(Sponsor's Name Here)

Vegas, baby!

Not to bore you (I do that enough already) and not to rub it in (you still want me to try Peter Luger's?) but my go-round for bowling the USBC Open Championships (aka Nationals) is about a week away, and is it my fault that the tournament is in Las Vegas this year?  And Reno in each of the next two years?

Unfortunately for those travelling with me, I am a planner... once I get going, I can't stop.  I started researching airfare before Christmas.  I bet that I had most of our itinerary set before the Super Bowl.  And now with T-7 days, I am improving just about everything I touch.  (Side note; Come to think of it, I don't know what I will do on May 2 when I am home.)  Adding to the challenge of overplanning is the fact that (Sponsor's Name Here)'s Official Parents along with Jendy Wo, Revvy Al, my sister (whom I believe I've named, but I don't remember it and I don't feel like looking for it) and her friend the Slot Jockey are all coming along.

My-Sugar-Na's children's father lives in Central Iowa, so we are driving them there, then driving to Des Moines for the flight to Las Vegas.  The perfect flight for us leaves at 3:00 PM and gets to Las Vegas around 7:00 PM (conveniently about 5 minutes after my parent's flight arrives from Milwaukee).  But American Airlines had that particular flight about double the price of one that leaves (and arrives) 90 minutes later.  So I set up YAPTA.COM (short for "Your Amazing Personal Trave Assistant") to trigger an E-mail alert when that price dropped.  It worked to perfection, and for one day only, my fare was $228 RT for the flights that I wanted.  Cool beans.  Now that D-Day is approaching, I see that the 3:00 flight is already sold out.  Methinks (or maybe more appropriately Mehopes) they will be looking for volunteers to be bumped.  If the offer is right (a travel voucher to cover next year's trip to Reno and guaranteed seats on the next flight), I'd take that bump.  That's like a Vegas win before I ever get there!  Besides, the car is in my dad's name... he and my mom can sight see for a few minutes before going back to the airport to pick us up.

Now let's talk hotel.  I don't know how this happened, but a concensus was reached to stay at the Excalibur.  In February, we found a "early bird" deal, in which rooms were $36.  Then I called a casino host, and based on my play in Reno two years ago, we were offered a limo ride from the airport, and some buffet comps.  A couple of weeks ago, Jendy Wo found a new promotion, one that keeps the room rates about the same, but throws in a 2-for-1 ticket to the Tournament of Kings show for each room.  Considering that show was on our to-do list, we all jumped on it and adjusted our reservation accordingly.  Then last week, I get a letter from the Tropicana, which is right across the street from the Excalibur. (Long side note; On the way back from Reno two years ago, when I was changing planes in Las Vegas, I was bumped from my Frontier flight.  In addition to the voucher for free air travel, they booked me on a Midwest flight direct to Milwaukee that left six hours later.  One short cab ride later I was at the Tropicana - the closest low-roller casino to the airport - rollin' them bones.  I played craps and a little blackjack for four hours and went back to the airport for my flight.)  This letter from the Tropicana bemoans the fact that I haven't been there for awhile, and they are offering two nights at no charge.  Luckily for me, the available nights are while I am already in Vegas, so I contacted both hotels and made the arrangements.  So now for My-Sugar-Na and I to lodge for five days will cost about $120... total.  In other words, flight and hotel for five days is $288 each. 

Car rental was admittedly a little tough.  My parents and My-Sugar-Na and I are splitting the cost of a mini-van, and that is about $225 tax included.  We get E-mail all the time from Hotwire and Travelocity and the like with $15 a day deals in Vegas.  but somehow our dates were never included.  $225 is not bad, but usually car rentals don't match airfare.

Three of the eight of us are Vegas Virgins - my parents and Revvy Al.  So we tried to come up with an itinerary that would cover those of us who long for; Old Vegas (the Rat Pack Tribute Show at The Plaza and the Neon Museum), Themed Vegas (Tournament of Kings show at the Excalibur), Free Vegas (the Fremont St. Experience, the Bellagio Fountains, the Mirage Volcano, the Siren Show at TI), Not What You'd Think of Vegas (Atomic Testing Museum), Fad Vegas (various poker tournaments) and Dammit, This Looks Cool Vegas (the Vegas Mob tour and Haunted Vegas tour).  The average age of our group is about 45-50, so one thing that is NOT on our to-do list is to wait in line for 90 mintues at a club on a Tuesday evening to buy $400 bottles of wine.

And the food!  Restaurant.com was selling $25 gift certificates for only $4, so we snagged one for the Hash House a Go-Go (as seen on Rachel Ray's Vacation show) and one for Pampas Churrascaria (think Sabor, but Vegasier).  Throw in an unadvertiesed steak special at the Ellis Island Casino, the unadvertised steak and shrimp at the Hard Rock Casino's cafe and the Burger Bar at the Mandalay Bay, and I've got a vacation fit for a king.

Now, to find time for the actual bowling...

(Bear with me. I am attempting a post with no links.  Wish me well.) 

You guys are asleep at the wheel.  Here we have the Cubs in town, and nobody offered me any money to stay away.  I was 0-4 in Cubs/Brewers games last season, and after the train wreck that was Sunday night's game, I am 0-1 this season.

And what a train wreck it was...

• Brewers pitchers walked 10 Cubs and hit another two.
• Six Brewers stranded in scoring position.
• No clutch hitting - the Brewers had the bases loaded in the first and got a JJ Hardy sacrifice fly before Corey Hart grounded out to end the inning.
• The Brewers had the bases loaded in the fifth and only got a Prince Fielder sacrifice fly (but in fairness, Reed Johnson saved a grand slam) (sorry for the link, but it was a game-changing play... check the 0:34 mark) and Hardy grounded out to score another run.
• Jeff Suppan and Jorge Julio combined to allow the Cubs to score four runs on bases loaded walks in the fourth inning.
• With the Cubs not hitting (they only managed five hits), the succession of relievers Julio, Seth McClung and Mitch Stetter each allowed a run.  Note that those three runs were the difference in the game.

