ScuttleBu(r)t …

Kingsford High School competitive cheer team, coached by Sara Pericolosi and Tracey Wilinski, likes traveling to Wisconsin for meets following NFHS spirit rules.

This is the second season in Wisconsin for the Flivvers, who previously joined Iron Mountain and Norway in Michigan competitions.

“We love the changes from Michigan,” Pericolosi said. “It’s a national style where there is one round that incorporates music, stunting, dance, signs and cheer in comparison to the MHSAA where there are three rounds without music, signs or poms.” …

Scott Stanfield, a retired police officer, has stepped down as boys basketball coach of the Brainerd (Minn.) Warriors.

“I go from being a cop to this, and it’s one stressful job to another and it’s time for a break,” Stanfield told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “Coaching was worse. Coaching has been way worse.”

Added Stanfield, involved with the program for 22 years: “If you win, it doesn’t matter. If you lose, it doesn’t matter. If their kid doesn’t get enough playing time–look out.”

However, I found it very refreshing to hear one Dickinson County parent of a high school athlete tell me: “I let the coaches coach and the players play. If they win, fine. I just want him to leave the game without being injured.” …

Basketball analyst and former NBA star Charles Barkley isn’t a big proponent of the league easing the schedule for today’s players.

“If Bill Russell and Julius Erving and those guys could play three games in three nights in the worst tennis shoes ever invented and fly commercial or ride a bus, I think these guys could be inconvenienced a couple days a year to make $30 million and fly in a private jet.” …

Former Goodman-Pembine boys basketball stat-keeper Emily Whitt was among the fans in South Korea watching the USA beat Canada for the women’s hockey gold medal.

Her dad, Paul, a former GP and Northland College basketball coach in Dunbar, Wis, said Emily mentioned that it “was second only to the old midnight Northland club hockey matches at the unheated Iron Mountain Ice Arena in excitement.” …

Kevin Williams of the Chicago Tribune, on Jocelyne Larocque of the Canadian women’s hockey team shunning her Olympic silver medal: “Not since Belgian cyclocross rider Sanne Cant’s ‘anywhere but here’ podium face has there been a more elegant, eloquent depiction of the war that is sport, the rage and dejection of the vanquished.

“Sportsmanship? Forget it. Does the antelope congratulate the lion?” …

John Powers of the Boston Globe, on the USA’s best chance of winning an Olympic ski jumping medal for the first time since 1924: “Progress will come more quickly if the US can naturalize a few Norwegians.” …

From NBC’s Jimmy Fallon via Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times, on the man who broke a Guinness world record by walking barefoot on a 120-foot path of loose Legos: “This beats the old record set by every dad getting up to use the bathroom at night.” …

From a coach and two-time Olympian Michael Holland in the Chicago Tribune: “Ski jumping is a highly technical sport. Everything that matters happens in a split second, as you move from your in-run position, known in the US as the tuck, and jump explosively into the air in your flight position. It has to be exactly right, like a golf swing. If you do it right, you can go incredibly far.”

Must be why Jackie Hooper was a fine golfer and ski jumper …

Not sure if my clothes could have taken any more football games at D. Roy’s house. My sweatshirt after a Super Bowl halftime snack had a shard of Eskimo Pie chocolate on one side and a pasta stain on the other.

I need a drop cloth more than a bib for these game feeds …

Florence is one of Wisconsin’s five new eight-player football teams for 2018, according to wissports.net.

Former Michigan state champion North Central is among the seven teams on the Bobcats’ 2018 schedule.

Florence AD Kris Johnson also lined up Port Edwards for a game to be played at DC Everest.

The Bobcats are eligible for the Jamboree, an eight-team Wisconsin postseason tournament but not a state championship event.

In 2019, WIAA member schools will provide a 16-team tournament for 8-player football …

From Dwight Perry, Seattle Times: “A high-school basketball player in Hopkins County, Ky., hit a referee on the back of the head with an errant pass, knocking off his toupee. Thus introducing a new term to basketball lexicon – the hairball.” …

Six-foot-seven Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, presented with the Joe DiMaggio Toast of the Town award by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, acknowledged his parents for all they’ve done.

