I’ve only been a member of the Milwaukee community for two years, so I suppose that doesn’t qualify me as a long-suffering fan of the Brewers.
And yes, while part of my job is to "say good things" about the team, make no mistake about it, I suffer just like everyone else when the Brewers are going through tough times.
There are a few people out there who believe that when you work for a team, the wins and losses just don’t mean that much. Anyone that believes that should check in with the families of the people who call Miller Park their "home."
Simply put, our lives border on being consumed by the Brewers fortunes. It’s a passion for each and every one of us.
When the team wins, you can’t wait to go home, play ball with the dog and kids and turn on “Baseball Tonight” to relive the magic.
And when they lose, your first instinct is to kick that same dog and grumble at the kids as they pepper you with questions about the game.
I can tell you that the Brewers are one of the best organizations to work for in sports, but living with the daily fortunes of any professional team can be a wild adventure on a stomach-turning theme park ride.
What makes this all manageable and wonderful is that baseball gives you another chance nearly every day. In football, one loss in a 16-game season is the equivalent of a 10-game losing streak for a baseball team. Football gives you just a precious few mulligans in a season and then your team is done for the year. In baseball, you have to accept that there will be significant ups and downs, and that fortunes can change literally overnight.
I’m not here to guarantee that this Brewers team is going to go 24-10 down the stretch to pull away. What I can say is that regardless of what has happened to date, the team is in position to make a run.
It’s late August, and the Brewers are playing meaningful games. It’s not time to say, "Wait ‘til next year."
Let’s enjoy the ride, keep our eye on the prize and see what this young team can accomplish.
Tyler Barnes is vice president of communications for the Milwaukee Brewers.
