Why I Don't Go To Super Bowl Parties

If you check out my podcast today, you'll hear who I'm picking to win Super Bowl XLIII. You'll hear why I'm picking them to win.

I'm looking forward to the game Sunday night for a number of different reasons. Super Bowl Sunday is the one day when most of the country is watching the same thing on television at the same time.

Some people will go to a bar to watch the game. Some will go to a party to watch the game.

Me? I'm going to stay at home and watch. I firmly believe that it is better to watch the game at home as opposed to a bar or party.

Why? Here are my ten reasons for choosing home over a bar or party for Super Bowl Sunday. (This is not to say I'm anti social. I just like watching the game from the comfort of my own home).

10. Food: I control the menu at home (ok my wife does). But at least I have input. If you go to a bar, you might not find anything you like on the menu. If you go to a party, your hosts might not have anything you want either. Watching a game like this without food you like is just not fun.

9. Crowd Noise: I've watched the game at a bar. I've watched the game at a party. I'm a person who likes to be able to hear what the announcers are saying while the game is going on. When you're at a bar or party, there isn't much crowd control. I find that conversations or just plain noisy people can ruin my enjoyment of the game.

8. The Football IQ of the people you're watching with: I'm lucky. My wife knows more than most women do about football (she has to keep up with me). It's not like she'll ask me 'Where do the Steelers play?' or 'What's a sack?'. I've had people (both men and women by the way) ask me those questions during a Super Bowl. I find stupid questions like that distracting.

7. I've got the best seat in the house: I don't have the biggest television in the world but it's not bad (32 inch HD). I also have the luxury of watching it from my spot on the couch. The best seat in the house. I have an unobstructed view of the television. I don't have anyone in my way. I don't get that at a party or a bar.

6. I can keep track of the commercials: Let's face it. The Super Bowl is the only game during the NFL season where anyone cares about the commercials. I've covered four Super Bowls, and even my colleagues in the media kept quiet during the commercials. I've been to bars where there were other things going on during commercials. I've been to parties where there are other things going on during the commercials. I like the idea that I can watch the commercials without being interrupted.

5. I have a DVR: If I go to a party or a bar and I miss something (for whatever reason), I miss it forever. At home, the good folks at Time Warner Cable have provided me with a DVR. So, if I miss something, I can simply go back, rewind, and watch it again.

4. I don't have to put up with any boring conversations: Try this, go to a Super Bowl Party with ten of your friends. Let me know how many of them complained about their wives, jobs, or kids. Staying at home - well I don't have to worry about that.

3. At home, it's just about the game: I once went to a Super Bowl party where the couple decided to show us a home movie of their wedding during halftime. With The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) playing halftime this year, I don't want there to be anything going on but the game. By the way, If I had wanted to go to that couple's wedding, I would have. There was a reason I didn't.

2. It's a School Night: The game doesn't start until 6:30 Eastern Time. Back when I lived on the East Coast, that meant it didn't end until around 11PM. Then you have to drive yourself home (by midnight). If you have to work the next morning (and I did), you're probably going to be useless. I don't need the headache that I get when my boss yells at me. So, once the game is over, my head hits the pillow, and it's good night!

1. I can be comfortable: When you go to a party you have to dress to impress (especially if you're single). When you go to a bar you can't look like a slob (especially if you're single and are looking for Ms. Right or even Ms. Right Now). When you watch the game at home, you have no such worries.

And I'll be at home. For all you know, I'll be watching the game in my underwear.

Try to get that visual out of your mind. But hey, at least I'll be comfortable.

Are The Steelers The Best Franchise In Pro Sports?

Sunday's Super Bowl features two teams that weren't supposed to make it to Tampa. The Steelers were considered a good team, but most thought (remember, this was back in August) that the Patriots were too strong. Then, after Tom Brady got hurt, the Titans and Jets emerged as the favorites in the AFC.

But, one, by one, those pretenders went down. The Jets failed to make it to the playoffs and the Titans were upset in the divisional round of the playoffs (so much for the bye week). The team left standing? The Steelers.

In the NFC, the Cowboys started the season as the resounding favorite to make it to the NFL's biggest stage. The Giants were a trendy pick as well, and the Panthers emerged as a contender as well.

The Eagles came on strong, and there was a lot of love going to the Atlanta Falcons, but in the end, your NFC Champion was... the Arizona Cardinals?

Yes, the Cardinals.

What you have here is a matchup of what was once considered the worst franchise in professional football taking on what is considered one of the best franchises in football. The Cards were the NFL's version of the Los Angeles Clippers. A team that moved from city to city. A team that had no identity. A team that changed coaches every year and a half. A franchise who couldn't tell you what stability is if it hit them in the face.

And then you have the Steelers. If you look closely at what the Rooney family has built, you have to come to the conclusion that they are the most stable franchise in professional sports.

Sure, the Steelers don't have the same cache as the Cowboys, Yankees, Lakers or Celtics, but this is a franchise that wins (five Super Bowl in case you were keeping score at home) and it's a franchise that is almost totally devoid of controversy.

You don't believe me? Try this on for size. I'm thirty-seven years old. In my lifetime the Steelers have had a total of three head coaches. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. There isn't a franchise in professional sports that can say the same thing.

Think about it. The Cowboys have had more head coaches. the Yankees used to hire and fire managers like you and I change underwear. The Celtics went through their lean times as well (does the name M.L. Carr mean anything to you?). The Lakers have been almost as exciting off the court (Shaq v. Kobe, The Phil Jackson Experience) as they have been on the court.

The Steelers have had very little, if any locker room controversies either. When was the last time the Steelers had to deal with a character like Terrell Owens? When was the last time there was any finger pointing going on in that locker room? I can't remember.

Sure, the Steelers have had players like Joey Porter, but when a guy like Porter emerges as a diva, he's quickly shown the door. That's why Mr. Porter is now an ex-Steeler.

The Steelers, in Dan Rooney, have one of the best owners in all of pro sports. This is a man who never, and I mean never looks for the spotlight. He's the anti-Jerry Jones. He's the anti-Mark Cuban. He's the anti-George Steinbrenner. Heck, this is a guy who walks to Heinz Stadium from his house for every single home game. There isn't a pretentious bone in that man's body.

And did I mention how the Steelers have been consistent winners? It is even more incredible when you consider that they are a small market team. There was a time that this franchise lost player after player to bigger cities. There was a time when players left year after year for bigger money. The Steelers went about replacing them, and they never complained about it.

It kind of makes you think that Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio should have just kept his head down and gone on with the business of building a team instead of complaining that the Yankees were spending too much money.

Maybe there's something in the water in Pittsburgh. But then again the Pirates have been losers for the better part of the last twenty years. And the Penguins were very close to leaving the city on a number of occasions.

So, it's not something that's in Pittsburgh's water. It's the Steelers. They know how to run a professional sports franchise.

They are, simply, the best franchise in all of professional sports.

Check out my podcast and find out why I don't miss the annual Brett Favre Watch!

Put The U.S. Bank Championship On The Endangered List

There are a lot of events held in Milwaukee each and every summer. There's Summerfest - the world's largest music festival. There's Jazz in the Park. There's the Wisconsin State Fair. There's also Brewers baseball, and trips to Green Bay to watch the Packers at training camp.

Then there is the U.S. Bank Championship at Brown Deer Park. It has become one of the signature events of the summer here in the city.

It is also in danger of going away.

In case you missed it, and chances are you probably did, U.S. Bank has decided not to be the main sponsor for the tournament after the 2009 edition later this year. Aurora Health Care, a secondary sponsor, has also decided it will scale back its financial participation, leaving Dan Croak and the fine folks who bust their butts all year long to make it a success scrambling.

U.S. Bank has decided it's pulling out because of sagging attendance numbers and poor ratings on The Golf Channel. In these trying economic times, Croak and his staff are going to find it tough to replace the money U.S. Bank brought to the table.

If you want to blame anyone for what is happening to a tournament that - at one time - routinely hosted some of golf's biggest names, look no further than the fine folks with The PGA Tour.

If you want to know why people aren't going - if you want to know why people aren't watching - it's very simple. The USBC just happens to be held the same weekend as The British Open. The USBC just cannot compete with that.

Golf fans have a choice. Watch the greatest players on the face of the Earth battle for one of the sport's biggest prizes (The Claret Jug) or watch the second, no make that third, no make that fourth tier of golfers fight for what is considered a minor trophy. Is it any surprise people would rather see Tiger and Phil as opposed to some of the non-descript golfers that come to Brown Deer? It isn't a surprise to me.

Had the tour not moved the tournament to the same weekend as The British Open, there is more than a good chance the field would be better than it is now. And if that were the case, attendance would be higher, ratings would be higher, and U.S. Bank would not have decided to withdraw.

As it is, Croak and his staff of tireless workers deserve a lot of credit for some of the names they have been able to con vice to come to Brown Deer over the last couple of years. Getting Corey Pavin to defend his title in 2007 was a nice victory for the tournament. But, getting Kenny Perry, who was one of the hottest golfers in the world at the time, to honor his commitment when he could have easily played across the pond was nothing short of incredible.

