Doug Gottlieb spots big vehicle on the ice in Green Bay and goes viral

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men's basketball coach Doug Gottlieb posted a brief video of a large red truck driving well off the Green Bay shoreline Feb. 3, a clip that cleared one million views within the day.

Apparently, Gottlieb's more than 265,000 followers on the X platform were amused or intrigued by the seemingly risky practice, though Wisconsinites have often seen scenes just like it.

"I get it, went ice fishing a couple weeks ago… but that is a big ole truck way out in the middle by Long Tail…" Gottlieb said to one commenter, referring to a peninsula and wildlife area on the west side of the bay. "No thanks!!"

So this happened today in Green Bay. That is a Suburban, on the bay… 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/3j3m9gBZdH

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) February 3, 2026

Was it dangerous for a truck to be out there, given that the state has been immersed in sub-freezing temperatures for weeks?

The Department of Natural Resources doesn't monitor ice levels because they're too erratic to properly track, according to Lt. James Moore, the law enforcement supervisor with the DNR's Green Bay marine team. Moore said ice levels can change dramatically in a matter of feet, no matter the body of water.

Moore said local experts, even bait shops, stand to have the best intel on ice strength in a given day.

Wisconsin, of course, is home to many ice fishermen, snowmobilers and other recreational vehicle users in the winter who venture out onto frozen lakes.

The DNR's page dedicated to ice safety notes that ice strength can't be judged by appearance, age, thickness or temperature, or whether it's covered by snow, and there's no such thing as 100% safe. The page includes other tips and what maneuvers to take in the event you fall through.

The Wisconsin DNR has seen a slight increase in the number of fatalities related to ice accidents, with 10 deaths from 2023 through 2025 involving vehicles falling through the ice.

For those who don't know a ton about Wisconsin geography, the city of Green Bay is adjacent to an actual bay – it should be relatively obvious that it's also called Green Bay – that serves as the body of water between most of Wisconsin's land and the distinctive Door Peninsula that extends into Lake Michigan. The peninsula is about 80 miles long.

Gottlieb's UWGB team has been metaphorically on much sturdier ground this season compared to last, including an exciting 87-84 overtime win over Northern Kentucky on Feb. 4, propelled by Preston Ruedinger's deep three-pointer with less than 1 second left in the extra session.

The Phoenix are 13-12 overall and 8-6 in the Horizon League, miles ahead of Gottlieb's rocky debut season, when his team finished 4-28 overall and 2-18 in conference.

PRESTON RUEDINGER CALLS GAME!!!#RiseWithUs | #HLMBBpic.twitter.com/itBOpQaBDP

— Green Bay Men’s Basketball (@gbphoenixmbb) February 5, 2026

Gottlieb, who amassed a considerable following as a national radio host, continued to serve in that capacity last season (even attending the Super Bowl) but announced in December he would step away from live radio to focus on the basketball position.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UWGB's Doug Gottlieb spots big vehicle on ice in Green Bay, goes viral