The Packers Need to Kick Mason Crosby Out of Green Bay

The kick is up, and it is...no good!  This has become a common phrase that Packer fans have heard all season because Mason Crosby has struggled to be consistent when kicking field goals.  Crosby currently has a streak of an unacceptable eight straight games with a missed field goal.  He has only made 17 field goals in 29 attempts, with both his field goal percentage (59%) and total misses (12) last among NFL kickers.  Crosby has become so bad that you can't even trust him to make a 40-yard field goal, which means that they need to immediately find a replacement for him.

Currently there are multiple kickers on the free agent market that would be a good fit with the Packers, but the kicker who is the best kicker available and for the Packers is Neil Rackers.  Neil Rackers is the best option because even though his leg strength has decreased over the years, he is a very safe kicker who is a career 80% field goal kicker in 330 attempts.  Last year, Rackers made 32 of 38 attempts including a 54-yarder, and in the past four years he has made close to 89% of his field goals.  He also has made 80% of his field goals in the postseason, which isn't outstanding but is better than Crosby's 76%.  If the Packers want to win the Super Bowl this season they need to have a kicker who can make field goals on a consistent basis, and Neil Rackers would be able to do that for the Packers.

The UW-Milwaukee Panthers Need a New Baseball Stadium

The UW-Milwaukee's men baseball team is the only Division I baseball program in Wisconsin, and it currently plays at Henry Aaron Field, which is a poor excuse for a high school field.  Building a new baseball stadium needs to be the number one priority for the athletic department, and something that would really help the program with recruiting, and getting more fans to come and support the team.  UWM's best option would be playing at Miller Park, but that is probably not going to happen due to money and because in the past the Brewers have been against allowing them to play their entire schedule their.  The Panthers most realistic option would be to build a new stadium near campus that would seat around two-thousand people, and would look like a smaller minor league stadium.  If the Panthers are able to build this stadium in the upcoming years it would help with recruiting and getting more fans to come out and support the Panthers.

Drop the Puck!

After a great and exciting Stanley Cup, I was really looking forward to this upcoming NHL season.  I was looking forward to all of the great rivalries and being able to enjoy watching the NHL as a casual fan.  But with the lock-out due to the greedy owners, specifically the owner of the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins, who have slowed the process of getting a deal done, have hurt the NHL.  After an exciting postseason and many fans looking forward to this upcoming season, the NHL owners have really hurt the NHL.  I hope the owners can come to an agreement with the players, so we can at watch some hockey this year.....the most exciting and competitive sport of the 4 majors.

Why the Milwaukee Brewers Should Sign J.P. Howell

This off-season the Milwaukee Brewers need to focus on improving their bullpen which was a major weakness last season.  The Brewers bullpen was so bad last season that they had a total of 29 blown saves in 73 opportunities, which was the main reason why the team failed to secure a playoff berth for a second consecutive season.  The Milwaukee Brewers also failed to have a quality left handed relief pitcher in their bullpen, and finding one this off-season needs to be a major focus for them.

J.P. Howell would be a perfect solution for the Brewers, and he is a left-handed pitcher who can get both left-handed and right-handed batters out.  J.P. Howell, while pitching mostly as a middle relief pitcher and left-handed specialist, also has had success in his career as a closer.  Even though Howell struggled in 2011, missing the entire 2010 season because of shoulder surgery, with a 6.16 ERA in 30 2/3 innings, he came back this past season and was pretty successful for the Rays.  In 2012, he went 1-0 with a 3.04 ERA, 42 strikeouts, 22 walks, three holds in 50 1/3 innings.  He also only made $1.35 million last year with the Rays, which would fit nicely into the Brewers budget.  The Brewers certainly need a left-handed relief pitcher in their bullpen and J.P. Howell would fit that role.

Why the Milwaukee Brewers Should Sign LaTroy Hawkins

Last winter the Milwaukee Brewers let LaTroy Hawkins leave, as he signed a one year deal with the Los Angeles Angels.  The Brewers made an awful decision by letting him go after he was a key pitcher to the Brewers' bullpen success in 2011, when he had a 3-1 record with a 2.42 ERA and 20 holds in 52 appearance.  

LaTroy Hawkins, who will turn 40 years old in December, had a record of 2-3 last season with a 3.64 ERA, one save and six holds in 42 innings.  Even though his numbers weren't as good as 2011, the Brewers should strongly consider signing Hawkins.  With multiple holes in their bullpen, LaTroy Hawkins would be a good fit because he is a veteran pitcher who has had good success in the National League and as a Brewer.

Josh Hamilton to the Brewers?

There are rumors that the Milwaukee Brewers are seriously considering making an offer to former MVP Award winner Josh Hamilton this off season.  This move would improve an offense that is already the best in the National League, and it would make them a favorite to win the N.L. Central Division next season.  Even though the Brewers could use a starting pitcher, signing Hamilton would be a smarter move.  The Brewers would be getting a superstar player, who produces at a MVP level when healthy, and if the Brewers are able to score more runs a game, then their pitching doesn't have to be as dominant.  With the weak starting pitching market, the Brewers only likely options would be to sign a pitcher like Ryan Dempster, who is an average pitcher that doesn't really knock anyone's socks off.  The Brewers should really consider signing Hamilton, even though it is a risk because if he is able to stay healthy the Brewers will have the best middle of the order in all of baseball, and a lineup that will have no problems scoring five runs a game.

2012 World Series Prediction

The San Francisco Giants have been on a role this postseason, and they will win the World Series against the Detroit Tigers.  Justin Verlander has done a great job for the Tigers this postseason, but the Tigers bullpen will end up costing them.  The Tigers have had multiple days to rest, which will be a disadvantage for them because they don't have any momentum coming into this series.  The Giants will ride their hot bats and clutch performances to a World Series win in six games.

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