Bucks' Larry Sanders apologizes for his marijuana use; thinks it should be legal

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders has had it rough since he signed his $44 million deal in the offseason. He's been involved in bar fights , fights with teammates, cited by the police for animal cruelty,  a broken thumb and eye socket which torpedoed his season.

After failing multiple drug tests, Sanders was suspended or five games for violating the NBA's Anti-Drug policy. Sanders had been using marijuana, presumably for medical reasons. Sanders' suspension will take effect next season when he is healthy and eligible to play.

Sanders apologized to Bucks fans and organization for his marijuana use , but he does feel that it should be ok to use it and that it should be legalized.

“I apologize to the entire Bucks organization and our fans for being suspended five games for using marijuana in violation of the NBA Anti-Drug Program,” Sanders said in a statement. “I take full responsibility for my actions.” 

"It's a banned substance in my league. But I believe in marijuana and the medical side of it. I know what it is if I'm going to use it."

Sanders went on to defend his use of the drug and feels that once the "prohibition" is lifted all of it will go away.

“It’s something I feel strongly about, just to let you know something personal about me,” Sanders told NBA.com and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel prior to the Bucks’ game against Chicago at United Center Friday. “I will deal with the consequences from it. It’s a banned substance in my league. But I believe in marijuana and the medical side of it.

“I know what it is if I’m going to use it. I study it and I know the benefits it has. In a lot of ways we’ve been deprived. You can’t really label it with so many other drugs that people can be addicted to and have so many negative effects on your body and your family and your relationships and impairment. This is not the same thing.”

I'm not too keen on the activity itself but I don't think that there should be restrictions on athletes using especially since they take so much physical punishment. If you can take medication in pill that you can get busted for, why not marijuana. How many commercials have you seen where a drug manufacturer puts out a disclaimer telling you what effects on your health a "legal" drug can have on you, where marijuana is a natural solution. I'm not stumping for marijuana to be legal. That's another argument for another day.

Bucks' Sanders out for 6 weeks after orbital bone surgery

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders underwent successful surgery on Thursday to repair right orbital bone fractures which he sustained in the Feb. 8 game against Houston.

The Bucks say Sanders will be sidelined for a minimum of six weeks.  The organization said  further updates will be provided when appropriate.

In 23 games (20 starts) this season, Sanders has averaged 7.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots in 25.4 minutes a game.

It's another run of disappointment for Sanders, who missed 25 games at the beginning of the season because of a torn ligament in his thumb that occurred during a fight at a Milwaukee night club. On the court, Sanders complained of his role under first-year coach Larry Drew early on in the season, and he and Bucks guard Gary Neal had a shouting match in front of media members after a loss to the Phoenix Suns at the beginning of January. Not to mention that he received a citation for leaving his dogs out in the cold in January 2013.

With the Bucks at 9-43 and probably locking up the best odds to receive the number one pick in the NBA Draft, it almost makes no sense for Sanders to return. The Bucks more than likely won't be in a hurry to rush him back.

Bucks' Larry Sanders cited in January for leaving his dogs in the cold

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders is having a rough season so far. After signing a contract extension worth $44 million, sanders has had some tough going.

He had surgery on a torn ligament in his thumb that was injured in a bar fight he was involved in on November 2. He's expected to be out six weeks as he recovers from the surgery and the injury. Before that he was doing some chirping about his lack of playing time. Now he has to deal with another hit to his image as the Milwaukee Wisconsin Sentinel Journal reported that Sanders was cited twice in January for cruelty to animals.

Sanders paid $330 in fines for the two citations.

According to court records, a neighbor called police to say Sanders kept his two German shepherd puppies outside in the cold for hours without proper shelter, food and water.

The person said she tried to speak with Sanders about his dogs but felt intimidated and was told by Sanders to leave his property. The neighbor said Sanders told her that he was going to call the police if she returned, court records say.

