Okay...

I've vented my spleen on the tweeter. I've unfollowed some people who just had to be hilarious. And that's fine. But here's the deal. That loss will be the tipping point. The schedule gets a lot tougher from here on out.

This loss will be much like Navy to Notre Dame. An unsurvivable loss. Mike McCarthy allowed this team to hang around and give a rookie quarterback the time he needs to find his confidence. He's gone. And if Mike McCarthy goes? It goes without saying that Dom Capers may follow. And as much as Ted Thompson can cull some diamonds in the rough? His inability to find an offensive lineman will be his doom.

(And don't get me started on the fact that Daryn Colledge is fine with this loss. If he had heart? He wouldn't have been made to do a Sasha Pavlocic impression when he got bullrushed.)

And I have been a staunch Aaron Rodgers defender. No matter how badly it's broken? I've said Rodgers was the right call. But the man is scared under center. He's holding the ball like he's Tim Tebow and getting sacked like he's David Carr. Of course, redemption is only three fights away, but this is me at my lowest, darkest, and if you follow my twitter feed, craziest point.

Of course? They have eight games left. But here's the second half schedule.

Dallas
San Fransisco
@ Detroit (Thanksgiving)
Baltimore
@ Chicago
@ Pittsburgh
Seattle
@ Arizona

It's not impossible that McCarthy can go back to the spread and shred 4 wide sets that allowed Favre to get off to such a good start in 2007. But here's the deal. 6-10 looks like it's fated.

And I'm kind of sad about it, you know?

I hate Jarrod Washburn.

I just do. He has not committed injustice toward me in any form or fashion. Even at his worst? He has never been outright awful. He's just overrated. Especially this season.

Suffice it to say? He's in the middle of a contract drive. Luck is on his side. And he is pitching out of his mind. The team that acquires him will not be getting a pitcher who has an under three ERA. They will be getting someone whose ERA will rise. I don't even care that there will be an AL-NL swing, I will be right stunned if he ends the year with an ERA below three. Make it 3.30.

For Milwaukee? Giving up Alcides Escobar for him would be downright stupid. And I like Branden Morrow. He has a chance to have a run of closer dominance for a good 4-6 years. But asking him to start is the wrong thing to do. He doesn't have the third pitch.

So, I would honestly wait. The Deadline's Friday. The Brewers fans have a sparring partner for these next four days. If disaster strikes, stand pat. If they run the table? Let's see if we can't get Balentien and another prospect thrown in. I like Jharmidy DeJesus.

That's a name you know.

You know what?

I like to write. I do. And just because I'm struggling to make the blogging donuts so to speak does not mean that I am not writing. I am just at a peak state of disunity.

In the story of my life, this just means I am ready to do something bold. Or at the very least something. Because you know what? Great stories start off from a dilemma. Great stories start off from conflict.



This is why I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I want Brett Favre to sign with the Vikings. It will be the greatest sports story of 2009. You have the aged hero cast asunder by the team that made him the single greatest quarterback not named Tom Brady on the history of Earth, joining their rivals for closure. Everybody loves a well drawn protagonist. Everybody loves the three-dimensional tragic hero.

And here is why Brett Favre a tragic hero.

1) The Archetypal Tragic Hero is almost universally male.
2) The tragic hero is either noble by berth or rises to a noble station.
3) The hero is faced with a serious decision.
4) The tragic flaw is in this instance Hubris. A.k.a. I'm 39, I can still play a professional level starting quarterback.
5) The downfall is meant to arouse pity and fear in both audience and actor.

Here's where we have to wonder. Most of your tragic heroes realize that they have committed some major mistake against God or society and it was by their own hand. Brett has been in a country-fried version of Hamlet for the better part of the decade. His story cannot close until he realizes the sins that he's committed if he's a tragic hero.


HOWEVER!

Since the days of Arthur Miller, we have seen a rise of people who fall under a new designation. These are people who follow the characteristics for the tragic. But they do not have the gumption to realize they have sinned and they are doomed to suffer. These stories may be open-ended. And they may not even end with a characters death.

These are your anti-heroes. But there is more to the story with Brett Favre. He has an adaptable cunning, a mysterious magnetic charisma, social and sexual dominance, and outright arrogance. If someone writes the story of Brett Favre, it would have to be...



Lord Byron. His is the pen that would ink Favres story best.

Boom. Learned.

The Bucks now have the Heir to a beef jerky fortune.

Okay, the Argentinean back-up center isn't really a part of the frito-lay family. And in terms of direct value? This is about 30 cents on the dollar for RJ. I mean, Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio?

