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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 3 2018, 12:41 PM (3 Views) | |
| q123 | Jul 3 2018, 12:41 PM Post #1 |
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WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. -- A years worth of careful preparation has distilled into the final few frantic days, and Rocky Biegel has disappeared again behind the wheel of his red pickup truck, flecks of dirt spraying as he fades into the distance toward a water reservoir.It is a crisp, chilly October morning, with temperatures hovering in the low 40s. For the past eight days, Rocky has traversed the roads on this 80-acre cranberry marsh constantly. He rises at 4:30 a.m., powered by four hours of sleep and the adrenaline of completing what could be a record crop during harvest season. The berries have colored into a burst of bright crimson, ready to be picked while glistening beneath the sun, and he must spare no details.For Rocky Biegel, the father of standout Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Vince Biegel, that means funneling water through pipes and out a series of bulkheads into his 22 sandy, rectangular cranberry beds throughout the day. When water rises, berries float to the top and become easier to corral, clean and ship off to Ocean Spray headquarters in trucks stuffed with 60,000 pounds of cranberries -- the literal fruits of his familys labor.Harvest is a joyful time, Rocky said, wearing blue jeans tucked into neoprene camouflage boots, a blue long-sleeve Ocean Spray jacket and a camo-colored Wisconsin Badgers trucker hat. Thats probably the best thing about being a farmer is the harvest process. Seeing what youve done over the summer and what Gods given you.This is the world into which Vince Biegel was born. Some may know Biegel as the mullet-wearing, sack-getting emotional leader of one of the toughest linebacker units in the country. But there is another side to Biegel, that of a fifth-generation cranberry grower who spent his adolescent years working on the marsh and whose farming background has influenced everything about him. So passionate is he about the business that he even once started a cranberry blog for a college class.Rocky and Jamie Biegel are proof of the value of maintaining discipline and an unwavering work ethic. They continue a tradition that began on Jamies side of the family back in 1919, when the Dempze cranberry marsh produced its first harvest. If there is one message they have imparted to their two sons and one daughter, its that there are no shortcuts in life. Not following the necessary steps can lead to consequences that affect entire families, and those successes or failures hinge on even the most minute of chores.Growing up on a farm, its not necessarily the most flashy of jobs, Vince said. You cant cut corners when it comes to growing crops and when it comes to farming. That was a big life lesson for me. I was very thankful to be able to grow up on a cranberry farm, and its something I cherish and I take seriously. Im proud of being able to be in the cranberry industry because its shaped who I am today.Theres nothing glamorous about a shovel and dirt, but what it taught me is if I can do this kind of labor, it will set me up for the real world. -- Vince Biegels class cranberry blogThe most miserable days on the marsh left Vince Biegels hands raw and throbbing. You think shedding blocks and sacking quarterbacks is difficult? Try standing in a cranberry bed for eight to 10 hours on a hot day with nothing but a pair of pliers, repeatedly bending over to pull hundreds of tiny pine and willow tree seedlings off the bottom of the sandy soil.Rocky Biegel is a stickler for details, and keeping the beds tidy represented not only a source of pride but also a necessity for a healthy cranberry ecosystem. That job responsibility generally fell on Vince and his brother, Hayden, who is two years younger.Whats hard about this job is you cant just go and snip it, Vince said. You have to go down to the base of these little trees and pull the root out. Its actually killing and taking away nutrients from the cranberry vines around it. You cant cut ends by just cutting it because the next year, itll grow right back. You have to meticulously do this for every single one thats on the bed.Once, Vince was put in charge of planting roughly 3,000 HyRed cranberry plugs as part of a family partnership with the University of Wisconsin. He organized a two-day, weekend affair in which 20 members of his high school football team came over to assist.Id be like, Hey, my dad will pay you 10, 15 bucks an hour if you help me plug in all these plugs, Vince said. We had screwdrivers that have a little drilling system to drill it out, plug it in, sand it down, and we would do this for a while.Vince loved working on welding projects in the shed with his father, as they fabricated new tools to utilize on the marsh. And the