Between the Bars

Local Newswire: Packers head into postseason, plus Milwaukee no longer is 'drunkest city'

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• The Daily Beast put together its annual list of “America’s Drunkest Cities” and, as it turns out, Milwaukee is ranked only number three in 2011, down from number one in 2010. What does this mean? Clearly, we need to hit the bottle harder in 2012.

• Sunday's shootout win against the Lions, 45-41, polished off arguably the Packers' best regular season EVER. They're 15-1, the NFC's top seed with home field advantage, and just three wins separate the Pack from a 5th Vince Lombardi Trophy, reports the Journal Sentinel.

Local Newswire: Don't kill yourself over the Packers' loss.

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• Many Wisconsin sports fans have seemingly lost their will to live after the Packers’ quest for a perfect season came to an abrupt end Sunday with a surprising - and underwhelming - 19-14 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday. C’mon, kiddos, loosen that noose, it’s just ONE game. Plus, the Pack needs just one more win to lock up home field advantage for the NFC playoffs. Go ahead, go put your Rodgers jersey back on. It ain’t so bad, right?

Local Newswire: Winter meetings, division champs, etc.

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• The 2012 baseball season is still months away, but there's still a lot going on during the offseason. With the Winter Meetings happening in Dallas this week, the Brewers could pull off a sizable trade, plant the seed of a significant free agent acquisition, or do absolutely nothing. Check out what the Brewers did Tuesday. Hopefully it's not the latter.

• So, the Packers are pretty damn good, don't you think? As of Sunday, Green Bay is 12-0, after a nail biter against the Giants. And with the Lions' loss to the Saints, the Packers arrived in Wisconsin with their first division title since 2007.

• How much do Green Bay Packers devotees love their team? A lot, judging by how quickly stocks went in a public sale held Tuesday.

• Announced Tuesday - the Milwaukee Buck's 2011-12 season schedule, or what's left of it.

Local Newswire: The stomp seen 'round the NFL

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• Lion's defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh decided to embrace his inner crazy during the Packers-Lions Thanksgiving Day game. The NFL has suspended Suh for two games without pay after the stop seen 'round the world on Thursday. If he doesn’t appeal, Suh stands to lose approx. $164,000 in salary for the suspended games.

Local Newswire: Brewers pack their bags; Rodgers is godly, well, to some.

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• Whenever a team starts undefeated, in this case the 9-0 Packers before the game against Tampa Bay (which they won), the media goes to someone on that '72 Dolphins team and ask them about another team going through a season unbeaten. News flash: Nobody cares about the '72 Dolphins.

• The Journal Sentinel reported that Craig Counsell won't be returning to the Brewers for their 2012 season. Brewers GM Doug Melvin told the paper that he doesn’t plan to re-sign the free agent, perhaps due to his awful 2011 year, going 45 consecutive at-bats without a single hit and only batting .178, a career low. But despite his less-than-stellar season, I will always think fondly of nice guy Craig Counsell every time I hear Jimi Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower.

Local Newswire: Wisconsin sports edition

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• The Twin Cities’ Star Tribune is reporting that Brewers radio announcer Cory Provus has been officially hired as the Twins’ new play-by-play announcer. I liked the guy, especially when he'd ask Bob Uecker 'bout Mr. Belvedere. That brings back childhood memories. Anyway, I wish Provus the best in Minnesota, and hope he enjoys having his Octobers off.

Local Newswire: More Brewers, more Packers, and more, in general

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• There ought to be crime tap roping off Miller Park after the killing there on Monday night. I'm talking about NLCS Game 2 when the Cards slaughtered the Crew, 12-3. The batting practice pitcher, as my co-worker calls Marcum, lasted only four innings and surrendered five earned runs in the Brewers' most lopsided Miller Park loss all year. This is going to be a tough series, folks.

Local Newswire: The weekend-long sportsgasm continues

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• For the first time on Saturday, a national audience was introduced to the monsters of Miller Park. The Brewers’ “beast mode” gestures, made by players after getting a big hit, grew out of the love of Fielder’s children for the movie Monsters, Inc. And while most of the Crew's fans have embraced the fun-loving antics of "beast mode", some old-school baseball types see this as “disrespecting the game”. Curmudgeons like Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, for instance. But then again, La Russa and the rest of his St. Louis sleazeballs act as if they invented baseball. I guess if you don’t want the Brewers to celebrate, don’t allow them to get hits.

Local Newswire: Brewers are divison champs! Nothing else matters right now.

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• It only took 29 years, but the Brewers finally clinched the NL Central Division title at Miller Park on Friday after a win over the Marlins, and the Cubs' victory over the Cardinals. Hallelujah! Read all about the electifying night in this great recap by the Journal Sentinel.

Local Newswire: A celebrity sighting in Milwaukee - whoa!

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• Because Milwaukee has to live up to it's designation as "the city of festivals," two new events will be added to the lengthy list of unimportant city fests: Rock the Roost buffalo wing festival and Chips, Salsa & Guacamole Fiesta, which take place this weekend.