On Jan. 3, police attempted to contact Sanders but were unsuccessful. An officer went to Sanders' home in the 3200 block of N. Lake Drive, and saw the two puppies in the backyard with no shelter, food or water.

The officer noted that the temperature outside was 17 degrees.

Police notified the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission to retrieve the dogs. An employee of the center determined the dogs "were in harm and needed to be removed," according to the police report.

On Jan. 4, police went back to Sanders' home, met with Sanders and issued the two citations.

Not quite on par with Michael Vick but you still don't leave pets out in 17 degree weather.

Caron Butler fined $15,000 for "obscene gesture"

Milwaukee Bucks forward Caron Butler was fined $15,000 for making an obscene gesture during Friday night's 105-98 win over the Boston Celtics.

During the fourth quarter, Butler sank a key three pointer to tie the game at 93 and did the 'big balls dance' popularized by former NBA guard Sam Cassell and originated in the movie 'Major League 2'.

Brooklyn Nets center Andray Blatche was fined $15,000 for the same offense earlier this month in a game against the Miami Heat.

As a fan I say let the players express themselves a little instead of having them be robotic.

Jim Boylan out as Milwaukee Bucks head coach

The Milwaukee Bucks were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat. The Bucks have swept interim coach Jim Boylan out of town. Boylan took over for Scott Skiles midway through the season.

In 50 games, Boylan went 22-28 and 0-4 in the opening-round sweep to the Heat.

The Bucks confirmed the news and general manager John Hammond said: "At this time we feel it's in the best interest of the organization to seek a new coach to lead our team. We appreciate Jim's efforts not only in his time as head coach but in his entire tenure as a coach in Milwaukee.

"We wish Jim and his wife Jan the best."

It didn't help that Boylan had occasional clashes with point guard Brandon Jennings and that J.J. Redick hadn't spoke to Boylan during the playoffs. There was some disconnect with that team.


The Bucks have some major decisions coming up this summer in addition to finding a new coach. The team must figure out what to do about Jennings, Monta Ellis, and Redick, all free agents.

If the Bucks remain intact they do have some pieces but they must find the right coach that can make it work.

Houston Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson is rumored to be a candidate for the job.

Brandon Jennings may not be in Milwaukee much longer

Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings will be a restricted free agent after this season. But instead if doing the same song and dance so many other players have done, Jennings has a different plan than most. Jennings says he'll play on a one year qualifying offer, but if he does he's good as gone in Milwaukee.

"If I take the qualifying offer and become an [unrestricted] free agent there is no way I am coming back," Jennings told Yahoo! Sports on Friday after practice. "There is no way."

Simply put, he wants to get paid. But Jennings also would like the Bucks to be more competitive and that he just wants to win. Jennings might have to come to the realization that the Bucks being championship caliber is a pipe dream and might have to go elsewhere to win. He wants to go to a bigger market but being in a big market isn't the key to winning a title. Ask any New York Knocks player of the past decade about it.


"I just want to win," Jennings said. "The way I am playing now, I just want to go to a winning team and play like that. I don't care about being a superstar or being the main guy. I did that [the] first four years. I just want to win and be somewhere where it's all about winning.

"I'm not saying the Bucks aren't about winning. But I think [a title caliber situation] will help me, motivate my game and then you have to perform."


Not the most conventional way to full blown free agency but Jennings has never done things in a conventional way when it comes to his basketball career.

He went to Italy to play professionally for one year instead of going to college. And instead of signing with an established shoe company he signed with Under Armour. Kind of a trailblazer of sorts.

Jennings looks at what the Oklahoma City Thunder have accomplished in a small market and figures why it can't happen in Milwaukee. Well, the Thunder have a special player in Kevin Durant and a very capable sidekick in Russell Westbrook. The Bucks have a few pieces like an emerging Larry Sanders and Monta Ellis, but the Bucks don't have too much outside of those players.

