"Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pulled me out of time
and hung me on a line
maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you" - Paul McCartney/Maybe I'm Amazed
Consider ME amazed!
I never thought any situation in real life could actually bring meaning to a Paul McCartney lyric. But those lines echoed in my head as I read Rick Alonzo's Q & A this morning with Glen Taylor in the PPress. Is there any greater friend/mentor/boss that Kevin McHale has than Glen Taylor? My goodness, what does one have to do to earn that sort of loyalty, or was it just kismet between those two? It inspires me to offer a new nickname for Mr. Taylor...the Human Deflector, or Mr. Deflector, to be respectful.
Why are all these folks throwing each other under the bus, just to curry public opinion? I'm sure C. Billups will be delighted to know--after all these years--that his current coach didn't think he was worth resigning in Minnesota. Is Mr. Taylor's spin that KG may have spoken with forked tounge on the subject of whether he supported Flip or not supposed to win us over to McHale's side? Who are we supposed to believe? Why should we care?
When you get down to it, isn't the real issue simply performance?
"maybe I'm a man maybe I'm a lonely man
who's in the middle of something
that he doesn't really understand...."
Even though it was hard for many to see KG leave in the manner he did, I think anyone with an ounce of sensibility should know that if the Wolves were suddenly able to post a winning record and compete for a championship within a few years, public opinion toward McHale would change for the better. Isn't that what fans are mostly plunking down their hard earned money for...a chance to see winning competition?
Maybe it's time for all involved to finally move on, and focus on the task of rebuilding the team.
Maybe that will help me understand...
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Scrimmage Saturday Night
Sometimes, you just have to see--in the words of the immortal Marvin Gaye--what's goin' on. Traveling down to the Target Center to watch the new club practice without KG has absolutely a different feel to it. My impressions? A lot of bodies, instruction, whistles and semi-dinged players. This team right now is a bunch of guys all trying to make the "big difference" at the same time. The coaching staff drilled the boys on making extra passes...I'm not sure Gerald Green could even spell the word pass. But then again it is four letters, so maybe there's hope after all.
Other thoughts:
Al Jefferson is pretty good. How good is a huge question mark, and it will be a test of the point guards on this team to understand the asset they have. Players with low post skills like AJ tend to make the game easier on offense, and more consistent. One major problem with the Wolves in the last few years was their inability to score during large stretches of the game. When you have a jump shooting team that doesn't share the ball particularly well, what happens is that players have to work very hard individually to get buckets, or in the case of Ricky Davis, shoot quickly before the defense hardens. If the shots fall, great, but more often than not, especially in the fourth quarter, the shots stop falling and the other team makes a successful run to victory. Having quality low post scoring is like having the ace pitching stopper in baseball; a guy who can get a bucket when you need it and stop the other team's momentum. I think AJ can be that guy, but it's a mindset the team has to adopt, and they have a way to go to get there.
It's unfortunate Juwan Howard couldn't stay on this club. I think having a veteran presence of him, Walker, Doleac and Buckner on this team would have paid major dividends. Moving Jaric off the team, and acquiring a veteran third point guard for this club would have been the perfect scenario to help "grow" this club into respectability. As it is however, I'm going to give Walker the benefit of the doubt. He did not look terribly out of shape to me, and as he himself said, it looks like he's got a lot left in the tank. His contribution--either negative or positive--will be one of the keys to progress this year.
I also like the fact the Wolves have two dedicated centers available to them. Michael Doleac is not a whiz around the basket and runs like Herman Munster up and down the court, but although they lost KG, their low post presence overall is potentially better than anytime in the Wolves history. Of course, that's not saying much; it's kind of like saying Mark Blount was the best center in Wolves history to date...ouch! A lot will depend on how healthy Theo Ratliff stays. AJ will be playing a lot of center this year, so Smith, Gomes and Walker will see a lot of minutes at power forward, but the Wolves have a lot of versatility to play either big or small with this group.
Point guard play will also loom large for this club. Can either Foye or Telfair run the team and share the rock? It's pretty clear that Jaric's days as a major contributor should be over if he can't improve his assist to turnover ratio. As I mentioned before, one primary reason for the amount of turnovers on this club is because everyone is trying to make plays, and not letting the game come to them. The pecking order and team identity haven't been established as of yet, which the point guard position affects so drastically. Both Foye and Telfair have some skills; whether it's the type of skills that can provide stability and discipline to their attack remains to be seen.
