The Intern Blog

Either way, it's a compliment.

Today is one of those days that I am extremely proud to be a die-hard Packer fan for a couple of reasons.  First, ESPN The Magazine announced the Green Bay Packers are considered the best sports franchise for all four major sports, which in my opinion is more than deserved.  Along with this news, comes the reactions from the rest of the fans from other franchises across the country, and this is where I am extremely proud to be a member of Packer Nation.

Breaking down the choice, it's easy to see why ESPN considers the Packers the best professional franchise in North America.  A victory in Super Bowl XLV, a budding star at quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, the stadium is considered one of the best fan experiences in the NFL, and being owned by the community rather than a billionaire who knows nothing about running an NFL franchise; the list goes on and on for reasons this franchise deserved the honor.

And the story of the franchise in recent years makes the team even more likeable.  Brett Favre virtually held this franchise hostage, and three years removed from one of the ugliest divorces in sports history, the franchise brought the Lombardi Trophy back to its home.  Looking beyond team, stadium, success, it's Packer Nation that deserves the most credit for this honor.  Without the die-hard following of Packer Nation, this franchise would not even exist today.  It's the effort of the community that continuously drives the Green Bay Packers towards success on and off the field, and when talking with fans of other franchises across the league, it's recognized nationwide.  And the support goes both ways, I am extremely grateful towards the Packer franchise as they helped fund the building of new football stadium in my hometown of Wrightstown.  Having Mark Murphy at the opening of the new stadium last year resonated throughout the small town community.  It's truly amazing so see the emotionally invested relationship benefit both sides, rather than just the franchise.

One of my friends from college, who is a Bears fan, summed up Packer Nation with the best description I have ever heard.

"Packer fans tip toe that line between obsessed and passionate better than any other fans in the league, and they’re respected for doing so."

And although the feelings are not universal throughout Packer Nation, I get the feeling that the majority of us do not hate all other fans, just the bad ones.  Through the last ten years, the mutual respect for Packer and Bear's fans has increased as Viking fans are taking the place as the arch enemy.  I'll never find myself cheering for the Bears, but I do have a respect for their fans because of their dedication to support their team.  Meanwhile, the Lion fans have been through so much in the past fifteen years, I find myself feeling like an older brother.  I'll cheer for the Lions when they are playing any of the other 30 NFL franchises, but as soon as the little brother is matched up against me, it's time to put him back in his place.  Which leaves me to the Viking fans, or what I consider, the bandwagon capital of the country.

To be fair, bandwagon fans actually support their teams when they're good.  Viking fans couldn't even sell out a playoff game when their team was the number one seed in the NFC.  And yet another piece of evidence showing the support of Packer Nation, the Vikings were forced to enact a policy virtually making Packer fans to purchase tickets to multiple Viking home games when they purchased Viking-Packer tickets, because of the over-whelming number of Packer fans that would show up at Viking home games.

So for the Green Bay Packers to receive this title is really a testament to the dedication and support of Packer Nation towards the team they own.  St. Vince, tailgating, the bikini girls, hell even the gentleman I pass every home game playing the trombone in front of the Resch Center; all are great contributors that make the Green Bay Packers one of the most unique and coveted franchises in the country.  So pat yourself on the back Packer Nation, this award is yet another validation the Packer fans are some of the best in the NFL.

Mason Meulemans

A new era has begun.  Below you will find the musings of our former interns.  Effective today, the following will be from our new intern.  Good luck, Mason. 

The most exciting team in town strikes again. After building a seven point or more lead seven different times in the game it came down to the wire. The UW-Green Bay Phoenix won a close one, beating the Loyola Ramblers, 71-69.

The Phoenix (9-9, 3-3) shot 47.9-percent from the floor and tallied 34 total rebounds. Seven players ended up with double digit minutes. Rahmon Fletcher led the way with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists.

It was the fourth time he’s scored more than 20 points this season.

“They were more aggressive than we expected,” Fletcher said. “Usually Loyola is a back-end team, but I think they probably saw something on film and they got into us and it caught us offguard..”

In the first half, the Ramblers (10-8, 1-6) forced 10 turnovers and tallied seven blocks.

“They had a good game coming in,” Phoenix Head Coach Brian Wardle said. “It was hard for us to turn the corner and get in the paint.”

Wardle and his staff made the necessary adjustments at halftime. After a Fletcher jumper three minutes into the second half, the Phoenix led by seven. At the 11:26 mark they pushed the lead to 11 on a Jarvis Williams jumper from Bryquis Perine. The two finished with eight and 16, respectively.

Williams had five rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block on the night as well.

Loyola got to within two with 4:39 to go in the game, but would never get traction after that. On the next offensive possession Phoenix big man Greg Lesage tipped in a missed shot from Williams and the team would never look back.

“This was a good team win,” Wardle said. “Anytime you can keep winning games in special situations… hopefully it’s going to just keep helping us.”

The Phoenix play UIC next. Game time moved to 11am Saturday morning at the Resch Center.

At the Resch Center tonight the UW-GB Phoenix are hosting the Loyola Ramblers (10-7, 1-5).

