January 31, 2006

Whatever And Amen

Last night marked the first Wolves game I've been to this season. It was also the first time this season I've been excited about going to a game and watching this team. The trade has definitely restored some of the excitement for me. After watching the games in Houston and San Antonio I began to feel it, that burn, that desire, that need to consume. I'm a basketball junkie, we all know that, and I've finally found some really great shit...

110 points is really nice to see, especially when it's your team doing it. Six guys in double figures, with all four of the new kids getting some(YEAH KIIIIID!!! GIT IT GIT IT!!). Wally and Kandi both got theirs too - Wally in the game, Kandi from the crowd.

One guy who really showed me why I like him was Marcus Banks. He was One Angry Dwarf last night. He certainly had something to prove against his old mates, most specifically, the coach who damned him to the bench. He was their nightmare little man, darting in and out of the porous Celtics defense. He scored a season high 20 points and dished out 6 assists, also a season high. He wore #3 and he reminded me a lot of another guy who wore the same number oh so many years ago. He attacked the basket, got to the free throw line and got the ball to guys in open spots.

Kandi and Mark Blount were talked about in a similar manner by their respective teams prior to the trade. Both were said to lack effort and focus which prevented them from reaching their potential. In the Battle Of Who Could Care Less, Kandi certainly showed he was the victor. He only played a handful of minutes, but only showed spark once, while he was trying to guard KG, who subsequently hit a 17-footer in his eye. While in the game he showed every bit as much effort as he did when he was a Timberwolf, walking lackadaisically back on defense and looking bored when the ball wasn't in his hands. The highlight though, was during timeouts, when there was some entertainment on the big board. Instead of paying attention to what Doc Rivers was telling his team, Kandi was watching the jumbotron or staring at his shoes. On the other side, Blount was making jumpers, skipping back up the court on defense, and chest bumping his teammates. I mean, I like Rockford files as much as the next guy, and I know it's not your thing to care but it isn't cool to be so bored. Not in the NBA, getting paid $6 million. If it makes you feel any better, go ahead and check out Song For The Dumped if it will make you feel better, but the boos were to be expected.

It was definitely weird to see Wally sporting green and white, but I'm glad I got to - meaning I'm happy for he and his wife that the delivery of their second child worked out. The near-standing ovation he got when he was announced was very cool, and how he greeted and interacted with his old teammates through out the game was also special. I'm a little sad he's not a Timberwolf anymore and I wish him success, but I'm glad McHale and Taylor made the move. Now we can rip out the binding and tear the glue, throw that chapter into the fire. Time will tell on how this team fair in the future, but at least now there's more than just Smoke in the air. There's excitement too.

I can only assume that Ben Folds was a basketball fan because, when it comes right down to it, that album certainly fit the game last night.

1 comment:

Trip Darvez said...

Yep, the Rockford Files rules.