Brewers can turn corner on this roadtrip

About the time the Brewers started the season 0-4 many of the naysayers or "nonbelievers" out there figured they could cash out on the season after just five days.
Well, the Reds did win the NL Central last season and are a damn good team, so those of us that know baseball and know you can't get too up or down hung around for a full week of baseball and now have a 5-5 team on our hands with things looking to get better on this nine-game road trip to the East coast.
The Brewers showed what they were made of coming back to Miller Park and going 5-2 against the Braves and Cubs. Now it's time for the Pirates and Nationals before heading to Philly to trade body blows with the Phillies.
What the Brewers showed during the homestand was what most people that know the team figured they'd show. Yovanni Gallardo was great in getting the first win of the season and so-so Sunday as Casey McGehee belted a home run in the eighth to down the Cubs. Shaun Marcum showed improvement and should keep getting better when the rain ends and he takes the hill Wednesday in Pittsburgh. And let's not forget Chris Narveson who could show he belongs with the Zack Greinke's, Gallardo's and Marcum's with his not allowing a run in 13 innings thus far without allowing a run. And that's just the starting pitching.
Prince finally hit a homer, Ryan Braun is hitting the long ball and in bunches and for the first time I can remember both seem to be absolutely hot at the plate right now. With both of them grooving together, the Brewers are almost untouchable. Yes, they need guys on in front of them and with Rickie Weeks off to the start he is off to and either Nyjer Morgan or Carlos Gomez doing just enough in the No. 2 slot, runners were finally on when they went yard over the weekend against the Cubs and it paid off.
During the homestand, the Brewers played the type of baseball most of us expected them to play. Well, everyone but Randy Wolf, but let's not get too greedy here, people. And to think they will be getting Jonathan Lucroy back tomorrow night and Manny Parra and LaTroy Hawkins should be joining the team in the coming days in the bullpen. Then, attention can turn to the "Big Two" on the DL in Corey Hart and Zack Greinke who are both at least two weeks away from returning to the big league club.
Until then, getting to maybe a couple games above .500 would be where to expect this team to be and put themselves in a spot to rattle off some wins and make the move they have to in order to challenge the Reds for the division. At least, that's what I see them being capable of.
For those that had written them off after four games, fans like that aren't really fans at all. They look for a reason and an excuse to jump ship and just seem way too negative. Will the Brewers lose four games in a row again this season? Probably. But they'll also win four games in a row a couple times, too, so you're not supposed to get too high or low.
This team now is pretty good and when the pieces all return, will be one of the top teams in the NL both offensively and with pitching.


I didn't have a chance to catch Monday Night Raw last night, but Twitter caught fire last night when Adam "Edge" Copeland announced his retirement due to the pain he's been struggling with in his neck. He leaves as the World Heavyweight Champion and the WWE Superstar who has held the most titles in the history of the company.
Those are the on-paper accolades, but the man was more than just titles. As he mentions in the video, he was part of some great moments. If you know me, you know I am pretty partial to John Cena, but real recognizes real and it was great to watch John and Edge go at it week after week a few years back. The two played great off one another and brought out the best in each other in the ring and on the mic. It was so fun to watch.
The defining moment for Edge, though, is his ability in the ladder match. No one man redefined one match in the last 10 years. He was just so creative in how to use the ladder.
It is sad to see him leave the sport (yes sport), but it's good to know his name lives on and legacy will be felt for a long time.

Now to the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast. If you haven't seen the trailer for the new Fast and Furious movie, "Fast Five", you're missing out. It is the first movie I'm looking forward to this spring and summer and looks to be great. Of course it's great to see the boys kick ass and drive great cars, but Jordana Brewster steals the show. She will be on the cover of the May issue of Maxim, which should be great. Be sure to check out the full gallery, here. Below is a sample. You're welcome!

