News Net Is it time to admit that the Packers kind of suck?

Since sifting through dull newspapers, hyperbolic blogs, and overflowing RSS feeds for meaningful news can be an arduous process, News Net catches and compiles both the amusing and the significant reports that were overlooked over the weekend. Here are some things to think about as the workweek begins.

• In case you were busy Sunday afternoon and missed the collective “ugh” emanating from the state’s many fine watering holes and wood-paneled basements, the Green Bay Packers lost to the Indianapolis Colts. Absent the replacement ref fiasco of a few weeks ago and the regular ref fiasco of last Sunday, the lowly Packers had only themselves to blame, and now stand at 2-3 on the not-so-early-anymore season. The team’s defense was nonexistent, its offense was uninspired, and Aaron Rodgers finally brought the flat, deadpan delivery he usually reserves for Pizza Hut commercials to the playing field. So is it finally time to admit that the 2012 Green Bay Packers—gulp—kind of suck?

Maybe, though if you’re online sports mag Bleacher Report, the Packers may as well just pack up their things, get on a bus, and spend the rest of the season enjoying the many charms of nearby Shawano. “Green Bay Packers: After Loss to Colts, Are the Packers Toast in 2012?” asks one relatively calm Bleacher Report piece. (The answer: “The 2012 season is all but over for the Green Bay Packers.”) Another piece, “Packers Fall to Colts 30-27: How It Happened and What It Means for Packers,” makes this bold statement: “The cold hard truth is that the Packers just aren’t that good, and certainly are not the 2011 Packers, for whatever reason.” And yet another piece, “Green Bay Packers Prove They Are Pretenders in Shocking Loss to Indianapolis,” concludes with this zinger: “Desperation time has arrived for the Packers and unless there is a sudden, drastic change, this once-promising season will be over, seemingly before it began.” (“Why This Green Bay Packers Team Is Nothing Like 2011 Super Bowl Team” is sadly self-explanatory.)

• Urban Milwaukee’s Bruce Murphy crunched some local law enforcement numbers and found that the budget for the Milwaukee County Sherriff’s Department—headed up by rootin’, tootin’ cowboy David A. Clarke—has risen 61 percent over the last decade. Murphy notes that the current Sherriff’s Department budget is $122 million, “a cost equal to 44 percent of the county property tax levy.” So what does Milwaukee get for all that cash? Here are a few illuminating tidbits:

“The most recent state Office of Justice Assistance report covers the two-year period of 2009-2010 and shows there were 106,936 violent and property crimes in the county. The Milwaukee Police Department handled 75 percent of those incidents. The sheriffs handled just 57 crimes, or less than one-fifth of one-percent.”

“In 2009, the sheriff reported only 19 crimes to the FBI, compared to 41,375 for the Milwaukee police, 3,288 for West Allis police, 1,908 for Wauwatosa and even 242 for the UW-Milwaukee police. That’s right, the UWM campus police handled 12 times more criminals than the Sheriff’s Department.”

• Former Milwaukeean Jeff Castelaz was named president of Elektra Records last week. Castelaz managed various Milwaukee groups throughout the ’90s, and co-founded both Dangerbird Records and the Pablove Foundation.

• Red Letter Media posted a new installment in its wildly entertaining Half In The Bag series. The episode takes on the awesome-looking Looper and the not-so-awesome-looking Dredd.

• The Borg Ward is looking for a few good tenants. The all-ages collective recently sent out this message to the city:

DEAR EVERYONE IN MILWAUKEE- The Borg Ward is looking for new artistic tenants. Due to a number of shitty and annoying events (ones that could have potentially shut us down, but we just passed our latest inspection so we are in the clear for now) along with people naturally moving on, we have a number of spots available within the building. This is what we are looking to rent out:

-ARTIST STUDIOS: A whole room to yourself (unless you want to rent it with other people) to do whatever artistic endeavors you want. Paint, sculpt, play music, store shit, whatever. $150 a month.

-BAND PRACTICE SPACE: On days when there aren’t shows, we usually have bands practice. Reserve a specific day each week or just fill in when you can. Storage space available for equipment. Shows do take precedence over practices, though. Practice is ok after 5:00 on weekdays and all day saturday and sunday. $10 per person or $20 w/ storage space.

Being a tenant also makes you a collective member, meaning you get into all events for free, can set up both art and music shows, and have the opportunity to help make decisions about the space.

Interested parties can contact the venue at theborgward@gmail.com.

• This week’s recommended shows: Blessed Feathers (album release) at Stonefly Oct. 8; Klassik (album release) at The Hotel Foster Oct. 8; The Intelligence and Drugs Dragons at Cactus Club Oct. 9; Louis C.K. at Riverside Theater Oct. 10; Rasputina at Shank Hall Oct. 10; Beach House at Pabst Theater Oct. 10; The Alchemist Eye at Alchemist Theatre Oct. 11; The Delta Routine (album release) at The Hotel Foster Oct. 11; Dr. Dog at Turner Hall Oct. 11; Burning Sons (album release) at Club Anything Oct. 12; KingHellBastard (final show) at Stonefly Oct. 12; ASAP Rocky at The Rave Oct. 12; The Get Down (anniversary party) at Mad Planet Oct. 13; Crappy Dracula at Circle-A Oct. 13; Juniper Tar at Club Garibaldi Oct. 13.