Just when I thought I was getting over the pain and sorrow I made the mistake of clicking on NBC Sunday night. Watching Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings and the rest of the Packers playing in that flag football game known as the Pro Bowl just made me hurt even more. So, in an effort to heal, let’s focus on the only thing that Packer fans will be focusing on come Super Bowl Sunday…the TV Commercials. Some of the best Super Bowls ads of all time are here

A new study says that, “those spending more time on Facebook each week agreed that others were happier and had better lives.” So, all those pictures of your friends and family enjoying exotic vacations, eating delicious meals and posing with their tongues sticking out doesn’t just make you angry, it makes you feel like life is just not worth living. Well, get off that ledge because I’m here to tell you that your life is looking up!

Since you’re going to be killing time on Facebook anyway, check out the all new Morning ‘KLH facebook page. Just click ‘Like’ and you can register to win a 47″ HDTV from American. You have until the end of January to register.

Imagine the jealousy and feelings of worthlessness among all your friends when you post the photo of your new big screen TV that you just won from ‘KLH! And when you pose for the picture make sure to stick YOUR tongue out…

*More than 80,000 people have their names on a waiting list for Packer season tickets.  According to the organization, the Packers’ policy is to review all “incidents” at the end of the season and inform ticket holders of consequences up to ticket revocation, when appropriate.”  Imagine losing your precious seats because of this incident??!!

*This morning the news broke that Chaz Bono is saving up money to buy a penis. In the interview in Rolling Stone, Chaz states that it’ll cost between 25-45k and he’s going to travel to Belgrade to get it. Kudos to Ted Perry for pointing out that Belgrade is far better than going to Dublin…here’s 3 year old Chastity

*NBC has sold all the commercial inventory in the Super Bowl…too bad none of these TV spots will make it on the NBC telecast

We’ve said it many times over the years; the ‘KLH Morning Show detests Christmas letters. Seriously, doesn’t anyone have ‘average’ kids? Isn’t there anyone out there who was ‘a little bit disappointed’ with their expensive cruise or vacation? Did anyone get ‘demoted?’ Has anyone had just a mediocre year? Every Christmas letter makes it seem as if the writer, and their family, had the GREATEST YEAR EVER…With that same goal in mind,  I now present to you the first ever Dave & Carole Morning ‘KLH Christmas letter…enjoy.

Well friends, 2012 is almost here and we just can’t imagine how it could possibly compare to 2011!

It’s been an AMAZING year filled with memorable moments. Seriously, who will ever forget Carole, in that tight white dress, holding her BFF Kate Middleton’s train as they entered the church??!! Great look Carole!

And how about that Kevin?! Ever since he sent his old Antigo HS playbook to Mike McCarthy, well, those Green Bay Packers haven’t lost a game, have they? Way to go Kevin…we are very proud!

What a year it’s been for Judge Gino! Who could have guessed that the “Maria” who wrote to the Judge about her husband “Arnold” getting the maid pregnant would have actually been the Maria of Arnold and Maria?! And who could have guessed that Maria would have actually followed Gino’s advice when he yelled his now infamous line “Get Out!”

As for Dave, well, we didn’t know what a STRONG swimmer he was! We were just as shocked as everyone else when we found out that he made the famous Seal Team 6! He continues to tell us that he’s not allowed to talk about his “mission.” We’ve always been proud of him but now more than ever!

Marcus made our morning family proud on two fronts; first when he told Charlie Sheen to start using the word “Winning” and then when he told Charlie to stop using the word “Winning.” Great job Marcus!

Here’s hoping YOUR 2011 was just as amazing as ours and we’re already looking forward to next year’s letter, where we plan on spinning yet another tall tale about our lives and why OUR year was just a tad more interesting than YOURS….TTFN

10 THINGS I THINK ABOUT BUYING STOCK IN THE GREEN BAY PACKERS

1. I think most non-Packer fans don’t understand that in Wisconsin, we’re used to BAR TABS that cost more than 250 bucks

2. I think most folks are really bad about reading the fine print…on anything. Therefore, I assume most shareholders, a.k.a. Packer owners, haven’t read this quote in the fine print of their stock certificate, “If the Commissioner of the NFL decides that a shareholder of an NFL member club has been guilty of conduct detrimental to the welfare of the NFL then, among other things, the Commissioner has the authority to fine such shareholder in an amount not in excess of $500,000.”  So, listen up you brand new owners; it is against NFL bylaws for ANY team owners to publicly criticize any other teams owner in any way. So, what were you saying about Jerry Jones?

