SportsPage: The starting 9

By DREW OLSON
dolson@espnwisconsin.com

There was frost on the front lawn this morning. Forecasters are calling for chances of snow -- maybe a lot -- as February turns to March. You hate to talk about no-hiters in the dugout, but we’ve enjoyed a very mild winter in Wisconsin, and there are signs that spring is near.

The Brewers, for example.

After being poked and prodded by physicians yesterday, Brewers pitchers and catchers begin workouts today on the west side of Phoenix. Opening day is April 6. It’s tantalizingly close, yet still far on the horizon.

In order to welcome baseball back, here are nine thoughts for a Monday morning:

Decision time: At some point this week, the arbitration panel led by Shyam Das will render a decision on Ryan Braun’s appeal of a 50-game suspension. In answer to a common query: the delay, which has driven some fans to distraction, is neither good nor bad for Braun’s case.

I don’t know that ultimate decision will have a big impact on camp. A year ago, Braun came to Arizona and began mashing balls instantly both in practice and in games. It was so ridiculous that manager Ron Roenicke basically went to the leftfielder in the middle of camp and said “You’re ready now. You tell me how much you want to play.”

If Braun is suspended, they’ll still give him at-bats. If he can play, they still need to see what they have in Japanese pickup Norichika Aoki. Perhaps Caleb Gindl and Logan Schafer will see less action in camp, but nagging injuries, split-squad games and the everyday nature of the Cactus League schedule make it almost certain that everybody gets enough at-bats.

All we can do is wait... which we’ve become adept at this winter... and see how the Brewers and Braun react to the decision.

Linsane: Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin continues to be a national phenomenon. He inspired a “Saturday Night Live” sketch (see below) and got a headline writer from ESPN fired.

He’s drawn comparisons to Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who took the football world by storm last season, and I’m starting to see some similarities. Tebow was a college standout and a household name. Lin was unknown.

But, I think they both have flaws in their game and flourished early with remarkable runs of luck. Like much of the country, I watched Lin’s performance against the Mavericks. He doesn’t go to his left very well. He got confused by trapping double-teams. He bailed his team out by hitting a couple three-pointers as the shot clock was running down. I don’t know that he can keep this pace going, but it’s a great story.

Ersanity: Bucks fans haven’t had much to get excited about this year, but the 29-point, 25-rebound effort by Ersan Ilyasova on Sunday night was outstanding. Sure, the Nets stink. But, Ilyasova -- who has expended more energy on a more consistent basis than many in Milwaukee jerseys this season -- was terrific. If he realizes that 20-rebound games will eventually make him rich (if not famous), that’s a good thing for the Bucks.

Making a pitch: After reading Tom Haudricourt’s notebook this weekend, I’m convinced that Shaun Marcum wants to say in Milwaukee beyond this season. I think fans need to get past his shaky performances in the postseason and judge Marcum on a larger sample. He might be worth a multiyear deal, but the Brewers are within their rights to ask to see a bit more before making the commitment. There also is the matter of Zack Greinke’s status. I would say he is a higher priority than Marcum at this point. If Greinke commands a huge deal, the Brewers may have to part with Marcum and hope that their younger pitchers develop quickly. (Wily Peralta to the white courtesy telephone.)

Mad in Madison -- The ugly struggle between the University of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association has no heroes. Both sides are out of bounds and the tournament may end up shelving nearly a century of history and moving to Green Bay.

My solution -- and nobody wants to listen -- is to rotate the tourney between Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Golden boys: Marquette’s impressive run in the Big East -- the Golden Eagles have won 10 of 11 games -- has gone under the radar locally and nationally. There is nothing wrong with that. Buzz Williams has the kind of team that nobody will want to see in the NCAA tournament:

Finding their stride? The Badgers look vulnerable at times, but they are also a team that could escape the first weekend of the tournament. If players other than Jordan Taylor hit from outside, Wisconsin can play with anybody.

Cash grab? Rumor has it that the National Football League is going to allow fans to attend the scouting combine. I thought it was ridiculous when that event was televised. Now that the NFL has allowed fans into media day at the Super Bowl, I wonder how far we are from everybody having a press pass and realizing how unglamorous and unexciting the job of a sportswriter really is.

Home sweet home: The Detroit Red Wings have won 23 in a row at home. They have a 41-17-2 record, best in the NHL. What does it all mean? Nothing if the Wings lose in the playoffs. I don’t hold any ill will against “Hockeytown.” In fact, I almost hope that they win because the regular season in sports across the board is looking more and more meaningless these days.

