Samurai Bucky

I went to UW-Madison and finished in five years because I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I finished with a 3.89 GPA in high school not doing much homework, then got hit by the reality of college. I ended up majoring in Computer Science and work as a software engineer writing insurance adjustment software (that is until they lay me off like they have 20 of my collegues in the past 9 months). My Dad was a teacher at a very small school, but I guess he made enough to keep me from getting financial aid. So I worked with Food Service while at school. All this while being a member of the Wisconsin Marching Band / Varsity Band and working at the student radio station WLHA. During the summers, I held down the follownig jobs -- not at the same time: * A carpenter doing roughing work building new houses. * Packing pallots at a local canning factory. * Driving truck carrying vegetables from the field to the factory. * (My favorite) Building the fourth nine at Blackwolf Run in Kohler. Golf course construction is fun -- especially when you get to golf the other 27 holes for FREE!

I have to try and keep this in perspective. Like many of you (I'm guessing), I work during the day in an office and don't get out and about to see if any kids are playing any type of games. There are times after work or sometimes on the weekend where I see three, four, five kids playing at a diamond a few blocks from my house. I hear of a few kids playing downtown in our village because they have fences at those fields. I grew up in a town of 1200 people, so I didn't play organized baseball until 4th grade. We had YMCA basketball when I was in first grade and there were rudimentary forms of wrestling tournaments, too. For some reason, it seems like there are more organized leagues in all sports. Perhaps some kids don't play it for fun as much. Maybe parents pressure their kids more? I don't know. Part of it might be a time thing, too. I played baseball / strikeout at least five of the seven days during a few summers. Why? Because when I was a rug rat, my Dad took me out and played strikeout with me. Are parents taking the time to play ball with their kids outside of an "organized" environment? If there is free time, it seems parents are opting to go on vacation or do something else. I have three daughters (10, 8, 5) and a son (3). We try to get out almost every day to do something in the back yard. Many times, the kids will ask me to pitch tennis balls or whiffle balls to them (scoring points with Dad!!!!! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif ). They also venture out to playing amongst themselves, too. Unfortunately, there aren't many kids in our neighborhood to play ball with. I probably didn't answer the question. Maybe it is because I really don't know. One thing I do know: I see more kids playing pickup games of baseball and basketball than I do playing pickup games of soccer.

Losing Sheets isn't going to help. We all know that these things ebb and flow. The next road trip will be another tell tale sign of how good the pen is. The team as a whole has done fantastic at home. Let's see them do this on the road, too. Maybe the Crew should look at getting another top-notched pitcher. Ahhh... but that is for another forum http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Are the labs for Lipitor in Milwaukee? I'm wondering why they filmed it at the calatraba (sp?).

I think Keg's suggestions are very good. As a coach, especially at that level, you are also teaching about life. Kicking these kids off the team for these types of things would be the easy way out, but I don't think it would be the best way to teach them what is going on. In essence, you are giving the kids a choice of whether or not to continue with this behavior. If they continue, there will be consequences (riding the pines, etc.). I coached JV ball years ago and had one kid who had a foul mouth, didn't practice hard, and was giving his teammates on the team a hard time. I explained to him why he wasn't playing much. His father came up to me (or called me... I don't remember which) to find out what was going on. Needless to say, I understood where the kid's attitude was coming from. Now I coach 4th grade girls softball, so fortunately discipline isn't much of a problem... ... yet http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Whew! My first trade suggestion on the board, and I didn't get ripped on (too much) http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif . The thing that made me think about this was something I heard on that national sports cable network we all know about. It was something to the effect of how speed can make things happen. Over a 162-game season, Weeks would probably put up the same numbers as Roberts, but Weeks ends up hurt. In hindsight, the trade may not make much sense since Weeks may come around (and especially in the next year or so), and that he is cheaper than Roberts. We really don't know what Weeks will give us, yet. We know what he may be capable of, but he just hasn't shown it to us, yet. It would be nice to see Gallardo get into the rotation, though.

I was in St. Louis on Saturday and paid $2.68/gallon of gas. I get back to Milwaukee and see that it is $3.09 or $3.15. Add to that, the trip on I-43 from Beloit to Milwaukee was bumpy as compared to Missouri's and even Illinois' roads. I'm glad I'm paying $.40/gallon more for bumpier roads.

I'm sure that the Orioles wouldn't want to part with Roberts, but how would something like this look (just a SWAG): Brewers Get: 2B Brian Roberts Orioles Get: IF Graffanino SP Bush AAA Starting Pitcher (sorry... my familiarity with the farm system isn't that good). Weeks would get moved to a bench role. Gallardo would move up to the fifth starter. Lineup: 2B Roberts RF Hart 3B Braun 1B Fielder SS Hardy C Estrada LF Jenkins CF Gwynn P Just a thought....

Good thing it wasn't Zambrano dishing out the "love." If it was, Ramirez wouldn't be able to walk for a week.

Right you are. Sorry.

Huh? C'mon! The bat boy didn't get yelled at talking to Roy Hobbs. Geesch! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

What's the Cubs' excuse, then? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif The only way I can explain my feelings toward the team is to compare it to the '93 Badger Football team. They are playing some very good ball, and I'm saying, "It's about time!" The one difference is that I had playoff tickets IN HAND for the '92 (edit) Brewers. Of course, I had to give them back to get my money back http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif . Go Brewers!

I'm just happy that it wasn't just my GameDay feed that got cut off. It isn't working at MLB or at Yahoo!

Here is another thought: AT&T has a bundled package if you get the following: Satellite TV (DIsh Network) AT&T Phone service (not digital) Cingular Wireless Cell Phones AT&T (Yahoo!) DSL You might want to check that out as an option.

If they do give Yost the ax, who do you think they would move to take his position? Would they promote Maddux? Is there a good manager in the farm system that would be promoted? How about Sveum?

I'll bet the pet population will skyrocket after he leaves the show. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

We were driving back from a soccer game at about 11:20 and saw the huge plume of smoke from the freeway at Watertown Plank. I had no idea what it was. This is sad.

In his last 10 games, Hall is hitting .243, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 7K, 2 2B. He must be hitting most all of his balls right at people. My frustration is that Ned won't let guys get into a rhythm. Let's see, we have a right-hander in there pitching, so let's pull all of our left handers off the bench. Um... wait, they just put in a left-hander... let's do a mass substitution!!!!!!!!!!!

Perhaps I shouldn't be quite so frustrated when our labradoodle starts barking.

Link Rumor has it that Buehrle is also on the block for the Sox. Let's say the Brewers trade Mench and somebody else (non-starter) for Buehrle, who would get bumped from the rotation?