The Big Ten conference couldn indeed be in for a surprise season this year. It's no longer the Greg Oden Conference, Alando Tucker and Chris Rock are no longer at Wisconsin, and there are three new head coaches at Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota. It seems as though the experts have decided that this will be a down year for the boys of the midwest except in Bloomington and East Lansing. It's hard to argue with them considering all the departures. One Big Ten All-Conference First teamer returns(Drew Neitzel, MSU), one second teamer(D.J. White, IU), one All-Freshmen teamer (Raymar Morgan, MSU), and none of the major individual award winners remain in the conference.
That leaves eight of the eleven teams with five or more freshmen on their roster, eight teams with three seniors or less, and six teams with both. That's much younger than the conference has been in the past.
What that means is that predicting who's going to finish where in the standing may be more difficult than in the past - to some extent. I think there are two tiers in the Big Ten this year: The top 6 and the bottom 5. Realistically there are only four teams that have legitimate shots at making the big dance in March, assuming everything goes the way it's supposed to.
Michigan State is the cream of the crop this season, returning All-Conference first team point guard, and a pre-season candidate for conference player of the year, Drew Neitzel. Sophomore Raymar Morgan is primed to build on his solid freshman season. You can never count out a team coached by Tom Izzo either, they always seem to be there in the end.
Indiana is right there with the Spartans as well due to the return of their own conference player of the year candidate D.J. White. He'll have some more help this season in form of freshman sensation Eric Gordon who was a top prospect out of high school, mentioned in the same sentences as O.J. Mayo and Derrick Rose. Expect good things from the Hoosiers this year.
The team that I think is flying under the radar right now is Ohio State. Yes they lost their trio of special freshmen to the NBA but they're bringing in four new youngsters that should be able to fill in atleast some of the void left by Oden, Conley, and Cook. Remember these names: Kosta Koufos and Jon Diebler. Koufos was the U-18 Euro tourney MVP and the runner up to Diebler for Mr. Basketball in Ohio. They should both play prominant roles immediately. Dallas Lauderdale and Evan Turner are the other two freshmen that should contribute, but maybe not right away.
Wisconsin is the last team in the Big Ten that I believe has a shot at playing in March. Losing Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor will hurt, but the development of Brian Butch and Michael Flowers should help ease that pain. A decent freshman class and coach Bo Ryan should be able to put together a good enough season to get them to the Big Dance and finish in the top 5 in the Big Ten.
Purdue and Illinois should round out the top 6 in a weaker Big Ten than in the past due to decent recruiting classes and well balanced rosters.
Michigan and Minnesota are two of the three teams that have new coaches this season (Iowa being the other) so it's hard to say what's going to happen with those two teams. Michigan lost it's four top scorers from a year ago and are learning a complex, new system under new head coach John Beilein. They had a "disappointing" 22 win season last year and probably won't get off to a great start this season, making it hard to match the totals from last year. I think this team will be dangerous come the Big Ten tournament because they'll have gotten a grasp on a system that is very hard to defend and could make a surprise, Iowa-like run from a couple years ago, to steal a spot in the big dance.
As for Minnesota, they have nowhere to go but up. Just like Michigan they had a disappointing 22 win season - 22 wins for their opponents. They're one of the older teams in the conference and probably one of the least talented. But that's just what new head coach Tubby Smith wants you to think. They may not play much better this year but they'll play much harder and I think we'll see more than we thought we were going to out of the senior trio of Spencer Tollackson, Dan Coleman, and Lawrence Mckenzie. They won't make the dance and are probably a long shot for the NIT as well, but with Tubby on the bench we should expect nothing but better-than-last-year.
Iowa's best players (Tyler Smith, Adam Huluska) transferred to Tennessee and went to the NBA. They have some decent young talent and a hungry coach but they're two years away from being much of anything. Northwestern will spoil someone's Big Ten season but do nothing otherwise, and Penn State will be Penn State - which is to say not that good.
1. Michigan State 13-3
2. Indiana 12-4
3. Ohio State 11-5
4. Wisconsin 11-5
5. Purdue 9-7
6. Illinois 9-7
7. Michigan 8-8
8. Minnesota 8-8
9. Iowa 6-10
10. Penn State 4-12
11. Northwestern 2-14
All Conference Team
Drew Neitzel
Eric Gordon
Brian Butch
D.J. White
Kosta Koufos
Player of the Year: D.J. White
Freshman of the Year: Eric Gordon
Defensive Player of the Year: Kosta Koufos
Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith
November 9, 2007
November 8, 2007
Blueberry Pancakes
Everyone loves them. And everyone's a winner a Putt-Putt. And right now, surrounded by pickets, fog, and the usual...the Clip Ship is 4-0. I should be happy, but...We've been here before. You take wins where you can get them and steal others. When life is hard in March, you need these November wins. Hell, get them under the radar. As this photo indicates, a match-up of undefeated teams this soon doesn't draw a lot of interest - even in Indiana.
A little over 10 years ago, the Clippers started the season in a similar fashion, and ended up with a big WEOMP for the season summary. This team is usually a failure, so it's only a matter of time, right?
The injuries, big and small, continue to pile up. And yet...gotta get these wins. It would seem to me, with a franchise such as this, you're not being pessimistic by thinking this way. It happens at some point during the season, so it takes an able mind to be prepared.
But...4-0. A fine start. Come Friday, another undefeated team, another measuring stick. Ghetto meets Ghetto. Come prepared.
November 7, 2007
Free Woes
I certainly hope this trend changes, but the Wolves have given away all three games at the free throw line. They've outrebounded two of their three opponents and are only averaging 13 turnovers per game, which is quite good considering the teams youth. But the fouls and the free throw disparity is attrocious. They've attempted 54 freethrows compared to their opponents 121, and have been outscored there 89-38.
Versus Denver the Wolves were 14/19 compared to the Nuggets 28/38. They were outscored at the free throw line by 14 and lost the game by 8.
Against Orlando they were 18/15 to the Magic's 31/44. They lost the game by 8 while being outscored at the line by 13.
And to top it off, the game against the Knicks was glaringly bad. The Wolves were 6/10 compared to 30/39. They lost by 4 and got crushed at the free throw line by 24. If that difference is even a third, the Wolves win that game.
I know that they're young - and the officials know it - so they're not going to get the calls, they're going to make mistakes, and they may not be aggressive at the right times, but that has to change if they want to win any games. They've been in all three games this year, so it's the little things that are going to make a difference. Randy Foye should help get their free throw attempts up because he likes to go to the basket so hopefully he'll rub off on the rest of the team.
Versus Denver the Wolves were 14/19 compared to the Nuggets 28/38. They were outscored at the free throw line by 14 and lost the game by 8.
Against Orlando they were 18/15 to the Magic's 31/44. They lost the game by 8 while being outscored at the line by 13.
And to top it off, the game against the Knicks was glaringly bad. The Wolves were 6/10 compared to 30/39. They lost by 4 and got crushed at the free throw line by 24. If that difference is even a third, the Wolves win that game.
I know that they're young - and the officials know it - so they're not going to get the calls, they're going to make mistakes, and they may not be aggressive at the right times, but that has to change if they want to win any games. They've been in all three games this year, so it's the little things that are going to make a difference. Randy Foye should help get their free throw attempts up because he likes to go to the basket so hopefully he'll rub off on the rest of the team.
November 6, 2007
College Basketball And The 2008 NBA Draft
I know, I know, neither hoops season is very far along, but with our boys off to an 0-2 start and expectations extremely low, I've decided to keep an eye on some players in the college game that could end up wearing white, black, and blue next season. Hopefully I'll do this periodically but I can't promise anything.
Michael Beasley, F 6-9 235 Freshman, Kansas State
In an exhibition game against Not-really-a-college-state Beasley put up an impressive line of 35 points, 15 rebounds, 6 steals, 4 assists, and 4 blocks. Not bad. The most impressive part of that line? He did that in only 28 minutes. K-State pulled a bit of a coup just to get this kid - rated #2 behind OJ Mayo - to Mahattan, let alone keep him after Huggy-bear dipped to West Virginia. He alone has them in the top-25 and he'll have every opportunity to keep them there - or atleast close anyways. I expect him to have a Kevin Durant/Carmelo Anthony type of season individually, but probably not quite the team success those two had. All I can say is, if you haven't seen this kid play yet, make sure to watch any K-State game you can because you'll be watching something special. Of course you could probably just wait til next year and watch him in the NBA.
Derrick Rose, G 6-4 195 Freshman, Memphis
This kid has been, and will continue to be, splashed all over everywhere. Partially because he was the #3 rated recruit behind OJ Mayo, they play a similar game, and his team is ranked #3 in the country with a solid shot at a title in March. As far as his game, he didn't disappoint against We're-not-good-university putting up 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. He did all that in 25 minutes and he only had 1 turnover. I think OJ Mayo may have a better season individually but I think Rose will help lead his team in meeting many of the expectations people hold for the Tigers. I expect him to have a college career similar to that of Stephon Marbury: He'll break your ankles, taunt you, then bury a big three in a big game, on his way to the NBA. That's where the comparisons to Starbury end though. This kid will be special.
Michael Beasley, F 6-9 235 Freshman, Kansas State
In an exhibition game against Not-really-a-college-state Beasley put up an impressive line of 35 points, 15 rebounds, 6 steals, 4 assists, and 4 blocks. Not bad. The most impressive part of that line? He did that in only 28 minutes. K-State pulled a bit of a coup just to get this kid - rated #2 behind OJ Mayo - to Mahattan, let alone keep him after Huggy-bear dipped to West Virginia. He alone has them in the top-25 and he'll have every opportunity to keep them there - or atleast close anyways. I expect him to have a Kevin Durant/Carmelo Anthony type of season individually, but probably not quite the team success those two had. All I can say is, if you haven't seen this kid play yet, make sure to watch any K-State game you can because you'll be watching something special. Of course you could probably just wait til next year and watch him in the NBA.