So, who's gonna be the fourth quarter stud for the club? Your candidates are: AJ, Foye, McCants and--as a distant fourth--possibly Walker. Of course, given the fact they'll be down by 20 in many of the games this year by the 4th Q, this point may be moot. In terms of developing a team identity however, it is very important.
All in all, it will be tough to sit through a season of getting hammered, much like the expansion years. It's easy to continue to lambaste the Iron Ranger and Taylor.org for the job they've done mishandling the team over the last few years. However, if you're going to blow up the team, he's done what he has needed to do; it's the ultimate wait-and-see adventure now. Instead of being instantly negative, it's time to breathe deep and see what this group can bring us. In the end, it may not be as bad as I think it will be. I also think by the end of the season Boston fans will be asking why their new super hero KG isn't better in the clutch.
Time will tell.
Other thoughts:
Al Jefferson is pretty good. How good is a huge question mark, and it will be a test of the point guards on this team to understand the asset they have. Players with low post skills like AJ tend to make the game easier on offense, and more consistent. One major problem with the Wolves in the last few years was their inability to score during large stretches of the game. When you have a jump shooting team that doesn't share the ball particularly well, what happens is that players have to work very hard individually to get buckets, or in the case of Ricky Davis, shoot quickly before the defense hardens. If the shots fall, great, but more often than not, especially in the fourth quarter, the shots stop falling and the other team makes a successful run to victory. Having quality low post scoring is like having the ace pitching stopper in baseball; a guy who can get a bucket when you need it and stop the other team's momentum. I think AJ can be that guy, but it's a mindset the team has to adopt, and they have a way to go to get there.
It's unfortunate Juwan Howard couldn't stay on this club. I think having a veteran presence of him, Walker, Doleac and Buckner on this team would have paid major dividends. Moving Jaric off the team, and acquiring a veteran third point guard for this club would have been the perfect scenario to help "grow" this club into respectability. As it is however, I'm going to give Walker the benefit of the doubt. He did not look terribly out of shape to me, and as he himself said, it looks like he's got a lot left in the tank. His contribution--either negative or positive--will be one of the keys to progress this year.
I also like the fact the Wolves have two dedicated centers available to them. Michael Doleac is not a whiz around the basket and runs like Herman Munster up and down the court, but although they lost KG, their low post presence overall is potentially better than anytime in the Wolves history. Of course, that's not saying much; it's kind of like saying Mark Blount was the best center in Wolves history to date...ouch! A lot will depend on how healthy Theo Ratliff stays. AJ will be playing a lot of center this year, so Smith, Gomes and Walker will see a lot of minutes at power forward, but the Wolves have a lot of versatility to play either big or small with this group.
Point guard play will also loom large for this club. Can either Foye or Telfair run the team and share the rock? It's pretty clear that Jaric's days as a major contributor should be over if he can't improve his assist to turnover ratio. As I mentioned before, one primary reason for the amount of turnovers on this club is because everyone is trying to make plays, and not letting the game come to them. The pecking order and team identity haven't been established as of yet, which the point guard position affects so drastically. Both Foye and Telfair have some skills; whether it's the type of skills that can provide stability and discipline to their attack remains to be seen.
So, who's gonna be the fourth quarter stud for the club? Your candidates are: AJ, Foye, McCants and--as a distant fourth--possibly Walker. Of course, given the fact they'll be down by 20 in many of the games this year by the 4th Q, this point may be moot. In terms of developing a team identity however, it is very important.
All in all, it will be tough to sit through a season of getting hammered, much like the expansion years. It's easy to continue to lambaste the Iron Ranger and Taylor.org for the job they've done mishandling the team over the last few years. However, if you're going to blow up the team, he's done what he has needed to do; it's the ultimate wait-and-see adventure now. Instead of being instantly negative, it's time to breathe deep and see what this group can bring us. In the end, it may not be as bad as I think it will be. I also think by the end of the season Boston fans will be asking why their new super hero KG isn't better in the clutch.
Time will tell.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Wheels Under the Bus Go Up and Down...
"Dirty little secrets
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybodys pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry" - Don Henley
While classic passive-aggressiveness is more of a personality disorder, it's common understanding here in Minnesota is the ability to be nice and/or complimentary to someone's face, then inherently criticize and rip them when they aren't around to defend themselves. In the Twin Cities professional sports community, we've seen a lot of that, especially when it comes to the Timberwolves. Early this off-season, we heard Jim Petersen take a swipe at Mike James--a player he advocated acquiring-- now the latest comes from Chad Hartman, who with the trade of Ricky Davis decided to talk about Ricky's trials with Dwayne Casey on his radio show this week. It seems a tad uncivil to me. If after his on court play, his actions in the both the Pistons and Boston games of last year didn't give us an indication Davis was a cancer, then someone wasn't paying attention.
