http://onmilwaukee.com/rss/rss_davebegel.xml Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Dave Begel en-us Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:00:28 CST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://onmilwaukee.com/images/layout/omc_rssfeed_logo.gif http://onmilwaukee.com 204 67 When the talk turns to great Milwaukee bands, most people would agree that the Violent Femmes are the biggest thing ever to come out of this city. But close on their heels are the BoDeans, who are still together, and Semi-Twang, a band that had a big recording contract, incredible critical acclaim and a life that was far too short. http://onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/semitwangreunion.html http://onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/semitwangreunion.html?20485 Tue, 3 Nov 2009 05:15:00 CST If there is anybody left who thinks that the 2009 Packers, or the 2008 Packers, or maybe even the 2010 Packers are better with Aaron Rodgers than Brett Favre, let them stand up and be counted, on the fingers of one hand. There is no longer a shadow of doubt. One is a classy, savvy expert with a full house, aces over jacks. The other is sitting at the table with a pair of sixes and not much bluff. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favrepackers110209.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favrepackers110209.html?20706 Mon, 2 Nov 2009 05:04:00 CST The focus will be on the quarterbacks Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, and that's understandable. In addition to a referendum on Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, the Packers-Vikings game will provide information about Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy. A victory will silence his critics. A loss or lackluster effort may fuel the debate about his acumen. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/mccarthyspotlight.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/mccarthyspotlight.html?20692 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:09:00 CST Based on the sparse turnout at the Bucks' exhibition finale Friday night at the Bradley Center (pictured), a lot of folks seemed to have forgotten what makes the NBA special. OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel hasn't forgotten. In fact, he lists the reasons why -- in his opinion -- pro basketball outpaces its competition to be the most exciting game in town. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/bucksnba10reasons.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/bucksnba10reasons.html?20639 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:03:00 CST It's easy to be a fan during the good times. Bandwagons bustle when teams win. What about the lean years? Our teams ask us for support and in exchange they owe us expertise and effort and an honest striving for victory. Most fans can live with losing, as long as they feel that the effort is genuine. Is rooting for the home team part of our civic duty? http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/bucksbrewersfans.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/bucksbrewersfans.html?20545 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:03:00 CST Last week, The Sporting News released its rankings of 399 great sports cities. Milwaukee was a respectable 26th, but OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel thinks that the magazine's logic was flawed -- particularly because Milwaukee didn't get credit for the Packers or Badgers. With a little vetting (and a lot of venting), Begel found a way to move the city up in the rankings. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportingnewsranking.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportingnewsranking.html?20459 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:09:00 CST Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre is going to turn 40 next week, and there can be no doubt that he is still, at his advanced age, one of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League. Sure, his Vikings are better than Aaron Rodgers' Packers. But part of that, a big part, is that Favre is better than Rodgers. It's not even close. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favre100609.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favre100609.html?20382 Tue, 6 Oct 2009 05:22:00 CST Like many Wisconsin sports fans, OnMilwaukee.com's Dave Begel is conflicted as he prepares to watch Brett Favre play against the Packers. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favrebiggame.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favrebiggame.html?20361 Sat, 3 Oct 2009 18:04:00 CST It's hard to fathom life without sports, especially during a week leading up to the Packers playing at Favre-a-palooza. The games are just too important to the fabric of our culture. There are, however, a few things in sports that we can live without. OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel, who is old and crotchety enough to get irritated by things, offers his list this week. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel092909.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel092909.html?20282 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:12:00 CST There has been a lot of talk about celebrations etiquette in sports these days.The Brewers have been in the conversation because of untucking, duck-and-punching and the Prince Fielder home run flop (pictured). Dave Begel wonders what's wrong with having a little fun on the field. But, he also lays out a few parameters to keep things from running amok. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportscelebrations.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportscelebrations.html?20229 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:01:00 CST The debate about the best and worst sports movies of all time is a perpetual argument without any satisfactory resolution. But, here is another idea. If you could attend one sporting event from the movies, what would it be? Would it be a fight from "Rocky" or a game from "Bull Durham"? Would it be the classic scene from "Pride of the Yankees" or the title game from "Hoosiers" or something else? http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportsmoviegames.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportsmoviegames.html?20173 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:18:00 CST OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel thinks the Lombardi Trophy will return to its rightful home in Titletown next year. After an impressive (but still meaningless) preseason, Begel thinks the Packers' speed, skill are key. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/packersuperbowl.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/packersuperbowl.html?20120 Tue, 8 Sep 2009 08:23:00 CST He wins a ton of tournaments and it can't be easy wearing the mantle of global sports icon, but Tiger Woods just might make things easier on himself if he smiled once in a while, rather than scowling and glowering his way through tournaments. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/Tigerwoodstemper.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/Tigerwoodstemper.html?20075 Tue, 1 Sep 2009 14:22:00 CST Why is it so hard for Brett Favre to give up playing football? If you've never played the sport, it's hard to explain and even more difficult to understand. Then again, you can relate to being in a play or being in a band or -- as people in the armed forces say -- being in combat. There is something about the shared struggle that causes deep emotional bonds and can make it hard to give up any endeavor. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favreshakespeare.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/favreshakespeare.html?20001 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:29:00 CST The details are in the fine print. That's where the real important stuff is; all the information you really need to know. There's fine print in contracts, leases, purchase agreements, warranties and lots of other documents. The world of sports also has its fine print. It's called agate. Every sports page in the country has it. A page somewhere with stats and information about things you may never find elsewhere. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportsagate.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sportsagate.html?19937 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:22:00 CST The Brewers have been sagging for weeks, but it's too early to write off the season just yet. Sure, the Brewers have weaknesses that have to be handled. The bottom of the batting order is awful. The starting pitching is schizophrenic and you seemingly can't depend on anyone, including Yovani Gallardo. The Brewers still have some strengths, chief among them an easy schedule in August. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/brewersdownnotout.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/brewersdownnotout.html?19879 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:19:00 CST OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel isn't one of those guys who looks at the landscape and sees nothing but problems. Well, actually he is one of those guys... but unlike others, Begel isn't afraid to offer solutions. That's what he does this week, when he talks about controversial swimsuits, problems with the Department of Natural Resources, the Packers' defense and other dilemmas. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel.html?19830 Tue, 4 Aug 2009 08:23:00 CST The last thing OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel wanted was to do was write another piece about mixed martial arts. After hours of deliberation and a viewing of the Brock Lesnar-Randy Couture title bout from last year, he couldn't help himself. Though his overall thoughts about the sports have not changed significantly, Begel's passion for his position has intensified. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/mmacontroversy.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/mmacontroversy.html?19767 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:19:00 CST Sports fans in Milwaukee have a lot of choices when it comes to major pro, minor-league and amateur sports. Given the recent developments facing the Wave, Milwaukee Mile and the U.S. Bank Championship, some are beginning to wonder -- is it too much of a good thing? Do fans residing in this market have more sports options than they can support? http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/mkesportschoices.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/mkesportschoices.html?19729 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:18:00 CST This week could easily mark the swan song for the professional golf tournament that has found a home in Milwaukee since 1968. That's a 41-year history. A long, long time. But, the tournament is threatened, and likely to end. Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly, two Wisconsin pros, have a mysterious plan to save the tournament. But until concrete plans emerge, it could be so much whistling in the wind, like many plans to save this tournament have been in the past. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/usbankchampfuture.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/usbankchampfuture.html?19662 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:22:00 CST As part of the OnMilwaukee.com series called "Shift Switch," Dave Begel took over for doorman Dave Edwards at Shank Hall on a night when four bands were playing: Magic Black Pumas, The Vega Star, The Maze and the Ragadors. Begel found out that there is more to being a doorman than checking IDs and collecting money. Most of it, though, is about checking IDs, collecting money and listening to music. http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/shankhallshiftswitch.html http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/shankhallshiftswitch.html?19654 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:17:00 CST It was a tough, tough week for sports in Milwaukee. We may have witnessed the end of two sports entities in the city, the Wave indoor soccer team and auto racing at the Milwaukee Mile. The financial problems facing both are serious. And the ills that bedevil the two are as different as Michael Jackson and Stonewall Jackson. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/milwaukeewavemile.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/milwaukeewavemile.html?19616 Tue, 7 Jul 2009 11:18:00 CST The Bucks haven't been successful in a long time, but their fans aren't as cynical and jaded as one local media member portrayed in a recent column. For many Bucks fans, the team still provides entertainment and excitement. It's easy for reporters to overlook hundreds of people who have been holding season tickets for 10, 20 and 30 years, supporting this team with their dollars and with their hopes. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/bucksfans.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/bucksfans.html?19540 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:01:00 CST If you are a true fan, if you love football, if you love the eternal grace of a quarterback being a field general, then you want Brett Favre to keep on playing as long as he wants. As long as he can. Somehow, people have to find a way to put all the bull into a closet. Although Favre has been the centerpiece of the "will he or won't he" drama for the last few years, if you really love this game you've got to find your way past all of that. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel062309.