Why have the Milwaukee Bucks slumped in recent weeks? How could they go from having a comfortable lead in first place in the NBA Eastern Conference to struggling for home court advantage in the playoffs?

Several factors have led to their slump:

1. Injuries -- This is not offered as an excuse, but Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, Tim Thomas, Glenn Robinson and most recently Michael Redd all have been injured. Sometimes, they have been able to play through it. Sometimes they have not.

"I hate talking about them (injuries)," Coach George Karl said last week. "In fact, I think you get more injuries the more you talk about them. I honestly think the gods up there let Michael Redd get injured because I've been talking about injuries too much."

2. Continued reliance on the perimeter jumper -- This has been a flaw for the last couple seasons. When Allen, Robinson, Cassell or Redd are not hitting their jumpers, the Bucks have little halfcourt offense.

3. Soft defense -- Another flaw that has been around for a couple seasons. The Bucks don't play good individual or team defense.

4. Mediocre Mason -- Anthony Mason was brought in to help with flaws 2 and 3. He has not helped that much. Karl said recently, "Blame me for that, not Anthony Mason. I haven't found a way to get him into our scheme enough."

That might be true, but Mason also has not been aggressive enough with his shot, often passing up good looks to pass the ball to a perimeter player. Also, while Mason is a tough individual defender, he has not fit into a team defense concept.

5. Too Much Talk -- Karl played the public criticism card too often. It worked last season, when the Big 3 responded with improved play. This season, it caused resentment, and prompted the players to tune out the coach.

Karl's comments about Doc Rivers being anointed as an "African American coach," which appeared in Esquire Magazine, also have been somewhat of a distraction in recent weeks. Karl has said it is time to "put up and shut up."

Can the Bucks turn it around in time to still get home court advantage in the playoffs? "If we heal up, I think we can," Allen said this week. "I still think we can play with anybody when we're healthy."

Karl said he has dreams of "beating Detroit in the last game of the season to win the Central Division."

"I can't concentrate on the past," Karl said. "I can analyze the past all you want, but I have to dictate, predict and motivate for the future."

Nobody is talking details, but reports have surfaced that the Admirals are for sale. The trust that administers the fortune of the late Jane Pettit reportedly is looking for a buyer for the franchise, which played in the American Hockey League this season.

Jane, and her former husband, Lloyd Pettit, operated the Admirals for years at a financial loss. They saw it as a public service to the community, one of many they funded.

But, the trust administrators do not look at the franchise in the same way. It would not be easy for any owner to profitably operate a minor league hockey team in this mark.

One good sign for next season is that the Admirals have resigned as an affiliate of the Nashville Predators. That means the trust administrators are not thinking about folding up shop. But, hockey fans had better hope another owner steps forward who thinks like the Pettits did.

The Wave clinched home field advantage for the first round of the Major Indoor Soccer League playoffs and now is shooting for the regular season championship and overall home field advantage.

Milwaukee clinched the first round advantage with a 10-9 win at Cleveland Friday night. The Wave also beat Cleveland at the Bradley Center Saturday afternoon.

As successful as the Wave has been on the field this season, there is some unconfirmed buzz that the new ownership of the franchise, headed by Tim Krause, could be considering selling the team. Krause's group reportedly is upset by the cold shoulder given to its proposal for a 20,000 capacity soccer stadium downtown.

What the situations of the Admirals and Wave show are that operating minor league sports franchises, in a relatively small market that also has major league teams, will always present a challenge.

Olympian Apollo Ohno didn't show at the short track championships at the Pettit Center this weekend. Ohno apparently has been so busy exploiting his Olympic success that he hasn't kept himself in skating shape.

That's too bad for the many fans who bought tickets to the event specifically because Ohno, who became a darling of the media during the Salt Lake Games, was supposed to compete.

Luckily, the Wisconsin speedskaters have a lot more class than Ohno. West Allis Olympian Chris Witty appeared before the Brewers' exhibition game at Miller Park Friday night.

Verona's Casey FitzRandolph made some radio appearances and was introduced to the crowd at the Bucks' game on Thursday. The patrons at Solly's on Port Washington Road also were buzzing about Casey's appearance for a big breakfast on Thursday. Now, there's an Olympian with class and good taste.