In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates lead off the show by examining the angles on the Milwaukee Brewers $82 million bet on 19-year-old outfielder Jackson Chourio — the largest contract ever offered to a player with no big league experience. 

Then, the veteran sports journalist forecast the Green Bay Packers’ chances of making the playoffs. 

“Here’s my bold statement: The Packers will be in the playoffs,” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “I ask you, true or false?” 

Oates disputes whether that qualifies as a bold prediction but agrees Green Bay’s recent victories over the Lions and the Chiefs give the Packers’ a real shot at a postseason run. 

“Now will they do it? I don't think so,” says Oates, the former sports columnist for the Wisconsin State Journal. “I take it back. If 9-8 gets you in (the playoffs), I think they'll get in. I think they’ll go 3-2 down the stretch.” 

The Packers are 6-6 with five games to go in the regular season. Also on the show, Lucas and Oates touch on Wisconsin competing in the Reliaquest Bowl on New Year’s Day. 

“Man, they got a tough draw against LSU,” says Lucas. The Tigers are ranked 13th in the country. 

Oates says it should be a good matchup but is curious how many players will skip the bowl game because they are headed to the NFL draft.

“Will it be the Wisconsin JVs against the LSU JVs?” asks Oates. “Who’s going to play in the game? We don’t know.”

That leads to a discussion about the impact of NIL (name, image, likeness) money in college sports. Lucas says that the going rate for a college quarterback is more than $1.5 million. 

“This is not sustainable financially for these schools,” says Oates. “I mean, Deon Sanders’ kid made $4.8 million this year. The midfielder on Colorado’s women soccer team, how did she benefit from NIL?”

The Wisconsin Sportscast is a Cap Times podcast featuring two of the state's most experienced sports journalists. It’s produced by Dylan Brogan. Find The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.