The Phoenix own a 21-14 series lead dating back to 1995. UW-GB (8-9, 2-3) is coming off back-to-back wins over Houston Baptist and UW-Milwaukee. The Phoenix are closing out a four-game homestand with the Ramblers tonight and UIC in town on Saturday.

The Phoenix are 6-2 at home this season and look to use the boards and defense again tonight. The team has out-rebounded their opponents in the last six games and held the last two opponents to under 40-percent shooting.

Phoenix guard Rahmon Fletcher moved into eighth on the all-time scoring list last game and now has 1,453 points. The Kansas City, Mo. native is in the All-Time Top 10 for points, assists and steals.

Tonight, the coaching staff is looking for him to contribute again to the Phoenix.

I'm not going to act like I follow the UFL, but the UFL might be in some trouble.

Okay, so there aren't any "facts" or "stats" to back that up, but attention to detail, in any business is important. Often times, a business' success can be measured by how well it does the little things. Things like customer care, accounting,

Things like, fact checking.

I was talking with a former colleague of mine, Brandon Williams. We were laughing about the UFL. In particular about how many former NFL "star" players were on one team - Omaha.

The Nighthawks have guys like D.J. Shockley, Jeff Garcia, Ahman Green, Morlon Greenwood, Cato June, and Demarcus Faggins.

Ahman Green pops out of that list. And while some of these guys weren't "A List" guys or Pro Bowl players, they are recognizable names.

Great, right? The UFL might be making a name for it self a lot like the NBADL or the minor league system in the MLB. It gives fans a place to find players they still want to watch. Plus, it gives former NFL players a place to continue to collect a paycheck doing what they do best: Football.

The real bonus, it allows younger guys the opportunity to keep the body from accumulating the "out of football" rust. Guys like Joey Larocque don't ahve to hire personal trainers to keep them physically prepared for an NFL-style beating.

But, UFL as a league isn't what brought me to the point of writing. The UFL as a business is what has me scratching my head.

Yes, there are a few typos here and there on their website. But that's no big deal in my book. Every website has typos. My former editor once told me, "If you don't find a typo in the daily paper, you aren't looking hard enough."

The place where I cock my head to the side - fact checking.

Mike Hass, was left off the list above but was still a standout player in college. He was arguably the best receiver in the country from 2003 to 2006. Hass is currently playing for the Knighthawks. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award and was named an AP, Walter Camp and ESPN First-team All-American. He tallied three 1,000-yard receiving seasons - a Pac-10 record.

The man could flat out play. He's got more records that I have similes.

That's not to say he didn't have a memorable NFL career. He was drafted by the Saints, played for the Bears and Seahawks.

There was a story out a few years back, while he was in Chicago, that he didn't drop a single pass the entire offseason.

He's good. Real good.

So, an important fact that shouldn't be overlooked is the school he attended while he racked up stats and became a household name.

Mike Hass is an Oregon State Beaver. One that a lot of alumni are very proud to announce. Hass is one of the players fans still talk about and a guy that did it with a humble smile.

Hass, being a former Oregon Stater, has surely gotten the occasional, "Hey, how are your Ducks looking?"

But he deserves better. I doubt they would write that Maurice Clarett went to Michigan. Or that Robert Ferguson went to Texas.

It's the little things that make businesses grow. It's the little things that turn spectators into fans. It's the little things that matter.

It wasn't easy for coach Brian Wardle. Despite being out-muscled and undersized, he led the UW-GB Phoenix past the UW-M Panthers, 69-64 Saturday night.

Only five days after UW-M knocked off a ranked Butler team.

Phoenix guard Rahmon Fletcher led the UW-GB attack in the second half. He helped the team pull away, leading by 18 at one point.

UW-M caught fire at just under three minutes to go. They pulled the game to within seven after hit a 3-pt shot by UW-M Panther guard Tone Boyle with :51.4 to go. The score was 63-56. After two UW-GB foul shots, Milwaukee again hit a three, this time from Ja'Rob McCallum, 65-59.

The UW-M Panthers would get only a basket closer before the final buzzer. It was UW-GB big man, Alec Brown, that helped seal it for the Phoenix, he was 3-for-4 at the line in the final minute.

It was Bryquis Perine, who finished with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists, at the line hitting a free throw that would put the game out of reach.

Fletcher and Steven Baker finished with 13 and 10 respectively.

I've had a change of heart. I know I said, on the air, that the Packers were going to lose 24-30. But, after taking a closer look at some of the stats and a few game scenarios, I've seen the light. For the Green Bay Packers, winning the opening game in the playoffs is a lot like driving a car. Check your blind spots, look in the rear-view mirror, and cut off that guy in the '87 Buick Century.

The Blind Spots

It's the one thing that often gets overlooked: Special teams play. If the Packers are going to come out of the City of Brotherly Love with a "V" the Special Teams Unit needs to look like the final game against the Chicago Bears and not like every other game this season. The most important thing the Packers can do is pretty easy to accomplish: Keep the ball away from Desean Jackson.

