A Sessions Resolution Nears
Friday, September 4th, 2009The Milwaukee Bucks are officially on the clock.
After what has seemed like an eternity, but in actuality was only a few months, Ramon Sessions has signed an offer sheet with the Minnesota Timberwolves for four years and $16 million. As we all know very well by now, Sessions is a restricted free agent, which means the Bucks have seven days to match the offer or bid Sessions adieu.
Adding three million dollars onto this season’s payroll would push the Bucks into luxury tax land. As is, the Bucks sit at $68,316,940 and that’s including Sessions’ million dollar qualifying offer. The luxury tax for 2009-10 will be $69.92 million. Add three million to the Bucks current number and the Bucks will pay roughly $2.8 million ($1.4 million matched dollar for dollar) in tax money. It’s been widely believed for some time now that the Bucks threshold with regard to matching was/is $3 million annually for Sessions and therefore will not be matching this offer.
But let’s just sit and think logically about things for a second here. (more…)
Buck Hits: 9-3
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009- The Bucks are going to be on local television seventy more times than they’ll be on ESPN this season. Seventy? Really? I mean, it’s cool that it’s not seventeen, but only seventy? What is stopping FSN from showing every Bucks game? Some games make a little bit of sense, a Monday night home game in April may be left out in case the Brewers have scheduling priority, but I’ve long noticed the habit of not broadcasting Sunday day games. I’d like nothing more than kicking back on March 14 after a long night and watching the Bucks take on the Pacers from the comfort of my own home, but I won’t have that opportunity. Instead, I’ll have to trudge out in the subzero March weather to see two teams that will likely not be playing for much. Sure, they make a couple extra bucks in attendance maybe, but they lose the goodwill.
- On Monday, I said Eurobasket 2009 starts on what would be yesterday. That was incorrect. It actually is on September 7. Notable names: Szymon Szewczyk and Ersan Ilyasova. Szewczyk was acquired on draft night in 2004 and has been slowly “developing” in Poland for the last five years. Will he ever actually be a notable name for the Bucks? Unlikely. But he’s still Bucks property and therefore warrants mentioning. Ilyasova is obviously the more noteworthy name. One of the Bucks more significant off-season acquisitions, Ilyasova hasn’t been seen by Bucks fans since he was that scrawny foreign guy chucking and looking confused in 2006. Word is he’s bulked up and is much more ready for the league. For all your Eurobasket needs check out THN blog BallInEurope.
- First real discussion of the possibility that Ramon Sessions calls it quits and returns to the Bucks at the discount bargain bin price of just over a million.
- Bruce Bowen retires. He can probably buy a few rocking chairs with the $2.1 million the Bucks gave him to go away. It would have been terrific if Bowen would have hung it up before August 1 when the Bucks had to commit the $2 million or $4 million, but I can’t say I blame him. He gets a nice bonus on the way out this way.
- ESPN ranks the Eastern Conference, the Bucks fare predictably poor in this practice. The Bucks come in fourteenth in the rankings put together by a panel of fifty-three. The thoughts on the Bucks?
With questions about Michael Redd’s knee, Andrew Bogut’s back, Charlie Villanueva’s replacement and the PG position, Milwaukee is one of the NBA’s true mystery teams. Could coach Scott Skiles lead the Bucks to a surprise playoff run? Could they fall apart and lose 60 games? As the saying goes, that’s why they play the games.
A pretty fair assessment overall. The Bucks hopes rely largely on Bogut’s health, though I wouldn’t worry too much about whoever it is that ends up logging the majority of minutes at the four. The combination of players they have their should make up most of Villanueva’s scoring and will more than outproduce his defense.
The Bucks and Theme Music
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009Sunday I took in a Brewer game at Miller Park. Jeff Suppan appropriately turned in one of his rare stellar performances and Casey McGahee provided some fireworks with a home run. There were enough exciting plays to keep fans interested and chanting loudly. But there was one recurring moment that seemed to stand out with the Milwaukee faithful and truly involve them in the game.
Frank Catalanotto walking up to the plate.
It’s not so much that Catalanotto is all that exciting a player. He’s a journeyman outfielder with an eye for hitting singles and sliding in the outfield. But what sets him apart from his veteran bench mates was his selection of walk-up music. Catalanotto comes up to “Your Love” by The Outfield. You’re likely wondering who The Outfield is and why anyone would choose such an obscure song (at least if you’re under thirty). But trust me, it’s not obscure and you’ve heard it (at least if you’re over twenty-one). I’m certain that for a lot of the fans in attendance on the days Catalanotto gets an at bat the best part of their day is when whoever is operating the music cuts the song at the fifty-four second mark allowing the fans to finish up the line. At least a quarter of the stadium was taking part in this. (more…)
Buck Hits: 8-31
Monday, August 31st, 2009Summer 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. (more…)
