Unfortunately, some recent medical issues have forced me to make a decision in my life. Do I keep burning the candle and put in a lot of hours being producer of Sports Central and sacrifice my health or do I cut back on the work load? Well, being 27 I should not be dealing with some recent medical issues like I am dealing with.

So I decided to step down from duties at WTMJ. For some, this is going to be welcomed news because I will no longer be murdering the English language on a daily basis.

First off, I want to thank everyone who has ever read my blog. I apologize for murdering the English language with my typos and my sometimes, well actually fairly frequently, misuse of grammar. I only had myself as an editor and if we remember back to our college days, you could proofread a term paper 20 times and still have a typo or a grammar mistake.

I do have to thank Joe Scialfa for giving me this forum in the first place. I remember a station in Sturgeon Bay once said my writing was not up to Sturgeon Bay quality so I got to thank the man that thought my writing was worthy of Milwaukee. So you can either thank Joe if you like my writing or blame him for not agreeing with Sturgeon Bay's assessment.

People asked me what is like to work in the sports media world? People always think it must be this great life. While it has it's perks like the free press pass, a good seat to the game and the chance to interview big time athletes, it was not all roses. It is a grind and well the money is not what people think it is. While, I never got into this business for the money I did have to hold down a full-time job and well, working 60 hours a week for six years can catch up to you.

Remember when the game ends, the fan gets to go home or at least to the parking lot for a tailgate. The reporter has to go to work and the one part I will not miss is waiting 45 minutes for say Tom Crean to come out for his press conference. It involved a lot of late nights, going weeks without a day off, missed birthday parties, missed you name it but I still do not regret missing those things to cover say Marquette vs. South Dakota State. I got to meet some very interesting and great people. I got to cover a Final Four team, be in the locker room when the Brewers clinched the wild card, cover the NBA playoffs and this list can go on and on. Plus, I am sure anybody would love to trade places with me so I should not complain. I was lucky to do this for as long as I did.

Again, I am thankful to everyone that allowed me into their lives just for a moment to either inform and entertain them. In some cases, I am sure you did not agree with what I had to say but I am still thankful that you took the time to read what I had to say.

I also will miss the great people I worked with at WTMJ. Working with great people like Lance Allan, Erik Bilstad, Jeff Falconio, Jay Sorgi, Bryan Ramsey, Rod Burks, Dan O'Donnell, Jon Byman, Justin Garcia, Jonathan Woodward, Armen Saryan, Liz Braun, Nick Iannelli, Carl Moll, Tom Hecker, the entire Packers Radio Network sales staff, and well now this is starting to sound like an Oscar speech so anybody else I did not mention that works at WTMJ, is what I will miss the most about this job.

Finally, I want to thank Bill Michaels. People always ask me what is it like to work for the Unit. Well, after spending five years at his side, I can say it was an absolute blast. I never had so much fun in my life and coming to the station was always a joy. I learned a lot from Bill including some interesting terms of the language. I have enough stories about the Unit to tell at any cocktail party. People always ask me what is the Unit like? Is he a jerk? Is a blowhard? Is he nice? I can honestly say Bill is good people and I consider myself lucky that I got to work by his side for as long as I did. So I'll miss you the most scarecrow.

Seriously, the video game is offering anyone who throws a perfect game while playing MLB 2K10 a million bucks. This is one way the struggling video game franchise is trying to boost sales. Now there are some catches and rules but by all accounts this is legit.

Remember it is tough enough to throw a perfect game in real life (for those not familiar with the lingo, it means 27 batters up, 27 batters down and no one reaching base). It has been done only 18 times in real life so just imagine how high the odds are when it comes to pitching against a computer.

Buzz Williams picked up a kid who scored 64 points in a game and seems to have ice in his veins in crunch time. Buzz finished off his recruiting class with a JUCO who is grabbing rebounds at a 9.5 average. When you see numbers and talent like that, most times you want to say is get that kid a jersey. Yet, there is a little bit of a grumbling from the gold-alumni sweater vest brigade that Buzz did not bring in a guy who stands over 6-foot-9, wish was the wish of every Marquette fan.

