FanNation - The Republic of Sport

After getting to see both the Wisconsin Badgers in Camp Randall, and the Brewers at Miller Park in the same weekend, I just feel like talking sports.  So here we go;

 1) The Badger football team.  First, just to get this out of the way; I was finally able to get seats in the UW student section in the UW v. Marshall game.  I realize it has been said a million times before, but it needs to be said again; that is one of the best experiences any sports fans can have, is to watch a game from (or near, if you're one of the faint-hearted) the Wisconsin student section.  They are as mean as advertised, and it is way too much fun to be a participant.  And for those of you living outside Wisconsin, you haven't seen a crowd do the wave, until you've seen 80,000 Sconnies do the wave.  Plus, actually being IN the student section for "Jump Around," is incredible - although, the times I have seen it from outside the student section have been equally impressive.  They aren't kidding when they say the whole stadium shakes.  And just a side note; I'm not some creepy 38 year old who just shows up at college events - I'm 23, and my girlfriend attends the UW.  For some reason, I felt that I needed to make that known (seeing as there really are creepy, 38 year old men who show up at college events).  As for the game; this team did a fantastic job of making 80,000 people simultaneously soil themselves.  Down 14-0, to lowly Marshall will do that to a fanbase.  But 51 unanswered points later, all is now good.  I have to say I was quite impressed with Allan Evridge at quarterback.  Marshall's plan to begin with, was to shut down the running game that trampled last week's opponent (Akron), to death, thus forcing the Badgers to pass.  It worked, the Badgers did pass a ton more then they did the week prior...unfortunately for Marshall, the final score read 51-14.  Now, to be fair, this wasn't exactly the Ohio State defense that Evridge was going up against.  A lot of Evridge's passes that he completed, were clearly to receivers whose defenders had blown their coverage - in other words, they were WIDE open.  BUT, that being said, he showed he has a good arm, and has the ability to throw the long ball.  Even more encouraging, is the fact that all of this was accomplished without Travis Beckum in at tight end.  Next week will be very tough though for Bucky - Fresno State is no pushover by any means, and if the Badgers have another slow start like they have the past two weeks, they WILL lose.  Hopefully, they take the brief scare against Marshall to heart, and realize they need to play the whole game, not just the second half. 

2) The Brewers.  I won't talk much about the game I attended, seeing as it was the most pitiful game of the season for the Brewers, by far.  I'm not quite panicking yet, hoping that this is just another bump in the road for a very young team.  If you haven't noticed, this team seems to like to do things in bunches.  They lose 4 in a row, and then win 8 in a row.  They never seem to alternate wins and losses...but oh well.  I say any team with Sabathia and Sheeter in the rotation, has more then a good chance to turn things around.  But, one good thing to see in that game, was getting to see in person, Mat Gamel get his first major league hit - it was a roped double down the right field line.  I have a strong feeling that one day, I'm going to be able to say with pride that I was there for the Great Gamel's first major league hit.  I'll probably even lie, and say the Brewers won 15-0.  Gamel is one more reason as to why this won't be the last dance by the Brewers.  They are here to stay, much to the chagrin of the rest of the NL Central.  I was also able to see Alcides Escobar, the stud shortstop who was voted in his league as the "most exciting player."  And I have to say, just LOOKING at him, you just have to assume that he's a potential highlight reel play, every time the ball comes his way.  He looks like Jose Reyes, almost.  Hopefully, he'll come with better defense then Reyes.  Just imagine, fellow Brewer fans; a lineup with Hart, Hardy, Braun, Escobar, and Gamel.  How's that for a lineup?  And yes, I did leave Prince out for a reason.  Just getting one look at Gamel, a left handed power hitter who can actually run, has made me even more convinced that Prince has never been more expendable.  The kid is like a lefty version of Braunie.  The future has never been brighter for the Brewers.  I don't care if Sheets AND Sabathia leave either; the Yo-man will be back, and the solid year Parra has had so far, will go a long ways for his development.  Obviously, there will be some holes to fix.  They need to once and for all, clear the team of the dead weight they are carrying right now.  Weeks and Hall have become liabilities.  Hall has range over at third, but compared to Braun last year, he's only margianally better.  As for his offense, the boos he now hear's routinely at Miller Park tell the story.  Either he pops up, or strikes out.  Weeks, as well, is just a major disappointment.  He has all of the physical abilities to be a great major leaguer.  He's quick, and has a powerful bat - unfortuantely, his development has been very slow.  I still think he's going to turn it around at some point - at the very least, with his OBP being 100 points higher then his batting average, all he needs to do is hit somewhere around .270, and he'd be an awesome leadoff hitter.  But like I have said before, this team is now a contender, for years to come, and cannot afford to sit around and wait for slowly developing players.  I could definitely see Escobar, in time, being a fantastic leadoff guy for the Brewers.  But I say, instead of banking hopes on Weeks, get rid of him, and keep Durham.  Just like the Brewers used Junior Spivey to keep second base warm for weeks, we can do the same for Escobar.  Yes, I know he's a short stop, but I really think Hardy is firmly entrenched at short.  I could be wrong - with his glove, I'm sure he could just as easily make the transition to second or third.  

3) Brett Favre.  He beat the Dophins...on another prayer, chucked into the end zone with about 40 defenders surrounding his receiver.  And people are impressed about this?  IT WAS THE DOLPHINS!!!  This Favre worshipping has really gone to far at this point.  I don't even like the Patriots, but even I'm insulted that people are now proclaiming the Jets, yes, last year's 4-12 Jets, to be the class of the AFC East.  HUH??  They beat THE DOLPHINS!!!  I'm sure there's even quite a few suffering Dolphin fans who find this sudden coronation of the Jets to be amusing.  Any other team beats the Dolphins this year, they would get the customary, "yeah, BUT they beat the DOLPHINS."  But because this team has the Lord Brett Lorenzo Favre on it, everyone immediately pees their pants, and proclaims the Jets to be the greatest team ever.  The best thing that has come out of this whole ordeal, is that us Packer fans have finally cleansed our fanbase of all the Brett Favre, bandwagon fans.  I saw a few of them at the Sunday Brewer game, prancing around in their #4 Jets jerseys.  Good to get rid of them...hope they fully enjoy a 6-10 Jets season.  IT WAS THE DOLPHINS!  Had to say that one more time...

4) The Packers.  I already am wearing my lucky Robert Brooks jersey, which I've had since I was about 10 years old.  This is going to be fun tonight, to say the least.  It isn't often at all that you get a playoff atmosphere in week 1, but the whole situation with Favre having phone sex with Brad Childress, and Jared "the Double DUI" Allen's comments about putting his helmet in Rodgers' back...can you say, "delicious, delicious drama?"  You would think that the team, who last time they were in Lambeau, left with a 34-0 size welt on their butts, would hold off on the trash talk until they actually BEAT the Packers.  But if that's the game they want to play, then that's just fine.  I really don't think a team that went 13-3 last season, and came within a Brett Favre INT of the Super Bowl, really needs anymore motivation - but if the Vikings are willing to give some, then I'm sure the boys in green and gold will be willing to take it.  I say a fun drinking game for tonight, will be to take a shot every time one of the MNF clowns says the words, "Brett Favre."  On second thought, don't do that - you'd be in detox by the second quarter.

5) And finally, I would like to thank the Indianapolis Colts for supplying Chicago fans with one more reason to gloat...as if they really needed any more material to pump their chests about.