We're still working hard on the move of the Bob Boozer Jinx archive to its new home at BobBoozerJinx.com. The directors have even decided that it's OK for me to take a break and go watch the Super Bowl.

Before I go, I do have to make an important announcement regarding the P.O. Box to which you've all been sending beer money. If your mail has been returned "undeliverable", this was due to an administrative error in setting up the box, not because the P.O. Box was yet another hoax perpetrated by yours truly.

The administrative error has been fixed and it is safe to resend all that beer money that the post office returned. So, Bogues, once you get over that migraine that hit you in NY, feel free to resend that check or money order to:

The Bob Boozer Jinx c/o J.D. Mo

P.O. Box 510624

Milwaukee, WI 53203

Bogues, I hereby solemnly swear to use this donation in the spirit in which it was given by drinking Foster's or other Australian beer while watching your Bucks.

Bogut led the Bucks with 21 Saturday despite being slowed by the migraine. By now Pacers coach Jim O'Brien should be a convert to the Bogut All-Star crusade: In the Bucks first game vs. the Pacers, AB led the Bucks with 31 pts, 18 rebs and 3 blks. That's an average of 26 pts and 13 rebs vs. O'Brien's Pacers this season (Bucks are 2-0).

With another victory over the Knicks Friday, the Bucks went to 5-1 vs. the Knicks since Scott Skiles became Bucks coach and Mike D'Antoni took over in NY. The Skiles Bucks have never lost to D'Antoni's Knicks when Bogut suits up. This time, AB played only a few minutes in the first quarter and hit all three of shots before leaving the game with one of those migraines that cripple him at least once per season. Ouch.

The Knicks really don't like to play defense, and that starts with their coach and his run-and-gun philosophy. It's fun to watch but worked best when Steve Nash was running the D'Antoni show. Remember that D'Antoni was fired in Phoenix in large part because his no-D system failed time and again to get the Suns through the West playoffs.

Labor-management strife. Looks the owners are going to play hardball with the next collective bargaining agreement. Much of what's being said now is probably posturing. Some of it, however, is probably not.

Like Commissioner Stern's "middle finger," as one NBA executive put it.

As I write this, the first quarter is coming to a close in Orlando and the Bucks are up three, 26-23; Andrew Bogut (8 pts) has Dwight Howard in foul trouble (2 fouls in five minutes); and Charlie Bell continues his dead-on shooting of late with 8 pts of his own. The Bucks are playing so well with Bell on the court these days that even Shaner over at Take Back our Bucks gave Charlie some props after the win in Miami last night. 

D-Wade was so relieved to be done for now with Charlie and his nasty defense that Wade was actually heard muttering to teammates that he was "glad to be going to Boston and Cleveland" (where the Heat play their next two games).

Me, I'm headed to BobBoozerJinx.com where the Pabst is so dam cold I have to use beer warmers. The new site is still under construction but we are working hard (you don't have to believe me) to get it together by the end of this week.

In the meantime, let's enjoy this Scott Skiles Bucks team. The Bucks are playing their best basketball since Gary Payton and Sam Cassell were the starters at guard. That was seven years ago, though it seems longer.

It occurs to me that if you're reading this now, you're obviously not watching the Bucks. What the #$#% is the matter with you? And me too. Bucks down six heading to the 2-minute mark in the first half, Vince Carter getting it going.

Enjoy the game!

As many Bucks fans are aware, Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford was named to the NBA East All-Star team in a vote of the East coaches. It is generally understood that this occurred because fantasy ball favorite David Lee's Knicks can't beat anybody and because Andrew Bogut's ever-improving Bucks are still a few wins and maybe a whole lot else away from being taken seriously.

The Bucks don't win enough, in other words. Or is it because Bogut has not been healthy enough in the last two seasons?

Or because Bogut's own coach, Scott Skiles, is so critical of his center that he won't advocate that Bogut should be an All-Star -- not even to say that his center was snubbed? 

Or because GM John Hammond's mixed direction with the Bucks has undermined the success of both the team and its 25-year-old center?