Now unlike my good friend Ray Sunshine, I am not a "The sky is falling" Brewers fan.  However, the Brewers performance this past week has done nothing to make me think that they will be competitive this season.  Look what has happened in their two wins...

1. Last Wednesday in San Francisco, the Brewers starting pitcher Yovanni Gallardo had to hit a three-run home run.
2. On Opening Day, the winning run was scored on a fielder's choice by Ryan Braun.

I understand that one week is just 4% of the season.  But I am looking at the trends (too many walks by the entire pitching staff and no timely hitting) with no solution in site.  Last season, those poor pitching performances by Jeff Suppan and Manny Parra were camouflaged by brilliant pitching from CC Sabathia.  Now, those meltdown innings have led to three losses, but worse, they are an extension of what took place last season.  As for the lack of clutch hitting, it was overshadowed early in the last season by bludgeoning home runs leading to some comfortable victories, but when that statistical blip ended, it cost Ned Yost his job.

If Suppan can't do anything more than he showed his first two starts, we are in trouble.... Not only because of his struggles, but trotting out Julio and McClung did the Brewers no favors yesterday.  10 walks and two HBP is not acceptable.  The Cubs got five hits, and effectively blew out the Brewers last night.  I got the same feeling watching Suppan that I did last year in some non-descript game against the Reds on a Tuesday night in September (yeah, I know, another link.  But this was some of my best work).  Suppan is a slow worker, he nibbles, he throws over to first endlessly, he nibbles some more, runs the count to 2-2 or 3-2 and then doesn't have an "out" pitch, so the batter fouls off about a dozen pitches.  Like Yost before, Ken Macha defends Suppan as "an innings eater".  But he has only eaten 7-2/3 innings in two games, both games of which got out of hand when the bullpen performed inadequately. 

The biggest problem, however, is the big picture.  We may be stuck with this team and all its warts.  Suppan still has 2 years and $25 million on his contract - he can't be traded because nobody would want him.  As for the offense, you can try to move the biggest non-clutch-hitting offenders in Bill Hall, JJ Hardy and Corey Hart, but the Brewers would have to accept a player with a bigger contract than any of those guys, or would have to replace them with sub-par players (if Trot Nixon, Mat Gamel, Mike Lamb or Tony Gwynn were any better, they would be playing in Milwaukee and starting already).

We have to hope that the start of this season is just an early slump, but I see too many of the same negatives that hurt the Brewers late last season, and I just have an ookey feeling about this....

I am not going to Opening Day for the first time since 2004, been to 16 overall since 1985... Predictions are impossible this year.  Gallardo = 2008 Sheets, Parra = 2007 Gallardo.  The key is if there is the opportunity to get an ace before July... I had a 300 game at Riviera Lanes a few weeks ago, it was my 16th... Leaving for Vegas in two weeks to bowl the USBC Open Championships, aka Nationals... The bar has been set, and it won't be topped this year... Wisconsin bowlers tend to do well at Nationals... Not gonna eat my way through Las Vegas... Don't think I can eat steak for three meals a day for six days?  Try me... Copper prices are going up, is the recession almost over?  Oil is going up, so it just may be... Maybe not for the captain, but the first thing I thought of when I read this was "Cool"... Still looking for bloggers in West Allis to write about issues... But don't look at me, I've got more important things to write about... Metallica is in the middle of a month-long marathon on XM42, it goes through Monday... (Sponsor's Name Here)'s Offical Son, Mitten, was the starting pitcher for his Rufus King High School JV team on April 8th.  He and another pitcher combined to no-hit Bay View High School 17-4 (side note; 17-4 and a no-hitter?  Yeah, it was JV)... Mitten's fastball was clocked as Thursday... It can't be that hard is it to make sure your van is empty first... Or to put your baby in a crib... Or keep your beer truck on its tires... Way cool... So is this... And this... My-Sugar-Na thinks I have too many blog links... Blame Mark the Editor, he showed me how... My-Sugar-Na's new shoes give her blisters... Hey, bbear, quarter craps (but only 10x odds kinda stink)... The Milwaukee Wave managed a 10-10 record with a bunch of guys you've never heard of.  Next year should be much better if they can retain their stars... In one of the other indoor soccer leagues, the PASL-Pro, the Stockton Cougars won the championship, were sold, then fired their head coach... In the third indoor soccer league, the Baltimore Blast will face the Rockford Rampage in Baltimore this weekend for the NISL title... Happy Easter, y'alls!

I've got two potential topics spinnin' in my noggin...

• The Wisconsin DOT is considering up to 12 roundabouts on S. 27th St. in Franklin and Oak Creek between College Ave. and Ryan Rd.
• NCAA brackets update (for entertainment purposes only).

Let me take a quick poll.

(Sponsor's Name Here):  "My-Sugar-Na?  What would you like me to talk about?"

My-Sugar-Na: "It doesn't matter what I say, you're gonna be snarky about the NCAA brackets because I'm beating you!!!!!"

Well, for the sake of my happy marriage (side note; speaking of quotes, here's one from my dad "Happy Wife, Happy Life") I'd better discuss how my wife has jumped up into fourth place in the pool run by a guy at her office.  And here's the discussion... I have no friggin' clue.

Last year, she said she would pick her teams based on mascots, so I offered some help to her.  This year she didn't want my help, so none was offered.  On Sunday morning, I was happy about my picks so I logged onto CBS Sportsline and saw that I was in 8th place, and that a number of those ahead of me had picked Pittsburgh to win, meaning that I could likely pass them if my teams kept winning.  Then I scanned down the list looking for My-Sugar-Na, and I didn't see her.  "Odd", (Sponsor's Name Here) said to himself.

So I started at 8th place and looked up, and then I thought "What the hell is she doing in 4th place"?  I apparently did more than think it, because she had been in the bedroom and she came tearing down the stairs to look over my shoulders at the standings.  Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, as we are running errands.  She is positively giddy about her lot in the pool, and she has me rooting around the AM stations on the car radio because she (foolishly) has picked Michigan State to beat Louisville (proving she doesn't know what she's doing).  I dreaded finding the result, as I was enjoying her good mood; a mood that would obviously trend downward when she hears that my Louisville team defeated her Michigan State team and the resultant passage of her in the standings.

