Has anyone read the season previews Our Bucks are getting? If not, let me summarize:

The Bucks made terrible decisions in letting go of two of their top starters in Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions, letting them walk without anything in return. After trading away an all star in Richard Jefferson, the Bucks are left without three of their top scorers. Redd and Bogut are back, but how healthy are they? Joe Alexander looks to be a part of this lineup after a year of experience, and the pick up of Brandon Jennings brings some moxie to this patchwork crew of Journey-men and could-have-beens. They will suck bad but be fun to watch.

Let me tell you what I think...

Our Bucks will compete. There isn't much more anyone can really say about this team, that is it... Our Bucks will compete. I expect more losses than wins, and their record slightly better than last year, 38 wins, 44 losses, with a very marginal possibility to be in playoffs.

My Team preview is short and sweet and to the point, so I'll talk individuals, highs and lows, and the future. As well, if you wouldn't mind, I will digress on the previews I have paraphrased above...

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The Bucks made a fantastic decision in letting go of CV31. He was not the productive player we thought he was going to be. Villanueva thought he was a first scoring option, but he is really more like a third. With no defense to be found, he wasn't worth it. Joe Dumars made an extremely poor choice with the contract he gave the CV31.

Letting Ramon walk sucked. I'm not saying it was the wrong decision, but I don't think it was the right idea either. The trade that Memphis dangled of Mike Conley for Ramon and Joe Alexander doesn't sound the worst anymore. Yes, Ramon was a fan favorite, but he wasn't that big into playing defense and he couldn't hit from long range. I will miss watching him drive and dish. He seemed like a really fantastic team mate. I guess it just sucks.

Trading Jefferson. Our Bucks got rid of a winner, a great player, and a leader. Our Bucks also got rid of a buttload of cash that strapped us down and a player who didn't really want to be here. After all the subsequent trades, the Bucks were able to get Carlos Del Fino, Roko Ukic, and Kurt Thomas. Because Jefferson’s contract was gone Our Bucks were able to pick up Warrick and Ilyasova. That's practically a five for one deal, and not for just this year. Between those 5 players, one would have to imagine they'd make up for his 20/5/2 line he carried last year.

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Michael Redd looks like he is in very good shape, and has been finding his touch from beyond the arc. In preseason he has been distributing the ball better than ever in his career, and he is moving well without the ball in his hands. He is the captain, but he is coming off an extreme knee injury, don't look for him to be the leader of this team.

Andrew Bogut says he is taking the steps to make sure this doesn't become a Bill Walton's foot sort of deal. I don't know if I trust him. He has played in all 82 games once so far in his short career, and I doubt he'll do it again this year. Bogut is not the best player on the team, but he is the most important. He is a defensive presence down low, a known scoring threat, about as good of a passer there has been at the 5 since Vlade "2-pack" Divac, and he is the heart and soul of the team. If healthy, Our Bucks achieve, without him, fans can't expect much, and might be let down still.

I think Prince Luc takes a step forward. He will be able to concentrate on one offensive position while creating defensive havoc for whomever Coach Scott sets him up against.

If you've read my post already, I think you know how I feel about Hakim "The Dream Crusher" Warrick.

Kurt "McGurt" Thomas is valuable. Old, very old, but valuable. He has been in the league almost two times as long as any other one of Our Bucks have. He has played deep in the playoffs with several teams, and is a rebounder. He will be a solid backup and spot starter at Center or Power Forward.

Brandon Jennings has proven thus far that he is energetic and destined to be a damned fine contributor to this team. However, he is a rookie, and he will stumble. He will have to learn how to play with the big boys, and it's not going to be all smiles and fancy tattoos for Young Money.

Jodie Meeks filled the hoop in rookie league. The preseason didn't seem as sunny. Skiles will put him in games if only because Scott believes Jodie would have had similar NBA JAM ratings.

Carlos Delfino should be a scoring threat from the small forward position. It was a great call to make this trade. He won’t start every game, but he could be useful off the bench as well. He is another Skiles-type of player with his shooting and defensive presence. However, he has spent a while in Russia and it may take him a while to adjust now that they’re done with the preseason and the games mean something.

Ersan İlyasova looked a good find. We watched the hi-light videos of him online and got excited. What we've seen so far hasn't lived up to the internet hype. He looks a little lost on court, and hasn't been able to adjust to the NBA game. He is in a stacked position at the 4. Between Hakim, Ol' Man Kurt, and Danny G (Skiles said he would like to play Gadz at the four) he will struggle to find time on the court unless he can find his stroke and stop all of the fouling we saw from him in preseason.

Luke Ridnour will scrape together starts, and be an effective (overpaid) bench point. The Oregon Duck will be taking a seat behind Brandon if Our Bucks know what’s good for them. Luke will be trade fodder come the deadline with his expiring contract.

Charlie Bell will probably have a harder time finding minutes this year with Prince Luc playing some 2, and Jodie Meeks shooting and the possibilities of Delfino jumping in at the 2 with a big lineup. My guess is he is trade bait around mid-season.

As sad as it is to hear and say, Joe Alexander will ride the pine, take up space, and be a spaz on the court in his short and infrequent minutes. As fans of WI sports we know situations like the Packers have with Justin Harrell or AJ Hawk; sometimes first rounders just don't work out.

Roko Ukic, hell of a name, not that great of a player. Could find off-the-bench minutes when Our Bucks go against some of the bigger PG's in the league. He has impressive height (6'5") for a ball handler, but won’t see many minutes behind Brandon Jennings, Luke, and Charlie Bell.

Dan Gadzuric and Fransisco Elson. The bottom of the barrel is occupied by The Floundering Dutchmen. In most cases I will always group these two together. They have very little impact on the games they play, and mostly spend their time on the bench dreaming of girls in wooden shoes. Expect little to nothing from them. I believe Take Back Our Bucks will feature a race between these two, Roko, and Joe Alexander for the Most DNP-CD's.

My Starting 5: Jennings -P Redd -S DelFino/L M A Moute - SF - depending on the opponent Kurt Thomas - PF Bogut - C. 6th man - Warrick

In sum, Our Bucks had to take two steps back to take two forward. Good and bad happened this off season. None of us (besides Brandon Jennings) wanted to see Sessions go, but moves were made with the future in mind. In Milwaukee the future (or lack thereof) is a funny thing, that's why we need to Take Back Our Bucks, before it is too late.