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Columnist To Join Wisconsin Athletic Web Site

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Mira, Sep 28, 2010.

  1. Mira

    Mira Member

    http://www.uwbadgers.com/genrel/092810aaa.html
     
  2. lantaur

    lantaur Well-Known Member

    The guy is the color commentator for Badgers football and hoops, so not quite like Tom Oates or Michael Hunt going to the UW site.
     
  3. clutchcargo

    clutchcargo Active Member

    Hey, in this day and age, you could see ANYBODY crossing over to the other side. It's called being smart and making a living wherever you have to go to get it.
     
  4. exmediahack

    exmediahack Well-Known Member

    Good for Mike. Have known him for a long time as well and enjoy catching him when he is in town on play-by-play.

    I was unsure how many more TCT purges he was going to survive. I'm very happy to see him get out...on his terms.

    May more of us land in this kind of spot - if that's what we would like.
     
  5. Mira

    Mira Member

    Lucas is a legend in sports journalism in Madison. Hands down, one of the best football radio analysts I've ever heard.
     
  6. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Exactly.
     
  7. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    I am a Badgers fan and I love listening to Lepay and Lucas do football & basketball. And this new job cures a massive conflict of interest by Lucas: covering a team for a newspaper while serving as a school-approved radio color man.
     
  8. Mira

    Mira Member

    Conflict of interest aside, I tip my hat to Lucas for getting to write and develop stellar broadcast skills in the time he was at The Capital Times. If they allow the opportunity, why not go for it?
     
  9. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    I don't think you can just brush it away with "conflict of interest aside." It's not like he was writing about U of Wisconsin sports and moonlighting as an analyst on Brewers games. The job security of his side gig (calling Badgers games) depended entirely on keeping the subjects of his newspaper beat happy. That's a pretty blatant conflict of interest. The Cap Times should have never allowed the opportunity for Lucas to have those jobs simultaneously.
     
  10. Mira

    Mira Member

    I agree there is a conflict, but think it's the editors' fault for allowing it ... and Lucas' gain for going along with it.

    The editors at the pub didn't care, and I don't have to tell you it isn't the smoothest run operation.
     
  11. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    I bet they actively encouraged it. The Cap Times -- which has a very good sports department -- is basically an overgrown alt-newspaper and has always struggled with circulation. Giving their columnist a statewide platform was probably seen as great for business. But I never read Lucas without wondering if he was pulling punches.
     
  12. exmediahack

    exmediahack Well-Known Member

    Allow me to throw this angle in there.

    When working in Madison covering UW sports, especially football, in the Alvarez Era, from 1990 to the present (he is no longer the coach but as AD still in 'control'), you have to be VERY careful.

    That means no pot-shots at the program, even if players are getting arrested for drugs, DUI, stolen high-def TVs from Best Buy or taking free shoes. Gotta be careful even when the team is missed extra points away from losing to Cal Poly.

    In the early 1990's, there was a State Journal columnist who was critical of Alvarez's program - mostly with the attitude surrounding it. He was soon shifted to covering the awful Milwaukee Brewers of the 1990's.

    When reading Lucas, I never expected an 'attack dog' or a 'pit bull'. The only person in that town with that capability is Oates - and I can't recall the last time he used it.

    However, I have the utmost respect for Lucas as an analyst. During horrific and flatlining road losses in recent years, Lucas never shied from lighting into the program or the effort. He hasn't sugar-coated the days where Wisconsin didn't show up. Not once when I've caught him on the radio in the past decade. The guy is a pro - I would put the Matt LePay/Mike Lucas team up against any other college football/men's basketball announcing crew. I love the fact they don't have an ex-athlete in the analyst role. They have a guy who works his tail off, knowing everything about his subject.

    I do think this new position could lessen his objectivity more than ever - but I hope that's not the case.
     
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