Or is it because the Bucks media department didn't seem to remember that the NBA holds an annual February event, something to do with "All-Stars" and that it might be a good idea to generate a campaign for the team's center? The Charlotte Bobcats had a classroom or three of kids writing letters to East coaches on behalf of forward Gerald Wallace, an East reserve. The Cavaliers campaign on behalf of Mo Williams last season bordered on the ridiculous.    

Or is it because so few in and around the NBA pay attention to the Milwaukee Bucks or Andrew Bogut, even when he's scoring 32 points in wins vs. the Raptors?

So many questions, and probably too many missed games (due to injury) in the last 100 for the Bucks center.  But moving to the present ...

Bogut should be an All-Star. The Bucks haven't won ... yet. But they are playing very well (won four of six since returning from the 6-game trip West). Under Skiles and with their "young money" point guard -- with Bogut increasingly in the role of offensive centerpiece -- and with a few tough, young, talented forwards, the Bucks are moving in the right direction. Yes, they're still a terrible road team (5-18) until further notice, but then, the Atlanta Hawks (11-11) are very beatable on the road, too. 

Enuff said about the Hawks' Horford or Lee from the Knicks or Noah from the Bulls -- or any other East center other than Dwight Howard currently being touted ahead of AB. It is not as though these players routinely outplay the Bucks center -- in fact quite the opposite is true, as Bogut has proven in the head-to-head matchups.

So it's time now to do what I sometimes do in my spare time: spend some time on basketball-reference.com. In this exercise we'll see how Bogut has done against his rivals in the East.

Here are Bogut's game logs from this season (note Bogut's performances in the Knicks and the three Bulls games (Bucks are 2-1 vs. the Bulls).

Bogut's gamelogs from last season (note the lone Atlanta game Bogut played in, his last of the season, a Bucks win at the BC inspired off-the-bench by Bogut). Bogut's 9 points, 6 rebs -- plus 2 blocks and 2 steals -- in 16 mins should have made a believer out of Hawks coach Mike Woodson.

Gamelogs from the 2007-08 season (neither Horford or Bogut were as good as they are now, which calls the relevance of these games into question -- but the outcome of that matchup makes for interesting fodder). Bogut is 3 wins, two losses vs. Horford and the Hawks in the last three seasons.

While we're at it, let's take a peek at the NBA shot-blocking leader board. (Actually, the linked sheet shows all NBA categories). Bogut is 4th in blocks per game and in the top 10 in total blocks despite missing six games. He's also on a number of rebounding stat boards and ranks 9th in Defensive rating. Note that it's not Horford on these defensive lists with Bogues, but Horford's teammate Josh Smith, who, like Bogut, should be going to Dallas.

The Bucks are the 9th rated defensive team in the league, a big improvement over last season when they fell out of the top 15 after Bogut's back injury.

The case for Bogut representing the East in Dallas is strong, made stronger by recent Bucks wins against the Raptors, Sixers and the Heat. Maybe some of those wins came too late for Bogut's All-star campaign. And maybe it's time to watch the highlights from Saturday and just be glad the Bucks are getting in the W column.

Here's a thing:  Due to changes at the Journal Sentinel, I have to build a new home for this blog. Lucky us, the domain name Bob Boozer Jinx was still available. Imagine that. Well, it's mine now and I'll be migrating things over there in the coming weeks.

As you can see, we've been quite busy over at BobBoozerJinx.com.

The 2010 NBA All-Star starters have been announced, and now the coaches will vote seven reserves to each conference's team. Should Bogut be one of them?

Like so many things in the realm of NBA mediocrity where the Bucks dwell, it depends who you ask. Ask Cleveland Cavs coach Mike Brown and the answer would likely be "no." Bogut has rarely played well against Zydrunas Ilgauskas in his career, and turned in two poor, foul-plagued efforts against Big Z and Shaq this season (total of 11 points and 16 boards in two Bucks losses).

Ask Dallas Mavs Coach Rick Carlisle and Bogut would no doubt get a resounding endorsement after the 32-pt, 9 board work Bogues laid on Eric Dampier Tuesday. Unfortunately, Carlisle doesn't get to vote on the East reserves. The scheduling reality that the Bucks have played more games against the West than any team in the East but Miami (the Heat and Bucks have eached played 21 games against the West) hasn't helped Bogut's All-Star chances.

Neither has Bogut's inconsistent play, which likely bothers Bucks coach Scott Skiles more than it does the other East coaches, most of whom have experienced enough of Bogut on his good days to cast a vote his way. 

But the biggest obstacle to Bogut finally being named Dwight Howard's backup at center for the East is NBA media's habit of ignoring all things Milwaukee -- while promoting members of hapless teams such as the Knicks.

Yes, New Yorkers, David Lee is a fine, fine player who puts up a good stat line and would be the perfect power foward for many teams, including the Bucks. But Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni and Lee have NEVER defeated the Scott Skiles and Andrew Bogut Bucks. Not once. The lone victory the Knicks have had since D'Antoni took over in New York was last spring in Milwaukee while Bogut was sidelined with his season-ending back injury. Bogut is 4-0 against Lee since D'Antoni took over, including a 22-point, 9-board effort in Milwaukee Nov. 7. Lee had a nice game, too: 18 pts, 8 rebs. But he's too small to guard Bogut and in general Lee's defense is no less suspect than that of his teammates. It's a safe bet to assume that Bogut will get D'Antoni's vote. (Coaches cannot vote for their own players).

But the media (and NBA.com no less) seem to think Lee has the inside track at center for the East -- or at least Lee was thought to have the inside track before the Knicks debacle last Sunday against the Mavs. Losing 128-78 at home should remove any Knick from honor consideration, including Lee. If coaches held onto their ballots through the weekend, the latest Knicks embarassment just might work in Bogut's favor.

But some still feel that players such Joakim Noah and Al Horford have a better shot than Bogut, which makes me wonder whether the media covering the league pays much attention at all to Bucks games. The Bucks are just behind the Bulls in the standings and are 2-1 vs. their Chicago rivals. And Bogut has had his way with Noah this season, including 27 pts, 13 rebs and six blocks Jan. 8 against the Bulls. If there's any justice in the league, Bulls coach Vinnie Del Negro will be casting a vote Bogut's way this week.

In fact, surveying the coaches of the East, it appears that Bogut could very well get votes from all but a couple of exceptions, Mike Brown among them. His play against Detroit and Washington earlier this season will not help his cause, but against the rest of the East, he's been consistent and good enough over the last couple of years to have earned the respect of most of the coaches making the all-star reserves decision.

Whether it's his dominance of Horford, Noah or Lee, his fine games against Brook Lopez, I think Bogut has earned the right to say he's right behind Dwight Howard in the East. This is his year to finally make the All-star team, and Bogut made his case strongly in two recent games against Chris Bosh and the Raptors.

Bogues has my vote, too. If you don't hear Bogut's name called Thursday, I say it's a snub. But if it doesn't go the Bucks way, I hope it's because the coaches decided to honor Shaq and not because Lee has filled the spot.

Shaq at least, gives Bogut a world of trouble in the paint.

First things being first, Happy Martin Luther King, Jr., Day!! Today's a great day to remember the long and ongoing crusade for equality in America, still the true struggle of our times in this sluggish wartime economy. 

MLK Day also a banner day for the NBA and its coaches and players, who every year to do more to help institute the holiday. This MLK Day the NBA serves up 12 games throughout the nation, including the Bucks-Rockets game from Houston, 2 pm CST start. (FoxWis has the TV telecast). Of course, there's more on the table than the games, as the host cities have planned a myriad of events to commerate Dr. King. Unfortunately, with the Bucks on the road, it doesn't look as though the Bucks have anything going on here in Milwaukee, at least not that I can find at Bucks.com.

The MLK Day schedule kicks off at noon CST from the nation's capitol, where Caron Butler and the Wizards play host to the Trailblazers. With the NBA's most powerful fan, President Obama, likely to attend it's hard to say whether or not gunsel Gilbert Arenas will be allowed in the building. But if he is, I'd like nothing more than to see the Secret Service complete the humiliation of Agent Zero by cuffing him and hauling him out of the arena as a precaution measure. 

