The Scoop On Hoops

Devoted readers of the Observers (we know you're out there somewhere) may have been wondering, "Why don't those yahoos talk about basketball, now that the NBA and college seasons are well under way?" Wonder no more; now that the Bucks are past their brutal first-month schedule and Marquette and Wisconsin are heading for their annual showdown Saturday, the Observers have enough data to join the discussion.

Frank: In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit that I seldom watch the NBA anymore, unless it's replays of vintage games from the '70s and '80s. Like every other sport, there are too many timeouts and commercials. As for college games, if Dick Vitale is blathering anywhere in the country, it's like one of those ultra-highpitched dog whistles. I'm in pain even if I don't have the television on.

Artie: I'm more interested in the Bucks than I have been in years. Something about this version of a fresh start is striking me right.

Frank: I do pay attention to how the local hoopsters are doing, and I did my homework last weekend. I saw most of Marquette's two games in Chicago and the Bucks' games against Detroit and Cleveland.

Artie: Let's discuss the Bucks first. In their first 19 games-only seven of them at home-they had to play on consecutive nights eight times. That's a ridiculous amount of traveling, beyond even what happens on the court on every possession.

Frank: Plus they played 14 of those games without their top scorer, Michael Redd.

Artie: And by the time he got back Saturday night, Andrew Bogut was out with a bad knee. They've had almost no games where the expected starting five has been on the court.

Frank: So how does their 7-12 record through November strike you?

Artie: I'm optimistic. Scott Skiles seems like a very savvy coach, the December schedule is easier, with only three back-tobacks, and they're getting solid contributions from some of their question-mark guys: the new point guard, Luke Ridnour, second-year guard Ramon Sessions and the rookie from UCLA, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

Frank: Mbah a Moute's offense has surprised me.

Artie: And his defense, which was why they drafted him, is proving them right.

Frank: Even short-handed, they gave the Pistons and Cavaliers some trouble and took the Celtics to overtime.

Artie: Coaches always say, "We can't use injuries as an excuse." Well, I'm not a coach and I WILL use that excuse. But I'm slightly encouraged because it's still early.

After all, the NBA season lasts longer than the Hundred Years War.

Frank: Now for the college cagers.

Marquette and Wisconsin meet at the Bradley Center on Saturday, and in one respect they're dead even. Each of them beat UW-Milwaukee by 20 points. But Marquette scored 100 points against UWM while Wisconsin scored 67.

Artie: A track meet versus a slugfest?

Frank: It's tempting to think of UW as still being in the Dick Bennett mode: stifling defense and an offense that dulls you to death. The defense is just as tough under Bo Ryan, but the offense is much more potent than in the Bennett years, just very balanced.

Artie: And how about the Golden Eagles?

Frank: They're amazingly quick on defense, creating lots of steals, and when they hit their outside shots they can beat anyone. When they can't, they're in trouble. Friday night against Northern Iowa

Artie: Not much the new coach, Buzz Williams, can change this season. He inherited a veteran team after Tom Crean ran away to Indiana.

Frank: There's no inside presence on offense and their three stars-Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews-all have times when they try to go one-on-five.

Artie: I've always thought of them as kind of the same guy.

everything clicked, and Saturday night against Dayton it didn't.

Frank: Right. Real quick, tenacious, a slasher on offense but not an especially consistent shooter. Times three.

Artie: They haven't had a big force inside since, who, Jerome Whitehead in the '70s? Lazar Hayward certainly can crash the boards, but he's no aircraft carrier at 6-foot-6.

Frank: MU will be outmuscled by some of the big bruisers of the Big East, like Notre Dame or UConn. But there'll be games when they absolutely dazzle people with their defensive energy, and if the shots fall they'll knock off some powers.

Artie: They should be favored Saturday because the game is here and because of the three senior guards. The Badgers have had more of a roster turnover this year, but Bo Ryan is a terrific coach. He just seems to know who to recruit to play his style.

Frank: Their defense isn't as flashy as MU's, but it's always so solid. And on offense, UW finds a way to work it inside. Their starting lineup isn't much bigger than MU's, but they have two tough senior forwards in Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft; a good point guard in Trevon Hughes, whose last-second shot Monday night beat Virginia Tech; and a good three-point guy in Jason Bohannon.

Artie: Not to mention a pretty good coach. And you know, if Mr. Ryan ever gives up coaching, he has a sure-fire career as a movie vampire. Count Bo!

Frank: I know a fellow MU grad who's called Bo "Dracula" for years.

Artie: Should be a terrific game. I wish I could be there.

Frank: You can be, for a couple of hundred dollars.

Lambeau Bleep Frank: Just to show that I do like to watch some hoops, I finished the weekend at my favorite basketball venue, the Al McGuire Center, watching the MU women's team conclude a round-robin tournament with Gonzaga, Virginia and Utah.

Artie: Ouch!

Frank: I'll take that as an indication that women's hoops isn't for you.

Artie: On the other hand, you didn't have to watch the Packers' latest heartbreaking loss, at home to Carolina.

Frank: I DVR'd it, of course. That's four losses by four points or fewer this season.

Artie: They take a 31-28 lead with less than 2 minutes left and then on the kickoff the Panthers' Mark Jones rips off his second long return of the day. At such a critical moment, your special teams turn specially bad.

Frank: As you would say, ouch!

Artie: I was feeling so good that they came back from a halftime deficit. Then came the return and I thought, "Here we go."

Frank: You always see that black cloud a-coming.

Artie: Comes from growing up Catholic and keeping expectations low. And what happens? Steve Smith makes a tremendous catch and the Panthers punch it in to make it 35-31.

Frank: But there was still about a minute and a half to play.

Artie: Right, and Aaron Rodgers had played well in the second half. But you know, those folks who said Brett Favre never spent any time tutoring Rodgers are wrong. What did Rodgers do at the end? Heave one downfield into coverage for an interception. That's right out of Brett's playbook.

Frank: On the bright side, Favre's march to the Super Bowl seems less inevitable after the Jets got drilled at home by Denver.

Artie: And on the dark side, the Packers are 5-7 and two games behind Minnesota. At least I wasn't in the stands and didn't have to drive back from Green Bay in crummy weather.

Frank: The Packers do right by their Milwaukee ticket-holders. The last "Gold Package" game of the season was the 37-3 rout of the Bears. That made for a lovely drive home.

Artie: They better repeat that performance Sunday against Houston or the whole season will be in a ditch, ain'a? Frank Clines labored almost 20 years in the sports department at theand Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and covered the Brewers part-time for most of those years. Art Kumbalek's photo can be found in Webster's next to the term "question-mark guy." Milwaukee Journal