The Milwaukee Post

What is Rickie Weeks thinking? He's making $11 million. Actually, no one makes $11 million a year. He makes $11 MILLION. He has played so poorly the last two sea- sons that he lost his starting job to Scooter Gennett. If you are making $11 MILLION, you should never lose your job in the major leagues to a guy named Scooter. So, this past week it was reported by Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Brewers manager Ron Roenicke asked Weeks if he thought he could play the outfield or first base. Weeks responded by saying, "I'm a sec- ond baseman." What? He didn't really say that, did he? The Brewers are in a bind because of injuries and poor outfield play. They need help. Rickie Weeks is making $11 MIL- LION. He is not holding up his end of the donkey. He has to know that. Roenicke didn't demand that Weeks had to play more than one position. The man- ager didn't say that Weeks had to accept a new role or the only part of his body that would get sore would be his butt from sit- ting on the bench for every inning for every game until he changed his mind. Roenicke asked Weeks if he thought he could play those new positions. "I'm a second baseman," said Weeks. "I feel like right now I should be playing sec- ond base." As for the possibility of changing his mind, Weeks said, "Right now, I'm a sec- ond baseman." Actually, he's a reserve second baseman making $11 MILLION, and he's telling the Brewers where he should be playing. I try to figure out what he's thinking, but it's really hard. Maybe he's mad because he thinks he should be starting ahead of Scooter. Maybe he's mad because he wants to be traded. Maybe he's mad because he's not being given the respect due him because he's been such a great player and team- mate with the Brewers. Even if all those things are true, Roenicke is trying to give him a better chance to start or get traded. Weeks can get more at-bats by playing other posi- tions. And the team is winning. Shouldn't that have Weeks feeling good in even a small way? It's not like the team stinks, and he's been asked to change positions to help get the team out of last place. He's not on the Cubs. It's been stated by many in the Brewers organization that Weeks is a great team player. He has always been given high marks for effort and dedication even when his play on the field was below average. I've always believed it, and Weeks might have been a great teammate prior to Sunday. "I'm a second baseman." No, you are an overpaid, underperform- ing player who is lucky that your manager specializes in rational thinking and not testosterone-driven tantrums. Roenicke will continue to play Weeks as long as the $11 MILLION man continues to play like a starter. I'm pretty sure that a host of other managers would demand that Weeks change his mind or be released. Until Wednesday night, I had never booed a player on a team I supported. Never. It always felt wrong. It didn't matter how poorly a player performed, he was on my team. It's as if players are teammates in a way. I wouldn't boo a teammate that I played with, so players on my favorite team got the same respect. I wouldn't cheer all the time, but I would never boo. Until Wednesday night. When Rickie Weeks pinch hit, I let him have it. BOO. He didn't hear it. I didn't care. It felt good. It felt even better when he got a hit. BOO. I'm not Ron Roenicke. It's not about his play on the field. "I'm a second baseman." BOO. May 16, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 11 "HOMER" on SPORTS STEVE "The HOMER" TRUE (Ste v e "The Homer" True, host of "Homer and Thunder Show," heard from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays on 540 ESPN, can be reached at homer@espnmilwaukee.com) Well-paid Weeks should have considered playing left field Post Staff MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Wave will compete in the Professional Arena Soccer League and play their games at the U.S. Cellular Arena for the 2014-15 season, according to a Wave news release Monday. The move to the new league was expected after the team was released from the Major Indoor Soccer League. The Wave had been in negotiations to join the PASL, which featured 20 teams in the United States and Mexico last season and will add seven new teams, including the Wave, for the upcoming season. "I like the PASL economic platform a lot," Wave owner Mike Zimmerman said. "In the past, the Wave operated like the New York Yankees. (The) PASL puts all team on a more even playing field. These new operating rules put in place are critical to our financial success." The Wave also announced they are searching for a new head coach to replace longtime coach Keith Tozer and that a decision should be made in the weeks ahead. Tozer and the Wave amicably parted ways after 22 years following the 2013-14 season. Wave moves to Professional Arena Soccer League Northwestern Mutual to sponsor Rose Bowl By DWAYNE BUTLER Post Editor MILWAUKEE – Northwestern Mutual announced Wednesday it will become the presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl game beginning in 2015, as part of an expansive partnership with ESPN. The deal, which runs through 2020, includes content across ESPN's coverage of 23 college sports cham- pionships. " N o r t h w e s t e r n Mutual is very proud to become presenting spon- sor of the Rose Bowl game. As a company that has helped Americans achieve financial securi- ty for nearly 160 years, we have enormous respect for the game's historic place in college sports," said John Schlifske, chairman and CEO of Northwestern Mutual. "This spon- sorship is a natural fit for our company, because many of our clients and prospects follow college sports and many of Northwestern Mutual's top financial repre- sentatives are former NCAA student-ath- letes." Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN Global Customer Marketing and Sales, added, "The Rose Bowl Game is one of the most celebrat- ed events of the year. We look forward to working with Northwestern Mutual in this, the inaugural year of the College Football Playoff, and beyond." As part of the agreement, Northwestern Mutual will be the sponsor when the bowl hosts the College Football Playoff semifinal in the inaugural year of 2015, as well as in 2018. The company will be prominently fea- tured on in-stadium signage, including the midfield logo, tickets and uniform patches. The deal also includes commercials throughout the Rose Bowl telecast, as well as each of the other New Year's Day bowl games and the College Football National Championship game. The larger portion of the deal with ESPN includes on-air presenting sponsorship of 20 men's and women's NCAA Championships across soccer, volleyball, hockey, swimming, wrestling, lacrosse and more. Overall, Northwestern Mutual-branded content will appear during ESPN's multi- platform coverage of 23 NCAA champi- onships and throughout the network's extensive, season-long college football and basketball coverage. The company will also have a strong advertising presence across ESPN's leading digital properties including mobile, Watch ESPN, as well as exposure throughout ESPN's year-round college foot- ball content. "As two organizations with deep longevi- ty and strong commitment to the public, the Tournament of Roses Association welcomes the opportunity to enhance the strength and tradition of The Granddaddy of Them All as one of the top collegiate events of the year with such a great organization as Northwestern Mutual," said Rich Chinen, 2015 Tournament of Roses president. Northwestern Mutual became an NCAA corporate partner in 2012, and in April announced an arrangement to extend the terms through Aug. 31, 2020. The company's marquee partnerships also includes the men's and women's NCAA Golf Championship on the Golf Channel, Forbes and SEC football on CBS. Contact Dwayne Butler dbutler@conleynet.com Deal also includes greater exposure on ESPN networks Schlifske

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