The Joe & Ebo Experience: Them Be Fightin’ Words

MADISON | Not sure if there’s something in the air or everyone just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but it got testy today.

With caller on caller violence running rampant on the airwaves this lovely Tuesday, it got me thinking on a new event… THE ZONE’S FIRST PAY PER VIEW WRESTLING MATCH! Seriously, let’s make this happen. I need something to hold me over until football is back.

In between the on-air spats, we also get into our own power rankings in the NFL and try and nail down our Brewers party. Give it a listen.

 Today On The Joe & Ebo Experience:

The Joe & E-Poll

Jeremy vs The Wizard vs Hawkeye

Power Rankings

Gator Frank vs #ScottTakes

Listen to the Joe & Ebo Show weekdays from 8a to 11a on 106.7FM 1670AM The Zone

    The Joe & Ebo Experience: Did You Say Rookie Or Wookie

    MADISON | May the Fourth be with you,  you nerds.

    How can people not love Star Wars? I could go on a rant here, but I won’t. I guess I’ll just never understand how someone can’t appreciate cinema at it’s finest.

    Now, before I pop in the Empire Strikes Back,  which rookie do you think will make the biggest impact for the Packers this season? We get into that and celebrate everything Star Wars.

    Today on the Joe & Ebo Experience:

    May The 4th

    The Teflon Don

    Robbie Are You OK?

    Kevin King Is Fast

    Yoda Calls In

    Catch the Joe & Ebo show weekdays from 8a | 11a on 106.7FM 1670 AM The Zone.

      The Joe & Ebo Experience: Take The Over

      MADISON | Ah, you think gambling is your ally? You merely adopted gambling. We were born in it, molded by it.

      Vegas has released the Over/Under’s for the NFL season and we couldn’t be happier as the Joe & Ebo Show was born from a gambling show.

      Speaking of gambling, would you gamble on potentially trading Eric Thames for some more prospects for the Brewers and their rebuild moving forward? It got a little heated today.

       

      Today on the Joe & Ebo Experience:

      YOU JUST MADE THE LIST

      What Hot Seat?

      The Thames Train

      Don’t Give Up On Joe

      Listen to the Joe & Ebo Show weekdays from 8a | 11a on 106.7FM 1670AM The Zone.

        The Joe & Ebo Experience: Weekend At Teddy’s

        MADISON | We need football back in our lives, like, right now.

        We got a taste of some NFL action with the Draft, and it got our juices flowing. Apparently, after cutting Michael and Jackson, Ted Thompson wasn’t finished yet either.

        Also, who saw this coming from the Milwaukee Brewers? Keep turning up the heat!

        Today on the Joe & Ebo Experience
        Beat It, Dummy

        Does GB Value The RB?

        @RieseDraft Rises

        We Like The Brew

        Remember Ty Montgomery Against The Bears?

        Listen to The Joe & Ebo Show weekdays from 8a | 11a on 106.7FM 1670AM The Zone.

          Wisconsin Pro Day results and observations

          MADISON, Wis. — 12 former University of Wisconsin football players took part in the annual pro day held at the McClain Center hoping to make one final impact ahead of the NFL Draft.

          For the third year in a row, Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson was in Madison scouting potential new talent for the roster. Of particular interest was linebacker T.J. Watt, who many draft analysts believe would be a legitimate option for Green Bay with the 29th overall selection. But there were plenty of other Wisconsin prospects, as well…

          Biggest winners

          RB Corey Clement: Clement took part in every drill but the bench press after a less-than-stellar NFL Scouting Combine performance. His biggest area of improvement was in the 40-yard dash, where Clement clocked in at 4.54 seconds — a significant improvement over his official 4.68 from Indianapolis. His vertical jump increased from 28.5 inches to 32, while his broad jump was five inches better at 120 inches.

          “I came back from the combine and I was so down on myself,” Clement said. “I was like, ‘That’s not me, that’s not a reflection of who I am and what I can run.’ …If you’re in a groove and you’re having a positive day, I think everything is going to reflect [that].”

