Dear Monta Ellis--
I woke up in a good mood this morning. The sky’s blue. The sun’s shining and oh yes, the birds were chirpin’. I had my vitamin water and blueberry nutrigran bar for my morning commute to the workplace with Milwaukee’s own WSSP 1250 sports-talk radio playing in my car. It’s a short work week. I’m moving in with my lovely girlfriend a little later this week– life is good, right?
Insert: Monta Ellis.
Milwaukee Bucks insider Gery Woelfel is on the air talking to the morning show hosts and the Monta Ellis subject is brought up. Sources have stated that Milwaukee has touched base with Monta’s ‘people’ about a contract extension to remain a Buck. Nether side is commenting.
Gery continues that Monta’s ‘circle’ persists that there is no chance that Monta re-signs with the Milwaukee Bucks and he’s out of here on the next bus out of town.
Why Monta?
Barring a rift between Ellis and Brandon Jennings, and I’ve heard nothing of the sort, why would Ellis rule out Milwaukee already?
Why not see what a full training camp and a full season in Milwaukee feels like before completely discounting the possibility of making Milwaukee, home?
For as much flak as the city of Milwaukee gets– generally because of its small market– it’s a terrific NBA town. Ask Oscar Robertson. Ask Mr. Basketball Don Nelson. Ask Sidney Moncrief. Ask Bobby Dandridge. Ask Ray Allen. Ask Glenn Robinson. Ask George Karl.
When the Bucks produce an exciting, competitive, winning product, the fans turn out in droves.
Monta, go check out some tapes from the 70′s and 80′s. Or the 2001 Eastern Conference finals run. Need more recent evidence? Just ask your backcourt mate Mr. Jennings about the year of ‘Fear the Deer’ in 2009-’10.
Have a cream puff at State Fair. Take in music at the World’s Largest Music Festival. Take a night time boat ride on Lake Michigan. Go sailing during the day. Walk the scenic and beautiful Wisconsin trails in the Fall. Head up to the Wisconsin Dells for a weekend getaway. Have Brandon take you to the very best Milwaukee restaurants. Go see the fourth quarter of a Badger game at Camp Randall stadium, a sausage race at Miller Park and a Lambeau Leap in Green Bay.
You, your wife and family can carve out the best of both words in a Bucks uniform: becoming a Milwaukee icon and achieving celebrity status; while also being able to plant roots and maintain a quiet lifestyle. We respect our local hero’s here. We don’t stalk them.
If you want to play on a winner, let’s see how you and Brandon Jennings co-exist this year. If it it bombs, it bombs. I have a feeling it won’t.
The pieces are starting to come together. In this day and age in the NBA with the ‘super’ teams forming, is it enough to win an NBA championship? I don’t know. But why not give it hell trying?
Monta, give it a season. Immerse yourself in the community. Be open-minded. Give it your all. Let the chips fall where they may. And you may just find yourself falling in love with this wonderful town by the Lake.
Sincerely,