Then we heard the result... Michigan State defeated Louisville. 

At the end of Sunday, my North Carolina team won the next game (and the team she picked to win wasn't even playing) so she is still in 4th place, and I am still in 8th place. 

Now I only get to hear about it for five more days...

Two years ago, I received a pair of khaki shorts for my birthday and they fit.

This past Sunday, I received another pair of khaki shorts (same brand) for my birthday in the same size, and they don't fit.  Not even close. 

Over the past year or so, I've had a number of conversations with my boss, whose stated repeatedly that with sketchy quality control in the far East, it is his believe that the Chinese and Indians are skimping on the material.  Saving a few inches of material on each of the millions of pairs of shorts that are produced can save thousands of dollars.  Now consider the problems with toxins in the milk and lead in the toys coming from China, and this theory makes a lot of sense.

Lord knows, I can't think of any other reason these shorts don't fit.

Modeled somewhat after soccer's World Cup, the WBC is a major hit in most of the participating countries.  The United States seems not to be one of those countries.

When negotiating with the MLB Players union, Major League Baseball pushed the WBC to become a reality, yet the union and the managers for the teams don't want their players to participate.  There seems to be serious concern about player injuries.  Injuries cost everybody money... the clubs who may not be a successful, the players who may lose salary, the agents that lose commission on that salary, etc.

So while MLB's international stars lined up early and often to represent their county (from the Mariners Ichiro Suzuki playing for Japan to the Red Sox David Ortiz playing for the Dominican Republic to the Dodgers Russell Martin playing for Canada) American nationals didn't seem to be concerned.  At first, some of the decliners were due to a recent injury history, like the Brewers Yovanni Gallardo who declined playing for Mexico due to knee surgery last year and the Twins Joe Nathan declining to play for the USA due to a nagging shoulder injury.

But some of the players that declined, like the Brewers Prince Fielder and the Giants Tim Lincecum who did so without an injury to use as an excuse, the die became cast that this tournament wasn't worth their time (in other words, their $$$).  It wasn't just players who declined to play, The Mariners Adrian Beltre begged to be allowed to play for his Dominican Republic team, but the team would not release him to play.

Specific to the USA national team, this meant a watered down roster and send a clear message to American baseball fans... this thing ain't worth it.

Sure, all of MLB started spring training a week early, but USA baseball should have had a camp starting in January to make sure the guys that were proud to wear the team colors are in game shape... they could have played against college teams, against teams going through the Carribean World Series, etc.  Instead we get announcers like former adolescent Brewers announcer Matt Vasgersian and broadcasting newbie Al Leiter tell us that this IS the team's spring training and the players need to "get their work in".  Hell, the MLB Network is telling us on every platform that our national team is going through an organized practice session.  Funny, the MLB Network is run by the same group that negotiated with the union to hold this tournament in the first place.

I hate hearing about how USA manager Davey Johnson has to get so many pitchers so many innings (Side note; Johnson decided his stepson's wedding was more important than the WBC game last Saturday, though he did get the the stadium around the time it started).  The result is that we (this is my country, so this is my team) don't have a pitcher that can go four innings (the Cubs Ted Lilly made it 3-1/3 innings in an elimination game), so they trot out one pitcher who can't throw a strike (the Dodgers Jonathan Broxton) after another (the Mets JJ Putz) after another (the Padres Heath Bell).  Where the hell is the Yankees CC Sabathia?  Where is the Indians Cliff Lee?  Where is the Diamondbacks Brandon Webb?  USA Baseball puts rummy pitchers out there to start a game, and more rummy pitchers in relief.  So because of the need to carry so many pitchers, you can't carry a fair amount of positions players. 

Now, I don't have nearly as much of a problem with the USA offense... I can handle every player on the team (except for the Nationals Adam Dunn, but he has proven me wrong so far, so what do I know?).  But because these guys are out of shape (the Brewers Ryan Braun, the Braves Chipper Jones, the Red Sox Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis) and suffering minor strains and muscle pulls, there is no bench to speak of.  I am shouting at my TV Tuesday night in the elimination game against Puerto Rico when Vasgersian is talking about Johnson's limited substitution options, while watching some crappy pitching drag a game to a four-hour marathon.

There is no really good time to hold this tournament... in March is probably the best we can do (Side note; don't even get me started on the double pool play / double elimination format.  If a camel is a horse designed by a committee, then the format of the WBC is a camel with a bad knee, flat hump and flatulence).    But there is no excuse at all for an out of shape team fashioned with a second-rate pitching staff.

The result is that the USA is uncompetitive in some of the games, and the long list of injuries has but the squad in a position where they've run out of players and have too many playing out of position.  In Wednesday evening's Pool 2 Championship game with 3B Jones 1B/3B Youkilis already out, OF Dunn had to play out of position at 1B, and the Indians Mark Derosa (who can play any position) had to play OF due to LF Braun's injury.  During that game, the Mets 3B David Wright fouled a pitch off his foot, but there was not one available substitute, forcing Wright to stay in the game manning the hot corner like a statue.  Pitchers aren't ready to pitch, and position players are so out of shape that they are dropping like flies.

Somehow, the USA made it to the final four, and will play either Japan or South Korea on Sunday, March 22, with the winner to play in the Finals on Monday, March 23.  USA Baseball has a chance to retool its roster (calling up and dropping players is allowed in between rounds) to come up with some healthy players.  The only real corner infielders on the provisional roster are the Rays Evan Longoria and the Cubs Derrick Lee.

But I am hosed off that it came to this.  Why are Americans so damn arrogant that international team sports are irrelevant?  This is big stuff.  The Dominican Republic (with far more known MLB names than Team USA) lost two games to The Netherlands team that only had two major leaguers on it.  The Dominican press was not happy and Manager Felipe Alou had a lot of ‘splaining to do. 

All baseball fans should be upset about this.  We keep telling the world how great we are, and then we yawn when we get a chance to prove it.  Like I said above, the USA plays its semi-final on Sunday, which is my birthday.  Give me the best present possible... your passion for your national team, watch the game with the expectation that we will win, and if we lose, demand accountability.  This is the only way to show the world that we are #1 in baseball.

