Another Sunday, another day of frenzied channel-changing by the Observers-this time in two cities. Artie manned the home front as the Brewers reached the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and the Packers fell to 2-2. Frank was in New York as the Mets got eliminated by Florida and Brett Favre had a terrific day for the Jets. When they conferred by phone, baseball ruled the conversation.

Thousands of fans gathered at the Summerfest Grounds yesterday to celebrate an event 26 years in the making: a Milwaukee Brewers postseason. Watch our exclusive interviews with teammates Ryan Braun, Bill Hall, Jason Kendall and more from this historic celebration in Milwaukee sports.

A while back I slammed the Brewers for their meltdown against the Cubs and Mets. I referred to them as 'pretenders' and was certain the only playoff games they'd be involved in would require a television. Contrary to what you might think, I'm extremely happy they made the playoffs. Like a guy who discovers he likes opera, I think I've found I'm a bit of a fair-weather fan. Let me try to explain...

So this is what a baseball playoff atmosphere feels like in Milwaukee. I was around for the last one, but at that time I was much thinner, had more hair, less intelligence. Miller Park was an exciting place to be last night. The fans armed with their Brewers towels, waved them vigorously from the early innings. When CC Sabathia was in a jam, they waved the towels again and he magically got out of the inning. When a clutch hit was required, the towels again...

The Brewers, in a must-win situation every day, did local fans a double favor Sunday. They finally won in Cincinnati, and did it so easily that folks could switch channels and enjoy watching the Chicago Bears lose in overtime. Artie: So, Frank, it’s our first official get-together since the Brewers’ managerial regime...

So, I get the "shirts off their backs" part of the promotion that includes a charity clothing drive to gather winter coats for the needy. But, giving fans State of Illinois quarters, that were issued in 2003, to 10,000 fans sounds like trouble to me.

Former Brewers skinflint Bud Selig made yet another faux pas when he sent the Astros to play the Division Champion Cubs in a "neutral" facility, our own Miller Park. Selig was trying to rectify the situation caused by Hurricane Ike, which prevented games from being played at Minute Maid Park in Houston. After his questionable decision to call a tie in the Milwaukee All-Star Game, Selig made more than a few enemies among MLB fans. Since the Cubs won both of those games at Miller Park, there have been...

The Observers prepared for their weekly get-together with intense workouts of their channel-changing fingers. Three hours of bouncing between the Packers’ game in Detroit and the Brewers’ continuing meltdown in Philadelphia made their mission clear: Look on the bright side by avoiding all mention of baseball.

I recently finished a book on Ted Williams, one of the purest hitters in Major League history. The book, Reflections on a Splendid Life, was written by Lawrence Baldassaro, a local professor and baseball wordsmith. Williams ended up with a .344 career batting average and remains the only player to hit more than .400 in a single season. In a scenario Hollywood couldn't plausibly create, Williams was offered the chance to sit out the last home games with Red Sox in 1941 to preserve the average.

There wasn't a whole lot of middle-ground when it came to emotions regarding Brewers former manager Ned Yost. You either liked him, or you really loathed the guy. Regardless of how you felt, you can't deny the man stuck to his guns and never apologized for his work or motives, even as the door was hitting him on the way out.