{image1}If the Brewers, Packers, Wave United and other sports aren't enough, the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits and state athletes in the Olympics in Athens add sports buzz for August.
The best golfers in the world will convene at Whistling Straits near Kohler for the PGA Championship Aug. 12-15. Preparation for the tournament has been going on for months.
Tiger Woods looked to be getting back his game in the recent Buick Open and always is a favorite in any major tourney. Phil Mickelson is another favorite. Vijay Singh, who won the Buick is yet another. You can read more about the PGA tourney in next week's Weekend Sports Buzz.
Several state athletes will go to Athens for the Olympics. Mary Beth Larsen-Iagorashvili of Mukwonago just missed a pentathlon medal in Sydney in 2000, in an event covered by this writer. She, and her husband, Vaho, will be competing again. Mary Beth, by the way, is listed as one of ESPN's sexiest athletes in the world.
Paul Hamm of Waukesha is considered a good bet for a medal in gymnastics. Milwaukee's Chris Ahrens, a two-time Olympian, leads a strong rowing team. You can see other Wisconsin Olympians in The Name Game section of this column and see more coverage of the Games from a Wisconsin angle in Weekend Sports Buzz on Aug. 12 and 19.
The Packers have started training camp and will play pre-season games at home on Aug. 16 and 21. You can follow the Packers in Weekend Sports Buzz during the pre-season and in On the Pack once the regular season starts.
Miller Park will host 15 Brewers' games in August. The highlight will be yet another series with the Cubs, Aug. 17-19. The World Champion Marlins, contending Phillies and Pirates also come to town.
Wave United plays home games on Aug. 6, 12 and 19 as it wraps up the regular season and competes for a playoff spot.
A couple summer baseball playoffs are scheduled around the state in August. See the Beyond Milwaukee Sports section of this column for more info. Football practice also starts in prep and college football this month. See more in Hot Tix.
Brew Crew Review Awards
Here are the monthly BCR awards for July:
Player of the Month -- It's getting too boring picking Lyle Overbay every month, plus O did suffer through a rare slump during the month. So, give it to outfielder Brady Clark, who continued to play great defense when in right and was among the league's hottest hitters for a two-week stretch.
Pitcher of the Month -- Chris Capuano broke two four-game losing streaks and continued to improve on the mound and at the plate. Capuano held the Mets to three hits in five innings Tuesday night before getting knocked around in the sixth.
Play of the Month -- On July 18, Geoff Jenkins made a running grab as he went into the vines at Wrigley Field to retire the Cubs' Aramis Ramirez and then doubled a sleeping Moises Alou off first base. The catch came at a crucial time in the game, which the Brewers went on to win 4-2. It was one of three fine catches by Jenkins in the series.
Goats of the Month -- Wes Obermueller pitched his way out of the starting rotation and down to Indianapolis (AAA). At least, he could hit, leaving a .381 average in Milwaukee. Ben Hendrickson replaced Obermueller and did the same thing (not hit .381, but pitch his way to the minors). You also could give a horn each to Wes Helms and Russell Branyan, who continued to produce very little from the third base position. Helms also went through a streak of defensive problems.
The Name Game
Here is a partial list of Wisconsin Olympians: Suzy Hamilton, Madison, track; Andrew Rock, UW-La Crosse, track; Chelsie Memmel, West Allis, gymnastics; Morgan Hamm, Waukesha, gymnastics; Dwyane Wade, Marquette and Miami of NBA, basketball; Ben Holbrook, Hartland, Mike Wherley, Sun Prairie, Beau Hoopman, Plymouth, and assistant coach Mike Imes, La Crosse, all in rowing.
Of course, also add the afore-mentioned Larsen-Iagorashvili, Paul Hamm and Ahrens. Depending on some remaining competition, there could be others. Watch for them in those upcoming Weekend Sports Buzz columns.
Daniel Santiago, who played for the Bucks last season, is a member of the Puerto Rico Olympic basketball team.
Beyond Milwaukee Sports
The American Legion state baseball tournaments have started and will run through early next week. The AAA tourney is in Eau Claire, AA in Waterford and A in Waterloo ... Playoffs in the Northwoods League, a college summer baseball league, are scheduled to start next Tuesday, Aug. 10 ... J.P. Gavinski, a 6-foot-10, 225-pound center who will be a junior this season at Wisconsin Dells, gave UW and coach Bo Ryan an oral commitment to play for the Badgers ... The John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan will have special "fun and games" during the PGA tournament time and will be open extended hours Aug. 10-13. For specifics, call 920-458-6144.
Hot Tix
The Brewers wrap up their homestand with a 1:05 p.m. game against the Mets Thursday. They then go to Florida and Atlanta before returning home to host the Marlins on Aug. 13.
Wave United hosts Calgary at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Uihlein Soccer Park.
High school football teams are allowed to start practice next Tuesday, Aug. 10, in preparation for the upcoming season. The UW Badgers also start practice on that day. The Badgers are ranked 22nd in the ESPN/USA Today pre-season poll.
The U.S. National Futsal team advanced to the World Cup in November in China by beating Cuba, 2-0, to win the gold medal in the CONCACAF regional tournament. The Wave's Greg Howes scored one of the goals for the U.S. team, which is coached by Wave coach Keith Tozer. Futsal is a soccer-like game played by teams of five players each on a basketball-size court.
Could Miller Park really become Wrigley Field North? Speculation is that some Cubs' home games could be moved to the Brewers' park if structural problems continue with aging Wrigley in Chicago. Now, those would be hot tix, as Chicago fans flock north.
You can hang out with fellow OMC sports columnist and radio personality Steve Czaban from 9 to 11 p.m. Thursday in the first annual Czabe.com sports trivia party at the Miller Time Pub.
Finally, looking long range, the Bucks announced their schedule this week. They open at Orlando on Nov. 3 and host Cleveland in their home opener on Nov. 6.
