James Eayrs has landed. James "Big Lumber" Eayrs, the 6-7, 340 pound UWM forward vaulted himself into cult icon land after last Friday's UWM vs. UWGB game broadcast nationally on ESPNU. I realize that UWGB won the game, but the announcing team of David Kaplan and Jim Chones were overflowing with Eayrs praise the whole game. Immediately upon banking in his first shot upon entering the game, Kaplan called him "Big Lumber" and the nickname stuck. You know what? It's a pretty boss nickname.

Not only did the announcers drill a perfect nickname on him, but they were right in their assessment of Eayrs needing more playing time. The guy apparently weighed 390 pounds out of high school and is down to 310. He's listed at 340. Awesome! He's got a shooters touch and aside from Tone Boyle (when he's hot), might be the teams best three point threat as well. The first time you watch Big Lumber shoot the ball, you instantly see he's got a soft touch, not a garbage shot like most big men (paging Tragic Johnson) possess.

The Horizon League doesn't hang its hat on dominant big men. Whenever a HL team announces they've bagged a 6-10 or 6-11 guy to come to campus and anchor the paint, you wonder what his problem is. He's some big stiff that can't dribble, can't shoot free throws and he passes worse than Jake Delhomme last Saturday night. He's more uncoordinated than that kid always picked last in your fifth grade kickball games. He might not speak or understand English and Johnny Estrada seems fast compared to him.

But he's 6-11! The talented big men of that stature get scooped up by the bigger programs. Eayrs is 6-7, but he's got the size to wrestle with anybody down low, along with quick feet and an extremely strong sense of the game. This guy can be the difference maker UWM has lacked since the days of Boo Davis, Adrian Tigert and Chris Hill. Maybe head coach Rob Jeter likes him as his sixth man, but Big Lumber should be starting. UWM has quietly put together a solid team this year and since Eayrs played two seasons at North Dakota State College of Science, he's already of Junior status. If Big Lumber doesn't win the HL "Conference newcomer of the year" award, I'm going to be angry as a hornet. I'm not even going to look up the numbers of other transfers around the league, Big Lumber is better. And there's no stud freshman that deserves merit.

But here's my principle problem with UWM: the fans. You came out in droves when Bruce Pearl was the mayor of this town, fulsomely packing the Cell for home games, banging the drums for a matchup vs. Marquette. Pearl is gone, taking his circus to the southland and now the undergrads in the student section top out around 30. A university with around 28,000 students and 30 of you show up for a division one basketball game? Make some noise Panthers...have some pride in your team again. High school JV games roll out a larger attendance in their student sections. Come out and see Big Lumber lay the lumber to the HL!

OFFICIAL MMH STATEMENT: It has been brought to our attention that the Daily Drink linked to a "10 worst kinds of drunks" on Jan. 9. #4 on this list, "Mr. Did I ever tell you I was molested," poached the MMH logo. The MMH does not associate with this type of creep and furthermore, does not see how the photo of a dude in a tie at work after a night of UW-La Crosse drinking has anything to do with the creeps he mentions. Every other photo relates to the type of drunk being discussed. This one does not. If you approach the MMH and morph into Mr. Did I ever tell you I was molested, the MMH will become #11 on the list: Mr. "have you ever been greeted by an oversized ash tray over the head?" Done. Handled.

ENTERING THE DARK AGES: This is the time of the year that the MMH loathes the most. Sure you have college basketball, but it's not even close to tournament time. The NBA is in full swing, which is awesome...if you give a crap about regular season NBA snoozefests. UWM having a respectable team, UW having a "down year" with only four losses and MU no longer having Tan Tom as its coach and looking like a possible national title threat will help manage the frigid days and dark nights. But make no mistake, late January through June is official Scott Favre season. It's his time to become the "insider" about his more talented brother and his feelings about football and life. Just wait, you'll see!

Check out the Brew Town Beat this week as we attempt to fully switch gears to full throttle basketball!