Brewers with more questions than answers as season nears

What many fans are taking away from Milwaukee Brewers Spring Training in Maryvale Baseball Park can be summed up in one word. Injuries.
Time will tell if they will foil the 2011 regular season, but it will certainly leave a cloud over the beginning of the season and it will be up to the players still healthy to keep it from derailing the entire season.
The NL Central crown the Brewers were expected to compete for at the start of spring cannot be won in April, but it sure could be lost if injuries put the team in a hole like the nine-game losing streak did early last season. It was a skid that could not be overcome the rest of the campaign.
After seeing Manager Ron Roenicke's comments in today's Journal-Sentinel Brewers Blog, it appears Shaun Marcum should be OK and will make his start on March 26, lining him up to be the No. 2 starter and pitch April 1 in Cinncy. As for Zack Greinke, he is still slated to miss at least two starts. The race to fill his spot is still up in the air, but it's looking like the team will be without him for the first three weeks or so.
Before Spring Training, it was believed the Brewers had one of the top pitching staffs in the NL. While you don't need perfection in spring Chris Narveson and Randy Wolf have given few signs of encouragement in their appearances. And with Greinke and Marcum battling injuires, that leaves just Yovani Gallardo as the lone starter who does not have questions circling him. He has been impressive and shown what has been expected of him to this point. The question isn't if the other four will turn it around and bring it together during the season, but how long it will take to come together and pitch well. And do all of that at the same time to piece win streaks together. It could take through April before all five get their bearings and the hope is they don't dig the team a hole they can't get out of.
On the offensive side, things seem to be coming together with the position players that have been injured. Jonathan Lucroy had the pin taken out of his right pinky today. I don't feel as worried about him behind the plate, but rather in the batter's box with that right hand. The more at-bats he can get and get that pinky around a bat, the better he will be. That same philosophy goes for Corey Hart, who is still not playing in games after his side injury. In the same Brewers Blog post mentioned above, Roenicke said he is just being cautious in the spring. He's doing the same with Ryan Braun and I'm OK with that. I'm not as worried about hitters as I am about pitchers who need the time to stretch out their arm  so they can go deep into games. Things sound more positive on their return and early-season contribution than the pitchers, which is good to hear.
As for the bullpen, Manny Parra is battling injuries of his own. As is LaTroy Hawkins, who has been less than stellar thus far in spring. John Axford is down to his final four songs in his entrance song poll, but hasn't performed that well, either. it is almost to the point where the bullpen is the biggest concern with the team, even with the injuries to the starting rotation. All the way down the list, Zack Braddock, Kameron Loe and Takashi Saito have all had their moments this spring, but have been few and far between. It's hard to get too up or down in spring, but you'd like to see something to get excited about.
All of that sounds rather negative, but it shouldn't be anything that buries the team too severely. I actually see them hanging around .500 through April. The schedule is brutal to start the year and without their two biggest offseason acquisitions, it could be tough sledding to start the season. With injuries at the start of the season, the margin for error the rest of the season is likely slim if they want to be in contention in the NL Central. 

I saw this on TV the other day and hadn't heard much on it. Ryan Braun is in the new Muscle Milk commercial. It's kind of funny. But worth a look since he's the only Brewers player out in ads at this point.


It's time to get into the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast. The Hometown Hotties contest is in full swing over on Maxim.com and there is one lone semifinalist from the fine state of Wisconsin. Meet Christina from Green Bay. You need to go vote for her, here. And check her out below.

Track record shows Zack Greinke is not one to worry about

There has been a lot of talk circulating on Twitter and the blogosphere expressing concern with Zack Greinke's comments to the beat reporters Tuesday.
Here's a link to Adam McCalvy's story on Brewers.com that was up late Tuesday. Over on the J-S side of it all, Tom Haudricourt gave way to Michael Hunt to do more of a column on the sitdown with the 2009 Cy Young winner.
Both also came back yesterday with reactionary stories on the interview. MLB.com got McCalvy's story saying manager Ron Roenicke is a fan of Greinke and Hunt had another column today, as well, saying you make special exceptions for the exceptional talent and that Doug Melvin knew what he was getting into by trading for Greinke.
He said some pretty powerful things in those pieces and was brutally honest, which I love and respect. It's something you don't hear from Major League players anymore because they expect to have their words ripped apart (kind of like what we're doing now).
He said he finds fans annoying and that media is a bit annoying. Should I have a problem with that? I'd guess most fans are annoying. That's why if I see a guy or player out about the town I question whether I should say anything to him. Yes, it would be cool to say hi, but he hears that all the time and doesn't want to be bothered. Plus, some fans are downright annoying when trying to get autographs.
And media, outside of maybe the beat guys you see everyday at the ballpark from mid February through September and hopefully into October, could be annoying. The beat guys can build a friendship with the players and have some repore established. I'd guess he's talking about the national guys who come to town and try to get something quick out of guys and then bolt. Those guys, unless they've been around for a while, aren't well known and don't have those relationships established. I don't have any problems with these.
The other comments he made, to me show off his work ethic and gives you a clue what baseball means to him. He would rather the game be played without money involved like it is today. He's prefer to make what a "normal" person makes to play the game. He said he hates the distractions and just comes to work everyday, whether it's his day to pitch or a day in between where he has to do prep.
I can respect that. Yes, I'm giving him a slight pass because of his social anxiety disorder, but once the season starts he's got blinders on and is focusing on working. In a way, I wish more players had that focus. I'd probably be surprised how many guys come to the stadium drunk or high on a given day.
The other part that raised eyebrows was him saying in Kansas City last year there were times he started to "dog it" at the end of the season. Some people were shocked by this. Come on now. Tell me if the team was losing game after game you wouldn't start to think the same thing. Of course he was working hard, but not to the extent or level he had for himself in the second half of the season. There's been times at past jobs where I've busted my tail and seen others there do much less and still get their check. It makes you question why you work so hard and I totally understand it.
The best way for the Brewers to make sure he doesn't cash it in before they're eliminated from contention is by winning and with the team they have assembled, I don't think that should be a problem this year.


The only problem that could derail the Brewers from contending this season is injuries and Wednesday, just the second day of full-squad workouts, was a bad day. Four different players, including Greinke were bit by the injury bug. Greinke was held out of throwing live BP yesterday, but did throw today and pitching coach Rick Kranitz said he was very happy with what he saw. Here's Haudricourt's "Brewers Blog" post on it.
Of course, there was somewhat major injury news yesterday that Jonathan Lucroy would miss a month of spring training after breaking his right pinky, needing to have a pin placed in it to ensure it heals straight. Add to that Mat Gamel would miss a week with a strained oblique and things looked pretty rough around Maryvale. Let's hope things fall in going into Monday's Spring Training openers with games against the Cubs and Giants.

