As Seen In WI.com

By Andy Baggot

The nuts and bolts of the Camp Randall Hockey Classic are fitting nicely into place, but two fickle forces will be tracked right up to the last possible second.

Mother Nature and human nature will go a long way toward defining the quality of the inaugural event, set for Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.

On-site preparations for the first outdoor games at the 80,000-seat facility — the women’s team vs. Bemidji State at 2 p.m. and the University of Wisconsin men’s team vs. Michigan at 5 p.m. — have been under way since Monday when Ice Rink Events of Woodlands, Texas, began putting the 200x85 ice sheet and its support structure on the football field.

That process has gone smoothly, according to UW assistant athletic director and event overseer Tim Wise, leaving ample time to fret about things that can’t be controlled.

• Like the weather. Bitter cold and/or precipitation would be the biggest detriments to the event. UW Athletic Department officials posted a hopeful Weather Channel forecast on their website this week, outlining an overcast, 32-degree day.

• Like advance ticket sales. The original objective of the Camp Randall Classic was to set a world record for attendance at an outdoor hockey game, making 75,000 the target. The current mark was set at Spartan Stadium in 2001, when Michigan State and Michigan played to a 3-3 tie.

Thirty years after the famed Miracle on Ice, it would take another for that record to fall. The latest report from UW had 46,000 tickets sold. While group sales have been brisk of late — aided in part by the fact the men’s team is ranked second in the country — it’s hard to imagine that kind of surge is in the offing.

Right now, a more attainable goal would be to fill the entire lower bowl, which would mean 55,000 to 60,000. A more definitive favorable weather forecast, combined with heightened attention as the unique event draws near, would help that cause.

“I’ve been doing a lot of praying that the weather holds out and the fans show,” Wise said.

The operational budget for the event is around $600,000, according to Wise, which includes $400,000 for the rink construction, $150,000 for security-related costs and between $20,000 and $30,000 for snow removal.

There will soon be a new jail boss in town and he comes with a couple championship belts.

Art Crews is the soon to be jail captain in Chippewa County, formally known as the Blonde Bomber.

Crews said he resigned in August. Two weeks later local newspaper reports show the prison failed an inspection. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards told the Corpus Christi Caller Times it "borders really close to complete incompetence."

Crews said he knew it was bad when he left. He says that's why he left.

"I voiced my concerns to the company that there were going to be issues not meeting standards and compliances. They did not comply and I had no choice but to resign."

"He indicated they were undermanned, understaffed; he didn't have the budget he needed that he thought he could run the facility to the best of his ability."

Sheriff Kowalczyk says he doesn't know much of Crews' scorecard in the squared circle, but the sheriff says he has no doubt the man known for his reverse neck breaker will keep his jail in order.

"What I learned from wrestling is leadership, the ability to talk to people and communicate the truth,” Crews says. “I'm not used to the cold weather, but I look forward to (coming to Chippewa) a lot."

Crews is set to start his new role in Chippewa County on Monday, January 4. The sheriff says as jail captain, Crews will make $65,000 a year.

He also has a book in the works.

SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, Wis. --

Just days after golf phenom Tiger Woods announced he's taking an indefinite leave from the sport, many are already wondering what the impact will be for the sport and the economic impact its tournaments can have.

Woods drew big crowds when he teed off at the 2004 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan County and many are counting on him to be back when the tournament returns in August.

"Obviously, we want that to happen again and we need a shot in the arm with the economy here," County Administrator Adam Payne said.

Wood's huge following and the attention he brings to a tournament translates into big bucks for the surrounding community, Payne said.

Some worry that his scandal and break from golf might keep him away.

"I know we have people in this community I'm sure that are very concerned about it and what it means for the success of the championship as well as again, what it means for our economy," Payne said.

The head of Sheboygan County's Tourism Alliance told 12 News, "We're watching the situation closely, but it's too early to judge what the economic impact might be."

One thing is already clear, if Woods doesn't play, any economic hit that this community takes is likely to be felt long after that tournament wraps up.

That's because TV viewership dropped 50 percent when Woods sat out with an injury last year. Fewer viewers worldwide would mean fewer people seeing Sheboygan County and its world class golf course.

Local residents said the scandal has damaged Woods' image, but they're still hoping he'll be here.

"I'm disappointed, but hopefully he starts playing before the PGA comes up," resident Greg Weggeman said.

"He'll be here for golf, what he does in his private life, that's for him, that's none of our business," resident Jim Reiffers said.

With millions in local tourism dollars on the line, Woods' private scandal could have a very public impact.

The 2004 PGA Championship had a $76 million dollar impact on the state's economy.

WISN 12 News tried to contact the PGA tournament director for comment but was told he was unavailable.

Jeff Richgels  —  7/11/2009 3:55 pm

Stoughton’s Ryan Beckwith was eliminated in the third day of the World Series of Poker Main Event, falling short of cashing, but Madison native and famed poker pro Phil Hellmuth made a big move that put him in position to threaten for his second Main Event title.

 Heading into Saturday’s play at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino there were 789 players remaining out of 6,494, with 648 to cash. First prize is more than $8.5 million. Play continues for five more days, plus the finale to be played in November. 

 Hellmuth ended the day with nearly 500,000 chips, in 89th place and well above the average after starting the day with 142,900. The leader, Bertrand Grospellier, has more than 1,380,500 chips.

 The other well known players still alive include Kenny Tran, Dennis Phillips, Mike Sexton, Justin Bonomo, David Benyamine, Blair Rodman and Phil Ivey.

 Friday’s play began with 2,044 players and Beckwith was eliminated relatively early after starting with a well-below average chip total of 36,000.

He was crippled when he went in for 23,500 with an Ace and a Queen of the same suit and lost to a player who started with a pair of 9s. He then went in for the rest of his chips on the next hand with a King and Queen and lost to a player with an Ace and a King.

 “I felt like I played well,” he said.

 Defending champion Peter Eastgate remains very much alive after being down to just 8,000 in chips late on day two but rallied and continued to survive on day three.