OMC: Fans in Milwaukee understand your balance of serious baseball talk and comedy. Outside of Milwaukee, perhaps they think of the guy from the Miller Lite commercials or "Mr. Belvedere." Do you think this perception has hurt your chances of getting inducted into the Hall of Fame?

BU: I never think about that stuff, I really don't. The guys who go in there are really deserving. I've done enough network stuff. With the Internet now, you can hear play-by-play of whoever you want. There are other guys who are deserving to be in there. You know what? When I started doing this up here, I never thought about stuff like that and I don't think about it until someone else brings it up. It doesn't bother me, though. I always tell people I should have gone in as a player with my stats.

OMC: You've become somewhat of an ambassador for the Brewers, appearing on the cover of their media guides and emceeing the closing ceremonies at County Stadium. How does it feel to be one of the most beloved figures in the organization, even though you've never even played for the Brewers?

BU: I think that comes from my long association with Bud Selig, Wendy and his whole family. I've known them forever. I think longevity breeds likeness. I live and die with the Brewers. I want them to win all the time. Having not been a player here doesn't mean anything. I played at County Stadium when the Braves were there. I think the whole identity thing with the Brewers -- from doing the Miller Lite commercials, from doing Belvedere, from doing films -- it's not only from baseball where I'm recognized all over the country. I'm not being egotistical, but once you do national spots or a series or movies -- hey, I did that stuff for laughs. I thought it was fun.

OMC: You're even an author. I read "Catcher in the Wry."

BU: The writer, Mickey Herskowitz, came to me and asked me to do a book. Why would I do a book, you know? Just to tell stories. It was basically just stuff that happened during the minor league days. And as stupid as they were, they were true. The same holds true with commercial work. You get a reputation for being a certain type of guy, where you have a persona that you're everybody's friend. I'm visible in Milwaukee, too, hanging out with fans. A lot of guys lock themselves up, but I don't want to do that. I was born and raised there, and that's where I'm going to take my dirt bath.

People who don't get a chance to travel a lot think 'Milwaukee doesn't have this, Milwaukee doesn't have that.' But the more I've traveled and the more places I've been, I don't want to live any place other than Milwaukee. I spend a lot of time in Arizona in the winter, but I'm always back in Milwaukee four or five times. Cold weather and winter doesn't bother me. You know what? I've never wanted to leave Milwaukee. I've had a lot of chances to go other places and work. I'm happy there. My friends and family are there.

I look at what I've done, and I'm actually as close to being a player now without playing as I can be. I'm broadcasting major league games, hanging around the players. It's fun.