          S Leo Musso: While he didn’t get a chance to compete at the combine, Musso proved that height is only a number. He posted impressive figures in the vertical jump (40.5 inches), broad jump (128 inches), three-cone drill (6.56 seconds) and several others, proving he should have gotten an invite to Indianapolis.

          WR Rob Wheelwright: Perhaps Wheelwright falls into the same category. Like Musso, he would have ranked in the top five in multiple drills among receivers had he competed at the combine. Wheelwright’s best efforts were in the 40-yard dash (4.54 seconds), vertical jump (38 inches), and broad jump (128.5 inches).

          “I showed I can run well, I can move, I can catch, and I can jump,” Wheelwright told reporters after his workout. “That’s what you need to be — athletic. But you also need to be able to know the game.”

          Wheelwright noted that a handful of teams showed interest in him at the pro day, including the Packers, Raiders, and Chiefs.

          Here’s a look at the official figures, courtesy of the Badgers:

          Other notes and observations

          Linebacker T.J. Watt mainly worked on position drills for team scouts, and as Jared Tokarz put it, the Packers were “very impressed” by what they saw from Watt during his pro day.

          Left tackle Ryan Ramczyk didn’t take part in any of the on-field work and simply used his time to meet with prospective teams. At the conclusion of the workouts, all former Badgers were available for media interviews, except for Ramczyk who left for a private lunch with an unnamed NFL team representative.

            Six Badgers to appear at NFL Scouting Combine

            INDIANAPOLIS — According to an NFL release, six University of Wisconsin football players have accepted invites to appear at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.

            Invitees
            OLB Vince Biegel
            RB Corey Clement
            RB Dare Ogunbowale
            T Ryan Ramczyk
            CB Sojourn Shelton
            LB T.J. Watt

            Noteworthy is the appearance of left tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who told reporters in December that he’d be undergoing hip surgery following the Cotton Bowl to repair a torn labrum. Initial reports indicated that it was an injury that would require a four-month recovery window. Ramczyk isn’t expected to take part in any on-field work while at the combine.

            Running back Corey Clement will also be worth watching, having returned for his senior year but not hitting the 2,000-yard mark he was hoping to reach when he became a starter in 2015. Instead, Clement’s efforts in 2016 were spread out across more roles than just running the football. He finished the year with 1,507 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns.

              Jordy Nelson earns NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award

              HOUSTON — After returning from a torn ACL suffered in the 2015 season, Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson was recognized Saturday night as the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.

              Nelson’s production in 2016 was eerily similar to the numbers he produced in the 2014 season prior to the injury:
              2014: 98 receptions, 1,519 yards, 13 touchdowns
              2016: 97 receptions, 1,257 yards, 14 touchdowns

              The 31-year-old Kansas State product wasn’t expected to be the same player he once was, considering the severity of an ACL tear and the length of time in recovery. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is another exception to the rule, returning from the same injury to put up monster numbers in the 2015 season (1,485 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns, long of 80 yards).

              But unlike Peterson’s return from the injury, Nelson was not voted to the Pro Bowl roster. That’s despite leading the NFL this season in touchdown receptions.

              Nelson has two more seasons remaining on his four-year, $39 million deal signed in July of 2014.

                Falcons beat Packers, advance to Super Bowl LI

                ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons are moving on to Super Bowl LI in Houston after defeating the Green Bay Packers 44-21 in the final game held at the Georgia Dome.

                The Falcons marched 75 yards down the field on their opening possession to score on a short shovel pass to Mohamed Sanu. The Packers were unable to answer on the ensuing possession, with Mason Crosby missing a 41-yard field goal. That ended his NFL-best 23-game streak of consecutive converted postseason field goals.

                Atlanta faced little resistance on their second drive of the game, getting inside Green Bay’s 10-yard line before a holding penalty on third down forced them into a field goal attempt, where Ryan was good from 28 yards.