Let's face it Marquette could use some depth in that area. I do not know if anyone else wants to risk another season of having your post presence wiped out with a Chris Otule injury (even then we are still talking about an unproven kid so why not get a couple taller bodies?).

Being a degree carrying member of Marquette, I will admit I was not exactly thrilled that Buzz's second recruiting class had no one standing taller than 6-foot-6. I will admit at one point I was wondering if Buzz was putting together the team for Marquette High instead of Marquette University. Then again, today's college game is different and if you can get kids with length and can shoot, I say go with the best players you can find over need.

These recent verbals still do nothing to stop the secret yearning every Marquette fan has deep down to see another Robert Jackson, Damon Key, Jim Mcllvaine or Amal McCaskill play at the Bradley Center. Heck, a Fasial Abraham would suffice at least for some defense down low. Why such yearning? Marquette fans have seen how a good, quality big scoring threat down low can lead to March success, and if anything makes things it does make it easier to score baskets in the post.

At the same time, this is late signing recruits we are talking about and a lot of the quality bigs out there are already signed or are knocking down John Calipari's or Bill Self's door to get them to the NBA. So what is Buzz to do? Go out and sign a Mike Kinsella? Marquette already has a project in Mbao so why take on another when you get two quality players like Buzz just got this week.

Simply put, if Buzz could not get a quality big in the early signing period (which he did try with Tarik Black but that was nearly mission impossible when he was competing against Black's hometown school of Memphis), then he is going out and getting nothing but projects or it is way too late to get into the game for the elite bigs still left unsigned.

For example, Rivals.com has 6-foot-8 forward Terrence Jones undecided and listed in the top 20 but it would take one heck of a sell job to get a kid from Portland to think about Marquette this late in the game. Especially since Kentucky seems to be the leader.

So no one should blame Buzz Williams one bit for going out and getting some kids that can do a little bit of everything. From the scouting reports, that is what DJ Newbill and Jae Crowder do.

 Why grumble anyway? Again, this recruiting class will be ranked in the top 15 in pretty much every service you look at. You got the star in Vander Blue, the other top 100 kid in Jamail Jones and another top 150 player in Reggie Smith. Marquette will still have four players on next year's roster standing over 6'7" so it is not exactly like the sky fell because Buzz did not get a seven-footer.

As the old saying goes when it comes to getting talent, get players based on what is the best available not what you need. Plus, in today's college game a kid may be listed smaller but the talent evaluation should be can he player taller than his height. You need to look no further than Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler to figure out what I am talking about.

 This Crowder kid is pulling down almost 10 boards a game so it looks he has the ability to play a little taller than the height the good lord has given him.

At the same time, to win the big one, you do need a legit player in the post that can go get you basket when you need one. So I can see the grumblings. This is still a young Marquette team so let's not put the cart before the horse here. Buzz needs to build a program that can consistently make the big dance and right now he seems on track to put together a program that will get that job done.

That should be the only frustrating matter on this whole Marquette can not get a big. It seems Buzz has an idea of putting together a team of athletic players with length that can shoot and get to the hole but the only thing missing is that post guy that can score when the offense calls for the paint touch. Hey, let's also not count out Chris Otule yet.

I guess it still should be frustrating for the entire Marquette community--and Buzz himself--as to why a top big man is not coming to Marquette? The days of Tom Crean's offense is long gone--meaning if you stand taller that 6'9", you are scoring on put-backs and the guards get all the glory. So it is not like Marquette is no longer attractive to a big man like it was once was.

Buzz wants the ball in the paint and when you hear him talk about his offense he would prefer the ball gets into the paint by passing and not dribbling. Which means if you are a big man, you are going to get fed the ball in the post a fair amount of time. So that means a program that is going to get you the touches to get the numbers to build your NBA game. As I was once told by a basketball expert, anyone 6'9" or taller already has a 50% shot at the NBA (remember you can not teach size). A big man just needs to develop enough game and stats to fill out the rest of the 50% that puts the finishing touches on a NBA shot. It seems like Marquette's offense would give a big man the numbers to get to that other 50%.

So while it seems like a head scratcher the only answer I can come up with is either big man want to play for Jim Boeheim more or they just do not want to deal with this Milwaukee weather. Until Buzz lands himself a big man, well, there will always be those grumbles that can he never catch a big fish.

