Welcome to Saturday Scorecard, our weekly wrestling match with the tough questions in sports, such as:
Now that Miller and Coors are going to merge, are Brewers fans required to root for the Rockies in the NLCS? Nothing against the fine folks in Denver, but I'd rather see Bob Melvin, Jeff Cirillo, Doug Davis and Daron Sutton win a World Series ring.
On to the notes:
Obey your thirst: Don't know what you're plans are today, but we're going to ingest a lot of fluid during the Wisconsin-Penn State game because we don't want Packers running back DeShawn Wynn to get cramps tomorrow against the Redskins.
Seriously ... How does a guy who played in college at FLORIDA become dehydrated after one series during (an admittedly warm and muggy) night game?
Nobody will say it, but that episode points to a failure on the part of both the athlete and the training staff. In spring training this year, Brewers trainers stressed hydration and posted color charts over the urinals so that players could see how healthy, hydrated output is supposed to look. (Think "clear" and not "Mountain Dew).
The Packers say they've addressed the problem and Wynn will have his own special Gatorade bottle on the bench.
Nick out of time: A lot of fans clucked in disgust when the Brewers fired third base coach Nick Leyva. Those fans misguidedly thought that move was designed in some way to deflect blame from manager Ned Yost and the rest of the staff, all of whom were invited back.
That's simply not the case.
Leyva, a solid baseball man, was in no way responsible for the team's failure to outlast the Cubs in the division race. The Brewers were simply clearing a spot on the staff for Frank Kremblas.
Kremblas, the manager at Class AAA Nashville, has turned in a string of successful seasons and has a rapport with many of the team's core players like Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart and J.J. Hardy. The Brewers didn't want to lose him to another organization, so the smart thing to do is promote him and Don Money, who deserves a crack at Class AAA after doing a fine job with Class AA Huntsville.
Nick running out of time: Packers safety Nick Collins was in the crosshairs this week after some ugly plays against the Bears, including the game-winning touchdown. Collins shows flashes of ability, but disappears for long stretches. Atari Bigby is having a bigger impact. Collins needs to step up his production.
Crunch time: The Badgers may be coming off a loss, but Penn State is the team facing adversity in the matchup today. Running back Austin Scott was arraigned Friday on sexual assault charges, some players were involved in a bar fight and Joe Paterno himself got into a traffic incident.
The Badgers will be without standout receiver Luke Swan, whose season ended with an injury last week. That will put pressure on quarterback Tyler Donovan and tight end Travis Beckum, not to mention a pair of freshman wide receivers.
The biggest problem facing the Badgers this season, though, has been a disappointing defense. UW ranks ninth in the Big Ten in rush defense (152.8 yards per game) and eighth in total defense (368.8 ypg). The Badgers have recovered just one fumble in six games.
If they don't force at least one turnover on Saturday, their chances of winning -- or covering the six-point spread -- don't seem very strong.
Shouldering a burden: Brewers lefty Chris Capuano had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. James Andrews performed the procedure in Birmingham, Ala. If Capuano hadn't struggled so much on the mound last season, we'd be worried about his offense.
All that Jazz: The Bucks face Utah in an exhibition game tonight at the Bradley Center. In preparation for that titanic tilt, the entire team went to the Downtown Metro Market and worked in a variety of capacities (greeter, butcher, etc.) That got us to wondering... what are Alaa Abdelnaby and Anthony Mason up to these days?
Rockin' the AL: With all due respect to the Bucks, who seem headed in a positive direction, the most exciting basketball action taking place this evening Downtown will be Marquette Madness at the Al McGuire Center.
The open practice, which starts at 7, features a dunk contest, a three-point contest, other drills and a little scrimmage.
Back in the game: Former Golden Eagles player Ryan Amoroso is getting ready to return to the court for San Diego State University. http://signonsandiego.com
Campaign trail: The candidates all have wonderful intentions, but they are uninspiring and you wonder if they are remotely genuine. As a result, the debates have lacked anything resembling sizzle and you find yourself thinking, "Maybe Al Gore will jump in late and stir the pot..."
Then again...
What would the hell would he do with a Heisman Trophy, anyway? It would be lost on that mantle next to the Oscar and the Nobel Prize.
If you ask us right now, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow looks like a strong candidate. That could change in 5 minutes, so feel free to ask again.
Victory on ice: The Admirals won their home opener Friday, 4-2, over Quad City. The first goal of coach Lane Lambert's first game at the Bradley Center came from the stick of John Vigilante, who might have the coolest name in hockey.
The Admirals are at Chicago on Saturday night and return home to face Iowa next Friday.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