Onto some pop culture for the day. If you haven't seen the Hangover 2 teaser trailer that has leaked, be sure to take a look. It has some promise and we can only imagine what the guys have gotten themselves into now. It doesn't show us a lot of details, but it's a glimpse. What's up with Allan?


Also big is this fake ET 2 trailer. This isn't real, but shows what the sequel would be like if it were made today. My one question, why are the Jonas Brothers at the center of it?!


OK. Back to reality and the Nussie Hunter of the day. You probably remember Michelle Trachtenberg from back in the day on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Well, she's 25 now and has grown up quite well. Take a look for yourself and check her out in the new Maxim.

Could Michael Jordan score 10 points a game off the bench?

 Listen to Spike tell you a story....


OK, OK, today is a very special day here on Wilber's Way. It's the day I celebrate my favorite athlete of all time. Heck, I'm even wearing a jersey with the man's name on the back of it writing this to help me channel some of his greatness. Yes, my MAIN MAN MONEY Michael Jordan turns 48 today.
This has become almost an annual post for me. You can check out last year's blog, here. This year I'm going to take a little bit of a different angle and it was inspired by Michael himself when he suited up for Bobcats practice last week.
Here's the post on Bobcats.com, in which Gerald Wallace says "Michael's Still got it" which brings me to the question of this blog.
COULD MICHAEL SCORE DOUBLE FIGURES OFF THE BENCH IN THE NBA TODAY?
My simple answer to that is probably. He's now 48 so he's certainly lost a step or three and couldn't run with the young bucks consistently. But he is certainly still sharp as a tack on the floor and knows where he has to be and knows what needs to be done. His biggest thing is getting in shape and being able to keep his wind to get consistent minutes. There's no doubt about that coming in a short time and he'll be fine.
As every player that was at practice last week with him, said he's still got his jump shot. That doesn't go away. How many guys in the NBA live on spot up jumpers on the baseline and behind the arc? Michael could come in and score for a team if he wanted to and was needed.
So, yes, I think he could still do it. Now, I'm not sure his body could take lot of minutes because even at the end of practice with the Bobcats, he had to ice the knees down. But he didn't have to get hooked up to an oxygen machine and showed at almost 48, he was still in damn good shape. He could be a damn good role player and help any team out in a run to make the playoffs.
Will that happen? No. He is the principle owner of the Bobcats and NBA policy prohibits any owner from playing for the team they own. And no he wouldn't go play for another team and have to play against the team he owns. Essentially, just like he did in Washington, and Magic Johnson did for the Lakers back in the 90s, he'd have to sell off the portion of the team he owned to play. Even then, neither was a controlling owner like he is now.
Looking at what the Bobcats have done, Michael is essentially working with head coach Paul Stilas to add something to the team in practice as another coach. I'm pretty sure guys, especially those who live in North Carolina where Michael is as Godlike as he is in Chicago, will listen to most anything he says and brings the best out of them. Heck, they did just knock off the Lakers and are now in the hunt for the final playoff spot in the East.
In closing, happy birthday Michael. You were my idol growing up and showed me hard work gets you what you want in life. I'm living it now and will keep working to get what I want out of life...


We'll run into the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast now and I've pretty much extinguished all Jordan related Nussies in my Jordan posts here over the last almost two years. So we have to shift gears a bit. Diora Baird is set to be in the new Maxim out soon. She's making me think spring with her ability to work in a garden. Check it out, here. And a sample below.

Looking for another better showing in Week 3... THE PICKS

Before I get started, I have a bit of a programming note for this week. This would normally be the time when my Bears preview would be accompanied by my NFL picks, but with Da Bears set for a Monday Nighter, I'm holding out on that until right before kickoff, so you can call me on my shit during the game.

Alright, now that that is out of the way, let's get to the picks. Last week I went 10-6 and rose in the nationwide rankings as my season record is no 18-14. I'm looking for similar results this week. Here we go...
49ers at Chiefs
Browns at Ravens
Cowboys at Texans... PANIC!
Lions at Vikings... PHEW!
Bills at Patriots
Falcons at Saints
Titans at Giants
Steelers at Bucs
Bengals at Panthers
Eagles at Jaguars
Redskins at Rams
Colts at Broncos
Raiders at Cardinals
Chargers at Seahawks
Jets at Dolphins
Packers (20) at Bears (23)... DUH!!!!!!

Going to make today a quick post as I have a busy final Brewers weekend to get to (should be a blog tomorrow night). Yeah it's bittersweet, so to get to the festivities, I'm going to turn things over to the Nussie Hunter.

The pages of Maxim this month were blessed by the one and only Ciara. For some reason she had sort of gone away the last couple years and I almsot forgot about her. Well she's back with the ridiculous video for "Ride" Check it...


Uhh, yeah. She's gorgeous and Maxim attempted to do her justice and did a good job, but I'm not sure pictures can do her complete justice. Check below and the rest of the pics, here.

Picking 12th in your fantasy league? No problemo!

