Homer's open letter to Herb Kohl (Mitch Rant part II)

[Nebula1]

I'm glad you have seen the light and that exposing Kohl as the problem instead of protecting him can only lead to positive change. Exposing the problem is always the 1st step in change. Now on to step 2.

I've been complaining about Kohl for years and saying it's at the top. Every time a fire Hammond thread pops up or whatever, I call for Kohl. The problem has been obvious for years so I don't think they are "exposing" anything.

If they are going to complain about Kohl then I'm going to complain about it taking them so long to do it. The Bucks are now at risk of leaving due to all the variables we've discussed time and time again. I don't see this action as heroic, but I guess it makes for good radio to cherry pick RealGM during the Playoffs.

[EastSideBucksFan]

I'm glad you have seen the light and that exposing Kohl as the problem instead of protecting him can only lead to positive change. Exposing the problem is always the 1st step in change. Now on to step 2.

I've been complaining about Kohl for years and saying it's at the top. Every time a fire Hammond thread pops up or whatever, I call for Kohl. The problem has been obvious for years so I don't think they are "exposing" anything.

If they are going to complain about Kohl then I'm going to complain about it taking them so long to do it. The Bucks are now at risk of leaving due to all the variables we've discussed time and time again. I don't see this action as heroic, but I guess it makes for good radio to cherry pick RealGM during the Playoffs.

The problem may be obvious to people on this forum, but the extent of this problem is not known to the casual fan or general public at all.

Getting this out on the airwaves and into the general population of at least casual fans is going to open some eyes and may prompt some change of public opinion

[jr lucosa]

I'll just echo what everyone else has been saying but this is awesome and it's great that Kohl is finally being called out by the local media to help get the ball rolling. The problem is obvious to most every die hard Bucks fan but the problem is those people only exist on this forum, the casual fans really don't have any clue what the real problem with the Bucks is. Also great to see RealGM get some love over the radio.

[InsideOut]

Yeah, sounds like Nebula wants to just troll this thread.

That's offensive. I've read Nebula's posts for over a decade (on jsonline board and here). He is a passionate, knowledgeable, and insightful Bucks fans. If you lack the intellectual heft to refute the point he is making, or are too dense to understand that point — that it is counterproductive to trumpet a problem statement at a time when people who are well aware of the problem are trying to formulate nuanced and difficult solutions — just sit quietly.

Could you please clarify his point for us?

[soboMP3]

People do realize that Hammond had a weekly call-in show on 1250 with Sparky for 2 years, right? It also magically disappeared in time for the 11-12 season at about the time Sparky came to the realization (and stated numerous times on air) that the Bucks will never rebuild/succeed until Kohl is out of ownership... These guys aren't making any new revelations, other than just doing it in a screaming tone.

[Nebula1]

Could you please clarify his point for us?

You should know by now my only motive is to see the foul out rule changed.

[Wooderson]

Okay.. we've all become more jaded. I have as well.

But what does complaining do? Nothing. This franchise and the NBA understands that transition is priority.

Honestly, Kohl and his inept management team are basically irrelevant at this point, which makes the H&T bitching embarrassing. It's beyond management now. A sale is coming and that line of bitching was needed after the Grunfeld/Karl era. Now the discussion needs to be constructive about an arena and solutions.

The thing is, pointing out that Kohl and friends are to blame for the Bucks failures could be beneficial to persuading fans that it's worth building a new arena. I know many people that believe the Bucks are stuck in mediocrity entirely because it's a small market. Sure that's a part of it, but a huge aspect of it is how Kohl has embraced and encouraged the stale results of this team.

Make people believe that with a new owner, and a new arena, the team can and will be successful. Use Attanasio as the example - and make it known that the NBA has a far fairer financial structure than the MLB - so the success could go well beyond what the Brewers have accomplished with Mark A.

But the only way the casual fan will believe this is if they stop putting all the blame on being in a small market. Because if that's what everyone thinks, then why the hell would they care to pitch in any money to pay for a team that has no chance at competing? Put it all on Kohl.

How else do you propose, as fans on a message board, convincing the public that a new arena is a worthwhile investment? The reality, as shown by numerous studies on the matter, is that at best a new multi-functional arena gives the city a small economic boost. The only entity that truly benefits financially is the new owner. Beyond that, money spent in the arena and near the arena is money that likely would have been spent elsewhere on similar entertainment. And as much as people like to think that a new arena helps spur development in the surrounding area, normally an arena is built because a city is already prospering and not the other way around.

The Kohl angle may end up being immaterial, as most things are on a forum, but it really is the best chance we have.

[paulpressey25]

I remember the 1980's and the Green Bay Packers. Former MJS sportswriter Dave Begel and Packers beat writer was the first guy to start to question the leadership of the Packers. He started to ask the questions people didn't want asked. Such as:

Does Bart Starr (and later Forest Gregg) have a clue in how to run an NFL franchise?

Who are the people on the Packers Executive Committee that run the team? Are these people qualified to run a modern NFL franchise? Are some of them (Judge Parins) senile?

As Begel started to raise these questions, the people affiliated with the power structure that ran the team were offended. How dare Begel ask these things! Doesn't he know how hard we work? Doesn't he understand how hard it is to run a modern NFL franchise in modern Green Bay?! How dare he question why our legend Bart Starr can only make the playoffs once in his nine years as coach/GM.

At first people hated Begel and tried to discredit him. But as the years went on, the things he exposed about the dysfunction in Green Bay started to gain traction with the fan base. So as the piss poor management continued, fans started to realize maybe Begel was correct. Finally we reached a breaking point and things changed.

