In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates discuss whether former Milwaukee Brewer Gary Sheffield should be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Then, the veteran sports journalist get into why Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur is stuck with defensive coordinator Joe Barry — at least for now. 

“There’s no one else (LaFleur) can turn to to run the defense,” says Oates, the former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “You can’t bring in someone from the outside now. That’s just not the way football works. It would be mutiny on the bounty with the staff.” 

Lucas says it wasn’t just the Packers’ defense that struggled during Green Bay’s loss to Tampa Bay. 

“You can’t cut much slack for Jordan Love, either,” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers.” He wasn’t sharp.” 

Also on the show, Lucas and Oates suss out what the Wisconsin men’s basketball team needs to beat teams like Purdue. 

“Wisconsin has to improve in one key area and I think they can play with anybody: Three-point shooting,” says Oates. 

Lucas adds, “Hello, Mr. Essegian,” in reference to the slump of previous 3-point ace Connor Essegian.

Finally, a response to a recent post by Lucas on X (formerly Twitter) has the Cap Times reporter questioning everything.

“One of the posts said, ‘You just sound like Tom Oates now,’” Lucas recalls. “How ‘bout that?”

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.
Program note: The Wisconsin Sportscast crew will take time off over the holidays and anticipates returning with a new episode Jan. 8.