3. I also think most new owners don’t realize that “if it is found that a shareholder has bet on an NFL game, the Commissioner  could fine you as much as $5,000 and force you to sell his or her stock.” I’ll bet you didn’t know that : )

4. I think anyone who rips someone for buying “worthless” Packer stock has to take a hard look at themselves. Because I guarantee you they have wasted money on an ‘official’ team jersey that was only relevant for a month or two (I’m talking to you, the guy wearing the C.C. Sabathia Brewers jersey). As for “worthless” I won’t even mention those of you who bought something stupid from an infomercial.

5. I think that, if they were truly honest, some of the new “owners” would admit that THEY were the ones who booed Aaron Rodgers when he took over for #4. Bet they won’t admit that now, though, would they?

6. I’ll bet the folks I just mentioned don’t know that we already KNOW if they were among those who booed Aaron because we have seen them wear their Brett Favre Vikings and/or Jets jersey.

7. I think I agree with my old friend who grew up in Detroit rooting for the Lions when he said, “I wish I could have purchased a share of stock in my team. Instead, I got their logo tattooed on my upper arm and I’ve had to hide it for years now.” If the Packers ever hit a rough patch (not likely anytime soon) you can always hang the velvet Elvis back up in the living room and throw the certificate in the drawer.

8. I think that any sports franchise that needs a new stadium, or some upgrades, should be required to sell stock in their team. What better way to gauge local fan passion? Plus, even though tax dollars will still be used, it does lift a bit of the tax burden.

9. I think if the Packers had charged only $100.00 per share they would have made even more money

10. And while I love the idea of owning a piece of your favorite team, I think anyone who spent 250 bucks on a piece of paper should refrain from b*tching about the economy at this year’s family gathering…hey, you own part of an NFL team…things can’t be THAT bad…

The holidays have driven us over the edge. All you need to do to realize how crazy it’s gotten is to take a look at the list of Black Friday incidents from last week. Here is a partial list of some of the problems at Walmart stores nationwide. Keep in mind that this is a partial list and that Walmart is not the only store that had issues;

Late Thanksgiving Day, 20 customers, including kids, suffered minor injuries at a Los Angeles Walmart after they were pepper sprayed by a shopper. Police, who are still searching for the woman, say she used the pepper spray to gain an edge over fellow shoppers vying for discounted Xbox video game players.

•In upstate New York, two women were injured in altercations that broke out at a Rome Walmart that had just let Black Friday shoppers into its electronics department. One man was charged with disorderly conduct.

•In Kinston, N.C., an early Friday scuffle erupted between Walmart customers trying to snap up cellphones marked down from $200 to $35. An off-duty Kinston police officer working security for the store pepper sprayed several consumers. One unidentified shopper was arrested.

•Police used a stun gun to subdue Walmart shopper Brian Shellnutt in Milford, Conn., after he allegedly hit another shopper in a Thursday night fight while waiting to buy video games. Shellnutt, 26, faces assault and other charges.

•A man was arrested in a scuffle at a jewelry counter at a Kissimmee, Fla., Walmart. And near Muskegon, MI., a teen suffered minor injuries after being knocked over and stepped on repeatedly in a consumer rush to the electronics department.

On Thanksgiving Eve I was watching a local story on the news about 2 brothers who were camping out near Best Buy at Southridge mall. They were going to be missing Thanksgiving dinner with the rest of the family but were certain they were going to get some awesome deals. I don’t want to sound Pollyannaish (or maybe I do?) and I’m all for keeping Christ in Christmas, but isn’t one of the greatest virtues of the holiday season spending time with family and friends? Then after the holidays are over, breathing a huge sigh of relief that you don’t have to see them again for a while? Hey, just trying to ‘keep it real.’

