Coach C.J.'s first blog entry - Your Wisconsin Sports Report

Good morning everyone. I'm coming to you live from Iowa City, IA, where I typically spend the off-season working at a nearby company while spending time with my girlfriend.

It's been an especially frustrating fall for Wisconsin sports fans. The one thing about sports across the board is that you can either choose to make excuses, or choose to look in the mirror and face the facts. The problem with the Packers and Badgers football teams is that neither team has played smart all year. Penalties have killed the Packers to no end this season and ended up costing the game versus the Houston Texans last weekend when a drive on Houston's 25 yard line was killed after a holding penalty and sack forced the team to punt. My message to all NFL officials: Keep the flags in your pants!

The first thing I preach to every new Mallards team each summer is to play smart. Whether it's hitting with two strikes, moving baserunners over, or getting the sure out on defense, I firmly believe that the smarter teams accumulate the most wins over the course of a Northwoods League season and have a better chance of winning close games. Playing "small ball" may not be the flashiest or most exciting brand of baseball at certain times, but it does translate into victories at any level, and as coaches, wins & losses are how we're judged on a year-to-year basis.

I've been spending every single day thinking about the upcoming summer and how to put the best lineup on the field during every foreseeable situation. The most intriguing part about coaching baseball is that no two situations are ever the same...there's always some variation involved.

The 2009 Mallards should be a very exciting team. We'll be a bit younger than year's past, but the neat thing is that every one of our kids think they have a realistic shot at being a big leaguer someday. That's pretty special. Obviously, not all will advance to that level, but to have a group of collegiate athletes who are extremely self-confident while at the same time are extremely humble should translate into a very fun team to watch on the field next season. I tell the players that the NWL is an educational process and playing in this league is like having a summer internship during college.

I also think that "old school" is becoming the "new school" in college athletics. I see more and more players buying into the team concept and really pulling for each other. This is a very good thing.

Here are five observations I've made recently about our beloved Brewers, Badgers, and Packers:

1) Give the Brewers credit for doing all they could to retain big CC Sabathia. Still today, when the Yankees and Red Sox get involved in negotiations, small-market teams aren't able to compete.

2) This year's Badger hockey team reminds me of the Mallards last season...a slow start to begin...followed by a string of victories...then both sitting in first place at the halfway point in their respective seasons.

3) If the Badger basketball team can get exceptional guard play from juniors Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes, the team should finish in the top three in the Big Ten this season. Watch out for Jon Leuer as well...this will be his breakout season.

4) I like the Badgers chances of winning the Champs Sports Bowl versus the Florida State Seminoles. Even though it's been a tough season, sometimes the best cure-all heading into the following season is a hard-fought bowl victory over a storied program. It's evident that running back John Clay is the future of our football team and we should be in the running for the Big Ten title next season.

5) The Packers defensive line is the root of all of the team's problems, and the loss of DE Cullen Jenkins was too big to overcome...there's absolutely no pass rush whatsoever. And we've learned that linebacker Nick Barnett (who is out for the season with a torn knee ligament) is a little bit better than we thought too.

That's all I have for now...I'd like to wish everyone, including former players, coaches, friends, and family, a very Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. I can't wait for the grass to turn green and having the opportunity to send runners home around third base. It should be another exciting year of Mallards baseball!