I have blogged about indoor soccer a number of times in the past two years.  I'll let you read some of my past stuff, but to quickly summarize, I went to my first Milwaukee Wave game in January 1985, and I have been going regularly since 1987... I estimate that I've seen 85% of home games in the last 20 years.  I've been the Booster Club president, I've been the editor of the Booster Club newsletter, I attended one Soccer Solidarity convention (yes, there really used to be a convention for indoor soccer fans).  I also - though not related to indoor soccer - worked in the press box for the Milwaukee Rampage for nine seasons and also the Milwaukee Wave United for one season.  In other words, I've seen a lot of soccer players, teams, leagues, fans and media coverage come and go.

So last year summer when the Major Indoor Soccer League folded, the thirteen fans of the sport around the country held their breath in anticipation of what would happen.  Depending on your viewpoint, it either all went to hell, or the groundwork has been laid for the resurgence (and profitibility) of the sport.

The MISL ostensibly folded because the bylaws allowed for teams that had folded to still remain part of the league by paying the yearly dues.  So when cities like Cleveland, Kansas City and St. Louis folded a few years ago, there was no opportunity to replace the teams in those cities because the rights were still owned by the previous owners.  On top of that, by paying the yearly dues, these defunct franchises had full voting privledges.  It came down to the fact that there were as many - if not more - defunct teams voting than current teams.  By folding the league, you get rid of the deadweight and you can start over with the true ownership groups deciding the sports future.

Ah, if it were only that easy.  A funny thing happened on the way to this season.  Agreements could not be reached on how to set-up this new league.  So one group of owners formed one league (The Xtreme Soccer League, or XSL), and the other group of owners formed another league (The National Indoor Soccer Leagu, or NISL).  Out west, yet a third group (The Premier Arena Soccer League, or PASL) added an upper division and started calling itself professional.  And you know what?  Each of the three leagues think that their model is the best.  One big point that many made was that indoor soccer can only exist in regional leagues because of the cost of travel.

The Wave plays in the XSL, along with former MISL teams Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition and the New Jersey Ironmen.  The NISL consists of former MISL teams Philadelphia KiXX, Baltimore Blast, LaRaza de Monterrey and two teams from the now-defunct American Indoor Soccer League, the Rockford Rampage and the Massachusetts Twisters.  The PASL-Pro has former MISL team in the Stockton Cougars, and a bunch of other teams from places like Wenatchee, WA. The XSL stretches from Chicago to Newark.  The NISL goes from Baltimore to Monterrey.  The PASL-Pro goes from Calgary to Cincinnati.  So much for regional.

Before the season even started, each league faced challenges (that didn't include explaining to their fans why there are only a couple of teams in the league, and the fact that their players have disappeared, and the fact that the schedule came out too soon before the opening of the season)...

• The XSL described itself in its formation as an innovative, 12-month sports lifestyle brand.  Nothing says "high-quality competition" like labeling yourself a lifestyle brand.
• The NISL had one team fold (the Orlando Sharks) before the season ever started, and quickly drummed up a replacement propped up by the league (the Massachusetts Twisters) that is so overmatched that they are 1-12, they have been outscored 4:1, and they average under 500 fans per home game.
• The NISL also has their Monterrey team playing an ookey number of exhibitions against many of the PASL-Pro teams.
• The PASL-Pro has a team in Wenatchee.  Oh, and many teams play in what could best be described as practice facilities.

Focusing on the Wave's league, the XSL, the four teams play a 20-game schedule with no playoffs.  In past years, the Wave has played as many as 44 games, and in 1997-98 they played 12 playoff games in winning the championship.  Because there are only 20 games, players are only paid a fraction of what they had been paid.  It is clear that many players (not just from the Wave) from the MISL have taken this as a sign that there is more money working a 9 to 5 job.  The result is that half of the rosters in the XSL are made up of guys you've never heard of.  That doesn't make for a quality product.  11 players on the current Wave roster have one year of indoor experience or less.

On game day at the US Cellular Area (as well as the Sears Centre in the Greater Hoffman Estates Metroplex, where the Chicago Storm plays) nothing is different in the game presentation from last season, or the season before that, and so on.  Wave PA announcer "Dammit Man" McNeil is constantly on the PA reading ads, welcoming groups, counting down the clock, etc.  When he isn't talking (and, actually, ususally when he is) there is constant music playing.  Not the music that the ticket BUYERS like... which is funny.  30-to-50-year olds buy the majority of the tickets, and the music is geared towards the 14-year old kids that wouldn't be caught dead with their parents.

Game day presentation aside, I attend Wave games for the soccer.  It is getting better as the season progresses, but with so many newcomers, it is taking awhile for the prouct improve.  And that is the most disappointing thing about the innovative, 12-month sports lifestyle brand.  It doesn't appear to be about the soccer on the field.  As nice as it is to give guys like Nathan Sabich, Chad Burt and Jacek Przednowek a job, there is no way they make the 1997-98 championship team.  I'm not even sure they make the lesser 2004-05 championship squad.

Here's a rambling example... Due to a couple of injuries and cost restraints, the Chicago Storm came to Milwaukee on New Year's Eve with a depleted squad.  The Wave was able to beat them 14 - 10.  One month later, the Storm came to town and looked horrible... as a sqaud they exhibited little life and looked out of it before they started.  However, the Wave was only able to score three goals and won 6 - 2.  Then Chicago made their biggest move of the season, signing MISL veteran (and former Waver) Dan Antoniuk.  Antoniuk is 6'3" tall and strong and knows the indoor game.  In his first game with the Storm, Antoniuk led them to a win over the then-first place Detroit Ignition, and next to Milwaukee and beat the then-first place Wave 17 - 16.  By signing one veteran that had been playing X-Box for a living (really, I don't know what Antoniuk was doing before the Storm signed him) the Storm was able to beat the top two teams in the league in a three-day span.

That says so much about the shape of the sport I have come to know and love.  Antoniuk - who though a veteran is not an indoor player you think of as being a superstar - was unemployed for 2/3 of the season, and then immediately has a huge impact for his new team.  It's not supposed to be that way.  Antoniuk should have been on a roster, playing.  And he should be paid enough so that he doesn't have to make the decision NOT to play.

