Is it possible that this catch phrase saves the franchise? Like that's a legit question I think. The Bucks have had problems selling merchandise, selling season tickets, selling out the Bradley Center blah blah blah for decades now. In fact the only thing they have been able to sell with frequency is beer at games. Large beers. Because if you've watched this team at all since 1990, with the exception of one year, you needed 3 4 5 ten's of beers to be able to stomach the basketball that was being played. But all of a sudden this "Fear the Deer" mantra has caught on in Milwaukee. People are buying these shirts like Beanie Babies in 1996! Goes to show you what some good marketing and a solid motto can do. Like I'm pretty sure that McDonalds fad was going out before 'I'm Loving It.' But throw a catch phrase on there and BAM, billions more people served.

In any case game 1 on Saturday was pretty much par for the course when young, inexperienced teams like the Bucks make the playoffs for the first time in a long time. They looked a lot like me at my first house party in college; dazed and confused. They fell behind by 24 points early, then got their bearings and got to with 7 late in the 4th before Atlanta pulled away. That plus Brandon Jennings, the youngest player on the court, looked like this:

While the rest of the team was firing up UGLY SHOT!* Heck Dan Gadzuric was in the game in the first quarter. That's a sure fire sign things have gone wrong because he's a human white flag. Like when I got into games in middle school. "Well, Jon's in, we're either up by 50 or down by 50."

Seriously, get John Salmons and Carlos Delfino going again to give Jennings some help, find a magic potion to heal Bogut's arm and we'll be good to go. Prediction: 97-95 Bucks win. Bonus word: crazy.

*Youtube and I have not been having a good month. First I couldn't find the Seinfeld Even Steven, now I can't find a clip of NBA Jam where the announcer says 'UGLY SHOT' with video. Come on youtube, act like you've been there before. However, not finding that video did lead me to this:

http://www.realmofdarkness.net/sounds/vg/nbajam-soundboard.htm

That's right baby! An NBA Jam soundboard! Some of you know I moonlight as play by play guy for Wisconsin Luthern College men's and women's hoops in Milwaukee. And if you think I'm not going to start calling games with every NBA Jam catch phrase you must be outside your mind!

PS: On the soundboard just click "For two!" and "Ugly Shot!" in succession and you'll get a clearer picture of my playing days.