Will they? Or, won't they?

That's no longer the issue.

As of today, it's did they? Or, didn't they?

University of Wisconsin athletic department officials issued a statement today denying published reports that the school had contacted UNLV about moving a 2007 game from Las Vegas to Lambeau Field.

That tells you something. The phones were jumping off the desk in the UW offices this morning. The Las Vegas Sun reported that UW made two offers to move the game, which is slated for Sept. 8 in Las Vegas.

According to the Sun, UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick declined both offers. The local media picked up the story this morning and it prompted nervousness among Badgers fans, many of whom had already booked flights and hotel rooms for Las Vegas.

That prompted the UW athletic department to issue the following statement:

"Contrary to published reports, at no time has the UW Athletic Department had conversations with UNLV officials regarding moving our 2007 game to Lambeau Field. It is unfortunate that published reports have suggested otherwise. We have confirmed that UNLV officials were approached by a third party about moving our game, but that contact was done without our knowledge and without our involvement in any offer made to UNLV by that third party."

Reasonable people can assume that the third party was the Packers, who would love the opportunity to host (and make money from) the Wisconsin football team and 80,000 of its closest friends.

Want to know the bottom line here?

The Badgers eventually will play a game at Lambeau Field. It won't be against UNLV, but against some team that will sacrifice a home game for a huge payout.

That, and Wisconsin people really, really love going to Vegas.

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