And that is the problem with being a lifestyle brand that plays 20 indoor soccer games a year.  Not enough revenue can possibly be generated by the teams in the league to afford the better players.  I know that some of the veteran players get their pay supplemented by being an assistant coach, and by running soccer camps, etc.  But there aren't 16 to 20 of these positions available, so some college kids who are happy to be making any money are now called "professionals" and the teams are charging fans $20 per ticket to watch them.  Meanwhile, attendance is barely at 4,000 per game (and no playoffs).  The cycle continues - but it is a downward cycle.

Between the three leagues, we need one group of owners with a vision that is larger than just existing.  You can't have a quality product without quality players.  You can't have quality players without high attendance.  You can't devise ways to increase attendance if your parent company is working on beach soccer and street soccer tournaments.  I have also stated in the past that you need a larger number of games to remain relevant.  If you play two games every weekend (and maybe even the occasional mid-week game), there will be more game articles and highlights on the TV news.  (Note that mid-week games are attendance killers, but consider the resulting newspaper article as advertising).  Niche sports need to be in the public eye, and playing 20 games with no media coverage with players nobody's ever heard of is a rocket sled to irrelevance.

A 36 to 40-game schedule - an indoor soccer norm for almost two decades - seems to be a good amount.  It allows for the highs and lows of a season (injuries, trades, long road trips, etc) which can test the mettle of a team.  A schedule of that length gives fans more options to attend games.  Someone like me might pay to attend 18 games... now the most I can attend is 10.  A longer schedule also stretches out the season of available times for the casual fan to attend games.  It keeps the sport in the public focus, and if marketing can put butts in the seats, can pay its quality players a living wage.

As it is now, the three leagues are just playing a game of which can prolong the death sentence.  Speaking of short seasons, I will be back at the Sears Centre in September to check this out.  They only play two home games in a four game season.  We'll have to see how they can retain their, um, talent with only two home dates.

Now, with all that happy commentary, your Milwaukee Wave is tied for first place with two home games left... one of which is this Sunday.  Go buy some tickets and have some fun.  Show that there are still fans, and that higher attendance might lead to more games.  I know I'll be there this weekend.

(Disclaimer - this is my opinion.  I made a number of generalities in terms of recent indoor soccer history, as well as reasons behind the previous league folding and the current structure.  In no way is this presented as a definitive study of indoor soccer in America.  But I already spent too much time on a blog that only about seven people care about, so too much detail isn't called for.  Am I dead nuts accurate?  No.  Am I solidly in the ballpark?  You betcha.)

(This was the post originally planned for last Friday)

The perfect meal... two Filet O'Fish sandwiches and a Shamrock Shake.

Now maybe nutritionists would disagree, and possibly my non-fish-enjoying wife, too.  But this meal is more than the sum of its parts.  This meal isn't two overly processed, deep-fried blocks of what was once (probably) fish and 16 ounces of cold, green, partially hydrogenated gelatinous goo that had an artificial mint twig once pass near it.

This meal - for me - is a Lenten tradition.  Not just that my Cafeteria Catholicism beliefs tell me to, but because the first Friday of Lent really does signify the start of Spring.  Tasting that first bite, chased with that first slurp told me that Winter is on its way out.  It tells me to hang in there.  It may be 20 degrees today, but that 50 degree day is right around the corner (Side note; when I wrote this last week, I didn't realize that not only did I understate the coming warm spell, but it hit on the very Friday that this actually posted.  Spooky, no?) 

Even in a religious sense, this meal tells me that Easter is only a few weeks away, and everything that the church says that Easter represents... rebirth, hope after dispair, joy and happiness at the Lord's triumph over evil, etc.  That is all coming too, just because I had two Filet O'Fishes and a Shamrock Shake for lunch.

Now combine the two.  Spring and warm weather is coming, so is rebirth and joy.  Really, this meal with a symbol that the darkness and cold of winter (and life overall?) is in the rearview mirror and warmth and joy and happiness is just ahead.

I assure you, those 760 fishy calories and 14 cold, green fat grams really are good for you.  Go ahead, have this meal for lunch and see spring right around the corner.

(Side note; [Extra side note; starting a post with a side note is very unique. That's what makes this writer - in this writer's opinion - very cool.  Even my mom thinks I'm cool.  Right, Mom?] the blogging software has not been running smoothly.  This blog was originally meant to post Friday morning, but when I couldn't get on the server, I saved it.  Then later on Friday I had an even better idea for a post but still couldn't get on the server.  So that one is being saved until next Friday (when you see it, you'll understand).  But obviously the server is all better now.  So sit back, and pretend I posted this Friday morning at 8:00 AM).

I have been bowling in the same league on Thursday nights since 1997.  Originally started in the early-1990s as the Grand Classic League at Red Carpet Celebrity Lanes, the league moved to AMF West after Celebrity closed, before moving to Riviera Lanes in 1999 and becoming the 1070 Classic league. 

From when we joined the league as Wholesale Tickets & Tours until now known as Brew City Tickets (located in West Allis, buy the way), we have kept three common members... my good friend, I'll call him Grap and my other good friend whom I've previously dubbed Ray Sunshine.  The three of us have seen numerous teammates come and go, we've seen two different teammates quit at midseason, we've lost Grap during the 2006 season to a torn ligament in the elbow, and I missed most of last season with my own elbow surgery.

In my 11+ seasons in this league, my team has never been particularly good and though the season is broken into four quarters, our team has never won even one of the 42 previous quarters.  One year, we did make the league Championship roll-off as the team with the most points that hadn't won a quarter, but that was about the limit of our success.

Three years ago, we assembled a team with two talented players... one being Pinhead and the other being Poodle.  Unfortunately between mine and Scott's injuries, it never really came together. 

Until this past quarter.

On Thursday, February 26th, the Club Paragon team, being three points ahead of Brew City Tickets in the standings, bowled against each other for the 3rd quarter title.  Club Paragon has been previous league champions, and are consistently in the season-end Championship roll-off.  It could be said that they were the clear favorites to win the quarter.  Though other scenarios existed, the situation was basically that the team to win two out of three games would win.