I spoke with Perry the day before the tournament started last summer. He told me the reason he came to Brown Deer was simple. He was keeping his promise. The promise he made to Croak to come.

There might not have been as many people at the tournament as there had been in years past (stormy weather had a lot to do with that) but those that did show up had a great time. I had a great time.

Brown Deer is a public course. That means anyone can play. It was fun to watch golfers who are way better than me battle with some of the toughest rough on tour.

But, because The British Open is played on the same weekend, the USBC has lost a lot of its luster. And now the main sponsor is leaving.

It's likely the tournament will survive for a couple of years, but if Croak can't replace U.S. Bank as the title sponsor, it's a good bet the tournament will be history by the time 2011 rolls around.

If that happens, all the charities this tournament has benefited over the years will lose out. Believe it or not, charity is the main reason this tournament takes place. Croak is proud of all the help the tournament provides all the various charities it benefits.

So, it would be more than golf fans who would lose here. It would be more than just local business taking a hit. It would be those less fortunate than you and I.

Think about that and then decide if this tournament is worth saving.

Which quarterback would you rather have - Kurt Warner or Big Ben? Check out my podcast and find out why I'd go with Ben Roethlisberger!

Trying To Think Happy Thoughts About The Brewers

It's Super Bowl week, and for me, that always meant baseball wasn't that far away. The Brewers are only a few weeks away from pitchers and catchers, and hopes are high after last season's playoff run. The outlook for The Crew is better than almost every one of our local teams right now (considering the Packers were 6-10, the Bucks hopes took a hit with the Michael Redd injury, the Badgers continue to stumble through the Big Ten season, and UWM just got blasted by Butler). In fact, outside of the Brewers, the only fans I know that are happy right now are Marquette fans.

The Brewers just had their Winter Warm Up this past weekend. Thousands of fans stopped by the Midwest Airlines Center to check it out. They also got a chance to meet some of their favorite players, and saw their new Hall of Fame closer on display as the team opened up Trevor Hoffman's introductory news conference to the public. The mood was generally upbeat.

And, on the surface, why shouldn't it be? The Brewers made the playoffs last season for the first time in twenty-six seasons. They were a uniting force in a city that has been hit hard by the struggling economy. For three hours a night, even though it was one big roller coaster ride, the Brewers made everyone forget about their troubles. Given their youth, shouldn't expectations for this season be sky high?

On paper maybe, but they don't play the game on paper. They play it on a diamond, and that's where the Brewers took some major hits this off-season.

We all know what has been lost in the starting rotation. CC Sabathia is a New York Yankee, and it doesn't appear as if Ben Sheets is going to come back to The Crew with his tail between his legs (the Mets, Rangers, and Yankees all appear to have interest). That means the rotation will consist of Yovani Gallardo (coming off a knee injury), Manny Parra (who needs to become more consistent), Jeff Suppan (The 42 Million Dollar Man), Dave Bush, and Seth McClung make up new manager Ken Macha's starting rotation. It doesn't quite compete with the five that the Cubs (Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Rich Harden, Tedd Lilly, and Sean Marshall) are putting out there, does it?

But the two starters aren't all the Brewers lost. Even though Salomon Torres has been replaced by Hoffman, the rest of the bullpen looks a little weaker than it did a year ago. Brian Shouse, the lefty specialist, appears to be headed elsewhere, meaning Mitch Stetter takes over that role. Shouse wasn't spectacular, but he was steady, and for the most part, the runners he inherited stayed where they were. Guillermo Mota was up and down last season, but he was more up than down so his departure to the Dodgers stings. The Brewers seem confident in Jorge Julio as one of their new setup men, but Julio, after flaming out with the Orioles, has pitched for six teams in three seasons (the Mets, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Rockies, Indians, and Braves). That track record doesn't do much for me.

The Crew also lost Gabe Kapler to the Tampa Bay Rays. Kapler isn't a star, but he's the kind of player every team needs. How many clutch hits did he have for this Brewers team last season? You might not be able to play him every day, but he was more than solid as a fourth outfielder. The team took a flier on Trot Nixon, but it appears as if his best days are behind him.

Rickie Weeks and his .234 batting average are still playing second base. How much longer can the organization wait for Weeks to deliver on all of that potential? Bill Hall will probably get the bulk of the at bats at third base, and even if he doesn't, Mike Lamb isn't anything to write home about.

The Brewers were willing to spend over $100 million dollars to keep CC Sabathia here, but outside of signing Hoffman, giving a new deal to Prince Fielder, and some minor moves, the team looks weaker than the team that it did last October.

In the meantime, the team that finished above the Brewers in the standings last year - the Cubs, got stronger. They re-signed Ryan Dempster, handed hard throwing Carlos Marmol the closer's job, and signed Milton Bradley to a big money deal. Bradley can be a hothead, but when he is right he is very good.

That's how the Cubs got better. They're the team the Brewers have to beat in the NL Central. The Mets are probably the team they have to beat as far as the wildcard is concerned, and they got stronger with the K-Rod signing and the trade for J.J. Putz.

I know that pitchers and catchers are about a month away. And I know that both owner Mark Attanasio and GM Doug Melvin would tell me there's still time to sign one of the remaining free agent starters, that things can still happen.

But, given Attanasio's comments about the payroll late last week, it seems unlikely the Brewers will dip into the free agent pool before opening up shop in Arizona next month.

And if that's the case, 2009 could be a bumpier ride than 2008 was.

As I said, I'm trying to think happy thoughts, but my concerns are winning out right now.

Check out today's podcast to find out why Joe Torre had every right to dish dirt on the New York Yankees!

Five Things To Look For In Tampa

Well, Hype Week is officially here. The NFL has descended upon Tampa to get ready for Super Bowl XLIII. That means there are dozens of radio stations doing live shows, ESPN has taken over the city, and thousands of media types (between radio, print, television and digital) are all trying to get 'the story.' Here are five things to look for this week.



1. Stories about respect: The Cardinals are literally the Rodney Dangerfield of the NFL. They haven't played for a championship in sixty-one years. They have been one of the most hapless teams in NFL history. They have moved from city (Chicago) to city (St. Louis) to city (Phoenix). They've had two winning seasons since moving to the desert. No one expected them to make it this far. And, Vegas still doesn't believe in them.



There will be story upon story written talking about how no one respects the Cradinals. By the end of the week, the same story will have been written or talked about approxomately 1,842 times. We'll be sick of the 'resepct' stories by the time they kick the game off on Sunday night.



2. Kurt Warner Hall of Fame Debates: Another thing that will be written about and debated on television and radio shows will be whether or not the Arizona quarterback is worthy of being a Hall of Famer. In fact, it's already been talked about on talk radio to death for the last couple of weeks. But, having Warner in town for the big game means the debate gets ratcheted up a notch, with other players - both past and present - taking sides on the issue.



My thoughts: Warner's an incredible athlete. His story is incredible, too. But, there is a giant hole in his career between his last Super Bowl with St. Louis and this one with the Cardinals. The fact that Warner got this ragtag organization here puts him on the verge of getting my vote for Canton. If he wins on Sunday he'll seal the deal.



3. Ben Roethlisberger Debates: What the Steelers quarterback has done in his short career is pretty darned impressive. He - as a rookie - got the Steelers to the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. He won a Lombardi Trophy the next season when his club beat the Seahawks in Detroit. Three years later, Big Ben is here again. That's two Super Bowl appearances in a five year career.



This week, the question will be asked over and over again - where does Big Ben rank? Well, you can't rank him ahead of either Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but you can make a case that he should be third on the list. The numbers aren't always eye popping, but it's not all about numbers with him. It's about his leadership abilities. And let's face it, there aren't many better leaders in the NFL right now.



4. Someone (not a player) will make a fool of themselves during Media Day: The Tuesday before every Super Bowl is known as Media Day. You get an hour with each team. There are fifty-three players plus assistant coaches. There are about three thousand media members trying to get them for an 'exclusive' interview.



When you get that many media members in the same spot, you get more than just the hardcore football guys. For instance Dave Letterman sends his wacky staff to try and get some wacky soundbytes (are you getting my drift). One year I saw the comedian Carrot Top trying to get interviews. Rayven Symone has been at Media in the past. In other words, there are a lot of non-football media types there.



When that happens, you could be in for some wild stuff. For instance, the question to former Redskins quarterback Doug Williams 'How long have you been a black quarterback?'. There is the all time classic 'If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?'



Media Day is when the wannabes come out. The real stories come during the media sessions that are held on the other days during the week. Media Day is when the funny soundbytes get archived forever. it's also when the freaks/weirdos/anyone looking for fifteen minutes of fame come out.



5. Three Hundred Pound Salesmen: Super Bowl week is also when companies fly players from all of the teams down to the Super Bowl City for the sole purpose of being pitchmen. As a radio guy, this was always great for us. Guys you could never get interviews with (Chad Johnson for instance) would literally come up to you with a PR guy in tow asking if you had any interest in talking to them. All you have to do is ask one question about what they're hawking (but if you hide it effectively at the end of the interview no one notices it's really a sales pitch).