                The second quarter started to look like Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense were on the path to points, but fullback Aaron Ripkowski’s longest rush of the season ended in the red zone, fumbling the ball and getting recovered by the Falcons in their own end zone.

                Things went from bad to worse when Atlanta’s Matt Ryan decided to do the damage with his legs. In the middle of the second quarter, he rushed for a 14-yard touchdown to put the Falcons on top 17-0. They didn’t have their first punt until 3:17 remaining in the first half.

                Rodgers tried to rally the troops after that punt and get points before halftime, but a sack on second down set Green Bay up with a long third down deep in their own territory. Trying to make something happen, Rodgers fired deep down the middle of the field where the ball was intercepted.

                Green Bay would pay for that mistake, as Ryan and the Atlanta offense marched down the field to score a five-yard touchdown to Julio Jones just before the intermission. The soon-to-be MVP had 271 yards and two touchdown passes in the first half.

                The Packers got the ball to start the second half, hoping to mount the largest comeback in NFC Championship game history. Instead, a pair of drops by tight end Jared Cook led to an early punt and the Falcons capitalized once again. Ryan hit Julio Jones for his second touchdown of the game, this time from 73 yards out.

                It took until the 9:19 mark in the third quarter for the Packers to get on the board, with Rodgers connecting with Davante Adams for a two-yard touchdown. But once again, Atlanta marched down the field for another score, this time a four-yard grab by running back Devonta Freeman.

                Rodgers got another shot at points, however, hooking up with Jordy Nelson for a short touchdown late in the third quarter. Atlanta would recover the ensuing onside kick, eventually scoring another rushing touchdown to extend the lead.

                With less than seven minutes left in the game, Rodgers hit Jared Cook for a score, but the two-point conversion failed and Green Bay trailed 21-44.

                  Ryan Ramczyk to enter 2017 NFL Draft

                  MADISON, Wis. — Six days after Wisconsin teammate T.J. Watt announced his decision to enter the 2017 NFL Draft, left tackle Ryan Ramczyk will follow suit.

                  Monday night, Ramczyk told Scott Williams of the Stevens Point Journal that he plans on forfeiting his final year of eligibility as a Badger to enter the NFL where many analysts have him as a projected first round pick. Ramczyk told reporters in Madison prior to the Cotton Bowl that a lot of his decision depended on the result of hip surgery which was scheduled last week.

                  “This definitely was a huge decision in my life,” said Ramczyk told Williams in a phone interview. “I feel really confident about the decision. It’s something my parents and I have talked about for countless hours. We weighed the pros and cons and the opportunity was too hard to turn down.

                  Ramczyk sat out the 2015 season after transferring to Wisconsin from division III Wisconsin | Stevens Point.

                  “Taking that year off [after transferring] helped me adjust to the speed of the game at this level. I knew I had the potential to be a really good player. I took it week by week and focused on being the best I could be.”

                    UW linebacker T.J. Watt will enter the 2017 NFL Draft

                    MADISON, Wis. — “I’m solely focused on this game, 100 percent,” Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt said Thursday prior to the Cotton Bowl. “Everything that comes after this game, comes after this game. I’m not worried about the future at all right now.”

                    Watt didn’t need to wait long after a 24-16 win over Western Michigan to decide he’s ready to make an impact in the National Football League. He announced his decision to leave school early and test the waters in professional football.

                    The redshirt junior leaves Wisconsin with 15.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks on the season, leading the team in both categories. He added 63 total tackles, an interception, and two forced fumbles to his numbers. His performance led to a first-team All-Big Ten bid, as well as first-team All-American honors by Sports Illustrated second-team by The Associated Press.

                    “I’m excited about the opportunity of being able to sit down and take into serious consideration my options,” Watt said on Thursday.

                    Watt is the younger brother of both J.J. (Houston Texans) and Derek (San Diego Chargers) but hopes scouts notice him for his performance, not his last name. He’s considered a second or third round NFL talent by many analysts.