Will you please post if you find out when they will be voting? I would love to go to Madison for this. I will be calling everyone on the list tomorrow -I so want the Bucks to stay. Thanks for your effort. Please let us know what else we can do.
Yes, and tell them how soon you will turn 18 and be a voter in their district! Also tell them how important the Bucks are to kids and youth in Wisconsin. It will be devastating if we lose our team.
Just contacted Senator Mark Miller and he is voting against it at this point. If you live in his district like me, start calling or keep calling and lets change his vote!
Brandon Knight was the HEART and SOUL and the best player on this team. He was a major reason why this team was winning and all the excitement. Trading Knight effectively rob the fans of Milwaukee. It may have kill the momentum of building a new Arena.
I get your dissatisfaction, but it’s gonna be ok. I know the cap is going up in a couple years, but you don’t want to be tied down to someone making 15+ million that’s maybe in the top half at pg. hopefully Giannis and Jabari will become max guys but with Middleton getting a huge pay raise I feel that going after someone like Al Jefferson would be wiser. Someone who is a older than the core who can put there back to the basket and be a go to guy. His defense isn’t a concern cause the team d is so good. This team has something special brewing and what this trade did was keep the cap flexibility open to when the young bucks really start clicking we would then be a free agent destination for top flight players.
Finally thought the Bucks had turned the corner, new owners, new coach, Brandon Knight and team going in the right direction. Then they traded Brandon a Knight, a major mistake at this critical time. If this doesn’t work out it should cost someone there job. This trade sets back and stops everything the Bucks where on the verge of accomplishing
All for The cause and keeping the Bucks home…not at ALL excited about another area in downtown Milwaukee. The Brewers did it right with Miller Park, the Bradley Center location keeps me away from games
Jason Kidd must come to the realization that Middleton is not ready for clutch/pressure times in the basketball game, neither is Illysova and he must stop Sanders from shooting jump shots; his offense is too underdeveloped. Or maybe Kidd is positioning the Bucks for another second selection in the up coming draft
You can make the argument that he has made a career of simply drafting high upside first-round picks, but they do seem to get better every year. What I think is harder to argue is that he has no drafting talent when you look at the second round. The percentage of second-round picks that stick around the leave for more than a couple years is very low, and other than the infamous tiny gallon year he has hit almost every time. One could suggest that he does not recognize the talent that he drafts, trading away Jody Meeks and Tobias Harris and even a potential role player in Jon Leuer, but he certainly drafted them in the first place. Mbah a moute and Wolters were solid, it would be hard to argue that based on their draft position. Also I agree that people think casual fans that Giannis is further along than he is, but when you remember that he was not even supposed to be ready to play in the league for several years it looks much better. Right now these same fans are upset that Jabari is not the one dimensional scoring machine they thought he was, while ignoring the fact that nobody mentioned that he can rebound, has passing potential, and his defense actually looks almost average.
Hammond should be fired for assembling the crap on the summer league alone. This front office has no clue in identifying talent. Warning to new owners, regrettably Sen. Kohl did not learn this lesson. This is why the Bucks find themselves in this predicament…
people keep foolishly giving Hammond credit for his drafting skills, when all he did was draft the highest available rated players by draft net when it was his turn to select somebody. he had three second round picks and several other players to use to try to move up but rather he just stayed where he was and picked who the internet said he should pick. And rather than being pro-active, Hammond is being reactive, waiting for all the other Gms to make their move before he does. and when he does, it’s always the crumbs and left-overs that nobody else wanted. Sure, he gets a great financial deal. but there’s also a reason these players are still available. nobody else wanted them, so why should we? I knew it was a very bad idea to keep Hammond, because I knew he was the real man to blame and not kohl for his lack of action. I also believe Bucks fans think too highly of Giannis. yes, he makes many highlight reel plays. but games are not won on highlight reel plays alone. Games are won by making shots and not making turn-overs. Bucks fans see promise. I’d like to see consistency and results. Giannis was nowhere close to what LeBron, Durant or even Big Dog, Moncrief or Allen were their rookie years. he was on par with Ersan – another player I consider as just mediocre and overhyped by Bucks fans. A couple of passes and dunks does not make a person a superstar. I also still can’t believe Sanders is still a Buck. the only reason n he is , is because no other team wants him. that should speak volumes to Bucks fans. We can’t even give the guy away. people keep saying the summer games means nothing. Well, that goes both ways. if it means nothing to the bucks, it must also mean nothing to the other team as well. It must mean a little more to them, because they WON. Summer games only mean nothing to teams that lose. the other teams besides the bucks take them seriously. and therein lies the problem. the bucks don’t take the Summer games seriously. the bucks don’t take the exhibition games seriously. and then when the real games start, they are out of shape, easily injured, and accept losing too easily. My bet is the spurs take the summer season and exhibition games seriously and play to win these supposed meaningless games. if you want to create a winning franchise, you need to start taking EVERY game seriously. And you need a GM who uses the draft to improve his team, rather than just sit around and choose the best player available according to a website. if Hammond were a real GM, he would have used his players and available picks to move up in the draft to acquire PG Napier or SF Anderson. instead, he just sat there and waited for a player to fall to him. I could have done that.
If Hammond selects Embiid with the second pick he better be 100% sure there are not any future back issues. His job is tied to this pick. (Safe pick Parker)
Is there any time table of when the plans/blueprints of the possible arena are going to be released? I feel as though when people actually see this thing and how much better it will actually be there will be more people on board…
After watching the Sixers deliberately lose to the Bucks, allowing the Bucks to score 130 points, and then lose at home by 11 to the Magic, I predict that, unfortunately, the Sixers will catch the Bucks and the Sixers will lose all of their remaining games. I hope I’m wrong.
How is wish I was wrong, this is why the Bucks and the front office is so pathetic. Trading Neal and getting nothing in return,,, Bobcats come out of this trade with A. Bucks F. We need a new owner with a majority ownership,,,, I have finally given up on Kohl vision for the Bucks…
I thought we scored pretty good in that trade bothe players we got have expiring contracts and will be off the books. The problem is that we now look like a better team and may double our first half of the season win total and might be once again on the bottom end of the lottery. Our team just got a lot better.
Both players are expiring. We won the trade on one level: Fit. Both players fit infinitely better on the Bucks roster than Neal and Ridnour. However, we lost the trade on several fronts. It is highly likely Ramon Sessions is resigned for a multi-year deal and it is possible Adrien is signed as well as a hustle guy off the bench. So, the roster flexibility we created could very easily be thrown away. Given we have 3 picks in the top 35 of a very deep draft class, those roster spots should remain open for drafted players. That is an intelligent Rebuild move. Should be left open for drafted players, but given the Bucks track record of re-signing former Bucks and valuing undersized hustle guys I don’t think the odds are in favor of utilizing these open roster spots wisely. Furthermore, because of Coach Drew’s love of Zaza (who is playing average to pedestrian right now) we now have two players completely eating Miroslav’s minutes. Given Miroslav is a 25 y.o. in need of PT; given he’s on a 2 yr. guaranteed, but affordable, deal; there is no reason to take away his minutes – particularly considering his steady improvements over the course of the season. The proof will be in how the offseason is handled. And, the fact we’re a better team now certainly won’t put us in the bottom of the lottery BUT it certainly may cost us a top 4 pick.
Sen. Kohl may be a smart politician but he is a idiot when it comes to the NBA … No wonder the Bucks are in their current worst in the NBA status… Trade Sanders and Illysova, they are not worth 19 million dollars a year. The Bucks continue to trade the players they should keep and keep the players they should let go. Ray Allen, Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis..,
Why trade them now? Better to wait til the season is over and they are worth more. I would sooner trade Henson. Keep the tank going in order to get a top 3 pick.
The Bucks should look into making it a publicly owned team like the Green Bay Packers. They could do a share offering and let people in the community buy a piece of the team. It’s worked great in Green Bay so why not for the Bucks? It could be a solution where everyone wins.
I have been a Buck fan since Oscar Robinson and Lew Alcindor. Never thought I would see the Bucks deteriorated to its current degree. It is finally time for this organization to be held accountable for allowing the Bucks to get in this current predicament. Since they obviously not going to fire themselves. Sen. Kohl intention of adding a partner is the only way to rectify this mess. Surely a new partner will insist on cleaning house and a new strategy since the old one is clearly not working. This would mean trading Ersan Ilysova and Larry Sanders the highest paid player and face of the franchise. Ironic that Sanders is the face of the franchise which is a disappointment. They can no longer use players like Brandon Jennings, John Salmons, etc as scapegoats to hide behind… Maybe then the citizens and fans will be excited and willing to build a new facility in Milwaukee. The Bucks organization in Milwaukee media are in denial, the people of Wisconsin are a lot smarter than you think…
I absolutely love what you guys are doing. Obviously, the billboard and the saveourbucks efforts have made an impact. Think about what has occurred over the last several weeks. Kohl is looking for new ownership. The national media and our farce of a local newspaper have continued to document the efforts of saveourbucks. One of Kohl’s longtime cronies, Steinmiller, is forced to acknowledge the impact of saveourbucks. Arena trial balloons are being sent by Kohl. Long time, die hard fans are making a last stand and saying: “we are here and we support you but the organization must change, if not you will lose your last bastion of an interested fanbase.” Kudos to saveourbucks and job well done. Please schedule another event, I couldnt make the event on 3rd street.