By contrast, his mention of T.Rex Chapman's locker room blowout directed at Wally and KG seems appropriate, because it was reported at the time, kicked around in the media, and T. Rex was given an opportunity to explain his actions on KFAN within days of the incident.
What I'd like to see is more aggressive reporting when events actually occur, and not wait until someone leaves to dump all the garbage out. Given the state of MSM sports media in this town that may well be impossible, but I think we as a Midwestern community are above throwing someone under the bus simply to justify our athletic transactions. James, Davis, and Blount all demonstrated on the court why they weren't good for the Wolves. Somehow--at least in most cases--that should be enough.
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybodys pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry" - Don Henley
While classic passive-aggressiveness is more of a personality disorder, it's common understanding here in Minnesota is the ability to be nice and/or complimentary to someone's face, then inherently criticize and rip them when they aren't around to defend themselves. In the Twin Cities professional sports community, we've seen a lot of that, especially when it comes to the Timberwolves. Early this off-season, we heard Jim Petersen take a swipe at Mike James--a player he advocated acquiring-- now the latest comes from Chad Hartman, who with the trade of Ricky Davis decided to talk about Ricky's trials with Dwayne Casey on his radio show this week. It seems a tad uncivil to me. If after his on court play, his actions in the both the Pistons and Boston games of last year didn't give us an indication Davis was a cancer, then someone wasn't paying attention.
By contrast, his mention of T.Rex Chapman's locker room blowout directed at Wally and KG seems appropriate, because it was reported at the time, kicked around in the media, and T. Rex was given an opportunity to explain his actions on KFAN within days of the incident.
What I'd like to see is more aggressive reporting when events actually occur, and not wait until someone leaves to dump all the garbage out. Given the state of MSM sports media in this town that may well be impossible, but I think we as a Midwestern community are above throwing someone under the bus simply to justify our athletic transactions. James, Davis, and Blount all demonstrated on the court why they weren't good for the Wolves. Somehow--at least in most cases--that should be enough.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Second Best Center in the Western Conference gets Traded
Mark Blount wasn't so good after all? Hmm, looks like many fans were right, and Jim Pete was wrong... again.
Before the rampant speculation and the unrealistic trade offerings continue, let's step back one moment and appreciate just how bad the first Boston trade was. (Silence)
Okay, now let's give credit where credit is due. The Iron Ranger has done well with this trade. No matter if it's junk we received in return, Davis and Blount had to go. There's still the obvious problem with too many contracted bodies, but let's wait and see if the implied promise of further deals ring true. Something has to happen.
After reading the various boards and regular commentators, buy-out mania has taken hold. I would offer that very few players still get bought out. For the most part, it's a move of last resort. No one wanted Troy Hudson given his baggage, so that was an easy call. Buyout amounts are still spread over the remaining length of the player's contract, and count against the cap. As a result I would guess that Glen Taylor wouldn't want too many of those on his ledger sheet. Therefore it makes sense the Wolves front office would try to make deals outright to reduce the body count; only after failing that would he and McHale choose the buyout option. Juwan Howard, Marko Jaric, John Edwards, and possibly one of the Miami players are prime contenders to be cut or moved at this point.
The Wolves organization should take note of the buzz this activity has created. In lieu of having a contending team, moving pieces around to give at least the illusion of hope is core to rebuilding the fan base. A reasonable contract extension for Big Al would help as well. The dealings of the remainder of this pre-season will be a telltale sign to see if Taylor.org can compete with the other functional NBA front offices.
Before the rampant speculation and the unrealistic trade offerings continue, let's step back one moment and appreciate just how bad the first Boston trade was. (Silence)
Okay, now let's give credit where credit is due. The Iron Ranger has done well with this trade. No matter if it's junk we received in return, Davis and Blount had to go. There's still the obvious problem with too many contracted bodies, but let's wait and see if the implied promise of further deals ring true. Something has to happen.
After reading the various boards and regular commentators, buy-out mania has taken hold. I would offer that very few players still get bought out. For the most part, it's a move of last resort. No one wanted Troy Hudson given his baggage, so that was an easy call. Buyout amounts are still spread over the remaining length of the player's contract, and count against the cap. As a result I would guess that Glen Taylor wouldn't want too many of those on his ledger sheet. Therefore it makes sense the Wolves front office would try to make deals outright to reduce the body count; only after failing that would he and McHale choose the buyout option. Juwan Howard, Marko Jaric, John Edwards, and possibly one of the Miami players are prime contenders to be cut or moved at this point.
