The Thursday Ten

Welcome friends to the innagural Thursday Ten, our weekly top ten list. This week, we rank the worst contracts in Wisconsin sports history. Think we missed someone, or ranked someone too low or too high, leave a comment and let us know. Now then, lets begin.

Honorable Mention
Michael Redd: Good player, not worth max money though.
Bill Hall: Big time money for a super-sub type player.
Nick Luchey: Paid him big money to unseat WIlliam Henderson and could never do it.
Dwayne Wade: Let me get this straight, for all that money Marquette payed him he only delivered one Final Four...and left early?

10. Eric Gagne
One year, $10 million. While this contract wasn't as bad as some others because it was only a one year deal, the production the Brewers got didn't match what they paid. Ad to it the fact that there was seemingly no market for Gagne when Doug Melvin brought him on board, and this is one of the worst contracts in Wisconsin sports history.

Culprit: Doug Melvin

9. KGB

Arguably the football equivalent of number 8 on the list, KGB was a talented one trick pony who was at his best when he wasn't a starter.

Fast forward to 2003, worried they may lose KGB to the Eagles who recently began to show interest, newly appointed GM Mike Sherman breaks the bank, giving KGB a huge multi-year deal. 7 years, $37.5 million. Of all the guys on this list, KGB arguably was the most productive on the list, but after signing for big money, his production tailed drastically.

Culprit: Mike Sherman

8. Tim Thomas

After breakout seasons in Milwaukee, Tim Thomas was one guy we couldn't afford to lose, right? Even Ray Allen once said "If he wanted to, Tim Thomas could be the best player in the league" WOW. Problem was, Thomas didn't want to, he only wanted to get paid. After his "Star is Born" 2000-2001 season, Thomas cashed in with a 6 year $66 million deal. He was the poster child of what was wrong with the Bucks. Too many selfish guys who were soft and shot way too much.

The Bucks invested way too much money in a guy who was on THEIR BENCH! Eventually, Thomas would be moved for Keith Van Horn (speaking of bad contracts) and bounce around from team to team (Knicks, Clippers, Suns, Bulls).

Culprit(s): Ernie Grunfeld and Tim Thomas

7. Bobby Simmons

Ahhh 2005, the "Summer of Larry" where Larry Harris went on a nice spending spree and dealt away Desmond Mason for Jamaal Magloire. Good times, Good times! Larry had his sights set on two guys, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bobby Simmons. After Reef turned him down and signed with the Nets (he would go on to suck as well), Larry settled on the NBA's most improved player, Bobby Simmons.

Simmons signed a 5 year $47 million deal with the Bucks. Epic Fail. Billed as a defensive stopper who could also take it to the basket and shoot, Simmons done none of the above. All he did was perfect the matador defense, miss shots, and get hurt.

Culprit: Larry Harris

6. Anthony Mason

Where oh where to begin with him. George Karl demanded the Bucks get this guy even though: no one else wanted him, he was on the downside of his career, he didn't fit their style of play, he became a fat turd. By virtue of a 4 year $21 million deal, Mason joined the team days before the start of the 2001 season and looked like he was some street bum who ate Anthony Mason. The acquisition of Mason came at the expense of Scott Williams, arguably the glue to that 2000-2001 team. Mason would be released two years later.

Culprit: George Karl

5. Cleditus Hunt

Another Mike Sherman specialty. Cleditus Hunt sucked so much he doesn't even have a wikipedia page, nor is there any mention anywhere on the internet of the specifics of his contract. The Packers must have contacted Al Gore and told him "Get Cleditus' stuff off this internet of yours"

Culprit: Mike Sherman

4. Jeff Suppan

As seems the case a lot, the guy with the richest deal in Brewers history at the time (4 years $42 million), turned out to be a turd (knock on wood Ryan Braun). The Brewers inked Soup on Christmas Eve of 2006. Fresh off his NLCS MVP performance, Suppan was brought in to be the Brewers second or third starter, provide veteran leadership and playoff experience. Instead the Brewers ended up overpaying for a fifth starter in the twilight of his career.

Pretty even exchange huh? The Brewers knew Suppan wasn't as good as his going rate would indicate, but needed pitching help, and more importantly needed to send the message they weren't the same old Brewers.

Culprit: Jeff Suppan

3. Dan Gadzuric

Larry Freaking Harris. 6 years, $36 million for a guy with career averages of 5.8 points per game, 5.9 boards per game, and 1.2 blocks per,,,sounds about right. After signing his huge deal in the glorious summer of 2005 (the Summer of Larry), Gadzuric has seen his games, minutes, points, rebounds, blocks...hell everything, go down in each of the past three seasons.

Culprit: Larry Harris

2. Joe Johnson

Fresh off a Pro-Bowl season in 2000-2001, Johnson signed a 6 year $33 million deal in the summer of 2002 . Johnson suffered a major knee injury in 1999 but bounced back to win the NFL's comeback player of the year award in 2000, and showed no cause for injury concern after that. That wouldn't be the case in Green Bay.

On June 9, 2004, after just two seasons in Green Bay, two seasons that saw Johnson play in only 11 games, Johnson was released by the Packers. In his 11 games, Johnson tallied 25 tackles and 2 sacks. Money well spent.

Culprit: Joe Johnson

1. Jeffrey Hammonds

On December 22, 2000, Hammonds signed the richest deal in Brewers team history (at the time), 3 years $21.75 million. Fresh off an All-Star appearance and a career year, Hammonds was thought to be the guy to help put Milwaukee back on the map.

Problem was, the Brewers (as they did in most cases) had to overpay for Hammonds just to get him to consider Milwaukee. This deal would be one of the final nails in the Dean Taylor coffin, who was a terrible talent evaluator at the major league level. How nobody could see his big numbers came from playing at Coors Field is beyond me. His career high numbers weren't even that great to begin with, and he had a history of injury problems.

Oh and did I mention they intended on playing him out of position (center field) and still had Marquise Grissom and his 2 years $10 million on the books?

Just months into his final season under contract in Milwaukee, Hammonds was released.

Culprit: Dean Taylor