Been thinking about next years draft and the trade deadline. We have some movable pieces in a trade such as Ersan, Mayo, and Ridnour. I would love to get a good reliable shooting guard. Sometimes Mayo is fun to watch when his shot is on, other times it can be pretty brutal.If there is any way that Wiggins can play the 2 then I say go for it. I just don’t think his outside shot warrants that fact. You have Giannis at the 3, a position that Parker and Wiggins play. How do you distribute the minutes there.
What about the possibility of trading Henson, Ersan, and maybe Mayo for a shooting guard and then drafting Randle who I feel will be a beast down below. I like Henson but I feel that he will always be prone to injury, and his trade value is high.
Was also thinking about the point with Dante Exxum and Marcus Smart. I don’t think they would go that route as they are high on Wolters and Brandon Knight is making us forget Brandon Jennings. Wolters has potential.
I am curious to see if they do something at the trade deadline. Just wonder what good 2 guards are out there that are worth trading for.
Do you believe a successful winning record with a marquee player such as Wiggins would be enough to sway the public and legislative opinion to finance a new stadium? I can envision increased attendance. I’m not so sure that will be enough to influence our Governor and tax payers to support the cost of a new arena. I firmly believe in order to Save Our Bucks, we need the Milwaukee Mayor and Wisconsin Governor to both step up and help lead the charge.
I believe it will. People were excited when a quality talented team was in front of them. We sold out games not too long ago. This team right now the only thing that excites me is watching Giannis mature. Otherwise watching Ersan throw up brick after brick makes me cringe with each shot he takes.
I simply don’t see how any politician will fall on his sword to pull a tax deal for a new BC. The options for a new arena are private money, foreign private money, or an alternative altogether. Most people I talk to don’t want to fund something for the Bucks or don’t care about the Bucks. My point is, as other people have put it, all the old goodwill for the franchise is history. A new era of the Bucks needs to be written. The Packers have decades of goodwill behind them, and current competiveness. The bucks rely on the halcyon days of Lew Alcindor, Big O and to lesser degree Moncrief, Winters and Johnson Even the latter was 25 years past. I think these are classic apples and oranges. I wish I were wrong. How we got to this point is how we get out. Reverse 25 years of decline in short order.
Get Junior Bridgeman to get”uncle Chet” (kohl) to sell to him and his people. Now!
Thanks for having this site . . . I’m glad that people are speaking up on the Bucks. They are important to the city and were a very well run franchise until Nellie left.
I’m hoping that the founders of the site could explore the following issue that’s pertinent to the Bucks, but also to the Brewers, Packers and most other franchises:
Does asking for public financing require a franchise to be more transparent with its fan base on issues like building the team, strategic direction, etc.? One would think that a team owes its base more transparency if they are footing the bill for arenas, stadiums, etc. Certainly, Ted Thompson would disagree with this as most of his comments are opaque and guarded. But, how does this dynamic play for the Bucks as they will certainly be seeking money for a new arena and have said very little about management structure, plans, etc.?
Anybody do the math on the timeline to a new stadium? BC took 2 calendar years to complete. So even if the commission got their stuff together and perhaps something was started in one year from now, the earliest the Bucks could occupy would be January 2017. At the earliest. And since the tax thing is on the back burner, add more time to that. Is this even realistic?
I’m not as totally sold on Hammond’s drafting intelligence as many other Bucks fans are. He never tries to use his resources to move up in a draft , or to try to acquire additional first round picks. He basically stands pat and takes what he deems as the best player when he drafts. In the Alexander draft, it was clear the player he really wanted was taken 1-2 picks before the Bucks drafted, and Hammond had no Plan B and panicked. That player could have been so much better if Hammond used a little creativity on draft night and made some smart trades. Hammond has also gone on record as saying he would have drafted Flynn over Jennings. I’m also not totally sold on Larry Sanders as a great draft pick or developing into a great or star player. At what point in time, do we accept last year as an outlier year and start to look at what Larry has done this year – before and after his injury? before his injury, Larry was horrible. he definitely did not improve on his game over last year, and after receiving a significant raise/contract, he has regressed to his previous game/self. At what point, do we start looking at the present rather than using his past stats? I’ m also not impressed with our scouting staff and draft evaluation team. We spend twice as much time evaluating second round picks as we do first round picks. Many first round picks have even refused to work out and interview with us. What does it say about an organization when a player refuses to work out for you? And what does it say about your ability to evaluate a player and draft class when you do not work out many of his peers?
This former Milw resident (I used to attend about 10 games/yr during the 80s) is impressed with this website’s’ very observant and articulated demand for front office accountability. If this is any indication of the local fanbase, I am sure the franchise will soon be thriving, thanks to the smarts and determination of the Milwaukeans I left behind.
As for a new arena, we all know there are plenty of wealthy parties who can partner to make it happen WITHOUT the need to further burden Milw area taxpayers with more corporate welfare. The question to ask these very wealthy “capitalists” is–are they interested in contributing to a legacy or taking a taxpayer’s handout?
I have been a Bucks fan since day one in Milwaukee. I am behind this website 100%. Please let me know how I can become more involved with your efforts. I am willing to help keep the Bucks here.
There are a lot of diehard Bucks fans out there that totally agree with everything that is said on this site. As of Christmas, the Bucks have the worst record in the league, and it is great. This year, don’t Go Bucks don’t Go! Next year, Go Bucks Go!
This website is awesome. Love what you guys are doing! When is the next viewing party for a game? I’d love to meet more die hard bucks fans like myself
Sacramento Kings fan here wishing you all the best in getting a new building done and having the team continue to be successful in Milwaukee. Good luck!
Been a fan all my life! I have put the bucks over the bulls, than the lakers and now the heat and all this teams in between. I’m happy we have an nba team and thankful to herb kohl for that, but we need a new direction.
Going for th 8th seed and making trades where we lose our future prospects to do so, needs to stop! Every since we traded Ray Allen for Payton I’ve been scared to hear the bucks made a trade. Hammond has shown he can draft and find talent in it… Meeks, Jon lauer, Tobias Harris to name a few recent picks that were traded for next to nothing…
The bucks can have fans again, but change in management is needed, starting with all the guys who got promoted this offseason… Being under 500 and having a team you know will get swept in the playoffs is not a success. Bucks fans are here, we just want this team to have a goal, a plan, we want to be exciting and we want to draft a star to go with the few key pieces we have in place.
Another Sacramento native and Kings fan wishing you guys all the best in keeping the Bucks in Milwaukee. I remember growing up and seeing guys like Terry Cummings and Sidney Moncrief killing it in the 80’s. It would be horrible to see the team moved.
Unfortunately, since you’re in a small market like Sacramento, you probably won’t get much national attention, but just remember that there are a lot of us that are rooting for you guys to keep your team. Stay positive and never give up!
Huge Bucks fan, and a huge fan of this site. I’ve been constantly checking saveourbucks.com since I caught wind of it. I must say, I agree with a lot of what’s written. Even the comments in this section can be insightful to this franchise.
But the thing is, I fully understand that we are “normal people” whose ideas may never see the light of day in these type of decisions… but we are the fans, we are the people that inject the life into the team.
With the wallet of a broke 20-something, I still manage to attend nearly 20-25 games a season. In my life, I’ve been to a small basket full of Brewers games, and 2 Packer games. The Bucks are all I have, and all I care about to be honest. I’m attesting to the fact that there ARE die-hard fans of this team. And there ARE people who believe we can get the momentum to make the rest of Milwaukee feel this way.
With all that said, I strongly believe the Bucks need a top 3 pick. NEED. We want success and we want it now! Let’s keep losing boys! We need excitement and buzz around this organization, and a top pick can do that. Especially one that isn’t a tall white guy. Jabari Parker, all I’m going to say.
I also agree strongly with the “cleaning house” idea. We need to rebuild and obviously it starts off the court, and in the front office. Look at the Spurs, in the mid-90’s they had a change in ownership and 4 years later they won the Finals (with the help of Tim Duncan, and the self-appointed coach in Popovich). But it’s things like that, a first overall a pick, a new head coach, that can quickly propel you to success.
Now I know, all of this is easier said than done. Especially from a fan’s stand-point. But we don’t have time to sit around and piddle-paddle. A few successful years can do wonders for an organization. Look at OKC or Golden State. Two recently-turned rabid fan-bases that are relatively the same size as Milwaukee. We need a star to open some eyes around here.
Momentum on the court, and success within organization, can get us to this flippin’ new arena. Start from the bottom ladder and work your way up. An arena is a metaphor for this organization. Rebuild, restructure, reform.
I believe in the Bucks. I believe in Milwaukee. I believe in this fan-base. With Giannis as my witness, I believe we can do this.
Side thought:
Someone earlier mentioned a “new look” Bucks. This is something I’ve been thinking about lately, and strongly would encourage. The Cavs change their jerseys/logo every few years, why not change ours, haha! A franchise player and a new look, I believe, can do a lot for us. Something appealing to the people. Keep the green. Maybe green and black? Or all green? A new sharp logo? Yes, these are minor things, but it’s little stuff like this that can help project a new clean image of the Bucks. Winning on the court is a must, but a rebrand can help gain local buzz.
I have loved the Bucks for as long as I can remember. Growing up and living in Wisconsin makes that quite easy tho. The Bucks have been in a dismal state in recent years which now, makes it tougher. Tanking will obviously be tough to watch and won’t fill the seats, but the reward from doing so, will and will be hella fun to watch. I really hope that the Front Office and Herb Kohl read some of this, and realize that the reason the Bucks are in Milwaukee, is for us the fans to enjoy. And right now nobody enjoys seeing the Bucks continually get the 8th seed and get swept. Here’s hoping to some change. GO BUCKS!!
