With the Green Bay Packers having the ninth overall pick in the NFL draft, there's going to be a lot of water cooler conversations about which position the Packers should address.

Based on early indications, there should be several intriguing defensive ends on the board when the Packers make their pick, including Brian Orakpo of Texas, Michael Johnson of Georgia Tech and Everette Brown of Florida State, who flashed his vast talents against Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl Saturday.

* Johnny Clay's first season playing for the Badgers was an unmitigated success. Clay, the former Park High School standout, rushed for 884 yards on 155 carries. That ranks Clay as the top freshman rusher in the Big Ten Conference. Clay also scored nine touchdowns. And he did this as a part-time starter. Another Racine product, safety Chris Maragos, also had a nice maiden voyage with the Badgers. Maragos, a junior who graduated from Horlick, finished with 45 tackles, seventh most on the Badgers. And Maragos, like Clay, did this as a part-time starter.

* If I'm Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, I'd seriously reconsider my stance on not re-signing Ben Sheets. The Brewers desperately need a Grade A starting pitcher and Sheets, despite his well-chronicled history of injuries, is still a better option than most of the overpriced garbage out there.

* There is a growing speculation among NBA officials that it's only a matter of time before the Milwaukee Bucks trade star shooting guard Michael Redd. That would be unfortunate for Redd is an even better person than he is a basketball player.

* So long Green Bay Packers defensive co-ordinator Bob Sanders, hello Rod Marinelli?

* How crazy would it be if Mike Holmgren took the New Yorks Jets' vacant head coaching job and was reunited with Brett Favre?

* I could see the Packers winning the NFC North Division title next season. Then, again, if the Racine Raiders were in that putrid division, they could challenge for the championship, too.

* One of the officials for the Eagle Bank Bowl between Wake Forest and Navy was former Racinian Craig Falkner, a field judge for the Mountain West Conference.

* Some NBA scouts have told me Marquette guards Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews have virtually the same pro potential and all are regarded as potential late second-round choices.

* Former Park High School and Packers offensive lineman Kevin Barry, recovering from biceps surgery, has been working out in Green Bay. Russell Wittman, Barry's agent, said his client is "fully committed" to playing again in the NFL. Wittman said Barry, 29, has drawn interest from some teams and will likely work out for them in March.

* Isn't it interesting how Ohio native LeBron James ended up with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and how Windy City native Derrick Rose wound up with the Chicago Bulls? Barring something unforeseen, look for Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin to wind up with the Oklahoma City Thunder in next June's draft.

* Wisconsin tight end Travis Beckum is expected to be fully recovered from his broken left fibula within a month and should be good to go for the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

* Just curious, but do you think Mike McCarthy would be in the unemployment line today if Ron Wolf was the Packers GM? Wolf, if you recall, showed Ray Rhodes the door after an 8-8 season.

* Speaking of underachieving coaches, do you think Bret Bielema would be working on his resume if his buddy Barry Alvarez wasn't his boss?

* Who would have thought that two born-and-raised Wisconsin products would ever be in the same NBA All-Star Game? But that could happen this season as both Washington small forward Caron Butler of Racine and New Jersey point guard Devin Harris of Milwaukee are legit All-Star candidates.

* If Major League Baseball had a salary structure similar to the NBA, CC Sabathia would still be a Brewer.

* Kudos to the many officials who volunteered their services to make the Racine Lakeshore Officials Holiday boys and girls basketball tournaments another success.

* You may know that Racine native Rocke Calvelli was a member of Al McGuire's first team at Marquette University in 1964. But did you know that one of Calvelli's teammates was Marty Holmes, whose daughter, Katie, happens to be Mrs. Tom Cruise?

Gery Woelfel is a sports reporter for The Journal Times. Gery can be reached by calling (262) 634-3322, Ext. 322, or by e-mail at gery.woelfel@lee.net Gery's "Woelfel World of Sports" blogs can be read at www.journaltimes.com