It’s finally here…the greatest week of golf on the PGA Tour calendar! But before we can get into all of that…we have Opening Day and the NCAA National Championship to distract us on Monday.
The Brewers…I think this clip from Major League will sum them up appropriately this year…
EXACTLY!
I’ll actually be surprised if the Brewers don’t get no-hit on Opening Day by Madison Bumgarner. As for my season prediction…69-93 seems pretty realistic. Milwaukee has only lost 100 games ONCE in the history of their franchise, and with so many other bad National League teams (Atlanta, Cincinnati, Colorado, and Philadelphia)…the Crew could actually push their win total into the 70’s…but of course, they are already dealing with injuries to their pitching staff. Here’s hoping they surprise us a little bit…because the football season is a LONG ways off.
The NCAA National Championship…while I predicted North Carolina to win it all…it looks like I will still finish just outside of the money in my pool. With that being said, I’ll probably pull for Villanova to win instead of a Roy Williams’ led North Carolina on Monday night. I don’t think I can stomach Williams winning another championship…especially with the NCAA currently investigating the Tar Heels. Villanova and Jay Wright are due…now go take care of business!
As for One Shining Moment…I’m glad someone came to their senses. This tournament has botched enough of their past traditions…don’t EVER mess this one up!
Side note…I really wish Wisconsin had won the National Championship last year (especially since I was at the game). And I must admit, it felt very strange watching the Final Four on Saturday without the Badgers in it. Here’s hoping they are back next year…and finish things off! Phoenix, anyone?!
The Masters…a tradition unlike any other…
I could listen to that theme song over and over…actually I did (and too many times to count)!
The 80th edition of The Masters starts on Wednesday (for TV viewing) with the Par 3 Contest and concludes on Sunday with the greatest back nine of golf…I already can’t wait to assume the position on my couch Sunday afternoon…and last year’s intro already has me super excited!
As for my winner…I’m going with Jason Day. Meanwhile, I’m going to waste away the rest of this day by watching the conclusion of the 1986 Masters…thanks Jack Nicklaus!
I CANNOT stop watching this…the definition of March Madness! WOW…what a game! Thank you Bronson Koenig! Sweet Sixteen…5 out of the last 6 years! See you Friday!
On Wisconsin!
UPDATE: I’d be remiss, if I did not mention the previous two plays that helped set up “the shot.”
Last add…you can ask my wife, but my reaction was not much different than Frank Kaminsky’s reaction…actually, I was probably A LOT louder. Sorry neighbors!
March Madness has finally arrived…and no thanks to the worst Selection Show in the history of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Who would have thought that the entire bracket would get leaked during a TWO HOUR Selection Show (ME…I totally called this)…well, apparently not the people at CBS (idiots). While most people were already throwing things at their television sets or across their living rooms…as Charles Barkley fumbled his way through his picks on the touch screen…someone “in the know” decided enough was enough…and leaked the entire bracket out before CBS was even halfway through unveiling it on live television. To that person, I say…THANK YOU! They should be promoted!
While the next three weeks are guaranteed to be absolute madness (especially with this year’s parity)…let’s look back at last year’s NCAA Tournament. A run for the Wisconsin Badgers, that was truly one for the ages…especially with all the pressure from the previous season’s Final Four trip. So, sit back and reminisce…on a tournament run that feels like it was WAY MORE than just one year ago. The following clips are guaranteed to give you goosebumps! Enjoy!
Second Round – (1) Wisconsin 86, (16) Coastal Carolina 72.
3rd Round – (1) Wisconsin 72, (8) Oregon 65.
Sweet Sixteen – (1) Wisconsin 79, (4) North Carolina 72.
Elite Eight – (1) Wisconsin 85, (2) Arizona 78.
Final Four – (1) Wisconsin 71, (1) Kentucky 64.
National Championship – (1) Duke 68, (1) Wisconsin 63. I was actually at this game…and I wake up almost every single day thinking about being up 9 points in the second half. I’m not sure Wisconsin will ever be in that position again during my lifetime…but if they are, you can guarantee I’ll be there to watch.
And don’t think I’ve forgotten about these two calls…#DuckFuke
No call…Winslow clearly steps out!
Duke ball…and Winslow was clearly the last to touch it! They reviewed this and still got it wrong!
And March Madness is never complete without “One Shining Moment.”
It was the spring of 1992…that was the last spring that I did not participate in the sport of track & field as either an athlete or as a coach. Tomorrow, the track & field season begins for all high schools in the state of Wisconsin. It’s hard to believe that last year at this time, I was beginning my first season as head coach at Kewaskum High School…and what a fun season it was!
A lot has (obviously) changed between last March and today…but I have to admit, I already miss the track & field season. From the indoor meets at UW-Oshkosh to the triangulars/quadrangulars and invitationals along the way during the outdoor season…track & field is truly what spring (for me) is all about in the state of Wisconsin. The Conference meets, Regionals, and Sectionals are two of the greatest weeks of the school year…and the State Meet at UW-La Crosse, there is simply nothing like it…in the nation!