So my second attempt at drafting a winning fantasy football team went a little better (at least I think so) than the first time. It was made more challenging by the fact that I picked No. 12 in a 12-team league. It's a bit of a different beast in a snake draft and I had to draft some guys out of place because I wasn't going to get another shot for another 23 picks.
So, in the first round, I had Andre Johnson fall to me at No. 12 and I followed that up by taking Steven Jackson at No. 13. Yes, I have him in both leagues, but he was too good to pass up.
There is one guy I'm rather unsure about and that is Jamaal Charles of the Chiefs. I don't really know too much about him and I just took the word of Yahoo! today and just went with that one.
Here is the rest of Decatur Staleys II
QB Philip Rivers, SD
WR Andre Johnson, HOU
WR Michael Crabtree, SF
RB Steven Jackson, StL
RB Jamaal Charles, KC
TE Visanthe Schincoe, MIN
K Lawrence Tynes, KC
DEF New Orleans
Bench
Carson Palmer, QB, CIN
Marion Barber, RB, DAL
Devin Hester, WR, CHI
Steve Slaton, RB, HOU
Santonio Holmes, WR, NYJ
Todd Heap, TE, BAL
Sydney Rice, WR, MIN


The biggest key to this team is my quarterback, Phillip Rivers, who I ended up getting with the first pick of the four round. It was a need after I took my first two guys and Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning were all taken by the time I took the floor at No. 12 and No. 13. So I let it go to my next picks and it turned out OK. I also think Michael Crabtree is going to have a big year and getting him in the fifth round in a draft where people started taking defenses in the fourth and fifth rounds was a steal for me.
I did make two mistakes, though. I completely spaced on Holmes' suspension and now that I think about it, wasting my last pick on Sydney Rice might not have been one of the smartest things I've done in fantasy football. But it is what it is and I can always hit the waiver wire and make some moves.

Alright, going to be a quick one today, but I would never leave you without taking a look at today's Nussie Hunter pick of the day. Maxim has unveiled its 10 finalists in this year's HomeTown Hotties competition. Here is my early pick to win it. Her name is Monique and she lives in Albuquerque. So, yes there is something worth seeing when you're stranded there. It's not that bad. Here's more of her profile.

We are baaaaack! We are so back in action!

Hey all. Sorry I've been away so long. I got a second job beyond that one Web site that pays me and my time has been a bit torn. I guess I chose to hang out with this girl I met over writing for this blog in the little free time I have left.  But I've squeezed in some time today for a short post. So here goes!


The Bears preseason has not been one that is exactly encouraging for me. I expected some speed bumps in with Jay Cutler and Co. getting the Mike Martz offense, but the way things have unfolded in three preseason games, I'm not as optimistic as I once was. If it's not one thing, it's the other with the offensive line struggling or Jay Cutler being erratic, things somehow have found ways to gone badly for this unit from the start.
The defense has not been much better. Just when they show flashes, there is a step back. The unit has not been the suffocating unit it has been and every time they are questioned about it, the guys that were part of the 2006 team that went to the Super Bowl comes out and says they are confident the unit "can be great." Well, at this point, it feels like we're all getting fed lines by the players and the coaching staff. It's a huge problem with this regime and Lovie is the biggest guy that does it. It's all coach speak and as a writer, it's a bit ridiculous. Just give it to me straight and I'll figure it out on my own. I can get not throwing guys under the bus, but don't say one thing, when we can all see the contrary on the field.

Here are 5 things I think I think heading into the final preseason games this week:
1. Aaron Rodgers is amazing and if the Packers are going to live up to everyone's Super Bowl expectations, he's going to win the MVP award, too. I know it's preseason, but I've really liked what I've seen from him.
2. The Jets are not going to the playoffs and will not win the division. Everyone seems to forget the Jets were one half of Peyton Manning playing away from not making the playoffs. So this team is not as "on the brink" as everyone is expecting. Mark Sanchez has not done much of anything well and LT is not the back he once was.
3. The Saints could be even better this year. Does that mean, they'll go back to the Super Bowl, well, it's not a guarantee, but they should be right there. That offense looks on and you have to start including Drew Brees in the class of the "Super Elite" QBs with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
4. The Vikings will fall short of expectations this year. I'm not a fan of mentioning a certain QB who wears No. 4, but I think everyone is sick of his act and I'm including Vikings players on this. Favre classifying this comeback as a "favor" bugs the crap out of me. That coupled with injuries are going to make it tough on the team in purple to do it again this year.
5. The Cowboys will not be the first team to play a Super Bowl on its home field, either. Yeah, I'm shooting a ton of people down, but let's look at this. Everyone oversells that entire roster and their coach is a bit lost and in over his head. I'm not buying any Cowboys and Tony Romo stock and don't see them doing much of anything outside of winning the NFC East this season. Be real here, they laid and egg in the playoffs last year.

Alright, now it's NUSSIE time! I'm so excited! It's been over a month and to keep this NFL theme going we got some NFL cheerleaders. Namely the ones that were in the new Maxim that showed up at my door last week.
Meet Tracey below and the other cheerleaders, here.


And to be clear, I do plan on writing more in football season. I'm trying to figure out a plan to get that going. Might go for shorter posts. We'll see. Stay tuned to my Facebook and Twitter pages (Linked above) for updates and links.

