Lineup:

the Badgers are looking strong at the right time

• Chris Dennis
• Adam “Big A” Maritato
• Brian Peoplis
• Greg “Grego” Boulanger

Topics: (segment duration)

1. Big Ten and Big East basketball conference tournament preview (Beginning – 11:05)
2. Packers Free Agency:  has the Packer’s front office been smart or complacent (11:20 – 23:05)
3. Bucks basketball: Where can the Bucks end up come play-off time (23:20 – 33:40)
4. Convince Me! Brewers:  Do the Brewers have enough to reach the post season? Shout Outs! (34:00 – End)

As the calender turns to March the days get longer and the Brewers get set to begin spring training.  Most Milwaukee sports fans are talking about the run Marquette has made to get back into the tournament, or who’s going to be in the rotation for the Brewers.  But why isn’t anybody talking about the Bucks? You know, that NBA team that’s only a half game behind the 5th place team in the Eastern Conference.

I understand that most years us Wisco sports fans are already looking at draft prospects and seeing where the Bucks could land in the lottery. This is not like most years.  There is a buzz growing around Milwaukee, but the buzz isn’t nearly big enough.

As it stands right now the now the Bucks are 32-29 while holding on to the 6th spot and they’re only a half game out of the 5th seed for the playoffs.  Tonight in the Bradley Center (BC), we welcome the Cleveland Lebron’s for a showdown.  This should be a good way to measure where the Bucks are at for a couple different reasons.  First, The Cavs are an elite team and this would give us a decent estimate to where we actually are as a team.  Another, for me at least, is to see how many BUCKS fans show up in their BUCKS jerseys to support the BUCKS.

While I am expecting a sellout tonight at the BC, its not like a sellout you might see at a Brewer game against a division foe.

The Brewers have proved over the past 3 years that putting a competitive product on the field will draw Milwaukee’s fans out the game in record numbers.  The Brewers have drawn 3 million plus fans for two straight years which, apparently, is a major accomplishment  (my team does it every year).  But, like the Brewers, The Bucks are competing and are likely to be in the playoffs, but still empty seats are all over the BC.  Only a few times this year have the Bucks sold out games, and it was for the usual suspects… LA Lakers, Dwayne Wade’s Miami Heat, and the Chicago Bulls.  On other nights the crowd looks comparable to a WNBA game (maybe not that bad).

Being a Bucks fan and Cubs fan I ask you, Bucks fans, Where’s the same pride in your team?  I can’t show up to a Brewer game wearing my Cubs jersey without getting berated by half the stadium. But If I wore aCavs jersey to tonight’s game, I’d fit in just fine.  Somethings wrong here.

What do the Bucks have to do to draw fans??? I understand the tailgating experience at Miller Park is excellent and most Milwaukee residents are fans of drinking first and their team second.  So it is hard to compare, but if your looking to party with friends before a Bucks game, Water and Old World 3rd St. has got you covered.  Downtown has many establishments right around the BC so fans can grab a bite to eat and some drinks before.  Tickets are cheap; Bucks.com offers many different ticket deals.  They even collaborate with other local businesses to provide several different promotional deals that usually results in people leaving the BC with free stuff.

So, are you guys just not NBA fans? I’ve heard people say that they wont go to an NBA game because they lost the team aspect of the game years ago and that it has become a one on one “street ball” game. You couldn’t be more wrong.  Those same people will use that false statement to say that college basketball is a better brand of basketball than the NBA.  I just ask these people to watch the Bucks once and they will notice this Bucks squad wins games by playing team ball and playing hard defensively all game, every game.  Casual sports fans always say that there is no defense played in the NBA and maybe in some cases your right but the Bucks are most certainly playing defense.

The Bucks have ranked in the top ten in defensive efficiency almost the whole year.  When people compare the pro game to the college game they need to realize that these guys are professionals.  In the college game, there are more set plays because the longer shot clock allows for it .  There is a great deal of difference when playing for 35 seconds compared to 24 seconds. In the NBA if a guard gets daylight, he’s taught to shoot it.  why? because you may not get a better look and since they’re professionals, in most cases, an open shot is going in.  College kids NEED to run sets longer in order to open up easy shot attempts.  UW’S Jason Bohannon needs to play within the swing offense because he doesn’t have the ability to consistently create his own shot effectively.  John Salmons can and does time and time again; so why would you want him to play that so called “better brand of basketball” when he can just go to the hoop and score it?

If people want good, defensive basketball then they should Love tonight’s matchup between two of the best defensive teams the league has to offer.

The bottom line is that all you Bucks fans out there need to get those people out for a game.  You know at least a few people who don’t watch the team because of the ridiculous points listed earlier.  This team doesn’t have any “superstars” but they play excellent basketball as a team and finally starting to turn the corner .  Tell people that.  Milwaukee can be a great basketball city like it was back in 2001 but we just need the fringe basketball fans back at the games and back with the Bucks.   Bucks fans you have one job…. grab someone who doesn’t watch the Bucks and watch a game with them.  Who knows, maybe they may like what they see and want to go to a game.