It isn't comfortable to say these things. But they need to be said and broadcast to a wider audience.

[H2tObes]

Im a bit late, but I'm extremely happy. This is how we, as fans, can improve this franchise.

[RickInCali]

I am completely amped that someone else is screaming like I feel like screaming. Living here in Cali - the only thing I can talk about is "I told you so" when I told the local guys that the Bogut deal was a complete fleecing of the Bucks. They are thanking the Buck stupidity out here today.

- The first 4:00 of this rant is completely epic. Don't tell me this goes for 3 hours.....holy crap.

[jtrinaldi]

Steph Curry, what could have been....

[paulpressey25]

Steph Curry, would could have been....

The casual fan in Milwaukee has NO CLUE that the Bucks were first offered Steph Curry for Bogut but for Herb Kohl wanting a healthy Monta instead to help the team try to make the playoffs last season.

[InsideOut]

I'm glad you have seen the light and that exposing Kohl as the problem instead of protecting him can only lead to positive change. Exposing the problem is always the 1st step in change. Now on to step 2.

I've been complaining about Kohl for years and saying it's at the top. Every time a fire Hammond thread pops up or whatever, I call for Kohl. The problem has been obvious for years so I don't think they are "exposing" anything.

If they are going to complain about Kohl then I'm going to complain about it taking them so long to do it. The Bucks are now at risk of leaving due to all the variables we've discussed time and time again. I don't see this action as heroic, but I guess it makes for good radio to cherry pick RealGM during the Playoffs.

The problem may be obvious to people on this forum, but the extent of this problem is not known to the casual fan or general public at all.

Getting this out on the airwaves and into the general population of at least casual fans is going to open some eyes and may prompt some change of public opinion

Exactly.

Nebs, you don't live in Wisconsin and have no idea what the sports guys on the air are talking about. You admit you didn't even listen to the entire show we are talking about. How are you in a position to judge this and what people currently in Wisconsin know or don't know?

Yes, we at RealGM all know Kohl is the issue. But as was pointed out the casual fan didn't know this stuff. They didn't know about it because nobody would call Kohl on it. Now somebody did and in a big and very public way. This is something new and it is making news. I realize you wouldn't know this as you live out of state. And nobody is saying what they did was heroic. We are saying it is refreshing that someone let the cat out of the bag in a big way. We have been calling for this for years around here.

I'm honestly shocked by your reaction. I'd think the cat being let out of the bag would be good news. You act like you liked it better when the Kohl issues were swept under the carpet. Kohl is the issue, now the casual fan knows it…why do you have a problem with that?

[jtrinaldi]

Steph Curry, would could have been....

The casual fan in Milwaukee has NO CLUE that the Bucks were first offered Steph Curry for Bogut but for Herb Kohl wanting a healthy Monta instead to help the team try to make the playoffs last season.

The Casual fan in Milwaukee was gone after the Ray Allen trade.....

[RickInCali]

Exactly. So sickening....but hey.....now we have Ekpe to show for it. Jesus H Christ....

[ampd]

As Begel started to raise these questions, the people affiliated with the power structure that ran the team were offended. How dare Begel ask these things! Doesn't he know how hard we work? Doesn't he understand how hard it is to run a modern NFL franchise in modern Green Bay?! How dare he question why our legend Bart Starr can only make the playoffs once in his nine years as coach/GM.

This is such a good parallel from an organizational standpoint its scary. The incompetence and the excuses are sadly identical. The one difference that will be pointed to, rightly or wrongly, is that support for the Packers in terms of ticket sales, etc has never really waned in the way it has for the Bucks. After all, the Packers have sold out 100% of their games played at Lambeau.

[ampd]

Steph Curry, would could have been....

The casual fan in Milwaukee has NO CLUE that the Bucks were first offered Steph Curry for Bogut but for Herb Kohl wanting a healthy Monta instead to help the team try to make the playoffs last season.

The Casual fan in Milwaukee was gone after the Ray Allen trade.....

The casual fan has no idea that the Hammond MO has so far been to trade an asset at the deadline for a soon expiring vet to put us over the top to make the playoffs, and yet we have only made the playoffs twice in his tenure and only once because the move worked.

Its pathetic how predictably stupid we are to the point that pretty much all the remaining fans expect our mistakes of the past two trade deadlines to be either compounded or repeated this off season.

[jtrinaldi]

As long as Hammond is smart enough to was his hands of the $wag era, I will be happy. If they bring back either one, I will be pissed. I am not asking for a full out rebuild, sign Teague to a high offer while Atlanta is trying to get Dwight.

[RickInCali]

Hammond has been doing a horrible job with no pressure on him whatsoever. Now what? Hammond under pressure could do even more incomprehensible things than he's already done. Iverson and Bynum's agents are on the horn....

[paulpressey25]

This is such a good parallel from an organizational standpoint its scary. The incompetence and the excuses are sadly identical.

A couple additional points:

a) The Packers games were not full in that era. As a kid, I went to a Bengals-Packers game at Lambeau on a stunning 70 degree day in mid-October. At the start of the game the place was about 2/3rd's full. By the fourth quarter we were racing around on the bleacher planks looking for Packer plastic cups to collect. No one was in our way. People loved the Packers, but even they had limits.

b) Dave Begel started out questioning the credibility of the front office by asking tough questions at press conferences. Even other reporters at the time were offended and criticized Begel for his direct approach. This is the same thing we are dealing with now with the Bucks. Even Jason Wilde was questioning Homer and Thunder yesterday about why they were doing this.