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.

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.

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!

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.

Schmeltzer's 4th Post

Alright folks, so by this time next week we will be right around 100 days until Opening Day here at the "Duck Pond”. It’s unbelievable how quick that day will sneak up us. Every year it seems like we prepare ourselves better, but no matter what we do there are always things we wish we could have done better. After all, he ballpark is old and needs a lot of "TLC." In order to make things “shine” the way they do each and every year we lean heavily on the group of new interns we hire each summer.

The internship position is by no means glamorous, but we look forward to giving each kid a summer experience they will never forget. One fun fact here is that most of us here know what it’s like to be an intern. In fact, five out of current eight full-time employees working in our office had an internship in the Northwoods League at one point in their career. The other three have worked as a part-time employee with the Mallards before they were brought as a full-timer.

The interns are expected to report immediately at the end of their spring semester of school, which is normally the middle of May. This gives us approximately two weeks to educate them on our organization and basically all the “ins and outs” of the ballpark. During this time they will spend the majority of their 9 AM to 5 PM day working in their respective area of concentration. After 5 o’clock everyone pitches in where they can and we work into the wee hours of the night. No one has ever been excused from painting duties. We go through a lot of Old Virginia green paint.

We hire interns in the following areas; marketing, ballpark operations, public relations (PR) and tickets/hospitality. Each spot is an extension of the front office and extremely important in helping to run and maintain a successful team during the summer. The hours we generally work during the summer can range from 60-90 hours on a given week. Although, if you make the most of this opportunity and can have some fun with it, the time really flies.

For me, I will never forget the summer of 2004. I was brought on as a Marketing/Operations Intern. During the day, I spent a lot of time moving beer and taking care of random maintenance tasks around the ballpark. When it was game- time, I was running the on-field promotions. I had a great superior/manager by the name of Eric Bjorling. He taught me all there was to know about the organization and for that, I am forever grateful. Good looking out Phil!

I ate ballpark food for just about every meal, although those meals were few and far between. One is just so busy that you are either to tired, stressed or busy to eat. Did I mention this was probably the best summer I ever had? Honestly, the friendships you make and the people you meet really do make this an unforgettable “career”. I do want to stress that this is a career and not a job. One final note, that I’m sure every intern (male, at least) can relate to is the interaction you have with the owner of the team. Steve is such a popular guy and knows so many people, that the first few times he meets you (or in my case, a month later), there is a good chance he will refer to you as being a “tough guy”. At this time I want to give you a little taste of what the internship experience was like through the eyes of a few former Mallard interns:

Vinnie Cholewa, PR Intern ’04 & PR Manager ’05: The summer internship with the Mallards was amazing, to say the least. There is one night that will forever stick out in my mind. It was the morning (2 AM) of Opening Day and we were trying to put the final touches on what was an 18 hour work day (mind you, we needed to be up and function less than six hours later). There was a load of bark that we had picked up earlier in the day that was sitting in the bed of my truck and we needed to dump it and spread it before the night was done. You can only imagine how thrilled everyone was to start this task at that time. I do know, however, that the mosquitoes loved every minute of it. These things were vicious to say the very least and almost put me over the edge. Following that daunting task was this humungous rolling Pepsi cooler that was at the bottom of a ramp by “needed” to be moved before we went home. There were probably five of us still left at the park at this time and we couldn’t budge the thing. This was the moment in my internship that sparked something in me that gave me a whole new perspective on life. I was so tired, frustrated, irritated that I took it into my own hands and just bust through this rolling cooler with all I had. I single-handedly moved it up the ramp and out of the fire lane. The look on everyone’s faces was priceless. This just proved to me that one can accomplish anything that is set in front of them. The internship in general taught me to overcome adversity and face challenges head on. I truly have the upmost respect for Vern and the organization as a whole.

Vinnie was probably the only intern ever to have a summer internship and not only one, but two jobs! He spent time working for State Street Brats & Verizon that summer as well. Not to mention, he was known to sleep at the ballpark. On more occasion than once, we would get into the office around 8 AM and sure enough Vinnie would be plugging away at his computer. He once a claimed that he had been there since 5 AM dumping garbage and on his fifth Redbull of the morning. If that doesn’t say dedication (or BS) I’m not sure what does! Anyway, Vinnie is currently living down in Arizona working for Careerbuilder.com and going to school for his MBA at ASU. Good luck pal!

