In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Boston took home the rings and won the NBA Championship. Which leads to one question: do you love to watch Luka Dončić play, or do you hate watching him play? Oates says you can’t discount his ability, maybe even one of the best. But he has no defense, he likes holding the ball, and he just can’t stop complaining to the officials. Lucas says he’s always been like that, and he still has time to grow, but still, Luke on the floor is the definition of “Love-Hate relationship.”

Then Lucas asks the question: if you’re building a new franchise, who do you grab: Tatum or Brown? Plus, Joe Mazulla has made it to the limelight, but does that really matter? If you grabbed the average person off the street, would they know his name?

Bryson DeChambeau won this weekend’s U.S. Open, beating out Rory McIlroy on some tough greens. It’s not as fun to watch, Oates says, when all you can see is everyone struggling with the greens. But that’s no excuse for McIlroy he says, and that there is something in his head that’s stopping him from winning another major.

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Nate Wegehaupt. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates break down why Dan Hurley would turn down a seven-figure offer with the Lakers to stay with UCONN. For one thing, it simply might not have been enough money. It’s a mom and pop operation! At least says Lucas. 

But Oates points out that coaching a college team is much different from coaching a NBA team. Need an example? Lucas has many.

Then, the Badgers basketball team has a new forward: Andrija Vukovic. Hailing from Serbia, Lucas and Oates just aren’t sure what to think about the new signing. Not out of skepticism, but simply because there’s no tape of his playing. But still, this brings the number of new players on the Badgers up to six next season. Is this the new normal? Yes, says Oates.

Caitlyn Clark is back in the news this week, as she fails to make the US Women’s Olympic Basketball team. Oates says that this is because she won’t be playing too much, but this is a mistake. The WNBA has eyes on it, something they haven’t had in a long time. You have to seize the opportunity to help grow the entire sport of women’s basketball. Simply put: Caitlyn Clark is a name, and a name is something women’s basketball needs right now.

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Nate Wegehaupt. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates react to the news that the Kohl Center is looking to restrict premium seating as they expand the size of the hockey rink. It’s just another way to spite the longtime fans in favor of the big money donors, Oats says. Both Lucas and Oates have been hearing from angry season ticket holders who are now learning that the seats they’ve held for decades are now moving, possibly all the way up to the 300 section.

Meanwhile, Craig Counsell returned to Milwaukee last week, and it went about as well as expected. Oates says he’s a little surprised it went on as long as it did, but if Counsell was expecting a warm welcome home, well he went home disappointed. And while the Brewers won the series, Lucas says they have to figure out their starting pitchers situation. Robert Gasser is out for elbow soreness, bringing another hit to the already patched-together starting pitching staff. 

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Nate Wegehaupt. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates react to the NCAA agreeing to a historic settlement to end class-action lawsuits brought by student athletes. Thousands of former and current college players will receive a share of $2.8 billion in damages. The settlement also clears the way, for the first time, for schools to directly pay student athletes through shared revenue plans. 

“It’s a first step in regaining control over what’s going on. Reform is needed. Right now, there are no guard rails on the transfer portal or NIL (name, image, likeness) money,” says Oates, a former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “Coaches and administrators will take as much slack as you give them. NIL is so out of control, it’s unbelievable. Something has to be done.”

Oates says the NCAA’s settlement might be a legal framework for schools to treat student athletes like employees. 

“This might be a prelude to 60 or 70 schools breaking away and becoming their own bosses,” says Oates. “That way universities can start to bargain for some level of salary cap…and do away with NIL.”  

In the meantime, Lucas says fans are becoming fed up with the dramatic roster changes every season. The Wisconsin men’s basketball team lost more than half dozen players to the transfer portal this year, including stars AJ Storr and Chucky Hepburn.  

“When talking to some Badger boosters, they are really upset about Chucky Hepburn. That one put them over the edge,” says Lucas. “I don’t hold this personally against Hepburn. He’s just a product of this new system.”

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Nate Wegehaupt. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas recently caught Badger alum Sam Dekker hit the game-winning shot for the London Lions in the British Basketball League. 

“Isn’t it great to see him still playing the game and still having success at it?”asks Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “My question to you, Oatesy, where does Sam Dekker fit in the greatest high school players of all-time in the state of Wisconsin?”

Oates thinks Dekker leading Sheboygan Lutheran to a WIAA state title in 2012 qualifies him for the top ten. 

“He’s one of the best athletes that has ever played basketball in Wisconsin. His whole game is predicated on movement,” says Oates, a former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “Bo Ryan rode him hard but he could never wipe the smile off of Sam Dekker’s face. He was born to play basketball and you could tell the way he plays.” 

Lucas likes that Dekker remains a diehard Milwaukee Brewers fan. 

“He loves his Brewers. You talk about a fanatic,” says Lucas. “He’ll get into it with any troll on the internet.” 

When pressed by Lucas, Oates says Messmer High School’s John Johnson tops the list of Wisconsin basketball greats. Johnson led Messmer to a state title in 1966.

“John Johnson was just a phenomenal player. He played center, he played point guard, he played everything. He was a great passer, great rebounder, and a great defender,” says Oates. “He ended up averaging 28 points a game in his two seasons at Iowa. And then he had a lengthy NBA career.”

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas highly recommends the new ESPN docuseries on college basketball stars Kamila Cardoso, Kiki Rice, and Caitlin Clark.

