Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks created the "Milwaukee Originals" t-shirt line, which showcased the work of local designers and were for sale online and through the retail outlets at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
The promotion is back this year, and now includes Too Much Rock For One Hand and Orchard Street Apparel. Milwaukee Home, Wiskullsin and Sconnie Nation are back for their second turn at the promotion.
"Actually, I was reluctant at first," admitted Too Much Rock For One Hand owner Fred Gillich. "I said no two times before the Bucks called for a third time."
But after learning that many Bucks staffers and fans loved his noted "414" design, Gillich relented.
"I didn't really see it at first," he said. "But they were persistent and after they explained the program, I was like 'gimme the ball.'"
Gillich's design will be fifth t-shirt released to the public, on March 26 when the Bucks host the Indiana Pacers.
As for the other newcomer to the series, Orchard Street's Julie Teska said "We were really excited to be asked to participate. I think it's a brilliant idea to get local designers -- designers who clearly love Milwaukee -- involved in the merch of our NBA team. It's a really cool marriage of style and hometown pride, which is something that we as an apparel company strive for every day."
The overall line is more uniform than last year's first run, including the same Bango all five shirts.
"Our favorite part was working with vintage Bango because we love a good throwback," Teska said.
Sconnie Nation leads off the series on Feb. 25 when the Philadelphia 76ers come to town.
.@bucks x @sconnie Collaboration T-shirt! Available at February 25th Bucks vs 76ers game: http://t.co/SV9D2xCZPV pic.twitter.com/b3wGzRdtz1
— Sconnie Nation (@sconnie) February 16, 2015
Next is Wiskullsin on March 11, and then Milwaukee Home on March 18.
Jim Owczarski is an award-winning sports journalist and comes to Milwaukee by way of the Chicago Sun-Times Media Network.
A three-year Wisconsin resident who has considered Milwaukee a second home for the better part of seven years, he brings to the market experience covering nearly all major and college sports.
To this point in his career, he has been awarded six national Associated Press Sports Editors awards for investigative reporting, feature writing, breaking news and projects. He is also a four-time nominee for the prestigious Peter J. Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism, presented by the Chicago Headline Club, and is a two-time winner for Best Sports Story. He has also won numerous other Illinois Press Association, Illinois Associated Press and Northern Illinois Newspaper Association awards.
Jim's career started in earnest as a North Central College (Naperville, Ill.) senior in 2002 when he received a Richter Fellowship to cover the Chicago White Sox in spring training. He was hired by the Naperville Sun in 2003 and moved on to the Aurora Beacon News in 2007 before joining OnMilwaukee.com.
In that time, he has covered the events, news and personalities that make up the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, NCAA football, baseball and men's and women's basketball as well as boxing, mixed martial arts and various U.S. Olympic teams.
Golf aficionados who venture into Illinois have also read Jim in GOLF Chicago Magazine as well as the Chicago District Golfer and Illinois Golfer magazines.