Brian Dodge, Operations Intern ’05: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
Being a die-hard baseball fan, nothing made me happier than getting to go to the ballpark every day for work. The long hours and other minor factors made the position incredibly draining mentally and physically, but in the end you tend to remember all the good things and very few of the bad things. I loved the guys that we worked with that summer and I always felt like we put a good product forward for our consumers.

Aaron Reinen, Tickets/Hospitality Intern ’08: To try and wrap the entire summer into 3-4 sentences is going to be difficult. It was such a great and enjoyable experience, that I really wouldn't know where to start. However, if there is one key skill that I learned and mastered this past summer was the ability to count. You wouldn't think that a skill learned so early in life would leave you, but after many years of using a calculator to do all your math you really do lose some of those skills. For this very reason I will always be in debit to the Mallards, it was this organization that allowed me to find my math self again through counting wristbands!

On a serious note, I do believe the internship is a great starting tool to find out if a job in sports is for you. If you are able to work 938 hours from May to Aug, and still be able to go into work with a smile on your face then you may have found the career path for you. I know it certainly was great for me as I pretty much did a 180 career wise and this past summer really allowed me to get on the right track. I still would like to find a position much like mine last summer, taking care of hospitality/suites and sales. Where and when I'll find something like this is up in the air. Retired (for now) Tarp Crew Member Out!

OK, I am going to wrap up this fairly lengthy blog. I would love to go on and on, because I could write a book with all the things that go on at this ballpark. In fact, I have always wanted to do a reality television series on the Mallards organization.

To be continued…

Mike's 4th post: All baseball, all the time!

Since my last blog entry I think I have found one of the single greatest television channels ever created…THE MLB NETWORK! For those of you who haven’t tuned in yet, it is on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and it is ALL baseball. For a baseball junkie like me, it is almost like there is no off-season. Everyday they replay some of the best games of seasons past. They have a studio where they try and re-create the greatest plays and go as far as breaking them down to show you how one little misstep or an extra pause by the pitcher would have completely changed the outcome of the play. There is a scrolling marquee at the bottom of the screen giving updates on all the trades, free agent signings and players still on the open market. One of my favorite programs is “Cathedrals of the Game” where they go in-depth for 30 minutes about historic stadiums or new-age technology taking over in the new stadiums. It’s AWESOME!

As I was flipping through the channels the other day, I noticed that the MLB Network was playing great pitching performances of the last century. Did you know that only 4 times in MLB history has a pitcher struck out 20 batters in a 9-inning game? Of the eight 19-strikeout performances, Randy Johnson did it twice in the same year (1997). Watching these games gives you an unbelievable appreciation of how incredible those feats really are. The stamina and control of the pitchers as they dominate opposing hitters blows your mind. I was mesmerized and couldn’t change the channel.

Another great segment I am addicted to is “Prime 9”. A panel of judges compile what they believe are the top 9 plays, games, or players in a certain category. It is definitely open to opinion of the judges but seeing the footage, listening to the players talk about their experiences and sometimes getting chills down your spine as you listen to how the game was originally called, makes me tune in every chance I get.

Now with spring training only days away and the first game of the spring season fast approaching MLB Network will help serve another purpose in my passion for the game of baseball: Fantasy Baseball. Last year, I played in 4 different leagues, all which required daily roster changes and were very competitive leagues. I try and do as much research as possible prior to draft days and having a resource like this channel will be great. (However, I do know just about all of the other members of those leagues are listening and watching as well). Here’s to another great year!

Switching gears a little bit, I need to give an update on Mallards Basketball 2009. After a fast start which saw the Mallards (wearing green jersey’s) win the opening game of the season, we haven’t been such “Lucky Ducks” and had dropped 4 consecutive games (all in which we wore white jersey’s). However, on Monday night, the slate was wiped clean and the second half started. Once again, we decided to break out the green jerseys and low and behold, WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! The Mallards are now back in the win column and looking to keep the streak alive. We actually even had our very first fan attend a game the other night, so if there are more of you out there, let us know!

