This feels fake.
The Milwaukee Bucks…THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS…are one win away from the NBA Finals.
There are basketball fans in this city that are far more qualified and more tenured to speak on this topic than I am, but here’s my perspective.
When I first visited Milwaukee in the summer of 2009 before moving here to go to college, the Bucks were an afterthought.
Having lived out of state, I had honestly forgot that they played here.
Sadly, I think a lot of people across this state probably felt the same way.
That’s how irrelevant they had been for so long.
The team was bad.
The practice facility was worse.
The once pristine Bradley Center had quickly become outdated, and the threat of a move away from the city lurked over the organization like a storm cloud.
The color scheme was ugly.
You were surprised to bump into somebody wearing Bucks gear, because it looked like they had just left a Christmas party.
Now 8 out of every 10 Milwaukeeans you see are rocking the home team’s colors.
So much has changed in such a short period of time, it’s easy to get Bucks whiplash.
New owners, new logo, new colors, new players, new arena, new entertainment district, and then, new superstar.
All in the last 7 years.
Still, through all of that, the NBA Finals seemed like a farfetched dream…too good to be true for this wayward organization.
Now, we’re one win away from it becoming reality.
Whatever happens in Saturday’s Game 6 or potentially Monday’s Game 7, here’s my advice to you: cherish every damn second.
Success is fleeting.
You never know when we might be back, so live it up now!
And take a moment to reflect on just how far we’ve come as a team, as a fanbase, and as a city.