Derrick Rose, G 6-4 195 Freshman, Memphis
This kid has been, and will continue to be, splashed all over everywhere. Partially because he was the #3 rated recruit behind OJ Mayo, they play a similar game, and his team is ranked #3 in the country with a solid shot at a title in March. As far as his game, he didn't disappoint against We're-not-good-university putting up 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. He did all that in 25 minutes and he only had 1 turnover. I think OJ Mayo may have a better season individually but I think Rose will help lead his team in meeting many of the expectations people hold for the Tigers. I expect him to have a college career similar to that of Stephon Marbury: He'll break your ankles, taunt you, then bury a big three in a big game, on his way to the NBA. That's where the comparisons to Starbury end though. This kid will be special.
November 2, 2007
So Our Final Conclusion Has Been Permitted, Punks Made Us A Target And Knew That We'd Hit It
Big Al, Foye, McCants, and the season opens tonight.
The roller coaster just took off.
We embark on a season of uncertainty and potential, one judged not by overall record but whether the players live up to expectations and projections. Will Al get 20 a game? Can he rebound 12? Can the team give up less than a hundred points a game? If these goals are achieved, the record will speak for itself.
The truly fun thing about this season is that every pundit in the entire American basketball world has picked the Wolves to finish dead last in the league. I've seen predictions of as low as 15 wins. On the other side, there are only a handful of teams with guaranteed successful seasons looming (San Antonio, Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix, etc) Nearly every other team has a bunch of question marks, and their projected record is based on what might happen and what their fans expect. Even the Celtics, who were drastically improved by our deceased GM, still have a wholly incompetent coach running the show, and are liable to duck out in the first round to Orlando. Cleveland fans just hope to holy hell that they can get into the playoffs and have LeBron take over. That uncertainty, that awful feeling of being just good enough to run with the pack, is missing from this Wolves team.
Look, we can sit here and try to pretty this thing up, but the fact is that the Wolves are a pretty garbage team and the odds of them simply making the playoffs are almost a thousand to one. It's really never happened before - that a team this young and inexperienced has even had a winning record. So I'm not saying this as some sort of defense mechanism in order to convey a pessimist view. It's the honest truth. They're not good. I'm fully expecting a shellacking at the hands of the Nugs tonight.
But if Al scores 25 and grabs 13? I'm not going to be disappointed at all.
Game on.
The roller coaster just took off.
We embark on a season of uncertainty and potential, one judged not by overall record but whether the players live up to expectations and projections. Will Al get 20 a game? Can he rebound 12? Can the team give up less than a hundred points a game? If these goals are achieved, the record will speak for itself.
The truly fun thing about this season is that every pundit in the entire American basketball world has picked the Wolves to finish dead last in the league. I've seen predictions of as low as 15 wins. On the other side, there are only a handful of teams with guaranteed successful seasons looming (San Antonio, Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix, etc) Nearly every other team has a bunch of question marks, and their projected record is based on what might happen and what their fans expect. Even the Celtics, who were drastically improved by our deceased GM, still have a wholly incompetent coach running the show, and are liable to duck out in the first round to Orlando. Cleveland fans just hope to holy hell that they can get into the playoffs and have LeBron take over. That uncertainty, that awful feeling of being just good enough to run with the pack, is missing from this Wolves team.
Look, we can sit here and try to pretty this thing up, but the fact is that the Wolves are a pretty garbage team and the odds of them simply making the playoffs are almost a thousand to one. It's really never happened before - that a team this young and inexperienced has even had a winning record. So I'm not saying this as some sort of defense mechanism in order to convey a pessimist view. It's the honest truth. They're not good. I'm fully expecting a shellacking at the hands of the Nugs tonight.
But if Al scores 25 and grabs 13? I'm not going to be disappointed at all.
Game on.
October 30, 2007
It Has Begun
I write this as I sit in class, checking the boxscore of the Blazers-Spurs game. I didn't think I'd be this excited to see the actual beginning of the NBA season.
Thank God you're here!
Thank God you're here!
October 29, 2007
Where I Come From, Gettin' Visual Is Habitual
This is how you make up.
Eventually, after it has all collapsed upon itself, you realize that you're still alive and that death is no closer than it was, or ever will be. You breathe. You breathe again. And you lift your head to see a black cloud descended upon everything around you.
But you're alive, and even though you may wish you were dead, you're still here.
I guess with any traumatic experience, simple time and routine will overcome all. It's how we can keep going right on down through the generations. It's how we can live to struggle another day, against impossible odds, and for what? For procreation? I'd rather chop off a toe than have a child. For success? That train left long ago, and I lacked a ticket. For some fading dream, some sun-dappled beach like a mirage? I've been there, and I came back to this hell hole for a reason.
No, we keep going because it's built in. We have no other choice.
So when I say things like I'm going to be giving up the game of basketball after 20-some years of fandom, well, that's just the hate talking.
Time and Routine, that's the way to conquer trauma. And getting rid of Mark Blunt.
Yes, dear readers, I am now - finally - ready to talk about the KG trade, the offseason, and the future of this franchise. The hate will bubble to the surface like white-hot magma occasionally, but that's simple laws of thermodynamics in action. Nothing I can control. I'll try to keep it in check.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll say once again that I don't think we can accurately compare KG being traded to any other trade that's ever happened in sports history. There is no model for KG, and there is certainly no model for what a fanbase felt about him throughout his time here. As such, I can't project what is going to happen specifically, but I think there are some theories worth revisiting.
First, the idea that trading KG was beneficial at this stage in his career. Well, I tend towards a fairly simple theory regarding basketball, and that is that one player is very important, and his production is almost never equaled by two players who make up half of his stats. For example, if you have a guy who scores 20 and grabs 14 boards - like, oh, say, the guy who represented the Wolves in the all-star game 11 seasons in a row - trading for two guys who each score 10 and grab 7 isn't going to equal out. The law being simple mathematics that 1/5 does not equal 2/5. People either see this or they don't. I'm of the belief that in trading a great player like KG, you need to leverage him into a player that either is capable of getting those numbers now, or a pick for a guy that eventually will get you to those numbers. Trading a superstar for pieces never works, unless that is the implied intent of the team trading the star. An example of that would be Shaq being traded from LA.... the Lakers knew they weren't going to get anything close to his production, and the fact is that they didn't WANT it. They wanted complimentary guys for Kobe. As such, they were ripped off in the deal.
As I see it, the only player capable of putting up KG's numbers in the trade is Al Jefferson, and the odds of that happening are about 1 in a hundred. Good he may be, but KG-level? No. Almost nobody is, or is going to be for some time.
OK, so then we revisit the trade theory. You can't get back anyone capable of putting up his numbers (I don't think Duncan was on the block) and there's no draft picks for guys who are going to put up his numbers (both of the top picks don't project to be as good, stats-wise, as KG). So tell me again why he was traded?
The payroll theory is convenient, but it lacks teeth. This isn't baseball, where signing a guy to a retarded contract actually can impede your ability to compete (see: Rangers, Texas). The NBA teams all operate under the same cap, and they almost all have max guys and complimentary players. If anything, it's easier to work within the NBA system because you don't have to decide on guys that are really good. If someone is up to KG's level - hell if someone's up to Paul Pierce's level - you sign them to a max deal every time their contract is up and it's done. You keep them forever. They have the Larry Bird clause FOR GUYS EXACTLY LIKE KG. They practically wrote it for him.
You don't trade your top dog and then start rebuilding, because eventually you end up taking as much salary on as you traded away. You give away KG, but over the course of the summer you get guys like Juwan Howard and Theo Ratliff... guys who nearly add up to KG's money by themselves.
No, we all know the truth, he was traded because our GM is totally incompetent. That is not a surprise.
But that's over now, we don't need to go further into that. We're here because like everything else, we have to just keep going, play the hand we're dealt, and for christ's sake, have fun with it. If we're not having fun with this, why would we even follow the team? There has to be fun with this situation, right? Even in the face of total despair, there has to be something to hold our interest, right?
Fortunately, yes, there is.
In the wake of the KG trade, we find ourselves free of the following scumbags:
1. Troy Hudson (BANG OUT!)
2. Mark Blunt (I saw him try a grand total of TWICE in his entire tenure with the Wolves)
3. Mike James (Not his fault he's the most boring athlete in the state)
The only anchor swinging from the neck is Marko, and almost every team out there has a Marko on their team. Hell, they even bought Old Man Howard out, trimming the active roster down to its youngest ever.
There is a sense of optimism watching these young guys, and seeing if they can actually come together. The beauty of this thing (yes, it's true, I said it) is that the expectations have been completely blown up. 15 wins? Sure! That'd be great! A couple of guys flat out quitting basketball during the season? We've seen that before! Have you seen footage of Spree in 05? If the young guys even put together 3 wins in a row it's going to feel like 1991 in the Metrodome.
I like Al Jeff. Lost in the shuffle of this whole thing is the fact that, yes, for the very first time in all of Timberwolves history, it's true, we have a big man who can work in the paint. We thought we had it in Blunt. Wrong choice. Al Jeff is the real deal down low. I can't wait to see him in a live game. Just an up and under, for the love of god, just one, and it makes the trade worth it.
