By Bob Brainerd Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Nov 03, 2006 at 12:48 PM
Bucks basketball began for real this week and fans are eager to see if changes to everything from the roster to the floor to the uniforms themselves makes a difference.

Me?  I wait patiently for the promotional schedule.  The club has been slow to hand the fans the ultimate gift at the turnstiles -- the Bobblehead. At last count, there was Ray Allen -- who is gone.  Desmond Mason -- also gone.  And a handful of mascot Bango in a series of zany poses.
 
This is a proud and colorful franchise that has a Who’s Who of Bobblehead possibilities.  You can tell I take this seriously, and that’s why, no jokes for the following Milwaukee legends -- plain and simple, these are the best of the Bucks bobbleheads:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Marques Johnson
 
Bob Lanier

Sidney Moncrief

Oscar Robertson

Can’t you see it?  Kareem in sky hook formation, with goggles of course.  Marques Johnson with arms like Popeye.  The Dobber bobbling around his veteran midsection. Sir Sid ready to throw down a two-hand slam.  And The Big O -- perhaps they strike Oscar simply shooting a free throw.

Jon McGlocklin may be going into the Indiana University sports hall of fame next month, but that can’t possibly top the MACC Fund game where they passed out Johnny Mac Bobbleheads.  It’s a start, but of course, there are others the Bucks brass might want to bring to the table for discussion.  A sampling:

Greg Anderson -- Sponsored by Cadillac.

Nate Archibald -- Should be a mini Bobblehead -- you might say, Tiny.

Jon Barry -- Hustle on down to get your very own.  Complete with floor burns.

Charlie Bell -- The head rings when it moves.

Kent Benson -- Like the former first overall draft pick, it won’t be worth it.

Andrew Bogut -- The 2005-‘06 model -- black tights and that Hannibal Lecter mask.

Terrell Brandon -- A big assist man when he played, when you receive the Brandon Bobblehead, you could give it back.

Randy Breuer -- Will cost the Bucks more because will require twice the resin.

Frank Brickowski / Fred Roberts / Mark Pope -- Same bobblehead, different uniform.

Junior Bridgeman -- Sponsored by Wendy’s, collectors item if you get one signed with Junior’s real name … Ulysses!

Jason Caffey -- They’ll promote this giveaway, but then nothing will happen when it arrives.

Sam Cassell -- The first talking Bobblehead, pull the string and it jabbers on for hours.

Dave Cowens -- Replaces the Quinn Buckner Bobblehead promotion.

Charlie Criss -- Another mini Bobble, wind it up and watch it go!

Terry Cummings -- Split down the middle, this Bobblehead comes in the lime green striped jersey; the other half in the Barney shade of purple, when the ordained Pentecostal Minister came back late in his career.  Added feature, white splotches on TC’s shoulders.

Todd Day -- At first, you’ll be excited to have this Bobblehead, then you’ll be looking to unload it.

Vinny Del Negro -- Complete with five o’clock shadow.

Kevin Duckworth -- Packaged in a shoe box, because it’s bigger than most Bobbleheads.

Mike Dunleavy -- Half uniform, half business suit -- the former player/coach gets his props complete with receding hairline.

Wayne Embry -- An original Buck, and later the team’s GM, Wayne was the first African American NBA General Manager…a true throwback to the Bucks roots.

Armen Gilliam -- Gumby haircut holding a hammer.

Darvin Ham -- A Patrick Cudahy giveaway, the clean dome of Darvin would look sharp on the mantle.

Tyrone Hill -- Fly in Ty for the event, then he’ll complain that it looks nothing like him.

Tito Horford --This bobblehead came out too early ... the mold wasn’t ready yet.

Larry Krystowiak -- Former player and current assistant coach, you could put a lunch bucket in Larry’s hand.

Toni Kukoc -- Who deserves one more than the fan favorite from Croatia?  The Waiter comes back and hands out the Bobbleheads himself…how unselfish.