I have been a Sacramento Kings season ticket holder and certainly empathize with the mercenary and predatory way in which the NBA Franchises are sought after. Good luck…you have the well wishes of the Sacramento fans, as you know our fight is no yet over! Fight the good fight!!!
We are the last passionate fans this team has. They’ve squandered every bit of goodwill from the 70s, 80s, ’01 and Fear the Deer. We only love the team because we grew up with them and we love basketball. Other than that, being a Bucks fan is pretty masochistic.
So when we band together and put up a billboard and the media trolls try to beat us down at behest of the team, it just shows how empty and pathetic the whole enterprise is while, additionally, proving our point.
No one is even asking Kohl to come out and say he screwed up. Give the cronies their golden parachute, hire basketball people and build through the draft. You will be loved, Herb. Loved.
As a die hard Kings fan who lives in Seattle I have seen how this ugly scene plays out on both sides. You guys keep your heads up and continue to fight for the Bucks. Kings fans are behind you.
I wish this fanbase the best of luck. As a Sacramento Kings fan I know how frustrating it is to have your team surrounded by uncertainty. I think I speak for most of the fans in Sacramento when I say you have our support. Long Live the Milwaukee Bucks!!!
I really like this website, and I love that it’s getting the national attention it deserves.
I thank Herb Kohl for keeping the Bucks in Milwaukee, but this team has been directionless and run by incompetent general managers for far too long.
If John Hammond seriously screws us in this year’s draft by making a big “win now” trade before the deadline, I just can’t consciously support this team any longer.
been a fan for a long time. I sure believe giannis will develop into one heck of a player. with the minutes he has played this season he played exetremely well for being only 19. I hope he fulfills his expectations and becomes a super star player. with tanking we will at least get a good pick. who can build the roster around.
I am a Bucks fan living in Pittsburgh. If you are very familiar with stadium deals in professional sports, you will know that the Pittsburgh Penguins were basically in this same exact position last decade, and there are many parallels between the two that everyone should know about.
1. You are definitely on the right track as far as saying we need a good draft pick. The Penguins got the number 1 pick in 2005 with Sidney Crosby. Him, along with a few other moves, eventually led to the Penguins winning the 2009 Stanley Cup. Interesting though that Crosby was just about as young as Antetokounmpo when drafted. While I suppose it may be possible that we already got our star pick, I wouldn’t bank on it. Besides, Penguins didn’t win just because of Crosby. We’ll need more than just one potential superstar.
2. The Consol Energy Center was largely funded by casinos and gambling built in the area. Legislation was passed to allow legalised gambling in the state. I am not familiar with what is going on in Wisconsin as far as these types of issues, but they definitely should be explored thoroughly as they have been proven to work before.
3. Herb Kohl, as an owner, is more likely to save the franchise as opposed to ruining it. He appears to be adamant on the team staying in Milwaukee, and that will be what will save the team in the long term, In 1999, the Lemieux family bought the Penguins. Ever since then, the primary goal had always been to keep the team in Pittsburgh. There were moments where he said that he may have been trying to move the team to Kansas City or Las Vegas (terrible locations for an NHL team in my opinion). However, once the negotiations led to an arena deal in Pittsburgh, Lemieux is on record for saying that was simply a negotiation tactic, and moving the team to those places wasn’t a realistic possibility. The moniker “Seattle Bucks” is thrown around a lot these days, but it is foolish to believe that it will happen just like that. If Herb Kohl is committed to keeping the team in Milwaukee, he will find a way to do so. Although, of course, the arena deal is imperative.
4. Speaking of the NHL, an idea I have thought of personally is possibly getting an NHL franchise to the city. To me it makes a lot of sense. The more reasons you have for needing a new arena, the more likely someone is willing to fund one. Accommodatingly speaking, Pittsburgh is ready for an NBA franchise in the Consol. The popular support for an NBA team in Pittsburgh is far less than Milwaukee has ever experienced, but having the proper arena makes it more ready than a lot of cities. A strong support for an NHL team in Milwaukee could possibly turn the tides. Since I do not live there, I am not familiar with how popular the idea may be, but if there is a strong support, movements like this should be working together with them. It’s fortunate that NHL and NBA teams are typically housed in the same arena.
5. The Pens had been bad for almost as long as the Bucks have. Pens winning the cups in the early 90’s, and the Bucks starting to go downhill around then. At least for the Bucks, they did well in 2001. Nothing to really gather from this except that both have had long durations of being bad.
6. This is an NHL team that figured this out. In America, there is simply more money in NBA than NHL. Another interesting tidbit: Pittsburgh nearly went bankrupt in 2004.
Given this, the Bucks should be able to find a way to stay in Milwaukee. The only thing they should be worried about is potential incompetency in getting it done, but if you look at situations in which stadium deals did work, modeling the process after those will make it much more achievable.
Love so many things about this site!!! Spot on on the analysis of the problems. Love Herb, but dude needs to write checks and sit back while a person with actual basketball Knowledge runs the day to day. Will never watch another bucks game until I see them make a concerted effort to be a contender. If that takes a mega trade or a tanking season, I don’t care. But I have hated almost every team and player the bucks have had for 5 plus years. I like basketball and want the Bucks to be good, but I wont put in much effort if they dont.
To Herb Kohl: thanks for saving the bucks many years ago and now, pls let them be saved again: TANK! TANK! TANK! true bucks fans know this is the ONLY way for a small market team to get better. so pls TANK!
Pacers fan here…
Just wanted to stop by and let you guys know that I love what you are doing. I know what it is like going to the arena every night and only seeing 10k people in the stands, being one of the only fans in the upper deck. Luckily, we were able to get lucky with our draft choices and our attendance is on the rise this year, but just know that there is always hope. I believe Giannis can be a great player, and a top 5 pick in this years draft could be a franchise changer. I will be making the trip from Indiana to Milwaukee for the first time on Feb 22 and hope to have a great experience watching my first road game. I hope your franchise has better fortune going forward, and more people continue visiting the site. Good luck guys!
I love my Bucks. Sadly, Herb Kohl has no idea what he’s doing with this team. Being 8th place every year and getting swept doesn’t mean anything, well it means you can’t grow. What big Free Agent, like Carmelo Anthony, would put “Milwaukee Bucks” on their list to go to? This is what the Bucks should do. Trade Ersan, because he’s good but we know his plateau, for (maybe) a 1st rounder next year, or get some young guy and a 2nd rounder. I want a super exciting team that sells tickets for a couple of years, to maybe get a huge Free Agent here. Furthermore, if we can get Julius Randle next year, that would be beautiful. Knight, Mayo, Giannis, Randle, Sanders with Henson and Wolters being 6th and 7th men, respectively. However, I’m only a 19 year old and have no say on how the Bucks should be managed, I just hope someone reads this in the front office and considers it.
I would disagree with Hammond’s intelligence in drafting ability/strategy. Fans give him credit for drafting Harris, Jennings, Sanders and Giannis. These players may have been the best available players when Hammond drafted. However, Hammond has never used his available resources to try to move up in any draft to secure better talent. Hammond has also never tried to use his resources to secure two first round picks. When it comes to draft day, the Bucks under Hammond are never a player. They just take what is left when they draft. A testament to his real lack of basketball intelligence was a statement he made for the record that if he were available, he would have selected Flynn over Jennings. Intelligent GM’s know how to use their resources to move up and also down in a draft. Intelligent GM’s know how to translate 2nd round picks into something useful. Dumb Gms just stand still and pick the best guy available. And that is exactly what Hammond has been doing. As far as talent evaluation, the Bucks in the past decade have spent twice as much time evaluating second round level talent as they have first round talent. Their priorities are in the wrong place, and their evaluation techniques are sadly lacking. As I type, I fully expect Hammond to do nothing in the next draft and make no moves and draft another power forward or trade the pick before its placement is known for a power forward with 10+ years of experience in another win now move. .
The most damaging person on the management team is Ron Walter, the VP of business admin. He has been a poor choice for the job from day one, making decisions right and left that have harmed the franchise and inhibited growth and incoming revenue, but Kohl can’t bring himself to let him go. I hope this site can shine some light on the management problems that ultimately will force the team out of Milwaukee if some major housecleaning isn’t done.
I was thrilled to see the saveourbucks. com website. Very well done. I want to address the elephant in the room. This franchise will never, I repeat absoultely never, be a successful organization as long as Kohl is the owner. Yes, thank you Herb for keeping the team in Milwaukee but by any objective measure, you are simply one of the least successful owners in ALL of professional sports. The bucks organization as it exists now and has existed since Kohl bought the team and ran Nellie out of town, is one of the saddest and most irrelevant teams in the NBA. I could go on and on about the endless bad decisions Kohl has made but what’s the point. Like the brewers, packers, and badgers when they were failing miserably, the ONLY way out of this mess is a new owner and GM that cleans house. Nonetheless, how about we make some T-shirts to wear to games that say “Thanks Herb! Now please sell.”
This is a great website. I’m a Hawks fan and I know what it’s like going to a game where it feels like you’re the only one there. I hope the Bucks can keep their team.
I totally agree with this! Put aside petty moral pleas of, “Have honor and don’t just cash this season in.” Tank and get draft picks! TRADE! 20 losing years is way too long for an NBA Team. You will never get public support for a team that has shown zero progress for years. ALL ABOUT TALENT AND STAR POWER! (Don’t deny it)
Insanity : doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I watched Jabbar play for the Bucks, been a fan for a long time. We need to change our approach. It is Tank time.