Well that’s it for now but not to worry, our very own season will be here in just over 100 days and your Madison Mallards will be back on the field making great plays of their own. Hope to see everyone at the yard.

Schmeltzer's 3rd installment: Nobody has more fun than people!

The past couple of weeks have been a bit of a blur due to the fact that the sales season is now in full swing and life and times at the "Duck Pond” are picking up once again. The hardest part of the winter season is waiting for the NWL schedule to be released. Although, it is a great pleasure to start making calls and talking to current and potential clients about that wonderful thing we call Mallards baseball!

I had a hard time coming up with a topic for this blog, but I decided that one of the hardest decisions we make during any day, throughout the whole year, is “what we’re doing for lunch”. The North Side doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of choices, so it usually makes for a majority vote on where we eat for lunch.

There is a handful of us who bring our own lunch, but when that doesn’t happen we normally choose from places like; New Orleans Take-Out, Subway, Pierce’s Market, Culver’s, Smokey Jon’s, Jim’s Meat Market & the Mexican convenient store on Northport Drive. Obviously, there are more options but I would say these are the most popular destinations.

The Mexican convenient store is located near Culvers and is a spot we discovered this past summer, thankfully. They have the best authentic tacos at a reasonable price. When we go there the office smells for days of steak, pork and chicken but it’s worth it. If you are ever on the North Side around lunch time you have to give this place a shot!

Subway is another great story. First of all, they are a wonderful sponsor and they also have the ever popular $5 foot-long sub. I think Jerrad ate there for a month straight back in September. Anyway, there is a guy who works over there; we call him, “Bob the Builder” and he has become an icon to everyone here in the office. He has a voice that you would be able to differentiate and a certain swagger to the way he conducts his art of sandwich-making. If you are on the North side and want a cheap lunch with a good story, swing in and say hi to Bob. Tell him Kevin from the Mallards sent you.

Next is Jim’s Meat Market. They have a tremendous amount of deli products and you can’t go wrong with anything you purchase for lunch there. Their staff members are always friendly and they have some great suggestions. Personally, I like the subs but I know a lot of people in the office like their fried options. No matter what you get, it’s AWESOME!

Finally, while we are on the topic of food our office made a trip out to Rookies Food & Spirits in Mazomanie last week to sample some food options for next year. One of the things most of us really enjoyed was the buffalo blue cheese & cheddar sticks. This will be one of the new features on our appetizer buffet menu in the suites this summer. (pictured is the Glazer Bacon Cheeseburger we served last summer...minus the fried egg)

Thanks for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed it. If you are ever on the North Side for lunch and need a bite to eat make sure to think about some of the options mentioned above. But remember once June 1^st gets here the best place to grab a bite to eat is the never-ending menu here at the Duck Pond!

On this very historic day...J-Rod Part III

I'm very humbled and honored to have been given the opportunity to post my third blog entry on the day that the United States of America's first black President, Barack Obama, is sworn into office. What a time of jubilation for those who have waited for change --from our grandparents to our parents; from our brothers and sisters to our friends; and from our children to our grandchildren, this is truly a day to be excited about in looking forward to correcting the problems in the present rather than pointing fingers for problems in the past. And who knows...given some time maybe President Obama will make a stop at the "Duck Pond" in the next four to eight years...

Shifting gears I want to pass along a story that GM Vern Stenman shared with us front office members this week involving former Mallard outfielder Jordan Comadena. (In my three years of working for the team my mom only remembers two players...Comadena & former Stanford standout Randy Molina...so maybe the secret to a closer connection between our players and fans is simply by drafting players with catchier names...lol.)

Anyway, without further ado here's the story we're about to break to the media (so this truly is the "inside scoop" for you die-hard Mallards fans!):

Kids, here’s a perfect example of why you should play hard because you never know who might be watching.

Enter Madison Mallards alumnus Jordan Comadena.

Comadena, who played for the Mallards from 2005 to 2007 & went undrafted out of Purdue University, was recently signed by the Houston Astros as a free agent heading into the ’09 season thanks largely in part to impressing a certain notable former major leaguer at last season’s third annual Mallards/MLB Alumni Game that saw Comadena blast two run-scoring doubles to pace Maynard’s All-Star

That major leaguer was none other than former Houston Astros outfielder Jimmy “The Toy Cannon” Wynn who enjoyed a big league career from 1963 to 1977 and opposed Comadena in the usually laid back event—that is, until Jordan accepted the Mallards invitation and took the “Duck Pond” field once again. Maybe Wynn saw a bit of himself in Comadena, as he too was signed as a free agent in 1962.