I always thought one of my greatest track & field memories would be winning a State title, but when I got into coaching and started having athletes of my own qualify for the State meet…that feeling was quickly matched, as nothing beats seeing the reaction of a high school athlete that just punched their ticket to La Crosse…a celebration I was lucky enough to witness just last year…as four hard-working individuals accomplished this unforgettable feat (I can’t wait to see what this year holds for you four).
Well, good luck to all the high school track & field athletes that begin their journeys tomorrow…especially, YOU…Kewaskum High School. I will be “tracking” your success as close as I can from California. You can and will do great things!
There are simply no words for this! I mean…Steph Curry is just flat out ridiculous! Curry is a like watching a human video game…actually he’s better than the video game! But that hasn’t stopped NBA 2K16 from trying…this is almost as awesome as the real thing!
My wife and I took in last night’s game at Drake’s Dealership in Oakland…and I must say, I WAS IMPRESSED! Not only was Drake’s a really cool place to hang out, but the crowd there last night was fabulous! The fans were SO into the basketball game (I mean, this was simply game 58 of an 82-game schedule)…the atmosphere at Drake’s reminded me of all the fun we had during the last two Final Four runs by the Badgers. It was really energetic…and made me realize I need to go out for more Golden State Warriors games.
As for the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls 72-win mark…there was part of me that wanted that record to remain intact, but after last night…I realized it will probably be more fun (A LOT more fun) to watch the record go down…especially if I get the opportunity to witness more games in an atmosphere like last night (and since the Bucks are officially done).
Special shout-out…before we went to Drake’s yesterday, we took in Fieldwork Brewing Co. and The Rare Barrel…both were super! I literally can’t wait to get back to Berkeley!
In the meantime, more Curry please! MVP! MVP! MVP! GOAT?
Jason McElwain (or J-Mac) stole our hearts way back in February of 2006 when he scored 20 points during a high school varsity basketball game. McElwain, who is autistic, was the team manager for the Greece Athena High School basketball team and was inserted into the game for the final 4 minutes and 19 seconds. McElwain wasted no time and drained six three-pointers and one two-point basket and quickly became a national sensation.
It’s hard to believe that moment was 10 years ago already…time truly does fly by. Well, over the weekend, ESPN did a look back at where Jason McElwain is today…and I must say, it did not disappoint. Tom Rinaldi is simply the best at this type of storytelling (he did both pieces) and Elizabeth Merrill’s story which accompanied the piece was perfect. The world needs more kids (sorry, men) like Jason McElwain and thank you ESPN for this wonderful follow-up!
Pete Weber (or PDW)…I can’t really say that I’m a huge fan of his, but I have followed the PBA Tour over the years thanks to my Dad and uncles (my wife and I even went to a live PBA Tour event at the U.S. Cellular back in the day…it was pretty cool). Being an avid bowler for the last 15 years or so, I still tune into ESPN on Sundays when bowling is televised.
With all that being said, this 30 for 30 Shorts: The Bad Boy of Bowling is fantastic! ESPN really needs to do more of this…I never would have even found this piece (if I hadn’t been sequestered to the bedroom so my wife could watch her shows in the living room), but thanks to the WatchESPN app on our Apple TV…I was able to watch this 30 for 30 Shorts (and it even made me miss bowling…a little bit).
So, to reiterate…ESPN, please find a way to put the above content on during regular programming hours. Less SportsCenter on repeat and less talking (or screaming) heads’ shows would be nice. Thanks for your time.
Over the weekend, I was reminded (AGAIN) why I hate Duke so much. In this play, Grayson Allen CLEARLY travels, but no call from the officials (typical Duke). Shockingly, Duke fans were clamoring for a foul on the play…WHERE?! And Speaking of Allen, maybe he shouldn’t have been playing in Saturday’s game to begin with…as this is what he did in the previous game…looks pretty intentional to me (again, typical Duke)…even Jay Bilas, who went to Duke, AGREED!
My hatred for Duke began on March 30th, 1991…when Duke knocked off defending National Champion UNLV (who was undefeated at 34-0) in the 1991 NCAA National Semifinal. At that time, I loved the Runnin’ Rebels with Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Greg Anthony, Anderson Hunt, and George Ackles. My hatred for Duke increased the following season…when Duke took down Kentucky in double overtime in the East Regional Final (f’ing Laettner) and went on to beat Michigan’s Fab Five (another team I absolutely loved with Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson) in the 1992 NCAA National Championship.
Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, Thomas Hill, Brian Davis, Cherokee Parks, Marty Clark, Chris Collins, Antonio Lang, Jeff Capel, Trajon Langdon, Erik Meek, Ricky Price, Steve Wojciechowski, Greg Newton, Chris Carrawell, Roshown McLeod, William Avery, Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Chris Burgess, Corey Maggette, Nate James, Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Duhon, Dahntay Jones, Daniel Ewing, J.J. Redick, Shelden Williams, Shavlik Randolph, Luol Deng, Sean Dockery, DeMarcus Nelson, Josh McRoberts, Greg Paulus, Lee Melchionni, Jon Scheyer, Gerald Henderson, Brian Zoubek, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Lance Thomas, Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly, Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins, Kyrie Irving, Austin Rivers, Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, and the entire 2014-15 team (Jahlil Okafor, Quinn Cook, Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones, Amile Jefferson, Matt Jones, Grayson Allen, Rasheed Sulaimon, Marshall Plumlee, Semi Ojeleye, Nick Pagliuca, and Sean Kelly)!
And welcome to the hate club…2015-16 members, Brandon Ingram, Luke Kennard, and Derryck Thornton.
I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss anyone…as how can you forget some of those douchebags. Also, I’m not bitter…I’m not jealous…I just hate Duke! I think this almost four-year old parody sums things up about Dook…I mean Duke.
Here’s hoping we see this look again come tournament time.
I love the NBA All-Star Weekend (in Toronto this year)…from the festivities on Friday and Saturday, to the game on Sunday, I love everything about this particular weekend. Back in the day, there were no Friday night events and the slam dunk contest and three-point contest actually took place on Saturday afternoon. In fact, as a kid, I can remember getting home from my YMCA basketball games and sitting down and watching both of these events live. It is probably that early love of basketball, that has hooked me to this notable weekend ever since. Now, let’s look back at some of the more memorable NBA All-Star Weekends…
While usually not as exciting (until recently) as the slam dunk contest, it has always been a nice little appetizer. In the beginning of the three-point contest, it was simply Larry Bird and Craig Hodges. Through the years, no one has owned the event like Bird and Hodges (although Mark Price, Jeff Hornacek, Peja Stojaković, and Jason Kapono each have had back-to-back wins)…maybe now is the time for Stephen Curry to turn this into his own personal shooting clinic. Time will tell, and Curry will have to beat his own teammate, Klay Thompson, to do it…just like last year. But my all-time favorite three-point contest moment came in 2001, when Ray Allen took home the title as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks (it was almost their year). Can Khris Middleton do that this year…good luck (because he’s gonna need it)!
Spud Webb. It was 1986 and probably the first year that I picked up this event. At 5 feet 7 inches, Webb made us all believe that we had the chance to dunk one day.
Michael Jordan. Jordan’s first win in the slam dunk contest came in 1987. MJ defeated Jerome Kersey in the final that year and set the stage for the epic 1988 dual with Dominique Wilkins.
Dee Brown. In 1991, Brown secured his win over Shawn Kemp by doing the no-look dunk. Brown also used his Reebok Pumps to his advantage during this contest, and I remember everyone wanted to get those shoes immediately afterwards.
Vince Carter. The year was 2000, and probably the last slam dunk contest that was really worth watching. I know there have been some decent contests since, but what Carter did on this night was simple amazing. Every dunk kept getting better and better…no one wanted it to end.
Dominique Wilkins vs Michael Jordan. February 6th, 1988 (I can’t believe it has been 28 years already)…easily, the best slam dunk contest ever…and it’s not even close. The event probably should have been canceled after this.
The NBA All-Star Game is usually very entertaining (sometimes the dunks in this game are better than the ones in the slam dunk contest), with very little defense being played until late in the 4th quarter…so basically, just like every other NBA game. While there have been many highlights over the years…only ONE GAME stands out above all others for me. In the 1992 All-Star Game, Magic Johnson (in his first game back since announcing he had contracted the HIV virus and saying that this would be his last) stole the show (winning the MVP)…I will forever remember that game (Dick Enberg was on the call too). And Vanilla Ice was the halftime show!
Circa 1980’s…the best NBA All-Star Game uniforms ever…
And seen again in 2003…please go back to these!
So, sit back and relax this weekend…and don’t forget to take in some of the newer NBA All-Star Weekend festivities…the Rising Stars Challenge (represent, Jabari) on Friday night and the Skills Challenge on Saturday night.
And the NBA Developmental League will be busy this weekend as well, with their Dream Factory and All-Star Game (Saturday night)…you may recognize some of these players from past NCAA tournaments (as these guys can really play).
Super Bowl L (I mean 50), is SLOWLY creeping its way here. I say slowly, because living in the Bay Area has been constant Super Bowl coverage on just about every network for well over a week. Between the countdowns and the live shots from downtown San Francisco and Levi’s Stadium, I simply CANNOT take any more coverage of this game (and don’t get me started on this song). Even if the Packers were in the Super Bowl, it wouldn’t matter that much (okay, it would be slightly more tolerable)…because all the stories being told by these “reporters” are nothing new to the average sports fan…it’s all fluff!