It's not only current players. There are Hall of Famers that are involved as well. There are also actors, musicians, and other celebrities who are all looking to promote whatever it is they are there to promote.



The only difference between this year and years past is that there will be fewer radio stations in Tampa on Radio Row for these players and celebrities to sell their wares to. That's because there's a little something called a recession that's going on right now.



But, they will be there nonetheless. We as media will eat it up. Fans will enjoy hearing from people that they normally wouldn't hear from on a sports radio station.



And kickoff is only six days away.

Check out my podcast for my take on Michael Redd's injury and how the Bucks can hang on to the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.

Softening My Stance On Big Mac

I saw the headline come across the crawl while watching one of the ESPN channels. 'McGwire's Brother Claims Big Mac Used Steroids.' The headline certainly was an attention grabber. My mind went immediately to McGwire's borther Dan, who had a brief career in the NFL as a quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.

So I decide to go to my computer, call up the story online, and see that there's another McGwire brother. Apparently Jay McGwire is the one who wrote a book in which he claims he knew of Big Mac's own use of steroids and human growth hormone.

My first reaction was 'tell me something I don't know.' But then I read the story from top to bottom and come to find out that Jay and Mark McGwire aren't on speaking terms. They're estranged. And that's the point that I became disgusted with the whole thing.

Here you have the man's own brother trying to shop a book, claiming it to be a tell all (thank goodness he's been rejected on numerous occasions). His own brother. This isn't a former teammate who wanted to get back at Major League Baseball for a perceived slight (Jose Canseco). This isn't some steroids dealer trying to save his own skin (Kirk Radomski). This isn't some personal trainer trying to salvage his own seedy reputation (Brian McNamee). This is Mark McGwire's own brother. His own flesh and blood. A guy he grew up with. His own family was selling him out.

And that's the point where I started feeling sad for Mark McGwire.

Now, let me clarify something here. I'm not sad that he isn't in the Hall of Fame. I believe he cheated the game of baseball, and broke Roger Maris' record while using performance enhancing drugs. That's not why I feel sorry for him.

I feel sorry for him for a number of different reasons. First, there was the way he retired. He quietly walked away. There was no news conference. There was no teary good bye. He simply notified the Cardinals he was done and filed his paperwork with MLB. Part of it was his own doing (the alleged steroid use). Part of it was the fact that he didn't want to be the center of attention. He didn't want it in 1998 (The Summer of Love) - the best of times. He didn't want it when he walked away.

And he hasn't looked for the spotlight one time since retiring. He could have written a book. There were a hundred interviews he could have done. But he honestly did not want the spotlight. He wanted to be left alone to live his life.

It hasn't quite worked out the way he wanted. First there was the book 'Juiced' by Jose Canseco. The one in which Canseco claims to have injected McGwire with steroids. Considering the inaccuracies contained in Canseco's second book 'Vindicated' one has to wonder how truthful Canseco was in the first book. Either way, it was the accusation that made headlines. The headlines drove McGwire, an intensely private person to go into a deeper hibernation.

He did emerge to stand in front of Congress on March 17, 2005. We all know that what happened that day. His refusal to answer questions about anything he did in the past. We've all watched the tape. We've all heard the sound bytes.

McGwire has pretty much disappeared since then. Radio talk show hosts, newspaper columnists, television talking heads all took McGwire to task. But, in retrospect, it is important to remember that out of all the people that testified that day, McGwire might be the only one that didn't lie about anything. Rafael Palmeiro - we know he was caught using steroids less than six months after going to Congress. Sammy Sosa suddenly forgot how to speak English. Curt Schilling, previously an outspoken anti-steroids guy, took back many of the accusations he made before going to Washington.

All McGwire did was refuse to answer questions. He probably should have just come clean, but chose not to, and he was scorched because of it.

I feel bad for Mark McGwire because I keep hearing how he'd love to get back into baseball as a coach, but can't seem to take that step for fear of being asked about steroids. I hear how he conducts clinics for some of the players on the Cardinals roster. He obviously loves the game and has something to offer. But he's afraid. Afraid to come out of his little cocoon.

Baseball could use a guy like Mark McGwire. Even though I believe he cheated, you could never look at him and compare him to the likes of Barry Bonds, Sosa, and Canseco. He was never a diva. If baseball has truly moved on from The Steroid Era, then he would be welcomed back with open arms. He's apparently been offered the chance on more than one occasion.

But whether it's his intense pride or fear of more accusations being made, or just plain stubbornness he stays secluded. Almost like he's a prisoner in his own home.

And that's why I feel bad for Big Mac.

Check out my podcast for my take on the Brewers and Prince Fielder!

Why I'm Looking Forward To Steelers-Cards

So, we've known since Sunday night that it will be the Steelers and Cardinals facing each other in Super Bowl XLIII. For the last few days, all I've heard, read and saw was that the Cardinals don't deserve to be there. That any NFC West team is undeserving. That the Cardinals can't possibly give the Steelers a run for their money. Heck, even Vegas doesn't give Arizona a chance. They've got the Cards as a seven point underdog.



The more I read, watch and listen, the more I can't wait for this game to actually be played (I hate the two week wait between the conference championship games and Super Bowl). I'm not going to make a prediction now - I'll do that next week. But I am going to tell you why I am looking forward to this matchup.



* The Steelers play the game the right way. Pittsburgh's defense is the best in the league. They stop the run. They force turnovers. They hit hard. On offense, Willie Parker is one of the better running backs in the league, and Ben Roethlisberger is becoming one of the best leaders at the quarterback position.
The Steelers also don't do any trash talking. There are no me-first guys in that locker room. And, you have to love the job that Mike Tomlin has done in the two years he's been there. Tomlin went from being an unknown (just like the guy he replaced in Bill Cowher) to being a coach almost every NFL fan would want for their team.



* The revenge factor: When Cowher retired two years ago, it was assumed that then Offensive Co-ordinator Ken Whisenhunt would take over. But we now know what happens when you make assumptions. Tomlin got an interview, and wowed Steelers management. The next thing we knew, Tomlin was the new coach in Pittsburgh and Whisenhunt was taking over the Cardinals.





Whisenhunt has spoken many times about the disappointment he felt in not getting the Steelers job. If there's any Cardinal that wants to win on February first, he'd be hard pressed to want it more than his head coach.



* Kurt Warner: It will be ten years in September since the NFL world was introduced to then Rams quarterback Kurt Warner. The stories about his playing in the Arena league, being an afterthought with the Packers, spending time working as a grocery bagger were told over and over again. America ate it up, and it didn't get old because Warner was putting up video game type stats.



Then Warner got hurt and was replaced in St. Louis by Marc Bulger. The Giants picked him up to be Eli Manning's mentor. He didn't last a season in New York, and by the time Arizona got him in 2005 most everyone assumed Warner was done.



Warner sat and bided his time. Matt Leinart flamed out fairly quickly, and when Warner was given the chance to start again, he took advantage. He went from being on the scrap heap to being talked about as a possible Hall of Famer.



Warner's a guy that is easy to like. He goes out, does his job and goes home. He isn't a diva (though his wife might be). He doesn't get into trouble off the field. He's a guy you want good things to happen to. I'm glad he's back on the NFL's biggest stage.



* These two franchises are so different: Pittsburgh has multiple Super Bowl Championships. The Cardinals have never played for the Lombardi Trophy. The Rooneys are regarded as some of the best owners in the National Football League. The Bidwills used to be (okay, still are) looked at as village idiots. The Steelers have had three coaches in my 37 years on this Earth. The Cardinals have had a lot more. Why, since moving to Arizona in 1988 the Cards went through Joe Bugel, Gene Stallings, Hank Kuhlmann, VInce Tobin, Buddy Ryan, Dave McGinnis, and Dennis Green before getting it right with Whisenhunt.



Basically, this is a battle between one of the league's most stable franchises and one of its least stable franchises. They stay that styles make prizefights. One of the other things that makes a fight good is how different the two combatants are. You couldn't have two more different teams than Pittsburgh and Arizona.



* Super Bowl XLII: Let's rewind one year ago. The Giants and Patriots were getting ready to face off and you couldn't find anyone who was ready, willing, or able to pick the Giants to be the then undefeated Patriots. Super Bowl XLII was supposed to be a coronation for the greatest team ever. Tom Brady and Randy Moss broke all kinds of records, and the Super Bowl was supposed to be the icing on the cake. The Giants had already lost to the Patriots, so how could they possibly hope to beat them in a rematch?



But, that's why they played the game, right? The last time I checked they play the game on grass (or artificial turf), not on paper. We all know what went down one year ago. From David Tyree's miraculous catch to Manning's late touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress that helped the Giants stun the Patriots and shock the world.



After watching last year's Super Bowl in Glendale, AZ, why would anyone want to count the Cardinals out more than a week before they actually kick off at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL?



