Milwaukee: What is this salty discharge?

I thought Bucks were big, powerful animals. Brawny animals. Not this bunch.

The Milwaukee Bucks lost by 18 to the Detroit Pistons Sunday in Game One of the NBA Playoffs. The Pistons outworked the Bucks, they played with more physicality, and they showed more mental toughness -- as are the trademarks of most successful teams.

The Bucks' response, instead of bearing down and toughening up and practicing ways to counter the Pistons' aggressive play, seems to be to cry.

"Michael Redd was being held and grabbed a lot," Bucks coach Terry Stotts whined.

Charlie Bell complained of scratch marks on his stomach. He said his wife was wondering what had happened. Hey Mrs. Flintstone: It's part of the game.

Players do anything and everything to one another to gain an advantage. Yes, they hold and they grab and they scratch. They also tug, punch, break, strangle, elbow, kick, and gouge. Especially in the Playoffs.

To hear the Bucks whimper is to see an inexperienced playoff team at work. There's no way they will beat the Pistons in this series; they're too young, they're too weak, and they're not nearly assertive enough to dictate the tempo of more than a three-minute stretch.

To admit Detroit is a physical team will not rob the Bucks of their manhood, (however little of it exists). Everyone in the league knows that when they're playing the Pistons, they're in for some banging and bruising. I guess the Bucks just don't know how to deal with it.

My advice to them is to keep their mouths shut and grow a pair of you-know-whats to accompany those antlers. At least then this will be a series.