With all that being said…I still would love to go to the game. I have never been to a Super Bowl or even lived so close to one…I feel that it is my duty to find a way into this game (as I may never have this opportunity again). So, with a budget of $500, I took to StubHub to find a single seat for the “big” game.
Absolutely…NO DICE! At last check…the lowest ticket price was…$3,000! Maybe it’s a good thing that the Packers didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. At that price, a Super Bowl ticket would have hurt the old pocket book…just a little bit.
Well, since I (obviously) can’t afford a ticket to the game…maybe I could check out a cool Super Bowl party…I’m sure that would be a lot of fun (maybe even more fun than the game itself).
Here is a list of ticket prices (according to StubHub) to Super Bowl parties being promoted (heavily) in the Bay Area:
Super Bowl Playboy Party with DJ Alesso ($875)
Maxim Super Bowl Party with A$AP Rocky and Lil Wayne ($1,080)
Leather and Laces Super Bowl Party ($825)
Rolling Stone Super Bowl Party with Avicii, Elle King, and Travis Scott ($800)
Priced out…again!
I did happen to find a couple Super Bowl parties in my price range though…
Live Taping of the 17th Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration ($100)
Ne-Yo and T.I. Super Bowl Friday ($130)
Sean Diddy Combs Friday Super Bowl 50 Party ($100)
Golden Anniversary Concert with 50 Cent and more Hosted by Chris Brown ($56)
Super Bowl 50 Launch Party featuring Travis Scott ($56)
Do I roll the dice on one of the above events…or should I save my money for the single most affordable Super Bowl 50 ticket on StubHub…
A PARKING PASS to Super Bowl 50 ($50)!
Nothing like a Sunday drive to Santa Clara (there will still be traffic) and abiding by these rules…TAILGATING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN SUPER BOWL 50 PARKING LOTS. Are you kidding me?!
As for the game itself…sports are often (usually) against me. The teams that I want to win, usually don’t win (it’s actually quite painful). In this case, the Denver defense will probably make Cam Newton do things that he hasn’t done all season long (they did it to Tom Brady…so I’m a believer), and HGH neck (I mean Peyton Manning), will do just enough to allow himself to ride off into the sunset…a two-time Super Bowl champion. Just the thought of this makes me sick…and that’s why I’m (mentally) getting myself ready now. Sports are cruel, and yet, they are still the greatest reality show on television. Broncos 24, Panthers 20.
Last Thursday, at my wife’s urging (Happy Birthday!), we saw Josh Ritter perform at The Fillmore in San Francisco. Although I didn’t know any of Josh Ritter’s songs (not really my style) going into the evening…I must admit, I had a really great time at the show and enjoyed seeing a concert in a smaller venue like the Fillmore (capacity is only 1,150 people).
The Fillmore has TONS of history behind it, but one of the aspects that I found rather interesting (and that my wife pointed out) was that the Fillmore is also well known for its concert posters by artists. Copies of the night’s poster are given to fans free of charge as they exit shows (for some reason, I didn’t take a Josh Ritter poster on my way out of the show…and my wife let me hear all about it).
A collection of all these posters (thousands) is also on display in the auditorium today…we tried to view the collection after the show, but to no avail (this will be a must on our next trip). Other quirky traditions that are carried on at the Fillmore is a large tub of free apples for concert goers positioned near the entrance along with a greeter who welcomes each guest as they enter…Welcome to the Fillmore!
While waiting for Josh Ritter to go on stage, my mind started to race. The following picture that I captured reminded me of something…
Who’s the band?
Back in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s, Miller Genuine Draft had a Blind Date promotion going on in which bands that typically played in large stadiums would now perform for small audiences in intimate club settings (Large Bands – Small Clubs – Big Mystery…was the slogan). These Blind Date promotions took place in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago. While MGD ran an exhaustive slate of national TV, print, and radio ads, as well as tie-ins with bars and restaurants…I can’t for the life of me (or the Internet, which I find hard to believe) find any of these ads. But the quote…who’s the band?…I remember being all over radio and television (mainly because I wanted to be one of those lucky people).
On our drive home, I got to thinking (again, scary)…was the Fillmore used for this MGD Blind Date promotion? Well, look what I found here (this time, the Internet does win)…
The Foo Fighters!
Yes, the Foo Fighters (relative new comers at the time) performed at the Fillmore as part of the MGD Blind Date promotion…and of course, here’s the poster from that July 18th, 1997 evening (it was a Friday). That had to be one of the coolest moments in any concert goers overall music experience (the lucky few that actually saw it)…but, as always, there is someone that is tough to please…and in this case, a Dave Matthews fan strikes again!
Other MGD Blind Date gigs that I could find (through exhaustive research) included: Bush, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Creed (come on, really?!), David Bowie (RIP), Incubus, Third Eye Blind, and Stone Temple Pilots (also RIP).
