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All-time greats stroll down memory lane
Doucette, fellow pioneers remember entering frontier by Truman Reed / special to Bucks.com
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May 5, 2008 MILWAUKEE -- Few individuals, if any, could put the early days of Milwaukee Bucks history in better perspective than the incomparable Eddie Doucette, the team's original announcer. Doucette was not only there on the ground floor of the franchise's foundation back in 1968, but was chiefly responsible for introducing Milwaukee and Wisconsin to its new professional sports team. No one could have done that any better than the dynamic Doucette, who revisited Milwaukee during the Bucks' 40th anniversary season. He was one of the organization's most prominent pioneers. "Pioneers is probably a good word," Doucette admitted. "All I need is a coonskin cap to make me feel like Davy Crockett. "Back when it all began, we didn't know what we were going to do. But Ray Patterson, who was then the president of the team, told me, 'Listen, I don't know how you're going to do this. We know high school and college basketball in this state, but we don't know anything about the pros. I'm going to give you a year to figure out how to do it, and if you haven't got it figured out in a year, you're gone. "So I figured I had nothing to lose, and I'd go out there and let it all hang out. So that's what we did, and fortunately it caught on." Doucette, who still possesses an inimitable, high-energy voice, captivated Bucks television and radio audiences with his creative nicknames and innovative descriptions of the action. He also did whatever he could to promote the Bucks and NBA basketball in and around Milwaukee. "I was about the third or fourth person hired," he said. " So I started out as publicity director, director of ticket sales, corporate sales, and then I did speaking every night and eventually did broadcasting, all for a whole year. "I wore a lot of hats. I felt like I needed a moose for a hat rack, for all those hats I wore." As the franchise and the sport grew, Doucette was able to channel most of his attention into his broadcasting. The sentiment here is that no one has ever done it better - in any era, in any place, in any sport. "Finally I got off of a lot of that stuff because the broadcasting part of it became bigger and bigger and it envolved into what 's happened in my career," Doucette said. "It's been good. It's been wonderful." Doucette wasn't the only member of the Bucks organization who had to do a lot of multi-tasking during the early days. "Back then, teams had one assistant coach if they were lucky," he said. "They had a trainer who was the traveling secretary and the equipment manager. "Now you've got guys who are in charge of shoelaces who are assistant coaches. Every team has five or six. I think some teams have their own reserve squads of coaches, two trainers, an equipment man, chartered planes ... the players' feet never touch the ground." Doucette acknowledges that all of these things are good things from the NBA's perspective. "That's improvement, and that's the way things are supposed to work," he said. "I'm glad to see it come to this, because I often thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice if pro basketball would evolve to the point where it was like major league baseball for media guys, with a pressbox and a pressroom and everything else?' "Of course, all these things have happened. It's big-time now." For Doucette and those members of the Bucks' 40th anniversary team who brought home the 1971 National Basketball Association championship, the thrill that came with it was unforgettable. The same players, who were also the central characters in the Bucks' 1974 NBA Finals confrontation against the Boston Celtics, remember that series as an epic one. Those men and their fellow Bucks all-time greats have many other favorite memories of the franchise's first 40 years, and they shared them during their homecomings to Milwaukee this season. Jon McGlocklin: "The Bucks were my second expansion team and I had experience in that area, so I knew that it was going to be somewhat of a difficult, challenging year. We had a pretty good blend of young and old players in Milwaukee, and we were all excited about what the future held for us." "I remember working out before the season started and talking to one of the owners. He came up to me and asked me what I thought my chances were of beating out Guy Rodgers and Bob Warlick for a starting position. I said I thought they would have to beat me out of it." "I have to say that the NBA championship we won, my being inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, and my number being retired were the three biggest thrills of my athletic career." Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: "I remember (1970-71) training camp, and seeing how efficient Oscar (Robertson) was. I had known about him. I had seen him play since I was in high school. I knew how great he was. But I didn't have the personal experience of being on the court with him until then. The ball always arrived at the right time so you could do the right thing with it. That's what I remember most. "I understood early on that Oscar meant a great deal to this team. And we had some good guys on the bench. Bob Boozer really made a difference coming off the bench as a guy who could really shoot it and help maintain the offensive pressure on the other team. It was a great group. It was fun playing with those guys." " We won the world championship in the Bucks' third year of existence. I think that's the quickest ever. That's something that I'll be proud of all of my life. We had such an experienced team. The guys we had on that team had played a lot of NBA basketball. It wasn't like we had a lot of new guys." "Of course, beating the Bullets in '71 (in the NBA Finals) was tops. You can't do any better than that. We were a pretty deep team that had a good defensive element to the way we played. That's why we won that world championship. But it was so long ago that I guess that the great teams that have been around since then have kind of overshadowed that team. And unfortunately, that team was only together for a year. But that was a great team -- one of my favorites." "I think even more memorable, in some ways, was the close call we had in '74, when we had some injuries and lost to the Celtics in seven games in the Finals. That's the one I most remember as the one that got away. I always thought that, if we had all stayed healthy and stayed together, we could have gone down as one of the best teams in NBA history. But it didn't work out that way. In game six of that series, I played the whole game. I remember how tired I was after that. And I couldn't sleep. We had to come back and play game seven, but I was so wired I couldn't sleep." "I remember basically that we got great support from the fans. They really appreciated what we brought here, and they were very supportive. I had a really good relationship with management here. There was never any tension there. They really felt that I gave my best, and they did their best to make me happy here. A lot of times, you don't see things working out that way nowadays between management and players. It's a little bit more sterile. I guess that's the best word. Back then, it was more like family." Bob Dandridge: "Well, first coming here, it was exciting. Being an expansion team, I knew it would increase my chances of playing. "Winnning the championship in '71 was such a thrill. No matter how young old you are, if you're a Bucks fan, everybody is conscious of the players on the world championship team and their accomplishments. "And the Bucks built a tradition. I remember when Brian Winters came in. He was one of the best shooters around. I remember when Junior Bridgeman came in. I remember when I was on my way out of the league and Marques Johnson was coming in, and I was thinking, 'Ooh, it's really time for me to leave, with the skills that Marques showed.' "Years later, I remember seeing Terry Cummings and Glenn Robinson and Terry Cummings really carry the team." Oscar Robertson: "My wife (Yvonne) and I had three daughters. We lived in a cul-de-sac near Green Bay (Ave.) and Good Hope (Road), on Dunwood Place, right near Brown Deer Park. They had a great school system in the area, and we made a lot of friends. We had a great neighbor who worked for the Falk Corporation, George Priester. The girls walked right over there for babysitting. We loved it there. "We loved to take drives up to Sheboygan, up to Door County ... just to take in the natural beauty. The girls enjoyed the animals running around. I guess those are fleeting things. Little things that happen to you in your life when you have a family are important to you. You don't appreciate how important those things were for you. When you've got a great neighbor, it makes such a difference. Thinking back on things like that makes you say to yourself, some things should never change." "After I got there, and started practicing with the guys, I started thinking that maybe we could win a championship. We didn't talk about it right away, though. We didn't know each other. We really had to get together, get to know each other and start playing together as a team. I really think the key to us winning the championship was our subs. We had McCoy McLemore and Bob Boozer and big Dick Cunningham, who was my roommate. Then Lucius Allen came along. Once we all got together and started playing a few exhibition games, we just blew everybody out of the water. At that point, I thought, "We've got something special.''' "The way you win is through defense. I don't care how good your offense is. You've got to play good defense. We were quick on defense -- Bobby and myself and Greg would switch, and it didn't matter if we were guarding a guard or a forward. We picked up whoever it was. What I liked about the Bucks, I know there were a lot of personalities, but we always