Brewers

I have all kinds of plans to do a season wrap-up, but I'm not ready to yet. It's still not reconciled in my head that we're done with baseball after I'd been to Miller Park for games in 8 straight months. From the kickoff/last spring training games at Miller Park the last weekend in March to Saturday's thrilling Game 3, this has been a fabulously long season and it's quite difficult to imagine that I'm going to go home and watch games a few nights a week.

It's dissapointing to be out of it all a mere week after the elation of getting in, but at least we made it.

"I view this as a success now, especially from what we went through to get here," Fielder said. "There's a lot of teams wishing they could have lost right now instead of being at home watching it. Whenever you get to a situation like this, you can never be upset about it."

I think I'm going to enjoy the buzz for a few days more before dissecting what was wrong, what the future holds and what we do next.

It's a big like going through a break-up, but I agree with Prince:

"It's over," first baseman Prince Fielder said. "But it doesn't feel as bad as I thought it would."

For a few days more, I'm going to revel in what it meant to be a fan of this team this season. It was such an amazing experience - from me, but from the quotes the team has given, for the players as well. People talk about how cocky Ryan Braun is, but from all accounts, he really understood HOW big a deal this postseason was to this town. Not only that, but he seems to be incredibly realistic about where we stand:

"Obviously, the organization is headed in the right direction," said Braun, who will be part of that direction because he has seven years left on his contract. "Last year, we finished over .500 for the first time in 15 years; this year, we made it to the postseason for the first time in 26 years. Obviously, we accomplished some things that we haven't done in a while.

"It's hard to go from never having any postseason experience to winning a World Series. It really is. Last year we were over .500, this year we made it to the postseason, and next year we go deeper into the postseason. It takes time."

Mike Cameron is one of those players that seems to have his finger on the pulse and I was really moved by what he said Sunday after the game:

"It was a memorable thing to be part of history," said center fielder Mike Cameron. "To walk out on that field Sunday after we clinched, and see that joy, that's irreplaceable. Through all of the hardships you go through, you can forget about how warm people can be, how they can bring joy to your life. The blue-collar people here, they're pulling for you, because they understand what we did to get to this point was truly special."

He also understood what a let-down Sunday was: "I just wish we could have given them a better last game," center fielder Mike Cameron said.

I've only been hardcore on the Brewers for about 3 seasons now, but even I know what a long, strange trip it's been.

Remember Turnbow and Tavarez. Jenkins and Carlos Lee and Gabe Gross. There were times it felt like despite the push for this "now or never" season, we were going to fall flat again. It's no longer a joke, people. And we're no longer a punch line.

"Eight years is a long time," Sheets said. "From the team we were to the team we are, I think that's pretty big."

I've been on the field for a Super Bowl. I've been to National Championship tournaments. I still think Saturday tops my list as absolute best time I've ever had at a sporting event. Miller Park was loud, the fans were happy and the team responded. Jim Powell said on the radio on Sunday that after Saturday's game, Ryan Howard of the Phillies was overheard saying that he'd never heard a place as loud as Miller Park was after Dave Bush struck out 2 in a row in the first inning.

This year was so emotional. By May, we lost Gallardo and had been swept by the Red Sox. I was swearing myself off the team because I was ready to give myself a heart-attack after being so emotionally involved. I swore I would take breaks, not take losses to heart and enjoy the season for what it was, no matter how long or short it was.

In the end, of course, my self-imposed break up didn't last long and the team drew me in, just as they'd always done. If you'd asked me in May if a playoff berth was worth it, I'm not sure what my answer would have been, but I can tell you now I wouldn't trade all the spectacular moments I was able to see in person this year for anything. I was teased mercilessly for how many games I missed. I went broke on occasion buying tickets and gear and parking.

And it was totally worth it.