Bear ... Ranger Bear

Cue the Rocky music...

...da-DAA-dadada-dada-DAA-dadada ...

OK, who hasn't heard the music from the original Rocky as he amazingly transforms himself from an out-of-shape muscle man for loan sharks to a contender for the greatest title in sport? I have that music ("Gonna Fly Now" written by Bill Conti and later covered by Maynard Ferguson -- I love screamin' trumpets) on my shuffle.

Why do I have that music on my shuffle? Because I, Ranger D. Bear, am in training. What kind of training? Arrrrrrmy training, sir! (What movie is that from?) Why am I in training? Because on June  21, I'm going head to head (and we're talkin' big mascot heads) against the Apollo Creed of the UW System mascots in the Mascot Race of the 2008 Racine Lighthouse Run.

That's right, boys and girls, Saturday, June 21, the Master of Madison Mayhem -- Bucky Badger -- will be in town (at least he's supposed to show!!??) for the Lighthouse Run Mascot Race. Ol' BB may think he's got this one in the bag -- well, I say, let's lace up the big floppy running shoes and see what's what at the finish line.

Besides being trained by Mick (staying with the Rocky theme, here) DeWitt on our world renown Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course (makes Baskem Hill look like a speed bump), Ralph Tenuta is allowing me to punch 20 lb. blocks of Locatelli Pecorino romano cheese (imported from Italy, the motherland of Rocky Balboa) in one of the large walk-in coolers at Tenuta's Deli (just in case there's any drama between me and BB after the race).

Yo, Bucky! Bring it on.

RDB

My new boss is comin' to town!

Had to turn down a bunch of cool invites for next week because my new boss is going to be on campus. Actually all four of the folks who want to be my new boss (aka the next UW-P chancellor) will be here.

I gotta meet each one -- maybe do lunch. I think you should do the same -- well lunch might get crowded if everybody showed up. But there are open meetings for students, faculty, staff and the community. Check out the schedule on the UW-P website.

When you think about it, this is serious business. You don't just turn over the keys to the jet to anybody -- you want a person with real experience at running the show.

Maybe you're thinking, "So I meet these people, nobody cares what I think." Au contraire mon frere. They do care. There will be evaluation sheets at each meeting and an online public comment form on the UW-P website.

My good friend Mike Falbo is the man in Madison heading up the special Board of Regents committee. That committee will make the final call and they will be listening to what UW-P and the community that is southeastern Wisconsin has to say.

As the sign says...

Usually, I don't hit the local watering holes too often. But on occasion if the right invitation comes along, I'm there. A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by a local spot that is nothing short of an institution in Kenosha, I won't name names, but it's a club on a corner. Anyway, there is a sign on one of the coolers that reads, "Be nice or leave." There was a post on my blog from a person who, in my opinion -- and it's my blog -- was not nice. That means, the post is gone. This person made a couple of mistakes: 1) She/he thinks this blog is authored by a certain person. That is wrong -- flat out wrong, not even close. 2) A section of her/his commentary included some not so nice inferences. As the sign says, "Be nice or leave." She/he is gone.
RDB

Thanks, Dave!

I have a couple of "thanks Dave" items to take care of -- one is easy, one is not.

The easy one) Thanks Dave, for the kind words about how you enjoy reading RB's blog and that you find me descriptive. A little known fact -- bears are a very sensitive bunch. Sure, every now and then one of my cousins gets a couple of wires crossed and eats somebody, but for the most part we behave ourselves. Thanks for reading and I will continue to try to be descriptive.

The one that's not so easy) Thanks Dave Williams, for your service to UW-Parkside. Many of you know our former (that's the hard part) athletics director Dave Williams. Dave recently took the AD gig at Missouri Western and I wish him all the best. For my money, Dave did a great job here at Parkside and he will be missed. If you think it's easy trying to make 13 coaches happy -- think again. It's no picnic (I love picnics). Matt Mountin takes over as interim AD (hey, if he doesn't work out, with a name like Mountin he'll get work in pro wrestling). Just kiddin' ... Matt's a good guy and will do a great job.