Maybe it's just me, but I'm not going to write the Cardinals off just yet. Heck, every time I picked against them (pretty much every week in the playoffs in case you were wondering) they proved me wrong. They weren't supposed to beat the Falcons. They weren't supposed to be competitive at Carolina. And wasn't the Philly defense ging to blitz them into oblivion?



Things in the NFL don't always go according to plan. This game is going to be a lot closer than some of the 'experts' think.



And that's why I can't wait for Super Sunday to get here.

Check out today's podcast for my thoughts on Prince Fielder's long term future with the Brewers.

It's Even Worse Than I Thought

The cutbacks I referred to in my blog this morning go deeper than I originally reported.

Earlier today I told everyone about the death of WDFN as a local sports radio station in Detroit. XTRA/ San Diego made similar moves.

But, as the smoke cleared this morning it turns out the news was even worse.

On the local level, KFAN in Minneapolis dropped Chad Hartman, who had been in the market for around twenty years. He also had been the long time radio voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves up until a couple of years ago.

The cuts even hit FOX Sports Radio, the country's number two national radio network behind ESPN. Gone are Craig Shemon and James Washington, who did FSR's midday show. Andrew Siciliano and Krystal Fernandez, who did a great job hosting FSR Gametime Live at night, was cut loose too. As was Ben Maller, who had been with the network since its inception nine years ago in a variety of capacities, most recently as the host of The Third Shift on FOX.

Their replacements? Dan Patrick's show has been added to the FSR lineup from The Content Factory (Clear Channel and Premiere were in charge of syndicating the show to local stations). He will replace Shemon and Washington.

Petros Papadakis and Matt 'Money' Smith, the PM Drive team at XTRA Sports 570 in Los Angeles, will have their show syndicated on FSR.

And no replacement has yet to be named for Maller, though I believe John Fricke is filling in for now.

My quick analysis: More cost cutting moves by Clear Channel. Keep in mind that Clear Channel and Premiere co-own FSR.

- Since Clear Channel and Premiere already had their hands into the Patrick show, this was a natural. Clear Channel is not responsible for Patrick's contract. The Content Factory is. Therefore he is - technically - not their employee.

- Papadakis and Smith were already under contract to Clear Channel's Sports station in L.A. (which may not stay sports for long considering they just lost the Lakers to ESPN). They probably cost less than the Siciliano/Fernandez team.

- Maller's layoff is the one that puzzles me the most. He's a solid host who probably doesn't command a large paycheck. Fricke is knowledgable but he's more of a play by play guy than talk show host.

FSR had the chance to kill off Sporting News Radio, whose affiliate base is less than half of what FSR's is. They just let SNR back into the game.

Another weird and sad day in the radio business.

I have mixed feelings about everything that happened yesterday. Like everyone else, I am rooting for President Obama. If he does well, then it's likely we all will do well. Even though I didn't vote for him, I do think he brings fresh blood and ideas to The White House. I hope he can deliver on half of what he promised during the long campaign. If he can then he'll have done a great job.

At the same time I'm rooting for the new President, I am saddened by what happened to my industry yesterday. The radio industry has been ravaged by the rough economy, and there have been layoffs that have been going on for about six months now. But there had not been, up until yesterday, a true bloodbath. That has changed.

Clear Channel Communications, for those of you that don't know, is a multimedia conglomerate. They own about one thousand radio stations across the company. When the big companies were buying radio stations left and right during the 1990's, Clear Channel was the company that was buying up the most stations.

Clear Channel runs some of the bigger sports radio stations in the country. XTRA Sports 570 in Los Angeles. KJR 950 in Seattle. I could mention a number of others, but it wouldn't make sense to right now.

Why? Because some of those stations don't exist anymore, or at least exist in the form that they did just twenty-four hours ago. Clear Channel laid off 9% of its work force yesterday. Maybe nine percent doesn't sound like a big number to you. If that's the case, try this on for size - 1,850 people lost their jobs yesterday for no other reason than their 'number' was too big.

Among those - the entire air staff at Detroit's FAN. WDFN 1130 fired all of their local personalities yesterday, including the very popular 'Stoney & Wojo.' XTRA Sports in San Diego pulled the same trick. I'm just using those two particualr stations as examples.

So, what does Cear Channel plan on doing with those two stations? Why they plan to keep the sports format, but instead of having a local product that fans can connect, with, they will likely run FOX Sports Radio 24/7. National sports talk in cities passionate about sports like Detroit and San Diego.

Clear Channel will probably continue to make money with those stations. Sports radio, after all, does tend to attract good advertising dollars. But, what Clear Channel doesn't realize is that they aren't serving their local audience. Actually, they do realize it. They just don't care. All they care about is their bottom line.

Imagine you're a sports fan in Detroit this morning. You get in the car and you want to hear about your Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, whatever. But, when you turn on the radio you get nothing but stuff you probably don't care about. Is that serving your needs? I don't think so.

You see, that's what these radio operators like Clear Channel forget. They forget that when radio started in the 1920's stations served the needs of the community. A good example would be WTMJ here in Milwaukee. It serves the community the same way it always has - by being the station to go to for news, weather and sports (they have all the play by play). We in the business call these stations 'Heritage' stations.

Clear Channel has seemingly forgot what made radio an important part of the fabric of this country for many years. The focus has gone from serving the community and getting ratings (not necessarily in that order) to making money.

The big companies like Clear Channel obviously don't care about anything but the bottom line. And they are victimizing everyone involved.

The people that get laid off are victims. And the listening audience is victimized as well. Your needs as a listener are not being met.

So, while the rest of the country celebrates our new President, and deservedly so, let me be the one who reminds you that yesterday's news wasn't all good.

1,850 people lost their jobs yesterday in one industry. All from one company.

Celebrate 'Change" if you'd like, but do me a favor. Keep in mind those that lost their jobs yesterday.

And think about whether or not your needs are being served by your local media.

Check out my podcast to find out why I don't believe the Packers will make any attempt to sign Julius Peppers or Albert Haynesworth!

MU And UWM Are Stealing Wisconsin's Thunder

Bo Ryan is normally the king of Wisconsin college basketball coaches at this time of year. That's because he always seems to get more out of his talent than the experts think he can. Most people regard him as a better head coach than former Marquette boss Tom Crean and UWM's Rob Jeter.

And, with UWM's struggles over the last two years, combined with Crean's departure (or was it defection) to Indiana, Ryan was all set to take his customary post on top of the state's basketball programs. But, a funny thing happened on the climb up the mountain. The Badgers lost a couple of conference games, including one at the Kohl Center (where they are almost automatic).

It's not a crime to lose conference games, especially to teams like Purdue and Minnesota, but it created an opening for Buzz Williams and Rob Jeter to steal some of Bo's thunder. And, that's exactly what has happened.

Let's start with MU and Williams, who most saw as a 'settle' choice to replace Crean. In other words, the prevailing feeling was that MU settled for Williams after trying in vain to hire others like Washington State's Tony Bennett, Xavier's Sean Miller, and VCU's Anthony Grant. He was a nice enough guy, and knew basketball, but was he the right choice to replace the charismatic Crean?

It turns out (at least up until now) that none of us should have worried about Williams. He has the Golden Eagles off to a 5-0 start in Big East play (16-2 overall). Granted, MU has yet to face the likes of Louisville, UCONN, Georgetown, and Notre Dame, but they do have wins over Villanova and West Virginia.

Marquette's relative lack of size may wind up hurting them as we get closer to March, but right now you cannot argue with the job Williams has done. He's got the Golden Eagles running on high octane right now.

Maybe the most impressive thing so far has been the breakout season that Wesley Matthews has been putting together. Where was this production in his first three years on campus? He seems to have benefited the most from Williams' system.

After Matthews, Dominic James has to rank second in terms of pleasant surprises. It's not like he's breaking out, but he is playing more like a point guard should be playing. Sure he still gets his touches and points, but he's dishing more, he's playing better defense, and when he does shoot, he's making his shots count. James currently is posting career highs in field goal and three point percentage.

Will MU be able to keep this pace up? It's still a little too early to tell, especially considering that they count on four players in Matthews, James, Jerel McNeal, and Lazar Hayward. But, the start they are off to relieves any concern that the job was too big for the new coach.

Then there is the story that Rob Jeter and the UWM Panthers are authoring as we speak. Did anyone see the Panthers getting off to a 7-1 start in the Horizon League? Nope. Not anyone outside the UWM locker room. But, after beating Cleveland State, that's exactly what they were. After losing to MU in December, some of UWM's rabid fans wondered about the future of the program under Jeter, whose father passed away in late November. But, for now, at least, no one is calling for the coach's head.

Will UWM be able to continue their run? It's a great question. They still have two matchups with Butler (the first place team in the Horizon League) on the schedule. They also have a rematch coming up with the UWGB Phoenix, who handed the Panthers their only conference loss up till now. But one thing is for certain. This UWM team seems to be the best one that Jeter has had in a couple of years.

