Buck shots: As expected, Bucks general manager John Hammond hired Jeff Weltman from Detroit to be his assistant. Weltman, 43, was director of basketball administration with the Pistons, but had worked five seasons before that as assistant GM in Denver. He also worked with the Clippers as video coordinator and director of player personnel. He was in Los Angeles when Hammond was an assistant.

Hammond's next order of business will be finding a coach to replace Larry Krystkowiak, a fine gentleman who was placed in a nearly impossible situation.

A year ago, Bucks fans were excited about the notion of Krystkowiak injecting toughness and defense into a team that badly needed both. After a dismal season, you realize that asking a rookie coach to fix a team that had spent four of six seasons in the lottery was far-fetched if not unrealistic.

It didn't help when Krystkowiak wasn't permitted to institute the triangle offense, when an off-season contract dustup with management soured Charlie Bell, the most positive player on the team, and when Yi Jianlian was inserted into the starting lineup based on marketing rather than merit.

The Bucks have been stumbling in the darkness for so long now that you wonder if coaching is the problem. Mismanagement, selfish players and shaky coaching have created a toxic atmosphere. It's Hammond's job to change that. Hiring Rick Carlisle or Scott Skiles could be a first step.

April showers: Without even looking at forecast, we're going to bank on it raining today. How do we know this? Simple -- Wisconsin is playing its spring football game.

It seems like it always rains on the spring game.

Tailgate Marathon 2008: The Badgers will play consecutive Saturday night home games Oct. 4 (Ohio State) and Oct. 11 (Penn State). Considering that Halloween is on a Friday, you have to figure that Madison's police force will set a record for overtime in October.

Jumping for joy: It was great to see Prince Fielder celebrate like a little kid after hitting his first home run of the season Thursday in St. Louis. We couldn't help wondering, though, who has the more impressive vertical leap -- Fielder or golfer Phil Mickelson?

O Captain! My Captain! Badgers hockey coach Mike Eaves announced that the squad will have more than one captain next season. Ben Street and Blake Geoffrion will share the captain's "C." There will be no assistant captains.

Fighting inflation: The Admirals, who host Chicago in Game 3 of their playoff series at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Bradley Center, announced Friday that they will not increase ticket prices for the 2008-'09 season.

The news created two immediate reactions at Saturday Scorecard headquarters. First, hats off to Harris Turer, Jon Greenberg and Mike Wojciechowski for looking out for their fans. Second, if the Admirals win the championship, they may be the first team in the history of pro sports not to raise prices.

Title Wave? Then Wave faces a win-or-else match against Baltimore Sunday afternoon at the U.S. Cellular Arena. With Marcio Leite out with an ankle injury and Troy Dusosky shelved after receiving an ill-advised red card in the opener, Milwaukee will be short-handed. The Wave must beat Baltimore in regulation and then score first in the sudden-death period to advance to the championship game, which will be held in Milwaukee regardless of what happens Sunday.