played together. I sacrificed my offense my last two or three years. I could have shot the ball more, but I knew for us to win, we needed to make everybody on the team productive. And that was my goal." Brian Winters: "I think Milwaukee can be proud of the guys who put forth the efforts they did here and had good teams and always played hard. It's unfortunate that we didn't win a championship in my era, but some other teams were just a little bit better at that particular time. "The (Milwaukee) Arena was a really nice little building to play in. Now, with NBA standards, you need bigger buildings, but it was a great place to play. We had a lot of great teams here, and the fans were very much into it. Hopefully we gave them their money's worth." Junior Bridgeman: "When we came, being a rookie, I know I really didn't understand the magnitude of the trade - being part of a trade for Kareem, who would go on to play a total of 20 years, and was arguably one of the best players of all time. I don't think any of us comprehended that at the time, and in some ways that was good, because I don't think we really had the pressure that could have brought. "All we wanted to do was just play in the league and do the best we could. I think we were fortunate that it wasn't just Brian Winters, Elmore Smith, Dave Meyers and myself, but all the players there were here and those that were added over the years. Most importantly, they formed a nucleus consisting not only of good players and a good team, but good people. I think that's really what brought about the connection between the community and the team. "I was very fortunate to play back then. I came in with people like Brian Winters and Dave Meyers and Elmore Smith, and we came to a team that had guys like Jon McGlocklin and Bobby Dandridge - great players in their own right. "Everybody we had gave their all every time they went on the floor, and I'm one that believes that if Dave Meyers had not gotten hurt and retired, we would have won a championship or two or three. I thought that with him and the people we had, we would have had a team that would have been able to compete with anyone in the league." "And then over the years they added Marques Johnson, Quinn Buckner, Sidney Moncrief, Bob Lanier, and even Dave Cowens. If Dave Cowens hadn't hurt his knee, there's no telling what we might have been able to accomplish that year." "We had other guys, like Harvey Catchings, who were real good basketball players who just did what they were asked to do. That's what really made it a team. Sure, we had the All-Stars like Sidney and Brian and Marques and Lanier, but we also added Quinn, Mickey Johnson, Harvey Catchings, Ernie Grunfeld and so many others - guys who filled a role." "We would always play H-O-R-S-E and games like that after practice. I don't remember a time when anyone ever challenged anyone else or thought they were a better shooter than anyone on the team, though. "What made it great was the fans. I remember it becoming so loud during the playoffs that you couldn't even hear yourself think in there. I remember the first row behind the bench was so close. 'Nellie' would call a timeout and the guys would be sitting on the bench, and as he got ready to talk, you'd see the fans in the front row leaning over to hear exactly what he was going to say. "I remember the painting of the floor-that unique design. Things like that were special and unique. If you really feel there's such a thing as a home-court advantage in the pros, I always felt we had that at the Arena." Marques Johnson: "I'll never forget playing at the MECCA, with the colorful floor, the fan support, how loud the fans would get. The teams we had when I first got here, the first two or three years, with myself and Junior and Quinn Buckner and Sidney Moncrief and Brian Winters, and with Don Nelson, who was in his first full year as a head coach in my rookie year. When all of us came up together, our motto was "Green and Growing" at that time. "After about five years, I told John Steinmiller, 'I think we've outgrown that now. We need to shed that. We need to mature and so some things.'" Just to be one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference and the whole NBA was a special treat." "They don't make 'em like the MECCA anymore. It was the last of the intimate, cozy kind of arenas where the fans kind of felt like they were a part of the whole scene going on out on the floor. "When you talk about favorite memories, I'd go up for a lob pass and catch it and dunk it and the organist would play, 'He flies through the air with the greatest of ease...' That would probably be one of the standout memories for me. As you get older and reflect on those times, things like that spring to mind from time to time." Sidney Moncrief: "I will never forget the people here. The city itself was so different than what I was accustomed to, being a Southern guy. But I got such a warm reception when I came here that it became a perfect fit for me. "I discovered pretty