brief harvest season represented Vinces favorite time of year. As a child, he would sit in his fathers lap while Rocky drove a beater over each bed to separate the cranberries from their vines. When Vince grew older, he would slide on hip waders and stand in the cranberry beds with a boom, a floating containment device that collects the detached berries, which would be loaded into trucks to be pressed for Ocean Spray juice.But Vinces prodigious high school football talent eventually precluded him from many of his cranberry duties. His father, once an all-conference linebacker at BYU, understood the rigors required to earn a college football scholarship. By the time Vince had turned 16, he was one of the best linebackers in the state and attending summer camps at BYU, Iowa and Wisconsin, among others.Despite interest from half the Big Ten and three Rubbermaid totes full of handwritten letters from coaches, his decision came down to two schools: Follow the family footsteps to BYU, where his father and uncle had played. Or carve his own path at Wisconsin, the home-state school he grew up cheering for on the marsh.Our family is proud to give back to the community of Wisconsin Rapids and let the community members enjoy what Wisconsin has to offer.Vince and his mother were sitting at the family dinner table with BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall and a throng of Cougars assistant coaches, when a text message popped up on Vinces cell phone. The sender: Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema.There are only so many flights in and out of the Madison area, and members of Wisconsins coaching staff had crossed paths on the recruiting trail with BYU coaches, who were on their way in to visit Biegel. When news reached Bielema, he grabbed his phone to ask Biegel: Hows it going?It was more like, Im going to pretend I dont know youre meeting with coaches, Jamie recalled. Kind of to feel out Vince for what his response was going to be.The following day, Jamie said, Bielema showed up at Vinces high school. There was no way he was going to lose one of the states prized recruits, even if the family ties ran deep elsewhere. That 24-hour stretch encapsulated the intense recruiting battle for Biegel, who was named the states Gatorade player of the year as a senior.I dont think hes looked back since, said Bielema, who became the Arkansas head coach in December 2012. Hes a truly inspirational kid on and off the field.But Vinces decision was about more than football. Badgers teammates like to say there are three pillars to Vince Biegel: cranberries, football and faith, and those three factors guided his choice to play for the Badgers.I felt that Wisconsin was the place where I needed to be, Biegel said. I knew if I went to BYU, I would be kind of another Mormon kid on campus. But if I went to Wisconsin, I could really be someone that could make a difference and show the person who I am and have the biggest impact.Jamie provides another example to illustrate why Wisconsin is so important to Vince. He was home on the marsh during the Badgers bye week a couple of years ago, when a group of elementary students walked through the area as part of a class field trip.Vince was knee deep in cranberries, wader boots and a coverall over a black Wisconsin sweatshirt, aiding in the annual harvest process, when he stopped, stepped out and called them over.Hey, Im Vince Biegel, he told them.The kids about fainted, Jamie recalled.When Vince returns to town, Jamie said, he routinely visits his elementary school. During Wisconsins bye weekend this season in early October, he attended his high schools Friday night football game and spoke to the players before they took the field. And its a relationship that works both ways. When Jamie pulled up to the marsh during the October harvest, two women were waiting to inquire about Vinces healing process from surgery for a cracked left foot. Everywhere the family goes in town, folks offer encouragement and show an interest in Vinces football career.That impact is not lost on Vince.He wants kids in a small town to know that dreams are possible, Jamie said. If you work hard, anything is possible. Just because youre in a small town doesnt mean you cant develop and be somebody. I think thats what he likes.The lessons I learned as a child still follow me to this day as I attack my workouts in the weight room, on the football field, or even in the classroom.There is no denying Vince could be in the middle of an NFL season right now. After submitting his paperwork to the NFL draft advisory board last season, the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder received a letter that indicated he could be drafted as high as the third or fourth round.But the letter contained a list of weaknesses on which he could improve, and he returned to school for his senior season with the same mindset he carried on the marsh. Finish what you start. Work hard enough, and the