Brauned out

So Major League Baseball has suspended Ryan Braun for the remainder of the season, and he's pretty much admitted his transgressions in the proverbial statement without mentioning specifics.

“I realize now that I have made some mistakes,” Braun said in a statement. “I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions.”

Braun also apologized, the way they all do. But few cheats in baseball have played the con as aggressively as Braun, before and after his failed test in the 2011 playoffs. Like the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, Braun worked hard on his image. He wanted us to think he was pure and always did everything right.

Gag. I've let this simmer all week.

The prospect of Braun being suspended has been the talk for several weeks. During our family breakfast Sunday morning, Braun's alleged wrongdoing were a topic of conversation, too. None of us were sure to make of the situation, considering Braun's denials.

Then, just as we arrived back in The 'Ville Monday evening and were settling in back home, the news broke.

Braun suspended for the rest of the season.

What a letdown.

I can't think of another pro baseball player I've admired so highly since... Cal Ripken, Jr. Until Braun broke into the majors in 2007, I had gone years without turning on a ball game just to watch a single player, the way I did in the days of Yount, Brett, Ryan, Hershiser, Sandberg and Ripken. Braun became my guy for this era. He played the game the right way, or so it seemed, without a lot of show-boating. He never whined -- he just played and produced. He did so much to raise the Brewers.

Even when the allegations of Braun's use of performance enhancing drugs surfaced in 2011 -- and he vehemently denied them, threw the sample collector under the bus (a standup guy from one of our stomping grounds, by the way), and won his appeal -- I trusted and defended him. Like so many others. ... After he won his appeal, I posted a celebratory tweet, and then got blasted for it by the University president -- an avid Detroit Tigers fan -- who believed Braun to be the cheat he really is.

Now, Ryan Braun's legacy is forever tainted.

The Brewers' glorious postseason run in 2011. Tainted.

All the times I've stood up and cheered for Braun. Tainted.

Phoebe's Braun T-shirt. Tainted. 

What a  letdown.

(Updated 09.25.2013) Good reads ... 
a Ryan Braun latest All-Star to get long suspension for PEDs
a Brewers' owner committed to keeping Braun
a Selig, Former Brewers Owner, and Braun Have Milwaukee Talking
a Matt Kemp thinks Ryan Braun should be stripped of 2011 MVP award
a Yanks Voice Support for Rodriguez, and for Efforts to Rid Game of Doping

a Wait ‘Til Next Year: Milwaukee Brewers

A Royal day

Well, today didn’t go anything like the way I planned.

Suffering from the hangover of our glorious weekend, I was up at 6:30 a.m. and getting ready to head to work when I received a text from The Boss.

Check your email about a trip to the Royals today and let me know ASAP if you’re interested.

I checked my email and found a message forwarded to a group of my colleagues from one of our marketing professors. She had planned a trip to Kauffman Stadium for some of her sports management students. They planned to visit with members of the Royals’ front office staff and then catch the night’s game. … And she had a few spots open because some of her students decided not to go.

Nearly breathless, I woke Kates and told her about the offer.

How could she possible say no?

She smiled and said I could go.

I replied to The Boss’s email. “Um, yes, please!”

And with that I changed out of my usual office attire and into something more casual.

We did what we could to focus and get some work done this morning. By 11 a.m., we were hitting the road to Kansas City. The sun was shining, and it was a perfect day for a ball game.

We were greeted by  the Royals’ coordinator of tour and educational programs. He proceeded to lead us through the .390 Club, suite areas and press box and impressed upon us the importance of ensuring fans leave the ballpark with smiles on their faces despite the team’s losing ways. He shared with us how the Royals work to market its product – the team draws its fan base from six states: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Arkansas and Oklahoma – and increase revenues while enhancing the fan experience. There are T-shirt Tuesdays, student nights, bobbleheads and plenty of other promotions. Some 350 television screens throughout the ballpark display advertising and promotions before, during and after games, which alone lead to some 2 million impressions each year in Kauffman Stadium.

From the tour, we moved into an executive conference room, where we heard more insights from the Royals’ director of community relations and its marketing coordinator who talked about the strategy behind giveaways and community events as well as traditional advertising and social media.

