UWEC Football Coach TODD GLASER gets set to make the long trip to Bethel College of Tennessee, and previews his squad for the 2011 season as well as the challenges facing them not only in non-conference play but in the WIAC. Glaser's squad is experienced and deep, and will fly under the radar for the early part of this season.

The Badgers, Packers, and Brewers all play tomorrow, so Steph from Wagner's Lanes stops by to tell us that you can get FREE BEER for the first quarter of the Packers game and enjoy drink and food specials during the other games as well at Wagner's Lanes on Brackett Ave.

Bob Bradovich has Todd Glaser on tonight's WQOW News 18 Sports at 6 and 10.

FRIDAY'S SHOW (Thursday is Packers pregame): Paul Menard, NASCAR driver

MIKE YOUNG is the Creative Director for Madden 12 and he talks about the exciting new changes for this year's game. He describes working with TV producers on creating an authentic television-style presentation in the game, how the franchise mode has been upgrade, and how physics actually play a role in the game.

Offering up the rebuttal is MATTHEW KATO of Game Informer Magazine, who reviewed the game (you can read it by clicking here). Kato says that the visual enhancements are nice, but the franchise mode needs some work still.

Tomorrow's show: no guests scheduled

Cadott football coach PERRY MYREN talks about the transition from assistant coach to head coach in his first year as coach of the Hornets. He credits Bryant Brenner (Regis coach) and Pat Rothbauer (former Cadott coach) in helping him make the transition. The Hornets knocked off Fall Creek 14-7 in week one and we talked about how that was a great win for a team that seems to work harder than most others.

Eau Claire Memorial takes on La Crosse Central Friday Night, and PAUL KLING previews the matchup. He's more worried about the defense and the challenge their excellent group of linebackers poses to the Old Abes offensive line, but also knows that special teams will be a factor. Kling is glad to be off to a good start (35-7 win over La Crosse Logan last week) and looking forward to this week's challenge.

FRANK ADDINGTON JR is a man who has spent his life perfecting his craft, and now tours across the country demonstrating his skill with a bow and arrow. The "Bow and Arrow Razzle Dazzle" as he calls it involves hitting targets by shooting the arrows behind his back. This clip is Frank demonstrating his show to the Texas Football Team. Frank will be putting on his show at the Festival in the Pines this Saturday and Sunday. For more, visit his website.

MIKE HARMON co-hosts the weekly Fox Sports Radio show "Fantasy Football Freaks" from 8-10am on Sunday mornings (which you can hear on your smartphone or on the online stream every week). We talk about positions of importance for your fantasy football draft, who to avoid, who to look for later in rounds, and whether Jimmie made the right decision dropping Peyton Manning in favor of Adrian Peterson and Roddy White.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver TRAVIS KVAPIL talks about his goals the rest of the season, why Bristol is one of his favorite tracks, his relationship with his teammates, and Packers football. He also talks about how Wisconsin short tracks can lead you on the path to NASCAR and how fellow Wisconsin drivers Paul Menard and Matt Kenseth have a lot in common with him.

MONDAY'S SHOW: MIKE YOUNG, Madden 12 Creative Director; MATT KATO, Game Informer Magazine; JR Thews, Pizza Del Re for the Madden Football Release Party!

Matt Flater : http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/30390/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/30390/3377/richmedia/WC_08-24-11_Matt_Flater.mp3

Tomorrow: Paul Kling (Eau Claire Memorial football coach), Mike Harmon of Fox Sports Radio

Lake Holcombe Football Coach MATT FLATER stops by to talk about his team this season. 8-man football has taken hold in the Lakeland Conference, but Matt doesn't think Holcombe will switch to it any time soon.

BOB BRADOVICH from WQOW News 18 Sports tells us what's coming up tonight on the TV in local sports, as most fall sports are well under way.

TOMORROW'S SHOW: PAUL KLING, Eau Claire Memorial football coach; MIKE HARMON from FOX SPORTS RADIO

The daily sports tease with BOB BRADOVICH of WQOW News 18 is back! Bob talks about some of the events going on in high school sports today, including tennis and a huge girls' golf tournament at Hillcrest. He also talks about football results from the weekend, and how the Big Rivers (and the Eau Claire high school football teams) did well last weekend as well.

Wagner's Lanes and Restaurant is a big sponsor of The Watercooler, so Stephanie from Wagner's Lanes stopped by to tell us about league bowling, drink specials, and the new flatscreen TVs being put in for football season. They offer drink specials for Packers and Badgers, but Minnesota fans: no such luck. Try River Falls?

Other stuff:

-Eau Claire High School Football: 3-0!

-Cadott High School Football: 1-0!

-People I'm related to that coach at local high schools (Lake Holcombe): 1-0!

TOMORROW'S SHOW: MATT FLATER, LAKE HOLCOMBE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH; JR THEWS from PIZZA DEL RE

Eau Claire North football coach BEN KING talked about how year 2 is different than year 1 as a head football coach. The Huskies, picked by many to finish around last place, feature a massive offensive line (over 250 pounds per lineman, or 0.83 Jimmie Kaska's), another year in Ben King's system, and momentum from winning their last two games of 2010. "I'm just excited to get out there and play some football," said King. The Huskies play La Crosse Central at 3pm (2:45pm broadcast) on Sports Radio 1400 WBIZ, right here at www.sportsradio1400.com and on your smartphone with IHeartRadio, the free app.