The Wolves organization should take note of the buzz this activity has created. In lieu of having a contending team, moving pieces around to give at least the illusion of hope is core to rebuilding the fan base. A reasonable contract extension for Big Al would help as well. The dealings of the remainder of this pre-season will be a telltale sign to see if Taylor.org can compete with the other functional NBA front offices.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Blinded by the Light?
"The farther one travels, the less one knows"...George Harrison, "The Inner Light".
Although George was referring to heavenly pursuits, not a small market professional basketball team, the theme has ripples of truth to it when applied to the Wolves circumstance.
What we don't know...
- Can they remove their cancer-causing agents--namely Mark Blount and Ricky Davis?
- Will they be able to pare down their roster without buying out veterans (Greg Buckner) who would add stability to the team?
- Can they find decent point guard play?
- Will they find other players outside of Jefferson they can build around?
- Can they find someone in the low post who would complement Big Al, in terms of added defense and rebounding?
- Will Wittman be able to successfully coach a young group of players?
- Can a front office unable to build around a hall-of-famer suddenly be able to rebuild a franchise?
- Will this group of young players ever be able to share the ball and play defense at a playoff level?
What we do know....
- Jefferson has the potential to average a low post double-double (points/rebounds).
- Outside of Al, the low post play has been extremely inconsistent
- As with last year with KG on the roster, the Wolves have no fourth quarter mental toughness. There's no extra late game gear on this club to kick into, as of yet.
- Their defense is terrible
- Their offense is turnover laden and immature
- There is no clear leader on the team
- Corey Brewer needs serious work. He showed glimpses of flash last night, but he has a long way to go, as opposed to Noah, who's fitting right in with Chicago.
- The front office again is flirting with an embarrassing situation of ineffective roster management. Will they have to send one or two players down to the NDBL (Brewer/Richard) who they wanted to keep on the current roster this year, because they can't get rid of previous mistakes?
This is just a sampling of course; I'm sure there are many other issues out there I haven't thought of. The primary issue is as the season progress whether the Wolves can find any answers or continue Harrison-esque toward even more uncertainty? How long will it take to see any light at all?
Although George was referring to heavenly pursuits, not a small market professional basketball team, the theme has ripples of truth to it when applied to the Wolves circumstance.
What we don't know...
- Can they remove their cancer-causing agents--namely Mark Blount and Ricky Davis?
- Will they be able to pare down their roster without buying out veterans (Greg Buckner) who would add stability to the team?
- Can they find decent point guard play?
- Will they find other players outside of Jefferson they can build around?
- Can they find someone in the low post who would complement Big Al, in terms of added defense and rebounding?
- Will Wittman be able to successfully coach a young group of players?
- Can a front office unable to build around a hall-of-famer suddenly be able to rebuild a franchise?
- Will this group of young players ever be able to share the ball and play defense at a playoff level?
What we do know....
- Jefferson has the potential to average a low post double-double (points/rebounds).
- Outside of Al, the low post play has been extremely inconsistent
- As with last year with KG on the roster, the Wolves have no fourth quarter mental toughness. There's no extra late game gear on this club to kick into, as of yet.
- Their defense is terrible
- Their offense is turnover laden and immature
- There is no clear leader on the team
- Corey Brewer needs serious work. He showed glimpses of flash last night, but he has a long way to go, as opposed to Noah, who's fitting right in with Chicago.
- The front office again is flirting with an embarrassing situation of ineffective roster management. Will they have to send one or two players down to the NDBL (Brewer/Richard) who they wanted to keep on the current roster this year, because they can't get rid of previous mistakes?
This is just a sampling of course; I'm sure there are many other issues out there I haven't thought of. The primary issue is as the season progress whether the Wolves can find any answers or continue Harrison-esque toward even more uncertainty? How long will it take to see any light at all?
Saturday, October 20, 2007
An Affair to Dismember
...With apologies to Deborah Kerr, a fine actress who died this week.
According to Patrick Reusse, the Wolves are starting their media blitz to re-connect with their fan base this week, the official kick-off to "See What They Can Do". When you add that to the their familiar Midwestern themes of chemistry and loyalty, neither the sum or the parts seem particularly attractive. When you're losing big or blowing leads as they have been doing in the pre-season, how does that build any zazz at all? I'm not sure a Chamber of Commerce luncheon will overcome years of incompetence, trading your hall-of-famer, and encouraging all of us to reach deep down and discover our inner cynic. It's time to be bold and fresh.
