Brenly Takes Jabs at Milwaukee

[bobskube]

In the top of the 7th, Kasper was talking about Milwaukee fans and how they are filling the park more. Brenly had this to say.

 

"What else are they gonna do?" This was followed by awkward silence from Kasper because he got his gig because of his early work at TMJ. Brenly then replied "Well maybe they can eat cheese or something."

 

This was a bit ignorant for me and it seemed like a sour grapes comment from a guy who had a horrible interview with Doug.

 

I live in Chicago and like to make fun of Milwaukee sometimes too, but I can because I lived there for 23 years. The comment kind of irritated me from Brenly like it would if one of my friends made fun of my dad's job or something. I think Brenly is a putz.

[Sheets4theHOF]

My sig continues to be true. Never change Bob, never change.

[Ennder]

I was reading a cubs blog today and they mentioned that it was sad because at most 25% of the fans at the park tonight were Brewer fans 4 years ago. My initial thought was that on any given night less than 50% of Cubs fans at a game are even paying attention to the game. They have one of the weakest fanbases in baseball from an actual fan knowledge standpoint.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

If there was nothing to do in Milwaukee, then why does half the city of Chicago migrate here for work, fun, education, etc?

[bobskube]

If there was nothing to do in Milwaukee, then why does half the city of Chicago migrate here for work, fun, education, etc?

Let's not get carried away although Marquette is half Illinisian. Work and fun-no-except for when I go to Miller Park like in 15 hours via Lincoln Park. Fun is had by Chicago people in Dells, Lake Geneva, and northern Wisconsin though. Definitely not Milwaukee.

[DougJones43]

Meh. It's Bob Brenly. I'd find eating fromunda cheese preferable to spending any time around that guy.

[SeriesFinale]

If there was nothing to do in Milwaukee, then why does half the city of Chicago migrate here for work, fun, education, etc?

Let's not get carried away although Marquette is half Illinisian. Work and fun-no-except for when I go to Miller Park like in 15 hours via Lincoln Park. Fun is had by Chicago people in Dells, Lake Geneva, and northern Wisconsin though. Definitely not Milwaukee.

I think Brenly's crack was a general one about the state and I think that's what TwR meant if not what he said.

 

And it's kinda what I always asked friends in Chicago when I was living there when they'd dog on Wisconsin: "Ever notice how much thicker the traffic is northbound on 90/94 on Friday nights and Saturday mornings?"

 

I'm a big fan of both places, Wisconsin and Chicago, having lived many years in both (although just Chicago proper--most of the Chicago suburbs are some of the homeliest, drabbest places on Earth, and the rest of the state? Forget about it), so I'm always torn when this kind of ridiculousness comes up, but I'm like you, Bob--it's like little brothers: Milwaukee is where I was born, Wisconsin is family, and as such, Milwaukee is mine to rip on, not theirs.

[bucks2281]

I think it's sour grapes because he didn't get the managerial job. Kind of a dopey and unprofessional thing to say in that situation. And if he wanted to rip on Milwaukee, he could think of something better to say than "everybody eats cheese here." Lame, IMO.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Deal with it Brenly, you got a prime example tonight of why Macha is a better choice for manager than you are. Have fun watching us sweep you this weekend!

[And That]

If you interview for the Milwaukee manager job and you are not a part of the coaching staff, well... Mr. Brenly, I hope broadcasting suits you.

[BCZF]

Ironically, when Bob Brenley leaves a room, the scent of Limburger wafts through the air..

[DHonks]

"I was reading a cubs blog today and they mentioned that it was sad because at most 25% of the fans at the park tonight were Brewer fans 4 years ago. My initial thought was that on any given night less than 50% of Cubs fans at a game are even paying attention to the game. They have one of the weakest fanbases in baseball from an actual fan knowledge standpoint. "

 

Ender,

I also think it's funny how most broadcasters rave about how Milwaukee has been a great baseball town for over 50 years. The reality is that Miller Park now is filling because fans now have an excuse to stop watching on TV or following in the paper. I've always felt that, because when my friends and I hung out as teenagers (I'm 28), a few of us were big fans, but the rest all knew what was going on with the team. They loosely followed the team, but they always wanted to follow more closely. In general, Milwaukee (and Wisconsin for that matter) sports fans are about as knowledgeable as any in the country. Boston fans are passionate as well. New York fans can be a bit obnoxious, but they tend to know their teams very well (just not the rest of the league). Here in AZ, people have scattered allegiances.

[Sheets4theHOF]

I also think it's funny how most broadcasters rave about how Milwaukee has been a great baseball town for over 50 years. The reality is that Miller Park now is filling because fans now have an excuse to stop watching on TV or following in the paper.

Exactly. The new trendy put down by cub fans is that half the brewers fans became fans very recently. While i'm sure its true there are some bandwagon jumpers, the brewers have had a loyal fanbase throughout the dark ages of the 90s. They just didn't go to ballpark as often as they do now. Unlike the crowds that filled that relic in chicago for years and years, milwaukee fans were smart enough not to subsidise bad baseball decisions.

