Golf tournaments are undergoing more name changes than Elizabeth Taylor. The GMO, I mean the U.S. Bank Championship, has come and gone from Milwaukee. I understand golf tournaments are subject to the demands and orders from the PGA tour, but why is this town forced to compete for time against the British Open, I mean, The Open. The 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational used to be known as the Bay Hill Classic until this year's name change. It probably doesn’t matter much as much to the General as making sure he has plenty of Ensure on hand.

I`m Art Kumbalek and here's the story. The Shepherd wants a weekly sports column, since sports apparently seems to be a popular topic of conversation these days amongst a certain clique. And somehow I got tabbed to helm the launching of this craft; qualifications being I don't need to spell-check "Lambeau,"...

The Brewers had found a way to avoid sweeping the Braves, but were fixin’ to sweep the ‘Stros, when the Observers found their way to a local establishment for a couple of cold ones on a sunny May 30.

Frank: Well, Artie, I think this first cold one should be a toast to ourselves. It’s clear that we provided the impetus for those sweeps of the Astros and D-Backs. Artie: You betcha, my friend. Um, exactly how did we do that? Not that I’m opposed to toasting us.

The NBA was having the best of times and worst of times when the Observers got together on June 13. The vintage Lakers-Celtics matchup for the championship was clouded by allegations from disgraced referee Tim Donaghy that other refs skewed their calls to help the Lakers win a crucial game in the 2002 Western...

It’s almost a part of Major League Baseball’s yearly schedule, like Opening Day and the All-Star Game. Sometime between those two, MLB pleads with its players, managers and umpires to pick up the pace of games. It happened again in May. Somehow, completing nine innings takes upward of a half-hour longer...

As the Observers took their patriotic spirit to Miller Park for the Fourth of July, the Brewers were hoping to recov er from a hideous loss at Arizona by sending Ben Sheets to the mound against Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, they were nailing down a trade for Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia, a blockbuster that became official...

The Milwaukee Brewers, like many other MLB teams, are being kicked in the teeth once again after living up to their end of a bargain. It appears the Brewers ‘Ace,’ Ben Sheets, is looking to take his accomplished resume elsewhere. Sheets says he’s headed in the direction of free agency, and we know how that usually turns out for the Brewers: bubkes. Despite the fact Sheets has been stained with injury, the Brewers have done a pretty good job trying to retain talent and has been candid about their intentions with players.

That’s what makes sports great: surprises. We’re surprised the Brewers were able to send three players to the All-Star Game. We’re astonished we have a baseball team who, in the thick of the season, acquired a reigning Cy Young Award winner. We’re surprised we’re talking about Brett Favre in July after he told the world he was done with football. Surprises keep you young with anticipation, on your toes. That’s a good thing . . .

The Observers were on hand for Game 2 of the CC Sabathia era, and the Brewers’ hefty lefty put on quite a show. He pitched a complete game against Cincinnati, hit a home run and raised his Milwaukee record to 2-0 thanks to a ninth inning run driven in by Craig Counsell, batting for Sabathia. So the Brewers and their fans...