Monthly Archives: August 2009

Buck Hits: 8-31

August 31, 2009

Summer is fading fast Bucks fans.  The Brewers have returned to their once predictable form and the temperature is rapidly dropping.  What does that mean?

It means people turn their attention to the Packers, because they’ve long forgotten about the Bucks.  Except for you Bucks fan.  You’re gearing up for the season and busting out of Brewer mode.  But as the off-season trickles to it’s end and the Bucks continue to wait out the Ramon Sessions situation, news has been slow.

Since I was lax in my Bucks link related efforts last week let us recap last weeks Journal-Sentinel basketball related pieces for starters:

  • The Bucks youngsters Brandon Jennings, Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Jodie Meeks are among those getting in some early work in Milwaukee.  Culture change is the buzzword that is usually associated with young guys working together on traditionally bad teams with a positive outlook.  So here’s to the young guys facilitating a culture change in Milwaukee.
  • The Bucks officially open camp on September 29 and now have their first pre-season game on October 4 instead of the fifth as originally scheduled.  Naturally it’s Brett Favre’s fault.
  • The Bucks are going to have quite an international flavor this year.  That’s the kind of thing that happens when you make trades with Toronto, the NBA’s answer to a foreign exchange program.  New Buck Roko Ukic andkind of new Buck Ersan Ilyasova will be competing in EuroBasket 2009 starting September 2.  I’ll have more on that in the coming week as you’ll be able to watch EuroBasket on ESPN360.com if it’s available for you.  I’ll do my very best to keep those who aren’t watching updated on the play of the Bucks representatives.
  • Brandon Jennings wants to avoid the rookie wall this year and be ready for heavy minutes.  He says in the article he’s a bit weary of playing thirty minutes a night, but let’s hope he meant to say forty.  If he’s not playing thirty a night for most of the season I’ll be disappointed, results be damned.  Also in this article it’s mentioned that the Ramon Sessions situation is still wait and see.  Fun. Read More »
By Jeremy | Posted in Buck Hits | Tagged | Comments off

Buck Hits: 8-24

August 24, 2009

We’ll start today with a word of the day.

Whips/Whippers: Has to do with dribbling ability and using it to embarrass an opponent, usually resulting in an easy basket but sometimes resulting in a dance move.  Most commonly used in sentences like, “Ridnour gave him the whippers and he didn’t want to see it,” or “Ridnour whipped him up nasty.”  I used Luke Ridnour as an example because he was actually never apart of a sentence in 2008-09 that involved him leaving someone in the dust due to his incredible handle, so I thought I’d be nice here.

  • JSOnline writes that Andrew Bogut is coming along slowly in his rehabilitation from the back injury that sidelined him for the last four months last year.  Bogut wants to be ready for training camp and while that would be nice it’s not totally necessary.  He’s been through it all before, so as long as he’s ready to go when the regular season opens, he should be able to contribute whatever he needs to.
  • Drew Olson plays the What If… game and wonders what would have been had Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd stayed healthy last year.
  • UPDATE:  Andrew Bogut with a new blog post regarding his off-season.  The post is long.  Very long.  Bogut talks about each of the new guys and is excited to play cards with Roko Ukic.  Good to see Ukic is already paying off!  Not really.
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My 2nd Favorite NBA Team

August 21, 2009

As a part of a feature for the ESPN NBA folks, the TrueHoop Network is doing a feature on our second favorite NBA teams.  Mine?

The Golden State Warriors.

What is it about the Warriors you ask?  Is it the Don Nelson Milwaukee connection?  Am I a glutton for Larry Harris related punishment?  Do I just love Anthony Morrow and his terrific three-point stroke?  No, there is much more to my fondness for GSW basketball beneath the chaos that reigns in the organization.

Rooting from afar for a second favorite NBA team has simple requirements.  The team must be entertaining.  Players must have more flair than Jennifer Anniston in Office Space.  Said team must have characters, not just character.  I like the Joe Smith’s of the world, but I need more flash out of my second favorite team.  Wins are not a requirement; I’m too busy living and dying over my favorite team’s record to worry about team two.

Is it any wonder that Golden State has won me over?  All of my requirements are met and exceeded by a team that makes me stay up way past my bedtime.  Sure, the franchise is a mess and the organization is more dysfunctional than an 80’s family sitcom, but look at that team.  Anthony Randolph is capable of anything on a basketball court.  Stephen Jackson has mastered awkward ugly dribbling and shoots with no conscience and even less accuracy.  Monta Ellis glides up and down the court with such grace that I assume he has wings on his feet.  And even better?  They added everyone’s favorite college gunner in Stephen Curry.

Curry is the guy who’ll keep me tuned in for the next few years.  When the Warriors lost Baron Davis, a little part of me died.  Davis was the absolute perfect point guard for the Warriors.  He had all of the necessary showmanship and swagger to be running a team of bandits.  Last year they were without a point guard, shoot first or pass first, in any sense of the word.  Monta Ellis was noble in his efforts, but just because a player is under 6′4, doesn’t mean he’s destined to run the show.  Many feel like Curry is not much different than Ellis, but I see more in him.  I see a Baron Davis like ability to run the show and take the shots.  Will it pan out?  Maybe or maybe not.  But I’m looking forward to watching to find out.

How is everyone’s second favorite NBA team even a question?

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New Page

August 20, 2009

I’ve added a glossary of terms.  I’m excited about it and you should be too.

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Buck Hits: 8-20

August 20, 2009
  • Dime Magazine has all kinds of good stuff from the Elite 24 high school event in New York this weekend.  Why is this relevant to Bucks fans?  Brandon Jennings is coaching one of the teams and showing them how to play basketball in his down time.

By Jeremy | Posted in Buck Hits | Comments off