Comadena owns Mallards team career batting records in runs scored (119) and walks (89), and single-season records in runs scored (54), walks (54), and at-bats (259). He also remains the only player to play all 68 games when he reached that mark in 2006.

What a story. This tale could certainly be made into a children's book and serve as great fodder for generations of Mallards fans to read to their aspiring kids...and on and on it goes. It certainly can also apply to life outside of a ballpark. No matter what you're doing; no matter where you're going; and no matter when you're doing it, if you do things the right way (open to interpretation) and work hard, someone will notice and something special is bound to happen. Call that belief outlandish; call it aspiring; or simply call it anywhere in between; if there's one thing that springs eternal in the Mallards office each day --off-season & in-season--it's the hope that we as a staff provide the best summer entertainment for each and every one of our fans, both young and old. When you, the fans, leave the "Duck Pond" after games, we hope you're smiling; we hope you're laughing; and best of all, we hope that you're taking home memories to share with others for many years to come.

Here's to 132 days until Mallards Opening Day on June 1!

Kevin's 2nd Blog Entry - Cue the Harp, it's Christmas!

The terrible cold winter season has stalled hot-stove talks for most of the major league free agency period. The Yankees took the lead by signing anyone and everyone they could get their hands on, and showed little to no concern as to what it would cost. It seems that the treacherous winter weather has few if any people thinking about baseball at the moment. All we can do is look at the radar and attempt to prepare for our third major winter storm in as many weeks. It is tough to think about baseball with a thick 2-3 foot layer of snow over everything, but come spring it will hopefully give way to beautiful green grass and warm days!

Besides all of the white stuff, the terribly cold temperatures, and the havoc that is created on the roadways, this is one of the most wonderful times of the year, or at least that is what most people say. With numerous holiday parties, hot cocoa, warm egg nog, and giving/getting gifts, it’s truly a great time once you get past the weather. From ugly Christmas sweater parties, (which have become an annual tradition for college kids) to hot apple cider spiced with rum, the holiday season always has something fun and entertaining to offer.

It is truly a joyous time of the year as you receive gifts and presents from friends and family, attacking presents like you’re rounding third base and heading for home. Once you start to unwrap the first present there is no stopping; sure coach might be waving you home but your parents seem to be always holding you up. They are telling you to slow down and let other people open a present or too. It is tough to do, but is usually one of the most gratifying things as you are able to see the joy and pleasure others have when opening presents. That is truly the best part of the holiday season; the giving of gifts. Sure you might get a baseball glove or bat, but it is what you give that truly makes it a wonderful experience. A simple gift or a card can go a long way in brightening another individual’s day, week, or holiday season.

The joy and pleasure that you can give to another individual is one of the best things, if not the best thing about the holiday season. Everyone loves receiving gifts but there is nothing that can match the power of giving a gift. The receiver of the gift might not think it is the greatest thing in the world but the simple idea of you thinking of another individual and giving them a gift should mean a lot to that person. Oftentimes it is the thought and effort that counts, not a high-priced tag.

As I have grown older and experienced numerous Christmases with family, friends, and other individuals I have learned that the true joy is not in what you receive but in what you are able to give!

I’d like to quickly praise another Packers collapse and a wonderful win by the Chicago Bears in last night's game. The game was not pretty by any means, as Kyle Orton threw some perfect passes to Charles Woodson and Nick Collins (Packer Pro Bowl DB’s). However, once the Bears remembered that Matt Forte was on their team, and leads the team in receptions and rushing yards, they started to involve him more and he helped create a multiple (more then a 3-and-out) play drive for the Bears which they eventually ended up scoring on and tying the game with. The biggest controversy in last night’s game according to my roommate, Mallards Merchandise King Nick Staehler, was the coin toss in overtime. I thought he was going to have a heart attack as he was wildly complaining about the toss, how it should have been re-flipped, that the Bears were some how cheating and that since it hit Urlacher in the helmet it completely changed the outcome of whether it was going to be a heads or a tails. . . I just sat there and laughed, trying to explain to him that he was off his rocker because Urlacher did not intentionally hit the coin and therefore did not intentionally alter whether it was going to land heads or tails. I told him that the only reason he was freaking out about it was because they (the Packers) lost the toss (which I probably would have done if the Bears lost) but it was a random toss with a random hit off of a player’s helmet and randomly landed on the ground.

