One missing element in recent stories about possible renovation of the Bradley Center was the Admirals hockey franchise. That's ironic, since the same people who owned the Admirals built the BC.

Lloyd and Jane Pettit, when they were a couple, donated more than $90 million to build the facility in 1988. A trust that handles the estate of Jane Pettit now technically owns the Admirals.

They remain integral tenants in the building, but are not affected by the aging of the facility the same way that the Bucks are.

"The Bradley Center is still fine for us," said Phil Wittliff, the executive VP and GM of the Admirals. "It's still considered one of the best hockey facilities in the country.

"We do understand the importance of the NBA and the Bucks are the prime tenant. Without the Bucks, the building would have financial difficulties. So, we hope all the parties can come together and do what's good for everybody."

Those parties include the boards of the BC and the Wisconsin Center District -- which runs the U.S. Cellular Arena, the Midwest Express Center, and the Milwaukee Theatre -- and the Bucks. They have been meeting periodically talking about possible mergers, perhaps turning over the BC to the Bucks and other alternatives.

The Bucks feel they need more revenue streams -- club seats, retail outlets and other amenities -- from the BC. NBA costs have escalated much more than costs in the AHL.

Wittliff's prime concern is that any changes still lead to fair treatment for the Admirals. That means the team would still get a good selection of game dates, and get their fair share of revenue from the building.

"My main concern is having a viable AHL franchise in Milwaukee," he said. "So those things are very important to us. I believe we can all peacefully co-exist in the building."

Part of the problem with the BC for the Bucks is that it's actually a better hockey venue than a basketball arena. The Pettits built the building, in part, to keep the Bucks in Milwaukee, but it also was seen as bait to attract a possible NHL team.

After market research showed a NHL team would be a tough sell in Milwaukee, the effort to get a team was abandoned. So, what you have now is a great hockey facility that has become somewhat dated for NBA basketball.

Wave looking elsewhere

The BC also would seem to serve the Wave well, but reps of that franchise reportedly have talked to Wisconsin Center officials about moving to the U.S. Cellular Arena. Perhaps the rent would be cheaper, and more attractive dates available.

Wave officials have emphasized any talks are very preliminary. BC officials hope the Wave stays put.

The Admirals have some good young talent that has helped the team build an 8-2-5-1 record. Darren Haydar is the leading rookie scorer in the AHL with 20 points.

Haydar has gone back and forth between the Admirals and the Nashville Predators, who are the Admirals' NHL affiliate. Greg Classen, Bubba Berenzweig and Dominic Pittis also recently were assigned to Milwaukee by Nashville.

The Admirals tied San Antonio at the BC Wednesday night.

The Bucks lost one they shouldn't have at the BC Tuesday night, dropping a game to the Miami Heat, who had only one win coming into the game. "We didn't come ready to play the game," forward Toni Kukoc said. "We're not a good enough team to decide who we're going to play hard against."

Former Racine Park star Caron Butler, now a rookie with the Heat, scored a career-high 20 points before a bevy of relatives.

"I had 40 family members here," Butler said. "I didn't look at them during the game because I was afraid I'd get emotional and lost my focus. I looked at my mom at the end of the game. It was a beautiful thing."

There aren't that many of them in the pro ranks this weekend. The Bucks are on a west coast trip until next Wednesday. The Admirals are on their longest road trip of the season. The Wave doesn't play again until Nov. 30.

Your best bet is college soccer. UWM's eighth-ranked men's soccer team will host a NCAA game at noon Saturday at Englemann Field.

The Badgers also will play in Madison Saturday in what will be their last chance to salvage a bowl bid. A win over Minnesota would give UW a winning record for the season and probably get them a trip to Detroit. It's not exactly the Rose Bowl and Pasadena, but coach Barry Alvarez says he'll take it.

The Packers play a big game at Tampa Bay Sunday. A win will keep them in the driver's seat in the battle for home field advantage in the playoffs. A loss will put them back with several teams fighting for that advantage. Read about the game in On The Pack on Monday.