Milwaukee, I hope you’re enjoying this.
I surprisingly never rooted for the Brewers growing up just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But here they are, in the National League Championship Series and two wins away from making it to the World Series for the first time since 1982.
Besides for a few short-lived playoff appearances by the Bucks and the Brewers throughout this decade, an Eastern Conference finals appearance for the Bucks in 2001 and the Bucks winning the NBA title in 1971, Milwaukee is a city that has tasted more beer than winning.
There’s just something about the city of Milwaukee and the people during a special time like this. Everyone is decked out in Brewers gear, gathering at bars and restaurants and constantly talking about the Brewers and playoff baseball.
Have you ever heard of tailgating for a baseball game? I would argue that Milwaukee has the best tailgating scene in all of major league baseball. The parking lot is packed, even for weekday games, with fans munching on Wisconsin favorites, such as beer bratwurst, way too much cheese and of course, a Miller Lite (or a few).
When I tell people that I am from Milwaukee, I get the, “Oh cheese, farmland and Antarctica-like temperatures!” response. I’ve also gotten “Wisconsin is basically Canada,” which is the farthest thing from the truth. Milwaukee is one of the most underappreciated and misunderstood cities in America. A lot of beer and Harley Davidson motorcycles would be missing without Milwaukee.
People truly don’t know anything about my home city, because it’s not a destination city for many people. It’s much like Buffalo, New York and Cleveland, Ohio: blue collar and hard working. Chicago, just an hour or two to the south, also hides Milwaukee a little bit.
But the exposure that Milwaukee has gotten for the Brewers this October has put my hometown back on the map once again. The Brewers are at the center of sports talk right now.
I am no Brewers fan myself, but why would you root against an underdog city like Milwaukee? After being doubted all year long, they stood up and overtook the reigns of the National League Central Division from the Chicago Cubs. They dominantly swept the Colorado Rockies and are now going toe-to-toe with the big, bad Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that always seems to be in the playoffs and in the mix for the World Series.
Wouldn’t it be great to see someone new win it all? Don’t you want to see a true underdog city like Milwaukee that hasn’t won a professional sports championship since 1971 win? The answers to those questions should be yes. Milwaukee deserves a winner.
Could this be the year? There’s still a lot to be decided right now. But this team is excellent. Christian Yelich is in the middle of an MVP caliber season, the pitching is proving all of the doubters wrong and this is a team that has players and coaches that do everything fundamentally right, day in and day out. On paper, this team doesn’t have much that jumps out at anyone, but they just win.
They get it done, and that’s the special thing about the game of baseball. If you play the right way and get the fundamentals right, you can beat just about anybody. The Brewers are that team.
According to Forbes, the Brewers are one of the MLB’s biggest draws, despite playing in the smallest market in baseball attracting almost three million fans per year. The Brewers don’t attract big name free-agents often, they have to win with what they can afford. They can’t buy talent like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox or Dodgers. That’s what makes success so much sweeter for the fans and this team.
I would do anything to be home right now just to see Milwaukee at its absolute best. Times like this are earned in a city like Milwaukee.
So pack that parking lot four hours early in the bitter cold, be loud inside Miller Park and show the world what our city is all about. This is our time to shine on the national stage. To all of my friends and family back home, enjoy this moment and go Brewers!
By Mike Hogan, Sports Assignment Editor
hoganm17@bonaventure.edu