The coin toss debacle was a great laugh for me and my other roommates, however the most impressive thing which I think both Bears and Packers fans can agree on is the long snap catching ability of Bear’s punter, holder, and former MVP, Brad Maynard. He was catching long snaps one-handed and placing them perfectly on the ground during a sideline warm-up. Now that is an amazing display of skill by one of the team’s best players . . . now only if we could get him to work on his passing.

Side-note: Duck Blind Princess, the answer is yes and I look forward to seeing you next summer out on the deck!

I hope everyone has a great Holiday Season, and a very happy New Year!

Vern Blog #2 - What to do during a long, cold Mallards Baseball off-season

So I’m a day late in my blog posting here…I’ve got a feeling that this won’t be the last time my entry is delayed, but I’ll do all I can to make the wait worth your while. So this is kind of a crazy time of year in the life of a person who works in baseball. We don’t have our 2009 schedule yet, nobody really wants to talk baseball during the holidays & we’re mired almost exactly in the middle of the baseball off-season.

Fortunately this fall has offered me all kinds of ways to keep busy. My 14-month old daughter Chloe has been the big highlight. Already walking for a few months she has turned to new challenges, like how to trick me into holding & entertaining her every moment that we are together. To be clear, I love the attention but I can’t help but be curious how she has become so infatuated with me. My wife Kallie says it is just a phase that all kids go through…but I think it is the start of her struggling through the same thing I am. The complete lack of baseball! I’m sure she is thinking to herself, “I can’t believe it is 72 days until pitchers & catchers report to Spring Training!” It follows that the only rational thing she can do is to latch on to the closest thing she has around the house that will hopefully talk some baseball with her. Keep in mind that in her short time here on earth she has been to at least 60 baseball games (if you count in utero attendance) & it makes sense that she misses the comforting confines of a baseball field. Well I’ve been working on helping her develop some new habits to help get her through this terrible time of year.

One that we’ve focused on is music. Kallie brings her to music class once a week & at night I normally will play some classics to augment what she hears in class. Last week we listened to a lot of Beatles, Rolling Stones, Lorretta Lynn, Stephen Malkmus & others. Her favorite though appears to be a band called Blitzen Trapper that I saw at the High Noon Saloon a few weeks ago. After a pretty impressive show I picked up their CD & the next morning I looked at the CD titled "Furr" & thought to myself “man, did I just waste another $10 bucks on a CD by a band I’ve never heard of & probably never will ever listen to again after I throw it on one time?” To my very pleasant surprise it turned out to be some of the best new music I’ve heard in a long time, kind of a modern mix of Dylan & The Flaming Lips or something along that line. To make it even better whenever we played the CD (which was a lot) Chloe would start dancing all by herself! Good Stuff.

Other than that, Mike, Nick & I are heading to Las Vegas next week for the Baseball Winter Meetings. I have plenty of ideas for off-season moves my Twins should make, but as of the publishing of this blog they had not returned my phone call requesting a meeting with GM Bill Smith to review my concepts. I guess we’ll have to settle on spending most of our time at a pretty impressive trade show where we will hopefully find some great ideas for use during the 2009 season out here at the “Duck Pond.” After we’re done with that I’m not quite sure what we’ll do…is there anything fun to do in Vegas? Please feel free to send us any ideas…I don’t think we’re capable of having any fun there though…at least that is what I’m telling my wife!

Talk to you soon!

Mike's First Blog Post!

Where to begin?? That is the question I have been trying to answer ever since I found out I would be contributing to the Maynard’s Musings a few weeks ago and I think I finally have the answer (usually simplest is the best) I’ll just start from the beginning of my Northwoods League career. It may take a few posts to get brought up to 2009, but hopefully you will find some of my rants entertaining.