Your kid doesn't make the team, so sue the team?

I'm going to be honest, I had originally planned to blog about how I was depressed with the the Brewers and how losing two of three to the Astros is two steps in the wrong direction.
I'll get to that in a minute, but first, I have to vent for a minute about another "Pussification of America" as Covino and Rich all it every Tuesday on Sirius 108/XM 139.
Heard it on Howard 101's Scott Ferrall show tonight that parents in Toronto are suing a youth hockey league for cutting their sons from the team.
So I did some research on the Interwebs and came up with this story on the matter.
First off, I can't believe this would even get to a judge. This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. It's sports, it's life. Cut's happen and with 70 kids competing to make the 17-kid roster a lot of kids were going to go home a little unhappy that day.
If you read that link to the Yahoo! story, the dad says the kid gave his best. Well, I'm sure he did. He should be proud at least if he gave his best and it wasn't enough. I covered the state baseball and softball tournaments a couple weeks ago for that Web site that pays me and of the teams that lost, the coaches were OK with the loss if their team lossed if they played their best and the other team was just a little better.
But this whole thing is showing the kid what is wrong with the world today. What is going to happen when he gets older and he doesn't get the job he applied for? What about when he makes a run at the girl he likes and she says no?
I always look to Michael Jordan about getting cut from a team. It's the famous story that he got cut from his high school team as a freshman and used it as motivation to get better. He did, made the team the next year and the rest, as they say, is history.
I will say, at least the hockey team had cuts. As that site I work for wrote last year, Kewaskum, Wisconsin does not cut kids in any high school sports. Here's the link to the story. Can't say I agree with it. Letting kids cut themselves seems a little like they don't want to be the bad guy. But then, no one wins.
Kids need to be pushed. They need to know what it's like to fail. I didn't say they need to be losers. I said they need to experience a little bit of failure and learn how to come back from it. Why do you think so many people today sue over everything, including being cut from a team? They don't know how to persevere. If everything was easy, what fun would it be to actually succeed. It's all that hard work that makes all the success that much more enjoyable.
Hell, life isn't easy. Kids need to learn that and this story just shows some over zealous parents are trying to sugarcoat everything for their son.


On to the Brewers loss today. A 6-3 homestand isn't much different than a 7-2 homestand, but let's be real, the Crew needed the win Wednesday over the Astros. Dropping two of three to one of the bottom feeders while in pursuit of getting back to .500 does not help.
Sure Villy gave up three runs in the seventh was the back breaker, but let's face it, the Brewers are all over the map with consistency. As much as they showed us with that sweep of the Twins and two of three over the Mariners, the bullpen came up short in two of the three losses to the Astros and the offense was no where to be found in teh third game of the series Wednesday.
It's getting to be desperate times. I'd be OK with a split of the four-game set in St. Louis, but in the next seven-game homestand, they have to make hay and win at least six. Yes it's at that point. And I'm not worried about how far back of the division race they are just yet. They need to get back to .500 before I even consider looking at those numbers.

Enough of the doom and gloom that has been today's blog. The fine folks at Maxim have opened up the 100 semifinalists for the Hometown Hotties Search and it's pretty heated. No Wisconsin entrant reached the semis, but a few from Chicago did. One of the best ones is Elizabeth. Be sure to check her out and vote for her.
Now take a look at her!

The National Title semifinals are here!

Well, crack the joke about when Boise State gets the winner of tonight's game in Pasadena, but unfortunately as awesome as the BCS system is, tonight's winner will be crowned the national champion.
Yeah, when Texas and Alabama are done tonight one will be undefeated and the national champ, but the whispers are going to be getting a little louder with Boise State sitting on the sidelines with an unblemished schedule to their credit, too.
But, nonetheless, tonight's game is for all the marbles. I really like the coaching matchup in this game as it could come down to Nick Saban and Mack Brown making big time decisions late in the game. A true heavyweight showdown.
Plus, the quarterbacks (see Colt McCoy above) are great, as well as the defenses. This is truly two of the premiere college programs in the country getting to strut their stuff in the Rose Bowl for the grandest prize college football has to offer.
I'm not going to get into X's and O's because I'm guessing someone can do it better and I've been absent from any other bowl talk, so why would you listen to me in the first place? Yeah, I know.
But you can check out these 10 reasons why each team will win from ESPN.com.
My pick: I really like Colt McCoy and he's always so cool under pressure. I see him making the plays to win the game. Texas wins a close one 24-21.


Yesterday's Nussie Hunter made note of Artie Lange being in the hospital. Well, here's a video that pretty much details his story.
Then here's this story that was in the New York Post today about his condition. Sounds like it is pretty scary. GET WELL SOON ARTIE!


While last night was the final night of the BCS on Fox, there is this video from Monday night's Fiesta Bowl that features a blind girl playing the cowbell. Here's a funny take on it all.



And finally, the Nussie Hunter wanted no part of this, but did get a call from Eminem's people to put this in the blog SOON! Well, Marshall, pretty sure you'd like this. Mariah is a complete drunken wreck. Haha. It's rather funny actually. Hope I don't offend any Mariah fans I know!

