Welcome to a soggy edition of Saturday Scorecard. Raise your hand if you thought Eric Gagne had a chance to make the Brewers' roster out of spring training. Now, raise your hand if you're disappointed that a shoulder injury will prevent him from doing so.

Raise your hand if you thought the Packers would make a splash in the free agent pool during the past week, or at least a bigger splash than Pittsburgh's Anthony Smith.

Interesting.

On to the notes...

Buck shots: The Bucks have put themselves in an interesting position.

On one hand, they deserve credit for continuing to battle and performing reasonably well in the wake of season-ending injuries to Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut. Long-suffering fans can feel good about the fact that first-year general manager John Hammond and coach Scott Skiles have made tangible progress toward changing the culture of losing that has been hanging around the franchise for the past several years.

On the other hand...

The Bucks look like they are running out of gas. By playing well enough after the break to hang around the fringe of the playoff race in a weak Eastern Conference, they teased the casual fans in a base that can't afford further contractions. If the Bucks fail to make the playoffs, their season may be seen as a disappointment in some circles despite the increased victory total and general vitality surrounding the operation.

In some ways, the Bucks are starting to resemble the Brewers of the late 1990s. They feel a strong urge to be "competitive," in order to keep the turnstiles spinning. But that urge can run counter to the need to rebuild the franchise - a move that requires trust and patience from a bruised fan base.

Did the Bucks avoid making a deal at the deadline because they felt they were "in the hunt" for a playoff berth that could have led to quick first-round exit? That's a question they'll need to answer if the season slips away in the coming weeks.

It's a tenuous situation, complicated by the tough economic climate in the league and the market and the team's need for a new facility.

One thing missing: Marquette's Senior Day game against Syracuse was a taut, tense, back-and-forth affair. The only thing that could have made the day more enjoyable for the 19,144 in attendance was a victory by the Golden Eagles, who lost their fourth straight game, 86-79.

Swept away: The Milwaukee Panthers ended the season with a disappointing 80-70 loss at Wright State.

The Panthers (17-14) were hard to figure this season. They played well in spurts, but were prone to long stretches where shot selection suffered. A 15-2 run by Wright State early in the second half sealed the deal Friday night.

On ice: As anticipated, the Badgers will host the Camp Randall Hockey Classic on Feb. 6. The women's program will take on Bemidji State, with a men's game to follow against Michigan. The game will mark the second outdoor game in the modern era of Wisconsin mens hockey. For the first contest, 40,890 fans showed up at Lambeau Field to watch the Badger mens team skate to a 4-2 victory over Ohio State on Feb. 11, 2006.

Rough start: The Bonecrushers' season debut in the Continental Indoor Football Association was anything but memorable. The Chicago Slaughter lived up to its name with a 84-24 victory Friday night. The evening started on a bad note when the Bonecrushers' equipment van got stuck in traffic, prompting a delay of 50 minutes. The Bonecrushers were penalized as a result.

The Bonecrushers will host a Fan Appreciation Party at La Piazza, 1504 E. North Ave., from 6-9 p.m. on March 14.

Congratulations: Time Warner Sports32 anchor Dennis Krause was named Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year for 2008 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Krause will be recognized at a banquet in May in North Carolina.

"This award is special because it reflects that in just two years TWC Sports32 is becoming known for its exclusive, in-depth, local sports coverage," said Krause, who also works on Bucks and Packers radio broadcasts.

"As with any award such as this, there are so many people working behind the scenes that make this possible and I can't express my gratitude enough to all of those who work alongside me at TWC Sports 32."

Want to meet a Packer? The Packers have finalized their lineup for Fan Fest, which takes place March 13-14 in the Atrium at Lambeau Field. The list of attendees includes Hall of Famers Willie Davis and Jan Stenerud, alumni like Donny Anderson, LeRoy Butler, Paul Coffman, Lynn Dickey, William Henderson, Jerry Kramer, Dorsey Levens, James Lofton, Brian Noble, Frank Winters and former GM Ron Wolf. Current players like Chad Clifton, Brandon Chillar, Ryan Pickett, Allen Barbre, Daryn Colledge, Korey Hall, Brandon Jackson, JJ Jansen, John Kuhn, Tony Moll, Atari Bigby, Desmond Bishop, Nick Collins, Mason Crosby, Donald Driver, Ryan Grant, Al Harris, Tory Humphrey, Cullen Jenkins, James Jones, Aaron Kampman, Ruvell Martin, Jason Spitz, Scott Wells and Mike Montgomery.

Tickets are available for $85 per person and can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets.