I just want to say..

... that I enjoyed this Brewer season like no other in my lifetime.  It hurts now, but when I look back on this season thirty years from now the next time the Brewers make the playoffs, I will smile.  The bottom line is that the Brewers peaked too early in the season and The Yankees of the West got hot at exactly the right time.  I hope the Manager enjoyed his victory and I'm sure he enjoyed that puppy he ate in his victory celebration. 

Beast Mode from Krakow Poland

The credit says "Paul Wuteska - Krakow, Poland, WI"

There is both a Krakow, WI and a Poland WI... and of course a Krakow, Poland.

JSOnline

Of course this one wins for cutest Beast Mode.

Brewers Fever!

Okay the video is from 2008 but the song is a classic!



... We have some Tigers fans and some Cardinals fans that read the blog.... The next few weeks could be interesting....  Seriously though, I never remember a more exciting divisional round of the playoffs.  The Ranger/Rays series could have easily gone 5 games as well.  Remember fans, even in baseball, pray for your "enemies."

New poll question: Favorite Wisconsin based sports team

It's also over on the right bar over there.  Although my wife sometimes argues with me, my pick is the Milwaukee Brewers as my favorite sports team.  Especially these Brewers, everything about this team makes me love baseball despite the ridiculous corporate structure of the MLB(as opposed to the brilliant setup of the NFL).  The Brewers overcame some terrible ownership, and have been saved by LA businessman Mark Attanasio, who had his father sing the national anthem for game 1 of the playoffs(who also sings the anthem at every opening game).  And not just the team, but two words which makes a world of difference; Bob Uecker.  The team is sooo Milwaukee and sooo Wisconsin.  Don't get me wrong, I love watching the other Wisconsin teams(well I don't watch the NBA...), but the question is who's number 1.   Ask me in a couple years and maybe I will have changed my mind..  I think it will be interesting to see the results on this one.  By the way, the staches win on the previous poll.

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Results

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Karlen: How Braunie, the Prince, Axeman, T-Plush and Brew Crew Ball salvaged my summer from hell

A title like that, I suppose, merits prose better than what you're about to read. Nevertheless, I hope you'll tolerate this very personal reflection on this season.

I told my wife last night that I suspect a guy's favorite season of baseball should take place when he's 10 or 12 years old rather than 27. But regardless of how this season ends--with a World Series title, an ugly sweep at the hands of the D-Backs, or anything in between--I had more fun this year than I ever have watching baseball.

In the first year of our marriage, my wife and I were blessed to have a little boy. We deeply desired a large family, but the last few years we've struggled with infertility and in 2010 the miscarriage of our second child. On Father's Day this year, we were delightfully shocked to find out we were expecting again. Hollywood couldn't have scripted it better.

We were thrilled to go to our first ultrasound. I still remember my son's first ultrasound. For a bewildered 22-year-old, seeing that tiny heart beating away was probably even more powerful and awe-inspiring than the birth. But that July morning, there was no heartbeat. We were told to expect to miscarry a second time within a week. And so began my month-and-a-half long odyssey through the bowels of hell.

continue at Brew Crew Ball

After you finish reading this great article by Steve Karlen, check out Fox 6 who did an interview with the Karlens regarding the article.

Life Chain, who knew?

Life Chain in Wauwatosa

Discombobulation.  That's the best word to describe the chaos of my mind.  So I admit I did not hear about this Life Chain effort until Sunday during the homily at Blessed Sacrament in La Crosse.  Wow, great pro-life homily, by the deacon there btw.  We had a baptism so we would not be able to attend, but when we were headed back through La Crosse, I was impressed with the turnout, probably 100-200 people lining the streets!  I guess there were several similar rallies throughout the state.  Great to see such good numbers.

I was also at Game 1 on Saturday when the Brewers took on the Diamondbacks.  I have never been to a playoff game before but wow, it was electric in Miller Park!  If you watched, Ryan Braun's throw out at home in the first inning was just crazy.  It was as loud as a football game with half as many people there!  What was strange is that once I was in the stadium I could not call out or upload any pictures, but I could send text based messages.  Someone told me the towers are US Cellular and unless you have 4G it blocks data intense signals.

Oh so the point of the story was I sat next to a really nice young couple.  I don't remember how it came up but I mentioned I had three children and they were amazed.  After wowing them with (only) three children, they mentioned that they had just got a new puppy and how much that had changed their lives.  I told them actually we eat puppies since we cant afford groceries(kidding!!).  It does remind me that there can definitely be a fear out there for good married couples to have kids, especially "alot" (greater than two) of kids.  My advice is simply to recklessly abandon yourself to the Providence of God.  Sometimes the screw-ups in parenting will actually end up spinning the parents in the right direction.

Root, root, root for the Brewers

Brewers fans gather at the Summerfest grounds Thursday for the Brewers playoff rally.

And yes, I'll be reporting live from Game 1. 

Brilliant!

Some brilliant mind gave this to the internet.

