By Dave Begel Contributing Writer Published Apr 14, 2014 at 12:33 PM

You really have to hand it to George Webb, the venerable Milwaukee restaurant chain.

There may be a "new" kid on the block, trying to mimic Webb’s claim to fame, but the Webb people aren’t all that concerned.

The deal is that for 65 years Webb has been offering free burgers if the Milwaukee Brewers win a certain number of consecutive games. Currently that number is 12.

This year, Sobelman’s, the popular bar/restaurant in the Menomonee Valley, offered a promotion to give away free burgers if the Brewers win 10 straight.

I’m a lot more bothered by this than Webb’s seems to be.

"Let them do what they want," said Ryan Stamm, whose dad used to own the chain. "We’ve been offering this for 65 years and paid off once, in 1987. Who cares what they do?"

Dave Sobelman, owner of the bar, said he wasn’t concerned about any criticism that he was playing off somebody else’s idea.

"We announced this two days before opening day," he said. "I really haven’t heard that much criticism from anyone … except that elite downtown crowd."

Well, at least one person isn’t all that enamored of his idea to replicate a Milwaukee institution, and at 70, I don’t consider myself part of this "downtown elite crowd."

That would be kind of like someone building a duplicate of the Calatrava and filling it with sunglasses stores and and a mini-mart. Or somebody who gets the monthly flavor of the day card from Kopp’s and does the exact same thing every day at his custard stand.

One thing Milwaukee doesn’t like is people who mess with our traditions. We revere our traditions.

I really admire Webb for taking the high road on this whole thing. They are going to keep on doing what they have kept on doing for over six decades. Good for them.

Sobleman makes a good burger, and for some, his restaurant is also a Milwaukee institution. He’s won our readers’ choice award several times. He’s advertised with us in the past, too.

And I’d love it if Sobelman’s had decided to offer free Bloody Marys or jalapeno cheese balls or broccoli cheddar bites for the consecutive Brewers wins. Or free beer, like Wonder Bar, 5520 W. Vliet St.

I just wish they had left the burger deal with the original.

Dave Begel Contributing Writer

With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.

He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.

This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.

Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.