Milwaukee Brewers Start Second Half

I may have shown my homer colors when I picked the Milwaukee Brewers second in the NL Central this year, but my expectations were totally realistic heading into the season.

I thought Milwaukee would struggle with their pitching, and the bats would have to carry them. True to form, the Brewers' best streaks of good play this season have been buoyed by a balanced, dangerous offense.

Unfortunately, those flashes of good play haven't been enough to balance out some totally bad baseball in June and the first half of July (15-23 record).

Heading into the unofficial start of the second half Thursday night at Cincinnati, I have some serious concerns about this club that stand in the way of a second straight playoff spot.

Starting pitching depth

It's okay if a team suffers some injuries and is short in the rotation as a result. That's going to happen.

It's not okay if a team is already short in the rotation, and then suffers injuries to steady pitchers. That's what happened to the Brewers, who had to deal without Dave Bush -- a real surprise this season -- because of a bad arm. Braden Looper was signed to be a bottom-of-the-rotation inning-eater, and he has not exceeded expectations. Jeff Suppan is generally terrible, but his bursts of good pitching are better than anyone else on staff.

Mike Burns tried hard, but he's not even a replacement-level starting pitcher. Getting Bush back is key, and while the bullpen is a concern, there are enough workable parts there to get you through a season. The rotation is a complete mess right now, and it's barely adequate if all the pieces are healthy.

The Brewers' smartest fans knew this was a possibility going into the season. They knew a healthy rotation was a must, and Suppan and Looper had to carry more than their weight. You can argue that Suppan and Looper have been as good as you can realistically expect, but the health concerns have helped drive the rotation down a bit.

Scattershot offense

Let's face it. The Brewers aren't going to get better until guys like Corey Hart, J.J. Hardy, and Bill Hall can hit more consistently.

In Hall's case, they just need him to hit. The hell with consistency.

Hart and Hardy have been major disappointments. Hart continues to wave at the in-the-dirt slider, while Hardy has been a victim of some awful, awful luck so far. J.J. will come around in the second half. In fact, I'd be shocked if he didn't hit at least .300 from now to October. He's been whacking the ball pretty hard, but it always seems to find a fielder.

Hart and Hall can't even get to the "hit the ball hard" stage, as they're stuck on "Just make contact, please".

Casey McGehee and Craig Counsell have held their own, and then some. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder have been magnificent. Mike Cameron has even had his moments, and continues to be wonderful defensively.

The glass ceiling effect

With the struggles Milwaukee is having generating consistent offense, it might be time to think outside the box. The club doesn't want to shift Hardy to a different infield position, but Alcides Escobar is probably ready for a shot at the big club. They can't hold him back forever, especially with Hardy not hitting.

Even though he's been up-and-down, I hope Mat Gamel gets more playing time in the second half. I like his bat, and he's not nearly the butcher at third base that I was expecting.

All in all, I'm not surprised by anything I've seen from the Milwaukee Brewers. Now, it's time for Ken Macha to prove me right about him, and lead this team to some improvement over the summer months.

More on Brett Favre; Or 'Moron Favre'

I rarely double-post on the same topic, but I got a couple of emails from people asking me about the latest Brett Favre news. They want to know my take.

As if that's changed at all.

In case you aren't aware, Favre told the Associated Press that he'll have an answer to the Minnesota Vikings by July 30 ... the day before the first training camp practice.

What a guy.

The hell with the other 79 guys who are going to show up. The hell with the quarterbacks, who worked their asses off in minicamps and OTAs, learning the offense and trying to get better. The hell with the wide receivers who took that time to build rapport with the quarterbacks who gave a crap enough to show up. The hell with anyone but Brett Favre.

In defense of Favre a bit, he's not the one primarily responsible for any of this. After all, he just loves the game and wants to play football (sorry, but Peter King invaded my hands for a few seconds). This whole mess falls on the Vikings, specifically Brad Childress, the front office, and ownership.

(By the way, Favreophiles, and I know you're out there, I'd like you to answer a question. If Brett Favre just LOVES THE GAME, then why has he retired from it twice?)

These people have completely disregarded the locker room, and they have completely disregarded their fanbase. Instead of teasing fans with the thought of Favre, the truth was owed to them from the start. Naturally, the Vikings' reaction was to put this all on Favre, as if they had no control whatsoever over whether the guy showed up for Vikings training camp.

Surely, the Vikings could grow a set, tell Favre to get lost, and he'd wander onto the field in Mankato, anyway. Riiiight.

The Vikings have no interest in stopping this circus. It's in their best interest from a business standpoint to keep getting the attention, and it's in their head coach's best interest because he's on the hot seat.

For Brad Childress, an effective Brett Favre is the difference between a contract extension and walking the Wilf Plank. He's convinced himself that Favre can step in, be motivated and consistent, and lead the Vikings to heights unseen in many, many years.