FILM STUDY
Our SportsPage Video of the Day

If you missed "Saturday Night Live" taking on "Linsanity," you've got to check this out:
 

ON TAP
GOLDEN EAGLES -- vs. Rutgers, 7 p.m. Wednesday

BUCKS -- vs. Orlando, 7 p.m. tonight

BADGERS -- at Iowa, 8 p.m. Thursday

PANTHERS -- at UIC, 7 p.m. Wednesday

TODAY’S ESPNMILWAUKEE LINEUPS



540 ESPN
5 a.m. -- Mike & Mike in the Morning
9 a.m. -- Green and Gold Today
10 a.m. -- The D-List
1 p.m. -- The Scott Van Pelt Show
3 p.m. -- Homer and Thunder
6 p.m. -- ESPN Radio
7:45 p.m. --  College basketball. Baylor at Texas
10 p.m. -- ESPN Radio

ESPNMilwaukee.com
Simulcasting 540 ESPN

FM 100.5
5 a.m. -- Mike & Mike in the Morning
9 a.m. -- The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Noon -- The Scott Van Pelt Show
3 p.m. -- Homer and Thunder
6 p.m. -- The Badger Hour
7 p.m. -- ESPN Radio
7:45 p.m. --  College basketball. Baylor at Texas
10 p.m. -- ESPN Radio

ESPNMadison.com
Streaming FM 100.5

ESPNDeportes 1510
Broadcasting in Spanish

THIS DATE IN SPORTS HISTORY (FEB. 20)
1877 - International Association (minor baseball league) organizes
1923 - Christy Mathewson becomes pres of Boston Braves
1927 - Golfers in SC arrested for violating Sabbath
1929 - Red Sox announce they will play Sunday games at Braves Field
1952 - 1st black umpire in organized baseball certified (Emmett Ashford)
1953 - US Court of Appeals rules that Organized Baseball is a sport & not a business, affirming the 25-year-old Supreme Court ruling
1954 - Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins LPGA Serbin Golf Open
1958 - Jockey Eddie Arcaro rides his 4,000th winner
1958 - LA Coliseum Comm approves 2-yr pact allows Dodgers to use facility
1963 - Willie Mays (SF Giants) signs a record $100,000 per year contract
1971 - Bruin Phil Esposito is NHL's quickest to score 50 goals in a season
1972 - 1st time Cleveland Cavaliers beat NY Knicks (111-109)
1974 - Gordie Howe comes out of retirement for $1M from Houston Aeros, WHA
1976 - Muhammad Ali KOs Jan Pierre Coopman in 5 for Heavyweight boxing title
1977 - Judy Rankin wins LPGA Orange Blossom Golf Classic
1982 - NY Islanders wins then NHL record 15th straight game
1985 - After defending his WBC flyweight championship, Sot Chitalada's check for $104,000 is stolen by a ringside pickpocket
1986 - Mike Tyson sexually harasses a woman in Albany NY
1988 - Brian Boitano wins Olympic gold medal in Figure Skating
1988 - Stefka Kostadinova high jumps indoor world record (2.06 m)
1993 - Florida Marlins open their 1st spring training camp
1993 - Lisa Walters wins LPGA Itoki Hawaiian Ladies Golf Open
1993 - NY Islanders retire Billy Smith's number 31
1997 - SF Giants Barry Bonds signs record $22.9M 2 year contract
1998 - Tara Lipinski wins Olympic Figure Skating gold medal

FEB. 20 BIRTHDAYS
1934 - Bobby Unser, auto racer (1968, 75, 81 Indianapolis 500)
1937 - Roger Penske, auto racer
1942 - Phil Esposito, NHL center/GM (Bruins, Rangers)
1957 - Glen Hanlon, Canadian ice hockey coach
1959 - Bill Gullickson, US baseball pitcher (Detroit Tigers)
1961 - Steve Lundquist, US swimmer (Olympics-2 gold-1984)
1962 - Adam Schreiber, NFL center/guard (Atlanta Falcons, NY Giants)
1963 - Charles Barkley, NBA forward (Phoenix, Rockets, Oly-gold-96)
1964 - Jeffrey Allan Maggert, Columbia MO, PGA golfer (1993 Walt Disney)
1966 - Britt Hager, NFL linebacker (Denver Broncos, St Louis Rams)
1966 - Cindy Crawford, Dekalb Ill, super model (Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)
1966 - Dennis Allen Mitchell, Cherry Point NC, 100m/200m (Olympics-silver-96)
1966 - Derek Lilliquist, US baseball pitcher (Cleveland Indians, Atl Braves)
1967 - Broderick Thomas, NFL linebacker (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minn, Cowboys)
1967 - Chris Singleton, NFL linebacker (Miami Dolphins)
1967 - Tom Waddle, NFL player (Chicago Bears/Cincinnati Bengals)
1969 - Tommy Vardell, NFL running back (Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions)
1969 - [Touchdown] Tommy Vardell, NFL running back (Cleveland Browns)
1970 - Bryan Robinson, defensive end (St Louis Rams)
1970 - Jeff Robinson, NFL defensive end (Denver Broncos, St Louis Rams)
1975 - Liván Hernández, Cuban baseball player
1977 - Stephon Marbury, NBA guard (Minn Timberwolves)
1983 - Justin Verlander, American baseball player