Stay tuned Mallards fans...

Ahh, the off-season...that time of the year during which our beloved Mallards baseball season is ripped from us & we're left in a state of shock until we begin planning (already started) for the next round of fun in 2010.

Alas, we do have good news to report; the next round of blogs by the Mallards front office is set to return in a few weeks to provide a look into all of the happenings that are taking place at the "Duck Pond," including a German-themed Octoberfest dubbed "Ducktoberfest" that will take place at the ballpark on Saturday, October 3rd from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the ballpark. This special event will include a mix of live music, cold beer, soda, brats, and tons of kids activities in the outfield!

Also, the Mallards annual Fantasy Football Draft is just around the corner & we'll be glad to provide the occasional bantor & zings at each other as we trudge through the football season.

Be sure to stay tuned to Mallardsbaseball.com all off-season as well, as we recap the 2009 season and look ahead to all of the exciting projects in the works for next summer. Your input is always appreciated, so please shoot us a comment if you feel moved.

We'll be in touch soon!

Kelsey Van Ackeren - Merchandise Intern - Blog

So I guess it’s my turn to try and figure out what to write for my blog and I am little late past my deadline but today just seems like the perfect day for me to finish it and get it done and over with. We had a game last night and we ended up losing to Battle Creek 5-3. The guys are away playing in Duluth today and activities around the duck pond aren’t as busy as they normally would be as compared to game days so I have some time to do finish it. First off I will let you know a little bit about myself and who I am before I begin to ramble on about who knows what because I usually have a tendency to do that from time to time. My name is Kelsey Van Ackeren and I am from St. Cloud, Minnesota and I go to the University of Minnesota-Crookston and my major is Sport and Recreation Management. No one really knows where Crookston is except for Dogger because of course he has been there and he knows where everything is, but for those of you that do not know where it is it is way up in the northwestern corner of Minnesota. I map quested it just out of curiosity to see how far it was from Madison and it says its about 9 hours and 22 minutes from Madison, give or take. There is another Kelsey in the office who was an intern from last year so in the beginning of the summer we quickly figured out that one of us was going to need a nickname. We tried a few different ones until we settled with the perfect one for me which is K-deuce or K2. I decided that I wanted to venture out this summer and see what the Madison Mallards were all about and luckily got an internship as the souvenir/merchandise intern. I soon came to realize that the Mallards are way above and beyond anything that I had expected. The team and organization is on a totally different level then any other team in the Northwood’s league and it is probably one of the coolest experiences I have ever had or I think will ever have and I love being apart of it.

I was a little nervous come out to Madison all by myself not knowing anyone or knowing where anything was. And after getting lost about a million times, running out of gas on my way to work, using map quest I am starting to figure out where everything is and what streets are which, or I at least know how to get to and from my apartment and to the malls of course. As far as not knowing anyone, that is definitely not the case. Everyone that works at the ballpark and especially the Mallards staff have become kind of like a second family. This internship requires you to be at the ballpark a lot and when you have people that you can laugh with and love to be around it makes the time go by ten times faster. I know that I have met some pretty cool people and will continue my relationships with them when the summer comes to an end.

As far as the internship side of things, I work a lot on my own folding, and cleaning, and organizing, as well as taking inventory on all the merchandise and making sure everything is ready to go for game time. You can either find me in the main souvenir stand or the Duckwear Depot jamming out to the radio as loud as it can go on a country station which everyone loves so much, especially Nick. Nick is my supervisor and I definitely keep him on his toes and he keeps me in line. I can tell you pretty much everything and anything about the style, size, and color of any t-shirt, sweatshirt, or hat. I usually take care of online orders every morning which is one of my favorite parts of the day so that I can be around the people that are in the office and get my daily Mallard gossip in for the day.

I am so happy that I am in Madison for the summer. It’s been the best summer of my life. This internship has taught me so many things that I am going to be able to use in the future. I have learned a lot about what it takes to run a baseball team and seeing everything that goes into it, it’s pretty amazing.

Here are some highlights so far:
Driving the hot pink and lime green jeep around when I went to go run errands and try and find office depot and the vacuum store.
Going to Lacrosse on a road trip and then Ryan hitting Dan in the nose with the ball when he wasn’t looking or ready and breaking it.
Girls trip to Green Bay with John.
Listening and singing to country EVERYDAY, and everyone hating it which makes me do it even more.
Tarping is always a fun time.
Mallards TMZ
pressing numbers and names on the back of shirts…NOT
always trying to make Amie snort
answering is always a good time and trying to take ticket orders

Kelsey Golackson's First Blog - The best softball player in the world (err, La Crosse)

As I sit here thinking about what in the world I could possibly write a blog about, I think it’s fitting that I start with an introduction. With Jerrad on my back about getting this blog in, I suppose I should just get right to it. I’m Kelsey Golackson, the box office manager for the Mallards this season. I’m beginning my second year here with the Mallards, my first being spent as a Souvenir/Operations Intern last summer. This year, I suppose you could say I’m moving up in the world and into the ticket office. I must say, at first the promotion seemed daunting, but I’m beginning to come to grips with it and really enjoying my work. It doesn’t hurt that I have fellow UW-LaCrosse softball alum in Liz Kern as a boss. We’re still trying to convince the boys that softball is a pretty good sport too.

Overall, the ticket world is much different than my experiences from last summer. Instead of getting a tan, moving boxes, and folding t-shirts, I’m answering phones, mailing tickets, and helping in the air conditioned office wherever I’m needed. Needless to say I don’t get outside as much as I did before (as you can see from my pasty skin). I’m also realizing just how much work it takes to run a ball club like the Mallards. The front office staff does an incredible job of keeping this place running smoothly. Vern is a great guy to work for. He always has all of these different ideas on how to make the ball park a better place. I wish I were that creative. Liz is a pretty great person to have as a boss. It’s amazing how she is constantly aware of everything that is happening in the ticket system. I just do the best that I can to keep up with her and have learned that she doesn’t like Post-its as much as Mike and I do. I can’t believe she can put up with my incessant questioning, but somehow she does it all with a smile on her face.

I’m still trying to learn the intricacies of the ticketing system, but so far the fans have been great at putting up with me. We’ve had a lot of fun and interesting promos and events here at the stadium that I’m still getting used to. Right now we’re trying to prepare for Rhythm and Booms. It should be a fun night…busy, but fun, nonetheless. Kyle (our tickets salesman/souvenir vendor/beer mover extraordinaire), Liz, suite Intern Amie, and I have been working hard to make sure that we have all the tickets we need ready and where they are supposed to be. Hopefully we can pull this off without a hitch.

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost July already. Wow, the summer is flying by. Everyone around the office is busy with their respective duties and are constantly in motion. We have a good group of interns this year who keep the place running smoothly. Having another employee named Kelsey (as in this year’s souvenir intern) keeps me on my toes and keeps things interesting. I never knew if everyone was talking to me or not until we gave her the nickname K-deuce. That cleared up some of the confusion. We’re lucky to have such a great group working for us this year.

Well, I guess I’ll wrap it up. Hopefully you weren’t bored to tears by this entry. I think the interns are up next for blog postings, so you’ll get to hear their version of events. I hope to be seeing you at the ballpark soon.

Go Mallards!

J-Rod's 7th Post: A Quick Sneak-peak at the upcoming season (with a random head shot of Asst. Coach Jason Immekus)

It is hard to believe that Opening Day is less than one week away. I must say the Operations Interns & their respective managers have really done a nice job getting everything ready seemingly earlier than usual, even with the number of ballpark improvements increasing at a high-rate this year. We hope ballpark improvements have a positive correlation with our fans' overall satisfaction upon visiting the "Duck Pond" during the summer as they give you experiences you never thought you'd be able to enjoy while watching a baseball game.

I mean, we're installing a beach (yes, a beach) just outside of the left-field corner to serve as just another means of enjoyment for kids during games when they're not bouncing in "Big Maynard," trying to show up dad at the speed pitch, or hitting the "floating" baseball at the t-ball machine.