No one knows if Childress is right, but Favre's recent play (84 picks in four years) indicates Childress is probably on the wrong side of right.

And, no, Favre isn't being brought in to hand the ball to Adrian Peterson. Until he proves he can be a consistent threat with his arm, he'll be treated like Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte were. Even once he shows something, he's bound to do something stupid on one of the 15 times he's asked to throw the football.

Packer fans are Packer fans. Our allegiance is to the Green Bay Packers, and not some old fart with an insanely over-inflated ego that used to play for the Green Bay Packers. If Favre thinks he can limp into Lambeau Field and get anything better than a mixed reaction from the 70,000 on hand, he's nuts.

If he ever wants to hear unanimous applause from Packer fans, he'll have to remove the Ginsu from their backs. I won't hold my breath.

Blackhawks Give in to Bowman Power Play

Sometimes, even organizations that appear to be exceptionally well-run commit exceptional blunders.

It appears to have happened to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Just weeks after a potentially embarrassing flub involving restricted free agent qualifying offers was brought to light, the Blackhawks have fired a guy who might not have been responsible for the blunders at all.

As relayed by FanHouse colleague Adam Gretz, the team has reportedly fired general manager Dale Tallon. The replacement? Assistant general manager Stan Bowman, son of Hall of Fame coach and current senior advisor Scotty Bowman.

(The Blackhawks say Tallon has been "reassigned to Senior Advisor, Hockey Operations", the same position Scotty Bowman currently holds. Something tells me Scotty will have more say.)

My immediate reaction? The Blackhawks brass gave in to the Bowman family power play, aided by the qualifying offer "controversy", which Tallon took full blame for, even though he insisted that the offers were mailed on time.

No, I have nothing to back it up, and I'm sure that many hockey people will step up and insist that Scotty Bowman would never push a guy out of a job. That doesn't matter. Reality is that Scotty Bowman has a voice with Blackhawks brass (John McDonough and Rocky Wirtz). He should have that voice. He's Scotty Bowman, after all. In this case, whether it's right or wrong, Scotty appears to have used that voice to help get his son a valuable promotion.

Is that so Scotty can run the team through his kid? Only time will tell.

This is the second awkwardly-timed firing by the Blackhawks in less than a year. They canned coach Denis Savard four games into what would become a highly-successful 2008-2009 season. His biggest crime? Daring to lose road games against the Rangers and Capitals.

Tallon was hardly perfect in the GM role. He signed huge deals for defenseman Brian Campbell and goalie Cristobal "Ole!" Huet, and he signed 30-year-old Marian Hossa to a 12-year contract.

He also drafted Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, and a host of other young stars on this Chicago team. Not only that, but he engineered brilliant one-sided trades for Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg.

Not exactly the picture of incompetence, and not the resume of a guy you'd think just lost his GM job.

The Bowmans -- namely Stan -- will be under the microscope now. Tallon has been a longtime figure in this organization, as a player, broadcaster, and now executive. If Stan Bowman can't step in and continue the building of a championship contender in the Second City, the two-handed shove of Tallon will look all the worse in the end.

Legendary Hockey Rivalry Gets Documentary

No matter where you live, you probably know some of the history college hockey has in Boston.

Between traditional powers Boston College and Boston University, long-lasting Northeastern, former NCAA champion Harvard, and the annual Beanpot tournament, Boston is home to some of the best college hockey around.

(Outside of Minnesota, of course.)

The rivalry between BC and BU has been unbelieveably intense over the years, and now there is a documentary being produced to celebrate the two schools' history. The best part? The production company got legendary play-by-play voice Mike "Doc" Emrick to narrate the program.

“I can’t wait to see the action footage and hear the sound bites from the many who have played such a part in this intense history,” Emrick said. “That I can also be a part of something so important to hockey history is an honor.”

Rival Films began production on “The Battle of Comm Ave” in January. The film will examine the unique hockey rivalry between two schools that share the same street in Boston.

The entire documentary will be shot in high definition.

The show will be available on DVD, and will be shown on NESN.

For those who appreciate college hockey at its finest, this is likely to be a must-see.

High School Football Schedule Search Update

If you click the link on the left side of the page, you can access my spreadsheet of high school football schedules for teams both in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

You'll notice that we're not quite complete. For it being only mid-July, I'm pretty happy with how much information has been found.

I'm reaching out formally, hoping to fill the holes well in advance of season openers August 27-28 (Wisconsin) and September 3-4 (Minnesota).

If you can help with any of the teams listed below, please send me the missing information, and I'll plug it in to the spreadsheet.

MINNESOTA
Aitkin
Braham
Hermantown
Hill City
Hinckley-Finlayson
Kelliher/Northome
Laporte
Moose Lake/Willow River
Nevis
Onamia
Rush City

In addition, Greenway and Nashwauk-Keewatin have merged programs, thus ending Nashwauk-Keewatin's separate program. This has caused some schedule holes in the Great Polar Alliance, so any information on missing games would be much appreciated. I'd also appreciate any information on the name of the combined team, and the schedule they'll play.