We heard from one of the Royals’ senior advisers to the general manager, who has had a long and successful career in Major League Baseball, scouting and singing players from some of the league’s top franchises over the last 30-plus years, including the Braves and Phillies. He was the guy who drafted Scott Rolen, one of the greatest third basemen of his era, for the Phillies – and he was the who drafted J.D. Drew, calling the debacle that followed “a year-long root canal.” A debacle I remember well.

We heard from the assistant general manager, too, who was part of the Royals’ front office during its successful run in the 1980s before leaving Kansas City to help build the Braves’ dynasty of the 1990s. He also had stints with the Brewers (where he helped lay the building blocks for the Brewers’ rebirth but was let go during the Selig-to-Attanasio ownership change), Dodgers and Reds before returning to the Royals.

We listened to them discuss the organization’s philosophy and strategy related to player and personnel development. They didn’t hide that they put in long days and rarely get time away when the baseball season is underway, especially now as the trade deadline is looming. This week, they told us, they’re spending nights around a conference table with every team’s 40-man roster taped on the walls, discussing trade possibilities and analyzing video footage of players.

All of it was so fascinating to me. Hearing them speak so passionately and confidently about their work and the organization, it was easy to forget about the Royals’ losing ways.

One other note: There were a surprising number of swipes at former Royals ace Zack Greinke and his unwillingness to be a team player. At the same time, there was some praise thrown at Miguel Tejada for being a quality team player and veteran leader in the clubhouse, which I thought was interesting to hear, considering his not-so-stellar past.

After our exclusive with the Royals execs, the senior advisor took us into the box seats to watch the Royals take batting practice – something the Royals now charge for fans to watch (… which I think is disgusting from a fan’s perspective, but I get the Royals’ need to find revenue streams.)

I took the most delight in watching newly installed hitting coach George Brett throw batting practice and work with the guys. His passion and focus on making them better hitters was all over his face. … Also not lost on us today was the fact that it is the anniversary of the infamous pine tar incident.

Eventually, the Royals’ batting practice ended, and we watched as the Royals core – including Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas – headed into the dugout just in front of us with George trailing behind. The stadium gates opened and fans began filtering into the seats. We started heading to our seats, stopping for some food at one of the concessions stands along the way.
We settled into our seats beyond left field and basked in the joy of watching a major league ball game.

Oh, what a game it was.

Hosmer got the Royals started with a home run to right field in the first inning. But the Orioles are tough this year and took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. When the Orioles added another run in the top of the eighth inning, the Royals’ prospects of winning the game weren’t looking good, and some of our crew suggested we start heading home. … Luckily The Boss is as much a baseball fan as I, and said we were staying.

Things started getting good when Hosmer hit a no-doubter bomb for his second home run of the night – with a runner on base – to tie the game at three.

Then, in the ninth, David Lough hit a ball up the middle that bounced off second base for a single. …And on the next pitch, Alcides Escobar smacked a ball deep to center field. Almost everyone in the stadium seemed to think the ball was going out, but it bounced off the wall instead. Lough scored and the Royals players tore out of the dugout to pile on Escobar in the middle of the field – as the crowd went absolutely wild.

The excitement was so high we almost didn't want to leave. Of all the baseball games I’ve attended through the years, this was arguably one of the most thrilling finishes I’ve seen.

What a day.

Images of a wedded weekend

As if one Wisconsin vacation wasn’t enough this summer. We got to do it again this weekend. For the second time in three weeks. This time for my cousin’s wedding.

It was another glorious trip filled with wonderful memories and special moments with family.

After a night of packing and preparation that lasted until 1 a.m.  – typical – we awoke around 7 a.m. Thursday morning to the sounds of Faye's crying and were on the road around 9 a.m. Interestingly, we were driving up on Kates birthday, just as we did on mine three weeks ago.

As it was three weeks ago, the drive was a pleasure, and the girls are becoming road trip pros.
Phoebe watched movies and colored. Faye slept, and we barely heard a peep from the back seat. In the front seat, Kates read a book and I had some Fun – the good vibes of their Summerfest show are still fresh in my soul – going on the iPod.

We made our first pit stop for lunch around 12:30 at a rest stop outside of Des Moines. We caught a nice breeze as we ate a picnic lunch under one of the gazebos. Kates had fixed sandwiches for us. The sun was bright, and Faye was completely content sitting on my lap. ... After lunch, the girls enjoyed working their legs, wandering the park land. Faye was overjoyed to practice her new walking skills.