OK, now to the Nussie Hunter portion of today's broadcast. And we have one of the girls that kind of got overlooked when I was a kid. Maybe I was a bit too old to recognize her, but hey, Amanda Bynes has arrived, folks! As she previewed on her Twitter, she's in a Maxim shoot for the February issue and, baby, we got it here for you. Here's the pic she previewed, then check out Maxim for a few more that are sure to leave you with a smile on your face! :D

One game a microcosm of the season for the Bears

In the matter of three hours Sunday in Chicago the Chicago Bears showed basically how the season has been in a nutshell for fans, players and coaches.
There was the start, the initial thud of Ryan Grant running through and from the Bears defense and getting things started. Yeah, I was not happy and it was a horrible display of defense.
Then the Bears offense sputtered and Jay Cutler threw an interception as the lead for the Packers grew to 13-0 after a pair of field goals. Yeah, it looked bleak early.
Then, as the Bears have done at times, things almost looked like us fans thought they would. A great throw by Jay cut the lead to 13-7 and the defense came up with a turnover that turned the Packers away just before the half. The momentum seemed to be going in the Bears favor and the second half went in their favor again after missed Mason Crosby field goal and another Jay Cutler touchdown gave the Bears the lead.
Yes, they had the lead. Pretty remarkable, actually. But then, it all fell apart.
The offense started to sputter and Jay Cutler, who had not thrown a bad interception yet, threw an awful pick that set up what turned out to be the winning touchdown.
Then while the Bears were attempting to tie the game Lovie showed why he keeps getting mentioned as possibly losing his job with that whole using two timeouts for one challenge thing. I mean really? C'mon!
So yes, it was a 21-14 loss to the hated Packers as the season of disappointment continues to hit all-time highs. The Bears did find an answer in Devin Aromashoduh (sp?) that could be a threat at WR and the defense, after the 62-yard run on the first play of the game for the Packers, played rather stout.
So the defense graded out well, the offense, with mixed results and special teams was decent. It's been the story of the season. They have not found and answer in the slightest and I'm positive some sort of coaching change is going down at the end of the season. Whether that's Lovie or Ron Turner, I'm not exactly sure yet.



Alright, time for some positive vibes on this space today. The Brewers made it official and introduced Randy Wolf to the Milwaukee media and the people today. He made it clear he was happy to come here and would be happy to help get this team back in the playoffs! Yessir, that's what I like to hear and I know he's got the money, but when a guy puts the effort and makes it clear he's happy in his choice, it makes it sweeter.
I'm going to say this about Randy Wolf and I said it last week when the signing became official, he has the potential to be great here and lead this team. I really like the offense the team has and it won't take much in terms of pitching - just defense - to get this team over the top and back in the playoffs. I'm talking a division title this year, but the Cardinals are going to be tough. Even last year with what looked like a dream team, they struggled down the stretch. I'm not exactly sold on the Cubs, either, so it's wide open. Why not Brauny, Prince, Tits and the gang?!?!

Now I got some funny little bits. And they're Tiger Woods bits. I'm pretty sure it's witty and not tasteless. I'm about done on this topic, but found a few things over the weekend so I figured I'd post them here.



Can you figure out what this means? Hahaha!




This one explains itself. Hehe!



And this, well, this is just GREAT! Love this. My boys, Covino and Rich play the shit out of this! Haha.

Now to the Nussie Hunter portion of today's broadcast and I know I had Olivia Munn on this space in the last month and a half, but hell, she is on the cover of the latest Maxim and is damn fine. And she's more than just a pretty face. I think she is damn funny. Check this vid with her and Michael Clark Duncan.

Game Trailers - E3 2010 - Movies and TV

Alright, now just enjoy the still pictures! Here's the gallery!

Lovie's job is safe.... for now, after worse showing since 2003

There is very little, if anything to write about the Bears' 45-10 loss to the Bengals yesterday. I did not kill myself as some may have thought after such a resound thud was delivered to the temple of the Bears facial. Might have something to do with a certain someone that was there to help pull me through it, but I made it through in tact.
I was not happy though when I headed out for my daily reading and even on the pages of the Chicago sports writers I follow on Twitter noted that fans were calling for Lovie Smith's head and a new coach in place. Really? Damn people. Yeah, that was the worst I've seen the team play since 2003 (And yes I've watched every game during that time!), but there is time to get things fixed and get this team where it needs to go. It's not going to be easy, but it can be done.
Now it was as much the execution of the guys on the field as it was the gameplan itself that was to blame for the downright awful showing that led to the most points allowed by a Bears opponent since 1999, but I'm willing to let the second winningest coach since 2005 have some time to figure that out.
But to the game, It got ugly from the get-go and never really let up. It was a loss Brad Biggs called the "Worst loss I've covered" in his nine years as a Chicago Bears beat reporter. It was all lost up front for the Bears Sunday. Yeah, I'm a smart enough football fan to know most games are decided by the work done by the big uglies that battle in the trenches.
The Bears haven't been able to run the ball all season. My take on that is a team that runs the ball well can protect its quarterback in pass protection. The Bears can do neither right now. Matt Forte can't find space to run the ball to save himself (He's literally getting pummeled on every play) and Jay Cutler is getting sacked once every 18 times he drops back to pass. That's a staggering number considering he was only brought down once every 54 times he dropped back in Denver. Yeah, he's going to make stupid throws when he's running for his life back there.
The defensive line didn't do much better as Tommie Harris was shut down all of last week for what was then said to be an injury, when it was, in fact, Lovie Smith's decision to have him rest all week.
I guess he's going to be practicing all week, which is a change for the better, considering he had been getting Wednesdays off prior to talking a week off. Can't make any conclusions about this just yet. If that turns out to be the right move and Tommie is healthy enough and goes the rest of the season, making an impact, it will be the best move Lovie made all year.
Next up is the Cleveland Browns and the Bears have already picked up the pieces and are looking forward. As my main man money, R.J. said tonight, "If they lose to Cleveland, Lovie will be done!" I can't disagree with those statements.

