Robin Yount knew that there would be comparisons, but quite frankly, he's heard enough of the perceived similarities between the Brewers of the late 1970s-early '80s and the Brewers of today.
Sure, both eras featured teams that had a balance of veteran talent and rising stars, and as the 1978 team snapped an era of eight years of futility, the 2005 squad snapped a string of 12 consecutive losing seasons.
But for Yount, who as an MVP and Gold Glove shortstop anchored those "glory days" teams and has returned as the Brewers bench coach in 2006, enough is enough.
"It's totally different," Yount said before opening day. "It still feels like the same organization, it's still the Milwaukee Brewers, but the team ... it's not worth even trying to compare."
The Hall of Famer makes a valid point. He's not trying to downplay the accomplishments of one era or another.
But let's face it; what the '82 Brewers accomplished could never be replicated by any team ever again. Especially given the current economic climate in baseball. In 1977, Sal Bando was one of the hottest commodities on the Free Agaent Market, and the Brewers could afford him. Conversely, what the Brewers of today are trying to do couldn't be done by Harvey's Wallbangers, either. The focus now is on homegrown talent.
It's time to stop hanging on to past accomplishments. What's done is done, and while it's important to honor the past, it's even more important to move forward and start a new tradition.
The retro Sunday uniforms are a perfect example. Yes, the pinstripe-clad Brewers are the most successful in franchise history and the ball-in-glove logo is one of baseball's all-time best. But these Brewers -- anchored by future stars in J.J. Hardy, Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, and (hopefully) Ben Sheets -- are pretty adamant about creating a new legacy in the team's modern colors, even if the "M" on the cap bears a slightly-too-striking resemblance to one of the city's native products.
Yount and the old Brewers aren't bitter. They're proud of what they did. It's not that they don't want to share the spotlight, they just want to see these guys get as much credit as they deserve.
"I think everybody wants to see success here," Yount said. "I don't even like to go back to 1982. Trying to put this team in the 80s is not fair to these guys."
Not only that, but circumstances were much different back in 1978 when the Brewers finally posted a winning record for the first time since the franchise's inception as the Seattle Pilots in 1969.
Not much was expected of that bunch, which featured a new manager and new uniforms. The Brewers came out of nowhere that season to win 93 games. The 2005 edition posted 12 fewer victories, but finishing .500 was just another step in a plan to restore the team to competitiveness.
Yount sees giant differences in those projects and isn't particularly fond of discussing them at length.
"I don't really like comparing this stuff. Let's move on. This is 2006 and a new group of guys. We hope we can accomplish the same types of things with. I'm almost tired of talking about 1982, I'm excited for 2006."
Packers fans spent 30 years wandering the deserts clinging desperately to the legacy of Lombardi's success, and the franchise is in danger of doing the same as it looks to recreate the magic from the Ron Wolf/Mike Holmgren/Brett Favre trio.
Leave the '82 shirts at home, pick up a new cap, and take joy in what today's Brewers are doing on the field. There will be plenty of chances to remember and honor what their predecessors did, and that's the way it should be.
Honestly, if Robin Yount is ready to move on, Brewers fans should be ready to do the same.
