ETERNAL HONEYMOON Accomplish That
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THE JOURNAL TIMES MOREFRIDAY, JULY ONLINE 31, 2020 | C1 Go to www.journal- times.com/sports for complete coverage of: •Brewers home opener SPORTS vs. St. Louis Cardinals FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2020 | racinesportszone.com | SECTION C B UCKS Looking to finish hard Milwaukee eager July 31 when they face the Boston Tip Off Celtics in Florida. to recapture “I feel like we’re in a really, Teams: Milwaukee Bucks vs. really good place right now as its pre-hiatus form Boston Celtics a team,” reigning MVP Giannis When: 5:45 p.m. Friday Antetokounmpo said. “Our STEVE MEGARGEE chemistry’s in a good place. Associated Press Where: Disney’s Wide World Everybody’s having fun. Every- The Milwaukee Bucks believe of Sports Complex, Orlando, body’s smiling. Can we be bet- they can build on the momentum Fla. ter? Obviously we can be better. they established while putting up Television: ESPN I feel like day by day, game by the NBA’s best record before the game, this team will get better.” pandemic-imposed hiatus — Radio: WTMJ (620 AM) The Bucks acknowledge they even if it has been months since must shake off some rust, but MORRY GASH, ASSOCIATED PRESS they played a meaningful game. postseason as the Eastern Con- it turns out they weren’t quite Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during a Feb. 22 Milwaukee is 53-12 and vir- ference’s top seed. The Bucks game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee. tually assured of entering the return from a 4 ½-month layoff Please see BUCKS, Page C4 H IGH SCHOOLS Madison ditches all fall sports JON MASSON Lee Newspapers Madison Metropolitan School District athletic directors made it official Wednesday night that the district won’t offer fall sports and won’t offer sport-specific virtual or in-person coaching during the traditional fall dates. In addition to not holding any fall athletics in person, the dis- trict is discour- aging students from gathering outside of school grounds to train through Oct. 30. The expected announcement came during a Schlitz districtwide vir- tual meeting broadcast on You- Tube on Wednesday night. The district will look to pro- vide opportunities in the spring based on WIAA guidance for schools that cannot play fall sports and that reflects the dis- trict’s school model and public health guidance, according to a release from the school district. R ON KUENSTLER, JOURNAL TIMES FILE PHOTO Madison East athletic director Marlene Schiestle, the late wife of longtime Racine Kiwanis coach Jack Schiestle, keeps score during a July 2002 game at Horlick Field. Marlene T.J. Rogness said the district ath- died at the age of 76 on July 22 from complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic. letic directors wanted to reassure student-athletes and families that there will be an opportunity for fall sports to be contested and they will do what they can to help ETERNAL HONEYMOON accomplish that. “We will be having fall sports, actly 50 years, Racine since Lyndon Johnson Jack from the bedroom as her just at a different time of the Marlene Schiestle had died at the was president. health declined the last few school year,” Rogness said. “I was always there age of 76 the Those kids wanted to let Jack years and blew it twice. feel like maybe people haven’t previous night know that they were thinking That has been his tribute to had the opportunity yet to hear for her husband from complica- of him during what was cer- Marlene every night since he the whole story and maybe as- tions related to tainly the worst day of his life. lost her. sumed that opportunity will be he deafening silence in the COVID-19 They circled his block a few “It’s just to let her know I’m completely lost. At least part of Jack Schiestle’s Maria pandemic at a times, honked their honors and thinking of her,” Schiestle said. the meeting is to reassure the TStreet home was shattered Schiestle Kenosha care shouted out words of encour- “It’s probably stupid, but she kids and their families that the by a phone call around 8:30 facility. agement. lived with that whistle for a opportunity is not going to be the night of July 23. Someone So much of his life had just Literally and figuratively, they long time and I did not ever lost.” with a youthful voice on the been torn away from him and cut through the darkness with want her to get out of bed by The Madison school district other end asked Schiestle was just starting to the headlights of their cars. herself because I always wor- recently announced plans to be- Schiestle to step feel his way through a long “I needed that so bad,” the ried about her taking a tumble. gin the 2020-21 school year with out onto his front journey of uncertainty. 