Those pesky asterisks. Seems folks still want to attach one to Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun. Even at his own dining establishment.
SURG Restaurant Group made a big splash Monday by announcing a partnership with two of the state’s most famous athletes – Braun and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They’ll be the stars of a new Brookfield restaurant.
It’s not so surprising. After all, Braun and Rodgers have famously become good friends. Both are the reigning most valuable players of their respective leagues. They act together in Brewers commercials. And when Braun faced a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball for a positive result in its performance-enhancing drug-testing program, Rodgers pointedly and publicly defended his pal.
Braun appealed the suspension and won, but winning in the court of opinion has been a more difficult task. Opposing fans incessantly boo him at road games. They hold up signs with asterisks, insinuating that his MVP award is tainted by the drug-testing saga.
And yet, what’s the name of his new restaurant with Rodgers?
8*twelve.
Maybe Braun (No. 8) and Rodgers (No. 12) did it intentionally, an inside joke poking fun at – as the kids like to say – the haters.
Or maybe somebody in marketing just missed a few sports sections.
Addendum: SURG Restaurant Group co-owner Omar Shaikh dropped us a line at Milwaukee Magazine, noting that the character between the 8 and the twelve is “a star not an asterisk.” He also emphasizes that the restaurant “is a positive thing for Wisconsin.”