Please, Miller Genuine Draft, bring this promotion back! And an MGD sounds like the beverage of choice this evening. Cheers!
On Saturday night, as Larry Fitzgerald walked into the end zone for the game’s winning score, a sick feeling passed through my entire body (and no, it wasn’t my alcohol consumption). This feeling, was the same feeling I had a almost a year ago, to the day, when the Packers lost a different type of heartbreaker to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship. This is a pain…that takes longer and longer to recover from with each passing season (and also, probably the reason why I am finally getting around to this post today).
As a Packers fan, I invest A LOT into a season (some would say too much), but the Green Bay Packers are a part of me…always have, and always will be (I am an owner). To me, the Packers (and all sports for that matter) are the greatest dose of reality that this world has to offer (it’s also a great escape from the daily grind going on around us). Going into this season, it felt like destiny for the Packers (and me) as Super Bowl L (ahem, 50) would be held in (kind of nearby…depending of traffic, of course) Santa Clara, California, but as things would have it…it just wasn’t meant to be. And while the season had many ups and downs along the way, there was always a part of me that continued to believe (although things were very bleak at times)…that the Packers would make their way to the Super Bowl.
Now that the season is over (and I try to recover), let’s look back at some of the pictures that helped define the 2015 Green Bay Packers.
I think everyone knew the Packers were in trouble when Jordy Nelson went down, but I don’t think ANYONE believed they would struggle so much on offense without him. Here’s hoping the Jordy of old returns next season.
6-0…it felt so great! While there were signs of struggles on offense, the winning definitely hid some of those issues. Going into the bye week at 6-0, everything seemed to be falling into place for a spot in Super Bowl L.
Three straight losses and a home loss to (of all teams) the lowly Lions (it was Detroit’s first win at Lambeau since 1991). At this stage, the offensive struggles were real…evidence shown as Davante Adams couldn’t catch a cold in this game despite 21 targets.
Losing at home, on Thanksgiving night, to the Bears, during Brett Favre’s #4 retirement, with Bart Starr in attendance…I still don’t know how this happened.
The Packers were a complete dumpster fire in the early part of this game, but this Hail Mary on the last play of the game had us forget all about that…and made us believe, once again, that the Packers weren’t dead yet. This play, truly is, the definition of sports fandom.
After a brutal 1st quarter, the offense came alive over the final three quarters to win on Wild Card Weekend, and gave us hope in their rematch with Arizona.
Another Hail Mary (INSANE as Al Michaels called it)…and this time, to Jeff Janis (the People’s Champion). It felt like destiny was on our side…until just moments later, and two separate plays by Fitzgerald.
Another wasted season…is the prime of Rodgers career flashing before our eyes?
So…now what? Where do the Green Bay Packers go from here. While I think (actually, I know) we all have opinions on a number of different decisions…we can probably expect (and wholeheartedly disagree) that the Packers will stick to their plan of course. As for us, the fans, the recovery process after a season like this (heck, just the Divisional game alone), will take some time. Unfortunately, this year, we don’t have the Wisconsin Badgers to take our minds of this loss…and the Milwaukee Bucks, while playing better lately, are still a long ways back from the 8th seed…and the Milwaukee Brewers, it will be a LONG time before they are even competitive again.
So, Green Bay Packers, while this offseason is sure to be long (for all of us)…here’s hoping that we are not in this exact same position AGAIN come next season. GET IT RIGHT!!!
According to Merriam-Webster, a do-over is…a new attempt or opportunity to do something after a previous attempt has been unsuccessful or unsatisfactory. The following organizations are getting an opportunity for a do-over or surely would like the chance at one…and badly.
The Green Bay Packers: Green Bay plays at Arizona in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs on Saturday night. In week 16, the Packers lost at Arizona 38-8…and the game really wasn’t even that close. So, can the Packers (7 point underdogs) pull off the upset…I highly doubt it (my expectations are still very low), BUT if Arizona’s Carson Palmer becomes Carson Hoyer (the Stave of the NFL), the Packers do have a legitimate chance. Palmer, in only 1+ career playoff games (he tore his ACL in the first quarter of his first career playoff start) has these playoff numbers…19 for 37 (51.35%), 212 yards, 1 TD/1 INT, and a passer rating of 66.5. Not exactly numbers that should strike fear in the Green Bay Packers, but Palmer just completed an MVP type season…342 for 537 (63.7%), 4671 yards, 35 TD/11 INT, and a passer rating of 104.6…so which Palmer will show up on Saturday night and can the Packers continue their offensive rhythm from last week…this is the suspense that is making this week SO long.
The Los Angeles Rams: The Rams are moving back to Los Angeles, and in my opinion, that is where they belong. The St. Louis Rams (in the NFC West) just didn’t make sense…besides, St. Louis is a baseball town with a little bit of hockey sprinkled in. Growing up, I enjoyed watching the LA Rams (Ram It!)…they were an exciting team to watch with the likes of Eric Dickerson, Jim (don’t call me Chris) Everett, Henry Ellard, Flipper Anderson, and Kevin Greene. Now that the Rams are going to call Los Angeles home again, I hope they go back to their old color scheme as well…a chance at a double do-over!
