BJ Raji

The Packer defense just got better today with the draft of BJ Raji. Today Green Bay acquired the biggest scariest nose tackle to play by the bay since Gilbert Brown. I think Steve Young said it best on ESPN when he said that when the Packers were destroying San Francisco game after game in the 1990s, it was Gilbert Brown who was the beginning of all the trouble. And as Packer fans, we are very familiar with how good the Viking defense has been because of their big guys up front. So this is a great pick. The Packers now have a potential all pro to lead a solid defensive line that needed that big stud up front and now has it.

The only reservation most of us Packer fans have is that we could have had Michael Crabtree. I would have been excited with that pick as well but I think the pathetic run defense last year forced the Packers' hand here. Crabtree and Jennings would have been a very impressive 1-2 punch at receiver. But Donald Driver is still a very nice number two guy. And I've always thought that unless you have a Randy Moss or Jerry Rice type receiver who is just dominant, most receivers and running backs in the NFL have most of their success because they are on a great team with a great quarterback and offensive line. And I don't think Crabtree is obviously one of those guys. Who knows? He could turn out to be. But that is the fun of the draft. Give all the grades you want but we really won't know at least for 2-3 years.

I am excited to watch this Packer franchise build this defense especially the front seven. Raji and Kampman are in place.

Brewers

Okay Brewer fans, you still think this team is going to do anything this year? It's over everyone. Have you seen this pitching staff? Yovanni Guiardo is a good young pitcher. But he would be a #3 guy on a contender. There is no way this team contends. And didn't we find out last year that this offense which is supposed to be so good is no more than a power hitting team that can't get the big hit and couldn't manufacture a run if their lives depended on it.

Last year was a fluke. Ben Sheets and CC Sabathia carried this team. Without them, this team doesn't even have a winning season. And this year they will be lucky to win 70 games. Get used to it Milwaukee. Get used to many more years as a floor mat for the good teams. Get used to every good player to come up in your system ending up with the Yankees, Red Sox or any other championship franchise that can spend money.

This franchise will never win a championship in my lifetime.

The only thing more guaranteed is the Cubs never winning one either.

Football Schedule

I am so glad that the NFL football schedule comes out in April. With March Madness and the Masters over I need constant little reminders like this that football is coming and even though the baseball season and NBA & NHL postseasons seem to drag on FOREVER, football will eventually arrive.

So I'm looking at the Packer schedule and I'm very excited about it. The highlights:

Opening on a national Sunday night game at Lambeau against Chicago.

Playing on Thanksgiving at Detroit.

Playing at Tampa the first weekend in November. I am seeing a trip to Florida happening that weekend!

Playing at Arizona the first weekend in January. I am definitely seeing a trip to Phoenix happening that weekend!

A Monday nighter at Lambeau in December! The first ever in December. Against Baltimore.

The Packers travel outside the Midwest only twice: Arizona and Tampa. Could mean a lot of Packer fans at a lot of games. Should be no problem with being road weary.

I'm not one to project wins in April (although I do like to have fun with it and say we are going 15-1) since the NFL is very unpredictable, but I like this schedule. I think there are some fun and interesting games including playing both Super Bowl teams the last four weeks of the season. Nothing is guaranteed except we will beat Detroit at home. The Pack has done that every year since 1991. Quite a streak.

Brewers

I have to admit I was giving up on the Brewers Friday afternoon. But I never should have for one major reasons: they were playing the Cubs. And the Cubs are one francshie that can relate to the Brewers futility over the past many decades. I am for at least one day very happy for Rickie Weeks. This guy gets unfairly slammed by Brewer fans for his lack of living up to potential. Granted he is a belwo average 2nd baseman but he is not terrible. And it's moments like this one where he gets a game-tying double in the bottom of the ninth and then goes to third on a wild pitch that many players would not have advance on and then scores the winning run on a hard hit fielders choice grounder. That's a great moment for Weeks. And maybe it's a sign of great things to come.

Weeks is one of many Brewers that must majorly step up their game this year if they are going to contend. With starting pitching taking a huge step back this year and the bullpen yet to prove themselves, these guy are going to have show a lot of improvement at the plate and in the field.

With that said, nice win Friday night. A character-buliding win. Maybe they can get two out of three this weekend.

Getting Philosophical with the Masters

You know the summer is coming when you turn on the TV and you see a major golf tournament on, more specifically the Masters. I have grown to love the Masters for so many reasons. And this year has been no different. After three days, we have seen some great golf. A guy by the name of Chad Campbell is making a strong run. Angel Cabrera has been Mr. Consistent. Wisconsin’s very own Steve Stricker has become one of the top players on tour over the past couple years and is very much in the mix going into the final day. And for those who are only happy if Tiger is on top of the leader board, he still has an outside chance at -4, seven off the pace.

But I have been most impressed with co-leader Kenny Perry who at 49 years old is playing great golf. I enjoyed a couple comments he made Friday evening when he said that he still has the fire inside and wants to kick everyone’s butts. Although the comments were not elegantly spoken, they are inspirational. Sometimes I watch golf and think about how terrible of a golfer I am, and how I would have as many strokes on one of those par fives as they have on five holes combined. So that is not the part that is inspirational.

