SPORTS LINE
The Green Bay Packers Lost.
Detroit is now the undisputed leader of the division. What happened? The Packers have a first-half problem. In the game before Detroit, the one with Atlanta, the Pack went into the locker room halfway, losing 17 to 0. This time, against the Lions, they went into the locker room losing 24 to 3. Two halves and three points. Games in the pros simply can’t be won that way. What are the problems that seem almost insurmountable until the players become more jaded and experienced? They’ve got to learn to guard their quarterback. Love got tossed around, time after time, like a rag doll, and that he’s not injured is astounding if he truly is uninjured. The second problem is catching. Love is proving that he can throw like Rodgers, maybe even better, but his youngsters can’t catch the ball. Constantly, in both past games, Love threw the ball straight into his receiver’s chests and they dropped it. Flat out! La Fleur is a patient man and coach. He waited out Aaron Rodgers and he has to wait out this team as it teethes its way into the league, which means it’s going to be a nail-biting and knuckle-kneading season for hardcore Packers fans.
The Brewers won.
The National League Central division champion is settled with the Brewers on top. After a couple of angst-filled days, when the Brewers couldn’t seem to win, and the Cubs refused to lose, things were uncertain for the Brewers. Milwaukee pulled through and claimed the division crown for the third time in six seasons. Celebrating on the field with Brewers players and fans who remained in the stands, was Brewers radio announcer Bob Uecker, 89, a former major league catcher and the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers. Now they are focused on transitioning into the wild card games. The Milwaukee Brewers will be playing in the wild-card round as the No. 3 seed in the National League. Their opponent: The Arizona Diamondbacks. After playing with a 28-man roster in September, teams revert to 26 players with a maximum of 13 pitchers in each round of the postseason, with rosters due prior to the first pitch of each Game 1. The biggest variable is the breakdown of pitchers and hitters; some teams might go with as few as 10 pitchers in a best-of-three series, and others might max out at 13. The roster Craig Counsell will put together for the Wild Card Series (which can be different from later rounds), is starting to come into view. Go, Brewers!