Outside of crippling the Spurs frontcourt depth? They win the deal. Great value for a cheap price. They can get a Chuck Hayes 4 in the draft and refill other picks that way.

But as for the Bucks? This is likely step one. They can make other moves. (Redd/Ridnour for T-Mac?) But if this move allows the Bucks to keep Ramon and Villy? Then it's a win. It doesn't matter if the Bucks go 21-61. They can't keep trying to be a seven seed.

That doesn't help anybody. You need a plan. You can't exist as a seven seed.

I think all is getting back to good with the world...

Why? Because John Calipari just tapped his inner Nick Saban. John Calipari was always more interesting as a villain coach. The story of Memphis was just kind of dull. Well, it was after he stopped taking dudes like DaJuan Wagner.

Now? He leaves Memphis as a program on an island. The recruiting class is gone. The Senior leaders are gone. They are in a mid-major conference. Unless they get a wow-singing. And I mean it. You can't get the coach from Siena and keep the perceptions up.

And as for Kentucky? They get a coach who is unafraid to go back to the Joe B. Hall era of Kentucky ball. This means more than your simple text messages. This means Nate Miles is going to find a way to get his car-stealing and creepy stalking two-guard ass to Lexington.

You're going to see a brief flash of success. Then it's gonna get bad.

And I love you for it Lexington.

Bubble Watch: Wisconsin Badgers

In Feburary, it's a dark time for sports. The Super Bowl is over. Pitchers and catchers and report, and yay. But what else? Nothing.

This is where the Bubble Watch comes in. Every other day or two? We'll roll up here and discuss the divinity of teams on the fence. Today? We'll start with a modern power that's been made of close losses and one bad streak.



Wisconsin Badgers (13-9, 5-6)
RPI: 27
SOS: 3
vs. Top 25: 1-3
vs. Top 50: 3-7
Quality Wins: vs. Illinois, @ Virginia Tech, @ Michigan
Bad Losses: at Iowa is the closest thing.

The mishagoes of the Badgers have been discussed in depth on the site. A team that's based on not fouling has fouled too much. They can't defend the three. Scorers can disappear often during crunch time. Suffice it to say? It's been a strange year in Madison.

That being said? Two games with Indiana and strong computer numbers can be worth a lot.



Remaining Games: Iowa, Ohio State, @ Indiana, @ Michigan State, Michigan, @ Minnesota, Indiana

With the sudden burst of momentum and emphatic wins versus Illinois and at Penn State? You can see the Badgers getting to Michigan State on a five game winning streak. You can see a 5-2 finish here. And is 10 Big 10 wins enough? I'd say yeah.

Final Judgements
Record: 19-12, 11-9 (Out after 2nd Big 10 Game.)
Last 12 Games: 8-4

Are they In? 9 Seed.

Tonight?

Tonight someone from the Badgers beeds to step up and bust the zone. It is what it is. The Badgers have been beaten by equals and scared by subpars who have zoned them to death. And with a team of athletes like Texas? We could be in for a blowout.

But there will not be blood. Bo is a smart man. And he will open up the offense for three-point shooters. And if the Badgers can go for 50% from beyond the arc. It will be a classic. However? Texas isn't going to sleepwalk. And I cannot give the Badgers a homer call.

Texas 68, Wisconsin 60. Or somesuchnonsense.

And as for the finals of the Paradise Jam

If Brian Butch was granted a 27th year of eligibility, maybe I could see UConn getting upset versus your Wisconsin Badgers, but unless Jon Leuer can get Hasheem Thabeet to cover his Brad Lohausian game? The Badgers are going to struggle.

UConn should win by fifteen on paper. I can see that. Something like 76-60.

And remember? Who said Cal Poly could beat Wisco?

Me. I know my Badgers. They are overrated or just plain bad.

UPDATE: UConn 76-Wisconsin 57. I'm missing being scary good by 3.

I will disavow any knowledge of this post if I am wrong.

Even if I am on the front page with it. It will never have happened if I'm wrong.

But you have a team that has shown an ability to put points on the board in a rapid manner. You have a team that can stop the run and attack the perimeters with pretty good speed. You have the Pharoh. And they're going up against a team with nothing to really play for.

Ramses and Cal Poly can pyramid the Badgers Buzzy Beetle on Level 2 of Super Mario Bros. 3 style.

But if I'm wrong. I'm deleting this.

Rooting for the Badgers is like rooting for Crystal Meth.

Because it fucks me up something fierce.

GO NITTANY LIONS!