Build Bucks Nation one fan at a time Bucks fans.  It’s your duty.

Lineup:

• Chris Dennis
• Adam “Big A” Maritato
• Brian Peoplis

Topics:

• Milwaukee Bucks Basketball (beginning- 12:52)

• Badger Basketball (13:00 – 16:20)

• Marquette Basketball (16:20 – 21:00)

• Milwaukee Panther Basketball (21:00 – 29:25)

• WST Headlines and Shout Outs! (29:40 – End)

Lineup:

Brewers Insider "City of" Watson discusses how new Starting Pitcher Randy Wolf will fit in with the rest of the Brewers rotation

Chris “Denman” Dennis
Derek “City of” Watson
Adam “Big A” Maritato

Call-in:
Adam “A-dub” Weigand

Topics:

Talkin’ Pack (00-12:33)
Talkin’ Bucks w/ Bucks Insider Adam “A-dub” Weigand (12:35-22:10)
Talkin’ Brewers and Heisman Trophy (22:12-30:48)
NFL Picks (30:52-46:04)

Lineup:

John Clay will have his chance to shine against the Hurricanes

Chris “CD $” Dennis
Grego “Five-Oh” Boulanger
Derek “City of” Watson
Ilya “Kovalchuk” Smith

Call-ins:
Billy “Birdman” Kanter
Jerome “JF” Harrison

Topics:

-Packers/Ravens analysis (beginning- 8:40)
-Packers/Badgers talk: Call in: Billy “Birdman” Kanter (8:45- 18:15)
-Vikings coverage with call in:  Jerome “JF” Harrison ( 18:20- 24:30)
-Wisconsin Area College Basketball: (24:35- 33:45)
-Brewers talk with Brewers insider Derek “City of” Watson: (33:50- End)

1. While the University of Florida gets the assets, the University of Utah gets hosed… in the ass.

Seriously, why not adopt a bloody plus-1 format already? Florida finished the season with a blemish on their record, while Utah did not. The result:  the only undefeated BCS team got the shaft big time.

Okay, I get it, the money issues. The “keep it in the family” mentality of the ‘BCS conferences.’ But, come on. Utah smacked Alabama around, and they didn’t even get a shot. Epic fail by the BCS.

2. Pittsburgh wins the Super Bowl… again.

What a bunch of lucky SOBs. I don’t care if they did have the best team last season. They didn’t play like the best team that day.

If it weren’t for two plays — the INT return for a TD and that great Santonio Holmes catch — it would have been a different game, different outcome, different champion.

3. Poor, poor Michigan State

As much as I like the University of North Carolina (yes, Michael Jordan has something to do with it), I really wanted to see Michigan State win that one for the people of the state that has now replaced Minnesota as the state I would first offer up to Canada to allow Puerto Rico to join the Union. (50 seems like a good number…you gotta give a little to get a little).

But I digress. Seriously, though, what a terrible game. Everyone in Michigan should have sensed that shit was an omen for the rest of the year to come…and gotten the hell out! Well, at least they gave it the ‘ol college try, right chaps?

4. The Master(baters)

This may be the only schpeel you get about golf from me. If Tiger is out of it by Sunday (and by Sundays, I mean the only 4 tournament Sundays that really count), then I flat-out don’t give a rip. Unless John Daly was in the mix. But that’s only because America loves the story of a hopeless alcoholic; the guy has a drink named after him for the love of Zeus.

Attn: PGA.

Once Le Tigre is too old to fist pump any longer, find a replacement fast. Because when he doesn’t play, no one cares!

5. NASCAR…

… I don’t care, and frankly neither should you. They are not athletes — I don’t care what argument you make. Bottom line:  Tony Stewart couldn’t run the 40-yard dash as fast as Gilbert Brown did back in the day, let alone run with anyone who is supposed to be able to in a pro sport.

There is NO ATHLETICISM involved in racing. Just quick reflexes, thorough hydration, knowing your automobile, the ability to hold your bladder, and in the case of 95% of the races in NASCAR, just hold the wheel at 10 o’clock to the left.

If NASCAR is a sport, then so are billiards, bowling, and everything else old fat people can still excel at because they are just games of skill masquerading as sports solely because ESPN (The Ocho) airs them from time to time.

6. More spring baseball, more steroids…

Are you surprised? Maybe you didn’t expect it from A-roid or Manny because you were blinded by your individual fandom towards them. But to be utterly shocked and appalled in this day and age of pro baseball…well, then, you sir or madam are naive and deserve every ounce of agony you had coming to you.

7. Brewers start quick…

…and blew their load by the All-Star break. I admit, I was very skeptical of them in Spring Training. They started fast, blew through June, and led the NL Central by a few games. Then the reality that the Crew no longer had two All-Star pitchers in the rotation set in fast. Go figure. Again, not surprised in the least.

But hey, as a Milwaukeean, win or lose, we’re here to tailgate, get drunk, and eat copious amounts of sausage. PROST!

