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I don't know about you, but I have grass to cut, errands to run and cream puffs to eat, so let's get busy...

Blonde bombshell: The Brewers didn't produce many memorable highlights during their series against the Cubs. The fact of the matter is that they embarrassed themselves on the biggest stage the franchise has stepped on in some time.

Enough of that... For me, the lasting memory of the series did not take place on the field.

Mike Nadel, a columnist for GateHouse News Service and a graduate of Marquette University, touched off a firestorm with this column, in which he provided a few details about the game and many more about the appearance of ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews.

(Disclosure time: I've shared press boxes with Nadel for nearly 20 years and often chide him about his age, his MU heritage, the state of Chicago sports and even the traffic on the Edens Expressway. I do not know Erin Andrews personally, but I've seen her at venues in the past and have several friends who work with her at ESPN).

If you've read Nadel's piece, please continue to the next paragraph. If you haven't clicked on the link yet, please do -- it will help set the stage for the discussion that follows. I'll wait. (Tapping fingers on desk... switching iTunes to "shuffle"... more tapping).

OK, here is the deal: the scene that Nadel described in the Cubs clubhouse pretty closely mirrored what I saw on the Brewers' side as well. I didn't directly hear any lewd comments from players, but Erin Andrews' outfit did draw a lot of attention and generate comments.

This isn't exactly uncommon. Andrews is a rising star at ESPN. Her presence at events lends a "big game" atmosphere to the proceedings. When she covers college basketball games, throngs of face-painting, Red Bull-chugging, red-blooded male students - which pretty much describes ESPN's target demographic -- chant her name. Unfortunately for those guys in Chapel Hill, Lawrence, Madison and elsewhere, college basketball is pretty much a winter sport and Andrews generally doesn't appear in short dresses like the one mid-thigh length number she wore Wednesday night.

As for her "flitting" and "flirting," that was pretty much the same on the Brewers' side. Andrews came on the field while the Brewers were stretching and hugged centerfielder Mike Cameron, who I assumed is one of the few Milwaukee players she has met before, and spoke to a few other players while gathering information for the broadcast. When it comes to getting interviews, attractive women generally have an edge over dumpy men in Dockers pants. That's why it was a bit heartening when Ryan Braun turned down Andrews' request for an interview on the field and told her to ask him later. It was one of those "Welcome to our world" reactions.

As all this unfolded, I thought about writing a blog about Andrews' appearance (at the game, not how she looked). I decided against it, in part because I had other things to do and also because to make a big deal about an appearance by ESPN's top sideline reporter would have violated two principles that I hold dear:

First, the media's job is to report the news. We aren't there to report on each other; Second, there is the old Vince Lombardi "act like you've been there before" attitude instilled in Wisconsinites at birth.

I've covered big events before. The game in Milwaukee was a big event. Most of the smart people (like you) who read this site knew that the Cubs-Brewers series was a BIG event. I covered the Brewers back when they were a "score only" team on "SportsCenter" and only appeared in national publications when they were an opponent of the team or player being featured.

Those days are gone.

The Brewers get plenty of publicity in the national media. If they aren't comfortable in the spotlight now, and they didn't look very at ease this week, they better get used to it.

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5 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by High_Life_Man on Aug. 4, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (report)

I'll take short skirts over having to listen to Berman or Vitale blabber.

Posted by WPOTTER on Aug. 3, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (report)

I think Erin Andrews (ESPN) looks great. Maybe the problem is that Nadel and Theobald (Peoria Journal Star Sportsniks) just never did look very good in a miniskirt. It is worthy of note that the response to Nadel's piece was buried by "not" printing it, but rather making it available only to those willing to look online. Not everyone has computer access or the time to chase what is trying to be hidden. Good job Milwaukee Daily Magazine. I think I might want to subscribe and drop my Peoria Journal delivery! Go Uke, Brewers and Cards.

Posted by jakkalope on Aug. 3, 2008 at 1:12 a.m. (report)

Get over it - she's working @ ESPN due to her looks. She has no skills

Posted by haylov on Aug. 2, 2008 at 8:01 p.m. (report)

A great rack and pretty feet get you a competitive advantage in a male dominated workplace in some instances. She is not the 1st, she won't be the last...deal with it and understand that it is part of a lot of professional work environments in 2008, and a tactic used to get what you need to get the job done!

Posted by MiltownKatie on Aug. 2, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. (report)

Shame on you Drew! From the start of your article I thought you were going to roast Nadel for his ridiculously anachronistic and misogynist article, but then you went on to defend it! "I just think he saw a situation that struck him as unusual and decided to write about it." Right, that article was just pointing out how sexist it was that the Cub's skipper chose to make inappropriate comments about what a sports reporter was wearing. THAT was the real story here, not what Andrews was or was not wearing. As you pointed out yourself, Andrews' skill as a reporter is NOT related to her hawtness. Your article should have simply pointed that out, without apologizing for your (indefensible) former coworker.