Badger’s Thursday Night Game, and Remembering Bob Uecker

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, college football season is finally here as the Badgers return to Camp Randall on Thursday night to take on the Miami RedHawks. It’s been a while since the Badgers last played on a Thursday night, but their last Thursday game was memorable. That was the game dubbed by Lucas as “The Shoebox Game,” when just a few hours before kickoff the team announced that over two dozen players had been suspended. They still beat Western Michigan that night, or at least survived. This Thursday, though, should feel a little better for the Badgers. Oates will be especially watching their defense, which while mostly new to the team is full of veterans and going up against a mostly new offensive line from Miami. The Badgers won’t have, however, Nyzier Forqurean, as he’s still tied up in the courts. Maybe if he had played at a junior college for a year, he’d be on the field Thursday night…

Speaking of college football, Fox’s College Game Day will look a little different this year without Lee Corso. Corso is retiring, and Lucas anticipates the tributes to him will be a little emotional. Corso’s been with the program for decades; for many people he IS the program. He’s something college football really needs: a character. He was a very good coach at various programs over the years, even with a career losing record. But he was equal parts goofy while wearing mascot heads and super sharp about the game of football. His presence will be missed.

Speaking of tributes, the Brewers held their celebration of life for Bob Uecker on Sunday. Even though Trevor McGill blew the game at the end, the entire broadcast was a great tribute to one of the only universally beloved figures in Wisconsin. Even Vince Lombardi was respected, but not loved. Uecker loved to make people laugh, and while everyone loved the bad games when he’d tell his stories he was still one of the best people you want in the booth calling a baseball game. Uecker was originally hired as a scout for the team after his on the field career ended, but he wasn’t suited for that. Everyone in Wisconsin can agree that his role was in the broadcast booth. 

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.

A weekly podcast with insights and analysis on the Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Bucks from two of Wisconsin’s most experienced sports journalists. Mike Lucas is a veteran sports columnist for the Cap Times and was a Badgers radio color commentator for over 25 years. Tom Oates was a sports reporter and columnist for the Wisconsin State Journal for 40 years.