Category: Uncategorized

By Cameron Wilhorn

Wisconsin wide receiver Davion Thomas-Kumpala is good at a lot of things: football, basketball, cutting hair, being a father and being a role model. But his jack-of-all-trades skillset wasn’t something he was born with, it was something he earned through hard work.

Now, as I sat in his barber chair in the Badger Football lounge, Thomas-Kumpula was willing to reminisce on the winding path that led him to this point.

Thomas-Kumpula began cutting hair in the basement of his family home to earn some extra cash.

“One of my friends named Jalen, he was a year younger than me in high school, and I said ‘let me give you a cut, I got my clippers,” Thomas-Kumpula said of the first haircut he ever gave. “It wasn’t the best. (He) came to school the next day with a hat on.”

But after spending months and months perfecting his craft, the redshirt sophomore from Racine, Wisconsin, has become the one-stop shop for haircuts within Wisconsin’s football program. On the days leading up to a game, Thomas-Kumpula estimates he’d give about 10 haircuts a day. 

The side hustle has grown into a long-term opportunity as well. “I’m gonna go worldwide,” Thomas Kumpula said with a smile as he described his hope of purchasing a van after college and turning it into a mobile barbershop. “I’m going state to state if I have to. I wanna target celebrities more than anything.”

Although Thomas-Kumpula now has a sense of clarity regarding his future, what’s next wasn’t always clear. 

His dream was to play football at the Division I level, but despite averaging over 100 yards and multiple touchdowns per game as a junior, the schools weren’t calling. To complicate matters, Thomas-Kumpula suddenly had to think about fatherhood ahead of his senior campaign. 

“As a 17-year-old boy, scared, don’t know what’s gonna go on the rest of his life… My mind was all over the place,” Thomas-Kumpula said of this period. “I used to wear this dark visor in practice so my teammates wouldn’t see me crying… I was like, I gotta be a grown man now, at that moment I knew I had to step up.”

Even when it seemed like things might be turning around, Thomas-Kumpula had the rug swept out from underneath him. He got a message on Twitter from a member of Wisconsin’s recruiting staff, offering him to come on a visit and noting an open roster spot as a preferred walk-on. 

As Thomas-Kumpula remembers, he called everyone he could think of to share the good news. And after enjoying his visit, the stars seemed to be aligning. Then, it was silence.

Wisconsin did not reach back out to Thomas-Kumpula or answer his messages for multiple weeks. Believing they had lost interest, Thomas-Kumpula committed to Division Two Minnesota-Duluth – and even considered abandoning football as a whole.

“The next day, Wisconsin show up to my school, the day after I committed to the D2 school. I’m like what? Ain’t no way, this just happened for real?”

And this time, Thomas-Kumpula wasn’t going to let interest fade. 

“I told him right on the spot, I’m not waiting, I’m ready.”

Entering his third year with the Badgers, it seems like Thomas-Kumpula is living out his dream and trying to inspire others to do the same. Thomas-Kumpula left high school without winning a state championship in football – something his former high school coach, Troy Collier II,  said Thomas-Kumpula strived for.

So when Racine St. Catherine’s played for a title in 2024, Thomas-Kumpula made sure to give back. He reached out to the team’s star wide receiver, offered some advice and gave him a pair of gloves. 

The kid went on to score all of his team’s touchdowns and set multiple records en route to the championship win. 

“I tried to work as hard as I could, just to show people that, like, you can make it from this city,” Thomas-Kumpula said of being a role model. “I’m one of the lucky ones. I could have easily been one of them guys, just following the footsteps of bad things to do.”

Instead, Thomas-Kumpula stuck to the right path and is a person people of all ages can look toward.

“He inspires me,” Collier II said. “What separates him from other kids is his character…if someone can’t get along with Davion, it’s a them problem.”

And while it hasn’t always been easy for Thomas-Kumpula, he’s an example of how hard work and determination are enough to overcome difficult times.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt to be a damn good barber.

By: Erica Bunting

Sixty Million. Three-year deal. Yet, twenty-two games into the season, he is sporting a disappointing .154 batting average. Christian Walker needs to turn it around as soon as possible. Would this jolt come during the Astros series with the San Diego Padres on the weekend of April 18th? 

