With a nod to Natasha Bedingfield who sang, "... there's so many beautiful reasons I have to be happy."

The song could become the anthem for Milwaukee because our boys, the Brewers, have given us so many reasons that we have to be happy.

1. The Milwaukee Brewers aren't the Green Bay Packers

The Packers won the Super Bowl, but say what you will, they really aren't our team. They belong to Green Bay. We share them. We feel like they belong to us. But they don't. Not really. The Milwaukee Brewers, though, now that team belongs to us. We don't share them with Wausau or Lodi or Middleton or Green Bay. They are the Milwaukee Brewers. Civic Pride.

2. They got there without a Rent-A-Star

The last time the team edged into the playoffs, it took a rental agreement with CC Sabathia to get us there. Everybody knew he was coming in for half a season or so and then would disappear. Kind of like Sandy D'Amato of Sanford's coming over and cooking dinner for your family for a week and then leaving you standing in front of the stove with a spoon in your hand.

This team has been built with guys who aren't looking over their shoulder at the next bus out of town (Prince may be leaving, but he's paid his dues here. It's a different deal, entirely).

3. Consider this a reward for Bob Uecker, who deserves a reward more than most of us

For the last 100 years of so, Uecker has been the model of the perfect radio broadcaster. Funny, of course. Knowledgeable, certainly. But more than either of those, it has been his loyalty. This is a guy who went through Dean Taylor and countless other executives and managers and coaches and good for nothing players. And he has never, ever turned on this team. He was honest, but he was also charitable. He used his unbelievable sense of humor to give us a sanctuary from the horrors of losing seasons. Listening to Uecker call Ryan Braun's home run the night they clinched is the kind of stuff that puts goose bumps on your arm and sends a chill down your spine. If anyone on the Milwaukee Brewers deserves a World Series crown, it's Uecker.

4. Once again, we are reminded that Wisconsin Avenue is the heart of our city

The date was Sunday, Oct.10, 1982. Cecil Cooper hit a two-run single and the Milwaukee Brewers miraculously beat the California Angels to earn a trip to the World Series. I had a notebook in hand as I stood at the corner of 3rd and Wisconsin and watched cars and people and buses and more cars and more people parade up and down Wisconsin Avenue. Shouting, crying, clapping and, yes, drinking beer in open automobiles. Nobody said let's go to National or Villard or Green Bay Avenues. They all knew where to go. The heart of Milwaukee. Wisconsin Avenue.

5. Who says you can't buy a championship (or not all hedge fund managers are bad guys)?

When Mark Attanasio bought the Brewers from the Selig family, the payroll was just under $28 million. This year it's above $80 million. And not all of that is inflation. Not even most of it. It's like the guy who walks into fancy restaurant with ten bucks in his pocket. The restaurant guy says all he gets for that is a piece of two day old chicken and some wilted lettuce. It takes money to play in this league, the restaurant guy tells his customer. Well, we obviously got the money and right now we are playing in the big leagues. So, we all ought to be happy that the hedge fund managed by Attanasio is a huge success.

6. Being a champion means we can be gracious and give up hate

One of the best things about finishing first is that you can be generous and solicitous of your rivals. We don't have to hate the Cubs anymore. Chicago? Nice little team there. Big payroll, but have a good winter. Tony LaRussa? Keep on bitching and complaining. St. Louis is a very nice city and we even love your beer. But, second place is, well, it's second place.

7. No drama, no drama, no drama

This baseball team has proven that a bunch of nice guys don't necessarily finish last. Think about this season. Nothing much happened to garner headlines, except losing and winning. First they lost a lot, but kept their heads. Then they won a lot, but kept their heads. Sure, Francisco Rodriguez said he'd rather be a closer than a set-up man. But in the panoply of disruptive sports stars, that ranks somewhere with Andy Roddick throwing one of three balls away before he serves. You know, "Big F***ing Deal." Most of the absence of drama can be laid at the doorstep of Ron Roenicke, who sure should be in the conversation for Manager of the Year.

8. And finally, there are still questions to be answered, so the fascination hasn't ended

For example:

• Why do they call Rodriguez K-Rod? I could understand F-Rod or R-Rod, but nobody has ever explained K-Rod to me.
• Another thing, is there any way we can keep the racing sausages off national television? Call me crazy, but there's something about that whole thing that smacks of minor-league.
• Can Fox Sports spend some money and get some people who know something and are good on TV to do the pre- and post-game shows? I love Davey Nelson, but geez, not much there with a camera on him. Mark Concannon? Call Paul Molitor. He's up in Minneapolis with nothing to do. I think we've all forgiven him. And he's great on TV.
• Is Prince Fielder going to be so happy that he rejects a billion-dollar offer from someone in order to stay with Ryan Braun and only make half a billion dollars? I know this is a fantasy question, but really Prince, what can't you buy now that you'll be able to buy next year? And do you really think you will be happier in Baltimore, Chicago, Texas or L.A.?