I'm not even going to try and spin this into a collecting angle or whatever. This is a pure rant on the Milwaukee Brewers, one of the most putrid franchises in professional sports.

Being in Wisconsin, I've followed this team since I could talk. Even then, I don't remember 1982 when the team last made it to the World Series much less the playoffs (of course, they didn't win). I'm sick of 1982, don't care about 1982 any more and wish the team would burn that banner.

So I was pleasantly surprised when the team took off from June-August, building a nice Wild Card lead. And then the real Brewers showed up once again.

Since September appeared on the calendar, the Brewers got all scared their vacation might get postponed and started playing like crap, dropping seven of nine and forgetting how to field, hit and occasionally pitch. If one of their pitchers gives up more than two runs, you can chalk up a lose for the Crew. Ridiculous. The team is batting about .200 for about two weeks. Don't ask about their average with runners in scoring position.

I hear all about how great all of these young players are now that they have a few seasons under their belts, and they wilt under pressure. The veterans are washed-ups part-timers being asked to contribute every day.

With something like 17 games left (and they still - somehow - had a Wild Card lead yet today), they could still turn it around. And then I hope I look at this blog post and chuckle at my extreme fandom.

Does anyone else get like this about their team?

I was doing some editing on one of our sports trade magazines the other day when I came across an article talking about ways hobby store owners could attract customers to their store.

Some of the logical suggestions were to offer fair prices, be friendly and offer a selection of material to appeal to a wide audience. Some of the more interesting thoughts were to hold events (such as a BBQ, movie showing or box break gathering) to attract new customers.

So I ask the diehard collectors of Tuff Stuff's Sports Collectors Monthly, what makes you go to the hobby shop to pick up packs or boxes of cards? Do you go just to feed that collecting need, regardless of any gimmicks used to get you in the door? Are you looking for high-dollar or low-buck items in particular? Are you walking through the door because it's kind of like Norm in "Cheers" - you feel at home and love the people and customers that are already there?

Other factors that were suggested to attract customers was a well lit, organized store. But I have to say, some of those shops that are crammed full of stuff and haven't been dusted in years are kind of fun to check out. It's like a treasure hunt - you don't know what you're going to find.

But maybe the best part is walking in the door and just chatting with link-minded fans about the local nine or the gridiron greats. If a hobby shop can offer that, I'm always visiting. 

How did you spend your Labor Day weekend? I spent mine working the National Fantasy Football Championship run by our company. I got to head to New York City (with other locations in Orlando, Las Vegas and Chicago).

We had about 17 leagues in NYC, with sizes ranging from 12-14 teams in each league, so it's a pretty sizable event. Oh, did I mention the entry fee ranges from $650 to $1,250? Which brings me to my point. If you're paying that much money to play fantasy football, shouldn't you have a pretty good idea who's hurt, who isn't, depth charts, etc? That's what I thought.

But no, Rudi Johnson was still being selected fairly high. And when after one draft it was announced that he had been released, I wonder how many owners just cringed. Sure, he's with Detroit now, but can he be expected to do much there?

Other players were gong to be out for quite some time (Bobby Engram, for one) and yet they were drafted. I know it's a long season and some of those injured (or suspended) guys could help down the line, but draft them later, not earlier.

Here are some other observations from three days of drafts. Running backs still rule the roost, though Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens did crash the first-round running back party in nearly every draft. And Tony Romo did go fourth overall (yes, fourth) in one particular draft.

Selvin Young, Josh Morgan and other rookies Kevin Smith, DeSean Jackson and Matt Forte were popular picks. With Dustin Keller, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco getting PT early this season, it looks like rookies will again be offensive weapons in the NFL.

LT was the first pick in nearly every draft (or auctioned for the most money in auction drafts). Speaking of auctions, it seems one of the popular strategies was to spend big on the marquee players and fill in the roster after about pick seven. There are a lot of bargains in the latter rounds when money is tight. So spend big early and often in auction leagues. It's the only time you'll ever get Tomlinson and Peterson on the same roster.

And my final observation was that many of these guys and gals were also involved in baseball leagues that were down to the final month. How do they keep everything straight and up to date? They're spending a lot of time online and keeping track of the tickers.

Now that I think about it, doesn't that sound like fun?

The next issue of Tuff Stuff's Sports Collectors Monthly to hit newsstands and mailboxes will have a focus on the World Series, since it's the October issue. So I bring out the call - what's the great World Series moment?

I offer a few suggestions:
- Don Larsen's perfect game (and no, he's not in the Hall of Fame)
- Kirk Gibson's Game 1 walk-off home run
- Joe Carter's Game 6 walk-off home run
- Bill Mazeroski's Game 7 walk-off home run
- Babe Ruth's called shot
- Bill Buckner's ball-through-the-legs error
- Carlton Fisk's Game 6 foul-pole home run

My personal favorite is Gibson's home run because I remember it so vividly and because it propelled the Dodgers to a sweep of the mighty A's. It didn't happen in Game 7, but I just remember being stunned that it happened.

Now, the bigger question - how did Gibson win MVP that year if the voting was supposedly done BEFORE the postseason?

Feel free to post thoughts here and in the forum.

The fireworks have fizzled out, the athletes are on their way home and the U.S. led the world in medals attained. And while the gold medal count went to China, one team that needed to bring home the gold and did so was "The Redeem Team," better known as U.S. NBA players.

The comparisons have already begun between this team and the original Dream Team, though Jordan, Bird, Johnson, etc., were no where to be found in this round. And while this team was far and away better than some of the arrogant teams that have played in the Olympics in the past and failed to achieve gold, no one was better than the original Dream Team.

But what about when it comes to collectibles? Will The Redeem Team have as much clout as the Dream Team? Well first off, I don't think you'll have the counterfeits of team balls with this year's squad as with the original Dream Team. I don't think there is a lot of clamoring for Michael Redd and Carmelo Anthony - at least not as much as for Jordan, Bird, etc.

Plus, all of these guys already have collectibles flooding the market. It's a different ballgame than when NBA players first played in the Olympics. Game-used collectibles, autographs, etc., have grown leaps and bounds in the last 16 years.

Will I still go out and get my Olympic All-Star Vinyl figures? Sure, but I won't be searching for team photos this time around. If you're the best players in the world playing in the best league, shouldn't you win?    

I was chatting today with some of the guys in the office about the Olympics, and Joe Clemens, one of the pricing analysts for Tuff Stuff's Sports Collectors Monthly, shot over the following information regarding Michael Phelps cards:

Just came across these Phelps cards while pricing 2004 Leaf Rookies & Stars
Football. He has two cards in the product: 2004 Leaf Rookies & Stars Fans of the Game and Fans of the Game Autograph.

One of the regular cards actually sold for $150 but most of the recent ones
are in the $50-$75 range.

Some of the autographs cards have brought $800.

It always amazes me what prices can be had when a figure is in the public spotlight. See me now - cash in now.

So if Phelps is the Golden Boy, what about the Golden Girls? Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh rolled through the Olympics, stretching their matches won streak well past triple digits. When are they going to become stars of cards - especially when they relayed they would be in London in four years?

If sports cards can continue to filter in political and entertainment cards in its baseball sets, etc., why aren't the Olympians added more often. What would you rather have  - guitar heroes or Olympians?