it. The Pirates were about to start moving players anyways, so they might take this as an opportunity to begin trading players now instead of during the offseason.