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel062309.html?19459 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:02:00 CST OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel riled up the mixed martial arts masses last week with a column that decried the sport's blood lust. After receiving a steady stream of feedback, Begel is back and ready to turn the tables on his detractors. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel061609.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel061609.html?19399 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:18:00 CST OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel stumbled across a mixed-martial arts fight while channel surfing the other night and didn't really like what he saw. Begel worries that the logical outgrown from MMA is to put a fighter in a ring with a lion, a tiger or a pit viper. Oh, and he shares his thoughts about the Brewers, Packers and Bucks, too. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel060909.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel060909.html?19346 Tue, 9 Jun 2009 14:18:00 CST Dave Begel heard a song Saturday by John Sieger and the Subcontinentals that nearly knocked him off his bar stool. Here's why. http://onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/siegersong.html http://onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/siegersong.html?19341 Mon, 8 Jun 2009 14:37:00 CST For many years, OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel was obsessed with playing golf. Now that he has put away his clubs and given up playing the game regularly, he has come to realize that it wasn't so much the game that kept him coming back to the course, but the friendship and the ritual and the connection that the sport fostered for much of his life. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel060209.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel060209.html?19270 Tue, 2 Jun 2009 14:31:00 CST Memorial Day is in the books. The temperature still hasn't hit 90 degrees. The Brewers are playing wonderful and exciting baseball and they might even keep it up all year. But, none of that really matters because today is the start of the Packers' season. That's right. Organized team activities begin today at Lambeau Field. OTA's are a sure sign that hitting hard for real is right around the corner. And who in the world says that the seasons for sports teams are too long? http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel052609.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel052609.html?19202 Tue, 26 May 2009 11:13:00 CST The NBA is a game of passion. That's a big part of its attraction. But Dallas owner Cuban thinks because he has a billion dollars he has purchased the right to act like a drunken Napoleon without the white horse. The crowd in the arena sees him acting like a meth-infested freak and they think it's all right to act like that, too. His behavior as a boor gives permission to the fans of his team to act like boors as well. He is living proof that all the money in the world can't buy you civilized behavior. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel051909.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel051909.html?19159 Tue, 19 May 2009 16:19:00 CST The only thing worse than having sports columnists, talk-radio hosts and fans argue about whether college football needs a playoff system is allowing politicians to weigh in on the debate. Congress is actually spending time, money and brainpower figuring out how it can force college football mucky-mucks to have a playoff system. One congressman from Texas, Joe Barton, has introduced legislation that would make it illegal for the NCAA to call a game a national championship unless it was the result of a playoff. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel051209.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel051209.html?19068 Tue, 12 May 2009 05:22:00 CST After a questionable call went against the Brewers last week at Miller Park, many fans howled for the implementation of instant replay in baseball. Sports columnist Dave Begel wonders, "Why stop there?" Why not find even more "productive" ways -- particularly in this difficult economy -- to ensure that baseball fans don't get cheated out of their entertainment dollars. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel050509.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel050509.html?18999 Tue, 5 May 2009 05:25:00 CST Early in their third season calling Brewers games together on Fox Sports Wisconsin, Bill Schroeder and his partner Brian Anderson have emerged as one of the top duos in a sports market that boasts several solid broadcasters. It's impossible to think of broadcast teams in an individual sense. It's their work together that makes them either enjoyable or a bore. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel042809.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel042809.html?18945 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:36:00 CST OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel checked out the Milwaukee Iron game Friday night at the Bradley Center and came away excited about the action, the excitement and especially the Platinum Dance Team. As usual, though, Begel found things to criticize in terms of the game production and bombardment of commercials. On balance, though, Begel gives the af2's Milwaukee franchise a thumbs-up. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel042109.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel042109.html?18856 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:27:00 CST It's always nice to have a winning team in town. When the Brewers made the playoffs last season, it lifted everyone's spirits. When teams aren't good, though, you need to find excitement in other ways. Without controversies, the sports world can be a pretty boring place. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel041409.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel041409.html?18780 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:07:00 CST Injuries aren't an excuse. You hear it all the time from players and coaches and it's hogwash. Considering the way things went for the Bucks in 2008-09, it's impossible not to consider the injuries that contributed to another frustrating trip to the NBA Draft lottery. Just as things seemed to be heading in the right direction, Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut got hurt. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel040709.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel040709.html?18706 Tue, 7 Apr 2009 05:19:00 CST The baseball season is almost upon us, and sports columnist Dave Begel is fixated on two things. One is that the Brewers surprise us all by being good again. The other is that the Yankees pay the price for their ridiculous excess by falling flat on their face. Begel isn't talking about coming close and missing. He's talking about a record of something like 62-100. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel033109.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel033109.html?18649 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:18:00 CST There are two types of enthusiasm at sporting events. One is the artificial kind where people throw trinkets into the stands, where goofballs slide across the ice, where dancers do highly-choreographed routines, where an organ or a CD plays music designed to jack everyone up. Then there is the other kind. The genuine enthusiasm, where fans leap to their feet spontaneously over a big play. The question is, does it help? http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel032409.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel032409.html?18542 Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:16:00 CST With the Brewers' season opener just three weeks away, many fans already are daydreaming about pennant races and playoff tickets. Despite his history as an "eternal optimist," OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel can't help thinking dark thoughts about the Boys of Summer. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel031709.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel031709.html?18483 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:24:00 CST With a few days before Selection Sunday, OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel sizes up the local teams' chances of finding success in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Though their seasons took decidedly different arcs this year, Begel feels that Wisconsin is better positioned to "jump around" than Marquette's Golden Eagles. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel031009.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel031009.html?18406 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:20:00 CST Sports fans know all about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Those emotions come with the territory. So do frustration and confusion. OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel has felt so much of those that he clocks in with Volume XXVIMCXVIIXCI of "Stuff that Bugs Me." http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel030309.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel030309.html?18354 Tue, 3 Mar 2009 08:34:00 CST After years of belittling and ridiculing the Admirals and hockey in general, OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel ventured into the Bradley Center on game night and -- believe it or not -- enjoyed the experience. "If the Marlboro man had played a sport, it would have been hockey," Begel says. "This is not a game for wimps." http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel022409.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel022409.html?18267 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:25:00 CST Now that Packers legend Brett Favre has retired (again), many fans are wondering when fans and team officials will welcome the iconic quarterback back to Lambeau Field. OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel thinks the healing process should start immediately, if not sooner. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel021709.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel021709.html?18193 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:44:00 CST Though injuries to key players like Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and Luke Ridnour have put a serious dent in the Bucks' post-season aspirations, head coach Scott Skiles and general manager John Hammond aren't looking for sympathy. The tough thing about the setbacks is the timing. Not only were the Bucks seemingly headed in the right direction, they need to build momentum for a much-needed new facility. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel021009.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel021009.html?18134 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:16:00 CST The U.S. Bank Championship has lost some luster over the years -- not that it had a whole lot in the first place. Now that the title sponsor is leaving, local organizers should think about courting an LPGA event to bring up-and-coming stars like Natalie Gulbis (pictured) to town. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel020309.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel020309.html?18031 Tue, 3 Feb 2009 05:25:00 CST Playing golf is a great way to get outside and spend time with friends. It's also a frustrating, time-consuming and expensive exercise. When you've played the sport your whole life, when do you know that it's time to hang up the spikes and look for other hobbies? http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel012709.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel012709.html?17957 Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:43:00 CST As good a game as soccer is, the sport just isn't able to make that leap into our mainstream consciousness. Attendance around the Major Soccer League is down. Television ratings continue to plummet. ESPN, which -- for some odd reason -- paid $64 million for an eight-year deal, televised more games than ever. And ratings, which were miniscule to start with, dropped by 30,000 per telecast. Television does matter. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel012009.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel012009.html?17902 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:24:00 CST In the summer of 1963 I had just finished my first year of college at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. My roommate that first year was from Washington D.C. In August my family went to New York for a vacation and I got invited to Washington to visit my friend. I accepted. http://onmilwaukee.com/politics/articles/begelspeech.html http://onmilwaukee.com/politics/articles/begelspeech.html?17904 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:24:00 CST Everything seemed pretty simple when Barry Alvarez was the football coach at Wisconsin. Now that he's the athletic director, he faces some tough decisions. For starters, he has to determine whether his hand-picked successor, Bret Bielema, is capable of keeping the program at an elite level. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel010609.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel010609.html?17735 Tue, 6 Jan 2009 05:29:00 CST This is the time of year when every trite and hackneyed sports columnist writes a New Year's column, trying to be funny, cute and meaningful at the same time. It also is the time that OnMilwaukee.com sports columnist Dave Begel attempts to be trite, hackneyed, funny, cute and meaningful with his list of resolutions and wishes. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel123008.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begel123008.html?17710 Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:21:00 CST