The 2025 season has been a mixed bag for Cubs manager Craig Counsell. His team opened the year on a 59-39 tear—only to find themselves outpaced by a once-in-a-generation Brewers squad, currently in the process of setting Milwaukee ablaze two years after its ex-skipper's departure.
On Sunday, Chicago actually picked up a game on the Brewers' division lead, beating the Cubs 4-3 while Milwaukee lost to the Reds 3-2 to end its 14-game win streak. That fact, however, was dwarfed in magnitude by some sleuthing on the part of Brewers fans that caught Counsell in a hilariously audacious lie.
In a piece by veteran Chicago Tribune writer Paul Sullivan published Sunday, Counsell denied knowing anything about George Webb Restaurants—a ubiquitous Wisconsin chain known for giving away free burgers when Milwaukee wins 12 consecutive games.
Quickly sensing the ridiculousness of Counsell—who grew up in Milwaukee's suburbs—never having heard of George Webb, Brewers fans accused the manager of an outright fib. Reporter David Go of WLUK-TV in Green Bay confirmed the lie, unearthing a 2018 article from Adam McCalvy of MLB.com where Counsell praised the restaurant's promotion.
"I remember the concept of free hamburgers going back so long, it's hard to believe that it's never happend since then," Counsell said in '18 as Milwaukee ripped off 12 straight regular-season and playoff wins en route to the National League Championship Series.
With the Brewers accomplishing the feat again in '25, Counsell can only watch from afar.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brewers Fans, Reporters Catch Craig Counsell Lying About Team's Burger Promotion.