In honor of the craziness that is Black Friday, I present the following;

‘Twas the Week of Black Friday…by Dave ‘Clement Clarke Moore’ Luczak

‘Twas a month before Christmas, when all through the land

Shoppers prepared for Black Friday, ready to make a stand

Pitching tents near Best Buy, they prepared with care

In hopes that a cheap flat screen would still be there

Their families were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of 50 dollar iPods danced in their heads;

Some wearing blaze orange, others in Packer hats,

Getting ready to fight the crowds, “ain’t  takin’ any crap”

When Thursday night came there arose such a clatter

The media all there to see what was the matter,

To the front of the line they pushed, the crowd in a mash

Then they opened Best Buy & Walmart and there lay the stash

Xbox 360’s, e-readers, printers and more

Laptops and iPhones all over the store

When, what to my watering eyes should appear

But a lady squirting pepper spray causing some tears

Is it me or do you think we’ve lost our way?

‘Cause the reason for the season is not what’s in your stash

At the end of your life you keep nothing; certainly not cash

So maybe next year instead of a cheap tablet or Kindle

Stay at home with the family, hang out and mingle

…..I’d love to finish this, but I have to jump back online. After all, it is Cyber-Monday…

Since May of 1998, and every May since, we have hosted our annual ‘Miracle Marathon’ for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. And since that first ‘Miracle Marathon’ countless things have changed. We could never have envisioned that the annual  Dave & Carole ‘Miracle Marathon,’ right here on WKLH in Milwaukee, would become the nation’s leading per capita radio-thon, an award that Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and WKLH, have won for 3 consecutive years.

But one thing that hasn’t changed is that every single year the good work of the Ronald McDonald House is cited by our ‘KLH  ‘Miracle Marathon’ families. Imagine the pain and heartache of dealing with a critically ill child and then imagine how difficult it is to balance that with a family that is living apart. That’s where the Ronald McDonald House comes in. As stated on the RMH web site, “Families are stronger when they are together, which helps in the healing process. By staying at a Ronald McDonald House, parents also can better communicate with their child’s medical team and keep up with complicated treatment plans when needed. They can also focus on the health of their child, rather than grocery shopping, cleaning or cooking meals.”

Now think of this; the Ronald McDonald House is full EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! Sometimes the waiting list contains the names of dozens of families. And despite common perception, the costs of taking care of these families is not underwritten. The generosity of volunteers and donors make it all possible. In return, families either stay at no cost or are asked to make a donation up to $25 per day, depending on the house. The RMH here in the Milwaukee area only requests a $10.00 donation per night. The RMHC Global Policy is that families are never turned away; if it’s not possible to pay, the fee is waived.

That’s why 96.5 WKLH has teamed with the Ronald McDonald House this holiday season for ‘Home for the Holidays.’ Throughout the holiday season, listen to the Dave & Carole Morning Show on ‘KLH for your chance to help these families and their children. We’ll be introducing some of the families whose lives have forever been changed by their Ronald McDonald House experience, and several times a week we’ll have unique, one-of-a-kind, Rock-n-Roll auction items for you to bid on. We’ll also tell you how you can step up and make a real difference in the lives of these families. ‘Home for the Holidays’ will culminate with our live show from the Ronald McDonald House on Thursday, December 21^st on ‘KLH. Over the years you’ve proven that when it comes to helping those in need, there’s nobody better than you. We send sincere thanks for helping in the past and we’re thanking you in advance for helping now. Learn more about the Ronald McDonald House here

We need to re-examine the calendar and spread out our holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve all occur within 60 days. That is way too much stress for such a short stretch of time. We have the rest of the year pretty much wide open. Take a look and you’ll see that all the other holidays are fairly stress free.  And you know who feels the holiday stress? That would be every woman you know. Women feel the pressure of the holiday season because much is expected of them. Guys? Not so much. If you’d like to field test my theory just walk up to the nearest woman and remind her how close we are to Christmas. Then get ready because her anxiety will wash over you like a tsunami. Then find the nearest guy and remind him how close Christmas is and he’ll look at you and say, “Cool.”