You spend half a decade in the area and you have a hard time leaving, but DAVID BOSSICK is returning home to the Ludington Daily News next month. In the meantime, he's spent about 2 months putting together a comprehensive preview of the teams that play in Chippewa County. The outgoing sports editor of the Chippewa Herald likes Bloomer, McDonell, Chippewa Falls and Lake Holcombe as playoff qualifiers this year, and sees improvement for Stanley-Boyd, Cadott. On the 8-man football subject, New Auburn will go to it next year and Cornell is still mulling it, but David thinks it's a good idea. "It's better than the alternative--no football at all." Best wishes to David as he moves closer to home next month and thanks for his excellent coverage of sports in the area for the last 5 years. You can keep up with David on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bossick.

The man who started the discussion on 8-man football this week is TRAVIS WILSON of WisSports.net, who thinks that if a few dozen schools commit to it, that the WIAA will give them their own championship bracket. "It'll take about 40 schools, maybe fewer, but the WIAA hasn't really given it a magic number for it to happen." In the meantime, schools playing 8-man will not have a postseason. Travis projects divisions 1-3 to have some familiar names at the top, while schools like Colby (division 5), Edgar (6) and Burlington Catholic Central (7) look to have continued success in the lower divisions. It seems the schools in divisions 3-5 will see the most turnover in the rankings, and some teams to watch for this year in the immediate area include Menomonie (2), Rice Lake (3), Bloomer (4) and McDonell (7). You can follow Travis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/travisWSN.

Other stuff:

-The Leader-Telegram did another amazing job with their football preview today. Way to go, John Casper Jr. and everyone at the Leader-Telegram sports department.

-Bob Bradovich of WQOW TV-18 will return as a daily guest next week. You can check out Bob and the rest of the WQOW TV-18 and Leader-Telegram staff on their weekly football chats on Friday nights at either www.leader-telegram.com or www.wqow.com.

-Next week, we'll have look-ins at several area schools, including Fall Creek, Cadott, Augusta, and Lake Holcombe. Those teams are all playing in the Football Classic sponsored by Bob and Steve's BP Amoco Shops in Menomonie.

COMING UP FRIDAY: On the air with Mike Sullivan tomorrow. I'm bringing a vuvuzela. I'll be at Carson Park from 2-9pm. I'll be the guy wearing the shirt that says "Jimmie". There will be a Watercooler following the game if it ends before 6pm, but obviously no guests scheduled in case the game runs long.

COMING UP MONDAY: Looking at area high school football teams and scores as we recap week 1 in high school football!

8-man football is taking its first steps in northwestern Wisconsin as Birchwood and Winter have committed to playing 8-man for most or all of this season, knowing that they'll have to forfeit games against schools that play 11-man football. For some, the argument is to play 11 or not play at all (or co-op, or transfer). For me, 8-man is a viable alternative for schools that are looking to cut costs and field competitive teams where student-athletes can learn and develop rather than get pounded 55-0 by a school with 13 seniors on the squad. Winter's roster has 11 student-athletes, for example. Other schools are considering the jump, such as New Auburn and Cornell. Still more across northwestern Wisconsin are considering 8-man football for even this season, and as more schools opt for the 8-man football model, down the road the WIAA will have to adjust its rules so that these school districts with 8-man football can play for a championship of their own. As it stands, if you can't field 11-man football teams, you can't make the postseason. For more, make sure to tune in tomorrow when TRAVIS WILSON of Wissports.net stops by to talk about 8-man football and previews the 2011 high school football season with me.

Other Stuff:

-Volume One has a big poll going on right now for "Best of the Chippewa Valley." I'm listed under radio personality. If I don't finish last, I'm asking for a raise.

-Check out this video of Brian Wilson committing watercoolercide (fast forward to 2:20 to see him lay the smackdown on a defenseless watercooler). What has the watercooler ever done to you, Mr. Wilson?

TOMORROW: DAVID BOSSICK, CHIPPEWA HERALD SPORTS EDITOR; TRAVIS WILSON, WISSPORTS.NET CONTENT EDITOR

Eau Claire Memorial Football Coach PAUL KLING stops by to talk about how to improve upon last year's playoff appearance. He says you can't replace the talented offensive weapons they had last year, but it's on the younger players to go from role players to key contributors. Memorial has had sharper practices and Kling says that it's the most organized that they've ever been in his tenure as Old Abes head coach.

Other show topics:

The Twins had their last big moment of the year (no, they're not coming back from 10.5 GB) when Jim Thome hit his 600th home run (watch MLB video by clicking here). The Twins have had their share of big moments this year (the unfortunate passing of Harmon Killebrew and Bert Blyleven's Hall Of Fame induction), but now it's back to playing out the last six weeks of the regular season.

The Brewers had their 6th-ever triple play (watch MLB video by clicking here) in team history yesterday in the midst of a 4-game losing streak. They now have tied the Braves for the 2nd-best record in the NL and have a 6-game lead in the NL Central. You can hear Brewers games all season long on Moose Contry 106.7, WATQ-FM.

COMING UP TOMORROW: Eau Claire North FB coach Ben King! Plus, football haikus.