WISCONSIN
Chetek
Cumberland
Hurley
Ladysmith
Northwestern
Spooner
Washburn

Send any info you have to bciskie@gmail.com.

College Football Preview Coming Soon

It's July, and that means we'll soon be launching our annual college football preview. I'll do my best to give you some insight on the FBS teams, with a focus on the Big Ten. There will be some snark in there, and certainly more than a few stupid predictions.

The road to Pasadena starts September 3, so let's just hope this preview is done by then.

In the meantime, day-to-day posting could end up being limited at times, as there is actual hard work and research that goes into the preview. It's not just throwing stuff at a wall, no matter how much it looks like that.

Mauer in Home Run Derby

Yes, that Mauer. And, yes, it's the Home Run Derby.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer has accepted an invite to Monday night's Home Run Derby in St. Louis. Known as anything but a power hitter over the first part of his career, Mauer has exploded for a career-high 15 home runs so far this season, and remember that he missed the first month of the year.

The American League roster is not set yet, but we do know that the National League is sending out four first-basemen. St. Louis superstar/MVP shoo-in Albert Pujols, Milwaukee's Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard of the Phillies, and San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez will all take part.

As for Mauer, Joe Fan might poo-poo his chances, but don't count him out. As manager Ron Gardenhire told MLB.com, "He'd probably win it. You know it and I know it -- just to let people know he can hit home runs. Nothing would surprise me that Joe does."

With defending champion Justin Morneau already having declined an invite, this is a chance to keep the crown in the family, so to speak. Mauer could also become the first Minnesota native to win. Actually, I believe he's the first Minnesota native to compete, but I'm sure you'll skewer me in the comments if I'm wrong.

NCAA Reaches Across Border

Back in 2008, the NCAA decided it would accept applications for membership from schools outside of the United States.

Crickets were heard chirping, as practically no one jumped at the chance to join.

Finally, the NCAA got a bite.

Simon Fraser University is based in British Columbia, and they have a past history of competing against American schools. Many of their old U.S. rivals are based in a Division II league called the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

In 2011-2012, SFU will be a part of that league, as they have become the first non-American university approved for NCAA membership.

"I am extremely pleased with today’s decision,” said SFU’s senior director of athletics, David Murphy.

“It’s humbling to know we have been chosen as the first foreign university to compete in the NCAA as a member. I believe we are reaching back to the original intentions and philosophy of the university’s founders: to offer a great Canadian education with the ability to compete athletically in the NCAA."

Added Lorne Davies, SFU's legendary first athletics director: "It is the most important step in SFU athletic history. The athletics department is keeping in step with the university's commitment to provide excellence in education and athletics and to challenge our students and student athletes to be the best."

Since SFU will be competing in Division II, they will be able to offer limited scholarships in their sports. Their teams -- called the Clan -- compete in 19 varsity sports, including football, basketball, and soccer.

Oddly, they don't have a hockey team. I hate to stereotype, but I figured every Canadian university offered hockey. Then again, British Columbia has a pretty successful junior hockey league (the BCHL), along with the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. Perhaps this isn't all that surprising.

It's probably a good thing SFU doesn't offer it. Because of their Division II affiliation, they would be forced into the abyss of NCAA hockey. No longer can schools start programs in Division I when they compete at the Division II level in other sports. It's all or nothing, and asking a newcomer to NCAA sports to make the leap to Division I is probably asking too much.

People have wondered for some time what the impact would be on college hockey if Canadian schools ever tried to join the NCAA. I am guessing it won't be great, since you are now looking at Division I using a "super conference" format that will make further expansion difficult to successfully pull off. A school like the University of Calgary or University of British Columbia might be tempted to join the ranks of NCAA Division I, but the odds of being successful as an independent -- especially in hockey -- are pretty slim.

Anyway, good for the Clan. This is an interesting step being taken by the NCAA, and I'm curious to see if any other Canadian universities try to follow the path now forged by Simon Fraser, even if that path leads to Division II and has no impact on hockey.

Need a Hockey Fix?

Yes, I said "hockey". It's not the beach variety pictured above, instead the more conventional kind that's played indoors on ice.

As we approach mid-July, it's probably the last thing on the minds of even the most die-hard of fans.

However, for those who just can't get enough of the sport, there are options this weekend in the Northland.

Duluth Marshall hosts high school hockey tournaments both this weekend and next. This weekend's event features six teams, with the host Hilltoppers joined by Superior, Willmar, Duluth Central, Duluth Denfeld, and Proctor.

The full schedule can be found here.