I hate to say it Bucks fans, say bye bye to Brandon.

Captain Jack coming full circle

A few days ago Stephen Jackson was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Golden State Warriors. It was a homecoming of sorts as Jackson was going back to Golden State. Now a few days after that it looks like Jackson's career is coming full circle. The San Antonio Spurs are trading small forward Richard Jefferson for the volatile Jackson. Golden State will also receive a first round pick in the deal.

In a bland Spurs locker room Jackson has bee described as the ultimate teammate by Tim Duncan. I guess that can carry some weight since Jackson has worn out his welcome in lots of places since his first stint in San Antonio. With Manu Ginobili not being at full strength, this could turn out to be a coup for the Spurs as Jackson always states that he just wants to win.  

Captain Jack Says The Bobcats Shut Him Down

The biggest deal of the NBA offseason so far has been the draft day deal that sent Stephen Jackson  from Charlotte to Milwaukee. That nay be the biggest for a while since the NBA will be heading for a lockout.

The question I asked myself when this trade was made was, why does Jackson keep getting traded to these middling teams? Nothing against the Bucks, but they aren't going to win a title or contend for one anytime soon.  

Jackson doesn't seem fazed by getting traded to Milwaukee. He says he's surprised by the city and had some words, not hateful, for the Bobcats.

"The only perception that I've had from other teams is coming to a boring city," Jackson said. "That's what they always say. But since I've been here, the weather's been great. I didn't expect the weather to be so great. When I come, there's snow everywhere."

I have a friend who visited Milwaukee and he said it wasn't that bad, so Jackson may want to explore what they have to offer.

As far as the trade, I feel the Bobcats could've gotten more for Jackson. But he's not bitter or holding any grudges. He just feels that they could've made a playoff push last season, but they decided to shut him down and go in a different direction.

"I didn't want to be on a team where they're going younger and they want to win three years from now," Jackson said. "I'll be at the end of my career. So winning now is important to me, and this is a great place to win now."

"The last 10 games, I could have played," Jackson said. "But they shut me down. The team shut me down. So I kind of assumed they didn't want to make the playoffs."


I do like Jackson as a player, but he's not a difference maker. He seems supremely confident in his abilities, which is the confidence you need to play in the NBA. He feels that he can be the player that can make the Bucks a contender in the Eastern Conference.

"I know what I can bring to this team, and I know what it takes to get to the playoffs," Jackson said.

"For us to win, we have to be all on the same page," Jackson said. "And I'm pretty sure that coach is going to give me the room to police all that. If guys don't want to play, you need to let us know that, because you're not going to be a part of us. And I'm going to make that known."


The Bucks could be scary if they're healthy, I'll say that much. But the unknown dynamic is whether Jackson and coach Scott Skiles will be able to get along. 










 







   

Chris Douglas-Roberts Has A Different Perspective About Bin Laden's Death

When the death of Osama Bin Laden was announced plenty of Americans took to the streets in celebration. It was for good reason, as our military finally took down the 9/11 mastermind. Milwaukee Bucks forward Chris Douglas-Roberts wasn't one that was celebrating.

CDR took to Twitter to voice his opinion and it wasn't well received to say the least.

Is this a celebration?? Is this the beginning of a huge religious war? I hope not. (shaking my head)



It took 919,967 deaths to kill that one guy.It took 10 years & 2 Wars to kill that...guy. It cost us (USA) roughly $1,188,263,000,000 to kill that...........guy. But we #winning though. Haaaa. (Sarcasm)

Since Douglas-Roberts is a basketball player a lot of people think he's just a dumb jock. And others let him know it. . He was called "stupid", a "moron" and told to "shut your dumb [expletive] mouth" because he is "not intelligent enough to speak on the subject." Actually that's how some people look at it. I'm not taking sides, I'm just going on what I've heard from the average American citizen.

Douglas-Roberts went on to clarify his statements.