On top of that, if you can text (or parents; have your kids teach you) and find yourself hungry at the ballpark, you'll love another addition to 2009: the ability to text your orders to Maynard's from any location in the ballpark & only have to show up once your order is ready. Why should you have to miss any part of the game while waiting for your food? Simply text your order (according to codes posted in the ballpark) to 608.622.EATS (3287) and we'll respond back with an approximate wait time, which averages less than 15 min. Once you've paid for your food at the window, it's time to enjoy the freshest and biggest portions in all of the park. Eat up!

Moving to the Great Dane Duck Blind, the addition of 200 actual seats should put a smile on a lot of people's faces. The key three words we keep stressing is that "capacity is unaffected" because it's important to note that we're not just adding more seating to allow more people to experience the Duck Blind. This area is constantly evolving, and your suggestions are always helpful. If you're able to grab a spot in the field-level addition, you're going to want to bring a glove because it feels like you're standing behind the first baseman.

Switching gears, about 15 players reported today, which further means that the baseball season is upon us. It's always fun to see the guys' first reactions when they step onto this field for the first time. In talking to them year after year, the cool thing they're most excited about is usually playing in front of 6,000-plus fans and the electricity that surrounds Mallards baseball. To be honest, they could care less about the team's 2004 Northwoods League Championship, or how this team has been ultra-competitive the past 4 seasons. They want to experience minor league baseball in a major league playoff type atmosphere. And yet, we're neither of those things.

This Wednesday, the Mallards will host the Swedish National Baseball Team at 6:05 p.m. at the Duck Pond. It'll be interesting to see how their style and the American style of baseball are both alike and yet different. We hope to see you out there...and if not, remember, Opening Day is THIS Monday against the Rochester Honkers. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.! Great seats are still available too I'm hearing.

Here's to a great season! And by the way, beginning in mid-June, we're going to turn Maynard's Musings over to the interns to get their thoughts on working for the Mallards and share a story or two. Consider it to be a glimpse into a facet of the team that is certainly underrated at times.

Vern Blog #7: How the show REALLY goes on

The preparation for every Mallards season always presents a unique set of challenges. Those challenges are exactly why I love my job so much, no matter how much we plan or dream, we never quite know what obstacles may be right around the corner. The main challenge as we prepared for 2009 was pretty easy to identify: the economy. We decided to do what we do best, stay positive. The biggest thing I worried about was how a potential drop in support from our sponsors would impact our ability to put on as entertaining of a show as possible. From Bobble-Heads & Fireworks, to Celebrity appearances & ballpark improvements, none of it happens without the support of our sponsors. As we planned our events for 2009, we set the bar high: a Bobble-Head series for the first time, more ballpark renovations, Paul Molitor at the Alumni Game & more. To dream these ideas up was easy; the prospect of finding someone to pay for them to actually happen was scarier than ever.

Well, I’m happy to report that our sponsor support for 2009 is better than ever. Because of that support we’ve been able to assemble, in my opinion, the best promotional schedule in all of baseball. This story isn’t really about the specifics of what the promotions or ballpark improvements are, it is about the people that make these things happen – our sponsors. In these difficult times the businesses & fans that step up to the plate every year to support us deserve as much recognition & thanks as possible. I like to think that the importance of community is becoming even stronger all the time & that the Mallards have become an important part of that community. Our sponsors see value in not just connecting their brand with ours, but also in being a part of the unique & vast community of Mallards fans that has developed over the years.

So, what does this all mean for our fans? Well, beyond hopefully just having a great time at the park again this summer, I’d like to ask just one more thing. Don’t forget the people that make these summer nights as entertaining & comfortable & affordable as they are. Next time you are going out to eat stop by the Great Dane, not just because they offer great food, but because they are a vital part of making the Mallards happen. Or remember that Charter loves the Mallards next time you are thinking about switching cable providers. Stop out & say “hi” to Jerry over at Stoddard’s Market in Cottage Grove next time you need some Mallards-style Brats. Say “thanks” to your American Family Insurance agent for their support, pull into Stop-N-Go next time you have a choice to fill up your gas tank. Union Cab, Duluth Trading Co., Verizon, Jay Hazen Dentistry, Pepsi, Schoep’s, West Bend Insurance, Budweiser…the list goes on & on. These businesses & their employees are not just a part of the same community that we all care so much about, they are actively investing in making sure you have nothing less than a great time at the Duck Pond every night.

Thanks again for your support as we get ready for what is sure to be the most exciting summer of baseball Madison has ever seen & I look forward to seeing you around town supporting Mallards sponsors for years to come!

Guest Blog Entry - Mr. Michael Schroeder (Media Relations Intern '08)

It’s time for another guest blogger to grace the pages of Maynard’s Musings. I’m Michael Schroeder, and I was the media relations intern for the Mallards last summer. I’m guessing the hard-working front office staff needed to get some more things done around the ballpark as Opening Day approaches, so they went to the bullpen for today’s Musing.

Last summer in Madison was probably the most fun summer of my whole life. You might think that having about five days off the whole summer and working 12-15 hour days sounds awful, but when you realize that you get to spend your summer at the ballpark there really isn’t anything better. With all that time together, the people in the front office and the other interns start to feel like your family. I’m from central Illinois, and after we got past all the “flatland” jokes (I think they finally stopped about the first week of August) that really became the case.

One of the many things I loved about being an intern with the Mallards was that every day brought something different. A new team came to the ballpark, a new promotion was happening and new people were coming to experience a game at the “Duck Pond.” My major duties revolved around helping the media with interview requests and whatever else they needed, plus writing game previews, post-game stories, feature stories and press releases to send to the media and post on the website. I also did a lot of work with statistics and other miscellaneous things for the coaching staff and players. It really solidified in my mind that sports media relations is what I want to do for a career.

If you’ve ever been to a game at the “Duck Pond” (and if you haven’t, you definitely need to this summer), you already know about what a great environment it is to see a game. That’s more of a marketing, promotions and operations thing, so I wanted to talk a little bit about the quality of the team that you’ll see on the field.

I spend the school year as the team manager for the University of Illinois baseball team (home of current Mallards Brandon Wikoff and Nick Chmielewski, and former Mallards Joe Bonadonna and Mike Rohde, among others). I’ve been looking through the roster for this year’s team, and once again, Vern and Coach Thieleke have done a great job of getting quality players from great baseball schools. Some of these guys are dominating the headlines with their performances so far this year, and many of their teams are competing for conference championships and the postseason. It’s quite an assortment of talent from all across the country, so I’m sure the fans will love watching these guys play on a daily basis this summer. It should be another quality Mallards team taking the field and competing for a championship.

I guess I’ll wrap it up for this entry. It was a nice surprise to open my email and see another “assignment” from Jerrad. It brought back memories of last summer and getting one of the tasks that needed to be done or media requests that needed to be handled. I know the “Duck Pond” is going to be rocking again this summer with great family fun and great baseball. Let’s try to get back to the championship series and bring one home this time.

Liz's Entry: Only a week late!

So it is time for my next blog…well actually my blog was due last week but my kind co-worker Steven Stewart filled the gap for me. It is May, wow, I can’t believe it. The spring has flown by and summer is right around the corner. The day’s move pretty fast right now.

Vern is busy learning the ins and outs of twitter, the newest online craze. I don’t know that much about it however it sounds like it can be a little addicting.

Jerrad is busy running from room to room to the press box and back again. Good thing he has 2 interns in working for him now, it should make his plate a little less full.

Meanwhile Kevin is doing all that he can to help local schools complete their reading programs. This is the first year of the reading program and it has been well received. If you’re interested in learning more about the reading program, contact Kevin, he’s your guy.

Nick and John are busy preparing for the season; Nick is working on getting the souvenir stand up and running well & John is working on getting signage for the ballpark and getting things organized for Opening Day. Mike is busy setting up mascot appearances, delivering pocket schedules and not emailing us messages in the office. You see, he is old school and likes to put post-its on our desks. Ask Nick how much he likes post-its on his desk!