Scott Lloyd -- Complete with shaggy hair and Tom Selleck mustache.

Brad Lohaus -- May never be handed out, if Brad needs them to sell on EBay.

Moses Malone -- Collect all Fo!

Danny Manning -- Comes already damaged in the box.

Anthony Mason -- George Karl INSISTS the Bucks make this Bobblehead.

Lee Mayberry -- If you pickup the Todd Day Bobblehead, you get the pesky mini Bobblehead guard from Arkansas as well.

Dave Meyers --You can get a Kareem Bobblehead in trade, but you’ll have to throw in three other Bobbleheads.

Paul Mokeski -- A Mo Bobblehead would sellout the Bradley Center -- guaranteed!

Swen Nater -- The Dutchman played just one season, but still holds the single game rebound record with 33.  Swen’s Bobblehead makes a fist, getting ready to deck Lonnie Shelton.

Don Nelson -- Fish Ties and tennis shoes to compliment the wrinkled suit, Nellie was a piece of work and a great coach.

David Noel -- Makes a great stocking stuffer.

Gary Payton -- Sulking face, hairless head, and a glove on one hand.  Hurry, this Bobblehead won’t be around for very long.

Elliot Perry -- Complete with high socks.

Paul Pressey -- Extra long arms on this point/forward Bobblehead.

Joel Przybilla -- Tattoos galore, and a blank look on his face.  But arms extended rejecting a Spaulding.

Michael Redd -- Finger extended to heaven, Redd never forgets to thank the man upstairs.

Jerry Reynolds -- Bonus function... open Bobblehead, fill with water and freeze.

Alvin Robertson -- They don’t give this Bobblehead away, you have to STEAL it!

Glenn Robinson -- Big Dog could light it up, maybe a dog head that bobbles with big floppy ears instead of Glenn’s sheepish look.

Jack Sikma -- Just think, the blonde perm, the Jay Leno jaw, posed in his patented backward drop-step jumper.

Scott Skiles -- This Bobblehead would be better received in Orlando.

Don Smith -- Special collector’s edition has 100 named Zaid Abdul-Aziz.

Elmore Smith -- Never as popular of a giveaway as the Kareem Bobblehead.

Tim Thomas -- This will seem like an awesome Bobblehead, but later on, you’ll realize it isn’t all that great.

Brian Winters -- The beard and hair parted down the middle.  Could use former Doobie Brothers lead singer Michael McDonald as the facial model.
Bob Brainerd Special to OnMilwaukee.com
Born and raised in Milwaukee, what better outlet for Bob to unleash his rambling bits of trivial information than right here with OnMilwaukee.com?

Bob currently does play-by-play at Time Warner Cable Sports 32, calling Wisconsin Timber Rattlers games in Appleton as well as the area high school football and basketball scene. During an earlier association with FS Wisconsin, his list of teams and duties have included the Packers, Bucks, Brewers and the WIAA State Championships.

During his life before cable, Bob spent seven seasons as a reporter and producer of "Preps Plus: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel High School Sports Show."

And the joke is, Bob has a golf shirt from all four Milwaukee television stations. Sad, but true: Bob has had sports and news anchor/reporter/producer stints at WTMJ, WISN, WDJT and WITI.

His first duty out of college (UW-Oshkosh) was radio and TV work in Eau Claire. Bob spent nearly a decade at WEAU-TV as a sports director and reporter.

You may have heard Bob's pipes around town as well. He has done play-by-play for the Milwaukee Mustangs, Milwaukee Iron, and UW-Milwaukee men's and women's basketball. Bob was the public address announcer for five seasons for both the Marquette men and women's basketball squads. This season, you can catch the starting lineups of the UW-Milwaukee Panther men's games with Bob behind the mic.

A Brookfield Central graduate, Bob's love and passion for sports began at an early age, when paper football leagues, and Wiffle Ball All Star Games were all the rage in the neighborhood.