I love the classic look!
I also enjoyed this piece on the @LaraMS Twitter handle…sometimes you really can’t make this stuff up.
The WIAA: Oh boy, where do I even begin here. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that the WIAA is getting absolutely pummeled in the PR department (it is the second time this week, where I was asked in California, what is wrong with Wisconsin…the other, Making a Murderer, of course). The WIAA’s fun started way back on December 22nd with a sportsmanship email to schools (Seasons Greetings¡). Then on January 4th, April Gehl took to the Twitterverse to express her opinion about said email…
Last Friday (January 8th) a five-game suspension was handed down to Gehl and the WIAA hasn’t been the same ever since. Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) continues to pile on and Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) is going to have his take (One Big Thing) on SportsCenter tomorrow night (be sure to tune in).
While SO MUCH has already been discussed on this topic (ad nauseam), here is my final take (I hope)…
To the WIAA…lay off the Twitter (and all social media) for a LONG while…every time you have posted something in the past few days, you have been lambasted (and rightfully so)…as NO ONE is taking you seriously right now. Give this till at least March or April…by then, people will have already forgotten about this fiasco (or moved onto something else).
To Hilbert High School…you may want to look at your code of conduct. A five-game suspension for a tweet seems kind of harsh (is this the norm…what do other schools in your area have in place). Also, I hope you are having a good and thorough discussion with your entire student body on what is appropriate for social media. Kids will be kids…but let’s try to be more proactive in the future.
To April Gehl…your 15 minutes of fame are long passed. DELETE the tweet and move on with your high school career. Do you really want to be known as this girl for the rest of your life? We all make mistakes (especially as teenagers), but showing a little remorse may have gotten you less of a suspension (and a follow-up apology tweet is long overdue).
It’s time for America’s favorite game…Blind Quarterback Resume! The following 8 quarterbacks will be competing in this weekend’s Wild Card games. See if you can figure out who each quarterback is…as the numbers are based off the 2nd half of the season (8 games).
Cmp/AttCmp%YardsTD/IntRating
QB 1: 173/235 73.62 2,212 19/2 126.1
QB 2: 168/249 67.47 2,146 25/2 124.3
QB 3: 137/202 67.82 1,517 11/4 99.8
QB 4: 79/119 66.39 854 6/2 97.1
QB 5: 143/215 66.51 1,561 8/3 94.4
QB 6: 224/335 66.87 2,764 16/11 94.4
QB 7: 95/154 61.69 1,025 6/4 83.4
QB 8: 184/320 57.50 1,884 12/5 80.5
And the answers are….
QB 1 – Kirk Cousins (ranked 1st in the league over the final 8 games), QB 2 – Russell Wilson (ranked 2nd), QB 3 – Alex Smith (ranked 6th), QB 4 – A.J. McCarron (ranked 8th), QB 5 – Teddy Bridgewater (ranked 12th), QB 6 – Ben Roethlisberger (ranked 13th), QB 7 – Brian Hoyer (ranked 26th), and QB 8 is…Aaron Rodgers (the 27th ranked quarterback over the final eight games of the season).
As Clara and I watched Home Alone last night (in an effort to get into the Christmas spirit), I started to think about all the different toys and games from the 80’s and 90’s. With those thoughts, my mind quickly raced to…the JCPenney Christmas Catalog.
The JCPenney Christmas Catalog used to be the way everyone picked out what they wanted for Christmas. You would simply open the catalog up and start circling or checking items that peaked your interest. I really wish that I could get my hands on one of those catalogs from the 80’s and 90’s.
Well, thanks to the Internet…they are still available for you to peruse. So go ahead, take the next couple of minutes (or hours) reminiscing about Christmas past. Enjoy!
Oh, how times and styles (thankfully) have changed…but there still is a part of me that wishes I could fire up the Sega Master System or Nintendo Entertainment System one final time.
Sega Master System
Nintendo Entertainment System (I don’t know of anyone that had the Robot)
One of the neat things about living in California is that your hometown teams (the teams you grew up rooting for…and still avidly follow and cheer for) come and visit once in awhile. This past weekend, it worked out to perfection…the Bucks played the Warriors on Friday night and the Packers played the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. We now have officially checked off the “Oakland Double” on the list of things to do in the Bay Area.
To put into perspective…Oracle Arena (right) and O.co Coliseum are neighbors that share parking lots.
Bucks vs Warriors
Not a bad seat in the house.
