{image1} Big announcements from the Packers and Brewers last week have fueled expectations for both teams.
In case you were living in a cave for the week, the Packers announced that Mike Sherman was stripped of his GM job and will serve as only coach, with former Packers and Seattle executive Ted Thompson taking over the Green Bay GM post.
The sale of the Brewers to a group headed by Los Angeles investor Mark Attanasio was approved by MLB owners at a meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.
This writer could not help but be struck on how expectations expressed by fans varied, based largely on the success or failure of the respective teams in recent years.
Many fans think the move in Green Bay will give the Packers a better chance at making the Super Bowl. Sherman's 53-27 regular season record and three straight division championships didn't prove enough as the Packers made rather early exits in the playoffs each of his years.
Expectations in Green Bay are very high. Sherman has said so himself. After Mike Holmgren took the Packers to the Super Bowl twice, it's expected that the team should challenge for the big game every year.
Of course, those expectations are very unrealistic, and will get even more unlikely. Brett Favre will retire one of these days, and the Packers will face some major rebuilding. Even if Favre plays for another season or two, he cannot single-handedly lead the Packers to the Super Bowl. A more realistic hope might be one more division championship in the near future.
After 12 years of losing, the Brewers face lesser expectations. Only naïve fans believe the change in ownership will bring an immediate winner.
Attanasio said he would like to build a winner at Miller Park in three years. Many fans would like to see it happen earlier, but will probably think anything close to .500 is fine for a year or two.
Here are some words of wisdom from a professional observer of state sports for more than 35 years. The quickest way to delude yourself -- whether it's as a sports fan or in any part of life -- is to set your expectations too high. A surety of mediocrity is to set them too low. So, state sports fans might have to seek a happy medium when setting their hopes for the Packers and Brewers in upcoming seasons.
A second adage: trends are bound to change over history. This writer covered the Brewers when they were the hottest sports commodity in the state, and the Pack when it was "back...way back." Then that changed in the 1990s.
We might be on the verge of seeing it shift again -- with the Packers facing some rebuilding years "post-Favre" and the Brewers about to build into a contender in the next few years under new ownership. Such changes are inevitable over time.
Packers Moves
So what are some of the more specific implications of the moves in Green Bay? First, team president Bob Harlan called the addition of Thompson "help" for not criticism of Sherman. But, it also is a recognition that under Sherman the Packers' drafts have at best had mixed success. Thompson is considered an expert in the draft.
Second, the move also might indicate the Packers want to scrutinize Sherman as a coach. His contract is up after next season. With Thompson on board, the scrutiny can be done by a seasoned NFL personnel man.
Although all seemed to be love and kisses at the press conferences, Sherman also might want out under the circumstances. His agent had asked for a contract extension before all the changes came down and was scheduled to meet with Thompson this week.
Third, if Favre retires, could Thompson's ties to Seattle bring Matt Hasselbeck back to Green Bay? Hasselbeck, a former backup to Favre who became the starter under Holmgren in Seattle, is a free agent. Thompson is said to not be big on building through free agency, but if Favre retired now the Packers would be hurting for a replacement and would not have time to groom a young QB.
It's likely that Holmgren and the Seahawks will make every effort to re-sign Hasselbeck before Favre reaches his decision. If that's the case, the Packers could still look elsewhere. Kurt Warner also is as a free agent and could serve as a Band-Aid until a younger QB was ready.
Sherman reportedly has asked Favre to make a decision before March 1, so the Packers could be prepared to participate in the free agent market if necessary.
Of course, as emphasized in the lead part of this column, whenever Favre retires, the Packers will face some painful rebuilding whether Sherman, Thompson, Ron Wolf or Vince Lombardi served as GM.
Hot Tix
The Bucks, a state team struggling to live up to expectations, host the NBA champion Detroit Pistons at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Bradley Center.
In college basketball, the best game on tap is next Tuesday night when the UW Badgers put their home winning streak on the line against top-ranked Illinois in a 6 p.m. game at the Kohl Center. Before that game, the Badgers travel to Michigan on Saturday.
Marquette travels to DePaul Thursday night and then hosts Charlotte at the Bradley Center in a 2 p.m. game Saturday. UWM hosts Cleveland State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the U.S. Cellular Arena and then goes to Detroit over the weekend.
The Admirals host San Antonio at 7 p.m. Thursday and Hamilton at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in American Hockey League action. Both games are at the B.C.
In soccer, the Wave meets the Cleveland Force at the U.S. Cellular Arena at 6:05 p.m. Saturday.
Brewers' fans can meet players and talk some Hot Stove baseball at the On Deck event from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday at Brookfield Square. Attanasio is leading off the event.