results will sprout. He needed to elevate his pass coverage skills and strength. He wanted to be better than a third-team All-Big Ten selection, as he was a year ago.We definitely talked about it, Rocky said. He asked me what I thought. I just said theres something special about playing your senior year, having the opportunity to be a captain -- all of the things that you dont necessarily get if you come out as a junior. You think about the guys who come out early who could have stayed an extra year and been able to develop. He thinks he can be a higher draft pick.Biegels value to the football team is unquestioned. The cracked bone in his left foot required surgery, and he missed arguably the two biggest games of the year against Michigan and Ohio State. They represent the Badgers only two losses of the season. Biegel believes he certainly could have helped alter the outcome, and teammates dont disagree given his passion and high on-field motor.He definitely brings the juice at all times, Wisconsin safety?Leo Musso?said. If momentum is not necessarily our way, hell try to create that. Maybe if its through a little trash talk, maybe if its through making a play. He kind of does whatever he needs to do to get the defense going and get our team going.Before the season, Vince was named a team captain, as his father was at BYU. He also has better positioned himself to have an opportunity to do something his father did not. Rocky had an NFL tryout scheduled with the Buffalo Bills but didnt pass his physical and went undrafted in 1992. So, he graduated that August, moved back to Wisconsin with Jamie, and has resided on the marsh ever since.Biegel said he wouldnt trade any of this for the world, in spite of his injury and decreased statistical output. His return for his senior season wasnt just about improving his NFL draft stock, but also about enjoying one more season at Wisconsin.Thats why the guys voted him as a captain because they see thats who he genuinely is, Wisconsin outside linebackers coach Tim Tibesar said. And you cant help but be around him for a little bit of time and you see the true passion he has for this place and this football team.To be completely honest, I thought blogging was what bored people do on Pinterest. However, after spending a whole semester blogging about something that Im passionate about and know a great deal, I have learned a great deal about myself and the industry.Ah, yes. The blog.Last spring, Biegel took a social media class and was tasked with developing a website based on a topic for which he felt a real enthusiasm. The kicker: Its subject matter should also be something others didnt already know about him.Biegels choice was a no-brainer. And so, https://dempzecranberry.wordpress.com was born.Over the course of the semester, he created 10 blog posts, including Growing up on a cranberry marsh, Equipment frequently seen on the marsh, Biegel familys top 3 cranberry recipes and 3 things that separate the Biegel family from other growers. He featured pictures of his father, as well as an image of a 3-year-old Vince with his grandfather, Jim Dempze, during the 1996 harvest.I thought that was a perfect opportunity for me to share in the class through my peers about the side they see less of me, Biegel said. They see me as a football player, but they dont see this other side of me as a farmer. It was great. I was able to share some family recipes, some background history on my family, some fun things on it.Biegel takes a particular sense of satisfaction in educating others about his familys cranberry business and the area where he grew up. Since Biegel arrived at Wisconsin, he has hosted a Fourth of July weekend gathering for teammates every year at the family marsh. At least a half-dozen players drive north to spend a day on boats in the Wisconsin River, golf at a local course, cook steaks on the grill, play games in the front yard and watch fireworks. There is good food, lots of laughs -- and plenty of cranberry conversation.Well just drive around and hell just talk about cranberries, said Musso, who was Biegels roommate when they arrived on campus. Honestly, he could do it for hours. Hes done it multiple times. Ive heard the same story probably five times. I feel like Ive got a pretty good understanding of cranberries now thanks to Vince.While on the marsh, Musso said, Vince takes each teammate on his own personal tour, explaining the process of growing cranberries. Even in the locker room, hell occasionally share the latest products his family has produced for Ocean Spray. Musso said Biegel has discussed owning his own marsh someday, and Musso noted that its in his blood.Vince is singularly focused on finishing out his final year at Wisconsin for now. Saturday will mark senior day for Vince, whose Wisconsin team plays host to rival Minnesota in a game that can clinch a Big Ten West championship and position the Badgers for a potential College Football Playoff spot. After the season, Biegel intends to pursue a pro football career for as long as he can.He is only 23 years old, with a world of possibilities in front of him. But given how much the marsh has shaped his values and his genuine passion for the industry and the state, he certainly wouldnt ever rule out a return. The marsh, he said, is a way of life.His life.If the cranberry marsh is in the picture down the road, Id definitely be interested in that, Vince said. Its not just our family, but its my cousins. I have relatives, aunts and uncles, and were all a big cranberry family. Im sure Ill have some cranberry opportunities down the road. Well see what happens down the road, though.? ? Josey Jewell Jersey . