Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 17

Sports section Outdoors C-2 CHRIS HAVEL Commentary J- 1 A Contact Sports Editor Mike Vandermause at (920) 431-8222 or mvandermausegreenbaypressgazette.com Green Bay Press-Gazette hwk for fflhi 6 dusnsts i He's likely to fine-tune existing unit BY PETE DOUGHERTY pdoughergreenbaypressgazette.com Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman's decision to promote Bob Slowik to defensive coordinator suggests he quibbled less with Ed Donatell's scheme than with the way he implemented it with the game on the line. Sherman could have changed his defensive approach drastically by hiring someone such as former Arizona coach Dave McGinnis, former Chicago defensive coordinator Greg Blache or someone else from another organization. Instead, he has entrusted his defense to Slowik, 49, who was defensive coordinator in Chicago from 1993 to 1998 and in Cleveland in 1999 before becoming one of Sherman's last hires as defensive backs coach when he put together his first Packers staff in 2000. Slowik won't change the terminology of the Packers' defense and will use the same basic scheme, but he'll mix in some of what he did in Chicago and Cleveland. Most importantly, he brings a different personality and temperament to the play-calling.

"I don't want to just blow up our defense and start over again. There are some things we do well," Sherman said Wednesday. "The players understand what we want to get done. It's just that I felt the leadership needed to go in a different direction. Ed did a fine job for us, we've done some very good things defensively I just want to take things to another level." See Slowik, C-6 Favre: HI BY BOB BERGMAUS Gannett News Service HOUSTON Saying "I made a decision and I'll live with it," Packers quarterback Brett Favre spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday about the costly interception he threw in overtime during Green Bay's 20-17 playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Eagles safety Brian Dawkins picked off Favre's ill-advised pass on the Packers' first play in overtime, leading to Philadelphia's game-winning field goal. Favre didn't talk to reporters after the Jan. 11 game and finally was asked about the interception more than two weeks later id Bob Slowik, the Green Bay Packers' new defensive coordinator, fields questions from the media at Lambeau Field on Wednesday afternoon. He succeeds Ed Donatell, who was fired two weeks ago. The Packers also announced the hiring of Kurt Schottenheimer as defensive backs coach.

Story, C-6. Corey WilsonPress-Gazette Thursday, January 29, 2004 UWGB's revival starts in practice BY ROB DEM0VSKY rdemovskgreenbaypressgazette.com Almost every basketball team experiences blowout wins and lopsided losses. But the games in between often make the difference between a winning record and a losmg record. The previous two sea sons combined when the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men went 10-20 and 9-21 the Phoenix had an 8-17 record in games decided by seven points or less or in overtime. This season, the Phoenix is 5-1 in those so-called swing games.

There might not be a bigger reason for the team's turnaround than its performance in games that go down to the wire. UWGB's Today's game Detroit at UWGB, 7 p.m. (WTAQ, 1360 AM) Preview, record in close c5 games is likely related to the competitive nature of its practices. Almost everything the Phoenix does in practice from half-court drills to shooting sessions to full-court scrimmages means something. There is a winner and loser in almost every part of every practice.

"It might be as simple as the loser runs one sprint, but we're going to have a winner and a loser," UWGB coach Tod Kowal-czyk said. "I only want guys who hate to lose. I don't want to coach guys that accept losing." The Phoenix (12-6 overall, 6-2 in Horizon League play) lost its season opener at Southeast Missouri State by one point, but has since been flawless in close games. It began Dec. 22 with a 70-63 win at Butler in a game that replicated a drill called "76-76" Kowal-czyk uses regularly in practice.

That drill begins with the score tied at 76. When the first team reaches 80 points, 2 minutes are put on the clock and the game is played to completion. Against Butler, the score was tied at 46 with 7 minutes remaining. A few minutes later, the Phoenix led by 10. See UWGB, C-5 1957.

He had four of his seven career interceptions against the Packers. During his career, he had 7,029 receiving yards and 60 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Hirsch played himself in a 1953 movie, "Crazy Legs." He also appeared in "Unchained" in 1955 and "Zero Hour" in 1957. "Elroy Hirsch was a big star in a town of stars," NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

"He was an electrifying player who brought a lot of glamour to the NFL." In 1969, Hirsch took over and turned around a UW athletics program that was $200,000 in debt because of sagging attendance during the football team's 20-game winless streak. He also convinced the Packers to play some of their preseason games at Camp Randall Stadium, which they did from 1986 to 1995, and in 1997 and 1999. Defense will need more than new boss tob Slowik, eh? He wouldn't have been my first choice to replace Ed Donatell as the Packers' defensive coordinator. I'd have opted for Tom Rossley, a master at finding new and clever ways to thwart an offense. I'm not suggesting Rossley would have had to hand over the keys to the offense.

On the contrary, he should have been named the dual coordinator. To hear the Packers tell it, Slowik plans to field a defense that can dominate games on its own, rather than having to rely on offense or good grief special teams. Funny, but I don't recall Donatell's defense being this gigantic albatross around the Packers' neck. Just like I don't recall Rossley's offense routinely blowing teams out. For every 30-25 loss to Minnesota, there was a 20-13 loss at Arizona.