Later, we made brief stops in Dubuque and Dodgeville, where we stopped at a McDonald’s and Phoebe explored the Playland.

We mused at the scenery as we drove through the Wisconsin bluffs, along the river and over the steel bridges. And arrived at The Farm around 8 Thursday night. The girls went to playing. And I popped in Field of Dreams as Kates put them to bed.

* * *

Friday morning, we headed to one of my old stomping grounds, Lake Mills. We met my parents and Joel’s family at Rock Lake.

It was a picture perfect summer day at Bartel's Beach.

Almost immediately, the nostalgia of my childhood living near the lake rushed back. The swimming lessons I hated. Riding bikes down Ferry Drive. Canoeing and motor boat rides on the lake. Ice skating on it, too.

I had forgotten just how beautiful and clear a lake it is.

And, of course, there's the serene beauty of the mill pond across the street.

After swimming for a couple hours with the kids, we headed downtown for lunch. We grabbed Phoebe some Subway on the way, but the rest of us had one thing on our mind. Hamburgers, cooked fresh American Legion stand.

To the locals, they're called sliders. And I couldn't describe them any better than my friend Frannie in Washington, who posted this to my Facebook wall after I posted the photo above.

Sliders are a fictional burger in these parts. People out here just don't understand the pure joy of grease running down your chin after the first bite, or the brown paper bag drenched in grease, or the sheer genius of putting them in the freezer to enjoy on a blustery winter day. 

Yep. Pure joy.

After our lunch, we enjoyed the surroundings of the city park. The kids ran from one corner of the triangle to the other. Kates and Stephanie took off on tour of the antique and craft stores surrounding the downtown block. Grandpa took the kids on a walk around the park perimeter. And I went on a walking tour, admiring my favorite buildings on the block and reminiscing a little more.

Many summer days and nights spent running, biking and sitting around the veterans monument ...

 

 

The large, old trees throughout the park ... 

 

The old-time signage that -- for the most part -- has hardly changed since my childhood ... And businesses that occupied Main Street. Anna Marie's Pizzeria. The country store where I bought so many packs of my first baseball cards. And Heimstreet's pharmacy, where I bought many, many more ... 

A lot of haircuts here ...

The historic library where I participated in many summer reading programs and performed several piano recitals.

And the architecture that surrounds the entire block ...

Eventually, we returned to the lake and swam for a couple more hours.

For dinner, Joel led us to The RodeSide Grill, a country diner off the interstate between Lake Mills and Madison. The food was delicious and the girls enjoyed their coloring. It was the perfect day to wind down what had been another vacation day filled with warm memories.

* * *

Saturday was the wedding day.

As usual, I was antsy to get everybody going in the morning. And, as usual, we barely made it out of the house on time. ... We had an hour drive from The Farm to the church in Madison, and we made it with about 10 minutes to spare. We barely had enough time to greet our family before we were being ushered into the sanctuary for the ceremony.

Kates wasn't sitting for much more than a minute before Faye started squirming, and Kates carried her out. We didn't see them again until after the ceremony. ... In the meantime, Phoebe sat beside me, wanting a play-by-play explanation of every step of the wedding. After all, of the several weddings she's attended with us, this was the first of which she had any understanding of what was happening.

Phoebe was comparing all of it to her knowledge of Disney fairy tales, and to her the bride was Cinderella.

When is the bride coming? ... Soon. Just wait.
Who are those other people? ... Those are the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Why are they lighting that candle? That's the Unity Candle.

And the most important question ...

When will they kiss?

Finally, the couple kissed, and the post-wedding activities commenced. Our large extended family, which has grown further the last few years to include so many significant others and children that I've lost count, crammed the steps of the altar area for a family photo. We posed for a few more small group photos. Then we were off to our hotel for the evening.

Continuing the fairytale theme for Phoebe, the hotel -- with its grand atrium stretching several stories tall and skylights -- was a castle.

We passed the downtime between the wedding and the start of the reception by settling into our room and enjoying some snacks. As more of our family members arrived, we joined them around the bar and did some catching up. ... The party soon moved to the other side of the atrium, where we had a bounty of appetizers, and Phoebe and her cousins romped around the fountains and stairways. ... And from there, we moved into the ballroom for the dinner and dance.

