Unlike “Seinfeld” character Elaine Benes, I try not to overuse exclamation points in writing…but I think Opening Day for the Eau Claire Express is a special occasion.

Two simple words: opening day.  They convey a season’s worth of hope, expectations, and general good feeling.  There’s also the direct connection with summertime, which, around these parts, doesn’t always happen with Major League Baseball’s Opening Day.   Now, the grass is green, leaves are on the trees, temperatures are warming (with the exception of yesterday, but hopefully, that was just a meteorological aberration), and it’s very easy to imagine spending summer days at Carson Park.  The team is undefeated, and there’s a healthy supply of optimism.

It’s also interesting that the 2009 NWL season opener is one day after Express alum Jordan Zimmermann made his 8th start for the Washington Nationals.   Zimmermann lost last night to the Mets, evening his record at 2-2.  Zimmermann, who led the NWL in 2006 with a 1.01 earned run average, has seen his ’09  ERA rise to 6.07, but he has struck out 47 hitters in 46 innings pitched, with only 14 walks.  The flip side: Zimmermann’s allowed 54 hits, including 7 home runs, which may indicate he’s throwing too many strikes.  Then again, he’s pitching for the woeful Nationals, so a 2-2 record for a rookie starter on that team is not too shabby at all.

Who’ll be the next Express alum to make it to the majors?  Will anyone from the 2009 team make it to the big leagues?  That’s just one reason we go to Carson Park to watch Northwoods League baseball.  For my money, it’s the most enjoyable place in the Chippewa Valley to spend a summer evening.

As always, News 18 Sports will be spending plenty of time at the ballpark, bringing you in-depth Express coverage.   Of course, we’ll always have game highlights, post-game reaction, and previews, along with our weekly “Meet The Express” feature.   If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the Express page on our website.   We’ll be adding to that as the season goes along, with some exclusive web content as well, as we go in the dugout with manager Dale Varsho for weekly features on the team.

See you at Carson Park!

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

Last Wednesday, UW-Eau Claire e-mailed its list of men’s basketball recruits to local media outlets…those media outlets then did stories on the eight high school players that plan to continue their basketball careers at UWEC.  Each story was fairly straightforward, in that it reported the facts.

Contrast that scenario to one in the Madison media regarding high school junior Vander Blue, who, as a sophomore,  had given a verbal commitment to the University of Wisconsin, but now, may or may not be reconsidering. 

In a nutshell, here’s what’s happening: Blue recently met with some UW people and several representatives from Madison Memorial High School to discuss his academic progress.   After that meeting, Blue posted comments on his Facebook page that seemed to indicate that he was considering jumping back into the recruiting waters.

Those waters, if you read the comments associated those stories and postings on other message boards pertaining to the topic, are filled with plenty of piranha…not to mention sharks of all sizes.   There’s no shortage of readers posting very strong opinions, ready to bash any and all parties involved: Blue, his family, Madison Memorial H.S., the UW, Bo Ryan, Marquette, as well as writers from the State Journal and Cap Times.

Interestingly, even after all the stories done by traditional and non-traditional media, there’s been no direct comment from the one person who could clear up a lot of misconceptions: Vander Blue himself.  Yet, a lack of comments from the main character is only accelerating the story.

Here are my opinions:

*the UW should be commended for being proactive if a potential recruit seems to be going down the wrong academic path

*Vander Blue certainly has the right to reconsider his earlier decision…after all, it was a verbal commitment he gave, which is non-binding

*it says a lot about the power struggle between AAU and HS coaches that Shelton Kincaid (Blue’s AAU coach with the Madison Spartans) was at the UW meeting but Steve Collins (Blue’s HS coach at Madison Memorial) was not

*UW fans and Marquette fans need to stop bashing each other about each school’s academic reputations…I know both schools have produced outstanding alums, and I know both have accepted students with less than stellar academic credentials.   Overall, they’re both highly-regarded  institutions of higher learning.

*whatever decision Vander Blue makes, hopefully it’s the best choice for him, and not for those that have a vested interest in that choice

*it’s a sad day for journalism if we’re reduced to reading a high school student’s Facebook page to try to intrepet what this student is feeling or thinking so as to get a story

*it’s an even sadder day for journalism is we’re reduced to reporting rumors moreso than facts (see: Favre, Brett)

In the meantime, back here in sleepy little Eau Claire, there’s considerably less furor about the eight UWEC recruits…and that’s just fine by me.  For whatever it’s worth, I’ve seen all four local players (Andy Kleist, Dustin Kalien, Alex Rau, Sean Gilbert) compete at the high school level, and I’d think all four are capable of making an impact with the Blugolds.  Previously, I’ve posted about Bay Port’s Marcus Ruh and Branden Tachick, and both could certainly see the floor as freshmen.  

However, you may have noticed that we do have a comment section on this very blog–it’s your right if you want to start ripping people, myself included–and you can stay annonymous!    

