Working Class Heroes

141 Brompton Road, England

Happy Boxing Day! What is Boxing Day, you ask? According to Wikipedia:

"Boxing Day is a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and countries in the Commonwealth of Nations with a mainly Christian population. It is based on the tradition of giving gifts to the less fortunate members of society. Contemporary Boxing Day in many countries is now a "shopping holiday" associated with after-Christmas sales."

Yesterday, I gave gifts to the Timberwolves, folks who would be considered upper class--economically speaking at least. Well, what of the rest of us? Hard working, talented, but not quite as well off in the bank account as the before mentioned organization members. In the tradition of boxing day, I'm opening the Christmas box and offering these presents to some basketball related people I've met or read in the last year:

Wyn Douglas and Nate Arch - the Canis Hoopus guys
Two of the finer fellows I've met in a while; I wrote for time with these guys, but given the type of season the Timberwolves were having, I thought my brand of cynicism and irreverance would not mix with their growing readership. My gift to them is a substantial SB Nation financial dividend. Great work, guys.

Myles Brown - Slam Online
I only met this bloke once, but have read a lot of his stuff over the last year. A very good writer who really, really, really, really wants and believes having insider access is the key to quality work. I disagree, but he's clearly an up and comer who will be heard from in basketball circles the next few years. My gift to him is the hope of unfettered access and unbridled success.

Sonia Grover - First Avenue and TWolves Blog
Both gorgeous and gracious, it seems EVERYONE likes her, even the grizzled StarTribune writers, who describe every other blogger as guys who live in their mother's basement and post in their underwear. She's also an up and comer, someone who's networking her way to the upper heights. My gift to her is an executive position with the Timberwolves--if she wants it, of course. She would literally bring a new grace to that old boys dominated organization.

Jerry Zgoda - Star Tribune
An honest writer working for a nearly extinct newspaper, and covering a moribund team. Not good on any count. My gift to you to is continued employment at a decent wage equal to your considerable skills.

Britt Robson - Secrets of the City/Minn Post
The gold standard in Timberwolves coverage, and over the years, a staunch defender and worshiper of one Kevin Garnett. Much like Mr. Zgoda, dudes with their talent shouldn't have to scrape by in a broken journalistic model. But like just about everything else in this economy, that new model has yet to be found in this digital transition to...something. I have two gifts for him; a ragingly successful Minn Post and Secrets of the City, as well as the title of KG's official biographer, when the time is right. There would be no other individual on earth who could articulate Garnett's life and times like Britt.

Well, that's it...I'm off to Cambridge to visit my nephew at an American Air Force base. Hopefully, everyone listed above loves their gifts, and the rest of us don't spend too much time in long lines returning presents they didn't like!