The Bucks playoff run -- which was actually more of a slow and somewhat painful jog than a rigorous sprint - - did not inspire many Milwaukeeans to rush to the local sporting goods store to purchase t-shirts, hats, mini-balls and other team paraphernalia.
As it turns out, that's not entirely bad.
Multiple sources told OnMilwaukee.com that the Bucks will unveil new uniforms next season, ditching the purple, green and silver color palette for a green, red and white scheme that more closely resembles the threads that the team wore during the early 1980s.
The Bucks' logo will also undergo a facelift, but insiders say we will not see a return to the original "Bango'' buck, which spun a basketball on its hoof while wearing a green sweater emblazoned with the letter "B.''
The Bucks used forest green, red and white as their official colors from their inception in 1968 through the 1987-'88 season, but red was fazed out beginning in 1985. In the late 1980s, the team used various shades of green -- forest, kelly and lime -- along with a white accent.
After celebrating their 25th anniversary during the 1992-'93 season, the Bucks modernized their look by changing their uniforms and logo to incorporate the purple and silver along with hunter green. Bango got a makeover as well, moving from the popular cartoon to a more menacing depiction of an eight-point white tail buck on a triangular background.
The history section of the team's official media guide indicates that the change was made to "carry the organization through the 1990's and into the next century as an impactful and memorable identifier."
Impactful?
In their season in purple, the Bucks posted a 20-62 record, a mark that remains the worst in franchise history. The team missed the playoffs for the first five years in the new uniforms, then made the post-season in five out of six seasons from 1998-2004.
In all, the Bucks finished higher than fourth place in the standings twice and made the playoffs six times during the 13 seasons they wore purple.
Maybe it really is time for a change.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