Tailgating in Milwaukee is a sport in itself

8. Team USA is relevant in the world of soccer, hooray!

For those of you who are still too narrow-minded to like soccer and brush it off as a fairy sport, feel free to skip ahead. If this is the case and you are one of the aforementioned people, then I would gamble a good amount that you haven’t yet gone to a live major soccer event, especially overseas.

To witness how great the sport of soccer is, this is almost a requirement. It is a sad realization when one accepts the fact that world soccer fans are absolutely die-hard crazy, more so than anything I have witnessed in the U.S. (and that says a lot).

Anyways, for those in the know, the U.S. beat Spain in the semifinals of the Confed. Cup in South Africa. Spain, at the time, had just tied the record for most consecutive wins by a National team, and was widely regarded as either the first or second best team in the world.

Then in the final, the U.S. pulled a second half choke job (sorry guys, but it’s true) against the other best team in the world, Brazil.

The U.S. did, however, go on to win the CONCAF region for World Cup Qualifiers. Although they have since lost two key players to injury (one was in a car accident), I am still very excited about the potential for a good showing next summer at the World Cup.

9. KOBE!!!

I am a Lakers and Bucks fan. But after George Karl broke up the big three, I have been much more of a Lakers fan. Kobe is currently, and has been, my favorite player since Jesus Shuttlesworth left MKE for SEA; rather, got ran out of town by George Karl.

In defense of my Lakers fandom, my favorite player growing up was a Laker: Nick Van Exel. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know. I loved Jordan, but I loved NVE more for whatever reason.  In any event, it was good to see him win one without Shaq, who as of late looks like a shmuck.

10. Pittsburgh does it again

But this time it was on the ice. I don’t know much about hockey. But I do know the following: it’s fun to watch and is either the best or second best sport to watch live depending upon who you ask. I haven’t really cared all that much about hockey since the last lockout.

There are teams in cities that don’t support hockey and that really pisses me off (especially considering Milwaukee doesn’t have a pro team). My favorite team has always been the Pens (my best friend since 1st grade is a huge Pens fan), and my least favorite team has always been the Red Wings. So, needless to say, I was quite happy about the Stanley Cup finals.

Damn good year for sports in Pittsburgh

11. You knew I would be getting to this topic: Favre.

My feelings, thoughts, and opinions on this topic alone could be made into a book. So I will save the post about HeWhoShallNotBeNamed for later. Vuck Finnesota!

12. WE HAVE A HOME… and it’s name is TCF Bank *sigh*.

Well, the stadium is beautiful and the atmosphere is great. I wish I lived up there so I could go see my Gophers in action more (but that’s the only reason I still wish I lived in Minneapolis). Too bad we still kind of suck eyh?

Here’s to a season that will most likely end in a loss at the ThisBowlDoesNotEvenMatterSoChangeTheChannel.com Bowl. Here’s to next year and a good off season of recruiting… RAH!

13. The Yankees prevail… evil reigns supreme… Aaron rejoices?

Okay, I wanted the Yankees to win. I cheered for them for many reasons that you can hate me for. One, for sure, isn’t very logically sound.

A) A-rod played his single A ball in my home town, I got to meet him, I have a few of his autographs, the Timber Rattlers (formerly the Appleton Foxes — the team he and Big Papi played for) are now a minor league affiliate of the Brewers by the way.

B) I love hating the Yankees. But, lets face it; it’s not fun to hate on someone constantly if they are always down. Hell, they hadn’t won it in a while, regardless of how much I hate them because they buy all their players and perceived championships for astronomical amounts of loot.

The bottom line is they hadn’t been to the top of the mountain in almost a decade. It’s always best to knock the bully down when he is atop his high horse. And if baseball is going to continue it’s non-salary cap ways, then I might as well be able to hate the Evil Empire.

C) C.C: Dude gave his heart and soul for the Crew and threw out his arm at the tail end of the regular season. Just so we could say we made it back to the playoffs (prior to last year, in all of American pro sports, no team had a longer playoff drought than the Brewers).

He even wanted to stay with the Crew, and if it weren’t for the MLBPA practically forcing his hand to sign the NY deal, he most likely would have (this, btw, is more fact than speculation, if you care for me to explain it to you, I will later).

A collection of topics (and anything related to them) I plan to write about in the coming weeks:

Packers, Bucks, Gopher football/basketball, NBA, NFL, Vikings, HeWhoShallNotBeNamed, MLS Cup Final, etc.

That does it; I hope you liked numero uno. This is Mav, pulling the eject handle… WATCH THE GLASS CEILING!!!

If there is anything specific you want to hear my outlandish opinion on, just ask, and it will be duly noted.

The first episode of the WiscoSota Sports Show is up! This episode is brought to you by the Milwaukee crew of Chris Dennis, “Big A” Adam Maritato, Greg Boulanger, Derek Watson, and Adam Weigand.

In the first episode, the Wisco crew talks Packers, Bucks, Brewers, College Football, and they make their NFL picks for Week 9.

(Because of an issue with the file size — forgive us, first podcast ever! — you have to click on the link, then click “regular download” and after you download the file, it should open right up in iTunes).

Enjoy!