Between the Bars

Goodbye, Prince.

It’s official, Prince Fielder is leaving the Milwaukee Brewers to play for the Detroit Tigers, thus devastating the two people left in Wisconsin who actually thought he’d stay in Milwaukee.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Fielder knew he could make the big bucks elsewhere; after all, Milwaukee is a small market and, therefore, has financial limitations. It wouldn’t have been wise for the Brewers to sign Fielder to a deal as lucrative as the one Detroit offered - a nine-year, $214 million contract. Sure, a signing like that may have paid huge dividends in 2012, but it would have hurt the team long term.

While in a Brewers uniform Fielder gave his team and the city of Milwaukee everything he had. He helped put Milwaukee back on the map by bring baseball back to life in Brew City.

In honor of this earth-shattering occasion, let me take you back to some of my favorite Prince moments as a Brewer...

2012 Opening Day ticket lottery begins

Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in just 25 days, and baseball returns to Miller Park in 74.

Yes, I’m keeping track!

As Brewers fans count down the days, we can press our luck in the 2012 Opening Day ticket lottery to try and score seats for the Brewers Home Opener on April 6. I just registered for my chance to buy tickets – and I just registered Eric, too.

Beginning today, January 24, at 10 a.m., and continuing through Tuesday, February 14, fans can go to the team's website and register for the chance to purchase up to four tickets to the coveted Opening Day. In addition, fans can register for a maximum of eight tickets to each of the Marquee and Gold games at Miller Park this season.

This Week: The Braun saga continues, so Wisconsin will undoubtedly continue to binge drink.

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post offers a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I’ll find by sifting through other blogs and online news sources. Basically, it’s a half-assed post that will allow other bloggers/writers/reporters to do the work for me so that I can keep you informed, dear readers.

• Last week, The Atlantic published a study aptly titled “The Geography Of American Binge Drinking,” and, as it turns out, the Midwest is really into drinking large quantities of booze in a short period of time. Wow. Shocking.

• The New York Daily News reported late last week that Ryan Braun's appeal has started. Braun will go before a three-man panel, which will decide whether Braun will serve a 50-game suspension during the 2012 season or if he will become the first major-league player to have a positive drug test overtuned. Stay tuned.

Wisconsin State Fair showcased on Travel Channel

Last night, I was trying to figure out what to watch and stumbled upon the Travel Channel, which was featuring footage from the 2011 Wisconsin State Fair. "State Fair Foods" explored various state fair treats found around the country, and you can bet our now official state dessert - the cream puff - was highlighted.

Speaking of cream puffs, check out this clip.

And this clip covers all of the seafood options - of all things - at the State Fair. This should tide you over until August.

The Wisconsin State Fair will be featured again on the Travel Channel during the special "State Fair Competitions," which will focus on interesting state fair competitions. I can only hope they showcase the Moo-la-palooza Mooing Competition. The episode airs at 5 p.m. Jan. 28 and will be followed by a repeat of the State Fair food episode at 6 p.m.

The Packers lost because of Megan and sparkly nail polish

We all know how the game ended. But did you know that it was Megan's fault the Packers lost, not the team's lack in passing defense?

Casey Lewis has been all over the internet because of her epic, drunken meltdown that was inspired by the Packers' 37-20 loss to the Giants, and recorded by her sister Megan during the car ride home from Lambeau Field Sunday night.

The 24-year-old die-hard Packers fan had worn the same nail polish since last year when the team went on its Super Bowl run. Sunday she took Megan's advice and went with the sparkly nail polish instead. Hilarity ensued.

“The Packers were supposed to win the Super Bowl! They didn’t because you told me to put sparkles on my nails!”

Video via Deadspin

This Week: Things to discuss besides the Packers' painful loss

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post offers a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I’ll find by sifting through other blogs and online news sources. Basically, it’s a half-assed post that will allow other bloggers/writers/reporters to do the work for me so that I can keep you informed, dear readers.

• How about we talk about something we actually won this weekend? The Miss America pageant. Kenosha-native Laura Kaeppeler was crowned Miss America Saturday night. So, we have that.

• Also, the Milwaukee County Parks Department is considering adding some beer gardens to several city parks. The Business Journal reports, “the idea is to create a picnic atmosphere at the parks reminiscent of days gone by.” The parks department already has talked to local breweries, and several are interested in supplying beer. I am 100% behind this idea, by the way.

It's winter. Let's not overreact.

Note: Some of the content of this post was updated for 2012. Between the Bars continually updates the many posts available here, though it's possible some details may have changed. Consider calling first if you have specific questions about the business or activity mentioned in this post.

The snow began to gently fall at about 10 a.m. this morning just as I stopped by the break room for my second cup of coffee. My coworkers, who seemingly had been waiting all morning for the flurries to begin, were peering out the second floor window and, in chorus, raised objection to the first major snowfall in the most vulgar of ways – a heated singsong of profanities that reverberated off the vaulted ceilings of our office building.

The “die, Old Man Fucking Winter, die” sentiment was echoed throughout the office all afternoon as the white stuff continued to cover streets and cars and rooftops and lampposts inch by inch.

This Week: Random musings

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post offers a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I’ll find by sifting through other blogs and online news sources. Basically, it’s a half-assed post that will allow other bloggers/writers/reporters to do the work for me so that I can keep you informed, dear readers.

• Set those DVRs… it was just announced that Wisconsin’s own Bon Iver will be the featured musical guest on Saturday Night Live on Feb. 4. The SNL gig will be the first of many ultra-high-profile events for Bon Iver, who will be up for four Grammys Feb. 12, and will play the main stage at Coachella in April.

• Last week, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel announced that it would be entering the world of online paid subscriptions, and that non-subscribers would be able to read only 20 articles a month. But don't fret! The Journal Sentinel publicized that online coverage of the non-existent snow storm is free!

This Week: Packers head into postseason, plus Milwaukee no longer is 'drunkest city'

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post offers a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I’ll find by sifting through other blogs and online news sources. Basically, it’s a half-assed post that will allow other bloggers/writers/reporters to do the work for me so that I can keep you informed, dear readers.

• The Daily Beast put together its annual list of “America’s Drunkest Cities” and, as it turns out, Milwaukee is ranked only number three in 2011, down from number one in 2010. What does this mean? Clearly, we have some work to do in 2012, drunkards.

• Sunday's shootout win against the Lions, 45-41, polished off arguably the Packers' best regular season EVER. They're 15-1, the NFC's top seed with home field advantage, and just three wins separate the Pack from a 5th Vince Lombardi Trophy, reports the Journal Sentinel.

I trust that everyone had a safe and fun New Year's Eve. I sure did. I'll fill you in on all of the deets later this week, so be sure to check back soon. Unit then, happy New Year!

Photo comes from gettyimages.com by Vincenzo Papa