early that I would like it here. It was just a really good fit for me and my personality. In Milwaukee and Wisconsin, people work hard, they believe in doing everything to the best of their ability, and they have a lot of pride. It fit my personality very well." "Those things are the core of who I am, but still, when you have the people around you demonstrate it, they give you a bar, a standard, that you try to live up to. It made it a lot easier. I was real fortunate to play with players who were well-grounded and really solid people." "Junior Bridgeman was always a role model. Junior and Harvey Catchings were the two guys that I really gravitated to the most, and we spent the most time together. Junior taught me how to be a pro, with the way he lived his life, his workout habits and how he interacted with people. His overall spirit had a great influence on me and my career. "Oh, we had some tremendous players -- Junior Bridgeman, Marques Johnson, Bob Lanier, Dave Meyers, Quinn Buckner. You know I could just keep going, because the list is endless ... Terry Cummings, Paul Pressey, Ricky Pierce, Paul Mokeski, Jack Sikma ... and a guy named Krystkowiak (yes, Larry, the Bucks' current head coach). "Sometimes I look at old photographs and think, 'My God, those were some really nice teams we had in Milwaukee. They were very balanced. Now if you have one good big guy on your roster, you're doing pretty well. But inside guys back then, we'd have three or more really good 7-foot, 6-11 or 6-10 guys who were great inside players. And we had some really good people on those teams, too." "For some reason, the things that come to mind are not always necessarily the games themselves. The old University School gymnasium where we used to practice ... breakfast at Heinemann's ... lunch at a number of different places ... the people ... the workout facilities ... the airports ... the walk from the MECCA to the McDonald's Restaurant across the street ..." "Today, most NBA guys park underground by their arenas. But back when we played at the MECCA, we parked across the street by the McDonald's. We'd play the ballgame and then walk from the MECCA to the parking lot. We'd encounter a lot of fans, and those were such special times, because they helped you build a rapport and relationships with the fans." "The environment in the MECCA was special. I think it was the personalities, too. We had a high level of talent, and there were a lot of entertaining games. We won 50 games for a number of seasons (seven) in a row. "I take a lot of pride that we were in the playoffs every year that I was there. We were very consistent. Had it not been for Boston and Philadelphia, which were very good teams, we might have brought the championship back to Milwaukee." Bob Lanier: “When I got to Milwaukee, I remember the first game that I played. The people gave me such a big ovation. It made the hair stand up on my skin. From day one, they welcomed me and my family with open arms. “It was a great ride. I smile today and feel it in my heart when I think about it. “It was the people I met there. I met so many incredibly great people – on the court, on the community side, at the team level … Jim Fitzgerald was the owner at the time, and he was just a phenomenal, phenomenal person; not only smart, but he understood how important it is to be a people person. “Don Nelson, who was there at the time, was a coach who connected with his team. He made learning fun, and you could understand very easily what we wanted and his expectations. He was very clear on all of those kinds of things. “We had a very good team of individuals that had a singular goal, and that was to put together the best possible team that they could put together and focus on trying to win a championship.” “It was the most dynamic, collective group of talented players that I think a guy could really ask for. Marques, Junior, Brian, Sidney, Paul Pressey … so many great players and other ones backing them up. “It was just a great collection of individuals that you could get together with and talk ball. They had great basketball intellects, we came to work every day and worked hard, and we always had each other’s backs. It was a phenomenal experience.” Paul Pressey: “I remember having four kids here. I came here and the Bucks had a bunch of veteran guys – (Sidney) Moncrief, Bob (Lanier), Brian Winters, all those guys took me under their wings, and they made my rookie transition really easy. And I thank them for that, because it could have been very difficult for me if they hadn’t shown me the ropes and showed me the way to be a professional. I thought that was huge for me as a rookie. “We had a good crew. When I came here, we had the guys I mentioned, then we added Craig Hodges, Terry Cummings and a great player in Ricky Pierce. Jack Sikma came. A lot of good guys came in and kind of took us through the next four or five years after my first three years.” Terry Cummings: “I remember the snow … the cold … family … the team … and just professionalism. This