Ryan Gomes is built like a tank, as is Randy Foye and Greg Buckner. Gerald Green is a freak. Let's not forget McCants, who could surprise. And of course there are draft picks. By shedding the horrible contracts listed above, and ridding themselves of Buckets, the team has at least committed to allowing the youth to battle for position, and good things could come from that. Nothing is guaranteed, we're flying sans wings, wild rockets without radar, hell bent on movement and nothing else.
--------------------------------------------------
And of course, there is the curious case of Antoine Walker.
To say that he doesn't fit on this team is foolish: nobody fits on this team, and so everyone does. Our coach is Randy Fuck Wittman, for lord's sake. He couldn't coach me and Dave one on one down at Fire Station. The GM could make any move at any time, however illogical it is. He has the complete confidence of the failure owner, who has watched his investment decay like the arena that they play in. The fan base would rather watch the state high school hockey tournament than sit courtside (that's not a joke). Nothing fits here, there is no canvas.
I don't see why he can't be a productive member of this team. He can score, rebound, he's good with the ball. It seems as though every problem that he has had revolves around him not wanting to ever let anyone else on his team score. Well, welcome to Minnesota! If you can shoot the ball into the basket, you can take as many as you want. After 2 years of Buckets, we're sufficiently beaten down when it comes to selfish shooters.
And from a contract perspective, he makes a lot more sense than Buckets. He has an extra year, yes, but it's for more money, making it even more attractive next year. Look, this year swims in the sewers, so there's no need to pretend we're going to turn Ricky into anything but a low-level talent at the trade deadline who will probably end up hoisting them up for the Atlanta Krunk next year. By getting a guy like Antoine, you have two options:
1. He sucks the life out of your team and sulks for two years.
A distinct possibility, seeing as how we're looking at a 20 win season this year and possibly next. This option carries less gravity now, though, because he can't possibly pull this team down with his negativity. You think Randy Foye is going to get down on himself because Antoine is sulking at the end of the bench? BOTH HIS PARENTS WERE DEAD BY THE TIME HE WAS 6. I think he'll pull through.
2. He actually produces something, anything, there-by skyrocketing his value (expiring contract + production = a good draft pick/package from Spurs or Pistons). A team looking to make a push would love a guy like that - someone who is going to produce as they go into the playoffs, and that they hold a TEAM OPTION for in the offseason, so they can adequately judge his talent and decide whether to keep him. They would give up the goods to get a guy like that.
Even if he goes out this year and breaks his crotch, his contract value would be greater than his trade value, so you just hold on to him and in the summer of 09, you've got 10 extra million to play with. It's a win no matter how you slice it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There's something liberating in attaching yourself to a team bound for the floor, something stimulating about a team that couldn't fail its way out of a paper bag. If the time was 3 years ago and we were a Sam Cassell back injury away from the Finals, then... fine. So what? We had our shot, took it, and I don't regret it. All the pain doesn't erase what we felt then, so why not hook this horse back up and see where it takes us?
They gave away the only good thing to ever happen to this team, and they got back spare parts who one day might form into something that resembles a basketball team. The sun sets on everyone, we can't stop it. We can't change this team, but we can come along for the ride. We don't have to invest a damn thing, we just have to remind ourselves to have fun and look for the bright side. Never trust McFail, never defend him, never forget KG.
But never give up.
Eventually, after it has all collapsed upon itself, you realize that you're still alive and that death is no closer than it was, or ever will be. You breathe. You breathe again. And you lift your head to see a black cloud descended upon everything around you.
But you're alive, and even though you may wish you were dead, you're still here.
I guess with any traumatic experience, simple time and routine will overcome all. It's how we can keep going right on down through the generations. It's how we can live to struggle another day, against impossible odds, and for what? For procreation? I'd rather chop off a toe than have a child. For success? That train left long ago, and I lacked a ticket. For some fading dream, some sun-dappled beach like a mirage? I've been there, and I came back to this hell hole for a reason.
No, we keep going because it's built in. We have no other choice.
So when I say things like I'm going to be giving up the game of basketball after 20-some years of fandom, well, that's just the hate talking.
Time and Routine, that's the way to conquer trauma. And getting rid of Mark Blunt.
Yes, dear readers, I am now - finally - ready to talk about the KG trade, the offseason, and the future of this franchise. The hate will bubble to the surface like white-hot magma occasionally, but that's simple laws of thermodynamics in action. Nothing I can control. I'll try to keep it in check.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll say once again that I don't think we can accurately compare KG being traded to any other trade that's ever happened in sports history. There is no model for KG, and there is certainly no model for what a fanbase felt about him throughout his time here. As such, I can't project what is going to happen specifically, but I think there are some theories worth revisiting.
First, the idea that trading KG was beneficial at this stage in his career. Well, I tend towards a fairly simple theory regarding basketball, and that is that one player is very important, and his production is almost never equaled by two players who make up half of his stats. For example, if you have a guy who scores 20 and grabs 14 boards - like, oh, say, the guy who represented the Wolves in the all-star game 11 seasons in a row - trading for two guys who each score 10 and grab 7 isn't going to equal out. The law being simple mathematics that 1/5 does not equal 2/5. People either see this or they don't. I'm of the belief that in trading a great player like KG, you need to leverage him into a player that either is capable of getting those numbers now, or a pick for a guy that eventually will get you to those numbers. Trading a superstar for pieces never works, unless that is the implied intent of the team trading the star. An example of that would be Shaq being traded from LA.... the Lakers knew they weren't going to get anything close to his production, and the fact is that they didn't WANT it. They wanted complimentary guys for Kobe. As such, they were ripped off in the deal.
As I see it, the only player capable of putting up KG's numbers in the trade is Al Jefferson, and the odds of that happening are about 1 in a hundred. Good he may be, but KG-level? No. Almost nobody is, or is going to be for some time.
OK, so then we revisit the trade theory. You can't get back anyone capable of putting up his numbers (I don't think Duncan was on the block) and there's no draft picks for guys who are going to put up his numbers (both of the top picks don't project to be as good, stats-wise, as KG). So tell me again why he was traded?
The payroll theory is convenient, but it lacks teeth. This isn't baseball, where signing a guy to a retarded contract actually can impede your ability to compete (see: Rangers, Texas). The NBA teams all operate under the same cap, and they almost all have max guys and complimentary players. If anything, it's easier to work within the NBA system because you don't have to decide on guys that are really good. If someone is up to KG's level - hell if someone's up to Paul Pierce's level - you sign them to a max deal every time their contract is up and it's done. You keep them forever. They have the Larry Bird clause FOR GUYS EXACTLY LIKE KG. They practically wrote it for him.
You don't trade your top dog and then start rebuilding, because eventually you end up taking as much salary on as you traded away. You give away KG, but over the course of the summer you get guys like Juwan Howard and Theo Ratliff... guys who nearly add up to KG's money by themselves.
No, we all know the truth, he was traded because our GM is totally incompetent. That is not a surprise.
But that's over now, we don't need to go further into that. We're here because like everything else, we have to just keep going, play the hand we're dealt, and for christ's sake, have fun with it. If we're not having fun with this, why would we even follow the team? There has to be fun with this situation, right? Even in the face of total despair, there has to be something to hold our interest, right?
Fortunately, yes, there is.
In the wake of the KG trade, we find ourselves free of the following scumbags:
1. Troy Hudson (BANG OUT!)
2. Mark Blunt (I saw him try a grand total of TWICE in his entire tenure with the Wolves)
3. Mike James (Not his fault he's the most boring athlete in the state)
The only anchor swinging from the neck is Marko, and almost every team out there has a Marko on their team. Hell, they even bought Old Man Howard out, trimming the active roster down to its youngest ever.
There is a sense of optimism watching these young guys, and seeing if they can actually come together. The beauty of this thing (yes, it's true, I said it) is that the expectations have been completely blown up. 15 wins? Sure! That'd be great! A couple of guys flat out quitting basketball during the season? We've seen that before! Have you seen footage of Spree in 05? If the young guys even put together 3 wins in a row it's going to feel like 1991 in the Metrodome.
I like Al Jeff. Lost in the shuffle of this whole thing is the fact that, yes, for the very first time in all of Timberwolves history, it's true, we have a big man who can work in the paint. We thought we had it in Blunt. Wrong choice. Al Jeff is the real deal down low. I can't wait to see him in a live game. Just an up and under, for the love of god, just one, and it makes the trade worth it.
Ryan Gomes is built like a tank, as is Randy Foye and Greg Buckner. Gerald Green is a freak. Let's not forget McCants, who could surprise. And of course there are draft picks. By shedding the horrible contracts listed above, and ridding themselves of Buckets, the team has at least committed to allowing the youth to battle for position, and good things could come from that. Nothing is guaranteed, we're flying sans wings, wild rockets without radar, hell bent on movement and nothing else.
--------------------------------------------------
And of course, there is the curious case of Antoine Walker.
To say that he doesn't fit on this team is foolish: nobody fits on this team, and so everyone does. Our coach is Randy Fuck Wittman, for lord's sake. He couldn't coach me and Dave one on one down at Fire Station. The GM could make any move at any time, however illogical it is. He has the complete confidence of the failure owner, who has watched his investment decay like the arena that they play in. The fan base would rather watch the state high school hockey tournament than sit courtside (that's not a joke). Nothing fits here, there is no canvas.
I don't see why he can't be a productive member of this team. He can score, rebound, he's good with the ball. It seems as though every problem that he has had revolves around him not wanting to ever let anyone else on his team score. Well, welcome to Minnesota! If you can shoot the ball into the basket, you can take as many as you want. After 2 years of Buckets, we're sufficiently beaten down when it comes to selfish shooters.