Christian Walker signed with the Houston Astros in 2024 as a free agent. He has previously played for the Baltimore Orioles and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is considered one of the best defensive players in the major leagues, having won three Golden Glove awards. But his defensive abilities have not done enough to compensate for his offensive woes.

Through these first two dozen games, his performance has not been what the Astros’ organization has hoped for. His OPS has fallen nearly 50 points below the league average. It is a different Walker than the 26 doubles and 26 home runs he hit last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Going into the series against the San Diego Padres in late April, Astros Head Coach Joe Espada shifted Walker down in the batting order from 4th to 5th. “[I] wanted to change some things up there in the middle,” Espada said in a pre-game interview with the Houston Chronicle. “I get it,” Walker said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports, “We’re here to win. And if I’m not doing what I need to be to help the team win in the four-hole, an adjustment needs to be made.” 

On Saturday night, April 19th, Walker made his first big swing as a Houston Astro. In the bottom of the sixth inning, he smashed a two-run home run to tie the game. With a rocky start to the season, this was the at-bat he needed to turn himself around. “Really good swing–big hit, big at-bat. I’m happy for him. He’s grinding,” Espada said in an interview with Major League Baseball News. “Just to come through in a spot, you feel like you’re helping the team,” Walker told the Houston Chronicle. “That’s something I’ve been craving largely, something I need to be better at.” 

Walker’s continuous efforts to improve have never been more evident. He has been working tirelessly in batting practice, focusing on his swing path to the ball and his follow-through. He understands the position he is in. As a three-time Golden Glove winner and an incredible defensive player, he also needs to capitalize on offensive opportunities. He has turned around his batting average within the past couple of weeks, getting better each series at the plate. Astros staff and fans are excited to see what else he can bring to the organization, hoping Walker will contribute to a hopeful playoff run in October. 

Was it his continuous hard work? Moving him down in the batting order? – Whatever it was, a spark went off, and this was the Christian Walker the Astros have been waiting for. 

By: Peyton Cox

Yes, the most recent No. 12 for the Green Bay Packers is a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Fame player. But if you’re calling Aaron Rodgers the greatest player to ever put on the green and gold, you’re likely just a prisoner of the moment. 

California native Aaron Rodgers was the Packers’ starting quarterback for over 15 years, accumulating personal accolades that included four NFL MVP awards, 10 Pro Bowl appearances, and a Super Bowl win. He played his role in keeping the team competitive and relevant. But greatness in Green Bay isn’t just about talent and stats, it’s about embodying what it means to be a Packer. And when it comes to that, Aaron Rodgers falls short. 

I say this not just as a football fan, but as someone whose entire family is from Green Bay. Despite living in Madison now, we hold season tickets and bleed green and gold. I say “Ope” too much, I love a good Friday fish fry, and I fully believe being a Packer means more than just being good at football. It means character, humility, leadership, and loyalty to the team and its people. 

Rodgers brought the “smartest guy in the room” attitude to Lambeau and often made headlines for off-the-field drama. Yes, he played incredible football. But was he the greatest Packer? No. That title belongs to none other than No.15, Bart Starr. 

Starr, who played for the Packers from 1956 to 1971, led the team to five NFL championships, including victories in the first two Super Bowls, where he was named the MVP in both. He remains the only quarterback in league history to lead a team to three straight league titles (1965-1967). And unlike Rodgers, Starr elevated not just his own legacy but the entire Green Bay Packers franchise.

A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Starr wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t loud. However, his leadership was rock-solid, and his impact was unmatched. He ran Vince Lombardi’s offense with surgical precision, building a dynasty in a tiny Wisconsin town that would soon become known as Titletown. 

He was named the NFL MVP in 1966, made four Pro Bowl appearances, and led the league in passer rating five times. But more than anything, Starr embodied everything that the franchise stands for: team-first attitude, humility, consistency, and respect. Brett Favre, another Packers quarterback legend, said it best: “Bart Starr was the most kind, thoughtful, and classiest person you could ever know.”

Rodgers may have more MVPs, modern stats, and a bigger spotlight. But Starr had something even more valuable: a connection to the fan base, the city, and the soul of the Packers organization. 

Rodgers’ legacy is built on personal success. Starr’s legacy is the Green Bay Packers.

So yes, Rodgers will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the position. But when we’re talking about the greatest Packer of all time, the one who best represented the franchise on and off the field, it’s Bart Starr. No debate. 

