In the world of sports, people sometimes have to make tough decisions. Other times, the decisions are easy, which is why they are considered "slam dunks."

Signing Clay Mathews to a long contract extension will be a slam dunk for the Packers. Locking up Brandon Jennings for as long as they can is a slam dunk for the Bucks.

For the Brewers, firing manager Ken Macha is the next slam dunk.

Sure, it's tough to admit you made a mistake. But I hearken back to the day that Ron Wolf fired Ray Rhodes after one season as the Packers head coach. Mistakes happen in this world. The worst thing you can do is not correct those errors.

We've all heard the argument that the manager doesn't hit or pitch or field or run. That's all true, but it doesn't matter.

The manager does do some things, not the least of which is be the face of the franchise. He's the one who talk most frequently to the media. He's the one who pulls the strings, deciding who plays and who doesn't.

Macha has come up empty, presiding over a two-year slide and it's time for him to go. Let's not have a huge debate about this, the evidence is overwhelming.

So our next decision is who becomes the next manager. It could be a job-hanging-in-the-balance decision for General Manager Doug Melvin. His last two choices as manager, Ned Yost and Macha, have come up woefully short. He's got to make a good decision this time.

Knowing how baseball people operate, you can bet that Melvin and his advisors will run through the usual list of former managers, all of whom have been fired at one time or another, except Joe Torre, who just retired. We will have old guys and young guys, black guys and white guys, players' managers and owners' managers, tough guys and relaxed guys, guys who are quotable and guys who speak a language other than English; all of them retreads.

I hate to be presumptuous but I'd like to offer Melvin two words in his search for a new manager. I take that back. This column is all about being presumptuous. Anyhow, those two words: Craig Counsell.

I know he has absolutely no experience as a manager, but I think that's an overrated quality, as proven by the dozens of experienced managers who keep getting fired. But Counsell has obviously been around the league long enough to understand how to fill out a lineup card.

He's been on winning teams and understands what it takes to be a winner. He also has a demonstrated loyalty to and knowledge of Milwaukee.

I know Counsell a little bit. His father-in-law has been a friend of mine for over 60 years. I've played golf with him. He has a calm demeanor but that kind of covers a burning desire to win and to play the game, baseball or golf, the right way. He's got a great sense of humor that will come in handy in the dugout.

I think this move would also be very popular with Brewer fans. If they name one of the retreads, fans will clap a little bit, then yawn and then get on with their lives. Name Counsell and there will be lots of interest in this team, something that's in pretty short supply right now.

I understand that experience is a qualification to manage. But it's not the only one, and maybe not even the most important one. A young guy named Scott Skiles ended his playing career in Greece, coached a half a season there, then moved to Phoenix and it wasn't long before that team was back in the playoffs.

Let's put it this way; hiring Counsell leaves you with the potential for a lot of upside while going after one of the has-been or never-was types promises more of the same old-same old.

My guess is that the Brewers faithful are getting pretty tired of that.