“An award like this is never an individual award. It’s always a group effort from the people that support us day in and day out,” Judge said. “I could never repay you guys for all the baseball tournaments you’ve driven to, the times I forgot my cleats at home and (you) had to go back and get them, so thank you.” …

Lexi Engler and a Gogebic defense that forced 28 turnovers did in Bay College 72-51.

Bay Coach Rae Drake was impressed with Engler’s effort. The Mercer, Wis., resident also scored 23 points.

“I’ve seen Lexi Engler on video and play in person,” Drake told The Daily Globe. “I told my team at practice that if a coach had five Lexi Englers, he’d win a hell of a lot of games.” …

Former Packer (of course) Ricky Jean Francois stood out in New England’s defensive line during the AFC Championship.

Former 49ers and Redskins GM Scot McCloughan calls Francois a “football player.”

“He knows his role, knows he’s not THE guy, but understands he’s one of the guys and he’ll do anything to help a young player out,” McCloughan told the Boston Globe …

Michigan State has “got the pieces to win it all,” former Spartans star Denzel Valentine told The Athletic.

“The key is Cassius (Winston) and Josh (Langford),” said Valentine, now with the Chicago Bulls. “Those two are gonna lead them to the promised land. Because college basketball is really about guard play, at the end of the day. If you’ve got good guards, and they play well during the season, end of the season, they’ll be fine.” …

Jack Vainisi deserves more recognition for his work with the Green Bay Packers.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Gary D’Amato suggests the man who brought in championship-caliber players for the team belongs on the Lambeau Field facade with the other Packer greats.

Vainisi, a Packers scout from 1950 to 1960 who died at age 33, drafted the likes of Jim Ringo, Forrest Gregg, Bart Starr, Paul Horning, Jim Taylor and Ray Nitschke. He also played a role in Coach Vince Lombardi coming to Green Bay.

“The Lombardi dynasty – Jack was really responsible for it,” Jack’s younger brother Sam Vainisi told D’Amato.

How did Vainisi get to Green Bay? Iron Mountain’s Gene Ronzani, head coach of the Packers, hired the 22-year-old Vainisi as player personnel director …

Hall of Fame umpire Doug Harvey, a big influence on Lake Louise’s Larry Poncino during his baseball career, died recently at age 87.

Harvey umpired 4,673 regular season games in the National League from 1962 through 1992.

Harvey’s Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown, New York, reads that “his knowledge of the rules and no-nonsense control of the game led players to refer to him as ‘god.'” …

From former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Boyd Dowler, talking about all-time great quarterback Bart Starr to Gary D’Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “I was in almost every huddle for nine years. I don’t remember Bart ever making a bad call. There was always a good reason for every call he made. He had an unusual instinct for doing the right thing.” …

All players make the same salary in the NFL playoffs, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Players on wild-card teams received $26,000; division winners, $28,000; conference champs, $51,000; and Super Bowl, $112,000 for the winners and $56,000 for the losers …

Kyle Seeley has played just two years of high school football. Both with Manistique that finished 0-9 in both seasons. That didn’t stop Seeley from achieving All-UP Dream Team honors.

The 6-foot-2, 300-pound lineman also played through knee and back injuries.

“I would just like to thank (my teammates) for sticking it out through the tough seasons that we had and not giving up,” said the classy Seeley, a Boy Scout working toward Eagle Scout …

Ty Detmer, who once teamed up with Steve Mariucci to face yours truly and John Calo in bocce at City Park, has been demoted as Brigham Young’s offensive coordinator.

Detmer, a Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback, guided a BYU offense that finished No. 124 in the nation …

From Las Vegas Coronado flag football quarterback Caitlin Shannon, who last season threw for over 3,000 yards and 49 touchdowns, and rushed for 1300 yards and 17 touchdowns: “Flag football is like my mental break. It’s fun, too.” …

Burt Angeli is a Daily News columnist and sports writer. He can be reached at bangeli@ironmountaindailynews.com or 906-774-2772, ex. 25. Follow him on Twitter @ScuttleBurt