“I would have liked to have come out of the locker room with a little more fire and energy” Coach Kristo said.  That’s odd, watching the game I said the same thing.  One slight difference:  I’M NOT THE COACH OF THE TEAM!  Not to Pass the Buck (yeah I know), but I think that responsibility falls on you Coach.  Chairman Yi is out for the season, with his already steep learning curve hindered by injuries and poor coaching.    Yi did say that he “had a great year” but may not have been referring to anything basketball related (kind of like the summer I was unemployed & living at my Mom’s house.  I was in no way contributing to the greater good of the household, but got some great reading done).  Bogut continues his stellar play with a 21 pt, 16 boards performance & my man Ramon Sessions was again exemplary with an 11 pt, 7 asst game (he’s now leading the team with a +6 when he’s on the floor - for more information go to www.82games.com).  Redd got 28 pts, but I’m always reticent to praise guys who score for losing teams (see Davis, Ricky at Heat, Miami and Cancer, Team)

In addition to providing updates on our petition to hire Bill Simmons as Bucks GM (closing in on 1,000 signatures) & writing game recaps, we also like to help Bucks fans get to know the Bucks dance team  - ENERGEE!  First things first:  nice name Marketing team, combining fake enthusiasm with poor spelling, sounds like an energy drink whose contents have not yet been approved by the FDA.  Or perhaps the title of the Kick Off program for a corporate outing that employees are forced to attend.  Today’s profile is on Stacey, an Orthodontic Assistant from Wauwatosa.  Her motto:  “If you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain”.  She’s obviously referring to the Bucks 2007/08 season.  Thanks for the pick-me-up Stace - what’s the ETA on when we get to that Rainbow??

Ramon Sessions.  Again.  Outhustled the hobbling Gilbert Arenas to get a jump ball and call time out.  Then with a second left hit the game winner.  Mr. Clutch played with heart and guts (the same way I played Nerf Hoops in my Mom’s basement in my early 20’s - hit my share of gamewinners also - but I’ll save those for my as yet unpublished book).  Shockingly, Villanueava got a 24 & 12, and Bogut continues to excel, getting a 20 & 10 while singing selections from Phantom of the Opera (see, what I’m doing here is that Bogut wears a mask - thought about making an ”Eyes Wide Shut” reference but I’ve never met anyone who has sat all the way through that dreck).    Yi played 5 minutes and didn’t score.  Perhaps Sessions (and not Yi) is the rookie we all should be talking about.  Perhaps now we will

Rejoice Bucks Nation!  It appears that the Kohl and Kristy show have turned this team around (now, where’s that laugh track symbol)  Sure it was the 20-54 Knicks, who bypassed “Suspect Town” a long time ago, left the “Complete Disarray” station a few months after that and now are living in a nice suburb called “Utter Collapse”.  But a win is a win.  Wonderful performance by Redd, who may or may not have remarked after the game that scoring was much easier because the opposing teams in the past actually attempted to guard him.   Bobby Simmons got a 24 pt, 6 boards performance & Charlie Villeanueava tried to shoot the Bucks to a loss (4-13 from the field) but was not successful (Charlie at time-outs:  “Mike, you have to give me the rock”  Mike responds:  “oh right, I keep forgetting because I’m too busy making shots, next trip down the court Charlie”:)

We’re over 700 signatures and the site has only been up a week!  Thanks again for all who support us in this endeavor to make the Bucks relevant again!  If you haven’t signed up yet, please go to http://www.hirebillsimmons.com/sign_petition.php and support our cause!

Here is the link to the mention of our website in the Bill Simmons column last week:  http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/links/080328

A better effort, our Bucks came back from being down 21 to almost pull this out.  Compared to the previous few games, at least a sign that our boys were trying.  Kind of like when you were in high school and you would ask the hottest girl to prom.   “What did she say?”  Your best friend would ask.  “She said she would think about it,” you would respond, and feel good for at least making the effort.  The next day she would have one of her lackeys (usually a full figured girl named Ruthie) inform you that she has already decided to go to the dance with the QB of the football team - an actual athlete, and arguably more accomplished than your finishing a “close third” in your fantasy football league.   I must know about 10 guys that happened to in high school, poor fellas (not me of course, I placed second in my fantasy football league and was a Ickey Woods touchdown away from winning the whole thing.  Man was I a stud!)    

This site has only been up 36 hours & we already have over 200 signatures in our quest to make Bill Simmons the next Bucks GM!  Thanks to all who have signed, and for those who haven’t, please set aside non-essential things like work and family and go to http://www.hirebillsimmons.com/sign_petition.php and support our quest!  We also have a “shout out” (as the kids said several years ago) from the man himself: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/links/080328.  Thanks again!

Wow.  The carnage continues, “The lid was on the basket,” said Bucks guard Royal Ivey.   Well no wonder!  I wasn’t at the game but is that even legal?  And can’t the refs check the baskets before the game to ensure that they are “lid-free”?   At halftime, the Bucks did honor their 40Th Anniversary team voted on by fans, and included a special tribute to Oscar Robertson.  Michael Redd attended the ceremony and, properly inspired, threw up a lovely 3 for 16 from the field (reports that after the ceremony the Big O grabbed a basketball and demonstrated to Redd that you actually get 2 more points when the ball goes through the hoop are unconfirmed).   Fans were most disappointed that there wasn’t time to announce Owner Herb Kohl at the ceremony, depriving Buck Nation an opportunity to boo him unmercifully.  Stay the course lads! 

Good Game. Nice effort on the road gents. Bogut got 27 points, 9 boards, and 4 assists in a losing effort. If he keeps up this pace could be the newest addition to www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com - a friendly, down to earth Aussie who in no way should have been the first pick of the NBA draft. Also, Yi is now coming off the bench - because that’s what you do with the number 5 pick of the draft, rest him when the season is lost, otherwise he could get valuable experience. Coach Larry Kristowiak (the prequal to Andrew Bogut as a player) inexplicably sat Michael Redd during the 4th quarter after scoring 19 in the 1st quarter (”Stop playing so well” - Coach may have said - “grab some pine!”). On the positive side, Bucks dancer Shana is profiled on the team home page and provides her words to live by: “Laughter. It’s Cheap Medicine.” heh, heh (sigh)

Be sure to check out Bill Simmons Facebook Group. As of today there are over 10,000 supporters!!!