It’s that way all year long. Sure, guys have to remember to pick up a rose and a card at Kwik Trip on their way home from work on Valentine’s Day, and on her birthday, but that’s about it. While stereotyping men has become a cottage industry (make the Tim Allen noise here) the fact is that it has lifted a huge burden off of our shoulders. Yep, we’re cavemen who only want to hunt, fish and watch football. Say what you want but when the bar is set that low it’s easy to jump over. I say we should start by moving Halloween to August. There’s not much going on and I’m tired of trying to spot the cool costumes underneath those heavy fall coats the kids have to wear.

Plus the kids can run off that candy since it’s warmer and stays light until 9 p.m. See that, move one holiday and you get less stress and thinner, healthier kids. Occupy that.

They just can’t help themselves. They can’t stop saying the word ‘FOOTBALL.’ Every coach, player, ex-player and TV announcer makes sure to insert the word as much as possible. My favorite is Coach Mike McCarthy, who grew up only 7 miles from me in Western Pennsylvania. Earlier this week, while addressing the media during this bye week, Coach McCarthy said, “…we feel strongly as a football team our best football is in front of us.”

Pay attention and you will be amazed at how often the word is used. A well-known national TV guy (he’s one of 5 on a panel) said last Sunday, “The reason the Packers are so good is they protect the football, take the football away at key moments in the football game and when they need to, they can run the football.” But, he wasn’t finished; “…and let’s not forget they pass the football better than any other team in the National Football League.”

I don’t know other football fans, but this football fan hates bye week in the National Football League. I miss Packer football, but I love football so much I plan on watching as many football games as I can this football weekend.

Hey, want to go catch some football?

It WILL happen. Thirty years from now, sitting around playing cards, or at your local tavern, someone will look up and say, “How could he start Marcum?”

Yep, I wish they had started Gallardo on short rest, too, but they didn’t. While starting Marcum will be talked about for decades, at least Roenicke took him out after his 4 run, 27-pitch first inning. Small consolation, I know, but I take bigger issue with the way the rest of the team played. It’s not that they lost, but how they lost. Was this really the same team that won 96 games in the regular season?

As one baseball fan wrote, “…when Hairston Jr. tried to field a ground ball with his knee, then flip the bouncing baseball to Rickie Weeks with his glove, only to have the ball bounce in front of Weeks, and then to have Weeks see the ball go through his legs, with the runners moving up a base … well, it was atrocious baseball…two physical errors by Hairston, one mental error on Hairston for attempting the trick play in the first place when he had no shot to get the runner at second, and one mental error by Weeks for pulling up on the ball like a fourth grader taking infield practice.”

Corey Hart boots a base hit in right field just a few seconds before Hairston’s triple blunder. And, Hart miss a cutoff man on a long-shot attempt to throw out Matt Holliday on a sacrifice fly to medium-deep right field, allowing runners to move up to second and third, with both scoring on Allen Craig’s two-out pinch single in the third inning. Don’t forget that Nyjer Morgan also missed a cutoff man trying to throw out Albert Pujols going from first to third on a hit.

The Brewers committed seven errors in their final 18 innings of the 2011 season but that doesn’t even count the fundamental mistakes that were made. It just seemed to me that they were all trying to do too much. Maybe that’s part of adjusting to the desperation of the playoffs.

The baseball season is rightfully referred to as a marathon, not a sprint. A 162 game schedule tends to condition players and managers to take care of business with long term goals in mind. Assuming 500 at bats, over the course of a 6 month baseball season, the difference between a .250 hitter and a .300 hitter is only one hit a week. Pace yourself, don’t get too high or too low, and remember it’s a long season. Except that in the playoffs, it’s the exact opposite. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to do a 180 and approach every game like it’s a 100 yard dash?

I know that I will get over it and be able to reflect on how awesome the 2011 season truly was. But for right now, I’m still wondering why the Brewers didn’t look quite the same in the NLCS. And I still can’t understand why Yovanni wasn’t on the bump for Game 6? The good news is that Gallardo is now rested for his next start. The bad news is that we have to wait 6 months for that to happen.