[phxMILWfan]

I'd like to echo the sour grapes opinion on Brenly. If you think so little of the city and state don't try and get a job there. Also, it's a lot easier to fill Wrigley than it was to fill County Stadium considering the size difference in the stadiums. Add in the fact that the population difference between the cities is huge. I'd also guess that people in Chicago have/had more disposable income. Less seats, more people, more money to spend on the seats doesn't mean they are bigger or better fans.

[dlk9s]

Brenly wanted to become a Brewer for the jokes.

[craigharmann]

I was watching WGN and they were also talking about how one of the players just got in at 3 in the morning, and Brenly said, what's he gonna do? Eat cheese, I guess. He's an idiot.

[jeffy]

I always wonder what exactly are the things that one can "do" in Chicago (and other big cities), that one can not "do" here. What...there are more bars to go to? Even more place to shop? More Restaurants? More movie theaters? Reality seems to be that those are the thngs most people are actually "doing" in any city...so big deal.

 

Yes, there may be a couple extra museums and other "cultural" destinations, but really how often is the average person actually going to such places.

[Invader3K]

You can spend a lot more money because everything costs more and deal with more crazy people, in my experience.

[Nottso]

I always ask the Illinesians "If you hate it so bad, how come every one of you that manages to put a few nickels together moves up here?"

[phxMILWfan]

I'm so not cool that I don't really know what these "night clubs" are even like. Do they mean a strip club? I don't see these athletes going out and dancing. I don't get it. It always bothers me when athletes don't want to play in Milwaukee. Just live half way to Chicago then if you want to be near the big city. It's a 45 minute commute then and 45 minutes to the clubs. I live outside of Phoenix. It takes me 15 minutes to get to the grocery store. A lot of the players live in Scottsdale where the commute is 45 minutes.

[mothershipconnection]

I don't get why eating cheese is funny. As Richard Dawkins said:

 

What is it with cheese? American friends have suggested to me a connection with the notoriously liberal state of Wisconsin -- home of the FFRF (Freedom from Religion Foundation) and centre of the dairy industry -- but surely there must be more to it than that? And how about those French 'cheese-eating surrender-monkeys'? What is the semiotic iconography of cheese?

[Invader3K]

I'm so not cool that I don't really know what these "night clubs" are even like. Do they mean a strip club? I don't see these athletes going out and dancing. I don't get it. It always bothers me when athletes don't want to play in Milwaukee. Just live half way to Chicago then if you want to be near the big city. It's a 45 minute commute then and 45 minutes to the clubs. I live outside of Phoenix. It takes me 15 minutes to get to the grocery store. A lot of the players live in Scottsdale where the commute is 45 minutes.

I think the "not wanting to play in Milwaukee" thing is overblown. Yeah, some guys want the limelight of New York or LA...but I think most of the past sentiment comes from the fact that the Brewers wouldn't or couldn't compete with salaries offered by bigger city teams. Plus the fact that the team used to be seen as perennial losers who wouldn't spend to win.

[Thurston Fluff]

I always wonder what exactly are the things that one can "do" in Chicago (and other big cities), that one can not "do" here.

 

Same here. I love going to Chicago for the museums and it does have a pretty good comedy scene but truthfull I've seen some pretty good shows in Wisconsin as well. The midwest in general is good for comedy. Wisconsinites are quite up to date in that respect. When I go to clubs they seem pretty much the same in every town. Big city night life is way overblown IMO.

[Team Canada]

Not to derail the thread, but only someone from another country would call Wisconsin "notoriously liberal." Madison, maybe..

[homer]

The worst thing about that comment from Brenly is that he used an old, tired, stereotype (if you can even call it that) to try to be funny. As such, it wasn't even close to being funny. It's like making fun of a Boston accent or how cold it is in Minnesota in the winter.

 

 

And having lived my adult life in equal parts Scottsdale, Milwukee, and Chicago I can say with perfect certainty that there is more to do in Chicago than either of those cities. If I was married and didn't go out as much I would think Milwaukee was perfect but once you've lived there and been single for four years or so you start seeing the same people at the same bars every week. I never have that problem in Chicago. There are just more options out there in more neighborhoods. And that goes for more than just bars. If I want Ethiopian one night and Vietnamese the next I can find both within a mile of my place. Also the music scene is much bigger in Chicago. I can see good live acts every night of the week in every genre you can imagine. Backup mentioned comedy - I can see improv or sketch every night of the week at multiple venues as well. Not saying Chicago is a "better" city but there is definitley more to do.

 

One nice thing Milwaukee has over Chicago is that it's easy to get around via car and there are more affordable golf courses within easy reach of the city. Chalk it up to cheap real estate closer to the population center I suppose.