Former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell made the decision to become a free agent this off-season and he ultimately signed with the division rival Chicago Cubs. Fan reactions in Wisconsin were not good as a sign in his park was vandalized, social media imploded, and Owner Mark Attanasio didn’t bother hiding his frustration with the decision.
Have tempers calmed down several months after Craig Counsell’s decision?
Craig Counsell told USA Today that following the first week everyone he has had encounters with has been super nice.
“The first week was not great, I’ll be honest with you. But since then, everybody’s been super nice. I mean, I live there…They make jokes saying, ‘We’re not going to cheer for you,’ but it’s nothing bad. Really, I’ve had no bad experiences at all since then. I think as we get further away from it, we’ll be fine.”
-Craig Counsell
Craig Counsell is entering his first Chicago Cubs spring training following the recent loss of his mother.
On February 8, 2024 Jeanette Counsell passed away. At age 81 Jeanette had been dealing with dementia for the past few years, but two weeks after a fall in her Milwaukee home her health quickly deteriorated.
“It was tough. I really lost focus on the job for two weeks because I was taking care of her.”
“You see your parents live a certain way. … It was a blessing in a weird way. It’s hard on my dad for sure, 56 years of marriage…It’s that stage of life, man, and I was lucky to have my parents alive for 80 years.”
-Craig Counsell
When do the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs play each other?
Craig Counsell’s first encounter against his former organization will come in spring training on February 28. That game will be televised on Bally Sports Wisconsin. The two teams will meet three total times during Cactus League play. Their first regular season encounter will come at Wrigley Field on May 3 and on May 27 at American Family Field.
Follow me on Twitter @tylerkoerth. Follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great sports content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!. We cover the Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers, and Wisconsin High School Sports. Additionally we provide the latest news coverage on the NFL, MLB, and NBA.