Well, I have spent the entire season giving you my picks, so why stop at the Super Bowl? This pick is going to be a tough one. Two high powered offenses going at it and neither of their defenses can stop the pass. So maybe I should not actually pick a team but instead pick the over as my Super Bowl selection.

Although, I do not want to condone gambling but I do condone eating plenty of chicken wings, pizza and drinking responsibility while watching the game.

So okay, I am stalling on who I am going to take. Logical sense says the Colts will win. Peyton Manning has conquered in the Super Bowl before and nobody picks apart a defense better than the best NFL pitchman in the game. I still just can not forgive him for beating my beloved Bears three Super Bowls ago so it makes it really tough to go with the Colts.

Plus, I guess I am sucker for the New Orleans feel-good story. It would be great to see a city that just five years ago was nearly destroyed to have the Vince Lombardi trophy take up residence on Bourbon Street.

So yes, I am still stalling on making my pick because it is not an easy pick to make. Drew Brees could pick apart the Colts' defense like a surgeon but so could Manning. I guess it comes down to which defense can get the most pressure. Right now the Colts' offensive line has been a wall. I really do not see the Saints defense beating up Manning like it did to Brett Favre.

 So who dat going to beat dem Saints? The Colts and that is my Super Bowl pick.

It was just announced...  

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Jim Doyle has signed a bill establishing new regulations on mixed martial arts fights into law.
   The state Department of Regulation and Licensing will govern the fights the same as professional boxing contests and issue licenses for promoters.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

So now we have photographic evidence of just how badly the Saints beat up Brett Favre last Sunday. So being that beat up may have prevented him from running for some extra yards to set up an easier, possible game-winning field goal like many think he should have done instead of throwing a stupid, Super Bowl costing interception.

At the same time, it is hard for me to buy this argument that Brett could not have run for the yardage that so many people think he should have instead of throwing that stupid pass. I have watched the replay a few times, and first off I am a little perplexed that if his ankle was hurting that bad, why have him roll out in the first place? Honestly, if Brett's ankle was swollen to the size of an orange, Brad Childress is complete moron for even thinking that was a good idea. So instead of blaming it on Brett's ankles, maybe the spin should be Childress should have never have called the play in the first place.

Secondly, the bum ankle is a bad spin, er, I mean bad explanation to begin with. The better spin would be he actually did not have as much daylight as many people think. Again, watch the replay. He probably would have picked up maybe two yards at most considering you can see two linebackers are breathing down his neck. So it was not like he was going to gain 10 yards and set up an easier field goal.

Then again that still does not excuse throwing a stupid interception. Instead he should have taken the two yards and you are looking at 54-yard field goal which is better odds for Ryan Longwell.

Not saying Ryan Longwell is automatic from that distance but it is still better to go down that route than force a pass across your body (on a swollen ankle and bruised hamstring, mind you) to a guy completely covered.

So sorry Mr. Bus Cook but I am not buying this recent spin you are rolling out for your client. I admire Brett for the courage to play with that much pain but Brett still could have thrown the ball into third row or even fallen down and curled up in the fetal position (he does throw the ball at the 38 so if it did fall down he leaves a 56-yard field goal attempt for Longwell) and the Vikings still have a shot at a game-winning field goal. It may not have been given--Longwell has never been known for his booming foot--but it is better than giving the game away which is what Brett did.

It is the beginning of February and that can mean only one thing besides pitchers and catchers reporting soon--bracketology talk is in full gear. That is right folks, it is time to rev up what team is already a lock for the NCAA Tournament and who needs to get some work done to make the field of 65.

Right now, it is pretty much a given Wisconsin is going to the dance. What seed they might end up as depends on the bracketologist. ESPN has Bucky as a five-seed. 

Rivals.com, CBS Sportsline, The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated all think Wisconsin will be a four.

  Not a bad seed projection for a team that is without Jon Leuer. I think a four or five at this point is a pretty good slot and something Wisconsin should be able to obtain so long as they do not take a complete nose dive. While Wisconsin is a safe bet to go dancing in March, the same can not be said for Marquette.