On another subject ... do you know anybody that has all four teams in the NCAA Final Four? I do! I'll use her code name here, TPC got all four correct. I was out of the running Saturday when Bucky's team fell to Davidson (can those guys shoot the "3" or what?). I got a call from Bucky before the tourney started and he was feelin' pretty confident that his boys were gonna make the Final Four. Hey, you gotta support the UW System schools and most of you know that my buddy Luke Reigel played for and coached with Bo. Personally, I don't see anybody beating UNC -- they are tough. But I'm usually wrong so because I have gone out on a limb (yes, bears can climb trees) UNC probably goes down. I was torn between the Tar Heels and the Bruins (that bear thing). Actually, I don't see the Bruins getting by Memphis. Who do you guys think will finish on top?

OK, gotta get back to work -- yes I actually have things I do during the day: meetings, cheer strategies, I do a lot of posing to see how different moves really look...

See ya!

Timing is ...

... EVERYTHING.

Girls and boys, I have been healthy as a horse all winter. Until, that is, this past weekend. I was supposed to make a couple of appearances at the Kenosha Expo -- SpongeBob SquarePants was there on Sunday (between you and me he is such a suck-up) along with McGruff the Crime Dog and that dalmation with the fireman's hat -- all in all not a bad bunch. But I start feelin' like I'm comin' down with something last week and it turns into strapped throat -- I couldn't even growl. As much as I wanted to make the Expo, my doc told me I shouldn't be out in public because I could have gotten contagious and nobody wants that. So this morning I'm back workin' and I ask a couple of buddies how the Expo went. One of them is so excited because he got to meet Dr. Destruction! I said NO WAY! Dr. Destruction is like too cool. If you're not from Kenosha or Racine, you have no idea who I'm talking about. Dr. D has a show on local access in both cities. He runs old horror films -- sometimes they're so scary I have to put my paws over my eyes and peek between my claws! So this buddy says he told Dr. Destruction that I'm a big fan and would the good Doctor consider having me, Ranger Bear, on his show. I'd paint a couple of my fangs red, make it look like I was really mean -- I mean I'm not, it would just be for the TV. Here's his web site http://dr-destruction.tripod.com/index.html
Get in touch with him and tell him I, Ranger Bear, should be on the Crimson Theatre. It would be too cool!

Say it aint' so, Jack!

Boys and girls, I know it's been quite a while since ol' Ranger Bear has sat down at the keyboard to say, "hi, what's going on?" Actually, I've been a little down in the dumps. No, I haven't been scrounging the garbage dumps like some of my relatives have been known to do -- however, I actually had an aunt who came across a replica of the Gettysburg Address one night and sold it for a tidy sum on eBay. The reason for my less-than-enthusiastic demeanor is the news about my buddy, Chancellor Jack Keating. Yes, I realize nothing is forever. I know that time marches on. And, like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. But when I heard that Jack was leaving the university -- let's just say I was not a happy cub. I like Jack, and I hope he would say the same about me. Sure, if you go back and read some of my blogs, I've made a reference or two about how hard he works me. Wellllll, he does and he doesn't. The truth is, I've got a pretty good gig here at the Big P and sometimes I need a swift kick in the fanny to keep my game face on. Jack always told me when I was doing well, and he told me when I needed to get back on track. And he was usually right on the money. You don't have to be a genius to realize that his long list of accomplishments as the head of this place is pretty impressive. Jack Keating was good for UW-Parkside and Jack Keating was good for this neck of the woods. Maybe what troubles me the most is how quickly the past 10 years have come and gone. It seems like yesterday that Jack was introducing himself as the "new chancellor" at convocation. Of course he always introduced himself as the "new chancellor" and said he could do that for 10 years. Great sense of timing! There is some good news: Jack will be around until August. To my loyal readers, please do Ranger Bear a favor ... the next time you see Jack, shake his hand, wish him good luck, and say thanks. (How many people -- yes I consider myself a people -- get to ride in a limo with "The Boss"?)

What kind of presents did you get?

No, I didn't see Willy the Wolf Cub or his toboggan during the holidays, but he must have stopped at my den because I had plenty of fruits and nuts and freeze-dried berries. What kinds of presents did you guys get? Post a comment to my blog!!!!

