Milwaukee Bucks’ owner Herb Kohl says now is the time to start planning to build a new arena for the team and to figure out how to pay for it. Kohl has said he wants to devote more time to the Bucks after he leaves the US Senate at the end of the year. Today, he told a news conference that a new arena quote, “has to be more than talk†which is what it’s been for a couple years, now. Kohl said he would make a significant personal contribution toward a replacement for the 24 year old Bradley Center but it would take a combination of public and private support to get the job done. Kohl said he has not talked to any public officials about funding for a new arena and he would not speculate on how tough of a political battle it might be. Kohl said NBA Commissioner David Stern and other league officials are happy to see Milwaukee at least making an effort toward a new facility. Without one, Kohl said the NBA would believe that Milwaukee’s chances of keeping a team are quote, “not robust.â€
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Bucks’ owner Herb Kohl said today that general manager John Hammond will work without an extension in the final year of his contract next season. That’s after coach Scott Skiles said last week he would do the same thing. Kohl said he and the front office were not happy with what happened this past season, but the Bucks went 31-35. As the owner put it, “We were supposed to be in the playoffs … We didn’t get there.†But Kohl still had high praise for Hammond and Skiles, saying he’s pleased both will be around next season. Kohl said he was confident the Bucks could take the steps necessary to be a playoff team. He said there’s a lot to be enthusiastic about, and the team will go forward on that basis. Hammond said the contract situation doesn’t bother him. He said he worked half his life without a contract and that didn’t change until he got to the NBA.
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It’s been 40 years since the Milwaukee Brewers were shut out in three straight games. But it could happen tonight, if the Brewers put up goose eggs against the San Francisco Giants and their ace Tim Lincecum. The San Diego Padres shut out the Brew Crew 2-zip and 5-zip on Tuesday and Wednesday and the last time Milwaukee was shut out in three straight games was on May third through sixth of 1972. Lincecum, a right hander, won his last two games with an ERA of just .69. He gave up just one unearned run in eight innings last weekend against San Diego. And Lincecum has recovered from a poor start in which he lost his first two decisions. He’s now 2-2, but his ERA is still rather high at 5.74. The Brewers will put up right hander Zack Greinke. He’s coming off a win at Saint Louis last Sunday in which he gave up one run in six innings. Both the Brewers and Giants are just short of .500. San Francisco comes in at 12-13. Milwaukee is 11-14.
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The NFL players’ union has filed a grievance that challenges Commissioner Roger Goodell’s authority to suspend four players who took part in the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program. The complaint said Goodell is barred from punishing players for any type of pay per hit program which happened before the new collective bargaining agreement took effect last summer. Green Bay Packers’ defensive end Anthony Hargrove was suspended for eight games because of his involvement in the bounty program, and obstructing league investigators who were looking into it. He received the second longest punishment of the four present and former Saints. In its complaint, the union said the suspensions violate the NFL’s “duty of fairness to players†and broke the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The league said up to 27 Saints’ players took part in the bounty program, and the four suspended players had the biggest roles in it. Hargrove and the others have until Monday to appeal.
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Most of Wisconsin’s NASCAR drivers are in Talladega Alabama for a pair of races this weekend. The Sprint Cup drivers will compete in the Aaron’s 499 on Sunday. Qualifying is set for tomorrow. Matt Kenseth is fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings. He’s entered along with Paul Menard of Eau Claire and Travis Kvapil of Janesville. Meanwhile, the lineup is already set for the Nationwide Series’ Aaron 312 tomorrow afternoon at Talladega. Qualifying was canceled for today due to rain yesterday. NASCAR used this year’s owners’ points to determine the lineup. Beloit born Danica Patrick will start 17th. Elliott Sadler has the pole. The Camping World Truck drivers are off again this weekend. Their next race is in two weeks.
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In golf, Pewaukee native Mark Wilson will not be around for the weekend at the PGA’s Wells Fargo Championship. He shot a one over par 73 today, for a two round total of six over 150. The projected cut line was at two under at mid afternoon, and Wilson was way below that. He went five over in his opening round and that pretty much did him in for this tournament. Nick Watney was the clubhouse leader this afternoon at minus 12.
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A record number of entries have been accepted for the US Women’s Open golf tournament, to be played July fifth through eighth in Kohler at Blackwolf Run. The United States Golf Association said 1364 entries were approved, breaking the old mark of 1296 in 2010. This is the ninth straight year that entries surpassed 1000. Qualifying tournaments begin in mid-May. One of them will be at the Big Foot Country Club in Fontana.
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UW La Crosse is going for its 22nd straight men’s championship, as the WIAC track and field meet that began today at UW Whitewater. The Eagles just barely won the title last year, edging Oshkosh by just one point, the closest margin in league history. Stevens Point senior Keith Ingram is going for his fifth conference gold medal, after winning the long jump in 2008, the 400 meter relay in ’08, and the 100 and 200 meters in ’09. Daniel Drewek of Stout is going for his fourth consecutive pole vault title. On the women’s side, UW Oshkosh is going for its second straight league crown. The Titans beat Eau Claire a year ago by a convincing 42 points. Both of last year’s performers of the meet are back. Christy Cazzola of Oshkosh is defending her titles in the 800 and 1500 meters. Jessika Smith of Stout is returning, after winning the heptathlon and long jump a year ago. The WIAC meet runs through tomorrow.
Also, the Northern Athletics Conference track meet started today at Benedictine in Lisle Illinois. And it continues tomorrow at Concordia-Chicago in River Forest. The Concordia-Mequon women have won their league meet each year since the conference was formed. The Falcons are going for their sixth straight title. Milwaukee Engineering goes for its second consecutive men’s championship.
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