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Aqib Talib Jersey . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. http://www.cheapbroncosjerseyschina.com/gary-zimmerman-jersey/ . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Demaryius Thomas Jersey . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. Womens Broncos Jerseys . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. October baseball is officially here. This is the last Saturday of the regular season, and were going out on a high note. Yes, boys and girls, this is the final Kershaw day, so lets enjoy it. Keep in mind, though, that this is a split slate, with seven early games, and the days three highest-rated hurlers all have afternoon starts. This makes the late slate harder to solve. Its also worth noting that teams that have already secured playoff berths by Saturday could pull their starters a little earlier than normal to keep them fresh for the playoffs, so thats something to at least take into consideration. With that said, lets dive in and sort it all out.PitchingEliteClayton Kershaw will close out his 2016 season with a road outing against the Giants, who are still vying for a Wild Card spot. The Dodgers ace has been better than ever this season, as his 16.8 strikeout-to-walk-ratio would be the best in baseball history -- by a mile -- if he had enough innings to qualify. He also hasnt allowed an earned run in any of his last three starts. A matchup against the Giants, who strike out less than any team in the NL, might not be ideal, but its worth noting that he fanned 13 Giants when he last pitched in AT&T Park back in June. In other words, the normal rules do not apply for the three-time Cy Young winner. This is the last time youll able to roster Kershaw this season. Dont miss it.SolidIf you just cant find a way to fit in Kershaws massive salary, Jon Lester is a worthy pivot. In fact, a case can be made that taking Lester along with the savings is the better play in cash games. The Cubs lefty has been on a different level of late. Over his last eight starts, Lester has allowed only four runs. Total. Of course, he doesnt have Kershaws strikeout upside, but he finds himself in a much, much more appealing spot, facing a Reds squad thats one of the worst in baseball against southpaws (82 wRC+) and whiffs at a healthy 23 percent clip. Kershaw is still the top play, but Lester is unhittable right now.Although he hasnt quite been on Lesters level of dominance, Masahiro Tanaka has been on a nice little roll of his own. The right-handers last seven starts have seen him post a 1.94 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. Only once in those seven outings did he allow more than two runs. A home matchup against an Orioles team that leads the AL in home runs and smashes right-handed pitching puts Tanaka in a very tough spot, which limits the cash appeal a bit. Then again, given how dominant the righty has been, he makes for a fine contrarian play on Saturday.Tanner Roark draws a favorable home start against a Marlins team thats struggled against right-handed pitching this season (91 wRC+). They do strike out just 19 percent of the time versus righties, which is the fifth-lowest mark in baseball, but whiffs arent a big part of Roarks game anyway. Although he got roughed up by Arizona his last time out, the right-hander has been a picture of consistency this season. Hes held sub-3.00 ERAs in each of the last three months, and he hasnt posted a monthly ERA north of 3.56. If youre not paying up, Roark is in the cash-game discussion.The highest-rated hurler in the evening slate is Collin McHugh, who gets a road tilt against the Angels. McHugh has been up and down this season, but hes pitching some of his best baseball right now. His September ERA sits at 3.10, and hes surrendered more than two runs just once in his last six outings. The Angels sport the lowest strikeout rate in baseball, so the upside is limited in this matchup. Of course, McHugh is whiffing nearly a batter per inning this year, so hes still a decent bet for a handful of Ks.After posting a 7.14 ERA in August and a 6.08 ERA so far in September, its understandable if you want no part of Archie Bradley on Saturday. That said, this is a perfect GPP spot