We took BART to the game, and due to the rain, we went straight into the game instead of checking out nearby bars for our pregame. Oracle Arena opened at 6pm and we got the opportunity to explore everything the arena had to offer…as the game was still 90 minutes from tip-off. We witnessed something, that if you ever get the chance, you absolutely must do…watch Steph Curry’s pregame warm-up. I’m not sure what Michael Jordan’s warm-up included back in the day, but Curry’s is simply amazing and fun to watch…including this shot.
As for the game itself, it was quite possibly the best regular season NBA game I have ever attended. Watching a game at Oracle is fabulous…as the arena reminds me a little bit of The Kohl Center in terms of layout. The fans are super into the game and the arena gets really loud (something you don’t often experience at the Bradley Center)…and you get to stand up A LOT (something I love). The Bucks played their hearts out (please play like this all the time), but fell short in the 4th quarter, when none other than Steph Curry, took control of things. Clara and I were two of just a handful of Bucks fans at the game, but we represented, and we’re treated very cordially by the Warrior fans. As for Draymond Green, he’s still the same whiny little bitch that he was at Michigan State…grow up!
2-0 vs the Warriors would have been amazing…but the Bucks are still the only blemish on Golden State’s record.
Packers vs Raiders
Great seats…I could watch all Packer games like this (home and road).
Thank you Grant for the tickets! Who would have thought that Mike Tice (yes, him) would one day be our connection to getting Packers tickets (in Oakland). Well, thank you sir! With our tickets in hand, we set out early to enjoy the full Wisconsin tailgate experience…cheese, brats, and cold Miller Lite. Of course, it started to rain during the tailgate and into most of the game…as I’m now 0 for 2 in terms of nice weather for Packer games (I’ve attended) this season.
As for the game, it was nice to see lots of Green and Gold (Lambeau West?)…and the GO PACK GO chant late in the game, made me smile. Our seats were wonderful (players section), and we even had another Packer fan next to us (they’re everywhere). The Packers once again struggled offensively and at times it was really hard to watch the futility of the offense, but it was nice to see another win…and it was nice to leave O.co Coliseum in one piece (thankfully we weren’t anywhere near The Black Hole). This was my second time at O.co as I took in an A’s vs Dodgers game there last summer…and it truly makes you appreciate Lambeau Field even more when you attend a game at an out-dated facility like O.co.
Grant dressed like a Raiders fan, but didn’t hold back when the GO PACK GO chants started.
All in all, a very successful Oakland Double…a sweep would have been awesome (and almost un-thinkable as the Bucks were 19.5 underdogs), but the Packers probably needed to win the most. I can’t wait to do it again sometime…and I’m still holding out hope for Super Bowl L (because you never know) as the Packers are officially in the playoffs.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is one of my all-time favorite movies! I cannot wait to sit down some day next week (I am off ALL week) and watch it over and over (traditionally Clara and I do this on Christmas Eve and Christmas, but we’ll see what Theune has in store for us).
Christmas Vacation is my go-to movie to get me in the Christmas spirit…and not to mention, all of the Christmas music I have been playing each day during PE (the kids love it, as they are super-hyper this time of year).
While there are SO MANY good scenes in Christmas Vacation…one of my favorites is the light scene. While I have seen many impressive light displays over the years in Wisconsin…none of them, can compare to the one we have here…right in Livermore, California. (On a side note, I’ve been equally impressed by many of the light displays in and around Livermore…people sure like their yard inflatables…they are everywhere!)
Deacon Dave’s Christmas Lights makes Clark Griswold’s light display look like the work of a child (even with the drumroll). When my dad mentioned something about a light display in Livermore that was on the news back in Wisconsin, I did a little bit of research and found out that Casa del Pomba – House of the Dove was located less than two miles from our place. So we followed the glow of the lights and let’s just say…
It. Did. Not. Disappoint.
Panoramic shot…it doesn’t do justice how amazing the display really is in person.
I can’t even imagine having this house as a neighbor…CA city blocks are a lot more compact than WI.
Year 33…where are all the lights stored?
Proposal 59 happened earlier in the evening, before we arrived.
Only 470,890 more twinkle lights than Clark Griswold!
Otherwise known as…the least favorite Badger. Going back to my college days, Wisconsin has always had a player on their roster (that played major minutes) that my friends and I really did not like. The first such player that my friends and I absolutely despised was none other than Charlie Wills (hence the award’s name).
Charlie Wills was the type of player that just didn’t look like he belonged playing college basketball (especially at the Division I level)…and Wills played during an era where Wisconsin basketball was just starting to make a name for itself. The early 2000’s were not like the 1980’s and 1990’s where Wills would have been just another guy on a really bad team. Charlie Wills actually played 19 freaking minutes in the Final Four as a sophomore (finishing with 2 points and 1 rebound). That fact…still amazes me to this day!
