Mike J. Steele

Please, pay attention in work zones!!! That applies to everyone! If there is a “Work Zone Speed Limit 55″, don’t go 70+! If the sign says “Right Lane Closed Ahead” don’t stay in the right lane until the last second! There have been way too many accidents this year in the major work zones in NE Wisconsin. Pay attention out there.

Do you want people to know your exact location?

I do not think that it is a really good idea to be sharing your exact location.

These servies often use your cell phone’s GPS to find your location (or if that does not work, they triangulate your location using cell phone towers). Then you “check-in” and often times, this check-in is shared across the Internet to social networking services. Most of these posts give the name of the location you are at and are geotagged with the exact location you are it.

However, this public sharing of your exact location is, in my opinion, not a good thing. This brings up safety and security concerns. What if someone you don’t to see sees where you are and they find you? What if a criminal sees it and decided to damage your property? I don’t think anyone would want either of those scenarios.

I understand that there may be perks to checking in at some places, but the public knowledge of your exact location is not that good of an idea.

Face it. Wisconsin fans no longer accept mediocrity from any team. And now we are seeing that with the Brewers. Here are what I see as some of the problems:

- Pitching. If your starter pitches the most pitches in all of baseball and doesn’t make it out of the 6th, you’ve got a problem. The bullpen can’t hold anything. The all-time best closer can’t close anymore. The pitch counts are extreme.
- Coaching. Ken Macha does the same things that Ned Yost did. Peterson has not done a good job with the pitchers. Macha leaves pitchers in to keep them in line for the win. Well, if the pitcher gives up the runs in the 5th because they’ve thrown a lot of pitches, they aren’t going to get the win anyway. Intentionally walking a player to get to the pitcher when the pitcher as already helped his own cause? Not a good idea. Macha treats the Brewers like they are an American League team. This isn’t 1997. The talent on the roster can play small ball – the team doesn’t need to rely on home runs as the primary source of offense, but it is a nice backup.
- Signing short-term players/players who didn’t perform well before. The Brewers recently have signed some older players who can’t really contribute past one or two seasons (Jim Edmonds, Gabe Kapler), and have resigned someone who wasn’t too good the last time he was with the team (Doug Davis).

This team is in trouble. Hank Aaron Bobble Head Night was not a sellout. The fans are not happy. Something needs to be done. There needs to be a shakeup. I don’t know how high up it needs to be, but it needs to be done.

Face it. Even if the Brewers were to turn it around quickly, I do not see any chance that the Brewers would be able to offer up enough money to keep Prince Fielder. It would be nice to be able to get something for him, so I think that he is going to be trade bait. Trading Prince would be like the Indians trading CC to the Brewers – trying to get something for a player who you know will not be resigning.

The only team worse than the Brewers in the National League right now are the Astros.

I feel like a complainer lately…

So, this was a very foggy morning this morning. That doesn’t mean that you can go as fast as normally would on the roads. Remember what just happened in Kaukauna? You have to slow down when you are barely see in front of your face! Come on people, think! When it is that bad, the speed limit is pushing it a bit.

Enough with this Tiger Woods stuff. I’m sick of it. If you did something like that, would you want the broadcast networks covering it? I didn’t think so.

Yes, ABC, CBS, and NBC all broke in today to carry Tiger Woods’ statement. Since when is the affairs of two people considered news? I know he is famous, but still, why is the affairs of one celebrity worthy of special report coverage the major broadcast networks. This stuff is not worthy of interrupting normal programming on the broadcast networks. ESPN yes, ABC no.

This also brings me to the point of what really is news these days. Should every facet of the lives celebrities be on the local news? I don’t think so. I would rather see the over hyping of weather than seeing updates on celebrities. Apparently, the powers that be think people want to know everything about what their favorite celebrity. Maybe I’m more of a traditionalist with news, but I don’t think that is news worthy.

People’s lives, if they are a celebrity or not, aren’t worthy of breaking in to normal programming.

First, I’d like to say I was wrong about 4-12. The way the Packers played in Tampa made it seem like they would.

Now on to this week. Remember Packer fans – it’s just one game. I know, it is a big win, but remember what was said after the preseason.

The defense was pretty good. The offense didn’t show up until the second half. McCarthy still is making questionable play calls.

It is nice to see a win against one tough team. Turning point? We’ll see. I’m concerned for next week.

Face it. The preseason was a fluke. The Packers are horrible this year. If Brett Favre was here, it wouldn’t make a difference. I do think that things would be worse if Favre was still in Green Bay because of his gunslinger mentality. Rodgers is not the problem. Here are some of the problems in my opinion:

- McCarthy has no clue on calling plays. He can’t call a balanced game at all. You need to have balance in your play calling if you want to win. With a bad line, quick passes are needed. You rarely see quick passes out of this offense. He was calling passes early on a team that was horrible against the run.
- The Packers commit too many penalties. Many of the penalties are very stupid.
- Ted Thompson has made very stupid personnel decisions. Getting rid of players who know the system. Depending too much on the draft. Not spending the money to field a decent team.
- The Packers can’t play a complete game (in the same game).
- Special teams are horrible.

Most of the problems in my opinion are with the management and coaching staff. I’m going to say this – 2007 was a fluke. McCarthy was not the right choice then and still isn’t the right choice. The last offense he ran before coming to Green Bay was the worst offense in the league. Well, I think we are seeing that now in Green Bay. There is no way what is happening should be acceptable. Something has to change. It has to start high up. Ted Thompson needs to be fired. Mike McCarthy either needs his play calling privileges revoked or be fired.

Now, McCarthy has started the blame for the loss today with himself. Well, maybe someone has gotten an idea. I know it has gone on way too long, but you’ve got to do something!!!

The defense is actually ok. Dom Capers can stay. I will give Thompson credit for one decision – moving up to draft Clay Matthews.

Say hello to 4-12 Packer fans. The Packers will not beat the Lions on Thanksgiving the way they are playing – and remember – Thanksgiving is the Lions’ Super Bowl. The Lions always play tough on Thanksgiving.

I’m not a big fan of the pop version of a country song has a different feel (mood) than the country version.

Maybe it is time for MLB to come up with some new way to break a tie in All-Star Games. Maybe something like a Blast Off HR Derby – best vs best – ala a hockey shootout? This year again the teams are running out of players and they are in the 12th inning. Even if someone wins, I think they seriously need to look at a new way.

I don’t know what the answer is but I think MLB should try to come up with something.

Will someone please tell ESPN to quit it with the rumors of Favre coming back? It is starting to feel like they are just trying to make up a story. Taking what one “source” says and blowing it up is not what I call good reporting.