In the first game, the lanes played pretty easily inside of second arrow, banking off the dry 8th board.  Brew City Tickets took advantage of this, and with three bowlers shooting over 240 (myself, Grap and Poodle) won the first game by over 100 pins.  In the second game, the lanes started to transition (some of the oil in the middle of the lanes started pushing down, making that dry board not-so-dry).  Though most of the game was close, Club Paragon pulled away late and won the second game by almost the same margin.

After two games, we were tied up - both on points and total pins.  11 seasons + would come down to one last game.  And just to make life more interesting, the lanes transitioned again, as by the end of the second game it was hard to find where any oil was. (Side note; I swear that on one shot of mine early in the third game, I actually saw sparks from the friction where my high performance bowling ball was in contact with bare wood.  If you are a skilled bowler, you understand the reference).

Through six frames, Brew City Tickets was down about a mark, but that is where Club Paragon's experience started to take over.  Though none of Club Paragon's bowlers are famous as having racked up loads of city, state or national titles, the hallmark of their team is that when the lanes get tough, they are able to maintain the pocket.  So whereas my Brew City Tickets teammates and I were changing balls, trying different lines, and just trying to make better shots (and when that didn't work, we were faced with something like the 4-6-7-9 split) Club Paragon wasn't necessarily striking, but they were leaving and converting easy spares.

By the 10th frame, the match was over and Club Paragon the third quarter winners.  But it really was a moral victory for our team.  In past years when we would bowl some of the better teams in our league, many times we would get crushed.  Hammered.  Murdelated.  But we hung with 'em for seven weeks and 28 or so frames.  (Side note; one of the players on Club Paragon's team was previously on the Plennes, Inc. team.  Don't know them?  That team set a state record on February 15, 2001 that still stands - the record of the highest scratch series by a 5-person mixed team, rolling 3761.  Their opponent that night?  That's right.  Wholesale Tickets and Tours.  We won one individual point that night [my teammates never did thank me] as we lost by over 1000 total pins.)

So who says there are no great bowling stories?  Imagine what a real writer might have done with this story, and how interesting of a read it would have been as you peruse the morning Milwaukee Journal Sentinel while eating your bran muffin and canteloupe.  Just maybe, eight weeks from now, I can rewrite this story, but with a happier ending.

I scooped the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Sonic on Miller Park Way and Burnham had a soft Grand Opening this evening.  Officially, they open at 6:00 AM on Tuesday, February 24th.  (Sponsor's Name Here)'s Official Son Mitten, will begin his employ at Sonic on Wednesday.  But as he and I were running errands this evening, I told him that I had a hankerin' for a Limeade.  He mentioned that there was a special opening for the corporate and local bigwigs tonight, but not for the general public.

I suggested that we drive past, as I'd bet that they'd open early.  Mitten (being the naive little pisher that he is) not only said "75% chance against it", but he also started to chicken out and said "I don't want to get in trouble if it looks like they aren't open yet".  As soon as we got close, we could see the signage in all it's neon glory.  Not only were they open to the public, but had a line about four cars long to pull into the parking lot at 9:00 PM.  My point to him was that there would be no way that a hyped restaurant like this could be open for a handful of cars, and turn away every other car that tries to pull in.

Remember when Krispy Kreme opened on Hwy 100?

You can tell that they are planning on a whole lotta business, as they have devised a "staging" area for cars before you are allowed into the parking lot.  You have to pull behind the strip mall just south of Rocky Rococo's and just north of the soon-to-be-opening Office Max and drive behind that strip mall.  There, a parking attendant will hold you until there is either room in the drive through or at a stall (wave to Mitten if you see him on Wednesday.  He will be a parking lot dude freezing his *** off.  I tried to tell him that parking cars on the lawn for State Fair is a lot warmer.  He insists on starting this new job anyway.)

I've only been to a few Sonics (Marshalltown, IA, Knoxville, TN, some Godforsaken part of LA between Baton Rouge and New Orleans and Albuquerque, NM) but this **slurppppp** Limeade is to die for.  Mitten won't tell me all the ingredients, but I think one of them is crack.

The USBC (which at this time last year was based on Greendale) Masters (which was last contested in Milwaukee) field is down to four bowlers, who will bowl for the $60,000 prize on ESPN on Sunday at Noon CST.

The first match will feature Danny Wiseman, Champion of the 2004 Masters, held at Miller Park...

Bowling against Tommy Jones, who made the final round of the 2006 Masters, held at the State Fair Park Expo Center...

The winner of that match will go up against Steve Harman, who is making his second TV appearance. A few weeks ago, Harman and doubles partner Jen Petrick took second in the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship...

The leading qualifier, making his first televised appearance is John Nolen from Michigan. Since I can't find any video on Mr. Nolen, enjoy this video which includes John Nolen Drive in Madison...

Local pro Chad Kloss has been eliminated from the USBC Masters, being contested in Las Vegas, NV.  In his first match (all matches are three games), he beat Bill O'Neill 669 - 643, before losing his second match to Mike DeVaney 690 - 609.  With the Masters being a double-elimination format, Kloss moved to the Loser's Bracket where he lost to Steve Jaros 636 - 630.  Kloss earned $2,000 for his finish.

Kenosha's Lennie Boresch was also eliminated on Thursday evening.  Boresch's exit was a little quicker as he lost both of his matches; first to Jason Sterner 634 - 621, then to Lonnie Waliczek 595 - 589.  Boresch earned $1,700.

For a wrap-up of the qualifying (the 15 games that preceeded match play), watch this.

32 bowlers remain alive and begin competition later this morning.  By the end of the day, the field will be pared down to the four finalists that will compete for the $60,000 first prize on Sunday on ESPN.

Although I don't think that there was much of anything that AMF Bowlero or the bowling leaders of the area could have done, I still feel gypped that one of bowling's most prestigious tournaments - the USBC Maters - was pulled from Milwaukee after four years.  For this reason, it seems a little hollow to be following the action as it happens in Las Vegas, while trying to convince myself it is as important as it had recently been to me.