Right now it is very unclear if Marquette is going to get a fifth consecutive invitation to the dance. The Sporting News is the only projection so far that has the Golden Eagles in the dance as a 12-seed. The Sporting News explains, What is Marquette doing here? The Golden Eagles' top three wins—Georgetown, Xavier and Connecticut—are better than other bubble teams'. They could stay here, too. The brutal portion of their schedule is finished—they won't face any of the top four teams in the Big East in their final nine regular-season games.

Other than that, the major outlets has Marquette on the bubble. ESPN believes Marquette's 13-8 record is mediocre but you can not ignore the Golden Eagles with their quality wins over UConn, Xavier and Georgetown. 

 Sports Illustrated says Marquette is the unluckiest team in the country but they have only one real game left where they will be the underdog. If they can win the games they are favored to win and get that home win over Pitt (and I would add Notre Dame), MU has a pretty good chance at going to the March Madness party for a fifth-straight time.

The only news source that does not list Marquette as a bubble team is Rivals.com. Then again, they only picked ten teams so maybe it was just an oversight. Either way, we got six more weeks of new projections to go so maybe Rivals will go from not even mentioning Marquette as a bubble team to putting them in their field of 65. It all depends on how MU plays down the stretch which is why this is such a great time of the year.

Devonte "DJ" Newbill is listed around 6'3" or 6'4" so he is not exactly a big body the Marquette faithful was hoping Buzz Williams would land with his last two remaining scholarships. When you can get a kid that puts up 64 in one game, get him a jersey. Oh and he is not afraid to take a last second shot either.

So another good pickup by Buzz.. He has the tall shooter in Jamail Jones. A very athletic point guard in Reggie Smith and the star of the class in Madison's Vander Blue. Now he gets a scoring machine and he opens up a pipeline to the talent rich Philadelphia area. Plus, Dwight Buycks will only be around for one more season and DJO only has two more years so Buzz using three scholarships on guards secures the long term future of the guard position.

Plus Buzz is not always about getting size for the sake having size. He prefers guys with length and that can do a little bit of everything--rebound, shoot, pass, score and work.

For those still pinning that Marquette gets a big man, I have spoke with some people that are in the know and yes, Buzz is targeting a couple JUCO big man and he has in a with a high school power forward so fear not, Buzz is doing everything he can to get some size to round the 2010 recruiting class.

One reason to be thankful is this country will not be subjected to their ugly NFC Championship shirts

There is some good news when it comes to these interesting looking shirts.  These shirts got massed produced in case the Vikings would have won. Since no one here is going to buy them, the shirts are being donated to the Haitian relief effort. They may not be the most pleasant shirts to look at but at least they will be used for a good cause.

The MMA world is a buzz that top UFC star Clay Guida's next fight is an undercard. The actual term is he is in a prelim fight meaning he shows up, he fights and if the other four main fights do not go quick, his fight will not make television. Many are perplexed for his fall from fight of the year in 2009 to merely being a filler fighter.

It is strange considering the Carpenter is one of UFC's top draws and has taken on top fighters Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez recently. He is considered a top draw because people love the long hair and his entrance. Any time he steps into the octagon it is a guaranteed great fight so why on this go around is Clay fighting where is he is on the card? He does have a two match losing streak but it is not because of that. It is mostly because UFC is going to the Versus network and the fight Clay was supposed to have against a former title holder got changed due to the opponent dropping out.

So now he is fighting a lesser fighter which means a lesser status fight and a MMA blogosphere up in arms. People are wondering is this the end of the Carpenter as a main draw? Well, relax! Number one, I talked with Clay and in typical of Clay fashion he said to everyone what is up. Typical Clay, always looking on the brightside. On a side note, this proves my point once again that if you are looking for a positive role model, use Clay Guida. Why? Because you will never meet anybody that cares more about other human beings than himself.

Number two, speaking from a person who has known him since the 7th grade this is not a travesty against justice. Simply put, this is another fight to get better. You come from Johnsburg and challenges like this is what we call daily life. I asked Clay to respond to him being put as an undercard. His response was simply, "After I smash this guy, they'll put it on TV."