In other NFL news, I did pick 11 of 14 games correctly yesterday (YEAH BUDDY!), but that's beside the point. Heard about this and thought it was funny. The Jets were beating the Raiders so bad Sunday Rex Ryan and sat Mark Sanchez and the USC alum decided he was hungry on the sideline and got himself a hot dog. Haha.





In happier New York City news, the Yankees are going back to the World Series. I think I may be the only full-time Brewers fan that was actually rooting for this. Maybe it's the fact that my BFF is a New Yorker and I can't help but root for him. Maybe it's partially because I enjoy seeing CC (Translated as YES YES!) Sabathia celebrate with the champagne after a big win. Hell, I was there when he got to do it in Milwaukee Sept. 28, 2008 at Miller Park (Still the greatest moment of my life!) and he was like a little kid celebrating his first shot at a World Series last night.
Now he gets the ball for Game 1 and will likely face Cliff Lee Wednesday at Yankees Stadium. Should be a great series.
Coming up Tuesday: I make my World Series picks!

OK boys and girls, we've reached the Nussie Hunter portion of the show. I've been getting a lot of my material lately from the new edition of Maxim (be sure to turn to Page 10 to see my boys Covino and Rich!). One of the cover girls, Grace Park, is an amazing Asian woman, I cannot be anything more than smitten with. Whoa! They get these hot of women to be on SyFy?!?! Maybe I need to get cable again! Ha. Take a look at her Maxim spread, then look at this sample.

The NFC North: Wildest Division in the NFL

Yep, we have arrived at the final NFL divisional preview and I'm guessing I'm going to catch some crap for who I pick to win it. Don't worry, I've got facts to back my thoughts up. Hopefully for your argument you bring facts, too.

The NFC North is shaping up to be one of the funnest divisions to watch in the NFL this year as the quarterbacks around all four teams (even my Bears) have the ability to light up opposing defenses. Three of those teams have legit cases for a division title, but as you can already guess, I've made my decision. Let's take a look at each team.

NFC North
Chicago Bears
As you know, this is my team. Jay Cutler, Devin Hester and Matt Forte are the names you know. But it's the one's your aren't familiar with that will make the difference this year. Get to know Earl Bennett. The last pass he caught in college was from? You guessed it, Jay Cutler at Vandy. It is Bennett's second season and the first ball he catches will be No. 1 of his career, so he is essentially still a rookie, but that familiarity will help him blossom. Plus, I'm calling right now that Greg Olsen is going to be a go-to target of Cutler's and make the Pro Bowl.
Defensively, it comes down to secretary against the quarterbacks in the division. Charles Tillman is questionable for Sunday against the Packers and his health will allow Danieal Manning and Kevin Payne to stay back at their safety positions.
Most important player: As Tommie Harris goes, so goes Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. The Cover-2 is built on getting pressure with the front four and allowing the linebackers to fall back into coverage. Tommie is one of the best in the game at the three-technique position when healthy. Only problem, he hasn't been healthy for a couple years, until now. With Rod Marinelli on to coach the defensive line, he'll energize this group and Tommie will have a great year.

Detroit Lions
Will the Lions be as bad as last year? No way. New coach Jim Schwartz is trying to rebuild from the ground up. They are starting a rookie quarterback this year and will have to endure some early growing pains, but there's no way they go the whole season without a "W."
Things look managable until both the Bears and Vikings added solid QBs to their teams. Now with Cutler and Favre (who shreds the Lions) twice each, it could be trouble.
Most important player: Success on this team lies in the hands of the offensive line. Keep the rookie QB upright and give Kevin Jones some lanes to run in and they can be competitive.

Green Bay Packers
The team that had the best preseason in the league is becoming a sexy pick to go to the Super Bowl. The way Aaron Rodgers looked, 9 TD in 13 possessions, it's hard to argue with that. But it's hard to put everything behind preseason performances because you don't know how much teams are prepping, but the Packers gained a ton of confidence in what they are doing with their stellar showing.
The biggest key is their defense which under Dom Capers is now a 3-4. He's one of the best in the biz with this and has already started to make his mark.
Most important player: Not going to go with one here, but Cullen Jenkins, Johnny Jolly and B.J. Raji (Cue Howard Finkel introducing them at a combined 900 lbs) can man the middle line spot on early downs and create havoc. This will set up the other eight guys to fly all over the field.