Traditionally since the 1950s, the ABC Masters (the American Bowling Congress being the forerunner to the United States Bowling Congress) was held at the site of the ABC national tournament and held on the tournament lanes during the first week in May.  Beginning with the 1999-2000 tournament season, the ABC Masters was aligned with the Professional Bowlers Association and moved to the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, NV and bowled in January.  After three years in Reno, it was moved to Milwaukee for four years and was contested in October (which was convenient for the PBA as the midwest tournaments are primarily conducted in the fall).  With the announcement last year that the Masters was leaving Milwaukee, it was also announced that it would again be tied to the USBC national tourament.  Although a blow for Milwaukee, a gain for tradition.  (Side note; the cynic in me says that this arrangement will last only three years as the 2010 and 2011 national tournaments are both in Reno, and the PBA's west coast swing is always in January and February.  Therefore, it is reasonable to assume the event has been moved to the tournament lanes more for convenience than tradition.  We will see where and when the tournament is held in 2012 when the USBC national tournament is in Baton Rouge, LA).

Last year when I gave the round-by-round updates, it was exciting to chart the course of the local bowlers (of which there were many).  Obviously with the tournament 1500 miles away, there are less Milwaukee-area bowlers.  So as I try to determine a way to make this post relevant, please bear with me. 

This year, there were 451 bowlers (which is down from the 485 bowlers that competed last year in Milwaukee).  After 10 games, the top 114 bowlers made the cut - which was a 207.1 average.  Those 114 bowlers will bowl an additional five games today, and the top 63 (plus last year's champion, Sean Rash) will begin the match play portion.  Notable names in the top 114 include...

• 3rd place is Mike Scroggins with a 229.2 average.  Scorggins was the 2005 Masters champion, held at the US Cellular Arena.
• 9th place is Steve Jaros with a 225.5 average.  Jaros was in the 2007 finals at Miller Park, and was the feature of his own story on my blog last November.
• 11th place is Wendy McPherson with a 224.5 average.  McPherson is the highest female qualifyer.
• 17th place is Doug Kent with a 222.2 average.  Kent was the 2006 Masters champion, held at the State Fair Expo Center.
• 23rd place is Chad Kloss with a 220.5 average.  Kloss is an exempt pro from Greenfield, WI.
• 32nd place is George Lambert IV with a 219.0 average.  Lambert was in the 2006 finals at the Expo Center.
• 33rd place is Patrick Allen with a 218.9 average.  Allen was in the 2004 and 2007 finals, both held at Miller Park.
• 37th place is Danny Wiseman with a 217.9 average.  Wiseman was the 2004 Masters Champion at Miller Park.
• 55th place is Norm Duke with a 214.8 average.  Duke was in the 2005 finals at the US Cellular Arena.
• 37th place is Tommy Jomes with a 213.3 average.  Jones was also in the 2005 finals at the US Cellular Arena.
• 84th place is Lennie Boresch with a 211.2 average.  Boresch is from Kenosha, WI.
• 86th place is Walter Ray Williams with a 210.8 average.  Williams was in the 2007 finals at Miller Park.

So of the top 114, 10% are either from Wisconsin or performed in an arena finals.  Live webcams can be seen here, highlights here, and updated round information can be found here.

I just found out that a good friend of mine passed last week.  Sadly, I was unaware until Friday evening.

Tony Klappa had been diagnosed with lung cancer about two years ago, and every time that I saw him since that time (which, unfortunately, wasn't very often) he was in great spirits; always talking about his latest good news.  I even saw him bowl a couple of times.  His wife even kept a blog of the journey, in part to help her cope, but also so that his countless friends could be kept up to date with his progress.

Tony was inducted into the Greater Milwaukee Bowling Association Hall of Fame just last fall, and shortly thereafter, WauwatosaNOW writer Tom Skibosh wrote a piece on him.

Tony, 46, passed on Monday, February 2nd and his funeral was last Friday.  I learned of his passing while at bowling, where many of the other bowlers were discussing the services.  I will miss Tony, and wish him a quick journey into God's Kingdom.

In looking at the Pittsburgh Steelers / Arizona Cardinals match-up, you have one team that traditionally plays a solid defensive game against one that can put lots of points on the board in a hurry.  In baseball, good pitching can cancel good hitting.  In football, though, it isn't quite as simple.  All you need is on defensive back, for example, to look over the wrong shoulder and the result is seven points.  Or the defensive call could be an all-out blitz, which is picked up and a slant pass ends up going for a long score.  Conversely, you could have the good offensive team with a few scores, but some defensive adjustments and the resulting turnovers put the team with the good offense in the hole, and when the entire stadium knows a pass is coming, the defense locksdown.

In other words, stop looking at the vaunted Steelers against the high-flying Cardinals.  A better view of the game might come from reviewing the Steelers offense against the Cardinals defense.

In short, the Cardinals give up almost as many yards as they produce, while the Steelers have had some offensive struggles.  Arizona had some ugly losses this season, giving up 56 points to the Jets in September, 48 points to the Eagles on Thanksgiving night and giving up 47 points to New England and 35 points at home against the Vikings on back to back weekends in December.  The Steelers did score over 30 points in four different regular season games and once in the playoffs.

Although when handicapping football games, I hate Hate HATE hearing about emotional stuff like "The revenge factor", or that "they want to win it in front of their fans".  Trust me, in the middle of the third quarter of a close game, the QB is not in the huddle saying "Two years ago this team beat us and knocked us out of the playoffs, therefore we want our revenge and will win."  Instead, he is probably saying something like "Right 46 Fox, Left Swing Swing Mike 11 on 2".  This entire paragraph is completely irrelevant, however, as neither team really has an emotional advantage or disadvantage.  I was just seeing if you were paying attention.

The bottom line is that the Pittsburgh offense is better than the Cardinals defense.  Arizona has been very hot in the playoffs, but in reality they are a 9-7 team that won their division by default.  They have no discernable running game, their star receiver pouted at the end of the Championship winning game, and their quarterback - though a good story - is old with a history of being a fumbler.  Take Pittsburgh straight up.