Looking back to the spring of 2003, I was a senior in college looking for an internship to not only graduate but one that would also put me in a position to have a job after I graduated. Enter the MoonDogs.

I remember going to my first interview with the MoonDogs GM, Kyle Mrozek (he had been hired about 3 weeks prior) and sitting down in a shirt and baseball tie to talk about a “great opportunity” as he put it. You see, Kyle had first-hand knowledge of the internships as he had been an intern 2 years prior to that in Alexandria when the Beetles had their inaugural season and now he was running a team. I thought to myself, wow this really could be great! I get to work for a baseball team for the summer (anyone that knows me knows of my extreme passion for the game) and maybe I could even get a full time job after the summer was done. Sure enough, after being baptized by fire (Kyle was the only full-time employee that season) which meant myself along with the other three interns had to learn on the fly and adapt to whatever the situation at-hand was, at the end of the season I was offered a job and began my career in baseball.

There are two quick stories I would love to share from that first summer of insanity. ..
#1. One of the promotional appearances we had setup that summer was to have Juan Berenguer (aka Senor Smoke to us Minnesota Twins fans) come out for a night in Mankato. About half-way through the evening, Juan asked me if I would take him downtown after the game and show him some night life, I happily obliged and got everything set. Before I get any further, you have to understand that Juan is a large, Panamanian man who was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, and Mankato is a town of only 25,000 people or so during the summer. So there we are, Juan and myself having a couple of drinks when all of a sudden he disappears. Gone. Nowhere to be found! I’m thinking to myself my boss is going to kill me. I am supposed to be taking care of this guy, making sure he gets back to his hotel etc, and I can’t even find him. After searching until bar close with no luck, I finally had to give up. I went home that night starting to think of how I was going to explain this in the morning and then at 4:00 a.m. my cell phone starts ringing and ringing and ringing. Guess who…yep it’s Juan Berenguer. He just wanted to call and tell me what a great night he had and that he was safely back at his hotel and that if there was anything that I ever needed from him to just give him a call. Juan and I stayed in touch over the next few years and it was all because of one crazy night of working in the Northwoods League.

#2. I remember hearing all of these unbelievable stories about the team in Madison, the GM (as he too used to be an intern for the gentleman who owns the Mankato team), and the crowds and atmosphere that Warner Park offered. When I finally got a chance to witness it myself, it was the All-Star game and I was at a loss for words. The size of the park, the crowd, the presentation, everything was incredible. After the game, we went out to the car and on the windshield were two 11x17 posters from the Mallards marketing campaign that season. They were about the purity of the game and had a very distinct baseball feel to them. I held on to those, and actually ended up getting them framed when I got back to Mankato and they have been hanging in the bedroom of every apartment I have had since that night. And now, here I am six years later, working for the Mallards. (The All-Star game was also the first time that I had ever met Vern in person and there is a great story behind that meeting, but I will have to save that one for a later date!)

Lastly, I would like to talk about some current events in the Mallards office. As Vern had mentioned in his last post, we are starting an office basketball team and need some help from the fans. WE NEED A TEAM NAME!!! If you have a creative name that you think would work for us please send it to Jerrad@mallardsbaseball.com. We will keep you posted on the names that come in and the winning submission will receive an autographed, framed photo of our team. The contest will run from now until December 1st.

I’m excited to be a part of the Mallards organization and can’t wait for the 2009 season to begin! GO MALLARDS!

"Maynard's Musings" Debut...Introductions first!

Hello Mallards Fans...here's the inaugural first pitch!
(photo credit: Jim Addis)

Welcome to the debut of "Maynard's Musings," a blog devoted to YOU the fans, to be updated every Tuesday and Thursday (and sometimes more) that will cover topics such as: Stadium Improvements, Roster & Promotions Updates, Merchandise & Tickets Specials, and the latest breaking news! And, we've learned from your overwhelming votes on the poll question on Mallardsbaseball.com that you're also interested in reading about fun & interesting stories that happen at our office at the "Duck Pond" so we'll be sure to share some of these tidbits as well. (yes, we do work year-round...someone has to plan the numerous promotions, celebrity appearances, and food and ticket specials!)


But before we dive into the latest items to make news, let's detail the Mallards front office members who will be providing insight.