Steven, well, he is busy doing everything. He takes care of everything outside of the office from growing grass to painting. And when it rains he makes trips to Sports Impressions to pick up merchandise or he spends time working on getting us equipment for the summer. Steven really is pretty handy and helps us out a lot, I am pretty sure we don’t tell Steven that enough, so thanks Steven!

I have been busy doing a little bit of everything. Single game tickets are on sale now so we are busy taking ticket orders, printing tickets and finalizing orders. We recently received the rest of our ticket stock so I have been busy trying to organize the ticket office so it is not complete chaos.

Well now that you have the update of everyone in the office, I thought I would end with a few of the things I am looking forward to this summer.

1) The Trek Bike Blind. Many of you may not know but I am a closeted cyclist. I got hooked when I lived in Green Bay and still continue casual road-riding when I can. Having a more exclusive area for bikes this summer is something I am looking forward to.
2) The double header on July 12th, that is something that I am looking forward to. We will have a lot of fun packed into that day with a BBQ in between games. Nothing goes better with a double header then BBQ!
3) The Duck Blind Club level. The Club level includes unlimited ballpark food, drink, a nightly food special, separate food and beverage stations in the Club level and reserved picnic tables for 8! Not to mention one of the best views of the ballpark!
4) The Evergreen tree seedlings give away. We are going green and I couldn’t be more excited! There is something about giving out 2,000 trees that puts a smile on my face.

Well now you know what I am looking forward to... what are you looking forward to??

Steven Stewart's First Blog - The day has finally come...

After “somehow” missing the message the last time I was supposed to write a blog and getting tired of other people bugging me about it, here it is! The excuse of it not being in my job description just doesn’t cut it. Plus, I figured that if I wrote one of these every once in a while, it would give them a little more time between their blogs so they can think of something to write.

I will give you all a brief background about myself. I graduated from UW-LaCrosse in the summer of 2007 after I finished my Operations Internship with the Mallards, with a degree in Recreation Management. The following summer I was offered a Seasonal Position to try and help out the rest of the office get the park ready for the season, as well as help with managing the main concession stand. I am back again this summer to try and make it even better and easier for everyone. In the off-season, I have had the pleasure of helping out Chef Boyer by cooking at Rookies.

I am just like everyone else and like to relax with some friends and enjoy some refreshing drinks. Which brings me to my topic of my blog……………Local Taverns. I would like to know where people like to enjoy these beverages and why? Some people like going downtown Madison to the college bars because that is where “everyone” goes and you will see a lot more people. Others like to go to the National Chain Bars because they are a little better known for a wider range of age groups. And then there are the local bars that you see all over, but never really know what is going to be inside. Truthfully I kind of like the local “hot spots” because you tend to get better service than the other bars, plus it won’t cost you an arm and a leg for the night. But, what is the best part about the local taverns? It has to be the BAR BURGERS. You get that urge where you want to get a nice thick burger at a decent price, and the only thing that comes to mind is a Bar Burger. Usually the tavern is owned by brothers, a husband and wife, or it has been in a family for generations. That creates a nice family friendly atmosphere -which can be hard to find these days. If you are at a local tavern, you are more than likely still able to watch a particular sports game on the television. If it is busy at the tavern you are at, then you also have a better chance of getting the game you want to see on the television than if you were at a “college bar.” It is always interesting to think “Who came up with that or why is it called what it is called?”

Because each place is so unique, that is what makes them so different. Whether it is the jokes and stories from the bartender or locals, specialty drinks, no running water in the bathrooms, or even the “Jumbo Burgers,” each place has its own followers. Yes, I can say that I have been to a bar with no water in the bathrooms and all I have to suggest is make sure you go during the summer and also during the day.(Don’t worry, it did have outhouses for customers to use.) So if any of you want to go there, let me know and we will go. Just make sure we don’t go on the last Wednesday of the month because it is their infamous “Stinky Cheese Night.” I have never been there for it, but I heard that it is standing room only and something that will just amaze you.

So I want to know……..what are some of the good local taverns in the City of Madison? If I can find a free night here or there this summer or am on my way home from the park, where is a good place to stop for a beverage? Well, I hear Vern calling my name (he must have thought of something for me to do around the park) so I better get going and I look forward to hearing your suggestions!

P.S. For those who were wondering, Tony is my cousin.

Kevin's 6th Blog: Just Dance!

With it being the 4th week of the month, that can only mean one thing, Kevin Caloia is back on the blogisphere scene. I apologize for missing/side stepping my blog during the month of March. Unfortunately, I was mentally preparing for a 12 hour van ride down to Alabama for a golf / bachelor party trip. . . .which I had a very good time on, as the weather was beautiful both days and the golf courses were great.

I will share one quick highlight with you from the trip before we dive into the meat of this week’s blog, MUSIC! It had rained for about 12 days in a row while we were down there so everything was really wet and there was a lot of standing water. We were on our way to the third hole which we needed to drive through a tunnel (under the road) to get to. Well some water had collected just before the entrance to the tunnel and I did not think it was more then a couple of inches so I didn’t think twice before the individual riding in the cart with me said, “floor it”. . . . It was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen; the water was at least one if not two feet deep and we hit it at top speed 8 mph) and created a pretty amazing scene. Water shot up over the whole cart, we got completely soaked, but didn’t care because we were laughing so hard because we created such a big impact that the water cascaded over the top of the golf cart like a title wave. Note: If you are going to be as stupid as I was that day you will want to make sure your cart has a windshield, you have a couple of adult beverages before and after, and you put your phone in a waterproof bag. . .

Baseball is in full swing and the Brewers have had a couple of home games so what is the juice talk around the office, what song is playing when Braun, Hart, and Prince walk up to bat? What is the hot new track that they are blasting at Miller Park? Well I couldn’t tell you but I am sure numerous Brewer fans have already download it to their iPods. I could tell you every song which the Cubs players walk out to, the beautiful organ! This got me thinking and I thought I would ask all of our loyal readers a question, what do you like better, each player having their own music or stadiums just playing the same type of music for each batter?

Now I think that a lot of people could go both ways on this issue thinking that it is nice to hear an organ every once in a while for all of the players but they also think that it is nice for a player to have their own song to pump them up before the at bat. I am torn on this issue as I could go either way (a switch hitter). I love the idea that they are a team, not a bunch of individuals. That the players “walk up song” (I believe Liz or Rod coined this phrase in our office), which is the music being played as the player walks to the plate, should all be the same or played by the same instrument. They are one team, one group united, with a common goal and purpose to play their best and win the game. (Editor’s note: bla bla bla)

However, I know if I was the one walking out in front of 40,000 screaming fans in the bottom of the 9th with runners in scoring position and two outs, with everything riding on my bat I would want to hear some AC/DC, maybe a little Hells Bells, Thunderstruck, or TNT! I would want something to get me jacked up and excited for the at bat. A song that would give me the confidence to look the pitcher right in the eye and let him know that this is not going to be his day.

I know that the baseball purest prefer just a simple organ being played for the whole game and just the players names being read. While the kids nowaday want the latest rap track from Flowrida, T-Pain or JT! Or possibly the latest Nickelback or Hurt song. I think the two questions which have to be answered by the stadiums though,
1) Is the music going to help or hurt my player’s performance during his at bat?
2) Is the music going to get the crowd involved, get them excited, or is it going to put them to sleep, bore them, or annoy them?

Until next time, keep your chin up because Mallards baseball is just 39 days away!!