77-year-old Schiestle said. It got real difficult toward the online learning amid concerns porch, which is Stepping out through the “Right then, the feeling I had end.” about the ongoing COVID-19 not the safest door, Schiestle was greeted by was just mind boggling, that Those memories of strug- pandemic, and that meant fall request to honor a caravan of 22 cars of mostly they would do that late at night gle are blown apart by what athletics wouldn’t be held. these days. teen-aged baseball players. and cheer the way they did.” happened Aug. 1, 1970, which Wednesday night’s meeting PETER But Schies- Schiestle had worked with With his emotions invigo- will be 50 years ago Saturday. was led by Mad- JACKEL tle, a longtime them on practice fields, but had rated, Schiestle walked into an A 27-year-old Schiestle was ison Memorial Racine baseball yet to coach them on his Ra- empty house that is going to coaching one of his teams at the athletic direc- coach, was too cine Kiwanis team. Their time take so much time to learn to Jerstad-Agerholm school play- tor and district overcome with sadness to think would come with Coach Jack, emotionally accept. And then ground on what will always be athletic director about his well being. Marlene, just as it has for countless other he grabbed the metal whistle Jeremy Schlitz, his beloved wife of almost ex- kids Schiestle has mentored in Marlene had used to summon Please see JACKEL, Page C4 Rogness, Mad- ison La Follette interim athletic Pelton director Tim B ASEBALL Rockhold and Madison West athletic director Alicia Pelton. Pelton said the athletic di- Swinging, but mostly missing rectors want to be transparent and communicate with the stu- Yelich, Springer Not by much. Houston’s dent-athletes and families, con- George Springer is batting .048, sidering all that is occurring with starting season and teammates Jose Altuve — COVID-19, the school year and another two-time batting champ fall sports. in deep slumps — and Alex Bregman aren’t much “We are looking at possible better at .174. scenarios and trying to look at JAKE SEINER It’s not just those big names. things that can help our stu- Associated Press Coming off a condensed presea- dent-athletes,” Pelton said. NEW YORK — Two-time de- son camp for a 60-game season “We are trying to share with fending NL batting champion truncated by the coronavirus our student-athletes the best Christian Yelich has a long way pandemic, hitters are stumbling we can and communicate that. I to go if he wants a three-peat. out of the batter’s box. understand it is a really difficult The Milwaukee Brewers star is 1 “At this point, just like you see GENE J. PUSKAR, ASSOCIATED PRESS and challenging time, for sure, for 28 to start the season, an .037 in spring training, the pitchers Milwaukee outfielder Christian Yelich tosses his bat after striking out M average that’s worst among qual- looking on Wednesday during the Brewers’ 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh 1 Please see HIGH SCHOOLS, Page C2 ified hitters. Please see BASEBALL, Page C4 Pirates at Pittsburgh. C4 | FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2020 SPORTS THE JOURNAL TIMES Bucks two of those games with a Lopez twins 50 wins in three of his five sprained left knee but says right at home seasons. From C1 he is healthy now. Thibodeau was an assis- The NBA bubble has tant to Jeff Van Gundy when as limited during the shut- Depth Update been a sort of homecoming the Knicks reached the 1999 down as they may have led The biggest questions for Bucks centers and Dis- NBA Finals. He reached the people to believe. surround the availability of ney enthusiasts Brook and finals two other times as an Antetokounmpo said in Bledsoe and Robin Lopez. Brook Lopez assistant to Doc Rivers with April that he didn’t have ac- Connaugh- has used his Walt Disney the Boston Celtics, winning cess to a hoop while under ton. Bledsoe World expertise to make the 2008 championship. quarantine. He now says he is averaging restaurant recommenda- The Knicks have had al- was just kidding when he 15.4 points, tions for Budenholzer. most no success since Van made that comment. 5.4 assists “It’s a huge responsibility, Gundy resigned early in the “Anybody out there that and 4.6 re- but I looked at it like go- 2001-02 season. New York thinks I bounds. ing out to make Bud proud has won just one playoff se- didn’t have Connaugh- when I’m on the court,” Lo- ries since and just completed Bledsoe access to a ton provides pez said.