Sorry, Aaron Rodgers. But not really. 

By Katie Price

The NFL Draft has become a traveling production — part league showcase, part tourism campaign. Each year, a new host city steps in, aiming to blend football tradition with fan experience and media hype. In 2025, the city was Green Bay, Wisconsin, and despite being the league’s smallest market, it might have delivered the most authentic version of the event yet.

Green Bay didn’t need a skyline or a massive downtown footprint to make it work. It offered football history, community buy-in, and a setting that felt meaningful. Hosting the draft in the shadow of Lambeau Field, one of the sport’s most iconic stadiums, gave the weekend more weight. The draft has always been about the future, but this year, the location reminded people where the game came from.

The logistics made sense, too. The Packers’ Titletown District was already designed with large-scale events in mind, and it handled the influx. Local organizers efficiently coordinated shuttles, security, staging, and traffic flow. For a town of just over 100,000, Green Bay proved it could successfully manage an event that drew well over a quarter of a million visitors throughout the weekend.

More importantly, fans showed up. Not just Packers fans, though they were out in full force, but fans from across the league. They filled the area early, stayed late, and brought an energy that didn’t feel forced. You could tell this wasn’t just a photo op for Green Bay; this was a big deal, and the city treated it that way.

There’s also something to be said about visibility. Green Bay’s national profile doesn’t come from its nightlife or luxury hotels; it comes from football. Giving a market like that a national spotlight for something beyond Sunday kickoffs is good for the league. It reminded people that the NFL isn’t just about major media hubs. It’s about the fans who build their weekends, vacations, and even livelihoods around the game.

Some critics will argue that the draft “belongs” in bigger cities. While that’s fair, the infrastructure is different, the venues are larger, and the transportation options are broader. However, this year proved that authenticity matters more than scale. Green Bay didn’t try to be Vegas or New York. It focused on being Green Bay, and it worked.

The 2025 Draft didn’t need over-the-top production to feel big. Green Bay kept it simple, leaned into what it does best, and delivered a draft weekend that felt connected to the sport. Bigger cities will continue to host in the future, but this year demonstrated that the league’s smallest market can still deliver one of its most significant moments.

By: Spencer Schick

For Geoff Schick, football has been a lifelong passion that began as an 8-year-old in his hometown of Racine, Wisconsin. Now entering his fourth season as the offensive coordinator and first as the general manager of the Racine Raiders, Schick’s journey from a standout high school player to a two-time national champion-winning coach has been far from ordinary. Having conquered one league with back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024, the team’s sights are now set on a third straight national championship as the Racine Raiders enter their inaugural season in The Players Football Association (PFA) in 2025. 

A Lifelong Commitment to Football

Schick’s relationship with football started early in his youth, starting when he first strapped on the pads in an 8-man tackle football league through the Racine YMCA. Growing up playing football alongside neighborhood friends, the game was more than just a hobby for Schick–it became a passion that shaped his identity for decades to come. 

By the time Schick arrived as a freshman at Washington Park High School, he was fully immersed in the sport. Beginning his high school career on the first-year team, Schick worked his way up to the varsity squad by his junior year. It was there that he was coached by Phil Dobbs, a legendary football coach in Wisconsin high school football history. Dobbs, who accumulated a 147-75-1 record over 23 years as a head coach, was influential in Schick’s development as both a player and a coach. 

“Coach Dobbs was a huge influence on me,” Schick says. “He taught me the importance of hard work, discipline, and how to respect the game. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career, both as a player and a coach.” 

After high school, Schick continued his playing career at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he transitioned from linebacker to tight end. The transition was challenging, but Schick knew it was his best chance to play at the collegiate level and contribute to the team. He earned varsity letters in both 1989 and 1990, when UW-W won its undefeated conference championship, but was injured in early 1991 and stepped away from the team. The decision to discontinue playing at UW-W was a decision that he admits still triggers regret 30 years later. 

“It was a tough decision,” Schick reflects. “I was dealing with a lot of personal issues going on in my life at that time. I regret leaving the team, but it’s part of my journey. I’ve learned to accept it, move forward, and work to counsel players of mine against decisions they may regret. Like I did.” 