Go Bulls! Go Hawks! Get well soon Fridge! R.I.P. “Tired Bill”

Nick's 6th Post: Rubbing's Racing

So I would like to dedicate this blog to a sport that is held very dear to Steven Stewart’s heart….NASCAR! (Steven is my roommate and a current seasonal staff member who also runs the main concession stand. During the season ask Steven how he is related to Tony Stewart)

I have never really had any interest in NASCAR prior to 2003 when my brother, Kevin, left his position as an auto mechanic in West Bend, WI to take a position working for Matt Kenseth and the #17 DeWalt team. He currently builds the transmissions for Kenseth’s cars and travels with the pit crew on race days. I do not watch the sport religiously but if I am sitting around on a Sunday afternoon I will flip back and forth between NASCAR and whatever else I am watching. I do follow it more closely than year's past and try to catch a glimpse of my brother on tv after Kenseth would win a race.

I have visited my brother who lives in Concord, NC, which is about 20 minutes north of Charlotte. This area is also home to many NASCAR teams. It amazes me how much the way of life differs down there from here. First off it is God’s country down there. I have never seen so many churches in rural areas and they are just packed on the weekend…maybe praying to the NASCAR gods?!?! Second, you cannot buy liquor in any old store. You have to go to what they call an “ABC” store. This is a store that is owned by the government whereby you cannot purchase liquor on Sundays. Lastly, I have never seen so many people crazy about NASCAR. I happened to be there for a week and wanted to find a place to watch the Packers game on Sunday so I headed to the Dave and Busters. Of course they had the satellite package that could pick up every NFL at the bar, but most of the patrons were complaining that most of the tv’s had football on and made the bartender turn on the race.

Anyways to get back on track (no pun intended) I was mentioning that the area surrounding Charlotte is home to many NASCAR teams. I was lucky enough to go to the shop where my brother worked on all of the #17 cars. This was not your ordinary shop that you and I are used to. This was a glass palace. I was amazed to how big these buildings were and that they were all tinted glass buildings. You could not see inside but you can definitely see everything going on outside. The shop was very pristine there was not much that was out of order. You could have licked the floor that’s how clean this place was.

I was also amazed at the number of race cars in the building. They were just lined up row after row. I never realized they have different styles of cars they use either. They have certain cars they use for short track races and roads races and usually have a new car for every race, which is not cheap because they cost right around $400,000-$500,000 per car. My brother also said they sell cars that are kind of banged up or they won’t use again to individuals who race in lower levels.


Also while I was there I visited the DEI Museum (Dale Earnhardt Incorporated). This was actually a pretty cool place. They had all sorts of memorabilia and career highlights of the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. The thing that amazed me the most was in the center of the museum they had a large glass enclosure with a bunch cars that Sr. had driven throughout his career. It was quite remarkable to see the differences in the cars they drive today to one’s they drove 20-30 years ago.

I have been told attending a race is unlike any other event. People travel in RV’s from all around the country to attend the races. The Phillip Morris Company in Concord actually owns fields surrounding Lowe’s Motor Speedway and they charge people to park in their fields on race weekends. It is quite the scene! I also have been told that the young women who attend these races are phenomenal. My brother has also said "if you ever want to go you let me know," so maybe one of these years I’ll take a trip to a race somewhere.

I don’t have much insight on the sport in general and probably could tell you very little about any of the drivers, but I do respect what these guys do for a living. As for Steven he is such a huge fan of NASCAR he actually purchased NASCAR 09 for his Playstation 2. I have a little advice for you: easy on the left hand turns and slow down coming out of the pits! Well Steven good luck on your quest for the Nextel Cup Championship!

Only 41 Days Until Opening Day!

J-Rod's 6th Post: "State of the Brewers: It's a long season..."

Calm down Brewers fans, we're only 81 innings into the 2009 season.

Of course a 3-6 overall record and 2-4 mark at home isn't exactly the position we had hoped to be after nine games, but, considering that we're only 0.055% into the season, it's hardly the time to panic.

Consider this:

1)Apart from the 7-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on April 9, the Brewers have had a legitimate chance to win every game. The Crew could easily have two more W's minus a blown save by fill-in closer Carlos Villanueva on April 11 against the hated Chicago Cubs and a six-run third inning meltdown by Yovani Gallardo this past Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. While a 5-4 record would look nice...peek around the rest of the league and you'll see the Boston Red Sox sitting at 3-6, the Minnesota Twins at 4-6, the defending American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays at 4-5, and the Arizona Diamondbacks at 3-6. Come October, I still expect at least two of these teams to be sitting atop their respective divisions.

2) Our starting pitching has been pathetic. It's hard to believe we're only third-to-last in the Major Leagues in walks allowed with 43 (only the Braves & Indians have been worse!). It's one thing to put guys on base, but when you start walking consecutive batters with the bases loaded, now we have a problem....*cough* Jeff Suppan. But once this bunch starts pounding the strike zone and gives the team a better chance to win ballgames, things will get interesting.

3) We rank #28 in hitting! Really, if Mike "I swear I'm off the juice" Cameron hadn't gotten off to the start that he has, we'd rank dead last. Check out these batting averages: Prince Fielder (.200), JJ Hardy (.156), Ryan Braun (.212), and Jason Kendall (.120). Manager Ken Macha said it best before yesterday's game in stating that it's evident a lot of these guys are trying to start the year off with a "bang" and are simply swinging at bad pitches. Once these guys settle down and let the game come to them, this offense will give a lot of opposing pitchers' nightmares.

I predicted before the season this team would finish with an 84-78 record, which should put them in the race for the Division (if the Cardinals come back to Earth) or Wild Card come October. Look for GM Doug Melvin to pull the trigger again this season at the trading deadline & make a move for a Jake Peavy-type impact in order to keep the fanbase excited & season attendance again near the 3 Million mark.

But more importantly, Mallards Opening Day is only 45 days, 21 hours, and 24 minutes away....

Schmeltzer's 6th Post: Couldn't have said it any better myself...

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to blog this week on behalf of the man, the myth, and the legend, John Schmeltzer. My name is Vinnie. You all may remember me from such Mallards seasons as 2004 or 2005 or from State Street Brats and the beer stock exchange.

Anyway, no one cares who I am, but may be interested in what I have to say. This, my friends, is the BEST week of the year. FACT. Spring has sprung and baseball season has arrived! There is something revitalizing about the birth of a new season, the fact that for one day, everyone’s team is in first place and has a chance for THIS year to be THE year. (I feel this more than most being a die-hard Cubs fan).

I think this year is more special and more important than most for a number of reasons. We’re all sick of the make-up, break-up stories of Jay Cutler and Josh McDaniels; and who really cares if a screaming Stephen A. Smith tells us that LeBron makes a better MVP than Kobe? Does anyone even watch the NBA anymore? More importantly though, in a time when so many people are making sacrifices and facing hardship, baseball shows us that there is hope.

In my backyard of Phoenix, Arizona the Diamondbacks have something going on that even caught the attention of Rick Reilly recently and will be featured in ESPN The Magazine in a few weeks. For years now the Diamondbacks have been going against the grain of what is perceived to be a money-hungry MLB, and have been giving back to their fans.

An idea came to D-Backs CEO Derrick Hall after he heard the story of a season-ticket holder who lost EVERYTHING. Another season-ticket holder went out of their way to buy her two tickets and even pick her up and take her to the games every day. After hearing this story Hall asked himself the question, why don’t we do this for our fans? So ever since, the Diamondbacks have been taking applications to put their fans on ‘scholarship.’ Families in need write in with their story, and the D-Backs give back to those most in need.

No, not with a family four-pack. With season-tickets, financial support and having the players meet with the children in these families. (I’d pull quotes from Reilly’s article, but I don’t have a strong desire to be sued anytime soon.) Imagine the joy of a kid who has had a rough go at it being suddenly able to not only go to all the games, but be able to meet and hang out with A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER! This is any kid’s dream! It just goes to show you how much of an impact baseball can have one someone, especially a kid. For these fans, baseball gives them so much more than hope of their team making a World Series, but it actually gives them hope that there is a shining light from a world that has been so difficult for them. Maybe baseball can be the thing that helps them get back on their feet, or maybe the conversation a kid has with a pro ball-player will cause them to study hard instead of do what society tells them to do and give up.