Vern Stenman (General Manager). As you are aware, the Mallards have plans in the works to renovate the "Duck Pond" for the 2009 season, and Vern will be your ultimate source to learn more about all new stadium developments, amongst other things. Thanks to his steady vision and undying passion to give our fans the best possible product both on-and-off the field, Stenman is the rock behind the team's increase in attendance during the past eight years, including back-to-back-to-back 200,000 + attendances from 2006 to '08. When not at the office, Vern can be found chasing around his one year old daughter Chloe Mae, with wife Kallie. (or is it the other way around...?)

Mike Then (Director of Marketing). The "new" guy, Then was hired two weeks ago to head our marketing efforts after having spent the past two seasons as the General Manager for the Green Bay Bullfrogs. Prior to that time, Then worked for the Mankato MoonDogs for four seasons--three as the team's Assistant GM, and one as a Media Relations Intern. Mike will provide insight about his experiences while working in the Northwoods League along with providing details on different promotional ideas we are brainstorming for the '09 season. Then is a graduate of Minnesota State University - Mankato, and is originally from St. Paul, Minn.

John Schmeltzer (Group Sales & Ops. MGR). Schmeltzer has seen it all in his five years with the Mallards and he'll be sure to share stories about the many people he's met and comical situations he's encountered. John helps manage the team's suites and is the driving force behind making these fans' ballpark experiences a pleasant one. If you want a good laugh, John's writings will be a must read! He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, and is originally from Oregon, Wis.

Nick Staehler (Group Sales & Ops. MGR). If a certain piece of Mallards merchandise caught your eye the past three seasons, Staehler is the person to thank. During the Fall and Winter months he's especially busy approving and dissaproving (and dissaproving some more) items in hopes that you'll find our line of clothing and trinkets both cool and useful. Nick also doubles as our manager of Human Resources, and is in charge of scheduling over 250 part-time employees each summer (now there's a task!). He'll provide insight on both of these areas. Staehler is a graduate of UW-Whitewater, and is originally from Kewauskum, Wis.

Liz Kern (Customer Service & Ticket Sales MGR). Tabbed the office "Wonder Woman," Kern is the first face you see upon entering the Mallards ticket office, and is the team's backbone in everything relating to purchasing tickets. She works very hard to provide our fans the highest level of customer service in all of baseball! Liz will provide information on ticket & suite specials, along with ways on how to cope if you're the only female in an office of six males. Kern is a graduate of UW - La Crosse, where she also played softball, and is originally from Beaver Dam, Wis.

Kevin Caloia (Duck Blind & Community Events MGR). Many times when we go out into the community to promote the Mallards the first words uttered out of people's mouths is "ohhh yeah, I've been to the Duck Blind," so you can imagine how difficult of a job Caloia has each year in trying to uphold the great tradition while always improving the Great Dane Duck Blind's overall fan experience. He will teach us how such a thing is to be done. Kevin also doubles as the team's Community Events MGR in trying to promote the Mallards at local schools, churches, festivals, and clubs, to say the least. Caloia is a graduate of UW - Madison, and is originally from St. Charles, Ill.

Jerrad Radocay (Corporate Sales & Media Relations MGR). That's me, and I'll be providing interesting stories about players we've signed for the '09 season along with information about certain promotions and giveaways we have in the works. One of the best parts about my job is in lining up local companies to sponsor giveaway items to help make your overall experience more enjoyable, so I expect plenty of comments from all of you in stating which items you'd like to receive next season. I'm a graduate from Winona State University, and am originally from Watertown, Wis.

David Boyer (Concessions MGR & Rookies Sports Bar GM). Boyer plays a big part in deciding and ordering many of the food items you enjoy at the "Duck Pond" each season, and will be discussing some of the choices we might add to the menu next year. If you've ever had a Glazer Burger at the ballpark (two beef patties in-between two Glazer doughnuts), Dave is the man to thank for that concoction. When he's not at the park, Boyer spends much of his time as the General Manager at Rookies Sports Bar in Mazomanie. He is originally from Oconomowoc, Wis.

So there you have it. For the inside scoop on everything Mallards, be sure to stop back daily to see what's new at the "Duck Pond." I guarantee you'll be surprised...

We'll see you back on Tuesday for the newest installment of "Maynard's Musings!"