If you are playing against the spread (Pittsburgh -7), it gets a little tougher.  If the Steelers are ahead by two scores late in the game, their defense may back off a little and Kurt Warner could pick apart the prevent defense for the backdoor cover.  But I don't think that will happen.  I actually think that Pittsburgh's good offense against the Cardinals suspect defense will allow the Steelers to take a nice lead into halftime, and as the game progresses and Arizona's offense presses, the game will get out of hand.  Take Pittsburgh laying the TD.

And for your bonus prediction of 46.5 over/under, for the reasons in the above paragraph, I think Pittsburgh will light up the scoreboard, and Arizona might through in a garbage TD, too.  Also, the score went over in 13 of Arizona's 19 games, and in 10 of Pittsburgh's 19 games.  Take the OVER.

The NFL machine keeps going.

Just like last year around this time, the NFL is raining on many Arizona parades.

It's too bad the NFL is so damn popular that they can discourage fans from gathering to watch a game as a group.  If the economy keeps sputtering and ticket sales and advertising revenues collapse, they are going to need all the friends they can get.

First, you've GOT to read this nugget.  The article is about how Heinz is removing the pickle logo from its ketchup bottles.

Done?  Good.  So what part stuck out at you?  No, I wasn't talking about the "Milwaukee" byline (although it is odd that a company in Pittsburgh and on a New York website would have anything to do with Milwaukee).  It's this:

In testing, mothers — the target buyers — said having the tomato on the label helped them make the connection with the product's main ingredient. Mothers want to have more information about the foods they're serving their families and they want to feel that the foods are natural and wholesome, Geoffrey said.

So you are telling me that mothers will not know that ketchup is made with tomatoes if there is an itsy-bitsy pickle on the label?  And just as curious, since when aren't pickles natural and wholesome?

Think of all the money that went into consultants and focus groups; on salaries of the Heinz folks and the PR firms and the graphic houses, etc.  Think about the PR blitz that was mentioned in the article.  That's a lot of scratch for a "down economy". 

Now think of the braniac that spoke up in a company meeting and said "Um, I think we should remove the pickle from the ketchup label".  No, notwithstanding whether that is a good idea or not (and personally, I can't stand ketchup so I have no stake in this) the answer in that meeting should not have resulted in focus groups and media blitzes.  It should have resulted in "Sure, Phil.  Sounds good."  Or, possibly "Phil, you're excused".  But to end up with an article that actually includes the admission that some mothers don't know that ketchup is made of tomatoes?  Good Lord, please help their children

(Subtitled:  How to begin the first Lightning Round in 2009)

Apparently there is a belief that America hasn't been cool since Slick Willie was getting serviced by Monica... So inaugurations are either cool or not... I think the Obama presidency will be a political and economic nightmare, but a milestone like a black man becoming president isn't a horrible thing... So who really thought the Cards would take out Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia?  Not many, as they were dogs for all three games (two of those games at home)... Pittsburgh is good - not great -, but Arizona is not gooder so look for the Steelers to win The Big Game (because I can still call it that!)... What the hell's the matter with Anquan Boldin?  Can't you be happy about going to The Big Game?  Hell, Asante Samuel was excited about losing the NFC Championship... Being busy at work in inversely proportional to the amount of blogging that I do... Did everybody watch the season premiere of Flight of the Conchords yesterday?  No?  Did you at least watch the season premiere of Big Love?  Thank goodness for DVRs because I actually watched the four-hour football game last night... Tommasino Italia now serves lunch during the week, including the best chili this side of 17th & Wells... Speaking of chili... The Milwaukee Wave game this weekend will feature a tribute to the past, honoring their 25th season.  After the game will be an alumni game... Ask me a Wave trivia question, I bet I know it.  I also bet that no more than 10 non-employees have seen as many home games in 25 years as I have... I hate when websites get too cute.  I tried to link from the Wave's homepage, but it is all Java-y and wouldn't let me... First one to stump me on a Wave trivia question (and you'd better be dang sure of the answer) wins a MyCommunityNOW.com pad of post-it notes and a pen... I haven't mentioned bowling yet... Planning a trip to Las Vegas in April for the USBC national tournament.  I found rooms at the Sahara for $28/night, but flights (at convenient times) are still hovering in the $250 range...  There, the obligatory mention of bowling.

You've got to speak up.  I went to see Metallica last night at the Bradley Center (and we remember how important they are), and nine hours after they left the stage, my ears still have a distinctive ring to them.

Set List

1. That Was Just Your Life
2. Broken, Beat & Scarred
3. One
4. Harvester of Sorrows
5. Cyanide
6. Sad But True
7. Wherever I May Roam
8. All Nightmare Long
9. The Day That Never Comes
10. Master of Puppets
11. Fight Fire With Fire
12. Nothing Else Matters
13. Enter Sandman
14. (Encore) See You in Hell
15. Stone Cold Crazy
16. Seek and Destroy

As for the concert itself, it is exactly what you'd expect for a concert performed by 40-somethings, aimed at an audience 18 through 45 (complete with the, um, herbal essence, if you know what I mean).  There were significantly more gray hairs and paunchy bellies than I had anticipated.  In a way, I felt much better because my wardrobe does not include black T-shirts and I feared that I would be overdressed.  But once James, Lars, Kirk and Robert hit the stage, everyone was 16 again.

My only complaint?  Metallica went on stage at 9:15 and played until 11:30.  Way to late for 10,000 middle-aged men.  Now, where's my Starbucks?

My brother and sister-in-law, Mr. Uncie and Knobbleknees, aren't the only ones to add to the grandchildren collection.  Meet Mr. Cranky Pants (pictured in between Gooey and his sister Jelly Bean).  Born in late-June, my brother and sister-in-law, St. Jon and Strawberry Fields (who live in West Allis) completed the adoption process of Mr. Cranky Pants this morning.

That brings the toll to nine grandchildren, four of which have piled into the family in the last two-plus years.

Both of St. Jon's children being adopted, after first being placed as foster children, proves the system can work - provided the biological families don't gum up the works.  It still isn't the greatest system (previously, St. Jon and Strawberry Fields attempted to adopt Jelly Bean's half-sister, but a shirt-tail uncle got in the way and derailed that process) but in this case, the county got it right.