I think we can all take a page from the D-Backs play book and lend a hand to our neighbors in need. We don’t need to buy everyone season tickets, but try playing catch with the kid across the street that doesn’t have a dad. Invite someone over to watch the Cubs beat up on the Brewers, or get a kid a ticket to a Mallards game. It may not seem like a lot, but there’s something about being at the ballpark that makes us feel good. It lets us escape reality for a brief moment of time and envision the thoughts of hitting that grand slam in the bottom of the ninth, or strike someone out with bases loaded in game seven of the World Series.

Baseball lets us all be kids again. Baseball lets us dream, hope and in many instances, makes us ‘wait until next year.’ But at least we have the excitement of knowing how good it feels once baseball season is back!

So what do ya think Vern, Mallards scholarships?

PLAY BALL!

Mike's 6th Post: Potentially the greatest week of the year...

You can put it on your calendars folks as this week rivals almost any other in a calendar year as the best week ever. Think about it. Major League Baseball Opening Day on Sunday night, the NCAA Basketball Men’s Championship on Monday, and The Masters started on Thursday. There is also the end of the NBA and NHL seasons fast approaching. Combine all those and SportsCenter overload is in full effect!

Being a sports nut it is great to be able to turn on the TV at the end of the day and know there are great highlights to watch every day of the week. Also, as someone who has 4 fantasy baseball teams, was in multiple NCAA tournament pools and is pulling for Sergio Garcia to win The Masters so I can get a free Taylor Made Driver, it helps to know what is going on.

Sunday I watched intently as the Braves and the Phillies matched up in the 2009 MLB debut. In one of my draft’s, which is a keeper league, somehow I was able to take Brian McCann with the first available pick and he did not let me down. Blasting a 2-run bomb into the second deck in first inning, it justified taking a catcher high in the draft and let me know he will be a force to be reckoned with this season. (shout out to Schmeltzer and the NL East).

On Monday, the Twins officially opened their 2009 campaign at home against the Seattle Mariners. With a late Opening Day starter switch last week, Fransisco Lirano got the nod and took the hill. The Mariners, now with the veteran Ken Griffey Jr back in their lineup, proved to be too much for the Twins and we lost. However, Tuesday would be a different story. (More on that later).

Also on Monday night, I was able to experience my first-ever “Itch’s Annual Basketball Bash at Rookie’s.” Making the 35 minute drive out to Rookies was well worth it to share in the comrodarere of the rest of the Mallards staff and a lot of other Mallards fans over a few beers and the first Stoddard’s Brats of the year. Also due to a couple of good-natured gentlemen’s bets, a round or two of shots came from the bar, with the last being…..Orange Whips! Orange Whips have been a staple of any type of NWL gathering or Mallards outing since their debut in Rochester in the fall of 2006. As a concoctuion that changes with every establishment we order them at, Rookie’s did a great job and should share their mix with the rest of the world.

Tuesday I came into the office only to take a fair amount of gruff on the Twins Opening Day loss, however my spirits were not broken. I knew the Twins had the heart to win and they proved it on Tuesday night. After being down two runs, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Twins mounted a comeback for the ages. Carlos Gomez, who is not known for his plate dispiline drew a walk. Then so did pinch hitter Jason Kubel followed by another walk to another pinch hitter in Brian Buscher. With the bases loaded Denard Span squeaked out an infield single to bring the Twins within one and then Alexi Casilla sent a line drive back up the box to plate two runs and give the Twins the victory! WOW! Those types of games are what make me love the game of baseball. The Twins ended up splitting the series with the Mariners and now head to Chicago for a series with division rival White Sox.

Wednesday was another day of regular season baseball but one story really stands out. A young man named Nick Adenhart was making his first start of the 2009 season for the Anelgs. As 22-year old rookie, Adenhart showed masterful control of pitches as he tossed 6 shutout innings en route to his first major league victory. Sadly, it would also be his last. Nick Adenhart was killed late Wednesday night when a car he was riding in was hit by an alleged drunk driver. Tragic. Devisatating. Painful. To see someone with such great potential, someone who had worked hard to recover from Tommy John surgery to work his way into the starting rotation of a Major League team only to have everything taken away because of stupidity is hard to understand. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Adenhart family, the Angels organization and their fans and all of Major League Baseball.

Thursday, the start of The Masters and a great weekend of golf. My Sergio Garcia pick seems to be a little bit of a stretch as he ended the day tied for 47th with an opening round 73, a full eight strokes off the lead. I guess I may have to settle for buying a new driver now instead.

52 DAYS AND COUNTING TO THE MALLARDS HOME OPENER! WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE DUCK POND

VernBlog - April 7

So a couple years ago some friends of mine emailed me & asked if I’d like to sing in a reincarnation of their band that was, & still is, called the Kites. Not sure exactly what they were thinking…I don’t think any of them had seen me sing karaoke or in my church choir when I was a kid, which were basically my only vocal experiences in my life. But, not being one to back down from an interesting challenge, I accepted their offer. Admittedly it took us a while to get things in motion. We had a few meetings to discuss the concept of the band & well that took about one year, then last fall we actually started to practice consistently. After that we tweaked the lineup of the band which includes some names you may know if you are an avid fan of the local music scene:

Adam Schabow – guitar & vocals

Adam Tregre – bass guit

Harris Lemberg – keyboard & vocals (Harris is also the Mallards Organist)

Larry Braun – drums

Victoria Echeverria – baritone sax

Daniella Maria – multiple instruments & vocals

Crazy thing about the lineup of the band is that all of the people in the band have great musical credentials having either played their instrument their entire life, or played (or still play in) multiple bands around Madison & beyond. Well everyone except me that is. So I’ve been spending the last several months trying to catch up with the rest of the band & we’ve gotten to the point where we actually booked our first gig! We’ll be playing at the High Noon Saloon May 7^thth Anniversary Party. Pretty exciting to be playing our first show at the same venue that I’ve seen Dick Dale, Stephen Malkmus & more play at…kind of overwhelming. for the Dane101.org 4

So what do we sound like? That is a good question. The blurb on the High Noon Saloon website describes us as punk rock. I’m not quite sure that is accurate. The original Kites were probably best described as punk, but the new version is pretty eclectic. In my opinion our songs range from pop rock to punk & we’ve even got one song that may qualify as a rap song. Adam Schabow described us as “multi-generational” once, which may accurately describe the bands lineup as well as our musical style.

Like I said before, I can’t say enough about the quality of the musicians in the band. So I really feel like our show will be pretty entertaining, but don’t expect to see us playing at the Duck Pond anytime soon. I don’t think our style is quite right for the park & more importantly I’m pretty confident that I couldn’t handle the pressure of a gig & a Mallards home game on the same night! On top of that the bands that typically have the best reaction at the park play more covers than we do (we actually only play originals, so far at least), so I think you’ll have to catch us around town for the time being. See ya soon!

Liz's Blog #15 ???

So it is my time to blog even though I feel like I have done 15 of these things and it is becoming my monthly English paper, which reminds me how much I do NOT miss homework, tests, or school projects. Although I have always enjoyed learning, the work that came with many classes was not something I enjoyed.

So I spent my last blog comparing softball greats to baseball legends and it appears that it was read by 10 people, 7 of the 10 who were in our office so I guess it was not that exciting of a topic for most people, or maybe, everyone is just waiting for more creative blogs. With that being said I will spend most of this blog updating you on what is going on in this office.

Today, we had three meetings at the office...the meetings were all at 1pm which made it very interesting since we only have 2 conference rooms. Jerrad toughed it out and made use of the copy room/back-up office and since I sit adjacent to that room I heard most of the meeting. I don’t get into too many corporate meetings but I have to say Jerrad is becoming quite the pro. He was thinking on his feet, coming up with new ideas specific to the company needs and was ready to wheel and deal. As the meeting wrapped up, nothing was set in stone but I think Jerrad did a nice job laying the ground work for future meetings.

