The turning point this franchise desperately needed? For once, I'm going to be positive.
This franchise has been so downtrodden, so bad, so unlucky, for so dam long. I truly believe this team is at critical mass right now. If they don't provide any excitement or hope NOW, then I really believe the Bucks will pack up and leave. They are so close to slipping into irrelevance, and the diehards like us are just waiting and waiting and hoping that something good happens. Meanwhile, the fanbase continues to shrink at an alarming rate.
And then last night happened.
To turn a franchise around, it always takes a first step. Sometimes you don't realize it at the time, but when you look back, you can pinpoint the EXACT moment where it all turned around. Like Favre's TD pass against the Bengals in '92, for example (putting aside my Favre vitriol for a moment).
There's a moment from last night that just keeps sticking with me about Brandon Jennings, and it's not the behind the back play or anything he did on the court. It was when he was on the bench getting a breather. Warrick made a circus shot while being fouled, and when the crowd exploded after it dropped, the camera panned to Jennings. He was practically running around on the floor, pumping his fists, getting the crowd fired up. Just pure joy. And I thought THIS is exactly what this franchise needs. For the first time in a long time, I felt like people cared about the Bucks, if just for that moment.
Jennings' attitude has blown me away far more than his play. The kid LOVES playing. His attitude is so infectious. And in every interview he does, all he talks about is wanting to win. He's living modestly in St. Francis so he can be close to the practice facility. When he was asked about his near triple-double in his debut, he said he wasn't even aware of it. He was only disappointed that his TEAM lost.
This franchise has had far too many players who come and go, collect their paychecks, show little passion or attitude, play out the string, stay quiet, stay out of the way and then move on to another team. This franchise has been a revolving door of crap. But what I saw last night was a kid that desperately wants to win, loves playing the game and wants to cut out his opponents' heart. He doesn't give two sh*ts about anything but winning. Whatever it takes.
Is it too early to wax poetic about Jennings and say he's the franchise's savior? Of course. Anything can happen, and the Bucks always seem to have bad luck come knocking on the door whenever something positive seems to be happening.
But (and not to sound smart or better than anyone with this comment) I've watched sports for quite awhile. I've seen it all, and I can tell when someone is a special player, not just another good player. And Brandon Jennings is a special player.
I'm putting it on the table right now: Last night very well may have been the turning point that we'll look back on when the Bucks finally climb out of this hole. Remember last night's game. It wasn't just another win.