While his college career was cut short, Schick’s time as a player for the Racine Raiders helped bring him back to the game that he loved. Schick’s playing days with the Raiders spanned four seasons from 1995 to 1998. Schick was a member of the 1995 Mid-Continent Football League (MCFL) and the 1995 United States Football Association (USFA) championship teams. For Schick, these years were filled with relationships and memories that continue to inspire him in his current roles within the front office and on the coaching staff. 

The Coaching Evolution

Schick began coaching football in the summer of 1992 as an assistant coach for tight ends and linebackers at Union Grove High School in Wisconsin. From there, he transitioned to coaching my brother, Sawyer, and me when we began playing football in our early elementary school years. After taking a break from coaching in 2015 until 2020, Schick decided to join the Racine Raiders as an offensive coordinator under head coach Wilbert Kennedy in 2021. 

“Geoff has been a tremendous addition to our coaching staff. Matt [Nelson] made the recommendation to add him to our staff four years ago, and I have been grateful for his ability to revitalize our offense, especially through the passing game,” says Kennedy. 

“We’ve always focused on the fundamentals,” Schick says. “I want our guys to understand the game, not just physically but mentally as well. Being able to instill discipline, focus, and effort is so important because those are the cornerstones within our offense. And when you get all of those things right, the results will follow.”

Schick’s offensive philosophy utilizes the passing game in ways that create opportunities for playmakers. He believes in allowing players to make big plays through taking deep shots, getting open across the middle of the field, and through quick RPO play calls to keep defenses on their toes. That strategy paid off in each of the last two seasons in 2023 and 2024, when the Raiders clinched back-to-back national championships. 

A Chance for a Three-Peat

As Schick and the Raiders look ahead to the upcoming 2025 season, the Raiders are preparing for a new chapter in the PFA. After two seasons in the Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL), the Raiders joined a league that Schick believes will elevate the team’s competition and opportunities moving forward. 

“While our time in the GDFL was relatively brief, those two years were important strategically as we reclaimed national prominence at our level,” says Schick. “However, economic and competitive factors have changed, and the PFA now offers elite competition right in our backyard. Fans should be looking forward to renewing traditional rivalries the Raiders have had with teams in the Detroit community, and competition should be spirited with Indiana and Ohio teams as well.”

One of the most significant changes within the PFA is the proximity of teams, allowing for more frequent regular-season league games and the renewal and development of rivalries. Schick views this as an opportunity for the Raiders to establish long-lasting, competitive relationships with other teams, thereby creating compelling storylines for years to come, while also entertaining fans. 

“These rivalries will make the league even more exciting,” Schick explains. “We’ll be playing against the same teams year after year, and that’s going to help create some buzz, both on and off the field. In the GDFL, we only played against two or three teams in our league each year during the regular season, which was tough because playing non-league games was challenging to draw fans to Horlick Field. The opportunity to play against several teams from the PFA in regular season competition makes our games that much more exciting and a bigger reason for fans to come out and support us. I expect some big moments, and I think our fans will enjoy the intensity that comes with it.”

With the Raiders’ goal set on a three-peat, Schick is making sure his players stay focused on the task at hand, even with the added pressure of entering a new league.

“We’ve done it twice now, but the third one is the hardest,” Schick admits. “We know our team has the talent to win, but it’s all about staying grounded and putting in the work, both in practice and on game days. That’s what will set us apart from other teams.”

Family First

Despite the commitment required for his coaching career, Schick credits his family’s willingness to allow him to pursue coaching. With 28 years of marriage to his wife, Jodie, Geoff balances his demanding football schedule with time spent with his loved ones. His oldest son, Sawyer (25), enters his third season as a quarterback for the Raiders. 

“[Geoff] has always done a great job in balancing football-related activities with family time. While for many years it overlapped heavily with our schedules since he was our football coach growing up, he still finds time to balance his hobbies with family,” says Sawyer. “It’s been pretty cool to have him as a coach again. It’s fun to be out here with guys like Bubba [Rewolinski] and Nick [Nelson], who I grew up playing with under my dad’s coaching.” 

Jodie has been a constant supporter of Schick’s career, attending games since his playing days with the Raiders and continuing to support him through his coaching years. With my brother and I having been involved in playing football since 2005 through Racine Youth Sports, our mother has been there every step of the way to show her support for both her husband and her children. 

“My family has been my rock,” Schick says. “They’ve been there for me through it all, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without their support. Football is important, but family is always first.”