Also today, Kevin, who is on his first full day back from vacation, had a jammed-pack schedule. He had two school appearances to discuss the reading program and Nick was filled with joy as he was able to wear the mascot custom twice in one day! Kevin also had to run to Madison Computer Works to get his computer; we seem to have bad computer luck in this office. I am personally on my third computer, John, Nick and Kevin are on their second (remember Kevin has only worked here one full year so that is pretty impressive) and Jerrad has gone through so many computers he is using his own personal computer!!! Mike is still on computer number one, but had to get it re-hauled this fall and at that time he had only worked here a week!

John is another one that took a March vacation, just like I did. John is on his second day back from vacation and has been pretty quiet. While he was on vacation to Las Vegas John got married, at least that is what the infamous Facebook has led me to believe. He hasn’t said much about it, but based on the pictures it was a very nice ceremony.

I was in Vegas as well; I met up with some college friends and enjoyed the warm weather, expensive drinks and unlucky tables at The Mirage. I did find some luck at New York New York and Binions so it saved the trip from being a total loss!

While I was on vacation Mike celebrated his 28th birthday... I have yet to ask him what he did, I guess that means I am probably not a very good co-worker. Well, I am going to end this blog so I can ask Mike how his birthday was and add a few more things to Steven’s To-Do-List.

Until next time….

My favorite time of the year - Part II - Nick

In my last entry I had went ahead and made some predictions about the NCAA Tournament. After an almost nauseating weekend of watching basketball (by the way I did take Friday off), it looks like the four teams I predicted to still be alive at this point include: North Carolina, Villanova, Oklahoma and UConn.

I have enjoyed watching most of the games so far but it is a bit disappointing to not have a Cinderella in it, I mean you could consider Arizona a Cinderella team, but I think they will get knocked out by Louisville this week. As for the Badgers, they made a great run at, but it seems they found their match against Xavier. They played a game we all became used to this year, as they could not hit a shot down the stretch. Oh well maybe next year; I am excited to actually have a big man in the post with Ian Markoff.

Another reason this is my favorite time of year is that I get to golf, well at least when I have time during the summer. The past couple summers the Corporate Sales guys have been able to set up deals with Bridges and The Oaks golf courses. This is a nice opportunity to go out after work on a non-game day, drink a few beers and be absolutely frustrated as hell, yet still have a great time.

I could never figure out why people continually go out and golf yet never really get better because they can not dedicate the time on the range and the course. Every once in a while you get in a zone and surprise yourself. I managed to shoot +1 on the front nine at the Bridges, sinking 3 birdie putts of over 30 ft., yet playing the back nine first I shot +10. How does someone manage to turn around their game in that short amount of time? It’s perplexing and I think it’s the challenge of trying to get better even though deep down you know you won’t get better.

I have actually only been golfing for 13 years. I was turned on to the game by my cousin. I rented a set of clubs and went out with him one summer day and was hooked from there. I proceeded to start to look for clubs. For all you avid golfers you know how expensive clubs can be. I skimmed the classifieds trying to find a decent set of used clubs. I finally came a across a set of clubs that included a cart, balls and tees for $50! I knew that they weren’t going to be anything fancy, but the “rents” and I decided to go look at them. It turned out to be an elderly couple selling them because they were getting too old to golf anymore. I thought this was perfect, all except for one thing... the set was actually a woman’s set! I was pretty short and had always heard that people who were shorter would actually fit better with a woman’s set. Well I did end up purchasing the set.

Going into my freshman year of high school I decided I wanted to go out for the golf team. I went to a pretty small school (Kewaskum, WI) and everyone made the team. I was just happy I got to golf for free and hang out with friends. Well in high school image is everything. I still had the women’s set of clubs and they distinctly said “Lady King” on the heads of all the clubs. I decided I would put black electrical tape on all the heads where it said “Lady King”. This worked for awhile until one day one of my friends said “What is the black tape for”? Well he decided to pull it off and saw the words “Lady King”. Well there went my image! My next birthday my parents bought me a brand new set of “Men’s” clubs. It was kind of embarrassing, but I managed to play golf all four years of high school.

During high school I was so infatuated with golf that I found jobs where I immersed myself into the sport. The summers of my freshman and sophomore years I actually worked at a golf course in the restaurant kitchen washing dishes. This was probably one of the worst jobs I had, but it had the perk of free golf. I can’t tell how many days I went out in the morning golfed 18 holes and came back in the afternoon and golfed another 18 holes…..Man those were the days!

The summer of my junior year I actually caddied at a swanky country club in West Bend, WI. Again I found any way to surround myself with golf. Most days at the club all the caddies ended up playing cards waiting to be called to go out. I learned a lot of new card games that summer! Since it was my first year I was on the bottom of the totem pole and only went out every 3 days or so. Overall it was a pretty decent summer. I made some great friends and decided that carrying someone else’s club was not for me.

So here we are years later I have moved past the women’s clubs and found a great set of Ping irons. I still can’t figure out why I love golf so much, I am probably one of the guys you would hate to play with because I get so upset with myself after bad shot, but I always find myself at the course on a day off trying to tinker with my swing or get over a case of the yips.

Only 68 Days until Opening Day!

Schmeltzer's 5th Post : Place your bets!

Greetings, I hope everyone had a safe and fun St. Patrick’s Day. There really is nothing like a big plate of corned beef and cabbage followed by an ice cold pint of green drink. If I had it my way, we would have St. Patty’s Day once a week. It also didn’t hurt the weather was terrific and Spring is right around the corner! I don’t want to jump the gun too early but I would say it’s time to start packing away the jeans and boots with fur and break out the shorts and flip-flops. Summer is going to be here before you know it! My blog is going to be dedicated to the bunnies we have in our backyard. I’m going to hop around from topic to topic with no real set motive or purpose. Let’s begin…

NCAA TOURNAMENT
OK, so for those of you who have been living in a hole, today is the start of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. I have always been one for picking the upsets but this year I had a hard time trying to go out on a limb. I believe this year is extraordinary in that, there really is no clear cut favorite. Is this the year that a 16 seed takes out a one seed? I doubt it. The biggest upset I have in the tournament is Maryland over Memphis in the second round. It might be a stretch to even see Maryland beat Cal but to take out a red hot Memphis, I think that’s a stretch. As far as the home team, well, I have the Badgers one and done. They’ve let me down too often this year to give me any confidence in this team. My winner… I’ll take the Louisville Cardinals, although they have the overall top seed, they will be the underdogs in the final against UNC. I told you the creativity juices just weren’t flowing this year. I think everyone else and their mom probably has these two teams in their final four, but I just feel like they both have the easiest road to Detroit. No matter what, it’s just entertaining watching this tournament unravel.

SPRING TRAINING
Spring Training is officially in full-swing (no pun intended). I went down to Arizona last March and was able to catch my first ever Spring Training game. I thought the atmosphere was very dull compared to what you see at a Mallards game. The promotional giveaway was a plain white bandana. The margaritas were $10+ and the concessions were very limited. I’m telling you, there is nothing like the experience at a Mallards game. Although, I can say the weather was great and it was fun to see the A’s beat up on the Cubs. I love going to different sporting events. Not only because I enjoy just about every sport, but also because it’s a great opportunity to learn about what works and what doesn’t and then try to incorporate those things into what we do here. That’s just another great part of the sports business; it’s always evolving. One of our mottos around the office is, “we’ll try anything once”. Finally, the Atlanta Braves are 14-3 and in first place in the Grapefruit League. Too bad that doesn’t get you anything.

MLB/MALLARDS ALUMNI GAME
If you didn’t read Jerrad’s press release back on March 9th, you probably have no clue that former Milwaukee Brewer great Paul Molitor has agreed to headline and participate in the Fourth-Annual Mallards/MLB 2009 Alumni Game to be held on August 21 at the “Duck Pond.” For me, this is pretty exciting stuff. Even though I am not a die-hard Brewer fan, I would be crazy to say that I grew up in Madison and DIDN'T enjoy watching him play. I would have to say his number one fan is probably my mom. I still don’t get what the attraction is with Paul, but it seems that all the ladies love him. Anyway, get your tickets for this game people! They go on sale, along with single game tickets on Saturday, May 2nd.

