Now That Jimmy Haslam Is Going To Be An Owner Of The Milwaukee Bucks I Just Have One Thing To Say To Their Fans: Good Luck

Joe Robbins. Getty Images.

Advertisement

I remember old timers in the media saying, "be careful what you wish for" when we would push for former Browns owner Randy Lerner to sell the team. Lerner was an absentee owner who was afraid of the camera and didn't give two shits about American football. He only kept the franchise because that's what his late father wanted. So when word came down that he was selling the team to a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, most of Cleveland (including myself) were ecstatic.

We didn't know a thing about Jimmy Haslam except he was rich and loved football. But it seems the old timers were right. At least so far.

Haslam's ownership tenure in Cleveland basically mirrors the quarterbacks his team has trotted out on the field. It has ranged from comically bad…

To controversial and embroiled in legal issues…

And then most recently he traded the foreseeable future of the franchise for a quarterback facing a litany of sexual assault claims in Deshaun Watson. No matter how you feel about Watson and his situation, there is no denying that Haslam put the franchise in a pretty precarious PR spot off the field. And if the trade doesn't work out, it's an even more precarious situation on the field.

Advertisement

But that is Haslam. A guy who is willing to do anything to win. Even if winning means his business allegedly scams mom and pop trucking companies out of fuel rebate money. 

He's not afraid to spend money and he's not afraid to cut corners. Haslam is a win at all costs kind of guy. Which is great in theory except one small thing: He doesn't do a ton of winning. 

Since taking over the Browns in 2012 he is 59-118 with just one winning season and a stretch of 1-31 football.

In 2019, he purchased the Columbus Crew. And while they did win the MLS Cup in 2020, they have missed the playoffs the other three years of his ownership tenure. 

So that brings me to the Milwaukee Bucks and their fans. Haslam won't flinch at covering the luxury tax bill headed the franchise's way. If there is one thing Jimmy knows how to do it's cut a check.

And this is extremely important at the moment for the Bucks since they are heading straight towards some tough and costly decisions.

ESPN - Milwaukee has also been willing to push well into the luxury tax in recent seasons to maintain a championship-caliber roster. The Bucks are projected to pay more than $70 million in luxury taxes this season, per ESPN's Bobby Marks, after adding Jae Crowder to their roster at the trade deadline earlier this month. Only the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers are slated to pay more.

The Bucks will have more financial decisions to make in the months ahead, with franchise tentpoles Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez both potentially hitting free agency this summer -- Middleton has a player option for next season -- and Jrue Holiday potentially able to hit free agency in the summer of 2024.

Daddy fat pockets laughs at a puny luxury tax bill.

And if all Jimmy and company were going to do was cut checks and cheer from an owners box I would say you guys are golden. But that's not the case. In fact, Jimmy is going to have complete control for a five-year window in the not so distant future. And based on his history of meddling and wanting to be known and the decision maker the last decade that should scare the shit out of Bucks fans.

Forbes - The construct of the deal is highly unusual. Specifically, Edens, the Bucks co-owner, would control the team for five years, after which the Haslams would run the Bucks for five years. The only other NBA team with a similar type of rotating control are the Philadelphia 76ers, where Josh Harris and David Blitzer exchange the top seat.

Jimmy knows how to make money and he knows how to spend money. These things come naturally to him. The stuff he struggles with - like hiring good people who are competent at their jobs, staying the fuck out of the way, sending the right message to the fanbase, honoring the team's legacy and tradition before he arrived - that's where he has fallen miserably short. 

Advertisement

I mean just look at this scoreboard shaped like his home state Tennessee in our stadium. It may seem silly to you but this was a huge slap in the face to people here. Using our tax money to build some strange ode to The Volunteer state. The balls on this fucking guy. 

I honestly don't know a single person who likes Jimmy Haslam in Cleveland, but I know quite a few who outwardly and openly hate him. 

And I'm not naïve. I know that if he wins a Super Bowl here he will be revered and loved forever. Because winning cures all. And when he showed up in Cleveland there wasn't much winning happening anyway. The bar was so low that if he was even slightly competent he'd be known as the best owner this team has had since the 1950s. 

But it's been so bad that it's tough to differentiate the damage Jimmy has done from the shit storm before him. Rubble and trash looks like rubble and trash no matter how you rearrange it.

But Milwaukee is in a much different spot. They have been NBA title contenders every year for the last five. They have a Larry O'Brien trophy and arguably the best player in the league. Which makes me wonder, how much damage can Jimmy Haslam do when there is actually something good already happening?

Well Milwaukee is about to find out the answer to that question. So good luck. If history is any indication you're going to need it.