One of the reasons for that is Tone Boyle, UWM's leading scorer. But don't underestimate the contributions of Avery Smith. Last year at this time, Smith was a player without a team, booted from the Panthers because of off the court issues. This year, an older, more mature Smith is back on the squad. We all knew he could play, but what we didn't know is whether or not he could mature off the court. He has, and it's been inspiring to watch it unfold.

Then there's James Eyars. Guys who are built like Eyars aren't supposed to be basketball players. He is a football player - an offensive lineman at 6-7, 340 pounds to be exact, playing basketball. But even though he looks out of place (and other teams tend to ignore him), Eyars is averaging nearly ten points a game and hitting nearly forty percent of his three point attempts. Make fun of this kid at your own risk. That's what the rest of the Horizon League is finding out.

There are still nearly two months to go before we get to Selection Sunday. A lot can happen between now and when the brackets come out. But for now, MU and UWM are have stolen some of the Badgers' headlines. Deservedly so.

For my thoughts on the new President and how Rex Ryan affects Brett Favre's future, check out my podcast!

OK, Who Picked Steelers-Cards in August????

The matchup for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa is now set. How many of you had the Cardinals and Steelers when we were all making predictions during the first week of September? That's right, none of us. Heck, I thought it was going to be Jacksonville and Dallas!



But, Steelers-Cards it is. We've got two weeks - TWO WEEKS - to break it all down. In the meantime, some thoughts on what we all watched yesterday.



Cards Clinch NFC 32-25 over Eagles: Forget about the fact that Arizona was threatening to run the Eagles out of Glendale in the first half. Forget about the comeback the Eagles made to take a 25-24 lead. Forget about the fact that Cards QB Kurt Warner probably just clinched a spot in Canton. Why?



Because the Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl. You aren't drunk. You haven't taken any mind altering drugs. The words that you're seeing on this website are one hundred percent true. The Cardinals are indeed Super Bowl bound.



We're talking about the Arizona Cardinals here. A team that has had eight head coaches since they moved from St. Louis to Phoenix in 1988. If you want the list, here it goes. Gene Stallings, Hank Kuhlmann, Joe Bugel, Buddy Ryan, Vince Tobin, Dave McGinnis, Dennis Green, and Ken Whisenhunt. A franchise that had exactly one winning season (1998, 9-7) before winning nine games this season. A franchise that once had punter Tom Tupa lead the team in passing yards (1991).



Make no mistake, the Cardinals making the Super Bowl is nothing short of incomprehensible. It might even be a sign that The Apocalypse is coming. First the Rays make the World Series, and now the Cardinals make the Super Bowl.



If you're a Cubs fan, you might want to make a trip to Vegas right now, because if the pattern holds up, then the Cubs have a pretty good shot in 2009. If the Rays could win. Heck, if the Cardinals could make it to the Super Bowl, then anything is possible.



The Cards making it this far gives hope to every franchise that hasn't won anything in a long time. It doesn't matter what sport. The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1967. They now have hope (of course I'm being a little sarcastic here). The Chicago Blackhawks haven't won the Cup since 1961. If the Cardinals can get this far, who knows? Maybe the Blackhawks can skate with Lord Stanley's Goblet this spring.



Here's the bottom line. The Cardinals going to the Super Bowl is something that no one thought would happen this year. Sure some picked them to get into the playoffs - the NFC West is that bad. But, to get this far, no one, and I include the 53 players on the Cardinals roster plus coaches, executives and owners, no one really thought it was possible.



But welcome to pro sports, where even the improbable and impossible can actually happen.



Steelers Hold Off Upstart Ravens: It might not have been the outcome Ravens fans wanted, but even Ravens fans will admit that this game was one of the toughest, most physically played games they have seen in a while. It was an entertaining, defensive battle.



Joe Flacco almost did it again. Admit it, when the Ravens got to within 16-14 you thought the same thing I did. The Ravens can do it. But, Flacco's luck ran out. There was no more left in his tank, and the bottom line is that the better team won the ballgame.



That's not meant as a rip on the Ravens. It's just meant to honor the Steelers, who did win something called the Lombardi Trophy just a few years ago. What the Ravens did this year was honestly something that no one saw coming.



No one saw John Harbaugh getting this job when it was open one year ago. And, when he did get the job, there were a lot of people scratching their heads in amazement. But, no one is thinking that way anymore. Harbaugh has proven himself in his one year as coach, and he's the reason his brother Jim, coaching at Stanford, got a couple of interviews for NFL coaching jobs.



Joe Flacco wasn't supposed to become the QB he became in his first year in the league. Most thought he would have to sit, leran, and wait his turn. But he beat out Troy Smith during the summer, and even though his numbers weren't always eye popping, he proved himself capable of leading a veteran team.



The Ravens time looks to me like it's coming. It's obviously not going to be this year. But, with a tweak here and a tweak there, plus another year of experience for the QB, the Ravens are going to be one of the teams you'd have to consider as a Super Bowl Contender for next season.



In this league, for the most part, you have to crawl before you walk. You have to walk before you run. The Ravens are in the walking stage right now.



But that still doesn't explain this.. The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl!

Do we need a two week wait between the conference title games and the Super Bowl? For my thoughts on that, plus how the recession has affected sports radio, check out my podcast!

You Want A Hero? How About Sully?

The sports media is quick to throw words of praise at athletes. The words we use are often taken for granted.

One of the words we use is the word hero. We've used that word many times. So and so was the hero of the game. So and so's heroic efforts kept such and such team in a game. If there's one thing I learned yesterday, it's that maybe we should save words like 'hero' for the people who really deserve it.

Two people who deserve to be called heroes are pilot Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger and the co-pilot of U.S. Airways flight 1594 yesterday. That flight left LaGuardia Airport shortly after 3PM Eastern Time yesterday. Literally seconds after liftoff, that flight was the victim of a bird strike. Somehow, some way, even after losing both engines, these two heroes were able to not only maintain their composure, but they were able to calmly ditch the plane into the Hudson River. They had the option to try and either make it back to LaGuardia or go to a New Jersey airport, but these two men knew they didn't have the time to get over land. They took the only option they had.

I watched the coverage of the stroy on all the cable news channels yesterday and was amazed. Amazed at how the pilots were able to land the plane without causing a crash. Amazed that no one died. Amazed that there wasn't a single serious injury.

And, as someone who flies a pretty fair amount, it made me realize that every time I step onto a plane my life is in the hands of trained professionals like Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger. It doesn't take much for something to go wrong, but men and women like Sully are charged with having nerves of steel. They are counted on to be able to make snap decisions. They have to make the right ones, and they have to keep everyone safe.

It was the kind of event that makes you think. It made me think about the way words are used when it comes to sports.

There are two conference championship games coming up on Sunday. Two teams will move on. Two teams will go home. Somewhere, some writer - whether it be for a newspaper or website, will name his hero of the game. Somewhere, some writer will use the word heroic to describe the efforts of one of the players we'll watch.

And if their editors had any cojones whatsoever, they'd take that word out.

The word hero is thrown around too easily. Especially in sports. Exactly when the sports media started using it, I'm not sure. But, it's been there, and it's been overused.

I know it might sound corny, and maybe it isn't cool to say, but here it goes anyway.

I, as a member of the sports media for seventeen years, would like to see - for at least one weekend - the word hero not used in descriptions of the AFC and NFC title games. Surely writers are talented enough to come up with a different word. Surely radio and television broadcasters can come up with a different word.

Athletes aren't heroes, just like they aren't role models. They get paid to do a job, and they do it. We are too quick to lavish praise on them and probably too quick to rip them a new one when they fail.

I know what you might be thinking. That those pilots were just doing their jobs too. But, there's one big difference between the pilots of Flight 1549 and the athletes we call heroes.

The pilots saved 155 people from dying. They deserve to be called heroes.

It makes you think, doesn't it?

Who will win the AFC and NFC Championship Games on Sunday. Listen to my podcast for my picks!

Maybe McNabb Will Finally Get His Due

It's been a long, strange ride for Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb. This year alone McNabb went from having one foot out the door in Philadelphia (after being benched for rookie Kevin Kolb against the Ravens the week before Thanksgiving) to being just one game away from going to his second career Super Bowl.



The McNabb turnaround (eleven touchdowns to just four picks since his benching) has been amazing to watch. But then again, McNabb has faced adversity before and has always, ALWAYS, come back from it.



Let's start with what happened on Draft Day in 1999. I was at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden when Eagles fans stormed the place, hoping and praying their beloved Iggles would take Ricky Williams with the second overall selection. When McNabb was announced as the pick, those same fans booed. Loudly. McNabb was not the favorite of a fan base that once cheered when Michael Irvin was laying on the turf at The Vet motionless. The same fan base that once booed Santa Claus.



It didn't take long, but McNabb turned those boos into cheers. The Eagles made the playoffs in McNabb's second season. He was the toast of the town, and continued to be through the Super Bowl he helped get the Eagles to a few years back.