On second thought, just stay home Agent *** and allow the rest of us enjoy one of our favorite holidays in relative peace of mind. And if by chance you are again reading the Bob Boozer Jinx on this honorable day ... you owe me beer money. (see official Bob Boozer Jinx P.O. Box listed below).

Now, about our Bucks, and GM John Hammond's ongoing geriatric plan to waste owner Herb Kohl's money and our time with washed up veterans. Just in is news of Hammond's latest and still pending blunder -- the signing of 35-year-old Jerry Stackhouse, currently sitting the season out in Atlanta. Stackhouse would ostensibly help fill the void left by Michael Redd. This means that Hammond requires Stackhouse to do the following things:

1) Waste Herb Kohl's money. Sure, Jerry should come cheap but a cheap player the Bucks don't need is still a waste of money. One would think that Hammond would have learned his lesson after his remarkably useless acquisitions of Francisco Elson, Malik Allen and Salim Stoudamire (last April), and the decision to keep sluggish 37-year-old Kurt Thomas for "veteran leadership" purposes.

Note that in the 1st quarter in Utah, Thomas came on in relief of Andrew Bogut early but was yanked after shanking a wide open mid-range jumper and following that up with a T for arguing a foul call. VETERAN LEADERSHIP?  Send beer money. PLEASE (see PO Box below).

2) Shoot poorly. Another great shooter would join the fold with the acquisition of Stackhouse, right, just as it did when the freakishly inconsistent Carlos Delfino joined the team?  Not a chance. Check Stackhouse' career shooting. 30.6 percent from Downtown and 41 percent overall. With the Bucks all but dead last in the league in shooting and the Skiles offensive system dependent on a few good gunners (Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich), the last thing the Bucks need is another 30 percent three-baller. Three out of ten from Downtown? Send Beer Money, PLEASE.

3) Keep rookie sharpshooter Jodie Meeks on the Bucks bench. Being young is what the Bucks should be all about in Brandon Jennings' rookie year. The tough defense and good three-point shooting of Charlie Bell is all the help the Bucks need from an age 30-plus player, and the addition of Stackhouse could well cut into Charlie's playing time, too. The Bucks need to shoot better and the Redd injury is the perfect opportunity to play Meeks, the Bucks deadliest long range shooter. Let the rookie play and learn on the go. And make shots. Play Jerry Stackhouse instead? Send beer money, Mr. Hammond. No Bucks fan should be forced to watch Jodie Meeks sit while Jerry Stackhouse plays, and certainly not without a few beers in the tank. SEND BEER MONEY, tout suite, Mr. Hammond.

4) Jack shots. The man they call Jackhouse was quite the chucker in Detroit, an astounding 24 shots per game 2000-2001 on a lousy team before Joe Dumars was hired as Pistons GM. Then came Dumars and new coach Rick Carlisle and a one-year experiment to see if Stack could work it out. Jerry shot less and the Pistons won 50 in 2002 but Stack was traded to the Wizards for Rip Hamilton, one in a series of shrewd moves by the Pistons that built the 2004 NBA championship team. John Hammond should remember all of this -- he was working for Dumars at the time, and he should remember well how the Piston added player after player around their defensive anchor, Big Ben Wallace. He should remember that Stackhouse was part of the problem, not the solution. And he should keep in mind that Stackhouse's fate in Detroit was the perfect script (minus the 50 wins part) for a certain me-first shooting guard, Michael Redd, Sen. Herb Kohl allowing. How ironic that Stackhouse will now fill Redd's shoes.

But irony really isn't all that funny and neither is Jerry Stackhouse ... SEND BEER MONEY, John Hammond, please (PO Box is coming now.

5) Waste fans' time. See all of the above but above all ... SEND BEER MONEY to:

The Bob Boozer Jinx

P.O. Box 510624

Milwaukee, WI  53203.

(note: This column was originally to be titled "Andrew Bogut: Send Beer $$$ mate" but was changed due to this Stackhouse business. Nevertheless, here's a message for Bogut, not ready for prime time in Utah:  Bogues mate, how about some beer money?)