has always been a very professional organization. “We were part of watching this league grow and blossom to its peak, where it was at its best. Right now, I think the league is kind of in a holding pattern, but I think it’s getting ready for another growth spurt.” Ricky Pierce: “One of the greatest highlights for me was the fan support. You don’t realize it until you don’t have the fan support as a player. You’d come in game after game to the old MECCA and the place would be packed. We really enjoyed the MECCA. Playing there was a lot of fun. This place (the Bradley Center) is nice, also. Times are changing and you have to have a bigger place. I had a great time playing there, too. “The teams I played on played as a team. We moved the ball. And we knew we had a chance to win every night because we played together.” Jack Sikma: "I really enjoyed my time here with the Bucks. The fans are great here. They were really behind the team, and we had some rockin' times here in the Bradley Center. "The group of guys I played with here was really solid. We had a lot of fun together, and we really competed. I had the opportunity to play under 'Nellie' for one year and Del Harris for four years -- two really top-of-the-line coaches in this league. "It was a great experience. I really enjoyed those times, and my family enjoyed our time here as well. It was just a great environment." Vin Baker: “I remember just playing in the Bradley Center, fighting along with ‘Big Dog’ and the other guys as a young team every night to try to make this town and this franchise equal with the team that was down the street, the Bulls. That was the most memorable time, just fighting every night to try to get close to them. “I loved being here. I loved the city. When I got in here yesterday, everyone just said, ‘Welcome home.’ That’s special. When somebody says, ‘Welcome home’ to you and you haven’t seen them in over 10 years, that will always be special, and that’s what it is.” Glenn Robinson: “I think the first thing that comes to mind is making it to the playoffs. That was really our first great accomplishment, and something that we worked hard for since I first got here. I forgot how long it took, but we made it to the playoffs during the lockout year, and everyone was excited. “I think another memory that comes to mind, individually, was when I scored my 10,000th point. That was the first time a game had been stopped to honor something that I did on the court. That was special. “Getting to conference finals was the ultimate. And not only for the team; everybody was in it together, from the players to the coaches to the fans. It was like one big, happy family. “We got the job done. And when you do your job, people compliment you, and the fans showed us that they appreciated what we did. And it wasn’t just us; it was with the help of the fans. Without them, none of it would have been possible.” Ray Allen: "I think mostly about the players that I played with and sent me in the right direction. "It was a great city to live in. In hindsight, you look at the travails that take place in the NBA for a lot of young players. Sometimes you get drafted to play in bigger cities, and there are so many different pressures that cause you to lose focus. "I think that, as much of a bad rap as Milwaukee has gotten for young players not having as much to do there, and the weather being so cold, it allowed me to find my base of friends and family, get focused in, get buckled down and just play basketball and do my job. You remember the friends and the teammates that you had. That's what makes these days here more memorable, because it was about friendships. "You could talk about specific games here or there, but mainly you remember friendships. A lot of times you forget the impact that you have on everybody -- not just younger people, but a lot of older people. Sometimes you forget to put yourself in the proper perspective. You affect people in different ways. You kind of have to do that, to encourage, like we do, and inspire people to be better in their own lives. “There's more to it all than just playing basketball." Sam Cassell: "Things went well for me here. I think we understood how to play and how we were going to win. "This was really where I established my career, right here. I averaged about 18 points in my five years here. It was a pleasure. Playing with Ray (Allen) and Glenn (Robinson), we made it to the Eastern Conference finals. That was the best." Michael Redd: “I was blessed to come to a great organization, number one. Ernie Grunfeld and Larry Harris took a chance on me eight years ago. I’ve had some wonderful teammates over the years who’ve helped me and groomed me. “Sam (Cassell) and Ray (Allen) and ‘Big Dog’ (Glenn Robinson) were really key in my career. They showed me how to approach the game in a professional manner, how to get open, how to score and how to win in this league. We won my first year. I’ll never forget those guys.” |
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