The next season was when adversity struck again. In case you forgot, he and Terrell Owens got into a very public feud. The Eagles chose him over Owens, but as a result of the feud McNabb took a little bit of a hit to his image.
He saw his numbers go down in 2006 without Owens by his side. The detractors came out again in full force, saying that Owens made McNabb, that McNabb wasn't much without #81 catching his passes. Then he got hurt and people jumped on him for that.



The injury bug (knee) struck again in 2006. There were a lot of people who thought McNabb's best days were behind him. The Eagles went so far as to draft the man they thought would be his eventual successor (Kolb). They wrote McNabb off.



The McNabb bashers were dead wrong. It normally takes a full year before a knee injury like McNabb's is fully healed. Yet, McNabb led te Eagles to an 8-6 record in the fourteen games he played in '07. He threw for over 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns, with just seven interceptions. Instead of being impressed, there were Eagles fans who wanted to move on from the McNabb Era.



And then came the 2008 season. Even though he was benched, McNabb threw for a career high 3,916 yards with 23 TD's and just 11 picks. He took the benching personally and has played like a man on a mission ever since.



It's time to give McNabb the respect that he is due. Is he a Hall of Famer? That's up for debate. But if you look at the numbers, you see a quarterback who deserves serious consideration. Nearly 30,000 yards, 194 TD's, a 73-39 record in the regular season. Five NFC Championship Games, and (to this point) one Super Bowl.



Now, consider who he's had to throw the ball to over the years. Sure there was Owens, but the rest of McNabb's receivers were forgettable. Torrance Small, Charles Johnson, James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, Chad Lewis, and Fred Mitchell. Is there a Hall of Famer in the bunch? Nope. Is there a Pro Bowler in the bunch? Nope. McNabb has not had the kind of weapons that some of his peers were fortunate to have.



Brian Westbrook is a fabulous running back, but he is really the first bigtime back McNabb has played with. Duce Staley was good but got hurt, and the Eagles really didn't have anyone else until Westbrook came along.



The point is, McNabb, for most of his career, was a one man show. Could you imagine the kind of numbers he could have put up had he had the likes of Randy Moss and Cris Carter as his top two targets? He would have been a monster.



Is McNabb partly to blame for his lack of a championship? Yes. There's no doubt about that. But, there are a lot of reasons he doesn't have that ring, the main one being the lack of a quality supporting cast.



McNabb's Eagles are a road favorite to beat Arizona and reach the Super Bowl. Don't count them out. They needed a bunch of things to go their way just to get into the playoffs. They got those bounces and McNabb led a rout of the Cowboys that sealed the deal. The bet here is that McNabb leads the Eagles to a win over the Cards. The bet is that McNabb gets that second shot at Super Bowl glory.



And, maybe, just maybe, if that happens, an underappreciated quarterback will finally get the respect he so richly deserves.

Don't forget to visit my podcast to find out why Sam Bradford made a bad decision to stay at OU!

Rice Finally Gets His Due

Cooperstown will welcome at least two more into the National baseball Hall of Fame this coming summer. One of the new Hall members was a no brainer. The other needed fifteen years to get the blessing of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Even though he was accused of not always giving his all, even though he complained about his contract, and even though his career ended far away from the bright lights of the big show, Rickey Henderson revolutionized the modern game. He was a leadoff hitter who killed you with speed and power. If he led the game off with a walk he was on third in a matter of pitches. Never before had Major League Baseball seen a leadoff hitter who had his kind of power.

Sure he was flaky, but it didn't matter. Sure he was (at one point in time) the definition of a me first athlete. But he never let his antics or his ego destroy a locker room. I covered Henderson when he was with the Mets in 1999. The media might have needed their own dictionary to translate what we would call 'Rickey-isms,' but he was one of the most respected players in that clubhouse. Young players wanted to learn from him and sought him out for advice. Veterans respected the way he changed the game. Even when he was in his forties and clearly overmatched by big league pitching you knew you were watching a Hall of Famer.

Jim Rice, on the other hand wasn't always seen that way. Make no mistake, Rice was a great player. I'm 37 and I remember watching him in his prime. He was a fearsome power hitter and run producer. He made the Red Sox dangerous. There might have been bigger names, like Carlton Fisk, Fred Lynn and Yaz, but Rice was the straw that stirred the drink (with apologies to Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson). He was the guy opposing pitcher feared. He was the guy kids hoped would strike out when he walked up to the plate.

So, why didn't Rice get in until now? Well, there are a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, he wasn't always media friendly. He wasn't like Jeter or A-Rod, great players who know how to play the media (i.e. get along with us). He wasn't Ryan Braun, who always, and I mean ALWAYS, speaks in perfect fifteen second sound bytes. If Rice didn't like what someone wrote, he let them know about it. He wasn't always accommodating in terms of giving interviews. We media are a pretty fickle bunch if you haven't figured it out by now. We hold grudges. Rice ticked off the wrong people, and for fourteen years it cost him.

Another thing that left Rice on the outside looking in for so long was a changing of the guard as far as the writers were concerned. A lot of the old, crusty veterans retired, and they were replaced by younger guys. Guys who didn't see Rice until he was past his prime, if they saw him at all. To those writers, Rice wasn't much of a player.

So, why now as opposed to then? Pretty simple, actually. The Steroid Era. Now that the game of the 90's has been exposed for what it was (a whole bunch of cheaters), the writers went back and re-evaluated Rice's numbers. They found that what he did in his career, without the benefits of using anything stronger than a cup of coffee, was worthy of being recognized as one of the best to play the game.

You can count me as one who hopes the writers continue to keep cheats like Mark McGwire out. I would much rather see players like Andre Dawson get in (why he didn't get in this year is beyond me, frankly). Dawson had some great years in Montreal, one really incredible year with the Cubs, but is seen as not worthy because he held on too long. Hopefully, he'll get in next year. He certainly deserves it. He doesn't do the campaigning before the voting is announced like some (Bert Blyleven) do. He doesn't complain when he gets bad news year after year (unlike a certain Mr. Blyleven). In fact, I remember calling Dawson a few years ago for comment when he didn't get into Cooperstown. He politely declined. If we had wanted to talk about baseball, he would have come on. But he didn't want to make it about him, so he chose not to complain about something he had no control over.

Rice didn't complain either. Neither did Bruce Suter or Goose Gossage, great players who had to wait longer than they should have for the honor of being called a Hall of Famer.

I can only hope that McGwire's wait is just as long, if not longer.

Click here for Wednesday's Podcast!

Defending The Brewers-Potawatomi Deal

Towards the end of last week, the Brewers made news on two occasions. The story that made the bigger headlines was the deal that will bring Trevor Hoffman to the Miller Park bullpen. The other piece of news was of the off the field variety, but one that might be just as important.

In case you missed it, the Brewers and the Potawatomi Casino announced a deal making Potawatomi the presenting sponsor of the team. Under terms of the deal the Potawatomi will have exterior signage displayed on the 117 Miller Park plaza light poles and will receive sponsorship recognition on the home and visiting dugout tops for each regular-season home game.

The casino also will include an outfield wall pad and representation on the various electronic sign boards at the stadium.

How much is the deal worth? Well, terms were not disclosed. However, considering what the casino is going to get, it's a good bet that the Brewers are getting a nice chunk of change.

It's actually the next logical step for the relationship between the Brewers and the casino. Potawatomi has been a longtime sponsor of the club. The Brewers were looking for a new may to make money. The casino was looking to enhance their visibility at Miller Park.

Still, there are some people who have problems with this. It didn't take long, but a friend of mine sent me an email blasting the deal. My friend wondered why the Brewers would make a deal like this, when the biggest scandal in the sport's history (or so he claimed) involved Peter Edward Rose betting on the game. My friend wondered if this wasn't the first step down that "slippery slope." Why, he asked, would a team in Major League Baseball, which also suffered through The Black Sox Scandal in the early 20th Century, make a deal with a casino.

I could understand that sort of thinking if this were 1989, and I remember then MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn taking action against Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle for taking a job at an Atlantic City Casino in 1979. But I also remember the suspension that Kuhn handed down being lifted by Peter Ueberroth in 1985.

There should be no one who has a problem with what the Brewers have done here. First of all, the Rose Scandal is old news and is not the biggest scandal in the sport's history. The Steroid Era is a much bigger black eye. Not only were players blatantly cheating left and right, but there is no one that can convince me that team officials had no idea such cheating was going one. My contention has always been that MLB was just as guilty as the cheaters themselves. Teams saw the jump in attendance numbers, saw the jump in their bottom line, and would have preferred not to have done anything that would have stopped the money train. We have all read The Mitchell Report. We all read the stories in which Peter Magowan, then the owner of the Giants, wondered why a certain outfielder got bigger and better as he got older. The Steroid Era is why Mark McGwire may never get into Cooperstown, and why Roger Clemens will likely join him on the outside looking in.