Even tho I believe we need a top 5 pick, I don’t believe in tanking. To me it’s a losers mentality and being able to justify any actions isn’t a good trait to have. I don’t think that’s where the bucks are right now, however. Injuries and a lack of being able to create and sustain chemistry/energy is. The bucks fell into a chance to get a possible top 5 pick (it’s early)which is the best way to see who’s selfish and who’s mentally strong. For me fighting for playoffs is never a bad thing, but I get why people get upset. But having low attendance and needing a new building are the main reasons for it. However when diehard fans of the team talk to casual fans or people unknowing and say “the team sucks…don’t go to the games cause they won’t go anywhere” is part of the problem too. Cause if the support isn’t there, they will leave despite the bucks having a lot of division banners(when it mattered) and a championship in the rafters. I think this site is great because it helps show we won’t abandoned this team and want the best out of the people tasked to represent our teams.
I definitely agree that the bucks should tank. It’s been hard to watch them for the past few years, especially when the front office considers it a success if the team simply makes the playoffs. I want the players necessary to win championships and the only possible way i see that happening right now is to tank.
I am a Die Hard Jazz fan and you are totally right in the importance of getting more Ping pong balls. Truth be told, you must have a superstar to win in the NBA. Gotta say though, I will be bummed if you guys out do my Jazz for the worst record in the league haha. Every time ya’ll win I feel a disturbance in the tank.
[Glass Raised] Tank on (or as we in Jazz land call it, professional tank on).
Loving the movement! Kudos to you true Milwaukee Buck fans! It has never been more clear that now is the time to save this franchise and I hope the work of a few individuals will send the message forward.
Next step for this site might be to find companies on board with donating to build a stadium if certain things within the bucks organization change…. That might motivate our good friend herb to do something useful instead of throwing potential down the drain year after year
I not only think we need to tank, but also get a new look. I hate our uniforms, apart from the red away uniform. We need a color scheme that can sell, like red and gold, or just green, or something. With a top five, hopefully top 3 pick, we need to usher in a new era with a new look.
Also I’m thinking Parker is our best bet for immediate relevance. Point guards are a dime a dozen and the Bucks have trade peices to pick up a good veteran guard to nurture Wolters.
As a 12 year season ticket holder, I’ve had a few opportunities for Q & A sessions with John Hammond, including this pre season at a closed Bucks practice. During this session, the GM raved about what they had in Giannis, calling him a future all star etc. My question to him at this point was that we’ve heard in the past about “rookie promise” only to see them waste away on the bench in their early years – will he play this year, right away? His response: “You watch, he’s going to play a lot”. I think we all know this isn’t happening. The Bucks only hope is if guys like Giannis, Henson and Sanders develop into at minimum, players that approach all star status along with bringing in a top drafted talent that will be a perennial all star. By Hammond’s own admission, they are not going to land a top free agent.
OKC fan here…
Nothing frustrates me more than seeing a franchise trapped in perennial mediocrity due to ignorant owners and/or general managers. Here’s to wishing that Giannis and the young kids are given a chance to develop this season and the Bucks can hopefully add some home-grown talent and thus build through the draft (see Thunder;Oklahoma City).
Kudos to you guys for starting this site, a step in the right direction toward achieving a vision.
OKC what a flipping joke, carpet bag owner steals the Supersonics after 45 years in the league you guys have no idea of what it takes to build a winning team from the ground up. That said, I agree that Milwaukee or any other NBA City should not be subjected to the BS that went down in Seattle hope the Bucks can get things corrected, in the meantime we wait to start our second life in the NBA! SEATTLE SUPERSONICS FAN!
Carey
Hey Bucks fans, I’m a Sacramento Kings fan popping in to encourage you to never give up. This website is a great way to get the ball rolling. I know Bucks fans will never stop fighting for their team. You folks deserve better, and I’m hopeful better days are around the corner for you! Fight on!
Excellent site. Even the Clippers have surpassed the Bucks and we are now the worst run franchise in the NBA. Meanwhile Kohl and friends keep reminding us of how “Kohl saved the team in 1985”. That’s all well and good. First thing he did was run Nellie out of town. And it’s been a disaster ever since. Please sell the team and enjoy your retirement.
Agree with the entire site. I moved here from Arkansas and was excited about having a pro basketball team. I went to four games last season and both playoff games. I have been to two games so far this year as well. I want to be excited and part of me is but another part is saddened by the lack of vision for the future. In the two games I have been to this year (V Cleveland and Portland) I have yet to see Giannis on the floor! I am dumbfounded at the Luke Ridnour and Gary Neal minutes but I am just a fan so what do I know!
Thank you for this site. I’m not giving up and I would rather see young guys get minutes and us lose than see vets try to hog minutes and poor shots to save the last few years of their careers
Thanks for chiming in and sharing your story. It is extremely important fans such as yourselves share with all of us. You are the type of fan the Milwaukee Bucks need to become relevant again and, yet, management repeatedly make decisions to drive you away. Please stay alongside us lifelong fans as we try to sort this out together.
A season finally committed to letting our youth get much needed experience by actually playing them is a win/win. It would prevent deadline disasters like the Tobias Harris trade. And, it would greatly inform our future roster. Management should have many questions right now concerning the youth on this roster – Can Jon Henson improve? Can he learn how to body up on the glass? Can he develop a consistent mid-range game? Can he develop a right hook to go along with his well-developed left-hand game? Can Knight handle PG duties OR is he better suited as a 2? Is Middleton our best on-ball defender? Can Khris consistently hit his midrange jumpers if given the opportunity? What do we have in Giannis? Will Nate Wolters ever hit another outside shot? Seeing the Bucks actually commit to youth is not ‘suffering’ as Josh puts it. It would be exactly the opposite. It would be a plan worth getting behind. Spending meaningful salary cap on very pedestrian role-playing veterans to fill starters minutes is just another feather in the cap of mediocrity. Fans are speaking loudly: This plan doesn’t work. This plan hasn’t worked. This plan saw the Bucks trade away their best young asset for a 2-month rental of a backup SG! Bucks management has no more excuses. Their plan has led to a significant decrease in attendance even with lowered ticket prices. The fans will return if they finally demonstrate a clear and inspiring vision of rebuilding. This isn’t about ‘Tanking’. Tanking is an ineffective word and it is a divisive word. This is about BUILDING. And, it starts via the draft. And, it starts with playing our young guys meaningful minutes. As fans, we came into this season fed stories about Giannis and Henson and their potential etc. Now, we’re watching Gary Neal; Caron Butler; and Zaza Pachulia in excess. Clearly, they aren’t producing meaningful results. We’re tired of excuses. We want meaningful change.
“Meaningful change” will come when those making the decisions have been altered.
I was floored when the present GM was given yet another ‘tour of duty’ when his first one
rendered little if anything moving forward. In most markets a formula for a ‘pink slip.’
Not here. One gets rehired for less then mediocrity, and then we all sit back and wonder why
this thing isn’t working.
“You can’t fix the problem with the same kind of thinking that got you that problem”
…..Albert Einstein…
Right. Meaningful change in #Bucks culture is promoting 9 cronies to VP status. 9 new VP’s! There’s a saying: Too many cooks in the kitchen. Well, the #Bucks have this down to a science.
Josh
Hopefully something like this can at least begin to sway public opinion and, in turn, help sway the front office. If they know people won’t abandon the Bucks, maybe they’ll be more willing to suffer for ONE year to get that very important high draft pick. Keep up the good work!
Nice website, this site needs to get more attention. The Milwaukee Bucks need to change the way they do things and finishing as one of the worst teams record-wise this season can end up being a big step forward as they could be drafting a superstar. If any of the current players are not envisioned as being on what could be a powerhouse Bucks team in say 2-3 years, they should be traded in the next few weeks for younger talent with years of team control. Let’s get this franchise turned in the right direction and fans will come!
We will weigh in on topic-related banter in the near future. For now we simply would like to welcome you to the Bucks-Blog(s)-Neighborhood of cites which include (BrewHoop / Real GM/ Bucketsball/ and of course the Bucks Blog at J/S on line. All with a core passion for Milwaukee Basketball, and all with a high end interactive piece. Its always exciting being on the ground floor of new opportunities, and again, good fortune in your quest to be part of ‘the hood’>>>
Thank you for taking the time to put this site together.
Been a Bucks fan since the 80’s and can’t believe
they keep doing the same things over and over again.
Is this bucks arena deal going to be as long and dragged out as it was in getting Miller Park built? What’s wrong with Wisconsin legislators??
Will you please post if you find out when they will be voting? I would love to go to Madison for this. I will be calling everyone on the list tomorrow -I so want the Bucks to stay. Thanks for your effort. Please let us know what else we can do.
I’m under 18 but is it still ok for me to call??
Yes, and tell them how soon you will turn 18 and be a voter in their district! Also tell them how important the Bucks are to kids and youth in Wisconsin. It will be devastating if we lose our team.
Just contacted Senator Mark Miller and he is voting against it at this point. If you live in his district like me, start calling or keep calling and lets change his vote!
Brandon Knight was the HEART and SOUL and the best player on this team. He was a major reason why this team was winning and all the excitement. Trading Knight effectively rob the fans of Milwaukee. It may have kill the momentum of building a new Arena.
