Wave, Danica and much more

Well it has now been 4 days since the Milwaukee Wave lost a heart breaker to the Baltimore Blast in the MISL semi finals...but I am still not over the loss.

This season was tougher than the last few, just because of the personal & professional relationship I have built with the Wave organization. Just like the team and many fans, I dreamed of Michael King hoisting the MISL championship trophy up at the Cell (no dropping it on his head this time...lol) and end his career on the ultimate high note.

That was not to be.

Though the Wave put up a valiant effort, being two players down and obviously tired, the Blast came out on the better end once again and secured their spot in the championship this coming Saturday again LaRaza Monterrey. Regardless, I will be there with my family, but it's not going to be the same without the familiar faces of Greg Howes, Marcio Leite, Nick Vorberg, Troy Dusosky and of course Michael King being on that field.

Yes there is always next year...but with the lineup Keith Tozer had to work with this year....I thought this was the year for championship #5.

Thank you to the Milwaukee Wave for a season filled with memories...the next season will not start soon enough for me and my family!!
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The story that should have gotten a lot more attention, but didn't was Danica Patrick notching her first Indy Series victory this past weekend in Japan.
This is a huge story because Patrick has done what no other woman has done before....won an event in a sport dominated by women. Yes it did get some cursory press coverage, but this is monumental.
I had the opportunity to meet Danica Patrick a couple of years ago at the Milwaukee Mile, while she was driving for one of the "feeder" series for IRL. You could tell at that time she was meant to be a superstar. She exuded the confidence of someone that had been driving in the big time for years. The one thing that caught my attention was her frustration with the same old "woman driving in a man's sport" questions. I met her after she had talked to about a half dozen undereducated reporters...guys that wanted to talk to the pretty girl that was driving.

Unfortunately a couple years later I believe she is still fielding the same ridiculous, sexist questions that plagued her in the beginning.

Personally I am happy for Danica Patrick that she finally got this "monkey" off her back, but realize that in this new season of open wheel racing (with the merger of Indycar and Champcar) that the pressure is on even harder for her to succeed even more. Danica Patrick is the face of open wheel racing in America....she is the true star of that series and the only 100% marketable personality in a racing series that has lacked one for many years.
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One of my favorite Brewers is wearing a new uniform...and I am not talking about Geoff Jenkins.
Gabe Gross was traded immediately following the Brewers 9-8 extra inning win over the St. Louis Cardinals...a move that brought cheers from many sports talk hosts and fans.

The main thing Gabe will be remembered for is not his play on the field, but his entrance music.
In a day and age where most players come out to rap, hip-hop or the latest rock hit, Gabe Gross stuck with his beliefs and came out to Christian music. The 2007 season was Mercy Me's "I Can Only Imagine". Of course most cringed at this, but I reveled in it every time he came to the plate. My kids would be excited because they knew the song.

It sickens me how many sports talkers (and fans as well) in this town would love to spend more time bashing Gabe Gross' song selection, rather than focus on the fact that he is a great example of a Christian athlete. Yeah I suppose negativity draws calls and ratings, but that's not what I am about!

God bless you Gabe Gross...may your career flourish in Tampa Bay!!!
My family will miss you!
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One more for you...