That’s all I have for this blog. We now have less than 75 days until Opening Day here at the Duck Pond! Make sure to get Saturday, May 2nd on your calendar as single game tickets will go on sale. Mr. Staehler and Mr. Caloia are going to fight over who blogs next, so enjoy the good read. Until next time, keep your passion bucket full and red marks off the brackets.

Getting to know your 2009 Madison Mallards

Here's a more in-depth look at what exactly your 2009 Madison Mallards have to say about playing at the "Duck Pond" in front of 6,000 zany fans for the very first time:


Nick Chmielewski, So., RHP, Illinois

Said the funky-named flame thrower, “Brandon (Wikoff) and (former Mallard) Joe Bonadonna have nothing but good things to say about playing in Madison for coach Thieleke, so I’m just excited to get up there and start making a name for myself.”

Joe Panik, Fr., IF, St. John's.

"I have big shoes to fill but my main goal this summer is to improve upon every facet of my game while trying to win a Northwoods League Championship for the city of Madison. I just can't wait to get started, " said Panik.

Greg Bieker, Jr., OF, Fort Hays St.

“He (referring to his brother Jeff, a former Mallard) told me that there isn’t a more rewarding and fun place to play summer ball in the country so to say that I’m excited to make the trek up to Madison is the understatement of the year, " said Bieker.

Mark Ginther, So., IF, Oklahoma St.

“He (referring to former Mallard Neil Medchill) likes to talk about how the crowds for Mallards games are much, much bigger than any college venue we’ll experience this spring. That gets me really excited to experience that atmosphere first-hand.”

Jimmy Parque, Jr., OF, St. John's.

“Will (referring to former Mallard Will Vogel) said Madison was the ultimate place to play summer collegiate baseball and he really enjoyed learning from C.J. and his staff. I know when I get up there I’ll be soaking everything in and trying to learn as much as I can just like he did.”

*I would be remiss if I didn't put some sort of closure on the Mallards MSCR basketball experience in the Cypress Hill Division. After winning the second half, the team made it to the division championship game but lost 38-34 in an epic battle of two teams not wanting to give an inch (just ask John Schmeltzer). Alas, we awarded ourselves the imaginary "Most Improved" award after recovering from an abysmal 1-5 first half record. Big thanks to Ed Sloten for his support on Monday night as well.

Schmeltzer follows this post and will blog Thursday for your enjoyment.

Playoffs?! Playoffs?! You talking playoffs???

Well if you’re not talking about the playoffs you should be because that is exactly what the latest buzz in the Mallards office is all about. That’s right folks, your Madison Mallards MSCR League team was crowned as the Second Half Champions after a big win on Monday night. The Mallards now face South Bay Lounge, who handed the us our only loss in the second half, in a one-game, winner takes all contest on Monday, March 16, 2009. We are encouraging all fans to show off their Mallards pride and come help cheer us on to victory!

As a side note to those who have been following blog posts about our team, my 8-game streak of being on the receiving end of an offensive foul came to an end on Monday night. (We’re still trying to verify if that is a new league record or not.) But not to worry, I plan on getting right back on the horse and then knocked down again, (ha ha) in the championship game.

Now, onto baseball news. It’s sometimes tough to think that when you look outside and see grass and blue skies that it’s anything but baseball weather. However, lately all you need to do is take one foot out the door and quickly realize that idea is gone. I guess that is one of the joys of spring in the Midwest is to have mother nature flirt with you for one week with sun and temperatures nearing 50-60 degrees then to only have it drop to near zero degrees and a wind-chill factor that freezes you to the bone. As a die-hard Twins fans, its days like this that are the ultimate head scratcher as to why the new Target Field doesn’t have a retractable roof. What’s to say that this type of weather won’t happen again in early April of 2010 and leave Twins fans in the cold or even worse having to cancel a game due to snow. (That actually happened two years ago in Detroit). I guess either way, I know I will still be there, dressed like it were a mid-December game at Lambeau Field or in flip-flops and a T-shirt…I just hope that the rest of Twins fans are willing to do the same.

Speaking of the Twins, I think they once again have a legitimate shot of being the Central Division Champs and potentially more. This year the Twins have one of the younger starting rotations in the game, however it is one that is returning 5 of last year’s starters: Liriano, Baker, Slowey, Perkins and Blackburn. And don’t forget, they went out and acquired Luis Ayala as a great 8th inning setup man to hand the ball over to one of the most dominant closers in the game in Joe Nathan.

Offensively the Twins have five everyday outfielders to fill three spots and one DH position. Young, Span, Gomes, Cuddyer, and Kubel can all roam the outfield with the best of them and while Span and Gomes can all out fly on the basepaths, Young and Kubel can provide the long ball, Cuddyer has arm strength and veteran leadership that all make me believe in these guys. Then, look at the infield. American League Batting Champion Joe Mauer behind the plate, American League All-Star Justin Morneau at first, the speedy Alexi Casilla at second, Nick “Popeye Forearms” Punto at short, and a newly acquired 3B in Joe Crede, who if healthy could help the Twins offensive numbers.

Soon, the whole baseball world will know the words and be singing along to one of the greatest songs in the game.

“We’re gonna win Twins, we’re gonna score. We’re gonna win Twins, watch that baseball soar. Knock out a homerun, shout a hip hooray, cheer for your Minnesota Twins today!”

The Opening Day Countdown Continues: MN TWINS 25 Days, MALLARDS 81 Days! PLAY BALL

Liz's 4th post: The great baseball/softball debate

As I mentioned in my last blog I am a pretty big softball fan. I am also a big baseball fan, but when it comes down to knowing stats and players, I am better versed in softball than baseball. Good thing I have the guys in the office and my roommate Jake to keep me updated on all that is happening in Major League Baseball.

Nick mentioned in his last blog that one of his favorite times of the year is March Madness, and although there is always great basketball played during the tournament, one of MY favorite times of the year is the College Softball World Series. It is game after game of great softball being played by the top teams in the nation and you get to see the top players. Although there is the National Pro Fastpitch League, the College Softball World Series is still the most watched softball tournament of the year. Even if many of you may have little interest in softball, I'd like to continue to spend the rest of the blog comparing some of the top softball players to some of the top Major Leaguers.

To start, the obvious softball standout softball player is Jenny Finch. I would compare her to Nolan Ryan. Finch has played softball since she was 5 and has been pitching since she was 8. She was a 3 sport athlete in high school, but always had her focus on softball. She spent her college years playing for the University of Arizona, playing for one of the most successful coaches in softball history, Mike Candrea, and taking Arizona to a National Championship in 2001. Finch recorded 109 wins in her college career and suffered no losses as a junior. Finch also played first base when she wasn’t pitching. In her college career she struck out 1,028 batters and topped out at 71 mph. Now remember, college softball pitches from 43 feet, so a 71 mph "riseball" is equivalent to a 100 mph fastball in baseball, which is why Finch is the Nolan Ryan of softball. She has also thrown several no-hitters like Ryan and has had her number retired! The biggest difference between Finch and Ryan is that Finch has typically been on winning teams and Ryan has often played on mediocre teams. Finch is widely known as the most famous softball player of all time and is currently pitching for the Chicago Bandits and married to free agent pitcher Casey Daigle.