I get your dissatisfaction, but it’s gonna be ok. I know the cap is going up in a couple years, but you don’t want to be tied down to someone making 15+ million that’s maybe in the top half at pg. hopefully Giannis and Jabari will become max guys but with Middleton getting a huge pay raise I feel that going after someone like Al Jefferson would be wiser. Someone who is a older than the core who can put there back to the basket and be a go to guy. His defense isn’t a concern cause the team d is so good. This team has something special brewing and what this trade did was keep the cap flexibility open to when the young bucks really start clicking we would then be a free agent destination for top flight players.
Finally thought the Bucks had turned the corner, new owners, new coach, Brandon Knight and team going in the right direction. Then they traded Brandon a Knight, a major mistake at this critical time. If this doesn’t work out it should cost someone there job. This trade sets back and stops everything the Bucks where on the verge of accomplishing
All for The cause and keeping the Bucks home…not at ALL excited about another area in downtown Milwaukee. The Brewers did it right with Miller Park, the Bradley Center location keeps me away from games
Jason Kidd must come to the realization that Middleton is not ready for clutch/pressure times in the basketball game, neither is Illysova and he must stop Sanders from shooting jump shots; his offense is too underdeveloped. Or maybe Kidd is positioning the Bucks for another second selection in the up coming draft
You can make the argument that he has made a career of simply drafting high upside first-round picks, but they do seem to get better every year. What I think is harder to argue is that he has no drafting talent when you look at the second round. The percentage of second-round picks that stick around the leave for more than a couple years is very low, and other than the infamous tiny gallon year he has hit almost every time. One could suggest that he does not recognize the talent that he drafts, trading away Jody Meeks and Tobias Harris and even a potential role player in Jon Leuer, but he certainly drafted them in the first place. Mbah a moute and Wolters were solid, it would be hard to argue that based on their draft position. Also I agree that people think casual fans that Giannis is further along than he is, but when you remember that he was not even supposed to be ready to play in the league for several years it looks much better. Right now these same fans are upset that Jabari is not the one dimensional scoring machine they thought he was, while ignoring the fact that nobody mentioned that he can rebound, has passing potential, and his defense actually looks almost average.
Hammond should be fired for assembling the crap on the summer league alone. This front office has no clue in identifying talent. Warning to new owners, regrettably Sen. Kohl did not learn this lesson. This is why the Bucks find themselves in this predicament…
people keep foolishly giving Hammond credit for his drafting skills, when all he did was draft the highest available rated players by draft net when it was his turn to select somebody. he had three second round picks and several other players to use to try to move up but rather he just stayed where he was and picked who the internet said he should pick. And rather than being pro-active, Hammond is being reactive, waiting for all the other Gms to make their move before he does. and when he does, it’s always the crumbs and left-overs that nobody else wanted. Sure, he gets a great financial deal. but there’s also a reason these players are still available. nobody else wanted them, so why should we? I knew it was a very bad idea to keep Hammond, because I knew he was the real man to blame and not kohl for his lack of action. I also believe Bucks fans think too highly of Giannis. yes, he makes many highlight reel plays. but games are not won on highlight reel plays alone. Games are won by making shots and not making turn-overs. Bucks fans see promise. I’d like to see consistency and results. Giannis was nowhere close to what LeBron, Durant or even Big Dog, Moncrief or Allen were their rookie years. he was on par with Ersan – another player I consider as just mediocre and overhyped by Bucks fans. A couple of passes and dunks does not make a person a superstar. I also still can’t believe Sanders is still a Buck. the only reason n he is , is because no other team wants him. that should speak volumes to Bucks fans. We can’t even give the guy away. people keep saying the summer games means nothing. Well, that goes both ways. if it means nothing to the bucks, it must also mean nothing to the other team as well. It must mean a little more to them, because they WON. Summer games only mean nothing to teams that lose. the other teams besides the bucks take them seriously. and therein lies the problem. the bucks don’t take the Summer games seriously. the bucks don’t take the exhibition games seriously. and then when the real games start, they are out of shape, easily injured, and accept losing too easily. My bet is the spurs take the summer season and exhibition games seriously and play to win these supposed meaningless games. if you want to create a winning franchise, you need to start taking EVERY game seriously. And you need a GM who uses the draft to improve his team, rather than just sit around and choose the best player available according to a website. if Hammond were a real GM, he would have used his players and available picks to move up in the draft to acquire PG Napier or SF Anderson. instead, he just sat there and waited for a player to fall to him. I could have done that.
Reed bigelow has no idea what hes talking about. This program is headed in the right direction.
Bucks must pick Parker or Wiggins or trade down to no lower than 4 and take Enniid or Exum
If Hammond selects Embiid with the second pick he better be 100% sure there are not any future back issues. His job is tied to this pick. (Safe pick Parker)
Is there any time table of when the plans/blueprints of the possible arena are going to be released? I feel as though when people actually see this thing and how much better it will actually be there will be more people on board…
New ownership, I am so excited. This means front office out, Sanders & Illysova out, coach out.
After watching the Sixers deliberately lose to the Bucks, allowing the Bucks to score 130 points, and then lose at home by 11 to the Magic, I predict that, unfortunately, the Sixers will catch the Bucks and the Sixers will lose all of their remaining games. I hope I’m wrong.
How is wish I was wrong, this is why the Bucks and the front office is so pathetic. Trading Neal and getting nothing in return,,, Bobcats come out of this trade with A. Bucks F. We need a new owner with a majority ownership,,,, I have finally given up on Kohl vision for the Bucks…
I thought we scored pretty good in that trade bothe players we got have expiring contracts and will be off the books. The problem is that we now look like a better team and may double our first half of the season win total and might be once again on the bottom end of the lottery. Our team just got a lot better.
Both players are expiring. We won the trade on one level: Fit. Both players fit infinitely better on the Bucks roster than Neal and Ridnour. However, we lost the trade on several fronts. It is highly likely Ramon Sessions is resigned for a multi-year deal and it is possible Adrien is signed as well as a hustle guy off the bench. So, the roster flexibility we created could very easily be thrown away. Given we have 3 picks in the top 35 of a very deep draft class, those roster spots should remain open for drafted players. That is an intelligent Rebuild move. Should be left open for drafted players, but given the Bucks track record of re-signing former Bucks and valuing undersized hustle guys I don’t think the odds are in favor of utilizing these open roster spots wisely. Furthermore, because of Coach Drew’s love of Zaza (who is playing average to pedestrian right now) we now have two players completely eating Miroslav’s minutes. Given Miroslav is a 25 y.o. in need of PT; given he’s on a 2 yr. guaranteed, but affordable, deal; there is no reason to take away his minutes – particularly considering his steady improvements over the course of the season. The proof will be in how the offseason is handled. And, the fact we’re a better team now certainly won’t put us in the bottom of the lottery BUT it certainly may cost us a top 4 pick.
Sen. Kohl may be a smart politician but he is a idiot when it comes to the NBA … No wonder the Bucks are in their current worst in the NBA status… Trade Sanders and Illysova, they are not worth 19 million dollars a year. The Bucks continue to trade the players they should keep and keep the players they should let go. Ray Allen, Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis..,
Why trade them now? Better to wait til the season is over and they are worth more. I would sooner trade Henson. Keep the tank going in order to get a top 3 pick.
The person you need to talk to (or about) is Ted Loehrke. He was promoted from the NBA front office to the Bucks front office last year.
The Bucks should look into making it a publicly owned team like the Green Bay Packers. They could do a share offering and let people in the community buy a piece of the team. It’s worked great in Green Bay so why not for the Bucks? It could be a solution where everyone wins.
I have been a Buck fan since Oscar Robinson and Lew Alcindor. Never thought I would see the Bucks deteriorated to its current degree. It is finally time for this organization to be held accountable for allowing the Bucks to get in this current predicament. Since they obviously not going to fire themselves. Sen. Kohl intention of adding a partner is the only way to rectify this mess. Surely a new partner will insist on cleaning house and a new strategy since the old one is clearly not working. This would mean trading Ersan Ilysova and Larry Sanders the highest paid player and face of the franchise. Ironic that Sanders is the face of the franchise which is a disappointment. They can no longer use players like Brandon Jennings, John Salmons, etc as scapegoats to hide behind… Maybe then the citizens and fans will be excited and willing to build a new facility in Milwaukee. The Bucks organization in Milwaukee media are in denial, the people of Wisconsin are a lot smarter than you think…
I absolutely love what you guys are doing. Obviously, the billboard and the saveourbucks efforts have made an impact. Think about what has occurred over the last several weeks. Kohl is looking for new ownership. The national media and our farce of a local newspaper have continued to document the efforts of saveourbucks. One of Kohl’s longtime cronies, Steinmiller, is forced to acknowledge the impact of saveourbucks. Arena trial balloons are being sent by Kohl. Long time, die hard fans are making a last stand and saying: “we are here and we support you but the organization must change, if not you will lose your last bastion of an interested fanbase.” Kudos to saveourbucks and job well done. Please schedule another event, I couldnt make the event on 3rd street.
Been thinking about next years draft and the trade deadline. We have some movable pieces in a trade such as Ersan, Mayo, and Ridnour. I would love to get a good reliable shooting guard. Sometimes Mayo is fun to watch when his shot is on, other times it can be pretty brutal.If there is any way that Wiggins can play the 2 then I say go for it. I just don’t think his outside shot warrants that fact. You have Giannis at the 3, a position that Parker and Wiggins play. How do you distribute the minutes there.
What about the possibility of trading Henson, Ersan, and maybe Mayo for a shooting guard and then drafting Randle who I feel will be a beast down below. I like Henson but I feel that he will always be prone to injury, and his trade value is high.