“Caitlin Clark is so huge. You just get a better feel for the people around her, the pressure that mounted throughout the season, and how she dealt with it all,” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “After watching it, I have even more respect for (head coaches) Dawn Staley of South Carolina and certainly for Lisa Bluder, who retired from Iowa on Monday.”

Oates, a former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist, says women’s college basketball has been steadily growing for years. 

“Clark handled the spotlight really well. She was the Taylor Swift of basketball and I think it helped the entire sport,” says Oates. “Women’s college basketball has taken a giant leap forward and I think the WNBA is going to experience that as well.” 

Also on the podcast, the veteran sports journalists appreciated the digs leveled at Bill Belichick during The Roast of Tom Brady. But not much else. 

“I spent three hours watching that and I can’t get it back,” says Lucas. “It was pretty brutal in terms of language and a lot of locker room humor. Some of it had me turning away because it was so crude.” 

To that, Oates responds, “This is the new Mike Lucas.” 

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates recap the Milwaukee Bucks’ messy season. Oates says the Bucks’ defensive game got better once Doc Rivers became head coach in the middle of the season. But he didn’t think the combination of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo was ever going to work. 

“Giannis dominated the ball for years in Milwaukee’s offense. Damian dominated Portland’s offense. Could they have worked that out and gotten along? Probably. But both are at their best when they monopolize the ball,” says Oates, the former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “This was a poorly put together team right from the start. Why do you hire a rookie head coach for a veteran team? That was stupid.” 

Lucas says Milwaukee’s roster is looking long in the tooth. 

“I just went back and looked at their average age and the money that they are spending on three or four players. They have some issues moving forward,” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “It’s an old, old team. Khris Middleton is 32. Lillard is 33. Brook Lopez is 36! Goodness.”

Also the podcast, the veteran sports journalists review the latest portal prospects added by the Wisconsin men’s basketball team. And Lucas has thoughts on your Milwaukee Brewers.

“Christian Yelich got off to a blazing start. I think he’s missed 17 games now. Boy, they need his bat,” says Lucas. “And I have to admit this, too. I had a lot of trouble seeing Craig Counsell in a Cubs uniform. It just didn’t fit. Craig Counsell, a Cubbie? No.”

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates don’t have many complaints about how Green Bay handled this year’s NFL Draft. Oates says keep an eye on second-round pick, linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. 

“Cooper will be the star of this particular draft.  If they are going to go to four down lineman they need speed at linebacker to run things down. The Packers really appear to have increased their speed at that position,” says Oates, the former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “I thought Green Bay’s first four picks were outstanding. They nailed areas of need with players they liked.”

Also on the podcast, the veteran sports journalists take a look at the basketball players Wisconsin is picking up from the transfer portal. The Badgers have a commitment from Northern Illinois forward Xavier Amos. 

“What really caught my eye is that [University of Virginia] coach Tony Bennett was actively recruiting Amos,” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “He’s from Chicago. Howard Moore will be pleased with that. As a sophomore, he started 25 games. Averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds.”

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates assess how the transfer portal and name, image, likeness (NIL) money are impacting the Badgers men’s basketball team. Since the season ended, stars Connor Essegian, AJ Storr, and Chucky Hepburn have all sought greener pastures. 

“You know what the most sobering thing is for Wisconsin? They aren’t in the top-tier in terms of NIL money…. Now all of a sudden, Wisconsin is a feeder program,”says Oates, the former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “The system is broken. It’s complete chaos. College basketball coaches are pulling their hair out waiting for the next shoe to drop.”

Also on the podcast, the veteran journalists sum up what the Green Bay Packers need heading into the NFL draft. Lucas hopes Green Bay can snag Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean. 

“He’s an impact player. He can play corner or safety,” says Lucas. “I’m not sure DeJean will be available. But the Packers are in a pretty good strategic position. They have five picks that should be premium picks and picks of value.”

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates review the 2024 Masters Tournament in which Scottie Scheffler won another green jacket. Tiger Woods made the cut at the Augusta Nationals for a record-setting 24th consecutive time but finished with one of the worst scores of his long career. 

“Watching Tiger play was kind of painful. He finished, like, 16 over. 16 over!” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “He looked in rough shape. He was pained. It was like he was struggling just to get up to the green. It reminded me of Willie Mays playing for the Mets or Johnny Unitas throwing passes for the Rams. It was just so out of character.” 

Oates says this year’s Masters showed a new generation emerging in professional golf. 

“There were a lot of guys, 30 and under, all over that leaderboard. Man, they really crush the ball,“ says Oates, the former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “How demoralizing would it be to play golf with Scottie Scheffler? He hits it 330, straight down the middle, off every tee.” 

Also on the show, the veteran journalists are pleased with how the Milwaukee Brewers have played in the first few weeks of the season. 

“They’ve been hitting the cover off the baseball,” says Lucas. “It’s like the Bambi’s Bombers revisited.”

Lucas and Oates are loving the recent rule changes enacted by Major League Baseball, especially the pitch clock. 

“It’s outstanding…it’s restored some of the game. It restored the stolen base. Offensive baseball had become too one-dimensional,” says Oates. “The Brewers have taken advantage of that so far this year. They’re running. They’re aggressive on the bases. Nice job by [manager] Pat Murphy to recognize that and go with it.”

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.