Joseph Zarr

Looking over that current active Estrellas roster over at Baseball America - I don't know how acccurate this roster actually is - I see old friend LHP Andy Otero! Hadn't read or heard his name in a couple years. Awesome to see. We also see RHP Enoli Paredes, RHP Marcos Diplan (a name I hadn't thought of, personally, in many years), RHP Javy Guerra, and we even have a RHP Zach Mort (!!) sighting!

I think what we're learning as this situation develops is they aren't shopping Giannis but they are actually listening on Giannis trade proposals for the first time. As of yesterday, it was reported they were asking for the moon when listening and engaging - which is what they should be doing, imho. Jim O brought some levity (who is actually the only person covering the Bucks who is actually questioning why Doc Rivers is still coaching this team) when he mentioned there is very much still the possibility they are angling to extend and keep Giannis through the trade deadline with hopes of extending him with a SuperMax. Is this certain? Absolutely not but it feels quite a bit more fluid than the first Shams tweet suggested (entirely unsurprising). They may still trade him, sure. But it also seems just as likely they keep him and rearrange some version of deck chairs or takenon unwanted conteacts to father more draft capital - see today's news linked to Cam Thomas and D'Angelo Russell for example? The only thing that makes sense in this iteration is they actually realize how incredibly talented and deep this upcoming draft is and they see Doc as an asset to help them get the best pick they possibly can. Who knows. It's the Bucks afterall.

Well, I don't think moving on from Bud was the incorrect decision - it certainly seemed as tho he had lost the team and he had lost his edge - clearly showcased in the failed opportunity at Phoenix. Despite being 30-13 at the time of the Griffin firing, there were many whispers of his dysfunction outside the coaching duties - there were rumored problems beyond the court and he has since not found a job in the NBA. Which brings me to: Doctor Glenn Rivers. Yeah. Can not happen. Lambasted and laughed at immediately across the greater NBA fandom. Anyone who follows NBA basketball knew what an unbelievably silly decision this was. The Bucks performance has only gotten predictably worse.

(pitched for Durham and Lehigh Valley of the International League last year)

I just heard of 'the parking lot event in 2019'. Reese was wildin'! Shows to go you: If you have talent, personal life snafus are easily overlooked. Hope he's found some inner Peace since that unfortunate exposure.

The Brewers add a catcher and, most importantly, real MLB competition for Quero and the back-up Brewers catching role:

This is true. Yes. AND, I think it's very fair to say in trying to do so they've made far too many mistakes. The draft snafus well before they started trading draft picks to remain competitive were fairly egregious and they were multiple. The Crowder trade. Letting Jrue get to Boston in the manner that deal was crafted. I don't begrudge the Dame attempt itself it was very well worth it even though that also suffered injuries and a decline in play and their inability to thrive together. I don't begrudge stretching Dame either. The coaching carousel and the hires post-Bud are laughable at best and certainly don't put the organization in a good light. I agree it's time to move on. However, I think where we differ is: the Bucks attempts to appease Giannis have mostly been a quagmire. I think it's just plain very fair to say they are a poorly run organization. I am grateful we all experienced the Bud years. I will look back fondly on those seasons. That's essentially where I stop being grateful as a fan with no skin in the game. At the end of the day <hat tip Giannis-ism>, it's just sports. It is what it is. I'm certainly not going to lose any sleep over any of this.

I don't agree with this take. If you recall, before the season, the narrative touted by Horst and, heck Giannis, was they were young multiple and athletic. They believed they would surprise - and they did in brief moments. I would opine, to be honest, the Bucks would be best suited to trade Him after the season. Fire Horst. Fire Doc. New Front Office staff. New HC. Then trade him before the draft getting the best package you can get and punt on this season. That's generally how I see it. AND, of course, I could absolutely be wrong.

Packers just added former Bills DC and former Packers DC candidate (Hafley hire cycle) Bobby Babich to their defensive staff. This is a fairly major get! Love it. Pass Game coordinator and secondary coach it would appear? If Ansley and Covington stay (no word on this yet and I have no idea where that is trending) that would be 4 total coaches on the defensive side with DC on their resumes. As is, Gannon and Babich together is pretty awesome.

Anywho:

I have said numerous times: Giannis deserves better. He has been an absolute loyal dawg for the Bucks and the city of Milwaukee. I am happy for him to have the chance to make good on the rest of his career. BUT, I just have this nagging cognitive dissonance that he and Khris will likely both be traded within a calendar year while both John Horst and Doctor Glenn Rivers will remain in the Bucks org. How is that even a version of reality? 😅

Well I for One am extremely thankful this current Bucks Brain Trust is going to handle dealing the best asset this franchise has known in over 50 years in his late Prime. What could possibly go wrong?