And from a contract perspective, he makes a lot more sense than Buckets. He has an extra year, yes, but it's for more money, making it even more attractive next year. Look, this year swims in the sewers, so there's no need to pretend we're going to turn Ricky into anything but a low-level talent at the trade deadline who will probably end up hoisting them up for the Atlanta Krunk next year. By getting a guy like Antoine, you have two options:
1. He sucks the life out of your team and sulks for two years.
A distinct possibility, seeing as how we're looking at a 20 win season this year and possibly next. This option carries less gravity now, though, because he can't possibly pull this team down with his negativity. You think Randy Foye is going to get down on himself because Antoine is sulking at the end of the bench? BOTH HIS PARENTS WERE DEAD BY THE TIME HE WAS 6. I think he'll pull through.
2. He actually produces something, anything, there-by skyrocketing his value (expiring contract + production = a good draft pick/package from Spurs or Pistons). A team looking to make a push would love a guy like that - someone who is going to produce as they go into the playoffs, and that they hold a TEAM OPTION for in the offseason, so they can adequately judge his talent and decide whether to keep him. They would give up the goods to get a guy like that.
Even if he goes out this year and breaks his crotch, his contract value would be greater than his trade value, so you just hold on to him and in the summer of 09, you've got 10 extra million to play with. It's a win no matter how you slice it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There's something liberating in attaching yourself to a team bound for the floor, something stimulating about a team that couldn't fail its way out of a paper bag. If the time was 3 years ago and we were a Sam Cassell back injury away from the Finals, then... fine. So what? We had our shot, took it, and I don't regret it. All the pain doesn't erase what we felt then, so why not hook this horse back up and see where it takes us?
They gave away the only good thing to ever happen to this team, and they got back spare parts who one day might form into something that resembles a basketball team. The sun sets on everyone, we can't stop it. We can't change this team, but we can come along for the ride. We don't have to invest a damn thing, we just have to remind ourselves to have fun and look for the bright side. Never trust McFail, never defend him, never forget KG.
But never give up.
More On: Sebastian Telfair
He certainly wasn't the worst 13th overall pick in the last 10 years of the NBA draft(Marcus Banks, Courtney Alexander) and we all know he wasn't the best either(Kobe Bryant, Corey Maggette). So where does that leave the little point guard that could from Brooklyn, NY? It's hard to say.
As far as skills go, he's got the speed, quickness, and physical abilities that most good point guards possess. He certainly has the confidence to play the position and he's shown flashes of that game so highly hyped coming out of highschool. But for every physical skill he has, there seems to be an equal part missing from the metal aspect of his game. But it's not his on-court game that concerns me the most. It's his off-court attitude.
As far as Bassy goes, strictly on the basketball court, he's a nice change of pace guard who, still very young, has some potential to become more of an impact player. His attitude is stunting his growth as a player and will negatively affect a young team. I can't say he negatively affected Portland because there were so many cancerous players there, but he certainly didn't pick up any good habits "growing up" on that team. I don't want that on my team. I don't need a guy who trys to take guns onto airplanes without letting security know, when it's made very clear that that specific action is a crime. And this coming after he's already been in trouble relating to having unregisted guns. I don't want a guy who's role model growing up was Stephon Marbury.
Can people change? Sure they can, I am a firm believer in that. Is it hard? Unlikely? Absolutely. I know people who've been to jail, for a large part of their lives, who come out shouting to the world that they've changed but continue to make the sames types of decisions that landed them in prison in the first place. So what's to say a highly paid, high profile athlete is going to be any different? Hopefully seeing what is an opportunity to have a solid NBA career, to do what you love, and make millions doing it - what everyone dreams of.
I don't wish anything bad on Telfair and, for all I know, he's a really nice guy who does a lot of great things that don't show up in the paper or on the internet. I hope that he does. All I see is the attitude that seems to follow him wherever he goes and that's something I don't want on my team. I hope he can turn himself around - I really do - because I do think he has the skills to be an NBA-caliber point guard, and that is something this franchise needs right now.
So, while Bassy is here, I will cheer for his success, but don't expect me to be quiet when - okay, if - he gets arrested for making bad decisions. Again.
As far as skills go, he's got the speed, quickness, and physical abilities that most good point guards possess. He certainly has the confidence to play the position and he's shown flashes of that game so highly hyped coming out of highschool. But for every physical skill he has, there seems to be an equal part missing from the metal aspect of his game. But it's not his on-court game that concerns me the most. It's his off-court attitude.
As far as Bassy goes, strictly on the basketball court, he's a nice change of pace guard who, still very young, has some potential to become more of an impact player. His attitude is stunting his growth as a player and will negatively affect a young team. I can't say he negatively affected Portland because there were so many cancerous players there, but he certainly didn't pick up any good habits "growing up" on that team. I don't want that on my team. I don't need a guy who trys to take guns onto airplanes without letting security know, when it's made very clear that that specific action is a crime. And this coming after he's already been in trouble relating to having unregisted guns. I don't want a guy who's role model growing up was Stephon Marbury.
Can people change? Sure they can, I am a firm believer in that. Is it hard? Unlikely? Absolutely. I know people who've been to jail, for a large part of their lives, who come out shouting to the world that they've changed but continue to make the sames types of decisions that landed them in prison in the first place. So what's to say a highly paid, high profile athlete is going to be any different? Hopefully seeing what is an opportunity to have a solid NBA career, to do what you love, and make millions doing it - what everyone dreams of.
I don't wish anything bad on Telfair and, for all I know, he's a really nice guy who does a lot of great things that don't show up in the paper or on the internet. I hope that he does. All I see is the attitude that seems to follow him wherever he goes and that's something I don't want on my team. I hope he can turn himself around - I really do - because I do think he has the skills to be an NBA-caliber point guard, and that is something this franchise needs right now.
So, while Bassy is here, I will cheer for his success, but don't expect me to be quiet when - okay, if - he gets arrested for making bad decisions. Again.
October 17, 2007
Hey Witt, Point Guard Is An Important Position...
I don't think he gets it.
I'm fairly certain he doesn't understand.
He started Marko Jaric at point guard the other night because Randy and Bassy were hurt. Okay, that's fine, I get it, both your lead guards are hurt so you have to go with the best option. Then he said Marko played OK. What? 3 assists and 5 turnovers is not OK for a starting point guard in the NBA. Then, to make matters worse, he actually called Marko a point guard. Don't feed his already fragile psychy with utter lies - just because you tell me I'm rich doesn't make it true.
Marko is infact NOT A POINT GUARD. He never has been, he never will be. It's time, Randy, to make sure he knows that. To take that further, the Guy Who Brings Guns Into Airports shouldn't be your backup point guard. He should be fired. So that leaves us with zero true point guards on this team. Not one. Foye is close, but he's in the mold of a poor mans D-Wade. Why wouldn't you make a move for a starting lead guard? They have three in Seattle, one of which I bet they'd be willing to let go of. Hey Delonte, you wanna play with your old mates? Even a guy like Mike Wilks makes sense. They need a veteran playmaker on the bench atleast, otherwise we're just a poor man's Atlanta Hawks.
I'm fairly certain he doesn't understand.
He started Marko Jaric at point guard the other night because Randy and Bassy were hurt. Okay, that's fine, I get it, both your lead guards are hurt so you have to go with the best option. Then he said Marko played OK. What? 3 assists and 5 turnovers is not OK for a starting point guard in the NBA. Then, to make matters worse, he actually called Marko a point guard. Don't feed his already fragile psychy with utter lies - just because you tell me I'm rich doesn't make it true.
Marko is infact NOT A POINT GUARD. He never has been, he never will be. It's time, Randy, to make sure he knows that. To take that further, the Guy Who Brings Guns Into Airports shouldn't be your backup point guard. He should be fired. So that leaves us with zero true point guards on this team. Not one. Foye is close, but he's in the mold of a poor mans D-Wade. Why wouldn't you make a move for a starting lead guard? They have three in Seattle, one of which I bet they'd be willing to let go of. Hey Delonte, you wanna play with your old mates? Even a guy like Mike Wilks makes sense. They need a veteran playmaker on the bench atleast, otherwise we're just a poor man's Atlanta Hawks.
October 10, 2007
So When I Drink A Brew For You I Pour Some On The Block Son, You Might Be Gone But You Damn Sure Ain't Forgotton
Here's what this feels like:
Basketball has been bludgeoned. What was once one of the most exciting times of the year to me is filled with hollow days as I avoid all information. I see news reports of KG in Boston gear, and it sickens me. I see a picture of Telfair in a Wolves jersey and I honestly give up. It burns inside of me, gassing what little enjoyment I got from this sport.
I can't find myself being a fan of the NBA anymore.
I tried, honest to god, I tried. I tried to look at the rosters of who is going to be making noise this year, getting behind the Warriors, checking out Durant, waiting for the inevitable Knicks collapse. These things used to be very very fun for me. Once upon a time I considered myself a student of the NBA and I liked to think that I came at it from a rare approach... I tried to evaluate moves that a franchise made based entirely outside of any media pressure or hack philosophy. I tried to trust my eyes to tell me what was happening in a game and in a season, instead of reading headlines and talking points. And I think for the most part I was successful. I cultivated a love for the game that kept me connected and constantly entertained.
But I had no idea how much I loved KG.
See, I always sang his praises. ALWAYS. You never saw me post anything about the Wolves as a team without mentioning that he is the greatest there ever was. So I don't feel like he slipped by without acknowledgment. On the contrary, we all probably hyped him too much, in the end.
Now he's gone, and there's this huge hole, a gigantic festering sore that keeps consuming my love of the NBA. I hate the Wolves, refuse to acknowledge their existence, want the owner, GM, coach and nearly every player besides Mad Dog and Foye to go away and never ever ever come back. I want the team to leave. I want Target Center to only do concerts and Lynx games. I want basketball to collapse upon itself in this state, memories of Ticket and George Mikan flushed down the toilet.