for the Arizona righty. Despite Bradleys recent struggles, he owns a 10.6 K/9 over the last month, and the Padres are the perfect lineup to exploit. In addition to being the worst team in baseball against right-handed pitching (81 wRC+), they strike out 25 percent of the time. Bradley has notched only one double-digit K performance this season, but he could threaten No. 2 in this spot.Bartolo Colon was knocked around in his last start against the Marlins, which happens from time to time when youre around the plate as much as he is.dddddddddddd That said, hes generally a fairly stable option. In fact, his 19 quality starts rank top-10 in the National League. On Saturday, he finds himself in a very friendly spot, facing a Phillies team that cant hit righties (83 wRC+) and strikes out 23 percent of the time.StreamersHisashi Iwakuma is somewhat boring because of the lack of upside, but hes been a very stable fantasy hurler. The last three months have seen him post ERAs of 3.77, 3.28 and 3.68. Hes not someone to build around, but hes in an appealing spot, squaring off against an As team that poses little threat against righty pitching (91 wRC+).Eduardo Rodriguez continues to roll. Since the All-Star break, he owns a 3.10 ERA and 1.10 WHIP to go along with nearly a whiff per inning. Hes actually coming off his most dominant performance in which he fanned 13 Rays in just 5 1/3 innings. While the Blue Jays present a dangerous matchup, they are striking out at a healthy 22 percent clip in the second half, so theres nice upside here. Rodriguez is still available in nearly 75 percent of leagues.AvoidOn one hand, a matchup against the Royals, who own the worst wRC+ (82) in the American League in the second half, looks like a very nice spot for Trevor Bauer on paper. On the other hand, the Indians right-hander has allowed four or more runs in each of his last four starts, which has contributed to his 5.42 second-half ERA. Bauer could certainly find success in such a favorable matchup, but Im not going to roster him to find out.HittingJames Shields is always one of my favorite pitchers to target hitters against. It doesnt always work out (like his last start against Tampa Bay), but he carries blowup potential each time he takes the mound. When you combine a 4.1 walk rate with home run issues (his 38 homers allowed are most in baseball), bad things tend to happen. A Twins stack, anchored by Brian Dozier, who has clubbed 31 dingers off righties this year, offers plenty of upside.Chad Kuhl has been solid in the second half (3.78 ERA) and performs very well on the road (2.61 ERA), which is where hell be pitching on Sunday. However, that doesnt change the fact that hes had trouble with left-handed bats this season (.363 wOBA). With the Cardinals playing host to the Pirates on Saturday, Matt Carpenter, Brandon Moss, Matt Adams and Kolten Wong are all in play depending on whos in the lineup.Its also a good idea to target bats against the Phillies Phil Klein. The sample size is small, but hes allowing a .374 wOBA to hitters from the left side and a .390 wOBA to those who hit from the right. Im focusing on hitters with the platoon advantage here, and the Mets have a multitude of options you can throw out there, including switch-hitters Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera at the top of the lineup and lefties Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce in the middle of the order.The lucky hurler who draws the Coors Field start is Wily Peralta. After being pummeled for a 6.68 ERA in the first half, hes rebounded with a 3.23 ERA since the break. That said, left-handed batters are still giving him trouble (.381 wOBA), and Coors Field wont be kind to Peraltas 17.8 HR/FB, which would rank third-worst in baseball if he qualified. Lefties Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and David Dahl are the obvious plays here, though D.J. LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado are also in play even though they lack the platoon advantage.Theres no way around it: Aaron Blair has been one of the worst pitchers in all of baseball this year. The Braves have handed him 14 starts, and hes responded with an 8.02 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and a 4.6 walk rate thats in danger of catching his 5.1 whiff rate. Youre going to want some exposure to Tigers bats in this one.Most likely to go yard: Brian DozierI just cant get away from a 40-HR bat squaring off against James Shields, who is in danger of hitting the 40-HR mark himself, with 38 homers already allowed this season.Most likely to swipe a bag: Jose PerezaWhile Lester is one of the days top starters, his struggles at holding runners on have been well documented. Peraza, who has 18 steals in just 68 games, will be off to the races if he reaches base. Wholesale NFL White Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys From China ' ' ' |
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7:38 PM Jul 11