Next we have Crystl Bustos who is the Prince Fielder/David Ortiz of softball. Now I must say I am comparing her to Fielder and Ortiz because in my opinion they are two of the top hitters in baseball, which is due to the fact that I am a big Brewers fans and a big fan of Ortiz. Bustos is one of the top hitters in softball history and was named the 2008 USA Softball player of the year. She plays 3rd base, but is typically utilized as a designated player. Bustos is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and one-time silver medalist. She holds the world record for home runs during a series with six. Bustos got her big shot in the 2004 Olympics when she replaced Dot Richardson at shortstop and was only 23 at the time. With Bustos at shortstop Team USA had one of the most solid infields of all time. She went on to hit .346 in the ’04 Olympics with 10 runs batted in and 6 home runs. As for her fielding, she had 9 starts with a perfect fielding percentage. Bustos on-base percentage is off the charts has she is often intentionally walked, much like Fielder or Ortiz when they are in a crucial at-bat. Like Fielder and Ortiz, Bustos is known as one of the biggest power hitters in all of softball. Bustos is currently playing for the Akron Racers out of Ohio and has retired from international play.

I know I only covered two players; however, they are two of the top players in softball. Stay tuned to future blogs as I continue to compare softball greats to baseball legends.

Oh I almost forgot, feel free to write in to the Olympics commission and tell them to bring softball back as an Olympic sport!

Thanks for reading!

Would Bobby Knight do it?

This is the question we must all ask ourselves when faced with a tough decision. Just apply it to everyday questions such as: Should go to school or work today? Should I have that next drink or 15th piece of pizza? Should I pick up Derek Lee or Prince Fielder in my fantasy baseball draft? Well, would Bob Knight do it? Would Bob Knight buy his wife tickets to an opera or tickets to a Wisconsin vs. Ohio State game?

This question was posed to me the other day by a great individual, Mallards Manager C.J. Thieleke (Coach). Last year I set Coach up with a program where he went and read to a local classroom for half an hour. He was a little worried when I first told him about the engagement that I had signed him up for. However, come game day he was in stellar form and loved the experience. Ever since that day I have not hesitated to sign him up for anything and everything community related.

Some of our recent adventures have been signing Coach up to be a Big Brother, for Big Brothers Big Sisters, offering his services to do a PSA for Club TNT, and offering to have him appear at local schools to kick off Maynard’s Lil’ Ducks Reading Program, presented by The Mattel Toy Store. The program has taken off like the ball off the end of a Rob Lyerly or future Mallard big Harold Riggins bat! There has been a great amount of feedback from area schools and teachers as they are all excited to sign their students up for the program. One of the features of the program is the opportunity to have either Maynard or Manager C.J. Thieleke come to your school for a kickoff or ending celebration to help create excitement about reading and highlight the importance of reading to the youth of American. At the moment, Maynard is up two on Coach (sorry Coach). Two all-school assembly’s have been scheduled at Lake View Elementary School and Windsor Elementary School thus far! (If your son or daughter goes to one of these schools you might want to tag along with them on the day of the assembly. As the Mallards embark into the school assembly circuit, it is sure to be entertaining and informative!)

With every new school that signs up I joke with Coach and tell him that I have signed him up to read in front of 300 or 400 kids and he always gives me the same great response..he throws his hands up and says, “What?, O, Come on Kev, what are you talking about, you’re crazy, you’re crazy”…Then he goes right back to hacking away at his laptop and continues looking up stats and rumors about future and current Mallard players. Things finally came to a boiling point for him the other week, as he was living the office to go home for the day I said, “ O, Coach by the way I signed you up to speak in front of a 2nd grade class to explain the importance of reading.” Then the phrase was born, he looked right at me and said, “Kev from now on, ask yourself this question before you sign me up for anything else; Would Bob Knight do it?” He then turned to walk out, but before he could take one step, I broke out laughing hysterically and so did Jerrad and finally Coach himself joined in. I don’t know if it was because Bob Knight happened to be in town for college game day or if he over heard me talking about going to the Badger vs. Ohio State game and all I wanted to do was meet Bobby, or what compelled him to say it, but whatever it was I am glad he did.

I have tried to consider the phrase when signing Coach up for engagements and activities since this day, but each time I can’t help but crack a smile and say, Yes Bob Knight would totally do this! Bob Knight would go to work everyday; he would not have that 15th piece of pizza or extra drink. Bob Knight would totally pick Derek Lee over Prince Fielder, and we would buy this wife tickets to the opera because he got free tickets to the Wisconsin vs. Ohio State game.

Well my laundry just finished drying so that must mean the time has come for me to leave you all once again. Until next time Mallard blog fan or fans…. keep on, keep truckin’!


Extras: Since my last posting (basketball and curling spiraling downwardly out of control), we have not lost a basketball game which is awesome. Our curling team on the other hand has not shared the same fortune, but we did have a bye this week so we didn’t lose, SCORE!

Nick's Fourth Installment - My favorite time of the year!

So just to retouch on my last blog entry my prediction that the Steelers would win came right, but it was a lot closer game than I anticipated. What a way to finish the game!

So we are still working at a feverish pace in the Mallards office securing sponsorship deals, selling tickets, ordering merchandise and other such goods that will be utilized during the summer. With all these activities going it makes it really hard and almost depressing to realize the season is still over 3 months away, but before you know it will be May 28th and Mallards Baseball will be back in full swing. Coach usually provides some comedic relief to make the days go by as well (You have to see his imitation of an official at a hockey game dropping the puck in a face-off).

So it’s about that time of year again...no NOT tax season, but time for March Madness! I think this is my favorite time of year, next to the start of our season. I miss the good ol’ days of being in college and skipping classes on the Thursday and Friday of the opening round and doing nothing but sitting around in sweats, throwing back some beers and then hitting up the KFC dinner buffet during the 5:00 news break to re-energize for the night cap. Vern runs a tight ship around here so I don’t think I could justify taking off two days of work.

Another favorite part of watching the tournament is CBS broadcaster Gus Johnson. I mean I have never heard a routine call in the game called so emphatically or with so much energy. Listen to my favorite Gus Johnson call by clicking Here

I am obviously a huge Badger fan and this year has not been such a great year as we have been spoiled with such great teams the past few years. I am glad to see that Bo rallied the troops after the six game loosing streak to put together a five game winning streak. I really thought we had Michigan State on Sunday. They played our type of game the first half, but in the second half we played their game and couldn’t get a good look at the basket while they weaved through screen after screen and got good looks at the basket. I really would have liked to see Tom Izzo whine and complain after the game. I can’t decide if I hate him or Ohio State head coach Thad Matta (aka Gonzo, pictured) more.

I think we have a chance to make the tournament but we need to win out to even have that chance. The trip to Minnesota worries me a little bit, as the “Barn” is always a tough place to win and you have to deal with the whole elevated floor thing. Tubby Smith has turned that program around and they will be a force to reckon with in the coming years. I think we should be able to take care of business in the friendly confines of the Kohl Center against Michigan and Indiana. I mean Indiana….I think they have a few guys from intramural teams playing for them. I think if they can make a push and win two games in the Big Ten tournament they should pretty much secure a spot in the “Big Dance”.

I am going to say the Badgers secure an 11 seed in the tournament and make it to the Sweet 16.

Here are a few teams that I like heading into tournament season:

Marquette Golden Eagles- I like in-state rival Marquette to do some damage. They probably have played one of the toughest schedules in the country and with the depth and experience of having these four guys, Dominic James, Lazar Haywood, Jerel McNeal and Madison native Wesley Matthews, watch out for them to make some noise in tournament.

North Carolina- I think the ACC is a bit watered down from previous years, but as expected Carolina should have a good run in the tournament. With Player of the Year from last season Tyler Hansbrough and a bench of young stars they should have no problem pushing their way into the Final Four.

Oklahoma- Two words. Blake Griffin. He is a freakin' man-child. I think this will be your 2009 National Champ.

Here is my Final Four: North Carolina, Oklahoma, Villanova, and UConn

Well I can’t wait for a few weekends from now when I can spend my whole weekend in a recliner laying in my own filth (I plan on not showering all weekend!), drinking beer and listening to the mellow sounds of Gus Johnson watching NCAA March Madness coverage……nothing better…OK, except for Mallards Opening Day!