So, let me get this straight. The NF of L, in one calendar week, selected Shadeur Sanders; Keisean Nixon; and Quay Walker as Pro Bowl replacements. And, then they informed the public HC Bill Belichick - winner of 8 Super Bowls - is not a first ballot HOF'er? This explains quite a bit about a League still incapable of convincing the public it knows what an actual football catch is. Stay serious, folks. The NFL means business.

Honestly, I think a huge gaffe was taking Nixon away from his All-Pro Kick Return duties and trusting Keisean to be anything more than a fill-in back up CB. Obviously there were likely re-signing demands from his agent and he sure doesn't lack confidence BUT I can't help but think the way Gute and co have mishandled the perimeter group has been just as costly as their inattention to the interior D-Line. Colby Wooden was a really nice story in 2025. Wyatt is obviously a difference maker. BUT, Wyatt has had injury woes nearly every season. Just letting a very serviceable player and Packer draft pick like TJ Slaton simply walk away at an extremely fair deal was kind of an egregious oversight. What I perceive to be the Packers biggest ongoing core weakness is their inability to self scout and actually learn from such a process and actually implement correction to be better. As a team and as an org. It just seems like every single season they self-inflict the same mistake patterns. Whether it's lack of investment in ST, lack of experience in coordinator positions, lack of attention to timeout use and clock management, lack of putting players in their obvious best position for success. Why should I watch just a friggin handful of Packers games and know Keisean Nixon is not a slot CB (remember this years back?); Jordan Morgan is clearly not an NFL OG; Brandon McManus is very clearly not kicking with a healthy leg etc. It is utterly mind boggling the amount of easy decisions the Packers as a whole botch. Anywho. it is what it is.

I don't know if I understand it but I actually came out of this past season generally agreeing with LaFleur's take on Bisaccia and his ST work The coverage units were solid until they lost their gunners and injuries ravaged their best KO cover guys as well. I don't blame Bisaccia one bit for Doubs' colossal miscue in Chicago or McManus' worst game as a pro costing the playoff loss when all was said and done. I personally have come full circle to: the org and the team need to actually designate more resources expressly to returners. They took their All Pro KO returner and appeased his wishes to become an average cover corner. They've just never taken punt return seriously in a long time. Whelan evolved into an absolute Hoss under Rich. I just don't think I can blame Bisaccia when he is forced to rotate Gute's cast of young unproven replacement level players across the board. The Packers as an organization need to treat the Teams in a serious manner. To me, they mostly treat it as an afterthought. McManus. Man. What a god awful season - from forced to play through an injury and costing his team games (again, a Packers problem - why not ride Havrisik's hot hand until you know he's fully healthy?) to ending his team's season by missing three of four colossally important post-season kicks. I don't know. Maybe I'm getting too old.

I think this is one of those: industry circles love the hire for the Packers. Packers fans are underwhelmed - honestly, should read <traumatized generally by the Packers>. According to Demovsky, staff changes aren't finished on LaFleur's staff. We shall see what it looks like when all the dust settles.

Well this isn't surprising considering LaFleur's repeated gush fest pre and post-game facing those pesky Cardinals. I have no idea how this will work out. I can say there aren't many men with as diametrically opposite a speaking and engagement impact as Hafley. We all grew to love Hafley's incredible charisma, public speaking etc. Gannon has appeared to be as awkward as they come - with players and the media. Suddenly, LaFleur - with his repeated ad nauseam talking points and lack of clean oratory delivery - becomes the much more favorable interview which is in and of itself...something? Anywho. Whatever. Our win is: at least it's not Joe Barry!

The same C Wes Clarke who spent the remainder of his 2025 season at Houston's Double-A affiliate...and, surprisingly, didn't spend an inning behind the dish. It's almost a conspiracy at this point!

Giannis out another 4-6 weeks. Bucks continue their Doctor Glenn inspired spiral downward. Bucks still rumored to be Buyers at the Deadline. Absolutely tracks. This organization has become a rudderless ship. For Giannis' sake, I hope he gets an opportunity elsewhere. The Bucks are an embarrassment.

Just no. Absolutely not. Darrien Miller is a fine young man. Nice MINOR LEAGUE depth. Great teammate. Nowhere near a MLB catcher. End of story. You know who else they used to invite to Big League ST? C Mario Feliciano. They need bodies, familiarity, and a professional approach. All things Miller has. It doesn't mean he has MLB talent in 2026. He does not. Just grateful we could no longer further spam this piece with C Wes Clarke ruminations.🙄

Likely the hardest hitting news of the entire 2025/2026 NFL news cycle:

The fact he is HOME rehabbing this soon is absolutely incredible news. We've come a long way since the early event AI produced articles and it is glorious. Let's hope this ultimately tuns into an incredibly inspirational story of resilience and overcoming the odds when he makes his first pitch as a Wilson Warbird some time in the next two years! I'm holding out this hope and with the acknowledgment it is a one day at a time likely scenario right now.. Thank you, friend.