By Gregg Hoffmann Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Nov 26, 2001 at 4:52 AM

After running their record to 9-1, the Bucks face their biggest challenges to date this week when they take on the Lakers, Suns and Blazers on the road.

The Bucks have beaten six teams with under .500 records in their first 10 games. They also have struggled in several of the wins, only to pull them out with a surge at the end or barely hang on to the lead. The three wins against the Bulls, Raptors and Hawks all fit those descriptions.

"I suppose the good thing is we have been winning without playing our best basketball," coach George Karl recently said. "I've always thought you had to do that in the NBA to be successful, but I want us to start playing better."

His players share Karl's sentiments. "We have not played to our abilities for a full game yet," center and co-captain Ervin Johnson said. "We've been winning, but we're going to have to step it up on this road trip."

The game Tuesday night in L.A. undoubtedly will be billed as a possible preview of the NBA Finals, although it is very early to start thinking about June. But, the Bucks can make a statement by beating the only team in the league with a better record.

Of course, Shaquille O'Neal always presents a problem inside. The Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen matchup should be a thing of beauty. The Bucks have had success against the Lakers in recent years.

As for not playing up to their fullest capability, that has been typical of the Bucks for the last couple years. But, they have developed the knack of turning it on when they have to, especially so far this season.

"That has been part of our personality, but I hope we mature out of it," Karl said. There can be no better time to do just that than this week on the road out west.

Pack Is Similar

The Packers have been playing similar football to the Bucks' basketball. They barely hung on for a Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions, and have really put together only one full game of solid football, when they beat the Ravens.

But, at the same time, the Pack is 7-3 and in good position to make the playoffs. In fact, they have a good chance to still win the Central Division, especially if they can beat the Bears at Lambeau Field on Dec. 9.

As long as Brett Favre can avoid turnovers, and Ahman Green keeps running the ball effectively, the Packers should have a chance in all their remaining games.

Fans of both the Bucks and Packers can expect better, but really don't have too many things to complain about as long as the teams keep winning.

Immortalized in Bronze

Earl Gillespie, Jim Taylor, George Thompson, Bud Selig and Connie Carpenter-Phinney will be put into the Wisconsin Sports Hall of Fame at a banquet Thursday at the Midwest Express Center.

The Hall is a jewel of an organization that has been a well-kept secret except for when induction ceremonies are held. Wisconsin was the first state to form its own Hall of Fame, in 1951. Joe Krueger, the former Milwaukee city treasurer, served as the force behind its formation and ran it almost single handedly as a labor of love.

For years, the bronze plaques were practically invisible to the naked eye because they hung so high in the lobby of the old Milwaukee Arena. Then, for several years after Krueger died, nobody was added to the Hall.

But, the Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation now has auspices over the Hall and has moved the plaques to a new pavilion on the 4th Street side of the U.S. Cellular Arena.

I have been privileged to write short biographies of each member of the Hall, which have been posted on the WSDC web site (sportsinwisconsin.com). We also might develop a book from them.

The class that will be inducted Thursday adds credentials to an already-impressive group of more than 100 sports figures. Take some time to check out the pavilion next time you are downtown and the WSDC web site.

Bradley Center expansion

I would love to see a Hall of Fame museum developed as part of the Bradley Center expansion. Last week, initial plans for a $75 million addition to the BC were unveiled.

Included in the plans are an expanded seating bowl in the BC itself, a multi-team store and restaurant, a club lounge, sports interactive area and other amenities that would make the BC an up-to-date sports entertainment facility. It's hoped construction could start next year.

This in part is why the BC board has opposed building of a soccer stadium immediately to the north of the facility. That proposal might still be good, in a location to the east of the river, but the BC needed the space for the expansion.

There undoubtedly will be some controversy about using any tax dollars for the improvements. Coordination also is needed among the Krause group that has proposed the soccer stadium, the Wisconsin Center Board, which oversees the Midwest Express Center, Arena and Auditorium, and the BC board. If they work together, we could end up with a fine sports entertainment neighborhood along the river downtown.

No Arena Football

The Mustangs finally made it official and said they will not play in the Arena Football League in 2002. But, they still could return in 2003, after the Bradley Center work is done. Whether they are still owned by the Vallozzi family then is up in the air.

Gregg Hoffmann writes The Milwaukee Sports Buzz on Mondays and The Brew Crew Review on Thursdays on OMC.

Gregg Hoffmann Special to OnMilwaukee.com
Gregg Hoffmann is a veteran journalist, author and publisher of Midwest Diamond Report and Old School Collectibles Web sites. Hoffmann, a retired senior lecturer in journalism at UWM, writes The State Sports Buzz and Beyond Milwaukee on a monthly basis for OMC.