There are simple reasons why the Brewers did this deal with Potawatomi. In case you haven't noticed, we are going through a recession. You probably have someone in your immediate family who has been adversely affected by the economic times. If not someone in your family, then certainly someone you know. If you are reading this and you say you don't, you're wrong. I was laid off from my radio job three months ago. Why? Because of the economy.

The Brewers realize that they may not draw the same three million fans that came to Miller Park in 2008. People just do not have the disposable income that they did a year ago. The Brewers also realize they need to sustain the success they enjoyed last year. It takes money to do that. They need to make money in order to sign free agents. They need to make money to reward the young players who deserve contract extensions. They need to make money to keep their farm system going. If they don't get that money from sponsors like Potawatomi, they are going to get it (or at least attempt to) from the fans by raising ticket prices more than they already have. In other words, the team is going to get their cash. Would you like it to come out of your pocket, or the deep pockets of a sponsor?

The Brewers also don't have the same luxury that, for instance, the Yankees do. The Yankees have their own television network. YES makes the Yankees a lot of money, which is why they can go and spend like drunken sailors. And, the Yankees aren't the only team in MLB to have that luxury. The Mets have their own network, and many other teams have thought about trying to launch channels as well. The Brewers don't have that kind of cash cow at their disposal. They have Fox Sports Wisconsin. They have to make up for that disparity in other ways. Making a deal like this is one of those ways.

Imagine what would happen if the Brewers didn't have sponsors giving them the kind of cash they are currently getting. They probably would not have been able to make their $100M offer to CC Sabathia. Heck, they might not have even been able to make the Sabathia trade in the first place. The money that the sponsors are paying the Brewers will help as players like Prince Fielder head to arbitration. Without that cash, the Brewers would probably have to dump players like Fielder, Corey Hart, and Ryan Braun. If that happens, the Brewers turn into the Washington Nationals. No one wants to see that.

Besides, the Brewers are hardly the first team in professional sports to make a deal with a casino. Have you ever been to Lambeau Field? Have you ever seen the Oneida Nation Gate? How do you think that came about?

The NBA held an All Star Game in Las Vegas. For years David Stern and the Vegas people had a bad relationship. Now, there wouldn't be many people who would be surprised if a team in the league relocated to Vegas. Why the change in heart? Money. The NBA needs it. The casinos have it. It's a marriage that was inevitable.

These are the worst economic times we have seen since The Great Depression. Individuals need to make money and provide for their families. Businesses need to make money as well. Make no mistake. The Brewers, besides being a baseball team, are a business. Mark Attanasio is a smart guy. He wouldn't be involved if he couldn't make money. In today's day and age, businesses need to be creative if they are going to be in the black as opposed to the red. They've adjusted their philosophies. What was once taboo is no longer taboo.

The deal between the Brewers and Potawatomi isn't anything to be nervous about. Fans should be happy there are businesses willing to put money out there instead of being outraged. The alternative - a bad product, or even worse, no product at all - would be too hard to take.

Don't forget to check out my podcast for thoughts on the Bucks and Mike Conley Jr., Brewers trade rumors, and Tony Dungy's retirement!

I Went 1-3 This Past Weekend. !@#%!

First of all, let me tell you something that you already know. The 'experts' like myself have been exposed. If we weren't exposed before this past weekend, we certainly have been now. There weren't a whole lot of people who thought these four games would turn out the way they did. But, as the old saying goes, that's what makes a horse race.



Giants Cut Down To Size: The number one seeds are both making tee times for today. We'll get to the Titans in just a bit. First, though, the Giants go down at home to Philadelphia 23-11. The Eagles are taking a page out of New York's book. Last year the Giants beat the Bucs on the road, and then went to Dallas to advance to the NFC Championship Game. Andy Reid's Eagles took care of the Vikings in Minnesota and after beating the Giants on the road, are in a great position to make their second Super Bowl with Reid on the sidelines.



All of the credit has got to go to a very good Eagle defense. They run the same system that the Giants do (in fact, New York hired Steve Spagnuolo away from Philly because they wanted Jim Johnson's system). It wasn't that the Giants didn't have their chances. They had plenty of chances. It was that the Eagles came up big time after time after time.



New York made just three of thirteen third down conversions. The Giants were just one-for-three on fourth down. Eli Manning threw two picks, and the Giants also lost a fumble.



The Eagle defense also managed to keep New York out of the end zone all afternoon long. The Giants had their opportunities inside the red zone but the Eagle defense wouldn't break.



Philly's offense didn't exactly set the world on fire. Donovan McNabb had his first off game since he was benched right before Thanksgiving. Brian Westbrook gained just 36 yards on the ground (on eighteen carries). No Philly receiver had more than four catches on the day.



It's not that the Eagles don't have a good offense. They do. The offense just wasn't able to crack New York's own vaunted defense. If not for Philly's defense, it would be the Giants moving on.



Instead, the Eagles live to play another day. Somewhere - maybe it's in Dallas or Atlanta (his off-season home) - Terrell Owens is throing a hissy fit. And his old rivals, Reid and McNabb, are just a game away from the NFL's version of Nirvana.



Steel Curtain Falls on Chargers: This was actually the one game I got right all weekend. Not only did I get it right, but I actually said I wouldn't have been surprised by a blowout. If you think this is me just patting myself on the back, well you're right. After losing the first three games of the weekend I'm happy to recover some of my lost dignity.



The Steelers dominated this game from the last two minutes of the second quarter on. The Steelers had the game won in the third quarter, when they allowed the Chargers just one offensive play. Okay, maybe they didn't allow it, but they went on a nearly eight minute long drive and forced a couple of turnovers which kept San Diego's off the field.



There was no need to be concerned with Ben Roethlisberger and the concussion he suffered a couple of weeks ago against Cleveland. He was efficient and played like the tough leader that he has always been. Of course, he had help from Willie Parker, who shredded San Diego's defense to the tune of 146 yards and a couple of scores.



The Steeler defense was, if you listened to some of the experts during the week, supposed to have some trouble with San Diego's Darren Sproles. Sure, Sproles looked like a world beater against the Colts and their undersized defense, but yesterday he looked like the guy who was LaDanian Tomlinson's understudy. The Steelers swarmed him and held him to fifteen yards on eleven carries. Not quite the way Norv turner drew it up when they came up with the gameplan.



So, the Steelers dominate and move on while the Chargers have some more questions to answer.



A Titanic Plunge: Number one seeds aren't supposed to be pushed like this. Not by a team with a rookie head coach, and certainly not by a team with a rookie quarterback. But give the Ravens credit. Saturday truly was their coming out party. There weren't many who were shocked by the win in Miami a week ago. But, going into Tennessee and beating the Titans, well that would qualify as a stunner.



How did this happen? Well, a number of things combined to put Tennessee on the outside looking in. The Titans made a lot of mistakes. They turned the ball over three times. When you don't protect the ball you have no one to blame but yourself.



The Titans also committed 12 penalties, and lost the time of possession battle by nearly ten minutes. And, let's not forget injuries. Chris Johnson sitting on the sideline had a lot to do with making Jeff Fisher's offense go from strong to pedestrian.



But, the Ravens deserve their credit as well. When you play defense the way they do you always have a chance. Ray Lewis may not be the player he was a few years ago, but he doesn't have to be. Not with the players he has around him. And not with the mind that Rex Ryan has for creating havoc.



Then there's Joe Flacco. There were a lot of people who knew Flacco had potential when the Ravens drafted him in the first round last April. What no one could have seen was the way he matured in his rookie season. Matt Ryan (Matty Ice) has gotten all the pub, but Flacco (Joe Cool) is the one still playing. No rookie QB has ever won two playoff games before. Flacco may not have eye popping stats, but he has a cannon for an arm, an understanding of Cam Cameron's offense, command of the huddle, and most importantly, ice in his veins. To play under control the way he did in Tennessee was absolutely amazing.



And then there's John Harbaugh. He was the surprise choice of the organization when they decided to part ways with Brian Billick. But, like Mike Smith in Atlanta, he turned out to be the right choice. The resume might not have knocked anyone's socks off, but Harbaugh comes from a football family, is organized, and obviously has the stones to make the tough decisions (like going with Flacco as his starting QB in the first place).



Cards Deal Panthers A Bad Hand: This was the biggest upset of the weekend. The experts thought that Arizona would have problems without the injured Anquan Boldin. The experts thought Arizona would have problems playing on the East Coast (we all saw what the Jets, patriots and Eagles did to them when they made their cross country trips). The experts thought Carolina's defense and running game would be more than enough in the cold weather. Uh, the experts (including me) were dead wrong.



Jake Delhomme has a reputation for being a guy who can manage an offense. He certainly didn't manage it on Saturday night. Not by throwing five interceptions. He looked about as bad as a quarterback could look.



The Panthers also got away from what made them successful this season. The Panthers were not a team known for passing. They were known for running the ball. Where the run game went on Saturday is anyone's guess. Sure, Arizona being up by such a large margin at halftime forced the Panthers to air it out. But, the Panthers never really attempted to establish the run in the first half. When you have D'Angelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in the backfield, you have two guys that can control possession of the football. The two were never allowed to get in a rhythm, and as a result, Carolina held the ball for just a little over twenty minutes. Arizona usually doesn't hold the ball for nearly forty minutes, and when you give a guy like Kurt Warner that much time to play with, he will shred you.