Was also thinking about the point with Dante Exxum and Marcus Smart. I don’t think they would go that route as they are high on Wolters and Brandon Knight is making us forget Brandon Jennings. Wolters has potential.
I am curious to see if they do something at the trade deadline. Just wonder what good 2 guards are out there that are worth trading for.
Do you believe a successful winning record with a marquee player such as Wiggins would be enough to sway the public and legislative opinion to finance a new stadium? I can envision increased attendance. I’m not so sure that will be enough to influence our Governor and tax payers to support the cost of a new arena. I firmly believe in order to Save Our Bucks, we need the Milwaukee Mayor and Wisconsin Governor to both step up and help lead the charge.
I believe it will. People were excited when a quality talented team was in front of them. We sold out games not too long ago. This team right now the only thing that excites me is watching Giannis mature. Otherwise watching Ersan throw up brick after brick makes me cringe with each shot he takes.
I simply don’t see how any politician will fall on his sword to pull a tax deal for a new BC. The options for a new arena are private money, foreign private money, or an alternative altogether. Most people I talk to don’t want to fund something for the Bucks or don’t care about the Bucks. My point is, as other people have put it, all the old goodwill for the franchise is history. A new era of the Bucks needs to be written. The Packers have decades of goodwill behind them, and current competiveness. The bucks rely on the halcyon days of Lew Alcindor, Big O and to lesser degree Moncrief, Winters and Johnson Even the latter was 25 years past. I think these are classic apples and oranges. I wish I were wrong. How we got to this point is how we get out. Reverse 25 years of decline in short order.
Get Junior Bridgeman to get”uncle Chet” (kohl) to sell to him and his people. Now!
Thanks for having this site . . . I’m glad that people are speaking up on the Bucks. They are important to the city and were a very well run franchise until Nellie left.
I’m hoping that the founders of the site could explore the following issue that’s pertinent to the Bucks, but also to the Brewers, Packers and most other franchises:
Does asking for public financing require a franchise to be more transparent with its fan base on issues like building the team, strategic direction, etc.? One would think that a team owes its base more transparency if they are footing the bill for arenas, stadiums, etc. Certainly, Ted Thompson would disagree with this as most of his comments are opaque and guarded. But, how does this dynamic play for the Bucks as they will certainly be seeking money for a new arena and have said very little about management structure, plans, etc.?
Anybody do the math on the timeline to a new stadium? BC took 2 calendar years to complete. So even if the commission got their stuff together and perhaps something was started in one year from now, the earliest the Bucks could occupy would be January 2017. At the earliest. And since the tax thing is on the back burner, add more time to that. Is this even realistic?
I’m not as totally sold on Hammond’s drafting intelligence as many other Bucks fans are. He never tries to use his resources to move up in a draft , or to try to acquire additional first round picks. He basically stands pat and takes what he deems as the best player when he drafts. In the Alexander draft, it was clear the player he really wanted was taken 1-2 picks before the Bucks drafted, and Hammond had no Plan B and panicked. That player could have been so much better if Hammond used a little creativity on draft night and made some smart trades. Hammond has also gone on record as saying he would have drafted Flynn over Jennings. I’m also not totally sold on Larry Sanders as a great draft pick or developing into a great or star player. At what point in time, do we accept last year as an outlier year and start to look at what Larry has done this year – before and after his injury? before his injury, Larry was horrible. he definitely did not improve on his game over last year, and after receiving a significant raise/contract, he has regressed to his previous game/self. At what point, do we start looking at the present rather than using his past stats? I’ m also not impressed with our scouting staff and draft evaluation team. We spend twice as much time evaluating second round picks as we do first round picks. Many first round picks have even refused to work out and interview with us. What does it say about an organization when a player refuses to work out for you? And what does it say about your ability to evaluate a player and draft class when you do not work out many of his peers?
This former Milw resident (I used to attend about 10 games/yr during the 80s) is impressed with this website’s’ very observant and articulated demand for front office accountability. If this is any indication of the local fanbase, I am sure the franchise will soon be thriving, thanks to the smarts and determination of the Milwaukeans I left behind.
As for a new arena, we all know there are plenty of wealthy parties who can partner to make it happen WITHOUT the need to further burden Milw area taxpayers with more corporate welfare. The question to ask these very wealthy “capitalists” is–are they interested in contributing to a legacy or taking a taxpayer’s handout?
I have been a Bucks fan since day one in Milwaukee. I am behind this website 100%. Please let me know how I can become more involved with your efforts. I am willing to help keep the Bucks here.
Glenn
The Time is Now ! To save the Bucks it now or Never to turn this around before it to Late.
There are a lot of diehard Bucks fans out there that totally agree with everything that is said on this site. As of Christmas, the Bucks have the worst record in the league, and it is great. This year, don’t Go Bucks don’t Go! Next year, Go Bucks Go!
Love the Bucks. Great idea this site. I have followed the Bucks way back. While serving in Vietnam I couldn’t wait to find out the scores.
This website is awesome. Love what you guys are doing! When is the next viewing party for a game? I’d love to meet more die hard bucks fans like myself
Kings fan here. I’ll be following this closely. Good luck… you have all of the love and support from Sacramento. You guys can win this.
Sacramento Kings fan here wishing you all the best in getting a new building done and having the team continue to be successful in Milwaukee. Good luck!
Been a fan all my life! I have put the bucks over the bulls, than the lakers and now the heat and all this teams in between. I’m happy we have an nba team and thankful to herb kohl for that, but we need a new direction.
Going for th 8th seed and making trades where we lose our future prospects to do so, needs to stop! Every since we traded Ray Allen for Payton I’ve been scared to hear the bucks made a trade. Hammond has shown he can draft and find talent in it… Meeks, Jon lauer, Tobias Harris to name a few recent picks that were traded for next to nothing…
The bucks can have fans again, but change in management is needed, starting with all the guys who got promoted this offseason… Being under 500 and having a team you know will get swept in the playoffs is not a success. Bucks fans are here, we just want this team to have a goal, a plan, we want to be exciting and we want to draft a star to go with the few key pieces we have in place.
Another Sacramento native and Kings fan wishing you guys all the best in keeping the Bucks in Milwaukee. I remember growing up and seeing guys like Terry Cummings and Sidney Moncrief killing it in the 80’s. It would be horrible to see the team moved.
Unfortunately, since you’re in a small market like Sacramento, you probably won’t get much national attention, but just remember that there are a lot of us that are rooting for you guys to keep your team. Stay positive and never give up!
Huge Bucks fan, and a huge fan of this site. I’ve been constantly checking saveourbucks.com since I caught wind of it. I must say, I agree with a lot of what’s written. Even the comments in this section can be insightful to this franchise.
But the thing is, I fully understand that we are “normal people” whose ideas may never see the light of day in these type of decisions… but we are the fans, we are the people that inject the life into the team.
With the wallet of a broke 20-something, I still manage to attend nearly 20-25 games a season. In my life, I’ve been to a small basket full of Brewers games, and 2 Packer games. The Bucks are all I have, and all I care about to be honest. I’m attesting to the fact that there ARE die-hard fans of this team. And there ARE people who believe we can get the momentum to make the rest of Milwaukee feel this way.
With all that said, I strongly believe the Bucks need a top 3 pick. NEED. We want success and we want it now! Let’s keep losing boys! We need excitement and buzz around this organization, and a top pick can do that. Especially one that isn’t a tall white guy. Jabari Parker, all I’m going to say.
I also agree strongly with the “cleaning house” idea. We need to rebuild and obviously it starts off the court, and in the front office. Look at the Spurs, in the mid-90’s they had a change in ownership and 4 years later they won the Finals (with the help of Tim Duncan, and the self-appointed coach in Popovich). But it’s things like that, a first overall a pick, a new head coach, that can quickly propel you to success.
Now I know, all of this is easier said than done. Especially from a fan’s stand-point. But we don’t have time to sit around and piddle-paddle. A few successful years can do wonders for an organization. Look at OKC or Golden State. Two recently-turned rabid fan-bases that are relatively the same size as Milwaukee. We need a star to open some eyes around here.
Momentum on the court, and success within organization, can get us to this flippin’ new arena. Start from the bottom ladder and work your way up. An arena is a metaphor for this organization. Rebuild, restructure, reform.
I believe in the Bucks. I believe in Milwaukee. I believe in this fan-base. With Giannis as my witness, I believe we can do this.
Side thought:
Someone earlier mentioned a “new look” Bucks. This is something I’ve been thinking about lately, and strongly would encourage. The Cavs change their jerseys/logo every few years, why not change ours, haha! A franchise player and a new look, I believe, can do a lot for us. Something appealing to the people. Keep the green. Maybe green and black? Or all green? A new sharp logo? Yes, these are minor things, but it’s little stuff like this that can help project a new clean image of the Bucks. Winning on the court is a must, but a rebrand can help gain local buzz.
I have loved the Bucks for as long as I can remember. Growing up and living in Wisconsin makes that quite easy tho. The Bucks have been in a dismal state in recent years which now, makes it tougher. Tanking will obviously be tough to watch and won’t fill the seats, but the reward from doing so, will and will be hella fun to watch. I really hope that the Front Office and Herb Kohl read some of this, and realize that the reason the Bucks are in Milwaukee, is for us the fans to enjoy. And right now nobody enjoys seeing the Bucks continually get the 8th seed and get swept. Here’s hoping to some change. GO BUCKS!!
