And so, Brewers fans, it all comes down to this.
The Crew is down. By no means out, but down in the National League Championship Series, three games to two to the Cardinals, with no margin for another error-filled game along the lines of Friday night's affair in St. Louis.
Lose tonight, and the Brewers' season is over. Win tonight, and we get the drama of Game 7 on Monday with a World Series berth on the line.
With the NLCS back in Milwaukee, there is reason for hope -- the Brewers had the best home record in the major leagues during the regular season. And if you place any stock in the laws of averages, the vaunted big bats at the heart of the Milwaukee lineup, quiet for so much of this series, are going to come alive, just have to come alive, at some point in Game 6.
But the momentum clearly rests with the Cardinals. And so while we hope for the best in tonight's Game 6, fans should make a point of letting the sights and sounds of tonight's game really sink in, just in case.
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Watch Prince Fielder take his tremendous swings at the ball -- there's a good chance he won't be back in a Milwaukee uniform next season.
Enjoy the shots of a raucous, sellout playoff crowd in Miller Park -- it was a 30-year wait to see the Brewers in their second LCS; let's hope it doesn't take another three decades for their third.
And at some point tonight, turn off the TV and turn on a radio to hear Brewers Hall of Fame broadcasting legend Bob Uecker call an inning or two (or more).
At age 76 Uecker has given no indication of retiring -- and he's been in fine form this season after some serious health issues last year -- but he won't be calling out "Get up, get up, get outta here, gone!" for Milwaukee home runs forever.
Uecker has been offering up his unique blend of Wisconsin roots, humor, deep baseball knowledge and a love of the game for four decades now. As players and managers have come and gone, Uecker is the common thread across the years of the Brewers franchise -- and there have been some long years for the team, often dwelling in the cellar of the standings.
But Uecker's been out there in the wilderness with us, keeping fans tuned in when the Brewers are down by 10 runs by regaling listeners with funny stories from his playing days. And that's part of what's made it so enjoyable to listen to him call games this postseason -- after all those years of waiting for playoff success, he's earned it. We've earned it. Uecker may not be the most polished or literate broadcaster, but few if any have or will ever match his connection with fans.
Brewers radio listeners know Uecker's oft-repeated pitch for a Milwaukee-made brand of bratwurst: "Usinger's and baseball, it's just not summer without 'em."
The same can be said of Uecker himself. So tune in tonight and enjoy it, fans, while you can.
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News Tribune copy editor Andrew Krueger grew up listening to Bob Uecker in his hometown just north of Milwaukee. He can be reached at akrueger@duluthnews.com .
Audio of Bob Uecker call of a Ryan Braun home run last month:
