Brandon Jennings
Favorite Brewer
Ryan Braun
"Man, he's the best player I've ever played with, and it's not just because of the homers. It's everything. He'll steal a base whenever you need him to; he'll play good defense." So said 15-year veteran Aramis Ramirez of teammate Ryan Braun after a game last September in which Braun hit two homers to become the fifth fastest active player to reach 200 career home runs. Signed through 2020, the former Rookie of the Year, MVP award-winner and N.L. home-run champion should have a lock on this award well into the future. (Art Kumbalek)
Runners-up:
Corey Hart
Jonathan Lucroy
Favorite Buck
Brandon Jennings
The former No. 1 high-school prospect of his class has been a fan favorite since dropping 55 points in a game early in his rookie season. On a team often racked with injury, the 6-1, 169-pound charismatic playmaker has proven durable at the league’s most valuable position, having played in 211 games out of a possible 230. There’s no question the kid from Compton has the all-star potential to lead his team back to the playoffs. And the sooner the better, since he’ll become a restricted free agent after this season, and “Young Buck” could become “No Buck.” (A.K.)
Runners-up:
Drew Gooden
Ersan Ilyasova
Favorite Packer
Aaron Rodgers
Rewind to the 2005 preseason and the selection of quarterback Aaron Rodgers as Favorite Packer could only be the choice of sardonic madmen. Seven years later, with a Super Bowl title, an MVP award and a handful of passing records under his renowned championship belt, it’s no surprise that this well-spoken, thoughtful team leader from Chico, Calif., has been chosen Favorite Packer, and neither would it be a passing fancy to consider Mr. Rodgers as the best player in the National Football League. (A.K.)
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Runners-up:
Donald Driver
Clay Matthews
Place for Skating
Red Arrow Park
920 N. Water St.
414-289-8791
county.milwaukee.gov/RedArrow11930.htm
It just wouldn’t be winter in Milwaukee without the picturesque charm of Red Arrow Park. Located Downtown and bathed in cheery light from the surrounding buildings during the night, the skating rink is the ideal place for a romantic date or an exciting outing with family and friends. Need a break from the cold? The adjoining warming house features a Starbucks and is a great place to relax between jaunts on the ice. (Selena Milewski)
Runners-up:
Pettit National Ice Center
Four Seasons Skatepark
Public Park
Lake Park
414-257-7275
Designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in 1889, Lake Park is fashioned after Romantic-style European parks. Large areas of meadow and woodland and serpentine paths run throughout to afford city-dwellers a real taste of the wild. Nature-lover’s refuge that it is, Lake Park also features several entertainment and historical attractions of note, including a golf course, tennis courts, an ice rink, the North Point Lighthouse and the city’s only intact Indian mound. (S.M.)
Runners-up:
Estabrook Park
South Shore Park
Urban Bike Trail
Oak Leaf Trail
county.milwaukee.gov/OakLeafTrail8289.htm
This ribbon of perfect green is one of the few things the whole city can claim. It offers some 114 scenic miles of asphalt, city streets and parkway, twisting along three different rivers and winding through Wauwatosa, West Allis, Bay View, the East Side and the Menomonee Valley. You’ll find thickly wooded parks, pristine nature reserves and classic Brewtown factory industrial settings. And it was further upgraded by the Hank Aaron State Trail. All of this makes it a runaway (or ride-away) winner. (Willy Thorn)
Runners-up:
Hank Aaron State Trail
Ozaukee Interurban Trail
