I’ve been trying to figure out how to rebrand this Milwaukee Bucks team.
Trust me; they need a rebranding.
But how do you go about doing this? Do you accent the Australian aspect of it because of Andrew Bogut? Should there be some type of Fosters rebranding where even though you’re selling a product with Australian implications it actually has NOTHING to do with anything Australian? Do you play off of Michael Redd’s bald spot that spreads quicker than the virus in Outbreak? Should we call in Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Dustin Hoffman? Can someone get Rene Russo a protective suit? Are we to play up the Jonas Brothers looks of Joe Alexander and Luke Ridnour? Should everybody (except for Kurt Thomas, you know he gets down) start wearing purity rings?
How do you rebrand this team in order to bring fans back and up the national interest?
Some of you are probably thinking it should start and begin with Brandon Jennings. And normally I’d completely agree with you. But we can take care of this a lot easier than trying to put the pressure of a cheese-loving nation on the shoulders of a brash, young man with loads of attitude and swagger.
We simply should just start pronouncing “Milwaukee” like Alice Cooper pronounces it in Wayne’s World – Milly-wau-kay.
Just try it and hear out it rolls off the tongue. Nice, right? Let’s celebrate something simple like “The Good Land” before we throw the hopes of a fan base on a young point guard.
Record Last Year: 34-48 Players Welcomed: Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks, Hakim Warrick, Kurt Thomas, Roko Ukic, Carlos Delfino, Walter Sharpe Players Kicked to the Curb: Ramon Sessions, Charlie Villanueva, Richard Jefferson, Malik Allen, Salim Stoudamire
Five Questions
1. Is Brandon Jennings ready for the NBA? Although he’s shot the ball like Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot (will anybody outside of Brandon get that reference?), Brandon Jennings is definitely ready to play in the NBA. He’s lightning quick with the ball and capable of creating anything on the court he wants for himself or his teammates as long as he’s not trying to force the issue. And sure he’ll force the issue as much as any young player with an ego the size of the Packers fan base but at the same time, you’ll be happy to go through his NBA growing pains as you watch him mature.
The thing I love about him besides his audacious leadership and highlight reel moves is the fact that he’s actually a committed defender. For a point guard these days this is rare and for a young, first round pick that can get by on reputation alone for several seasons it’s even rarer. He’s concerned about guys like Tyreke Evans because he knows that he physically can’t match him so he’s willing to be a pest and pick guys like that up full court defensively. He’s going to outthink his opponents on most nights in order to gain the upper hand, instead of just thinking he’s too good to have to worry about defense. This is the quality that sets him apart from the mold he’s been built from. He’s the equivalent of the And 1 Tour if Bruce Bowen had created it. So yes, he’s definitely ready.
2. Are we ready for Brandon Jennings? Now this is a whole other issue. Brandon Jennings definitely has his shortcomings as a player and as a rookie with a headstrong coach and a proverbial target on his back, those will be amplified most nights. He still struggles with shot selection and this will be a problem. He can’t really shoot from outside, despite what most YouTube videos will show you, and he has some problems deciding what the best shot is when he drives the lane. Like I said above, he’s going to force the issue a lot, which means you can expect a lot of turnovers. In fact, he’ll probably top whatever ungodly number Russell Westbrook put up last season. His growth as a player and a playmaker in the NBA will be both irritating and inspiring for Bucks fans. You just have to be ready for the lows to accompany the highs because there will be plenty of them.
But most of all, people need to be ready for Jennings’ attitude. It’s not like he’s Dennis Rodman or Bill Laimbeer here. He’s still a very good teammate that will try to get the most out of his players, despite being the youngest guy on the team. It’s just that he is one of those point guards who rolls his eyes when his passes are dropped by teammates and may throw out the occasional swear word if his guys blow easy lay-ups. It can be jarring to those not used to his pattern of instant constructive criticism. It’s something you have to get used to. Just be glad he isn’t playing Johan “Stonehands” Petro.
3. Does Michael Redd have anything left? Michael Redd is coming off of two torn ligaments in his left knee and seems to be breaking down already despite the fact that he just turned 30 years old. He’s missed 88 games over the past three seasons and seen his scoring production drop just over five points during this time. He has a release on his jump shot as quick as any gunfighter in any Western movie. But his steps on the court are much slower than you want them to be, which is a big reason to always want him as the number two or three but never the number one guy. He tried to be THE guy when he chose loyalty to the Bucks over being the sidearm to LeBron James’ arsenal but it has never worked in the way this franchise envisioned it would.
So heading into this season, he needs to have a lot left in the tank in order to get this team to be successful. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have what this team needs. They need a killer on the court for 38 minutes per game – someone capable of carrying this dilapidated franchise for weeks on end as they claw their way towards the eighth seed. Instead, they’ll get a shell of his former self that is just good enough to keep them fairly competitive most nights but not good enough to actually win games. Their best bet is to deal him to a contender early and hope he yields a nice return in order to continue building this franchise around the new kid in town, Brandon Jennings.
4. Will Joe Alexander ever bee good or even halfway decent so he can contribute to an NBA club? No. Never.
5. Is Andrew Bogut a top center? Andrew Bogut has all of the tools to be one of the ten best centers in the NBA. He can rebound extremely for someone who doesn’t appear to be all that athletic. He shoots well over 50% from the field with a wide array of post moves and scoring methods. He doesn’t shoot free throws well at all but he’s only taken over 300 attempts once in his career so he doesn’t really hurt the Bucks. He has good hands, a tough demeanor, and the confidence of any young Aussie. But he really regressed last season in terms of blocking shots (probably due to the back injury) and turns the ball over far too much for someone with such a low usage rate. He just doesn’t touch the ball enough to turn it over more than twice per game.
If he’s healthy, I think he finds his way into this current crop of top centers. Personally, I’d take his production, skill set, and toughness now over just about anybody and everybody. He has everything you could want in a center, especially if you’re building the team around a great young power forward or wing position. In fact, I’m shocked he hasn’t found his way to San Antonio to compliment Tim Duncan in TD’s coming twilight years (no vampire). But if he can’t find a way to stay healthy this year (he’s missed over 60 games the past three seasons) then he’s just another disappointing eight-figure salary passing through the Bradley Center.
Prediction: 15th in East, 5th in Central
Why is this team going to be the worst in the league? Because they have a lot of question marks, a learning rookie as their floor general, and a severe lack of talent. That doesn’t mean they won’t be competitive though. Scott Skiles always finds a way to get a lot out of what he’s given. He’ll need to find a way to get through to Jennings while shuffling his roster to see who is ready to play above their talent level and who is just content with collecting a check and banging the occasional groupie. The Bucks play in a tough division and unless Michael Redd can Marty McFly the 2005 version of himself into this season, they simply won’t be able to close out games. While the present is dim for the Bucks, the future is getting brighter on the horizon.
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics.
Advertisers
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
Bloggers Wanted
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site.. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account!
I’ve been trying to figure out how to rebrand this Milwaukee Bucks team. 
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site.. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account! 