Look, the bottom line is this trade was unprecedented in sports history. Possibly, the only thing that can come close to it is Gretzky. Moves made for different reasons, sure, but similar in that they both involved a small market who thought that that guy was "their guy" getting traded to a huge city where he would be another in a long line of heroes.
Let me try to explain what KG was to me, and maybe this is true for a lot of Wolves fans:
KG was, for the honest to god first time, a true hero that didn't grow up here, yet was utterly committed to the team, the fans and the city. We haven't had that in this area since Kirby Puckett. Speaking of that comparison, I put KG a tad higher than Kirby in the hero category because Kirby, before the 1993 season, basically had completely committed to signing with Boston before the Twins reeled him back in at the last hour. Also, Kirby was never forced out. The reason he wanted to go to Boston was that they simply had more money and a slightly better-run franchise (remember this was pre-Terry Ryan). It was a choice of home being pretty cool, but the other team being even better. KG is much different.
Back on point, simply put, he was ours. KG was ours. There was only one of him in the entire NBA, the entire world, and he belonged here. He wore the Timberwolves jersey into every stadium in the land, and once said that he "bleeds blue and green". How can you possibly repay that kind of devotion? Well, we as fans gave our screams and yells for everything he ever did. We applauded him unconditionally in times of good and bad. We worshiped him as he deserved. It was so reciprocal it downright felt magical sometimes. In this state, we've been conditioned somewhat to be wary of superstars and successful teams. I think it's rooted somewhere in our upbringing of just being naturally skeptical people. Garrison Keillor could put it a lot better than I could, but I think there's something about the midwest that just says "Easy now, let's see what happens before we make any judgments". Also, the strong religious sense that people have around here contributes to the feeling that eventually, everything is going to go catastrophically wrong, and you better hope you have your sins in order when it does. So no, we don't usually have the opportunity to worship the career of such a great hero, and when we do, in some corner of our mind, we always wait for the other shoe to drop.
But again, I can't say it enough, KG was different.
There was never any question that he wanted to be here. NONE. He never said he wanted to leave, he never hinted that he might be happier playing somewhere else, and even as he was put through the absolute wringer by his incompetent coaches and GM, he still professed his desire to stay here and build back up the house that he had created.
Then, in one swift move of total incompetence, the GM panicked and traded him away for garbage.
It was like he died. In ways, that would've been easier. I would've had a model for what to feel. This feels so wrong, so completely backwards, that I don't know how to act or how to move forward. I'm so confused by it all, that Kevin Fucking McHale would have the power to make me feel like this.
The worst thing, the absolute kicker, is that KG didn't want to go. He didn't cry at the press conference like Gretzky, but he didn't want to go. I know this. I know it like I know that I didn't want him to go. If it was up to him, he would stay here and play until he was 50, building up a great franchise by himself. Oh, I'm sure he was consulted beforehand. He had to, in order to waive his no-trade clause. But that is completely understandable. Hey, I don't want to leave my girlfriend, but if she comes to me and tells me that she doesn't want me around anymore, I'm going to want to at least go somewhere nice. It's not like I'm going to retire, or stay with someone that doesn't want me.
The fire consumes whatever is around it, and soon, not only can I not watch the Wolves, but I can't watch the Celtics, because it hurts too much just to SEE him. And then I can't even see old pictures of him in Wolves garb. And then I can't even watch a basketball game because I am reminded of how he played. And then I can't even look at a fucking roster because I JUST DON'T CARE.
It's a stupid world that exists where this happens. It's a stupid world where I let it affect me so much, where one man who I don't even know can ruin 20-odd years of following a great sport.
I cheered like hell for Michael and Scottie in the 90s, and then we got our own Michael. And I cheered even louder for him.
Epictetus believed, rightly so, I suppose, that all you can ever control is what your reactions to events will be, as you cannot control the events themselves. All you can do is retreat to within yourself and govern your thoughts accordingly. We can't get KG back. He's gone and he's not coming back, besides maybe signing a one day contract in 10 years to retire as a Wolf. And maybe he goes into the hall of fame wearing the green and blue. Probably. And that's great, and I've got great memories, and nothing can take those away. But I have to control what I feel. I have to control how I react. And my reaction is withdrawal. It is not letting this team or this league exert any more influence over me for a long time.
But I can't get back into the game right now. It's dead to me, gone. It flew east and landed at Logan, bringing championship hopes to a town that needs no more media coverage. And I hope Boston wins, honestly I do. I hope KG hoists the trophy, he deserves it. He deserves everything he's ever received, and I hope he continues to dominate well into the late stages of his career. Believe that.
But I don't like the NBA anymore. It smells bad, the whole thing reeks. Maybe I'll come around, maybe seeing him in person with the Celtics jersey on will fix it, maybe I'll accept this as part of rooting for a loser franchise.
But not yet. For now, I'm out.
Basketball has been bludgeoned. What was once one of the most exciting times of the year to me is filled with hollow days as I avoid all information. I see news reports of KG in Boston gear, and it sickens me. I see a picture of Telfair in a Wolves jersey and I honestly give up. It burns inside of me, gassing what little enjoyment I got from this sport.
I can't find myself being a fan of the NBA anymore.
I tried, honest to god, I tried. I tried to look at the rosters of who is going to be making noise this year, getting behind the Warriors, checking out Durant, waiting for the inevitable Knicks collapse. These things used to be very very fun for me. Once upon a time I considered myself a student of the NBA and I liked to think that I came at it from a rare approach... I tried to evaluate moves that a franchise made based entirely outside of any media pressure or hack philosophy. I tried to trust my eyes to tell me what was happening in a game and in a season, instead of reading headlines and talking points. And I think for the most part I was successful. I cultivated a love for the game that kept me connected and constantly entertained.
But I had no idea how much I loved KG.
See, I always sang his praises. ALWAYS. You never saw me post anything about the Wolves as a team without mentioning that he is the greatest there ever was. So I don't feel like he slipped by without acknowledgment. On the contrary, we all probably hyped him too much, in the end.
Now he's gone, and there's this huge hole, a gigantic festering sore that keeps consuming my love of the NBA. I hate the Wolves, refuse to acknowledge their existence, want the owner, GM, coach and nearly every player besides Mad Dog and Foye to go away and never ever ever come back. I want the team to leave. I want Target Center to only do concerts and Lynx games. I want basketball to collapse upon itself in this state, memories of Ticket and George Mikan flushed down the toilet.
Look, the bottom line is this trade was unprecedented in sports history. Possibly, the only thing that can come close to it is Gretzky. Moves made for different reasons, sure, but similar in that they both involved a small market who thought that that guy was "their guy" getting traded to a huge city where he would be another in a long line of heroes.
Let me try to explain what KG was to me, and maybe this is true for a lot of Wolves fans:
KG was, for the honest to god first time, a true hero that didn't grow up here, yet was utterly committed to the team, the fans and the city. We haven't had that in this area since Kirby Puckett. Speaking of that comparison, I put KG a tad higher than Kirby in the hero category because Kirby, before the 1993 season, basically had completely committed to signing with Boston before the Twins reeled him back in at the last hour. Also, Kirby was never forced out. The reason he wanted to go to Boston was that they simply had more money and a slightly better-run franchise (remember this was pre-Terry Ryan). It was a choice of home being pretty cool, but the other team being even better. KG is much different.
Back on point, simply put, he was ours. KG was ours. There was only one of him in the entire NBA, the entire world, and he belonged here. He wore the Timberwolves jersey into every stadium in the land, and once said that he "bleeds blue and green". How can you possibly repay that kind of devotion? Well, we as fans gave our screams and yells for everything he ever did. We applauded him unconditionally in times of good and bad. We worshiped him as he deserved. It was so reciprocal it downright felt magical sometimes. In this state, we've been conditioned somewhat to be wary of superstars and successful teams. I think it's rooted somewhere in our upbringing of just being naturally skeptical people. Garrison Keillor could put it a lot better than I could, but I think there's something about the midwest that just says "Easy now, let's see what happens before we make any judgments". Also, the strong religious sense that people have around here contributes to the feeling that eventually, everything is going to go catastrophically wrong, and you better hope you have your sins in order when it does. So no, we don't usually have the opportunity to worship the career of such a great hero, and when we do, in some corner of our mind, we always wait for the other shoe to drop.
But again, I can't say it enough, KG was different.
There was never any question that he wanted to be here. NONE. He never said he wanted to leave, he never hinted that he might be happier playing somewhere else, and even as he was put through the absolute wringer by his incompetent coaches and GM, he still professed his desire to stay here and build back up the house that he had created.
Then, in one swift move of total incompetence, the GM panicked and traded him away for garbage.
It was like he died. In ways, that would've been easier. I would've had a model for what to feel. This feels so wrong, so completely backwards, that I don't know how to act or how to move forward. I'm so confused by it all, that Kevin Fucking McHale would have the power to make me feel like this.
The worst thing, the absolute kicker, is that KG didn't want to go. He didn't cry at the press conference like Gretzky, but he didn't want to go. I know this. I know it like I know that I didn't want him to go. If it was up to him, he would stay here and play until he was 50, building up a great franchise by himself. Oh, I'm sure he was consulted beforehand. He had to, in order to waive his no-trade clause. But that is completely understandable. Hey, I don't want to leave my girlfriend, but if she comes to me and tells me that she doesn't want me around anymore, I'm going to want to at least go somewhere nice. It's not like I'm going to retire, or stay with someone that doesn't want me.
The fire consumes whatever is around it, and soon, not only can I not watch the Wolves, but I can't watch the Celtics, because it hurts too much just to SEE him. And then I can't even see old pictures of him in Wolves garb. And then I can't even watch a basketball game because I am reminded of how he played. And then I can't even look at a fucking roster because I JUST DON'T CARE.
It's a stupid world that exists where this happens. It's a stupid world where I let it affect me so much, where one man who I don't even know can ruin 20-odd years of following a great sport.
I cheered like hell for Michael and Scottie in the 90s, and then we got our own Michael. And I cheered even louder for him.
Epictetus believed, rightly so, I suppose, that all you can ever control is what your reactions to events will be, as you cannot control the events themselves. All you can do is retreat to within yourself and govern your thoughts accordingly. We can't get KG back. He's gone and he's not coming back, besides maybe signing a one day contract in 10 years to retire as a Wolf. And maybe he goes into the hall of fame wearing the green and blue. Probably. And that's great, and I've got great memories, and nothing can take those away. But I have to control what I feel. I have to control how I react. And my reaction is withdrawal. It is not letting this team or this league exert any more influence over me for a long time.
But I can't get back into the game right now. It's dead to me, gone. It flew east and landed at Logan, bringing championship hopes to a town that needs no more media coverage. And I hope Boston wins, honestly I do. I hope KG hoists the trophy, he deserves it. He deserves everything he's ever received, and I hope he continues to dominate well into the late stages of his career. Believe that.
But I don't like the NBA anymore. It smells bad, the whole thing reeks. Maybe I'll come around, maybe seeing him in person with the Celtics jersey on will fix it, maybe I'll accept this as part of rooting for a loser franchise.
But not yet. For now, I'm out.
September 28, 2007
This Is Going To Be Frustrating...
I read an interview with Wolves head coach Randy Wittman and wasn't surprised by what he said. It sounds the same coming out of every coaches mouth when they're in charge of a bad team. You know what it sounds like? We're aiming REALLY low. Which is fine because I don't expect anything at all. But it's not what you want out of a head coach. You don't want the guy saying he's looking forward to being a teacher. You want him talking about winning, and winning ASAP. He's preaching patience when he should be riding the 'Play Hard, Win Now' train into camp. Starting the season with a bunch of excuses is not a good way to start. What kind of confindence are you instilling in your team? I know, as a player, I would have a hard time following a guy who's making excuses instead of just expectations. It's why he didn't work out in Cleveland. It's why he won't work out here. So, in response to the last question asked, no Mark, you're not the guy. Sorry.
September 25, 2007
And To Think I Almost Forgot...
This is the type of person we have on our team.
This is the type of player Kevin McHale "covets."
This is the type of player Kevin McHale "covets."
September 5, 2007
It's just the "old" days
There's the good old days...the bad old days...even the old gold days. But sometime the past is just the past. On my television screen is an image that is supposedly a Christmas tree. Keith Jackson's deep-fried tones come in and say "All of us at ABC sports wish you a Merry Christmas for this NBA game." And my world is altered almost immediately. It's 1970 and...
We have the Phoenix Suns
We have the Phoenix Suns
- Connie Hawkins
- CLEM HASKINS
- Paul Silas
- We're playing in the "Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum"
- There's apparently a live band somewhere in the stands, with an active drummer
We have the Atlanta Hawks
- Wearing those Blue and Green uniforms
- THE PISTOL
- Gopher star Lou Hudson
The NBA was entering an era of "shit." I'm not using that word as a negative assessment of play...it's a direct quote from many a professional basketball player in the coming decade. The ABA will continue to make inroads. The NBA gets swankier. Enforcers will rule the day. Fights-a-plenty.
But forget about that for a moment, and let's take in some Keith quotes from this game.
"You give Maravich room and he'll burn ya."
"Remember, following this ballgame, the North/South Shrine Football CLASSIC at the Orange Bowl."
"Well, this...is just careless." (Keith on a turnover)
"Here's Clem Haskins, who's been a dandy."
"The attendance, 10,136 and they're all yellin' right now."
"Hustlin' Clem Haskins gets the bucket."
Isn't this strange? Actually, it shouldn't be: the announcer doing his job, insight added but not overdone, and you're left to enjoy the game. Who on this earth would televise a pro game THAT way?
August 22, 2007
You Know You Have It Bad When...
There are MULTIPLE articles on your official team website dealing specifically with the dance team tryouts. NOT the actual dance team. TRYOUTS. Yeah. I don't mean to rip the dance team and it's members, but it's sad when, as a professional BASKETBALL franchise, you have nothing more exciting to cover than the various tryouts for your cheerleading squad.
Standing on the precipice.
Falling.
Backwards.
Standing on the precipice.
Falling.
Backwards.
Eddie Griffin Is Dead
The guy was a total mental case who couldn't make a good decision to save his life, but it's still sad to see a 25-year old die. He didn't punch fans or shove kids into lockers and, when he did screw up, he offered to buy the vicitm a car - but not a Bentley. There's not much to say, but here's a look at an old blog.
You'll be missed Eddie Griff
You'll be missed Eddie Griff
August 3, 2007
Another Among Many
Because of the magnitude of losing KG I find myself constantly coming back to it in my mind - even in the wake of the 35w bridge collapse, which also weighs heavy on my mind. The more I think about it, the more my thoughts change and develop and I begin to process the event and what it means for me as both a Timberwolves fan and a KG fan - it's sad that those two are no longer one in the same. On one hand I feel betrayed by the Wolves organization for the bad trades and free agent signings and for not being able to do what Boston has now done - assuming that doesn't go the same way the Sam and Spree experiment went. From the Joe Smith deal to the Jaric trade, it has been one bumbling decision after another by Kevin McHale and Glen Taylor that has led us up to where we are now. I think all of us understood KG's remarks with regards to loyalty and the organization during his press conference(pt. 1, 2, 3). You can only hold on for so long when seeing drastically different paths and time tables for very similar goals.
It's like any great relationship - when it goes wrong, it hurts. A lot. But, looking at it in that regard, in every relationship, when you know both parties, who do you follow? Can you be friends with both? It's a hard thing to consider, especially when you feel one party acted inappropriately. But what if the dumper has been your friend for 17 years? Sure, you've known the dumpee for 12, but 17 years is a long time. Is it fair for me to abandon an old friend? Just because he/she made a decision I don't agree with? No, I don't think it is. But that's the question we all have to answer, as Timberwolves fans, with regards to the trade of KG.
It's like any great relationship - when it goes wrong, it hurts. A lot. But, looking at it in that regard, in every relationship, when you know both parties, who do you follow? Can you be friends with both? It's a hard thing to consider, especially when you feel one party acted inappropriately. But what if the dumper has been your friend for 17 years? Sure, you've known the dumpee for 12, but 17 years is a long time. Is it fair for me to abandon an old friend? Just because he/she made a decision I don't agree with? No, I don't think it is. But that's the question we all have to answer, as Timberwolves fans, with regards to the trade of KG.
August 1, 2007
Things Come Full Circle And We're Back Where We Began
Remember the 1991 season? I remember being so excited for that year. We had just taken Luc Longley, an athletic big man who starred for Australia and then at New Mexico. We had drafted an athletic leaper from Slippery Rock who was tagged “the next Jordan.” Doug West and Pooh Richardson, with a couple years experience under their belts, were showing signs of becoming good players. We had a new coach who wasn’t afraid of playing the younger guys and a couple of savvy veterans in Ty Corbin and Tony Campell to bring it all together. We were a young up and coming team who might, just might, contend for a playoff spot in a fairly weak Western Conference.
Or so I thought….
In the first two months of the season the team suffered through losing streak of 6 and 9 games. Ty Corbin was traded two weeks into the season and Myron Brown was waived after 21 games – only playing in four of those games. They won back-to-back games once, losing 20 games of 24 games to start the season. They finished a 6 game losing streak in January and lost a franchise worst 11 straight later that month, winning 5 and losing 19. They followed that up with a new franchise worst 16-game losing streak spanning the entire month of March. Somehow they managed to win 3 games in a row to begin April, but dumped the next seven, stumbling to a 15-67 record.
This was the second season I was a ball boy for the team and definitely one of the toughest. To watch a team full of guys who want to win but just don’t have the talent to do so was painful to watch. Six losing streaks of six games or more, with two double-digit streaks is hard to be around. The day that 16-game losing streak ended was the highlight of the season. When the end of something bad is the best thing that happens, you know you’re in a bad place. The hope of a franchise in its infancy, coming off an unlikely 29-win season, with a lottery pick and a couple young, developing players, brought crashing down by a winning percentage lower than the Mendoza line.
Take all the pain and suffering endured through that full season, cram it all into a 72-hour period, and that’s where we stand now.
It started with a large portion of T-Wolves nation relieved that the KG trade talks had gone quiet and Glen Taylor stated that he would prefer not to deal The Big Ticket. Randy Foye and Craig Smith, two young players who made a place for themselves in the league last season and rookie Corey Brewer bringing a winning attitude to the Land of 10,000 Lakes was catching on with fans. Hope that KG would embrace his role as teacher and leader and be able to possibly take them back to the playoffs, was growing. The chance that maybe Glen Taylor and Co. could pull off a couple of deals and make the Wolves a little more relevant, seeming more like a possibility – the Mike James deal being the precursor to other deals.
And then the rumors began. Again.
The first time around, I didn’t really believe that the Wolves would trade KG. The rumors about Phoenix, the Lakers, and the Warriors never really seemed like they were anything more than that. And after his agent came out and said he would not sign an extension if he were sent to Boston, the only scenario that seemed to have any steam behind it, I thought the possibility of starting the season without KG was dead. But when the talks resumed, even though they were saying the same kinds of things, the way they were said, they had a different feel to them. That was the first time I had any real fear that KG may no longer be a Timber wolf. At first it was only Mark Stein and I wasn’t too worried, because he likes to jump the gun. But then the other sports websites began reporting that a deal had been put on the table and it was being discussed. I knew then it was over. I held out hope that McHale and Ainge, two of the worst executives in the NBA, would some how screw this up, but I didn’t really believe the deal wouldn’t happen – they’re too good of pals.
So once again, we’re sitting on the brink of the 1992 season. We’ve got a great number of young, developing players, a promising big man, a fairly new coach, and a number of veteran role players. This time around, instead of Doug West, Pooh Richardson, and Christian Laettner, it’s Randy Foye, Corey Brewer, and Al Jefferson. And instead of Jimmy Rodgers, it’s Randy Wittman. We didn’t get Shaq or Zo but we didn’t have to give up our draft pick either.
I believe this season will play out much like the 1992 season. Randy Wittman will not coach the whole year, most everyone will be miserable because of all the losing which won’t help team chemistry at all. There will be infighting and another handful of multi-game losing streaks. The last game of the season will be our chance to reach the 20-win plateau. But we won’t get there. And we’ll be rewarded with another trip to the lottery, fortunate that we weren’t good enough to be required to send our pick to the Clippers.
It’s going to be another five years before the Wolves are relevant again and a lot of that depends on whether or not Kevin McHale is allowed to attempt this rebuild of the team. He had 12 years to build a team around a franchise player and it resulted in one good run into the playoffs followed by 3 disappointing seasons and finally, the exit of said franchise player. I don’t want to wait another 10 years for a shot at a title and I don’t have faith that McHale has learned from his mistakes or that he can make the changes and decisions necessary to build a contender. I know on this blog, we harp on the fact that McHale needs to be fired, but I just don’t see how it seems feasible to keep him on the job now that his team has come full circle. The fans are against him even more now that he’s traded away the only reason to pay any attention to this franchise – who also had lost faith in him.
I want to keep going on this but I can’t, I haven’t the strength to keep this up. Kevin Garnett will be missed here in ‘Sota and the Celts will be fun to watch, but it’s going to be hard to keep cheering for the franchise who won’t get rid of the only person left responsible for all of the shortcomings of the last decade. I’m going to try and get through it, but until McHale is gone, it’s going to be hard.
Or so I thought….
In the first two months of the season the team suffered through losing streak of 6 and 9 games. Ty Corbin was traded two weeks into the season and Myron Brown was waived after 21 games – only playing in four of those games. They won back-to-back games once, losing 20 games of 24 games to start the season. They finished a 6 game losing streak in January and lost a franchise worst 11 straight later that month, winning 5 and losing 19. They followed that up with a new franchise worst 16-game losing streak spanning the entire month of March. Somehow they managed to win 3 games in a row to begin April, but dumped the next seven, stumbling to a 15-67 record.
This was the second season I was a ball boy for the team and definitely one of the toughest. To watch a team full of guys who want to win but just don’t have the talent to do so was painful to watch. Six losing streaks of six games or more, with two double-digit streaks is hard to be around. The day that 16-game losing streak ended was the highlight of the season. When the end of something bad is the best thing that happens, you know you’re in a bad place. The hope of a franchise in its infancy, coming off an unlikely 29-win season, with a lottery pick and a couple young, developing players, brought crashing down by a winning percentage lower than the Mendoza line.
Take all the pain and suffering endured through that full season, cram it all into a 72-hour period, and that’s where we stand now.
It started with a large portion of T-Wolves nation relieved that the KG trade talks had gone quiet and Glen Taylor stated that he would prefer not to deal The Big Ticket. Randy Foye and Craig Smith, two young players who made a place for themselves in the league last season and rookie Corey Brewer bringing a winning attitude to the Land of 10,000 Lakes was catching on with fans. Hope that KG would embrace his role as teacher and leader and be able to possibly take them back to the playoffs, was growing. The chance that maybe Glen Taylor and Co. could pull off a couple of deals and make the Wolves a little more relevant, seeming more like a possibility – the Mike James deal being the precursor to other deals.
And then the rumors began. Again.
The first time around, I didn’t really believe that the Wolves would trade KG. The rumors about Phoenix, the Lakers, and the Warriors never really seemed like they were anything more than that. And after his agent came out and said he would not sign an extension if he were sent to Boston, the only scenario that seemed to have any steam behind it, I thought the possibility of starting the season without KG was dead. But when the talks resumed, even though they were saying the same kinds of things, the way they were said, they had a different feel to them. That was the first time I had any real fear that KG may no longer be a Timber wolf. At first it was only Mark Stein and I wasn’t too worried, because he likes to jump the gun. But then the other sports websites began reporting that a deal had been put on the table and it was being discussed. I knew then it was over. I held out hope that McHale and Ainge, two of the worst executives in the NBA, would some how screw this up, but I didn’t really believe the deal wouldn’t happen – they’re too good of pals.
So once again, we’re sitting on the brink of the 1992 season. We’ve got a great number of young, developing players, a promising big man, a fairly new coach, and a number of veteran role players. This time around, instead of Doug West, Pooh Richardson, and Christian Laettner, it’s Randy Foye, Corey Brewer, and Al Jefferson. And instead of Jimmy Rodgers, it’s Randy Wittman. We didn’t get Shaq or Zo but we didn’t have to give up our draft pick either.
I believe this season will play out much like the 1992 season. Randy Wittman will not coach the whole year, most everyone will be miserable because of all the losing which won’t help team chemistry at all. There will be infighting and another handful of multi-game losing streaks. The last game of the season will be our chance to reach the 20-win plateau. But we won’t get there. And we’ll be rewarded with another trip to the lottery, fortunate that we weren’t good enough to be required to send our pick to the Clippers.
It’s going to be another five years before the Wolves are relevant again and a lot of that depends on whether or not Kevin McHale is allowed to attempt this rebuild of the team. He had 12 years to build a team around a franchise player and it resulted in one good run into the playoffs followed by 3 disappointing seasons and finally, the exit of said franchise player. I don’t want to wait another 10 years for a shot at a title and I don’t have faith that McHale has learned from his mistakes or that he can make the changes and decisions necessary to build a contender. I know on this blog, we harp on the fact that McHale needs to be fired, but I just don’t see how it seems feasible to keep him on the job now that his team has come full circle. The fans are against him even more now that he’s traded away the only reason to pay any attention to this franchise – who also had lost faith in him.
I want to keep going on this but I can’t, I haven’t the strength to keep this up. Kevin Garnett will be missed here in ‘Sota and the Celts will be fun to watch, but it’s going to be hard to keep cheering for the franchise who won’t get rid of the only person left responsible for all of the shortcomings of the last decade. I’m going to try and get through it, but until McHale is gone, it’s going to be hard.
July 31, 2007
Is That Alright, To Give My Gun Away When It's Loaded?
He gave the franchise away, passed it east like a rising sun, handed our memories to a group of fans who have no idea what they are in for. He sold our past, mortgaged our future, destroyed our present. We don't know why he's so incompetent, why he is allowed to continue, why he doesn't just try harder at his job. The frustration has now extended to a full-scale hatred, a seething burn spreading through every synapse.
I'm done with it.
The Wolves will continue to play basketball, that much is obvious. They'll even be in Minnesota for at least a few more years. But I won't be with them. I won't support a team run by a cretin, someone who performed the most despicable act that you can do to a fanbase.
Don't anybody compare this to anything that's ever happened before. Never has there existed a man as loyal and endearing as KG was to us. Don't say Vince, don't say Shaq, don't say Kobe. If you think this is Barkley, or AI, then you just don't know Minnesota. You don't know basketball around here.
I was there in 04 when he stood on the scorer's table, soaking in a wave of frenzy that had been 8 years coming. I watched him after Webber clanged the three ball, after Anthony Peeler had punched him, after Peja had ripped our hearts out. I watched him take the All-Star MVP, I watched him accept the NBA MVP. I watched him on Killborn with Sam and Spree. I bought his rookie draft card just to put it above the TV when the Wolves played. His armband was used to cover our microphone during recording sessions for a rap album. I saw him turn away Shawn Marion, dagger Darius Miles, shove Duncan to the floor, and cheer like never before for Marc Jackson's free throws in L.A. I watched him win 15 of the 17 regular season games I went to during 03-04, and every single time you couldn't even hear his name being announced. It was like that last season too. It will be like that in Boston.
Kirby's gone. KG took his place in the realm of true sports hero. Now that he's gone, I have nothing left. I cannot trust this team ever again. I cannot support them. They have done the unthinkable, the despicable, the horrible. Honestly, I don't know how any of you can go on either.
They traded away my hero. They traded away the best athlete in Minnesota sports history.
What else is there to say?
I'm done with it.
The Wolves will continue to play basketball, that much is obvious. They'll even be in Minnesota for at least a few more years. But I won't be with them. I won't support a team run by a cretin, someone who performed the most despicable act that you can do to a fanbase.
Don't anybody compare this to anything that's ever happened before. Never has there existed a man as loyal and endearing as KG was to us. Don't say Vince, don't say Shaq, don't say Kobe. If you think this is Barkley, or AI, then you just don't know Minnesota. You don't know basketball around here.
I was there in 04 when he stood on the scorer's table, soaking in a wave of frenzy that had been 8 years coming. I watched him after Webber clanged the three ball, after Anthony Peeler had punched him, after Peja had ripped our hearts out. I watched him take the All-Star MVP, I watched him accept the NBA MVP. I watched him on Killborn with Sam and Spree. I bought his rookie draft card just to put it above the TV when the Wolves played. His armband was used to cover our microphone during recording sessions for a rap album. I saw him turn away Shawn Marion, dagger Darius Miles, shove Duncan to the floor, and cheer like never before for Marc Jackson's free throws in L.A. I watched him win 15 of the 17 regular season games I went to during 03-04, and every single time you couldn't even hear his name being announced. It was like that last season too. It will be like that in Boston.
Kirby's gone. KG took his place in the realm of true sports hero. Now that he's gone, I have nothing left. I cannot trust this team ever again. I cannot support them. They have done the unthinkable, the despicable, the horrible. Honestly, I don't know how any of you can go on either.
They traded away my hero. They traded away the best athlete in Minnesota sports history.
What else is there to say?
I Think I'll Disappear Now
Anger, rage running like a current, full and complete thoughts as crystal as a mirror, full expression follows.
Everything that transpired was according to Deadzo's design. He's degraded KG ever since the failed Sam and Spree experiment. Glen Taylor has done the same thing. They have been pissing in the fans' faces for over 10 years. They took a man who wanted nothing more with his life than to play basketball for one team for his entire career and build the strongest connection between fan and player of all time, they took this man and dumped him for ABSOLUTE FUCKING GARBAGE.
They are failures. They are complete and total failures. Deadzo fired a great coach, passed on innumerable deals during the last year of Spree's contract (one that would have brought Baron Davis) and sat on his fucking hands for 2 years while the rest of the NBA got WAY better.
This franchise used to be the laughingstock of the NBA. They flailed aimlessly during the draft (Hey everyone, Felton Spencer!), failed beyond recognition at the free agent market (Oh my god, we landed Thurl Bailey), and hired coaches better trained to fill coffee cups at IHOP.
And then along came KG.
Suddenly, within 3 years, we were in the playoffs. And then we were getting better. And then it was a 4 seed. And then it was a 1 seed. And then it was the conference finals. Against all odds, we took the Lakers to 6 with 2 and a half of the MV3. Since then, it's been a crash and burn like never before.
The trees can't grow without the sun in their eyes, and we can't live if we're too afraid to die.
I am not a hockey fan. I can't claim to follow the sport with any amount of gusto, although I enjoy it, to be sure. When the North Stars flew south, I can't claim to have wanted Norm Green to become deceased.
You hockey fans out there know what I'm talking about. I'm with you now. You can't embrace the Wild, and I'll never embrace the New Wolves.
Sure, yes, fine. Something will probably come along and restore faith. The natural cycle dictates that eventually the Wolves will be relevent again. I accept that another star will come along, and bring us forward into glory again.
But I can't do it anymore. I can't do anything but hate Deadzo more than any other sports figure of all my life. I have to sit here, miles above the earth, and burn with hatred, with such a nervous negative energy that I might smash this goddamned laptop. I have to suck it up, say goodnight, and get raging drunk. There's nothing else to do, no other direction. I have to unplug, and let the Wolves slip away from my life.
Everything that transpired was according to Deadzo's design. He's degraded KG ever since the failed Sam and Spree experiment. Glen Taylor has done the same thing. They have been pissing in the fans' faces for over 10 years. They took a man who wanted nothing more with his life than to play basketball for one team for his entire career and build the strongest connection between fan and player of all time, they took this man and dumped him for ABSOLUTE FUCKING GARBAGE.
They are failures. They are complete and total failures. Deadzo fired a great coach, passed on innumerable deals during the last year of Spree's contract (one that would have brought Baron Davis) and sat on his fucking hands for 2 years while the rest of the NBA got WAY better.
This franchise used to be the laughingstock of the NBA. They flailed aimlessly during the draft (Hey everyone, Felton Spencer!), failed beyond recognition at the free agent market (Oh my god, we landed Thurl Bailey), and hired coaches better trained to fill coffee cups at IHOP.
And then along came KG.
Suddenly, within 3 years, we were in the playoffs. And then we were getting better. And then it was a 4 seed. And then it was a 1 seed. And then it was the conference finals. Against all odds, we took the Lakers to 6 with 2 and a half of the MV3. Since then, it's been a crash and burn like never before.
The trees can't grow without the sun in their eyes, and we can't live if we're too afraid to die.
I am not a hockey fan. I can't claim to follow the sport with any amount of gusto, although I enjoy it, to be sure. When the North Stars flew south, I can't claim to have wanted Norm Green to become deceased.
You hockey fans out there know what I'm talking about. I'm with you now. You can't embrace the Wild, and I'll never embrace the New Wolves.
Sure, yes, fine. Something will probably come along and restore faith. The natural cycle dictates that eventually the Wolves will be relevent again. I accept that another star will come along, and bring us forward into glory again.
But I can't do it anymore. I can't do anything but hate Deadzo more than any other sports figure of all my life. I have to sit here, miles above the earth, and burn with hatred, with such a nervous negative energy that I might smash this goddamned laptop. I have to suck it up, say goodnight, and get raging drunk. There's nothing else to do, no other direction. I have to unplug, and let the Wolves slip away from my life.
A Letter From Glen Taylor
Dear _______,
I write to you today with some momentous news. Earlier today, we decided to fundamentally change the direction of our team and trade Kevin Garnett. We acquired Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two first-round draft picks from Boston. We're excited about the new players that we have acquired and the potential that the new draft picks represent.
As with any great change, I am filled with mixed emotions. Sadness in seeing our franchise player depart but also great excitement in what the future holds. Our team is definitely young, but also extremely talented. Our core group of Randy Foye, Craig Smith, Rashad McCants, 2007 NBA Draft picks Corey Brewer and Chris Richard and the newly acquired players plus two future first-round picks have me energized about our long-term future.
Yes, I'll miss Kevin Garnett. For 12 years Kevin has been the face of our franchise. We have all watched him grow and mature from "The Kid" into "The Big Ticket" right before our very eyes. I appreciate everything he has done for this franchise; the blood, the sweat and the tears that he has shed on our behalf. I wish only the best for Kevin and his family.
However, this move was made in the best interest of the Minnesota Timberwolves and regaining our place among the best teams in the NBA. During the past three years, we have struggled unsuccessfully to assemble a team around Kevin that could bring us back to the playoffs. These years have been hard on all of us. During this time it has become increasingly apparent to me that given the complicated formulas needed to move and acquire players, we needed greater flexibility. To move our team forward, we will need the flexibility this trade provides.
This past spring, I sat down with the team's top executives and drafted a plan on how we wanted to rebuild our team. We evaluated our successes and failures over the years and looked to other franchises on how they built winning teams. The result of this reflection was the "Blueprint for the Future" that I shared with many of you. This plan outlined how we planned to rebuild our team. It was our acknowledgment that we had strayed from building a team that didn't just speak of character, but rather lived it. A team more focused on working as a team than seeking individual recognition.
We took that first step today. We know it won't be easy - nothing that is worthwhile ever is. We know that we are embarking on a journey that will be measured in years, not months. We understand that every team in professional sports is in a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth. I wholly believe that it is our time to give birth to a new team that will return our Timberwolves franchise to the elite of the NBA.
I appreciate your continued support as we undergo this transformation and urge you to follow our progress. I am convinced that you will like what you see and believe that it will mean only better days ahead. Please feel free to contact any of my staff with additional questions.
Regards,
Glen Taylor
I write to you today with some momentous news. Earlier today, we decided to fundamentally change the direction of our team and trade Kevin Garnett. We acquired Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two first-round draft picks from Boston. We're excited about the new players that we have acquired and the potential that the new draft picks represent.
As with any great change, I am filled with mixed emotions. Sadness in seeing our franchise player depart but also great excitement in what the future holds. Our team is definitely young, but also extremely talented. Our core group of Randy Foye, Craig Smith, Rashad McCants, 2007 NBA Draft picks Corey Brewer and Chris Richard and the newly acquired players plus two future first-round picks have me energized about our long-term future.
Yes, I'll miss Kevin Garnett. For 12 years Kevin has been the face of our franchise. We have all watched him grow and mature from "The Kid" into "The Big Ticket" right before our very eyes. I appreciate everything he has done for this franchise; the blood, the sweat and the tears that he has shed on our behalf. I wish only the best for Kevin and his family.
However, this move was made in the best interest of the Minnesota Timberwolves and regaining our place among the best teams in the NBA. During the past three years, we have struggled unsuccessfully to assemble a team around Kevin that could bring us back to the playoffs. These years have been hard on all of us. During this time it has become increasingly apparent to me that given the complicated formulas needed to move and acquire players, we needed greater flexibility. To move our team forward, we will need the flexibility this trade provides.
This past spring, I sat down with the team's top executives and drafted a plan on how we wanted to rebuild our team. We evaluated our successes and failures over the years and looked to other franchises on how they built winning teams. The result of this reflection was the "Blueprint for the Future" that I shared with many of you. This plan outlined how we planned to rebuild our team. It was our acknowledgment that we had strayed from building a team that didn't just speak of character, but rather lived it. A team more focused on working as a team than seeking individual recognition.
We took that first step today. We know it won't be easy - nothing that is worthwhile ever is. We know that we are embarking on a journey that will be measured in years, not months. We understand that every team in professional sports is in a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth. I wholly believe that it is our time to give birth to a new team that will return our Timberwolves franchise to the elite of the NBA.
I appreciate your continued support as we undergo this transformation and urge you to follow our progress. I am convinced that you will like what you see and believe that it will mean only better days ahead. Please feel free to contact any of my staff with additional questions.
Regards,
Glen Taylor
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