I soaked in the Brewers game last night from two great perspectives, the OnMilwaukee.com season tickets along the first base line, and in rather empty but always bucolic press box. Though I've watched or listened to almost every game of the season, unbelievably, last night was my first appearance at a Brewers game since Spring Training in Phoenix (I know, it's shameful, but it's a marathon not a sprint ...)
Anyway, being at a game, and specifically, watching it among the experts in the press box, allowed me tons of time for reflection in such a slow-motion, offensive laden evening. Here's what I walked away with:
Crank it up: Trevor Hoffman's introduction to the ninth inning was the loudest I've ever heard the music played at Miller Park. Crappy AC/DC "Hells Bells" aside, it sounded great. You might ask why the stadium crew doesn't turn up the music more often. Well, I happen to know the answer. A former scoreboard operator once told me that there's a certain older gentleman, high up in the organization, who complained every time the crew turned up the noise, and while the stadium has great acoustics for loud, rockin' music, it's never gonna happen. I'm not naming names, but lets just say this old man doesn't care for "the rock and roll."
Weeks = strong: I was pretty close to writing off Rickie Weeks as a player who, despite his talent, couldn't pull it together. But this season, Weeks looks like a new man. Chiseled, focused and hitting his stride, he's finally playing up to his potential. After Weeks hit a triple last night, my friend turned to me and asked, "HGH?" I don't think so. I just think Rickie's in his wheel house.
Attentive fans: Speaking of Weeks, everyone at Miller Park seemed to notice that he was just a double short of the cycle when he came up for his final at bat. Obviously, that's huge, but to see an entire stadium standing and cheering for a somewhat "insider baseball" achievement, when it wasn't crucial to the game, shows that Brewers fans are indeed knowledgeable. Quite a change of pace (and a dandy) from the Cubs fans who go bananas for every routine pop up.
Nelson Muntz: I just have to say one thing about poor Brad Nelson, who got kicked to the curb after batting a gaudy 0-for-21 with the Brewers. Lately, Nelson has looked glum, a Babe Ruthian figure with a .000 average. Struggles aside, have you ever heard Nelson speak? He sounds exactly like that teenage, zitty kid on "The Simpsons." It's hilarious, really, but kind of sad at the same time.
Replay uneventful but effective: It was cool to see yesterday's umpires overturn a home run that might've cost the Brewers the ball game, but it was much less exciting than what happens in the NFL. The umps simply walked off the field and reconvened a few minutes later, quietly motioning that the ball was a foul. The game went on, and P.A. guy Robb Edwards' announcement was the only indication that something was afoot.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