Clutch

MJS

Watch at MLB.com

Nobody said it would be easy...

Ryan Braun reacts after connecting for his game-winning home run in the 11th inning

JSOnline

Abp Listecki: Thoughts of Baseball and the Brewers

Last Thursday I participated in a tailgate party which preceded the Brewers-Dodgers baseball game. It was sponsored by the Catholic Herald. Brian Olszewski and his staff acted as hosts. Brats, hot dogs and hamburgers, coleslaw, pasta salad and fresh fruit filled the menu. More than 200 people crowded under a tent at the parking lot of St. Florian parish.

Our Auxiliary Bishop, Donald Hying, was also present. It was Bishop Hying’s birthday, and voices serenaded him. It was a beautiful day in the low 80s with plenty of sunshine. The Brewers have been on a roll, so that enhanced the camaraderie. Miller Park was so close that many walked to the stadium.

Baseball is the American pastime. Although football, basketball and even soccer have gained and captured the attention of the American public in the last couple of decades, baseball occupies that traditional sentiment of a time when the country was innocent and fresh. Teams would barnstorm across the nation playing in various towns. A great hero like Babe Ruth seemed to transcend reality, and people would forget their troubles and become lost in the figure of “The Babe.”

There wasn’t the glitz that accompanies modern sports personalities and teams today. The media were limited, so there was always a hunger for news about one’s favorite team by printed sports stories, radio or word of mouth. Modern sports utilize every aspect of social media to promote the sport. Because of that the game is seen as a business, and that diminishes the natural attraction.

One thing is for certain: When your team is winning, everyone feels good. The Milwaukee Brewers are doing great. Unfortunately, this past Thursday the Brewers lost facing the Dodgers’ best pitcher. I love the hitting aspect of the game, and the Brewers’ bats were silent.

Despite the loss, this is a good year for Brewers fans. I predicted at the beginning of the season that the Brewers would win their division and be in the playoffs. Could we possibly have a pennant or a World Series title? What a year 2011 would be for Wisconsin professional sports – a Packers Super Bowl championship and a Brewers World Series. We can dream!

It was a treat to be with parishioners at a baseball game, support the Catholic Herald and dream of a pennant. Sports help us to suspend our troubles, engage in competition and support our home team. As I left Miller Park to return to the real world I was thankful for the brief escape, never forgetting to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

 Living Our Faith

Amen!  Great article!  I'm sure the Packers comment was a hard one to swallow for our dear archbishop as they beat his Bears on the way to win it all.  But as for baseball, he grew up a White Sox fan is happy to see the northsiders lose a few to the Crew.

Excitement

Living the High Life

Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Nyjer Morgan are on the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated, the first time since 1987 the magazine has featured an all-Brewers cover.

The story by Lee Jenkins is headlined "Living the High Life," with the subhead "How T-Plush and Two Wallbanging MVP Candidates Are Mixing a Strange Brew in Milwaukee."

more at JSOnline

It's hard to explain how much personality this team has from watching and listening to them.  As I discussed with one of my cousins recently and we agreed: World Series win > Super Bowl win. 

A necessary post

Central	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD
Milwaukee	73	52	0.584	-	47-16	26-36
St. Louis	66	58	0.532	6.5	32-27	34-31
Cincinnati	60	64	0.484	12.5	34-30	26-34
Pittsburgh	58	64	0.475	13.5	28-33	30-31
Chi Cubs	54	70	0.435	18.5	29-33	25-37
Houston	40	84	0.323	32.5	21-41	19-43

Reason #1,435 why I love baseball

Saw this at Father Z's place who saw it on CMReport.  This happened during the Brewers/Diamondbacks series this past week.  Rickie Weeks throws the ball into... well just watch it.  The audio is the Arizona guys, so I think that's why I don't remember seeing anything about it. 





If the embedded video doesn't work, watch it on MLB.com

Go Brewers!

MJS: Celebrating the final out, a group of nuns enjoy the Milwaukee Brewers sweep of the Washington Nationals on May 25.

Credit: Tom Lynn

Badger Catholic naming his next child T. Plush?

The Brewers are in first place in the division(tied).  The closed out the first half of the season with a dramatic 9th inning come from behind victory against the Cincinnati Reds. 

It's hard to explain but I am more of a Brewers fan than a Packers fan.  Growing up, baseball was thee sport.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not jettisoning my Super Bowl Champs.  But baseball is just the better sport.  Most people prefer the instant and flashy football to the the patience and pedestrian baseball.  Baseball is America's pastime.  I one time tried to explain to a friend of mine how baseball is the Catholic sport.  It's a sport where you don't have to be the biggest or the strongest to be the best.  But I digress...

If you've never seen it, I recommend the DVD Champions of Faith.  It's a great telling of the role players Catholic faith plays into their daily lives as baseball players.  A couple stories are very powerful.

Back to the Brewers, two players will be starting in this weeks All Star Game - Prince Fielder who won the Home Run Derby in 2009 and Rickie Weeks.