Hi everyone. How are y’all doing? Welcome to 2020. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?
Real quick, let’s go over everything that’s happened in the world in the past 60 days. OK, maybe not everything. I don’t think I have the page space for that.
No. 1, we had our baby — a bulky little boy born on 12/12. We are now a household of six and sleep is optional — which is fun when you are a kid, and not fun at all as a parent. The holidays were a swell time for us, seeing family left and right, handing off the wee sprat like a football from one aunt to the next; uncle to uncle; grandma to grandpa; and finally, back to my wife and I to change a dirty diaper.
Having four kids is not bad by any stretch. Our other kids are 13, 8 and 1-and-a-half. Not even a month old, Baby Krebs No. 4 is wide-eyed and rarely makes a peep. When awake he loves tummy time and kisses on his face. He doesn’t spit up and sleeps for hours at a time. Oh, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have an 8-0 record when I remember to put on his penguin fleece onesie before the game (and, awkwardly, are 0-3 when I forget). I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious, and I’ll take responsibility for those losses.
Splitting the night shift with my wife has been great. I was able to catch up on a couple TV shows I’d been waiting to stream, and watched 24 hours of World War II documentaries between Christmas and New Year’s.
Jim Gaffigan, one of my favorite comedians ever, said in one of his stand-up specials, “If you ever wanted to know what it’s like to have five kids, imagine you’re drowning, and someone hands you a baby.”
I am currently presiding over the concept that my wife and I have it easy with four kids. Sorry Jim.
Our two youngest are darn near perfect angels, and the two oldest kids help out enough from time-to-time, which makes it seem less like drowning and more like we’re taking turns floating on an inner-tube in a water park’s lazy river.
A lazy river sounds nice, by the way. If I were to ever win the lottery, I would build a new house and put a lazy river in it. I feel like that is a warranted choice for at-home leisurely pleasure.
Moving on, the Badgers lost the Rose Bowl to Oregon by a single point. It was a good game overall, but between Wisconsin players forgetting how to tackle in the second half, and skill handlers not covering the ball when entering traffic, I think I sprouted a few more gray hairs. I might have more gray than black on my lid now, which isn’t the ideal look at 34.
The NFL regular season came to a conclusion, and Packers fans should be thankful that their team somehow managed the No. 2 seed in the NFC. I am pulling for Green Bay (though I am categorically not a Packers fan), because I want to see Aaron Rodgers win that second Lombardi Trophy. One reason is simple, for his legacy. The second reason is to spite Mike McCarthy, the new Cowboys coach. I feel McCarthy’s growing apathy and play-calling laziness during the last five years of his time in Green Bay kept Rodgers from at least one, if not two more titles.
You know who won’t be getting another Super Bowl ring this year? The Patriots. Thank whatever god you’d like, thank the Titans for the upset, thank the Dolphins for the stunning Week 17 win that took away a bye week in the playoffs — thank them all. The reign of terror of watching pundits blush week in and week out over Tom Brady and his ability to throw 3-yard slants and flat routes to running backs is over. The Patriots success for the last 20 years has been directly placed on the abilities of Bill Belichick, the best coach in the history of football. Cheater or not, he just is; and Brady was simply there to reap the rewards, especially as he’s aged. (Enter meme: Change-my-mind coffee guy).
In the NBA … wait, it’s not April. The NBA is a thing that is happening but has no meaning at the moment. We’ll wait for the playoffs to see if Giannis or LeBron do something cool.
On the diamond (or rather, prepping for the 2020 version of the boys of summer), free agency has found a bit of infused excitement this year. Top players are getting big bucks and signing deals much earlier than in the past two offseasons. This might have something to do with the new TV deals that are about to kick in, or owners realizing that without spending money, a strike is a distinct possibility next year. Spectators go to the stadium to watch the players, and it’s that revenue that makes money, and not the random 3-second shots of the owner sitting in his luxury box on the third level.
The Brewers, however, have been in a bit of a cost-cutting mode this offseason. There are some very talented, young faces that are entering the dugout, and with a healthy Christian Yelich back, many things are possible. A glaring hole at third base still looms, and we’ll see if an aging Ryan Braun can still be productive at the plate (and playing first base full time). I have my doubts, like any realist, but I’m also optimistic, as David Stearns, the Brewers’ head of baseball operations, has earned the benefit of the doubt over the last three years.
Hall of Fame voting for baseball and football are underway, and there are a slew of names that should make it in. In baseball, it’s now or never for some huge names. Derek Jeter will likely be a unanimous selection in baseball, with Larry Walker having a great chance to be enshrined in his last year of eligibility. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling are all on the cusp of the 75% of ballots needed to join the ranks in Cooperstown, and would have just two more shots if they fail to make it in this year.
In football, even tougher decisions have emerged with a string of high-quality players. Green Bay DB LeRoy Butler made the list as a finalist, and while that’s an honor in and of itself, Zach Thomas, LB for the Dolphins for so many years, would have to be a shoe-in, right? Not so.
In fact, the full list of 15 modern-day players is jarring in name recognition — and at most just five will get in. My guess is Butler will be left out, as will Thomas, again. Look for Reggie Wayne, Troy Polamalu and Steve Hutcherson to have a bust made in their honor.
— Adam Krebs is a reporter for the Times and is gleeful that there are just 33 days until pitchers and catchers begin reporting to spring training. Adam can be reached at akrebs@themonroetimes.net.