What is cool is that Kenny Perry is at the top of his profession this weekend. He is who everyone is looking up at as the best right now. As a teacher that is what I strive for. I want to give my students the best because that is what they deserve. And no matter what age I am, I hope I can always be relevant, a great communicator, and on top of my “game” with these kids. If there was a Masters of Teaching tournament, I would be just like Kenny. I would want to be the best. And it’s not because I’m competitive. It’s because I want the kids to have the best and I take away great joy from watching kids succeed and enjoy their education.

March Madness Memories

This was definitely not the most memorable NCAA Tournament in years past, but it had it share of moments that I will remember for years to come. My favorite day of the tournament was by far the first Friday. Both Marquette and Wisconsin were on tap to play their first round games that day. Marquette was in a back and forth game with Utah State that came down to the wire at the same time that Tennessee and Oklahoma State were going to down to the end. Marquette finally got a little breathing room the final 30 seconds and hit free throws to ice the game while Oklahoma State won on a last second shot in the first really exciting game of the tournament.

But it was Friday night that was even more exciting. It appeared that the Badgers were on their way to a first round exit when trailing by 12 points to high flying Florida State. The CBS halftime crew said that they gave the Badgers no shot to come back. And let's face it. Who would. How were the Badgers going to speed the game up and overcome that sort of deficit. Everyone knows in a Badger game, a 12-point lead is like a 24-point lead. But behold non-believers (including me quite frankly). The Badgers went on one of their pattented 13-0 runs which took like 7 minutes and took the lead. Then when facing a late-game deficit like they have all year and most of the time folded, Bohanen hit a huge three to send it into overtime. At the same time, Ohio State and Siena were heading into double overtime. CBS was switching back and forth as both games came down to the wire. Wisconsin again came back late in overtime to get a huge basket from Trevon Hughes and completed the improbable win over Florida State. Right around that time Siena topped Ohio State.

The weekend was disappointing. Not a lot of good games and the favorites won 15 of 16 in disappointing NCAA-fashioin.

But the following weekend was full of more exciting contests. Missouri taking it to Memphis was shocking as was Villanova destroying Duke. In fact, Villanova became my favorite team to watch that second weekend. The Pitt-Villanova game, sloppy ending and all, was my favorite game of the tournament.

The Michigan State run was fun to watch. Wins over Louisville and Connecticut were very surprising in my eyes but I hope made people realize along with Purdue's run and Michigan's and Wisconsin's first round victories that the Big Ten was for real this year. And as much as I didn't want to see it, the North Carolina run through the tournament was very impressive. For those who said there wasn't a dominant team in the NCAA this year, I think you're wrong. North Carolina won its last three games against the hottest teams in the tournament: Oklahoma, Villanova and Michigan State in awesome sytle.

Baseball Predictions and Songer Bracket Challenge Results

It’s time once again for my Major League Baseball Season Preview. And once again I will pick based solely on team payroll. Major League Baseball’s competitive balance is a complete joke. If any other business spent such a lopsided amount in one department and gave pennies to an equally important department, it would go under in a matter of days...especially in this economy. Yet in baseball, the Yankees, Red Sox, etc. continue to spend spend spend. And the have-nots watch as they are outspent by 5-10 times.

Spare me the argument baseball fans. Oh, but look at the Twins. They manage to win. Yeah, how many playoff series have they won in the past 16 years? One? Nice try. Oh, but can’t we just go to the game with our kids and enjoy the atmosphere? Sure as long as you don’t really care how you’re team is doing, enjoy the time with your kids. How can I argue with that. I’ll probably do the same thing with Caleb.

So here we go with what is going to happen:

AL East:
Yankees
Red Sox
Blue Jays
Orioles
Rays

AL Central:
Tigers
White Sox
Indians
Twins
Royals

AL West:
Angels
Mariners
Rangers
Athletics

NL East:
Mets
Braves
Phillies
Nationals
Marlins

NL Central:
Cubs
Cardinals
Astros
Brewers
Reds
Pirates

NL West:
Dodgers
Giants
Padres
Rcokies
Diamondbacks



And congratulations to Tim Urness for winning the Songer Bracket Challenge. With North Carolina’s strong championship run, Tim edges out 2-time champion Matt Franko for dinner with the Songers. Hopefully Tim, it won’t take as long for you to get your dinner as it did for Tyson or as it still has been for Matt! Thanks everyone for playing!

Final results:
Place-Name Points, No. of teams in Final 4, (predicted winner)

1. Tim Urness 76, 1, (North Carolina)
2. Matt Franko 74, 1, (Louisville)
3. Heidi Songer 68, 0, (Pittsburgh)
3. Tyson Fox 68, 1, (Pittsburgh)
3. Eric Songer 68, 1, (Louisville)
6. Matt Mealey 65, 1, (Pittsburgh)