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LETTERS FROM OUR READERS

Milwaukee needs Bucks, new arena

I wondered recently where my profound love for the Milwaukee Bucks came from. I started following the Bucks toward the end of the Michael Redd era, but at first I did not understand why I was such a fan. Years of bad trades, poor draft picks and missed opportunities really challenged my passion for the Bucks. However, I have never given up on them. Despite a busy high school senior year, I attended 36 home games this season. I thought about all the time and energy I have invested in supporting the Bucks. Not to mention my parents’ money and my own money. I began to realize that my passion comes not only from a love of basketball or for the Bucks’ franchise itself. My passion for the Bucks is rooted in my intense love for the city of Milwaukee.

Milwaukee needs the Bucks. The fact that a new arena was looking grim for a while was quite worrisome. What the Bucks have to offer to this city, and this state, is much more than basketball. First of all, in a nation where the big-market cities get all the media attention, cities like Milwaukee need to keep their blue-collar mentality in order to survive.

“Fear the Grind” seems more appropriate than “Fear the Deer.” When the future is finally here for this Milwaukee Bucks team, they will be consistently challenged by cities such as Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles. With a winning product on the court up against markets like those, not only will Milwaukee gain national recognition as the hardworking city it is, but also the product on the court will remind us to keep that blue-collar mentality.

Of all the Wisconsin sports, the Bucks attract by far the most integrated fan base. Because of this, the whole city has a chance to be represented at Bucks games, allowing us to break down the physical barriers which otherwise divide us. While the Bucks cannot solve the problems in Milwaukee, the downtown arena provides a place where all can congregate, sharing a common bond, cheering on the team.

Win or lose, the city will come together, breaking down barriers of race as sports have done for our nation many times. By maintaining a professional sports team located in the downtown area, this sense of community can and will always be there. However, if the Bucks were to relocate to another city, not only would the Milwaukee economy suffer drastically, but the people of this city would lose this opportunity to come together.

Brewers are a bunch of misfits

La Russa’s way is not the right way

Joe Franke

Shorewood

How long will it take before Brewers manager Craig Counsell gives up on this ragtag group of misfits general manager Doug Melvin calls a competitive team? The hope at the start of the season, from what I read and followed, was that every player on the team was going to perform with career years. Well, we knew that wasn’t going to happen.

Now 25% into the season we see what didn’t happen. An aging very expensive third baseman, a second baseman now in the minors, a shortstop with a lot of errors and not much with the bat, a first baseman slipping back to his career-type numbers, a leftfielder being platooned due to inconsistency, the centerfielder and rightfielder are doing OK and a catcher with a broken toe replaced by a backup who can’t hit. And finally, starting pitching and relievers you can’t count on to be consistent.

And the last manager had to deal with this just as Counsell has to. And the owner is considering promoting the architect (Melvin) of this failure. Please!

Gregory F. Johnson

Milwaukee

I strongly disagree with a recent letter writer and the idea that Tony La Russa’s way is the only way. The Brewers do not need to stoop to the level of being cowardly thugs and throw beanballs at the other team if we get hit.

What we need to do is make sure that runner scores to punish the other team. One doesn’t fight fire with fire, one fights fire with water. What the letter writer fails to point out is that “time spent getting even is better spent getting ahead.”

Mark Majchrzak

Cudahy

Letters can be sent by email to Deputy Sports Editor Jeff Maillet:

Please include the writer’s phone number and city of residence.