Samurai Bucky

They picked BJ Surhoff in 1985 with the first overall pick. https://www.espn.com/mlb/draft/history/_/team/mil Other notables: Ryan Braun, 2005, 5th overall Rickie Weeks, 2003, #2 Prince Fielder, 2002, #7 Gary Sheffield, 1986, #6 Paul Molitor, 1977, #3 Robin Yount, 1973, #3

So we are OK with them hitting .246? Your point of them hitting .235 overall is also reflected in the fact that they were one of the worst teams in getting RISP to begin with. I also think that you are reiterating this point: tOPS+ is 121 which may be saying that the Brewers did well, or their typical OPS+ is not very good.

So we are OK with them hitting .246? Your point of them hitting .235 overall is also reflected in the fact that they were one of the worst teams in getting RISP to begin with. I also think that you are reiterating this point: tOPS+ is 121 which may be saying that the Brewers did well, or their typical OPS+ is not very good.

I would add to that... struggles getting clutch hits with RISP. On Monday, the only reason why Adames hit the ball to right in the latter part of the game is because the pitch was outside. With RISP (159 Games): 21st in PA 26th in BAbip (.277) 16th in RBI 23rd in K% (26% -- worst is PIT at 30% and best is CLE at 21%; league average is 25%) tOPS+ is 121 which may be saying that the Brewers did well, or their typical OPS+ is not very good. https://www.baseball-reference.com/tools/split_stats_lg.cgi?full=1&params=bases|RISP|ML|2022|bat|AB|

I would add to that... struggles getting clutch hits with RISP. On Monday, the only reason why Adames hit the ball to right in the latter part of the game is because the pitch was outside. With RISP (159 Games): 21st in PA 26th in BAbip (.277) 16th in RBI 23rd in K% (26% -- worst is PIT at 30% and best is CLE at 21%; league average is 25%) tOPS+ is 121 which may be saying that the Brewers did well, or their typical OPS+ is not very good. https://www.baseball-reference.com/tools/split_stats_lg.cgi?full=1&params=bases|RISP|ML|2022|bat|AB|

Goldschmidt took their place... at least Pujols' place.

... but it doesn't add baseball... ?

Perhaps some movie or TV stars would invest in a team?

I also don't know why people have avoided him. One bad call at the goal line during the super bowl? Maybe it is because he has purple on his resume (yikes)?

"Excuse me, Mr. Thomas... I know you were [one of] the best offensive lineman in NFL history. Would you come back and coach the offensive line, please?"

Whew! What a weekend. I feel bad for Chryst as a person because I believe he is a genuinely good guy. He seems like somebody who would lay down his life for his team, although he isn't loud about it. I have heard Chryst needed to be more vocal on the sidelines to be successful. Not necessarily -- see Tony Dungy. If you think about it, Chryst is a very, very good OC. He was even offered the job with the Cowboys way back when. He went to Pitt and was mediocre at best. He was brought on board because he was a Wisconsin guy who had some experience after Gary Anderson and the Emperor had a mutual understanding that Anderson was not a good fit. The key to Wisconsin's success is the Offensive line. They have been the rock of the team because that is Barry's formula. Why are the Badgers getting only two rushing yards against the Illini? It is because the offensive line can no longer excel. "Back in the day," teams would put 8 or even 9 in the box and the Badgers would still gash them. It also doesn't help when there is no threat over the top. Either Mertz does not have the talent to be a 5* recruit, or Chryst and the QB coaches they have had are not good coaches. I think of what Jim Leonard said during the press conference: "This place means a lot to me. I grew up here... I really became who I am at the University of Wisconsin." "I feel like I can take this opportunity and make this place grow. That is why I came back a number of years ago and that's why I haven't left." We all know that he could have done what Bielema did or Dave Aranda, but he decided to stay. That means a lot to me personally because he is there for Wisconsin, not just another job. McIntosh probably saw this an an opportunity to not lose one of the best DCs in college football.

I'll be there.

Something like this or this: Weird, I know. It is sort of like a modern disco beat. Maybe my Dad's listening to the "Stars on 45" was influence on me.