I have been a Sacramento Kings season ticket holder and certainly empathize with the mercenary and predatory way in which the NBA Franchises are sought after. Good luck…you have the well wishes of the Sacramento fans, as you know our fight is no yet over! Fight the good fight!!!
We are the last passionate fans this team has. They’ve squandered every bit of goodwill from the 70s, 80s, ’01 and Fear the Deer. We only love the team because we grew up with them and we love basketball. Other than that, being a Bucks fan is pretty masochistic.
So when we band together and put up a billboard and the media trolls try to beat us down at behest of the team, it just shows how empty and pathetic the whole enterprise is while, additionally, proving our point.
No one is even asking Kohl to come out and say he screwed up. Give the cronies their golden parachute, hire basketball people and build through the draft. You will be loved, Herb. Loved.
Absolutely agree. Bucks management team is terrible, and has been allowed to remain in place for far too long.
As a die hard Kings fan who lives in Seattle I have seen how this ugly scene plays out on both sides. You guys keep your heads up and continue to fight for the Bucks. Kings fans are behind you.
I wish this fanbase the best of luck. As a Sacramento Kings fan I know how frustrating it is to have your team surrounded by uncertainty. I think I speak for most of the fans in Sacramento when I say you have our support. Long Live the Milwaukee Bucks!!!
I really like this website, and I love that it’s getting the national attention it deserves.
I thank Herb Kohl for keeping the Bucks in Milwaukee, but this team has been directionless and run by incompetent general managers for far too long.
If John Hammond seriously screws us in this year’s draft by making a big “win now” trade before the deadline, I just can’t consciously support this team any longer.
been a fan for a long time. I sure believe giannis will develop into one heck of a player. with the minutes he has played this season he played exetremely well for being only 19. I hope he fulfills his expectations and becomes a super star player. with tanking we will at least get a good pick. who can build the roster around.
I am a Bucks fan living in Pittsburgh. If you are very familiar with stadium deals in professional sports, you will know that the Pittsburgh Penguins were basically in this same exact position last decade, and there are many parallels between the two that everyone should know about.
1. You are definitely on the right track as far as saying we need a good draft pick. The Penguins got the number 1 pick in 2005 with Sidney Crosby. Him, along with a few other moves, eventually led to the Penguins winning the 2009 Stanley Cup. Interesting though that Crosby was just about as young as Antetokounmpo when drafted. While I suppose it may be possible that we already got our star pick, I wouldn’t bank on it. Besides, Penguins didn’t win just because of Crosby. We’ll need more than just one potential superstar.
2. The Consol Energy Center was largely funded by casinos and gambling built in the area. Legislation was passed to allow legalised gambling in the state. I am not familiar with what is going on in Wisconsin as far as these types of issues, but they definitely should be explored thoroughly as they have been proven to work before.
3. Herb Kohl, as an owner, is more likely to save the franchise as opposed to ruining it. He appears to be adamant on the team staying in Milwaukee, and that will be what will save the team in the long term, In 1999, the Lemieux family bought the Penguins. Ever since then, the primary goal had always been to keep the team in Pittsburgh. There were moments where he said that he may have been trying to move the team to Kansas City or Las Vegas (terrible locations for an NHL team in my opinion). However, once the negotiations led to an arena deal in Pittsburgh, Lemieux is on record for saying that was simply a negotiation tactic, and moving the team to those places wasn’t a realistic possibility. The moniker “Seattle Bucks” is thrown around a lot these days, but it is foolish to believe that it will happen just like that. If Herb Kohl is committed to keeping the team in Milwaukee, he will find a way to do so. Although, of course, the arena deal is imperative.
4. Speaking of the NHL, an idea I have thought of personally is possibly getting an NHL franchise to the city. To me it makes a lot of sense. The more reasons you have for needing a new arena, the more likely someone is willing to fund one. Accommodatingly speaking, Pittsburgh is ready for an NBA franchise in the Consol. The popular support for an NBA team in Pittsburgh is far less than Milwaukee has ever experienced, but having the proper arena makes it more ready than a lot of cities. A strong support for an NHL team in Milwaukee could possibly turn the tides. Since I do not live there, I am not familiar with how popular the idea may be, but if there is a strong support, movements like this should be working together with them. It’s fortunate that NHL and NBA teams are typically housed in the same arena.
5. The Pens had been bad for almost as long as the Bucks have. Pens winning the cups in the early 90’s, and the Bucks starting to go downhill around then. At least for the Bucks, they did well in 2001. Nothing to really gather from this except that both have had long durations of being bad.
6. This is an NHL team that figured this out. In America, there is simply more money in NBA than NHL. Another interesting tidbit: Pittsburgh nearly went bankrupt in 2004.
Given this, the Bucks should be able to find a way to stay in Milwaukee. The only thing they should be worried about is potential incompetency in getting it done, but if you look at situations in which stadium deals did work, modeling the process after those will make it much more achievable.
I love all of this. Please keep it up. Tell us what you need from us.
Love so many things about this site!!! Spot on on the analysis of the problems. Love Herb, but dude needs to write checks and sit back while a person with actual basketball Knowledge runs the day to day. Will never watch another bucks game until I see them make a concerted effort to be a contender. If that takes a mega trade or a tanking season, I don’t care. But I have hated almost every team and player the bucks have had for 5 plus years. I like basketball and want the Bucks to be good, but I wont put in much effort if they dont.
To Herb Kohl: thanks for saving the bucks many years ago and now, pls let them be saved again: TANK! TANK! TANK! true bucks fans know this is the ONLY way for a small market team to get better. so pls TANK!
Pacers fan here…
Just wanted to stop by and let you guys know that I love what you are doing. I know what it is like going to the arena every night and only seeing 10k people in the stands, being one of the only fans in the upper deck. Luckily, we were able to get lucky with our draft choices and our attendance is on the rise this year, but just know that there is always hope. I believe Giannis can be a great player, and a top 5 pick in this years draft could be a franchise changer. I will be making the trip from Indiana to Milwaukee for the first time on Feb 22 and hope to have a great experience watching my first road game. I hope your franchise has better fortune going forward, and more people continue visiting the site. Good luck guys!
Bill Simmons mentioned you in one of his Grantland videos!
Just want to show my gratitude for this site. Twenty years of repetitive mediocrity is absurd. Glad someone is giving the fans a voice!
I love my Bucks. Sadly, Herb Kohl has no idea what he’s doing with this team. Being 8th place every year and getting swept doesn’t mean anything, well it means you can’t grow. What big Free Agent, like Carmelo Anthony, would put “Milwaukee Bucks” on their list to go to? This is what the Bucks should do. Trade Ersan, because he’s good but we know his plateau, for (maybe) a 1st rounder next year, or get some young guy and a 2nd rounder. I want a super exciting team that sells tickets for a couple of years, to maybe get a huge Free Agent here. Furthermore, if we can get Julius Randle next year, that would be beautiful. Knight, Mayo, Giannis, Randle, Sanders with Henson and Wolters being 6th and 7th men, respectively. However, I’m only a 19 year old and have no say on how the Bucks should be managed, I just hope someone reads this in the front office and considers it.
I would disagree with Hammond’s intelligence in drafting ability/strategy. Fans give him credit for drafting Harris, Jennings, Sanders and Giannis. These players may have been the best available players when Hammond drafted. However, Hammond has never used his available resources to try to move up in any draft to secure better talent. Hammond has also never tried to use his resources to secure two first round picks. When it comes to draft day, the Bucks under Hammond are never a player. They just take what is left when they draft. A testament to his real lack of basketball intelligence was a statement he made for the record that if he were available, he would have selected Flynn over Jennings. Intelligent GM’s know how to use their resources to move up and also down in a draft. Intelligent GM’s know how to translate 2nd round picks into something useful. Dumb Gms just stand still and pick the best guy available. And that is exactly what Hammond has been doing. As far as talent evaluation, the Bucks in the past decade have spent twice as much time evaluating second round level talent as they have first round talent. Their priorities are in the wrong place, and their evaluation techniques are sadly lacking. As I type, I fully expect Hammond to do nothing in the next draft and make no moves and draft another power forward or trade the pick before its placement is known for a power forward with 10+ years of experience in another win now move. .
The most damaging person on the management team is Ron Walter, the VP of business admin. He has been a poor choice for the job from day one, making decisions right and left that have harmed the franchise and inhibited growth and incoming revenue, but Kohl can’t bring himself to let him go. I hope this site can shine some light on the management problems that ultimately will force the team out of Milwaukee if some major housecleaning isn’t done.
I was thrilled to see the saveourbucks. com website. Very well done. I want to address the elephant in the room. This franchise will never, I repeat absoultely never, be a successful organization as long as Kohl is the owner. Yes, thank you Herb for keeping the team in Milwaukee but by any objective measure, you are simply one of the least successful owners in ALL of professional sports. The bucks organization as it exists now and has existed since Kohl bought the team and ran Nellie out of town, is one of the saddest and most irrelevant teams in the NBA. I could go on and on about the endless bad decisions Kohl has made but what’s the point. Like the brewers, packers, and badgers when they were failing miserably, the ONLY way out of this mess is a new owner and GM that cleans house. Nonetheless, how about we make some T-shirts to wear to games that say “Thanks Herb! Now please sell.”
This is a great website. I’m a Hawks fan and I know what it’s like going to a game where it feels like you’re the only one there. I hope the Bucks can keep their team.