As almost all wedding dinners go, the food was delicious. ... Kates and I decided I should have a side job DJing weddings because I own every music track played during the dinner portion, from Joshua Radin's "I'd Rather Be With You," to Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am," to Uncle Kracker's "Smile." All great songs. ... When Faye started fussing during the traditional wedding toasts and slideshows, I  took her to the back of the room and rocked her to sleep for a short nap. It was one of those awesome Daddy's moments I cherish. ... Phoebe and Sophia had their picture taken with the bride, aka the princess, and then they watched in awe with a couple of their cousins as she shared a dance with her father. ...

We danced the night away, and had so much fun doing it. It was a classic big-family wedding reception, and being able to take the dance floor with Phoebe and Faye was a daddy-daughter experience I had long looked forward to. The music hopped as the DJ mixed the hits of the day with other wedding party favorites.

Faye bowed out for good a little before 9 and Kates took her up to our hotel room with Phoebe, too. Kates and I both knew, though, that Phoebe -- always wanting to be part of the action -- would change her mind once she got to the room. Ten minutes later, Kates texted me, "Phoebe wants to come back down. Can you come get her?" I went upstairs and escorted Phoebe back to the party. Just as cookies and pizza were being served.

Phoebe and I danced and conversed with aunts and uncles and cousins until almost 11 before calling it a night. For good.

* * *

It was almost 10 a.m. Sunday before all of us were out of bed and presentable enough to meet the family downstairs for breakfast. We enjoyed more conversation with each other as Phoebe, Faye, Sophia and Fred got in some more play time.

We headed to the zoo for the afternoon, but that adventure was cut short. We had seen a good number of the animals, and Phoebe and Kates had just finished a ride on the carousel ...

 

... when the sky let loose with a torrential rain. We'd promised Phoebe she could play on the playground after her carousel ride, but all we could do was wait inside the carousel house until the rain let up. When it did -- maybe 15 or 20 minutes later -- we headed for the car as fast as we could. The rain picked up again as we navigated Madison and it was so hard at times as we traveled the rural highways to my parents home that it was difficult to see the road.

Somehow, we arrived safe and sound at my parents and settled in with them to catch the end of the Brewers game, which they lost. Then, Dad and I went out to pick up a pizza for supper.

Eventually, we were returning to The Farm for one more night of sleep before traveling back to The 'Ville today. We saw a rainbow as we closed in on The Farm, but Phoebe and Faye were far asleep and missed it.

It was a fun weekend with so many wonderful images to savor.

 

A mid-summer classic

With all of the distractions off the field this season -- Biogenesis, the debate about renovations to Wrigley -- and lack of winning by my teams -- the Cubs and Brewers are terrible -- I'm not finding a whole lot to stake to my archive of baseball memories lately.

Even the All-Star Game seems to be more of a chore as the years go by. With both managers on a mission to play every player who makes the team and MLB's tinkering to draw more attention to the game, it doesn't seem to hold the charm it once did. Blame it on the cynicism that comes with my aging and experience. 

I watched the Home Run Derby Monday night. As usual, I was rooting for Prince Fielder, but that didn't work out this year. So thank you ESPN for finally teaching me how to pronounce Yoenis Cespedes' name.

And I'll remember Tuesday night's All-Star Game for three things ...

Prince Fielder's triple. I watched him leg out extra bases again and again as a member of the Brewers, and the big man showed off his base-running skill again Tuesday ...



And Mariano Rivera's final All-Star Game appearance. Truthfully, I've never been a huge Mariano fan, but the spectacle of the game and the response he drew from the New York crowd was pretty awesome.



Watching this year's festivities also brought back some good memories of my glorious fun in Kansas City last year.

Good reads ...
a For Fans at Home Run Derby, It’s Back, Back, Back to Their Youth
a World Series home-field edge back in hands of AL
a Rivera's tribute latest, and greatest, of its kind
a Yankees’ Rivera Spends His Goodbye Tour Saying Hello
a For Rivera, an Ending to Savor
a All-Star MVP hardware fitting close for Rivera
a Power, Pirates and pitching lead top 10 storylines of second half