By Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Oct 10, 2009 at 9:18 AM

Welcome to Saturday Scorecard, where we wrestle with the important questions, such as:

Who would you rather be today -- Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday or umpire Phil Cuzzi?

Even though the Packers are off, the slate is full this weekend so we will keep things short and sweet and give you plenty of time to prepare to watch the Badgers -- a 16-point underdog -- take on Ohio State (2:30 p.m., Channel 12).

On to the notes...

Hungry hearts: In honor of dining month here at OnMilwaukee.com, we figured we'd kick off with an item about athletes and food.

Just before training camp, Bucks rookie point guard Brandon Jennings indicated that he likes to hang around Bayshore Town Center, in part because he loves eating at The Cheesecake Factory.

While hardly surprising, that revelation struck a chord. One of the more common questions we get asked at Saturday Scorecard headquarters is "Where do players like to go to eat?"

The answer varies from sport to sport and player to player. Players living in Milwaukee may venture into locally-owned restaurants like Carnevor, Umami Moto, Mo's, Elsa's or Charro, but upscale national chains -- like The Cheesecake Factory, Rock Bottom Brewery, P.F. Chang's, Outback Steakhouses and others -- are generally very popular with players.

I've asked a few guys about this over the years and the basic answer is that they like big menu selections (heavy on steak, sushi, chicken and pasta) and they like familiarity. Once you've been to a Cheesecake Factory or P.F. Chang's in one city, you know what you're going to encounter somewhere else.

Because of their schedule, baseball players are big on lunch. They'll eat at about noon or 1 p.m. and head straight to the ballpark. When the game ends, they'll usually eat the post-game spread in the clubhouse, which is often catered by a local restaurant (Saz's, Albanese's, etc.) or a big chain, and head out for the evening.

It's not unusual for baseball players to eat two meals and a heavy snack in the clubhouse on a game day. That culture doesn't exist in basketball, where games are less frequent and consistently shorter. NBA players will often frequent restaurants that serve late dinners, but visiting teams usually fly out immediately after games.

In hockey, players generally eat a pre-game meal together in a banquet room at the team hotel. After the game, if there is no travel, they'll venture out to restaurants. Admirals players, who practice at the Kern Center at MSOE, tend to congregate around Water Street.

During the tournament formerly known as the U.S. Bank Championship, you can see players eating burgers and custard at Kopp's on Silver Spring Rd.

If you're looking for Bucks or Brewers players, the upscale chains and steakhouses are your best bet. But, you may see them grabbing a burger at Five Guys in Bayshore or breakfast places on the East Side.

Ryan Braun and other Downtown-dwelling Brewers players have been spotted at Bravo! at Bayshore and Molly Cool's on Old World Third Street. Some players who live in Brookfield will head to Champps for the sports atmosphere and huge menu.

Opportunity knocks: Did you expect the Badgers to be unbeaten heading into this afternoon's game in Columbus? Me either. Bret Bielema's squad will get its toughest test this afternoon. So far, the Badgers have been winning because quarterback Scott Tolzien has played well behind an improving offensive line and the defense has shown a mean streak that seemed to be lacking the last few years. The Badgers will need to avoid mental mistakes and penalties to keep things close today. A big game from John Clay will help the cause immensely, as will a few big plays from the defense and special teams.

Larry King Lounge: The baseball playoffs got off to a great start with that Twins-Tigers game and the momentum continued during the first round. Who knew that A-Rod would suddenly become clutch or that Phil Cuzzi could miss a call from 6 feet away?... The pictures on TBS have been beautiful, but lead announcer Chip Caray has been crushed, justifiably, for his contributions.... Two tips for competitors in Al's Run: don't misjudge the finish line and start your kick too soon; and, don't wear an iPod if you're planning on winning the race.... The Bucks play an exhibition game against the Bulls tonight the Resch Center in Green Bay. If there are Packers players in town, you can bet that they'll be there.... You have to love college football scheduling. The Badgers announce that they're playing Washington -- in 2017 in Madison and the following year in Seattle.... Kudos to the Brewers for re-signing Trevor Hoffman. Now, they can get to work on the rest of their very long checklist.... Look for tackle Mark Tauscher to sign with the Packers on Monday.... It's been a tough week at UWM, where staff is coping with the loss of athletic director George Koonce's wife, Tunisia, who lost her battle with breast cancer.... The Admirals' home opener is two weeks from tonight. Lane Lambert's team will have played six games by then.

 

Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com

Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.