What I'm sayin has nothing to do with 9/11 or that guy. I still feel bad for the 9/11 families but I feel EQUALLY bad for the war families. Whatever happened to our freedom of speech? That's the problem. We don't want to hear anything that isn't our perspective. People are telling me to get out of America now b/c I'm against MORE INNOCENT people dying everyday? B/c I'm against a 10 year WAR? Same people going nuts on me are the same people saying "bring the troops home". Right? Right?!



Reading yall's tweet AT me (pun intended) & shaking my head. This is what I get for not wanting innocent people to die daily. Shame on me. What I've learned tonight, athletes shouldn't have perspectives. But I don't care. We feel certain ways about things TOO. #FirstAmendment To everybody supporting me, I'm fine. I have very thick skin. How I feel hasn't changed the least bit.


Anyway, "God bless America"


I can see both points of view here, but CDR does make a lot of sense. It shouldnt've taken millions of dollars and thousands of American lives to catch one man. And if you think they've only been trying to nail Bin Laden, they've been after him since Bill Clinton was in office. It's just that the government ratcheted up their efforts in the past 10 plus years. I'm celebrating, but in my cynical world I look at this a lot differently than some.

Alvin Robertson is a sick man

Former NBA all star guard Alvin Robertson has been charged with child trafficking,sexual assault of a child,and forcing a sexual performance by a child.Robertson has not yet been apprehended.  

   Robertson,whose NBA career spanned from 1984-1996 was a four time all star,the first NBA most improved player award winner and 1986 defensive player of the year.He played for the San Antonio Spurs,Milwaukee Bucks,Detroit Pistons,and Toronto Raptors.He was a solid all around player and one of the best defensive players of his time. Enough about his playing career.

  Authorities say Robertson was part of a sex ring that kidnapped a 14 year old girl from San Antonio and forced her to have sex with clients and dance at a strip club in Corpus Christi,Texas.Seven people have been charged,that also includes his girlfriend.He's the only one who hasn't been arrested.The girl escaped which prompted an investigation.Robertson,is best known in the Detroit area,for attacking,alledgedly choking player personnel director Billy McKinney,while he was a member of the Pistons.In 1997 he was charged with four misdemeanors for abusing a former girlfriend and sentenced to one year in prison.In 1990 he spent a month in jail for beating his then wife.He served that time in the off-season.In January of 2007,he was arrested on a variety of charges related to domestic violence.Now the sex ring operation,alledgedly.You can see the pattern of legal problems,namely domestic violence.If what has came out is true,he needs to be put away.I hate to wish the worse on anyone,but i hope he gets sexed up while he's locked up.With the legal pattern he's developed he deserves it.

I'm on the Brandon Jennings train

After another impressive early season performance,I'm officially on the Brandon Jennings train.The flashy,playmaking rookie point guard has made me a believer.The kid can flat out play as evidenced by his 55 point outburst against the Golden State Warriors last weekend.Last night he lit up the Charlotte Bobcats for 29.Those teams are far from the elite in the NBA,but it is against the best the world has to offer and he wasn't expected to do this.He won't make the Milwaukee Bucks contenders,but he makes them watchable.
   When he snubbed college for Italy,many were skeptical.It was a trailblazing decision,which had never been done.It seemed everyone predicted failure for Jennings for the fact he was far from home,playing with pros and not getting much playing time.I'll admit I was also skeptical.Instead its looking like it worked to his advantage.Jennings got a lot more practice time in Italy than he would've under the guidelines at Arizona. He didn't play much,but he used the time as a learning experience.He listened to the coaches instead of pouting and now its all paying off.I don't advocate this move for all high schoolers.I'm a fan of the college game and would love to se the top players there.But if college isn't your thing then maybe going overseas might be the best option.Jennings used this to become more acclimated to the pro game and lifestyle,and I'm glad to see he's doing well.Let's hope he keeps this up as I see him being one of the more entertaining players in the years to come.