Speaking of shredding, is there anyone on the Carolina roster that would like to cover Larry Fitzgerald? Without Bolding in the lineup, there should have been someone shadowing Fitzgerald's every move. Don't let him beat you. Let guys like Steve Breaston (a product of Todd Haley's offense if there ever was one) beat you. Yet, Fitzgerald was allowed to roam free and roll up 166 yards in receiving, averaging nearly 21 yards per catch.



So now we're down to the final four. Ravens-Steelers III for the AFC Championship. The improbable NFC title game matchup featuring the Eagles and Cardinals. Yep, just like we all had it when we made our predictions in August, right?



So, how will those games turn out next weekend? Those predictions will come later in the week. But, if the NFL proved anything this weekend, it's that things don't always go according to plan.

Don't forget to check out my podcast for thoughts on Mike Nolan and Pac Man Jones!

Favre Watch 2009: No Thanks, I'll Sit This One Out

The story came out yesterday, and as usual, it was the talk of Packer Nation (that is after getting over the euphoria of the Trevor Hoffman signing by the Brewers). Brett Favre talks, and Wisconsin stops what it's doing to take notice.

Not that I blame Packer Nation. The man gave this state, and Packer fans all over the country memories that will last a lifetime. He could run for governor of the state and win in a landslide. If he ran for President of the United States, he'd win the state of Wisconsin. That's how popular he is. He's the new E.F. Hutton. When he speaks, people listen (that's an old 80's TV commercial for those of you wondering).

I admit I read the story. But I also have to admit that I'm happy that I'm not as involved in The Favre Watch as I was for the last few seasons.

Let me give you some background. When I was a producer at Sporting News Radio, and Favre first brought up retirement, my boss gave the entire behind the scenes staff one simple assignment. Find sources close to Favre. Sit on them. Get as much of the story as you can, and be ready to go with wall to wall coverage if he retires. Thankfully I only did that for one off-season, as I moved from a behind the scenes position to a full time on air job in the Summer of 2003.

Fast forward a couple of years, and I'm in Milwaukee doing a daily talk show. The Packers just got done with a 4-12 season. Fans are calling for him to retire. Others want to absolve him for the 29 picks he threw and give him another chance. Either way Lord Favre decided to wait until the week of the draft to announce that he was going to grace us with his on field presence for the 2006 season.

Thank goodness Lord Favre made his decision in early February the following season. That meant we could concentrate on other issues as opposed to the constant "will he or won't he" chatter.

Then came last off-season. The retirement in early March. The stories that came out for months afterward indicating he might be re-thinking his decision to step away. And, of course, the events of last summer. As a talk show host, I know I was personally 'Favred out.' But, you have to give the people what they want, and they wanted Favre, so as a talk show host you HAD to talk about it. Day after day after day after day.

The talk seemed to die down as Favre and the Jets were overshadowed by the problems the Packers went through during the 2008 season. And then, yesterday's news. The news that said he'll take weeks (it'll be months trust me) to decide.

It took about fifteen minutes for the first email to come in. It was from a buddy of mine who runs a sports station in New York. He wanted my advice on how to cover Favre (Tractor) Watch 2009. So, I called him, gave him a few suggestions, and then told him I was glad I wasn't in his position.

And I mean it. He's not Green Bay's problem anymore. He isn't Wisconsin's problem anymore. Let New York worry about him. As far as I'm concerned he hasn't been a Packer since throwing that interception to kill Green Bay's Super Bowl dreams in last year's NFC Championship Game. As far as I'm concerned, out of sight out of mind.

Besides, even if he decides to 'quietly' walk away as he talked about this week, who is to say he will stick to that decision. What's to stop him from waking up one day in June and saying he wants to play again. Last year I thought it was ridiculous to think he would do something like that. Now, I'm not so sure.

I hope he actually does follow through on what he told ESPN. I hope he does walk away quietly. But until the 2009 season starts and he's not under center somewhere, I'm not going to believe it.

And for the first time in a few years, I'm not going to worry about it either. I'll let the New York media, Peter King, Chris Mortensen, Jay Glazer, and Al Jones in Biloxi handle that end.

Good luck gentlemen.

Make sure you check out my podcast for thoughts on Florida's win, the Trevor Hoffman signing, and my NFL Playoff Picks!

Dear B(C)S, You Win!!

First of all, let me start by saying I hate the B(C)S. I've talked about it a million times on the radio. I've written about it dozens of times as well.

We all know the system doesn't work. Check that. Any sane, rational person knows it doesn't work. The only reason it exists is because network executives continue to hand over millions of dollars for the right to air four or five games every year, of which only one matters.

But today, the day of the FedEx B(C)S National Championship Game between Florida and Oklahoma (I'm going with the Gators in case you are wondering), I will make this vow.

I will never again complain about the B(C)S.

I am not going to rip the system if they get it wrong (and they will). I am not going to lament the fact that college football is the only major sport in this country that doesn't crown its champion in some sort of playoff. I will never again design a sixteen team playoff that will make everyone lots of money. No more.

I am done with all of that. Why? Well, the main reason is that a playoff is never going to happen. The College Presidents don't want it. They're making too much money with the current system. The networks will never let it happen. They're making money too. If they weren't ESPN would not have bought the rights to the television package once the deal with FOX expires. The B(C)S conferences will never allow it to happen. They are swimming in money because of the current system.

But that isn't why I am never going to complain about the B(C)S again. Neither is the fact that none of the suits really care about what you and I want. No, I'm going to stop complaining because everyone else is complaining.

Let's start with USC head coach Pete Carroll. Full disclosure here. I covered Pete when he coached the Jets in 1994. I worked with him for a season at One on One Sports/ Sporting News Radio.He is a damn good coach, and he's a good man as well. He is not normally a complainer. But he's been complaining for about five weeks now that his Trojans should have a shot at the National Championship. Well, under the current system, the Trojans might have been able to get to Miami even though they lost to Oregon State had they won the Pac 10 Championship Game. A game that doesn't exist. Oklahoma and Florida were able to come back from losses during the regular season by winning their conference title games. So, If Carroll wants to complain to someone, then he should call the Pac 10.

Then, after dismantling a Penn State team that looked like it didn't belong on the same field as the Trojans did, Carroll complained again, going so far as to say he thinks he has the best team in the country. Coach, you beat Penn State. A Big Ten team. Considering how pathetic the Big Ten did in the bowl season, it might be wise to keep your mouth shut.

Then there's the complaining that Texas did. Mack Brown and the Longhorns might have had a right to complain after they failed to make the Big 12 Championship Game. At that time, Brown chose to take the high road. Then, after coming from behind to beat Ohio State in the FIesta Bowl Monday night, Brown complained about pretty much everything. Not going to the Big 12 title game, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the economy. you get my drift. Brown went so far as to say he'd vote the Longhorns Number One in the final Coaches Poll (not that his vote's going to make any difference).

Brown's just coming off like a baby with that one. Were the Longhons jobbed out of the Big 12 title game? That's debatable. Yes, the beat Oklahoma, but they did lose to Texas tech. Just because you beat the Sooners in October doesn't guarantee that you get a spot in your conference championship game. If the Longhorns would have taken care of business in Lubbock, then they'd be playing tonight in all likelihood.

And then there's Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. He is now claiming the BCS is biased against Non BCS conferences. He says the system is unfair. He is even talking about a possible lawsuit.

Would Shurtleff have taken this step if the Utes hadn't completed a 13-0 season by beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl? Hell no. He would have been as quiet as a church mouse. He's only complaining because the Utes have had two undefeated seasons (and two BCS appearances in the last few years) with nothing more than a trophy (not the crystal football given to the BCS champions) to show for it.

To me, this move smells of pandering to his constituency. It's a political move, pure and simple. Besides, didn't the smaller conferences ban together a few years back and threaten a lawsuit? I believe they did, which is why we now have the fifth BCS game. The BCS added the game to shut the smaller schools up. And since then, we've seen Hawaii, Boise State, and Utah all crash the BCS party.

If Shurtleff wants the Utes to be in the title game, then maybe someone at the University of Utah ought to think about joining a BCS conference. This way their schedule would be tougher than it currently is. If the Utes do that and go through the season undefeated, they'll get the recognition they deserve. And by the way, I didn't see Shurtleff complaining when Boise State wasn't awarded the championship after beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl a couple of years ago.

I'm not saying that USC, Texas, or Shurtleff are necessarily wrong. I'm just saying that after eleven years of this, eleven years of complaining, eleven years of calling for a playoff, I'm tired. I'm done. I can't do it anymore. I give up. I don't like it. But I don't see the point anymore.

Real change may be coming to Washington January 20th. But, it will never come to college football. And I've finally come to terms with that.

For my prediction on tonight's game, check out my podcast!