February 2005 versus February 2008 (Better/Worse?)

Post #1 » by **paulpressey25** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:55 pm

In February 2005 we all were pretty down, even after the KVH/James trades.....then we won the lotto, TJ miraculously recovered, we signed Simmons, etc. Suddenly everything was great even though it didn't turn out that way.

Are you more upbeat about where we stood at 2/2005 or now? Or the same?

Remember our core roster back then was:

Redd (FA)
Mo
Gadz (RFA)
ZaZa (RFA)
Desmond
Joe Smith
Kukoc
Calvin Booth

WEFFPIM · Post #2 » by **WEFFPIM** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:00 pm

I wouldn't say I was upbeat at this time in '05 because the team was still awful, but I was encouraged more than I am now because the team had actually set itself up for a better future, whereas now the team is stuck in limbo.

europa · Post #3 » by **europa** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:02 pm

WEFFPIM wrote:I wouldn't say I was upbeat at this time in '05 because the team was still awful, but I was encouraged more than I am now because the team had actually set itself up for a better future, whereas now the team is stuck in limbo.

Yup. Even not knowing that Ford was going to return things had been set in motion to give the Bucks hope for a brighter future. Harris did a brilliant job of creating the financial opportunity for the Bucks to not only keep their best player (Redd) but also be a major player in free agency. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as expected even with the Bucks get a major infusion of talent with Ford's return and Bogut's arrival as the No. 1 overall pick. But at least back then there was a sense that the groundwork was being paved for a brighter future.

Now? Not so much.

Post #4 » by **paulpressey25** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:03 pm

See I think February 2005 was the low point.....we knew Kukoc and Smith were on their last legs and that we'd have to pay big money to keep Redd and maybe Gadz. Plus we still needed to tank just to get to the 6th slot in the lotto. There wasn't much hope for anything.

I was really down in Feb. 2005......arguably we are in better shape in 2008 now that we've obtained Bogut and Yi and had them take their rookie lumps. Add one more high lotto pick and have the Mo/Redd/CV assets to deal this summer. You can make an argument that things are much brighter now than three years ago....at least for the future. But much hinges on getting a really good GM/Coach.

europa · Post #5 » by **europa** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:06 pm

In Feb. 2005, I still had belief in the team's GM. Now I no longer do. Combine that with all of the issues Kohl brings and I'm just not confident any longer that this team as it is currently constructed (both on and off the court) will go anywhere. I've seen far too much bungling since the summer of 2005 (more notably in the last two seasons) to have much faith in this team any longer.

My faith and patience have pretty much been exhausted. Two decades of crap will do that to a fan.

fam3381 · Post #6 » by **fam3381** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:23 pm

It all comes down to whether you'd rather have a crappy team with some faith in the organization or a somewhat more talented team and no faith in the organization. Personally I find the current state of the world more frustrating, in part because I'm also more excited about the actual players on the roster. This is far from a great team, but at least Bogut and Yi can delude me into thinking we have some good young talent.

Post #7 » by **paulpressey25** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:34 am

fam3381 wrote:It all comes down to whether you'd rather have a crappy team with some faith in the organization or a somewhat more talented team and no faith in the organization. .

I guess that is what I was getting at. In February 2005 we all liked Harris but the talent level on the team was pretty bleak. And the best we were thinking at that time was adding "Fran Vasquez" with the pick in the 6-10 range.

Now you could easily argue that the talent level now is bleak, but I think it is better than Feb 2005.

Back then you really relied on two old guys (Smith, Kukoc), one very average guy (Desmond), two guys who we knew at the time were second stringers at best (Gadz/ZaZa), Redd, and a guy we didn't know would be this good (Mo).

Now we've at least got the hope of two frontline blocks in Bogut and Yi and the right GM should be able to parlay Redd, Mo, CV and our 2008 lotto pick into something. And after this disaster, I really don't think Kohl has a choice. I think he'll either hire a good GM or spend money on a big name coach like Carlisle. Either way we'll be better off come fall 2008.

LUKE23 · Post #8 » by **LUKE23** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:48 pm

Feb 2005 was worse for me only because I worked for the Bucks at the time and the mood around the office was absolutely horrendous. I'd say this year being a fan is probably worse because this years team is easily more talented than the 2005 team.

LISTEN2JAZZ · Post #9 » by **LISTEN2JAZZ** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:57 pm

This time in '05, I was forming my opinions on who we should draft around the 7 spot, and hoped for Gerald Green. Boy am I glad that things turned out differently.

Post #10 » by **paulpressey25** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:00 pm

adamcz wrote:This time in '05, I was forming my opinions on who we should draft around the 7 spot, and hoped for Gerald Green. Boy am I glad that things turned out differently.

Or Chris Taft......

Mags FTW · Post #11 » by **Mags FTW** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:18 pm

Same. I was at the autoshow on a Sunday afternoon in '05. Afterwards we went to dinner at Rock Bottom and saw Calvin Booth eating a post-game meal (in a booth! ha!). We had completely forgotten that they had played a game that day. The team was an afterthought then, and it is now.