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

All right…so you’re an NFL team that has the best running back currently in pro football (Adrian Peterson) operating behind a bunch of road-graders on the offensive line, a few good passing targets (Bernard Berrian, Visanthe Shiancoe) to go with a solid defense…but with the three-headed monster of Sage Rosenfels, Tavaris Jackson, and John David Booty competing for the starting quarterback position.  In hopes of improving yourself from being a playoff team, to one that can actually make a long postseason run, you decide it’s time to go shopping for a quality QB.

Jay Cutler?  Nope, take a pass on him and see him land at a division rival via a trade.   Move up in the draft to take a potential franchise QB?  No, why bother, especially when a speed guy/character risk (Percy Harvin) is available in the first round.

Here’s an idea: take yet another flyer on a guy who’ll turn 40 in October, a guy who’s already “retired” twice,  a guy who faded miserably down the stretch of the 2008 season, leading his team to a 1-4 record and a spot outside the playoffs, throwing 2 touchdowns and 9 interceptions over that stretch.  Oh, by the way, the guy has a torn biceps tendon–IN HIS THROWING ARM–on which he doesn’t want to have surgery, preferring to let the injury heal on its own.   That means, coincidentally, he probably will be a no-show at your OTA and minicamps (which he’s always hated attending), but will show up around the time of training camp to great fanfare.

Where on earth could this possibly be happening?  Why, just to our west, over in Minnesota, where the Vikings brain trust, or at least, the head braniac (a.k.a, Brad Childress, the head coach) will meet with that guy (a.k.a., Brett Favre) later this week at “an undisclosed location.”

I’ve got a better idea.   Forget the covert activities…let’s get this whole circus out in full view of the public, under a big top (a.k.a., the teflon roof of the Metrodome).  Seat Favre and Childress at a conference table located smack-dab in the middle of the turf.  Hook the two of them up to microphones, pump the resulting gripping dialogue at ear-splitting levels over the speakers (just like at any Vikings game), promote the heck out of the “event,” sell some tickets and try to make some money!   And, just for the entertainment value, each guy would have a man in his corner: Vikings owner Zygi Wilf would pace on the “team” side of the table, with slippery, aw-shucks agent James “Bus” Cook lurking on the other.

Of course, the entertainment value of the whole charade would be enhanced with Ragnar the mascot careening around the turf on his snowmobile and motorcyle during the proceedings.   They’d definitely need the large, inflatable Viking ship rocking in the corner of the field (side note: why was that thing allowed to exist following the whole “Love Boat” scandal a few seasons ago?).   The 57-member dance team would need to be on hand…doing extra high leg kicks any time Favre posed a question to himself and then answered it. During breaks in the negotations, music would be pumped through the PA system.

“Zygi Zygi Zygi can’t you see
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me
And I just love your flashy ways
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid (uh)”

When Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty goes on record saying that he’d like to see Favre wearing a Vikings uniform, you know this whole thing has gone too far.  Pawlenty proclaims it would be “a wonderful little salt to rub in the eyes of some of our Green Bay Packer friends.”  Why Pawlenty’s own eyes are focused on football rather than on his own state’s many govermental issues is another question altogether…but I’ll let political bloggers tackle that one.

There’s a reason Pawlenty is on board…and why Zygi Wilf wants Favre in purple.   Just follow the money trail: the Vikings with Favre as QB becomes one hot ticket in the Twin Cities and beyond.  It generates more interest in the team, drums up more enthusiasm among the fan base, and sells more tickets.  Therefore, it becomes more likely that Wilf will get his flashy way (a new stadium), which will allow him to generate even more revenue, a good chunk of which will wind up in his own pockets.   The governor can do his part to push a Vikings stadium bill, then Pawlenty pockets political capital, by claiming he was the guy who helped save the Vikings for the good people of Minnesota…preventing a painful move to Los Angeles, San Antonio, or Las Vegas.

There’s always an interesting conundrum when it comes to pro sports:  are franchises more interested in winning or making money?  Part of me feels for the fans who tend to get taken along for a ride (buying tickets and merchandise, living and dying with their team), but then again, when you reach a certain point of adulthood, you need to see things as they really are.

There’s also a conundrum for those of us who cover professional sports teams.  Do you want to follow a winning team (http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/44422517.html?page=3&c=y) or do you want daily doses of drama (http://www.twincities.com/ci_12302214?source=most_viewed)?

I won’t dispense any advice for Vikings fans (including my brother).  You guys are on your own.  If you want Favre, he’s all yours.    

Nowadays, I live and work among an overwhelming majority of Packers fans, and to those that still shudder at the thought of seeing Favre wearing purple, I say this:  

Let the guy go….he was a great player in the 1990′s…but that was a long time ago, when he was actually enhancing his legend.   On this blog last year, I wrote “Favre only has to do what’s best for Brett Favre.”   After the 2008 NFL season, and the umpteenth year of reports of Favre’s retirement/unretirement, I would think more people are realizing number four is really only out for number one.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports