Back to the Dismal Future

As I watched the latest Wolves debacle--a 100-90 loss to Charlotte--I pinched myself. Many times. Mind you, I'm generally not into that sort of thing--pain really isn't pleasurable, if you get my drift--but as I listen to the broadcast, then compare it to what I'm watching, there's something alternative going on. Not cool, sensitive, or edgy alternative; it's like my HDTV has become a flux capacitor, and I'm Doc Brown, being transported back to the expansion years...

Was it last night that I heard that someone thought Randy Foye and Mike Miller were supposed to be options 2 and 3 for Al Jefferson, and that part of the problem this season is that they haven't quite fulfilled those roles? Seems to me outside of Miller's poor performance vs. Denver, those guys are playing well of late, at least on offense. Al was the problem last night, as well as the fact that as a team, they can't play any defense.

Was it last night that I heard about how down the team was regarding Corey Brewer, and how that could be affecting their performance? I simply have to wonder about what led to the other 11 losses, and the emotional stability of well paid professionals who know injury is a part of the game, especially when it happens to a six or seventh man coming off the bench. Yes, it is a shame about Brewer, who was starting to improve, but the team was losing with him, as well as without him.

Was it last night that I heard about Kevin Love already hitting all these "mini-walls", and how rookies--except for the special ones--need at least a year to adjust to the professional game. Seems to me at one time Love was labeled "special", someone who wildly succeeded at every other level--grade school, high school, college, etc.--and that we traded our 3rd pick in part because Love knew how to play at this level? After watching PG DJ Augustin play pretty well against our club last night, as well as other rookies such as Brook Lopez, Jason Thompson, and Derrick Rose make major contributions for their teams, it makes me wonder if this isn't making another excuse for yet another under developing or over valued Wolves draft choice. I don't necessarily disagree about the whole rookie wall thing, but it usually happens later in the season...way later. We haven't been through a quarter of the season yet!

In this alternate, quasi-expansion universe I'm sucked into when watching a Wolves broadcast, this team is a bunch of up and comers, where there are a number of legitimate reasons why they aren't competing and winning at a higher level. With this team, there's always an excuse around the corner. One day it will all be better, we're told. Just like the expansion years, except no Kevin Harlan, or Trent Tucker.

Of course back in the present, my alternative explanation is they're a bad team. Poorly assembled, coached, and marketed to a dwindling fan base weary of the same old BS.

Could it be that simple?