I was talking to my cousin Yogi -- his campground near Sturgeon Bay is closed for the season so he's down south somewhere. I'm not sure what kind of presents he got. All he kept saying was ... well, let me try to recreate the conversation ...

RB: Hey, Yogi, it's Ranger Bear, happy holidays.

YB: Ranger Bear you furry old dog, long time no hear. Happy holidays to you. How's the weather in the northwoods?

RB: (this conversation took place a couple of weeks ago) Kinda cold and we've been getting lots of snow. How 'bout by you.

YB: Pretty nice, actually, played 18 yesterday -- hittin' it big off the tee but I can't putt to save my fur. Boo Boo couldn't read a green if his life depended on it. Did you get any cool presents?

RB: Yeah, some nice fruit and nuts and freeze-dried berries.

YB: Don't tell me, Willy the Wolf Cub.

RB: Yessssss, Willy the Wolf Cub. How 'bout you?

(this is where it starts to get confusing)

YB: I got a wee.

RB: OK, I'll wait, I have anytime minutes on my phone.

YB: No, not that kinda wee, I got a wee, you know, the hot gift this year a wee.

RB: Yogi, maybe I'm just walking through a couple of black holes because my cell must be cutting out. You keep saying you got a wee, a wee what, did you get a small present of some kind?

YB: No, not a small present ... a wee, you know a wee ... with games like bowling.

RB: Oh, a small bowling game -- I used to have one of those as a cub.

YB: No, it's not a small bowling game, it's a wee! A WEE!!

(We talked a 'wee' bit longer but all I could figure out was he some kind of very small present. I gotta get a new cell phone -- but I do like the anytime minutes.)

Tornadoes near Parkside ... in January!

Just when you think you have seen it all, tornadoes in Wisconsin in January. According to the Weather Channel, the last time there was a tornado in Wisconsin in January was 1844. Monday also saw another record -- again according to the Weather Channel, 63 degrees in Racine was the highest temperature ever recorded on January 7. I'm guessing it was a record in Kenosha as well, but I have not fully researched the topic.

Parkside survived the big wind but some of our neighbors were not so fortunate. There was considerable damage to the south and west of campus.

The legend of Willy the Wolf Cub

I don't know how many of you know this, but in the bear world -- of which I am a card-carryin' member -- this time of year reminds me of my cub days and waiting patiently in the den (well, as you know I wasn't raised in a den, I was circus performer from day 1, but mom and I pretended we were in a den in our circus wagon) ... anyway, I digress ... waiting patiently in my pretend den for the coming of Willy the Wolf Cub. Willy, legend has it, road his toboggan around the wild kingdom (not to be confused with Marlin Perkins' Wild Kingdom sponsored by Mutual of Omaha -- "I'll stay in the truck while Jim wrestles the wild rino!") about this time of year and delivered fruits and nuts and freeze-dried berries to the good little animal children. Honestly, I never saw Willy or his toboggan but there would always be a morning when I'd wake up, look around our pretend den and see fruits and nuts and freeze-dried berries just for me. I loved that morning. Later in life, a couple of the other bear cubs in the circus tried to convince me that Willy wasn't real. That actually, get this, my mom had put the fruits and nuts and freeze-dried berries in our pretend den. Talk about delusional ...
Anyway, my faithful and understanding readers, at this amazing time of year, my wish for you is that Willy makes it to your house, or den, or wherever you call home and you have plenty of fruits and nuts and freeze-dried berries to call your very own.
RB

Pomp and circumstance

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, moms and dads, Ranger Bear is almost blog-less -- I can hardly believe that Sunday the winter 2007 commencement ceremony takes place in the De Simone gym. Wasn't it just like a few days ago that we were all sitting together in that same gym for academic convocation to kick off the new school year? Where does the time go? If you are among the men and women who will make that exciting walk across the stage in a few days, Ranger Bear says, "Well done, congratulations, good luck -- and -- you will be missed."

This is one wild Pomp and Circumstance

Through the grapevine, Ranger Bear has heard that we may have some new visitors to the RB Blog Den. Welcome! I encourage you to check out some of the other blogs -- Two Monkeys is a fav.