For every fourth-and-26, there was a fourth-and-2-feet. The offensive and defensive contributions weren't as lopsided as the distribution of talent. Give benefit of doubt Just as I failed to see a clear distinction between Donatell's and Rossley's performances in 2003, 1 fail to see a clear distinction between Donatell and Slowik. In that regard, skeptical fans and cynical media have little choice but to give coach-GM Mike Sherman the benefit of the doubt, a courtesy that's warranted given his success. I suspect most fans relished the prospect of Sherman stepping outside the organization and hiring a fire-breathing, dragon-slaying young hotshot to take charge.

Many wanted Dave McGinnis because he was a head coach and his out-manned Arizona defense handed it to Green Bay's offense in September. Eric Mangini, the Patriots' 33-year-old defensive backs coach, also was intriguing because of his nine-year association with defensive guru Bill Belichick. Nevertheless, Slowik it is, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Asked Wednesday which areas concern him, Slowik said, "Well, 'there's a number of areas." Plenty of work to do He talked about holding fourth-quarter leads, closing the deal and putting the nail in the coffin. He talked about fourth-down defense, winning the 2-minute drill and racking up more sacks, especially with the game on the line.

The only cause for concern, and I hope he was being diplomatic, came when Slowik said the defense was talented enough to get the Packers moving the right diree tion and over the hump. Surely he jests. It's possible Sherman is guilty of overrating his defensive personnel, and that he sincerely believes the NFC Championship Game is just a bit of defensive tweaking away, but I've got to think Sherman knows he needs more Nick Barnetts and fewer Joe Johnsons. A solid, experienced strong safety is a must, plus two backup corner-backs to compete in the nickel and dime, as well as a stout defensive end. Sherman didn't make a change for change's sake.

He had his reasons, and if he thinks Slowik is right for the job, hey, whatever it takes to ease the offense's burden. Chris Havel can be reached by voice mail at (920) 431 -8586. final interception afc don't care," he said. As for shunning the media, Favre said he was the first one on the bus after the game. "I felt like at the time, I didn't have a lot of good things to say.

I didn't have a lot to say, period," he said. "There was a point in the game where I thought, 'This is That's what's so tough about it. Up until the time they kicked that field goal, I expected to beat them." Favre reiterated his intention to play next season. He was joined at the press conference by his agent, James "Bus" Cook, who said Favre has been dealing as well as can be expected with the death last month of his father, Irvin. live with Wolf joins the Browns, C-6 as he attended a Super Bowl press conference at the George R.

Brown Convention Center after being named the Snickers Hungriest Player of the Year. "I figured that question would come up," he said. "I threw a lot more before that. I haven't watched the play I remember it like it was yesterday." Favre said the Eagles called "the perfect blitz for the play we had "To say there was a miscom-munication between (intended receiver) Javon (Walker) and me would be an understatement," Favre said. "He wasn't wrong, and in some ways, I wasn't wrong.

I've thrown that pass numerous times when he jumps up and catches it in traffic. I knew I had to get rid of it. "You say, 'Throw it away' or something like that but in 3 seconds, you don't have much time to make a decision. I made a decision and I'll live with it. It shouldn't have come down to that, to be honest with you." Favre left Green Bay for his Mississippi home the day after the season ended.

He said he and his wife Deanna made it home in time to watch their daughter, Brittany, play a high school basketball game. "It's funny. As upset as I was about losing that game, the kids Wisconsin loses a legend: Elroy 'Crazylegs Hirsch, 1 923-2004 'He loved the Badgers' during a 6 1 a touchdown run." He played only one season at UW, yet his No. 40 is one of Hirsch only four numbers V.I ti i. IT IF the I I -rzmz frills' Staff, wire service reports Elroy Hirsch a Hall of Fame receiver who helped revolutionize the pro game, then the athletics director who lifted the University of Wisconsin football program from turmoil died Wednesday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Madison.

He was 80. "There has never been a more loved and admired ambassador for Wisconsin sports than Elroy Hirsch," UW AD Pat Richter said. "He loved life, loved people and loved the Badgers." Hirsch had one of the greatest nicknames in sports: "Crazy Legs." In his report of the Badgers' game against the Great Lakes Naval Station at Soldier Field in 1942, the Chicago Daily News' Francis Powers wrote: "Hirsch ran like a demented duck. His crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions all at the same time Badgers have retired. The Wausau native then joined the Marines in World War II and was trained at the University of Michigan, where he became the only Michigan athlete ever to letter in four different sports in one year: basketball, track, baseball and football.

In 1946, he joined the Chicago Rockets of the All-America Football Conference. In 1949, he joined the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, where he became the game's first true flanker. Hirsch had 67 catches, six 100-yard receiving days and nine touchdowns in games against the Green Bay Packers from 1949 to Elroy Hirsch carries the ball in this publicity photo taken on the University of Wisconsin campus in 1942. It was the only year he played for the Badgers, but he led them to an 8-1-1 record. He ran for 786 yards, threw for 226 and had 390 receiving yards.

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