I totally agree with this! Put aside petty moral pleas of, “Have honor and don’t just cash this season in.” Tank and get draft picks! TRADE! 20 losing years is way too long for an NBA Team. You will never get public support for a team that has shown zero progress for years. ALL ABOUT TALENT AND STAR POWER! (Don’t deny it)
Insanity : doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I watched Jabbar play for the Bucks, been a fan for a long time. We need to change our approach. It is Tank time.
Even tho I believe we need a top 5 pick, I don’t believe in tanking. To me it’s a losers mentality and being able to justify any actions isn’t a good trait to have. I don’t think that’s where the bucks are right now, however. Injuries and a lack of being able to create and sustain chemistry/energy is. The bucks fell into a chance to get a possible top 5 pick (it’s early)which is the best way to see who’s selfish and who’s mentally strong. For me fighting for playoffs is never a bad thing, but I get why people get upset. But having low attendance and needing a new building are the main reasons for it. However when diehard fans of the team talk to casual fans or people unknowing and say “the team sucks…don’t go to the games cause they won’t go anywhere” is part of the problem too. Cause if the support isn’t there, they will leave despite the bucks having a lot of division banners(when it mattered) and a championship in the rafters. I think this site is great because it helps show we won’t abandoned this team and want the best out of the people tasked to represent our teams.
I definitely agree that the bucks should tank. It’s been hard to watch them for the past few years, especially when the front office considers it a success if the team simply makes the playoffs. I want the players necessary to win championships and the only possible way i see that happening right now is to tank.
I am a Die Hard Jazz fan and you are totally right in the importance of getting more Ping pong balls. Truth be told, you must have a superstar to win in the NBA. Gotta say though, I will be bummed if you guys out do my Jazz for the worst record in the league haha. Every time ya’ll win I feel a disturbance in the tank.
[Glass Raised] Tank on (or as we in Jazz land call it, professional tank on).
We actually have a thread on Jazzfanz.com specifically about this site.
*******!!! (Something positive we can’t publish but we appreciate the sentiment. Ed.)
This site needs to be made public. Senator Kohl needs to see this.
Loving the movement! Kudos to you true Milwaukee Buck fans! It has never been more clear that now is the time to save this franchise and I hope the work of a few individuals will send the message forward.
Next step for this site might be to find companies on board with donating to build a stadium if certain things within the bucks organization change…. That might motivate our good friend herb to do something useful instead of throwing potential down the drain year after year
I not only think we need to tank, but also get a new look. I hate our uniforms, apart from the red away uniform. We need a color scheme that can sell, like red and gold, or just green, or something. With a top five, hopefully top 3 pick, we need to usher in a new era with a new look.
Also I’m thinking Parker is our best bet for immediate relevance. Point guards are a dime a dozen and the Bucks have trade peices to pick up a good veteran guard to nurture Wolters.
As a 12 year season ticket holder, I’ve had a few opportunities for Q & A sessions with John Hammond, including this pre season at a closed Bucks practice. During this session, the GM raved about what they had in Giannis, calling him a future all star etc. My question to him at this point was that we’ve heard in the past about “rookie promise” only to see them waste away on the bench in their early years – will he play this year, right away? His response: “You watch, he’s going to play a lot”. I think we all know this isn’t happening. The Bucks only hope is if guys like Giannis, Henson and Sanders develop into at minimum, players that approach all star status along with bringing in a top drafted talent that will be a perennial all star. By Hammond’s own admission, they are not going to land a top free agent.
OKC fan here…
Nothing frustrates me more than seeing a franchise trapped in perennial mediocrity due to ignorant owners and/or general managers. Here’s to wishing that Giannis and the young kids are given a chance to develop this season and the Bucks can hopefully add some home-grown talent and thus build through the draft (see Thunder;Oklahoma City).
Kudos to you guys for starting this site, a step in the right direction toward achieving a vision.
OKC what a flipping joke, carpet bag owner steals the Supersonics after 45 years in the league you guys have no idea of what it takes to build a winning team from the ground up. That said, I agree that Milwaukee or any other NBA City should not be subjected to the BS that went down in Seattle hope the Bucks can get things corrected, in the meantime we wait to start our second life in the NBA! SEATTLE SUPERSONICS FAN!
Carey
Hey Bucks fans, I’m a Sacramento Kings fan popping in to encourage you to never give up. This website is a great way to get the ball rolling. I know Bucks fans will never stop fighting for their team. You folks deserve better, and I’m hopeful better days are around the corner for you! Fight on!
Excellent site. Even the Clippers have surpassed the Bucks and we are now the worst run franchise in the NBA. Meanwhile Kohl and friends keep reminding us of how “Kohl saved the team in 1985”. That’s all well and good. First thing he did was run Nellie out of town. And it’s been a disaster ever since. Please sell the team and enjoy your retirement.
Agree with the entire site. I moved here from Arkansas and was excited about having a pro basketball team. I went to four games last season and both playoff games. I have been to two games so far this year as well. I want to be excited and part of me is but another part is saddened by the lack of vision for the future. In the two games I have been to this year (V Cleveland and Portland) I have yet to see Giannis on the floor! I am dumbfounded at the Luke Ridnour and Gary Neal minutes but I am just a fan so what do I know!
Thank you for this site. I’m not giving up and I would rather see young guys get minutes and us lose than see vets try to hog minutes and poor shots to save the last few years of their careers
Derik,
Thanks for chiming in and sharing your story. It is extremely important fans such as yourselves share with all of us. You are the type of fan the Milwaukee Bucks need to become relevant again and, yet, management repeatedly make decisions to drive you away. Please stay alongside us lifelong fans as we try to sort this out together.
“…fans such as yourself…” that is. I realize your sentiments are powerful but I’m pretty sure there’s only one you.
Well done on the Site. SAVE THE FRANCHISE. !!
I’ll be checking in from time to time. AND GO BUCKS
A season finally committed to letting our youth get much needed experience by actually playing them is a win/win. It would prevent deadline disasters like the Tobias Harris trade. And, it would greatly inform our future roster. Management should have many questions right now concerning the youth on this roster – Can Jon Henson improve? Can he learn how to body up on the glass? Can he develop a consistent mid-range game? Can he develop a right hook to go along with his well-developed left-hand game? Can Knight handle PG duties OR is he better suited as a 2? Is Middleton our best on-ball defender? Can Khris consistently hit his midrange jumpers if given the opportunity? What do we have in Giannis? Will Nate Wolters ever hit another outside shot? Seeing the Bucks actually commit to youth is not ‘suffering’ as Josh puts it. It would be exactly the opposite. It would be a plan worth getting behind. Spending meaningful salary cap on very pedestrian role-playing veterans to fill starters minutes is just another feather in the cap of mediocrity. Fans are speaking loudly: This plan doesn’t work. This plan hasn’t worked. This plan saw the Bucks trade away their best young asset for a 2-month rental of a backup SG! Bucks management has no more excuses. Their plan has led to a significant decrease in attendance even with lowered ticket prices. The fans will return if they finally demonstrate a clear and inspiring vision of rebuilding. This isn’t about ‘Tanking’. Tanking is an ineffective word and it is a divisive word. This is about BUILDING. And, it starts via the draft. And, it starts with playing our young guys meaningful minutes. As fans, we came into this season fed stories about Giannis and Henson and their potential etc. Now, we’re watching Gary Neal; Caron Butler; and Zaza Pachulia in excess. Clearly, they aren’t producing meaningful results. We’re tired of excuses. We want meaningful change.
“Meaningful change” will come when those making the decisions have been altered.
I was floored when the present GM was given yet another ‘tour of duty’ when his first one
rendered little if anything moving forward. In most markets a formula for a ‘pink slip.’
Not here. One gets rehired for less then mediocrity, and then we all sit back and wonder why
this thing isn’t working.
“You can’t fix the problem with the same kind of thinking that got you that problem”
…..Albert Einstein…
Right. Meaningful change in #Bucks culture is promoting 9 cronies to VP status. 9 new VP’s! There’s a saying: Too many cooks in the kitchen. Well, the #Bucks have this down to a science.
Hopefully something like this can at least begin to sway public opinion and, in turn, help sway the front office. If they know people won’t abandon the Bucks, maybe they’ll be more willing to suffer for ONE year to get that very important high draft pick. Keep up the good work!
Nice website, this site needs to get more attention. The Milwaukee Bucks need to change the way they do things and finishing as one of the worst teams record-wise this season can end up being a big step forward as they could be drafting a superstar. If any of the current players are not envisioned as being on what could be a powerhouse Bucks team in say 2-3 years, they should be traded in the next few weeks for younger talent with years of team control. Let’s get this franchise turned in the right direction and fans will come!
We will weigh in on topic-related banter in the near future. For now we simply would like to welcome you to the Bucks-Blog(s)-Neighborhood of cites which include (BrewHoop / Real GM/ Bucketsball/ and of course the Bucks Blog at J/S on line. All with a core passion for Milwaukee Basketball, and all with a high end interactive piece. Its always exciting being on the ground floor of new opportunities, and again, good fortune in your quest to be part of ‘the hood’>>>
I really hope this website somehow makes it’s way on to the former senator’s computer. Nice work.
Great website. Let’s just hope we don’t ship any of these young guys out at the trade deadline!
Well done! Please keep this going, you made all of the points very well and thoughtfully.
Thank you for taking the time to put this site together.
Been a Bucks fan since the 80’s and can’t believe
they keep doing the same things over and over again.
Great job on the website. I hope a lot of people are able to visit and see what the Bucks need to do to save the franchise. Thank you.