Minnesota Vikings
The addition of Brett Favre only makes this team better. Well, at least for the first half of the season. As we learned last year, Favre will wear out in the second half after getting beaten up for eight games. Look for him to claim some sort of injury and Adrian Peterson will have to shoulder more and more of the offense.
If the Williams boys are allowed to play through their supplement issue, they can plug up any chance of a running game in the middle. This is probably the most solid team in the division from top to bottom.
Most important player: Peterson is the man her without a doubt. When he is on he can take over the game and control both sides of the ball. With a solid QB now, he should be fresher come the fourth quarter. And with only one cold weather game (Dec. 28 @ Chicago), the schedule plays in their favor.

OK, Prediction time. (Be sure to sling your crap in the comments!)
Chicago Bears 11-5 -- Defense returns to 2006 form with Marenelli and Cutler makes this offense a force.
Green Bay Packers 10-6 -- Turning those close games into wins from last year. But 3-4 shows minor hiccups in the few losses they have.
Minnesota Vikings 10-6 -- All Day and the defense make up for some Favre shortcomings later in the season.
Detroit Lions 4-12 -- Yes 12. Lions could play spoiler and the rebuilding project begins.

That's all the division. Tomorrow is my playoff predictions. Be ready. Might have some surprises for you. Be sure to go back and fill yourself in on who I picked where.
Sept. 1: AFC South
Sept 2: AFC West
Sept. 3: AFC East
Sept. 4: AFC North
Sept. 7: NFC South
Sept. 8: NFC West
Sept. 9: NFC East
Sept. 10: NFC North (Today)
Friday, Sept. 11: Playoffs and Super Bowl XLIV picks

OK. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's get into some fun things today. I know you're going to be watching the Steelers and Titans tonight. This commercial might make the game. A candidate for best commercial ever!



This next video is one that I found on Twitter today. It's a movement for Breast Cancer. Like it matters though. SAVE THE BOOBS!



We've reached everyone's favorite portion of the program, the Nussie Hunter. I know your girlfriend makes you watch "The Hills" and one of the reasons you don't argue is Audrina Patridge. She's on the cover of Maxim this month. There's more of what's below here. You're welcome!

So this is what all the fuss was about?!

Who is that player above? For those of you that don't know that is Jordan Crawford and he is involved in one of the biggest sports scandals in recent memory (Brett Favre please stay away).
He is the basketball player that dunked on LeBron James back at his basketball camp a couple weeks back and all the tapes of the incident had since been confiscated by Nike and LeBron.
Well TMZ.com bought the tape and debuted it today. It's kind of grainy and reminds me of the Zapruder tape shot on the grassy knoll that fateful day in Dallas the day President Kennedy was killed.
Either way, it is good to finally see some tape. Here it is for you to judge for yourself. I want to hear what you guys think. Be sure to leave a comment or E-mail me.


OK, now that we've moved on from that incident, it's time to move on with something more in-season like baseball. Conducting my daily reading today and SI.com unveiled it's list of 100 best players in MLB today. One look at it and two Brewers are in the top 13 as both Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun check in at No. 11 and No. 13.



Also worth a mention for the Brewers is Yovanni Gallardo who makes the list at No. 97. Good recognition for the Crew as they press to make the playoffs for the second straight season.
On the list as a whole, I'd say it is pretty right on. I'd like to say I know everything about every baseball player, but I have my own sports coverage to study and aside from my guys in fantasy baseball, I can't study everyone. So, if you take a peak at the list, let me know who you think should make it. I don't really have a problem with no additional Brewers on the list. I'd imagine Trevor Hoffman is somewhere in the next 20 or 25 players.
The No. 1 player on the list is Albert Pujols and I don't think many would have a problem with him hold that spot. Heck, he's been the driving force to my fantasy team this year that is is first place.

In some other sports stories I'm following, the Erin Andrews story continues to draw headlines. The New York Post posted stills from the video in Tuesday's paper and on their site. Well, I still won't get anywhere near the video because it's just damn wrong. ESPN (while I ripped them yesterday) followed with a ban from any of their employees on their outlets.

Now these last two items aren't sports, they are something I'm high on which is the "Pussification of America." It was discussed on the Covino and Rich Show yesterday (During Pussification Tuesday) that Miley Cyrus is being sued in a class action lawsuit by some Asian woman for (get ready) $4 Billion. Whoa! Here's the picture. Not how almost everyone in the pic is squinting their eyes. This is the lamest thing I've ever heard in my life. Does anyone get a damn joke anymore? Damn people! Here's a link to U.S. News and World Report that basically laughs at this lady.



OK boys, it's Nussie Hunter time. Today is a Hometown Hotties edition. I got the new Maxim yesterday and this month they have all 100 of the semifinalists in the competition. Two of the 100 are from Wisconsin and I say we get behind them. There were 14 that made the competion on some level, but these two made it through to the final 100.
First up is Tanya from Sussex. And Megan from Verona. Be sure to check out both pages and watch their videos. Both seem like great girls. Not going to say which one I like more to poison the sample here, but take a look for yourself with a double dose today. And don't forget to vote both of them into the finals on Maxim.com.

First up is Tanya from Sussex



Megan from Verona