It's Good to be a Cheesehead

Wisconsin is known for a lot of great things, including cheese curds, Friday night fish fry, and Miller beer.  Based on the past few years, it should also be known as a state with great sports teams.  I'm talking about the Badgers in football and basketball, Packers in pro football and -- new to the list -- the Milwaukee Brewers in baseball.

2011 began with the Wisconsin Badgers going to the Rose Bowl to play TCU.  While we didn't win the game, (lost19-21) I still love celebrating New Year's Day with Bucky in Pasadena, CA.  After winning a share of the Big Ten conference title and hitting 70 points or more three times during the year, the Badgers are primed to win the conference again with an outstanding offense featuring Russell Wilson, Monte Ball and Nick Toon.  In addition to big games against Ohio State and Minnesota, the Badgers will play Nebraska this weekend in their first conference match up since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten Conference this year.  It's bound to be our biggest game of the year, and hopefully sets us up for an undefeated season and a possible National Championship

 

Apparently ESPN's Game Day feels the same way, since it is the featured game of the weekend.  The last time the "World Wide Leader in Sports"  came to Madison, our under-appreciated team beat number 1 ranked Ohio State, 31-18.  I'm hoping for the same result from the Badgers, which currently lead the Big Ten in scoring offense (48.5 points per game) and scoring defense (8.5 points per game).  I realize it's only the non conference schedule, but regardless, that IS impressive.  And everyone else in the conference is playing similar opponents.  What it shows is that the Badgers are taking care of business and showing the rest of the country how good they can be.

I'm excited for the Badgers this year, and the years to come as recruiting is getting better and the Wilson-effect (at quarterback) is changing us from a team that runs the ball to one that can throw the ball, as well.

There's not much room for improvement when it comes to the Packers, who won it all last year with a victory in the Super Bowl, defeating Pittsburgh, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia along the way.

This year, they are out to a 3-0 start, behind excellent play of Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley, Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson.  Currently leading the NFC North Division with the Detroit Lions, the Packers are trying to become the latest NFL team to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles.  It's a difficult challenge, but it shows how far we've come.  No longer are we satisfied with winning more than just our division.  Now we're disappointed if we don't get back to -- and win -- the Super Bowl.

This team is fun to watch with their explosive offense and no huddle attack, which reminds me of the St Louis Rams when they were know as the Greatest Show on Earth.  And our defense, which is led by defensive coordinator Dom Capers, seems to be flying all over the field.  Sometimes it's an all out blitz, other times they will fall back into a zone.  Either way, the opposing teams are left wondering where we will be attacking from next.  And we have the personnel to get better, as draft after draft brings in younger and better players.

Who are the Packers going to have to worry the most about?  I would say the Detroit Lions in our division and probably New Orleans in the conference.  We've already beat them once, but it was by the slimmest of margins, when the Packers stopped them on the one yard line with no time remaining.  What an awesome game!  As for who we will play in the Super Bowl.... well, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.  The NFL is as tough as ever, and there's a reason why so few teams make it much less repeat back-to-back.

What can you say about the Milwaukee Brewers?  Few gave us a chance to win 90 games this year, much less win the NL Central Division over St Louis and Cincinnati.  Despite having a tough time with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays during league interplay, the Brewers currently hold a 94-66 record which includes a 55-24 record at home.  This is the best home-away record in the majors, and a big reason why the Brewers are hoping to finish ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are likely to be their first round playoff opponent.

 

So how did the Brewers, who finished last year with a losing record, turn things around this year?  Primarily with better pitching, in particular pitching from their top three -- Yovanni Galardo, Zack Greinke, and Shaun Marcum -- and an excellent closer in John "Axe Man" Axford, who finished with 46 saves in 48 attempts.  The Brewers have also gotten All Star performances from Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder who have hit 78 homers, 230 RBIs and somewhere around a composite .300 average.  The combination has been one of the best in baseball for the past two years, and has been great to see, with both drafted by the Brewers and coming up through their minor league farm system.   It's easy to say that they have turned into a modern day version of Robin Yount and Paul Molitor, who won so many games as part of Bambi's Bombers in the early 1980's.

Now if they can just get us to the World Series.  Which will mean beating Arizona and probably the Philadelphia Phillies, who have owned the Brewers in 2011.  Either way, it has been a fabulous year.  I remember taking my son and wife to a game this year against the Chicago Cubs during a stretch when the Brewers won something like 23 out of 28 games.  Miller Park is fun no matter what, but it was especially rewarding to see the Brewers take down one of their most hated rivals.  This has been a magical year, one that may be hard to duplicate next year without Fielder in the line-up.

As I have sung so many times at a Badger event, the song "On Wisconsin!" remains the same.   And while it was written for the college game, it still applies in spirit to the Packers and Brewers this year, as well.

On Wisconsin!  On Wisconsin!
Plunge right through that line!
Run the ball clear 'round Chicago
A touchdown sure this time.
On Wisconsin!  On Wisconsin!
Fight on for her fame
Fight!  Fellows! - fight, fight, fight!
We'll win this game.

On Wisconsin!  On Wisconsin!
Stand up, Badgers, sing!
"Forward" is our driving spirit,
Loyal voices ring.
On Wisconsin!  On Wisconsin!
Raise her glowing flame
Stand, fellows, let us now
Salute her name.

At the Super Bowl last year, Greg Jennings said "It's a great day to be great!"  For me -- now in my fifth decade as a sports fan -- it's a good time to be from Wisconsin where the Packers, Brewers and Badgers are on their way to being great.