The Road Ahead

As Schick looks toward the 2025 season, his commitment to the Raiders and his players remains unwavering. His love for the game runs deep, and he has the drive to continue building on the team’s storied history.

“I’m excited for what’s next,” Schick says. “The PFA is a new chapter in our team history, but our goals haven’t changed. We’re here to win, and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep our momentum going.”

For Schick, the road ahead is clear: build on the Raiders’ legacy, continue to get the most out of talent, and of course, chase national championship number 12 in franchise history.

By Jeremy Shodell 

Baseball is in a unique position. As of March 27th, the 162-game season is officially underway. New storylines develop rapidly as teams compete in any professional sport, but this season brings a development unlike anything the sport has seen before. The New York Yankees, alongside their analytics department, have spearheaded a baseball bat revolution that is taking the league by storm. Buster Onley with ESPN writes that “batting averages are at a historic low, strikeout rates at a historic high, and on a sunny spring day in the Bronx, here were the Yankees blasting baseballs into the seats with what seemed to be a strangely shaped magic bat.” The Yankees’ analytics department utilized the data on where pitches tend to strike each player’s bat, designing specific barrels to optimize this spot. These are being referred to as ‘torpedo’ bats because they are shaped similarly to a torpedo, as shown below.

Questions come to mind, such as How can they do this? Is this legal? Yes, it is. The MLB confirmed that the bats do not violate supplier regulations. Rule 3.02 states that a bat must be less than 2.61 inches in diameter and 42 inches in length. The bats do not violate these rules and provide the batter with a larger sweet spot.

 Torpedo bats have led the Yankees to a record-breaking start to the season; they broke the franchise record for most home runs in a single game, smashing nine home runs against the Brewers, as well as setting the MLB record for most home runs through six games with 22 dingers. After the Yankees found success using these bats, the rest of the league is hopping on the bandwagon. This bat revolution is going to benefit the game of baseball in many ways.

These bats provide more action throughout the game as players are hitting the ball in the sweet spot more often. “The concept makes so much sense. I know I’m bought in,” Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe said. “The bigger you can have the barrel where you hit the ball, it makes sense to me.” There have been noticeable results for Volpe and the other Yankees who opted in. Volpe, Jazz Chisholm, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Austin Wells are the Yankees utilizing torpedo bats to start the year, and they have seen beneficial results. They all have increased their barrel rate (the percentage of balls making contact with the barrel of the bat) from last season, with Volpe and Chisolm having the most considerable difference. Volpe’s barrel rate increased from 3.9% last season to 21.4% while Chisolm’s increased from 9.7% to 18.9% through the first six games! This is exactly what fans want to see. 

Everyone has a short attention span nowadays and does not want to see a baseball game end with a score of 1-0. These bats lead to more action throughout the game and will engage more fans to attend the ballpark. Jared Smith, CEO of bat-maker Victus, said, “I’ve been making bats for 15, 16 years. … This is the most talked-about thing in the industry since I started. And I hope we can make better-performing bats that work for players.” These bats are bringing more attention to Baseball and can influence more people to invest in the sport. 

To no surprise, other MLB teams are taking interest. After the Atlanta Braves’ opening series, their players asked about the bats. Shortly after, their equipment manager called in the order. Later in the week, all 30 teams had inquired about torpedo bats. Hillerich & Bradsby Co., who are known for its iconic Louisville Slugger bats, is assisting with distribution. “Every team started trying to get orders in,” Hillerich said. “We’re trying to scramble to get wood.” And then it was: “How fast can we get this to retail?” 

If younger athletes can get their hands on these bats, the sport will gain countless new fans. A young baseball player can swing a torpedo bat at Dick’s Sporting Goods and his career will be changed. The feeling when you make contact with the sweet spot of the bat and watch the ball fly away is one like no other. Every player can develop their own opinion on the bats, but Cody Bellinger is a strong advocate. “The benefit for me is that I like the weight distribution,” Bellinger said. “Personally, the weight is closer to my hands, so I feel as if it’s lighter in a way. For me, that was the biggest benefit. The bigger the sweet spot, the bigger the margin for error.” 

If these professional players are buying in, how long will it take for the rest of the country to utilize this development? With more entertaining games and increased attention to the sport, baseball fandom is expected to grow throughout the country, benefiting both professional and young aspiring baseball players.