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TV VIEWERS VOICE

I’m getting a jump-start on writing about the Milwaukee Brewers this year because I really believe this is our season to make the play-offs and give the other teams a run for their money. Of course that’s providing we can keep away from the injuries that have plagued us in recent years. Of course we have to think positive and it wouldn’t hurt to say a little pray for our team.

There have been many changes in the Brewers look this season and one of them was getting a new television play-by- play announcer, replacing Daron Sutton. Daron accepted a contact to be part of the television team for the Arizona Diamondbacks. At first I was disappointed because I thought Daron and Bill Schroeder did a dynamic job of broadcasting the Brewer games. Then I did an interview on my Viewers Voice TV Show with Brian Anderson, who was a commentator on the Golf Channel and now a new member of the Brewer organization. I was so impressed with him I came away feeling he was going to make a fantastic edition to the Brewers television team and will have no problem finding his way into the hearts of the Milwaukee viewers.

Sharon: Brian, tell us a little bit about yourself .I’d like to have our viewers get to know you? You’re going to have a lot of fun with Bill Schroeder, he’s always fun on the show and I’m really looking forward to seeing you two together.

Brian:  Sure, Well I’m looking forward to working with Bill too. He’s one of the big reasons why I decided to take this job. We did an audition together through the interview process and we really hit it off well. I was very impressed with him and we kind of fit right in together as if we’ve known each other for a long time. It was really seamless; he’s a big reason why I’m in Milwaukee. Right now I’m actually in Texas, I have a few jobs to clean up that I had contracted before I took this position. So I’m still in Texas, Austin, Texas and work for the Spurs and I still do college basketball as well. So I have a few bits to do to finish that contract up before I become a fulltime Brewer which will be in spring training.

I have a family; I’ve been married for fourteen n years, got married right out of college. I’m 35 years old and have a daughter, she’s seven years old and she’s doing her math homework right now like a good girl. She’s a great student. It was a family decision to come to Milwaukee; I’m a family man and its family first with me and that was a big part of it. So we all sat down and we talked about it and we decided that Milwaukee was the place we were suppose to be, so we can’t wait to get there.

Sharon: Good. I was going to ask you how you were going to like the weather change but you guys are having worst weather down there right now that we are. You’re getting a taste of winter.

Brian: A lot of ice. You know people freak out in Texas when we get a little cold weather. Actually school has been closed the last two days because the temperatures have dropped into the twenties and we’ve had a lot of sleet and ice. We don’t get that nice fluffy snow down here in Texas, it just ices over everything. As you know when you don’t drive in ice very often it becomes dangerous so they shut down the schools and it has been pretty bad. It’s going to be a change for me for sure My wife grew up, she was born in Canada, grew up in New York, so she’s ok with the cold weather, she’s all in and you know my daughter can’t wait to play in the snow. I’m an eighth generation Texan (laughter) so it’s going to be a big change for me but I’m looking forward to it. I’ll buy enough clothes to keep warm.

Sharon: Are you making a permanent move here?

Brian: We are. I’ll join the ball club in spring training at the end of February and we’re going to do our web cast again. So on week day games you’ll be able to listen to the Brewer games on the web, so I’ll do that with Bill Schroeder. We’ll televise a few games as well and then I’ll be with the ball club so we’ll be back opening day. Then my family will come to Milwaukee permanently in June after my daughter gets out of school. She’s a first grader so we’re going to let her finish up and then we’ll be there in the summer for good.

Sharon: You want to tell us a little a bout your background? I know you where on the golf channel. I’m sure many viewers will recognize you from there.

Brian: Yes, I did the golf channel for four years. I was a live tournament play-by-play announcer so I got to travel all over the country to these great resorts and cover golf for a living. It was a great job and I really enjoyed my time there but as I said in the press conference my passion has always been baseball. I started in baseball for a career. I actually played college baseball and then I actually became a play-by-play announcer in the minor leagues. In the Texas league for a team called the San Antonio Missions, and at the time we were a Dodgers affiliate. I did that for eight years. So that was my basic introduction into broadcasting was do baseball. I called over a thousand games. I was a part of the team, I traveled with the team, all the payroll with the team, so very similar to the Brewers but at a minor league level. That was from 1994 to a bout 2002 and then in 98 that was my big break I got on ESPN. I started getting some gigs and jobs on ESPN calling baseball. A lot of little league baseball, little league regionals and minor league games like double A all star games and what have you. I did that and then the golf channel came about in 2002 and I just wrapped up my fourth year when I signed with the Brewers. That gets you to where I am now.

John Majewski, who is an employee at the West Allis Community Media Center where I tape the Viewers Voice TV Show, helped me co-host the show and do this interview.  John had a question for Brian.  

John: Coming to Milwaukee and kind of familiarizing yourself with the Brewers, what are some of your thoughts on the season this year and how the Brewers are looking? You know they recently signed Jeff Suppan and made a trade for Johnny Estrada.

Brian: I’m very excited about that. As a matter of fact the day I got offered the job with the Brewers was the same day that Jeff Suppan agreed to terms, that was Christmas Eve.

I was very interested to hear that because I’m a big fan of him. Certainly his skills are tremendous and he’s going to be a great addition. It sends a message; for so long Milwaukee hasn’t been able to grab that big free agent. Obviously there are a lot of Packer fans out there and I recall when Reggie White signed as a free agent with the Packers, that changed the franchise. It changed the perception, they became a winner. Obviously Brett Farve came in and did what he did but it was that signing of Reggie White that actually made a big impact in that area. I think that’s what a Suppan signing does as well; I think he’s an impact kind of guy. Especially a pitcher who can give you a lot of innings; he was the NVP in the National League championship series so he’s been to the big spotlight, to the big stage and of course he wears the World Series ring too.

I like the team a lot. I love the youth they got a lot of great young talent. That was the big reason why I wanted to sign with the Brewers as well because I really feel like this team is going to win. I feel like Milwaukee does not need to have that inferiority complex ever again. I think this ball club has a chance to do some damage and win a division. Frankly we should all expect that, that’s the great part of opening up the year. We should all expect a division champ and wouldn’t that be great and wouldn’t that be great at Miller Park to see a post season.

I’m going to end the interview on that note and if you’re interested in seeing the whole interview watch the Viewers Voice TV Show on Time Warner, channel 14, Monday nights at 6:00-6:30 p.m. Until my next column let your voice be heard and GO BREWERS.