As publisher of OnMilwaukee.com, I have final say over the news and features stories you read in this magazine. One place I don't stick my nose, however, is the commentary written by our freelance columnists.
The venerable Dave Begel is always a lightning rod with his weekly opinion piece, and I like that. When people stop reacting, they stop caring. Sometimes I agree with what he writes, other times I don't. I never stop him, however, from speaking his mind.
This week's piece, however, couldn't be more off, and I feel inclined to offer a rebuttal.
Dave asserts that Brewers' majority owner Mark Attanasio may consider selling the Brewers and snapping up the erstwhile Dodgers. I think he's mostly kidding – at least I hope he is – but mark my words: this will not happen. Not now, not next year, not ever. And here's why:
Since Attanasio bought the team in 2005, he's been nothing short of a model Milwaukee citizen. It's true that he doesn't live here full-time, but neither does Bob Uecker. Attanasio and his family own a place Downtown. He attends games. General Manager Doug Melvin, himself, told me that he speaks to his boss almost every day. Attanasio is anything but hands-off owner.
Attanasio is active in Milwaukee charities and has shown a willingness to open his checkbook to make the Brewers a winning team. Sure, he grew up a Yankees fan, but I have no doubt that he now bleeds Brewers blue and gold. Yes, his kid probably did get preferential treatment to play at Summerfest, but was one of the many hundreds of acts at the Big Gig; his band was hardly headlining the Marcus Amphitheater.
And, Attanasio denied any interest in the Dodgers.
"It's great to be here," he told MLB.com. "My wife and my family just moved into a new place in Downtown Milwaukee, and we're excited to be part of the city and building what we hope is a championship team here."
I have no reason not to believe him. Unless the Yankees came up for sale, Attanasio isn't going anywhere, and even then, I'm not sure he's that rich.
Bottom line: it's fun to inject a little drama, but Begel's column this week is pure fiction. In a season that promises to be a great ride, let's instead focus, relish and speculate on what's happening inside the lines.
The Brewers have a great owner in Mark Attanasio, and no matter what is happening in Los Angeles, we can take great pride in knowing that our hometown franchise remains in great hands.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