So, this year’s least favorite Badger is…Vitto Brown. So why is Vitto Bad (I mean Brown) this year’s selection? Case in point…during Wednesday night’s home loss to UWM (simply inexcusable), the 6-8 forward pulls down a rebound and decides to awkwardly (key word) dribble three quarters of the court with the basketball (there’s little over a minute left in the game, mind you), only to pick-up (you guessed it) a CHARGE! Not smart, and just one, of many reasons (Vitto was also 1 for 9 from the field vs UWM) why Brown is the recipient of this year’s Charlie Wills Award…and a heavy favorite to repeat next year (he wouldn’t be the first).
Here is a look back at past winners of the Charlie Wills Award during the Bo Ryan era…
2015-16: Vitto Brown
2014-15: Traevon Jackson
2013-14: Traevon Jackson
2012-13: Ryan Evans
2011-12: Ryan Evans
2010-11: Tim Jarmusz
2009-10: Tim Jarmusz
2008-09: Jordan Taylor
2007-08: Greg Stiemsma
2006-07: Jason Chappell
2005-06: Jason Chappell
2004-05: Andreas Helmigk
2003-04: Dave Mader
2002-03: Dave Mader
2001-02: Charlie Wills
As you can see, there have been many repeat winners, and only two players…Jordan Taylor (who later became a 2nd team All-American) and Greg Stiemsma (who is currently in his fourth year in the NBA) were able to recover from winning the Wills Award. Today, Charlie is doing just fine, and the good news for Vitto…at least he can sing.
During the wee hours of the morning on January 1st (when all good ideas are usually concocted…thanks Mike and Pat), while drinking a Jigger Ale (beer #1) at The Horse & Plow, I decided I would use the Untappd app (drink socially) to track ALL the beers I would drink in 2015 (I was curious what the number might be).
As the beers were going down quite easily/quickly during the month of January (what else is there to do during that month in Wisconsin), I set a goal (thanks Jimmy V)…to drink 1,000 beers during 2015. And thanks to the Packers and Badgers successes, I was well over 100 beers for the month of January alone…a pace I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up…but with that, I knew, 1,000 could be attainable…as long as I remembered to check-in each beer. By July 1st…I was still ahead of the pace.
Well…yesterday, at The Trappist, I rolled 1,000 over on my beer odometer. I enjoyed a St. Bernardus Abt 12 for beer #1,000…it was delicious!
With all that being said…here are the “stats” on my 1,000 beers. I just love stats!
Different (distinct) beers: 402
Drinking badges earned: 233
Highest check-in: Miller Lite (285)…next was Spotted Cow (22)
Highest rated: 5 stars – Pliny the Elder and St. Bernardus Abt 12
Lowest rated: 2 stars – Hopsburger (Grumpy Troll), Coffee & Cigarettes (Cellarmaker), and Star Baby IPA (Brenner)
Beers per day (based on 339 days): 2.95 beers
Beers per month (based on 11.16 months): 89.60 beers
Hangovers: I’d rather not say…
The official numbers.
Now, the question is…how many more beers can I drink before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st…only time will tell (I also have been challenged), but I will definitely keep you posted.
The 9th annual Jimmy V Week, for cancer research, kicks off today (December 2, 2015). This weeklong initiative across multiple ESPN platforms and programs features special content to help raise funds for cancer research. (Editors note: Clara…save the date).
For those of you that don’t know who Jimmy Valvano is…you can read all about his life here. There was also a great ESPN Films 30 for 30 (imagine that) about Valvano and his North Carolina State Wolfpack team that won the 1983 NCAA National Championship titled…Survive and Advance.
Valvano is probably known to most for the courageous speech that he gave at the 1993 ESPY Awards while accepting the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award (let’s just not talk about the 2015 winner at this time). It was during that speech, that Valvano announced the creation of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. I used to show Valvano’s speech to my freshman health students when we talked about setting goals (it was actually quite moving to most 14 and 15 year olds…that think they know all there is to know about life).
So today, with the tragedy taking place in San Bernardino, CA (when is this nonsense going to stop)…take the time to watch Jimmy V’s speechand if you have some extra time…check out Stuart Scott’s speech from when he accepted the 2014 Jimmy V Perseverance Award. Easily, two of the greatest speeches ever and great examples of how we all should lead our lives…because you never know when your time will be up.
Or should I say…Happy Th4nksgiving! May your day be filled with lots of family, food, football, and Favre…lots and lots of Favre! Like John Madden slobbering levels of Favre…one has to wonder if Madden (or Frank Caliendo) will be at the retirement ceremony and in the booth…please make this happen NBC.
Gobble, gobble, gobble…
Here’s hoping the Packers pull out the win (they better…as they’re playing against, arguably, the 4th greatest QB in Packers history) and all can finally be 4given with Brett…as it is time to put the past in the past (and make Favre 4ever). I really can’t wait to see Bart Starr back at Lambeau Field either…it is bound to be a special evening and I wish I could be there to witness this in person (I want pictures, Rau). Instead, my DVR is all set to record the three greatest quarterbacks in Packers history, on the same field, one final time.