Looking in the Rear-view Mirror

Yes, Michael Vick is a phenomenal athlete. Desean Jackson is - arguably - the fastest wideout in the game. And the defense has the most passes defended and the third-most interceptions in the league this season. But, the Eagles can't win. When Desean Jackson squared off with premier corners like the Redskins' De'Angelo Hall, the Bears' Charles Tillman, the Vikings' Antoine Winfield he was 0-3 with a combined 77 yards receiving. And the last time he tangled with the Packers' Charles Woodson he only had four receptions for 30 yards. On the season when he has fewer than 34 yards receiving the team is 1-4. The only win coming to the lowly San Francisco 49ers. And the Packers are miles ahead of the almost NFC West champs. Although Jackson will provide a boost to the Eagles and most likely will be a factor on special teams, at the end of the game he will be a non-factor on the score board because of Charles Woodson. And when Desean Jackson is a non-factor the Eagles aren't successful.

Cut Off That Jerk Next to You

Final score: Green Bay 31, Philadelphia 26

Having an address on Packerland Drive means it's only fitting that football should be played. And played well.

Former players say, the Southwest Fighting Trojans were regarded as mediocre - at best. That is, until the late-2000s, though. In fact, it wasn't until the class of 2010 showed up, as freshman, in 2006 that the school really had a respectable football team.

I caught up with three member of the class of 2010. Turns out, they aren't done yet.

As many people know, "The Maino and Nick Show" took the week between Christmas and New Year's Day (save the Monday after the Packers destroyed the Giants) off. I say, "as many people know" because nearly every radio show takes that week off every year. In fact, I can't name a single radio host that hosted a show that week.

Can you? Can anyone? I bet even Jeff Knox got the week off!

No, not the former Pitt Panther DB that was accused of beating his pregnant girlfriend in September. Eventual Hall of Fame broadcasters Jeff Knox - the guy working in Pensacola, Florida.

By the way, Props to the anger-managed Jeff Knox. I bet when you google your name you're going to be surprised it ended up here!

Anyway, back to the show. It's back and better than ever!

Yesterday, Kroll's West stopped by with Bacon Double Cheeseburgers and Diet Mt. Dew. Somewhere Colt Murray is jealous. These burgers are melt in your mouth delicious and they have enough grease to coat the inner linings of ALL of your arteries and even more saturated fat.

That's why they bring Diet Mt. Dew. We're all trying to watch out figures.

And if the show is back, that means I'm back. And I'm starting my two week stretch where I do real, actual, journalism. That's right! Over the next two weeks I'll be out at the home games for the UW-GB basketball team and scouring the streets for former Northeast Wisconsin high school athletes.

This week's WATN features three former Southwest High School football players that just finished up the first season of their NCAA careers.

And by the way: Tune in online: 1440wnfl.com

The smallest player came through with the biggest spark. UW-GB junior guard Eric Valentin kept the Phoenix flying in the second half and the Huskies couldn't rally back. UW-Green Bay beat Houston Baptist 77-61 Monday night.

Valentin, in only three minutes of play during a sluggish run of the second half, hit a shot, two free throws had a steal and an assist. He was the spark that pushed the Phoenix lead to 20.

Houston Baptist never really got started. They opened the game on a missed assignment that allowed a monster dunk. Before the Huskies could blink Phoenix forward Jarvis Williams hit two shots and Houston Baptist was down, 8-3.

The only thing that kept HBU in the game was UWGB's inability to knock down open looks. The Phoenix missed 25 shots in the first half - 10 of them from beyond the arc. Phoenix Head Coach Brian Wardle was still positive about his offense after the game.

"I'm going to watch film tonight," he said. "And I'm going to guess that I'm going to like 14 of the 16 three's we took tonight."

Wardle says the team is getting good looks they are just a little out of position at times to get the "perfect" shot off.

Listen to the 1:30 recap from the game below.

The Phoenix are set to take on UW-Milwaukee on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Fastest week ever. Best week ever. Most salacious week ever. Okay, so the last two may be a stretch. But, this so is a blast.

As an intern, one might imagine, Midwest Communications isn’t exactly giving me the keys to the company vehicle. Often times, they don’t even tell interns where the bathroom is.

But, this is a far cry from the ordinary.

I’ve been involved different places and observed my fair-share of broadcasters and few are as interesting to interact with as Maino and Nick. Working on the Maino and Nick Show is a lot like barrel jumping Niagara Falls. I can’t get this kind of experience anywhere else in the world.

And by the end of it, I might be dead.

Truthfully though, so far, this is a phenomenal experience. Both Maino and Nick have been great and very encouraging and inviting. I feel like in the short time that I’ve been here, I’ve already become part of the family. And Nick has been quite open to different ideas for projects and enterprise pieces that I would like to produce during my time at the station.

The main project surrounds immersing myself in local high school sports. As many of you know, I’m currently trying to track down former local high school athletes for a “Where Are They Now?” series (If you know of any former standout student athletes who’ve moved on to compete at the collegiate level, let us know! Email Nick Vitrano: nick.vitrano@1440wnfl.com).

If I can get the ball rolling, I hope to produce a different interview with a former Northeastern Wisconsin athlete every few days and post them here.