Next weekend's field is arguably a bit more impressive. Marshall is joined by Grand Rapids, Cloquet, St. Cloud Cathedral, Warroad, Benilde-St. Margaret's, Bemidji, and something called the South Side Stars.

There is one other event this weekend. This one is in Cloquet, where the Lumberjacks are joined by Hermantown, Duluth Denfeld, Spring Lake Park, Eagan, New Prague, Buffalo, and Andover.

While the intensity isn't exactly at the level of the state tournament, these events give kids a chance to get some competitive ice time in during the summer. For younger kids who are trying to get noticed for a shot at the varsity, these weekends can be highly valuable.

Kyle Busch = Dead Freaking Wrong

Whether NASCAR fans want to admit it or not, Kyle Busch isn't a terrible waste of a human being. He's one of the first in line to help with fellow drivers' charitable efforts, and he's obviously attractive to sponsors, as he never has any shortage of them in his full-time Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series rides, or his part-time gig in the Camping World Truck Series.

He must have something going that's attractive to sponsors, besides just winning.

(Even before he was a big-time winner on either series, he had no trouble getting sponsors.)

However, attitudinal issues are keeping Busch from becoming a tremendously popular driver. Instead, it seems like he thrives off his "role as a villain". His tendency to behave like a petulant teenager came to the surface again this week, after a dramatic finish to Saturday's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.

Take a look at the videotape.



Busch did not comment after the race, and wasn't heard from publicly until Thursday, when he spoke to the media in advance of Saturday's Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

He probably should have kept not talking.

"NASCAR can take steps to look at it," Busch said. "If the second-place driver dumps the leader, then black flag his ass. He doesn't get the win. If he's up alongside the leader and dumps him, give the third-place car the victory."

Busch then was asked if he considered the bump with Stewart "a dump."

"Yes, it would be considered a dump," he said.

This is blasphemous. Busch might as well have blamed Dale Earnhardt, Jr., because he was just as responsible as Stewart was for the wreck. It's not Stewart's fault that Busch was, in the words of TNT's Wally Dallenbach, "mirror driving", meaning he was watching the goings-on behind him instead of just driving the 18.

However, I'm hardly an expert on racing, so let's enlist ESPN.com's Terry Blount to ask a few people who know more about it than I do.

"I would put more blame on the guy leading who was blocking than the guy who was behind," (Jeff) Gordon said. "It's not getting dumped if the guy got a fender inside you and you turn. You've got spotters. If someone is half an inch inside you, you expect to know it because of your spotters."

Kasey Kahne agrees.

"That's a long way from a dump in my mind," Kahne said. "They both were battling for the win. I certainly would not say he got dumped.

"Tony made a great move to get to Kyle's outside. To me it looked like [Stewart] was going to side draft off him to the line, but Kyle turned right.''

On the bright side, Busch is on to something. If a second-place driver purposely dumps the leader off the racetrack, that is indeed a move worthy of a black flag.

Unfortunately for Busch, that's not what happened Saturday.

High School Football Coverage ... Here

We're about a month away from the start of high school football preseason practice in Wisconsin, and five weeks or so from that in Minnesota.

Even though I'm not on the radio, I still feel like the local kids deserve some coverage, and I'm going to do my (small) part here on this blog.

On the right-hand side of this page, you'll see links pop up throughout the season. These links will take you to spreadsheets I have created to keep up-to-date on the latest scores throughout the area. They will be updated weekly during the season as I have time.

As you can see by clicking the schedules link, I do not have all area team schedules yet. If you're involved with a program on the list, and the schedule is not there or is incorrect, please e-mail me ASAP so I can get the right information posted.

Ochocinco Tweeting During Games?

Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco (nee Johnson) is known for his flamboyance. He likes to have fun, and he enjoys the attention his eccentric behavior brings him.

Just this offseason, Ochocinco has claimed he didn't lift any weights last year, predicted a huge season for him and his team, and threatened to live with quarterback Carson Palmer's family in Ohio.

(Keyword: "threatened". Palmer's got a wife and kids. Imagine the looks on the wife's face when she saw that story.)

Recently, Ochocinco decided he would take his use of the social networking site Twitter to another level, by submitting posts -- or "tweets" -- during Bengals games.

The NFL may, however, have a problem with that idea.

Seems the league has a rule banning the use of mobile phones or any other kind of hand-held device on the sideline during games. For once, they're actually a step ahead of Ochocinco's antics.

Since Tweeting during a game would require the use of a hand-held device on the sideline, Ochocinco is going to risk a fine by using the networking tool while trying to catch Palmer's passes and help his team win.

While he has never been one to let rules get in the way of what he wants to do, one has to think Ochocinco isn't going to try Tweeting more than once. With how many times he's been fined for celebrations, the league will certainly be watching him closely, given his latest "threat".

(Sort of on-topic but mainly off: You can follow Bruce Ciskie on Twitter.)