However when they take a risk on a player who wins an MVP and was close to winning another one before getting injured, then the Brewers will get ridiculed for how stupid it was to give that player a long-termed contract. We can't rip management for a poor decision on Yelich and in the same breath say that we have to take risks with Burnes. The memories of Matt Garza and Jeff Suppan still resonate in the bowels of Mill... I mean American Family Field.

To be honest with everybody, I was not aware of Leonard's plan by having a 2-4-5 defense. I'm not saying it was the right choice (obviously), but I think he knew that Wisconsin could not go mano a mano with OSU. So he tries to go with a scheme which, obviously didn't work. So our reaction is to overreact. Is Paul Chryst a good recruiter or a good coach? I am not sure. We can all talk about how he doesn't get the 5* recruits, but how many 5* recruits have the Badgers ever gotten? Perhaps a handful? Alvarez didn't get any 5* recruits, IIRC, but was able to develop the talent. For all of Herbstreit's foibles about talking about OSU for 99.9% of the broadcast, he did mention that one thing Alvarez did was to develop players. Compared to other programs, the Badgers have a lot of players in the NFL. That means they are getting talent (not 112 NFL-ready players like some programs), and developing it. I'm excited that Bobby Engram is the offensive coordinator. I think the Badgers have one of the top, if not THE top defensive coordinator. Wisconsin football has been based on limiting mistakes and pounding the ball. Chryst going all in with Mertz seems to be one of the biggest keys to the lack of success. Let's get off the ledge. The Badgers can still win the West. Call it a weak schedule if you want, but in the 70's and 80's, Wisconsin lost to D2 teams. A win is a win. If they finish 3rd or 4th in the West, I will be singing a different tune.

Herbstreit said OSU became elite when Urban Meyer came in and OSU went away from this philosophy. Of course, it is a little bit of apples and oranges.

I'm sure I'm the only one, but I have been listening to a lot of house-based covers of songs from the 70's and 80's. Thanks for that, Spotify... ?

I-Bonds. So let it be written, so let it be done ?

I played them a lot during my radio show on the student radio station at Madison. They Might Be Giants was on the playlist as well.

My mom is disabled and is able to walk around using a walker because she needs it (in her mid 70's). She has a handicap window mount. We went to a small restaurant this weekend and there were only two handicap parking spots. As we were walking to the front door from the other side of the parking lot, I saw this couple who was probably in their 60's walk out and hop up into the Suburban that was parked in one of the handicap spaces. They had a handicap window mount but, in my non-medical opinion, did not need it. Later on, another person with a walker came in and they were fortunately able to get one of the two handicap spots. When I got my hip replacement surgery a few months ago, I was offered a temporary handicap sticker. I felt guilty getting it whether I needed it or not. Sure, I could have used it, but I wasn't going to be driving anyway. So, Mrs. Samurai would drop me off, park the car, and then pick me up when it was time to go. What I described in the first paragraph is one of my biggest pet peeves. My dad was handicapped requiring a walker, too, before he passed. My father-in-law doesn't use a walker, but has issues with his legs and really should be using a walker. He has a handicapped sticker, but doesn't use it all of the time. If a person is elderly and can't walk well, then it makes sense. It is impossible for me to know what is going on with people who have a sticker, but there are too many occurrences where the 35-year-old mother of four hops out of her minivan from a handicap spot with kids in tow.

I'm shouting at the clouds, I think... At the Brewers game last night and as I'm walking out, I see some guy who looked like he is in his thirties who has the waist of his pants down around his ass. Sorry, dude... that is for teenagers and people in their early 20's. Nice red underwear, though...

Why did I start the Indy defense? Sigh...

Yeah... he didn't throw a no-hitter. Trade him. The offense finally does a good job of making the SP work, but can't get anybody across the dish. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Yeah... it is time to trade him... Glad they stuck with him instead of Vogelbach.

I remember a few years ago in Travel ball (teenage years) and somewhat in high school -- they had the boys keep one foot in the box while taking a sign. I think they had done that with softball, too. There is no reason a batter should be pulling a Nomar or Braun and fix their gloves, or get a shave and a haircut. That made the game speed up a lot. It is all about preparedness. Teach the pitchers to throw more quickly and they will adapt. Now, there will still be those fans that get up from the middle of a row 10 times a game to get some random concession, water a horse, or take a selfie next to, um, something. If someone could do something about that, I would be tickled pink.