For example...if you're going to sell youth, how about using Nat King Cole's song, "Too Young"?
"they tried to tell us we're too young"....update the song, put it against a video montage of the Wolves young guns dunking and defending, and at least you have a little something with energy and spirit. You have elements that can attract an older crowd and a younger, hip-hop community if you, for example, split screen old Nat with a new, up and coming artist. Since KG is throwing shots at you anyway, why not begin with him saying at the Boston press conference 'I don't do young"? Edgy and imaginative, a marketing middle finger back at the Ticket.
That's the problem with the front office--no zazz, no energy, no cool. Who'd want to rekindle an affair with THAT bunch?
If you're going to lose games big--as the first pre-season indications look like--Taylor.org is going to have to work that much harder to prove that progress is being made. Otherwise, you had better do what the loyal fan base (what's left of it) has been begging you to do for years: cut the country club to shreds and start over.
According to Patrick Reusse, the Wolves are starting their media blitz to re-connect with their fan base this week, the official kick-off to "See What They Can Do". When you add that to the their familiar Midwestern themes of chemistry and loyalty, neither the sum or the parts seem particularly attractive. When you're losing big or blowing leads as they have been doing in the pre-season, how does that build any zazz at all? I'm not sure a Chamber of Commerce luncheon will overcome years of incompetence, trading your hall-of-famer, and encouraging all of us to reach deep down and discover our inner cynic. It's time to be bold and fresh.
For example...if you're going to sell youth, how about using Nat King Cole's song, "Too Young"?
"they tried to tell us we're too young"....update the song, put it against a video montage of the Wolves young guns dunking and defending, and at least you have a little something with energy and spirit. You have elements that can attract an older crowd and a younger, hip-hop community if you, for example, split screen old Nat with a new, up and coming artist. Since KG is throwing shots at you anyway, why not begin with him saying at the Boston press conference 'I don't do young"? Edgy and imaginative, a marketing middle finger back at the Ticket.
That's the problem with the front office--no zazz, no energy, no cool. Who'd want to rekindle an affair with THAT bunch?
If you're going to lose games big--as the first pre-season indications look like--Taylor.org is going to have to work that much harder to prove that progress is being made. Otherwise, you had better do what the loyal fan base (what's left of it) has been begging you to do for years: cut the country club to shreds and start over.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Reality Bites
Ben Stiller was right, after all. When it comes to the Wolves, reality does bite. Fans can tell themselves they're braced, even enthused, about rebuilding but when you see it on the court...yikes!
Yeah, the second pre-season game--against real competition--was pretty bad. However, we're going to have a wait quite awhile, probably a season or two, before this whole thing shakes out. But the underlying premise still remains:
Why would anyone think acquiring young talent from a previously awful team--Boston--would yield significant dividends?
Sure, we got Big Al, and maybe Ryan Gomes will be a great glue guy, but seems at first glance that we've created a real mess, and have added many more questions than answers. Plus, we still have the Iron Ranger and Clueless Glen at the helm who created the mess. Even Donald Sterling looks more competent than we do. And, after all the comings and goings, it looks like we STILL need a point guard.
It's early yet, but unless we see real progress--beyond the moral victories--it's going to be hard not to be negative about the direction this club is going. It could be the Wolves will go the way of Winona Ryder, swiftly descending into mediocrity, bordering on irrelevance.
Yeah, the second pre-season game--against real competition--was pretty bad. However, we're going to have a wait quite awhile, probably a season or two, before this whole thing shakes out. But the underlying premise still remains:
Why would anyone think acquiring young talent from a previously awful team--Boston--would yield significant dividends?
Sure, we got Big Al, and maybe Ryan Gomes will be a great glue guy, but seems at first glance that we've created a real mess, and have added many more questions than answers. Plus, we still have the Iron Ranger and Clueless Glen at the helm who created the mess. Even Donald Sterling looks more competent than we do. And, after all the comings and goings, it looks like we STILL need a point guard.
It's early yet, but unless we see real progress--beyond the moral victories--it's going to be hard not to be negative about the direction this club is going. It could be the Wolves will go the way of Winona Ryder, swiftly descending into mediocrity, bordering on irrelevance.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
What 200 Million Plus Buys
As the occasional one or two readers of this blog knows, I'm no fan of the Taylor organization. What I'm hearing out of Europe from our dearly departed KG and from former Wolves, now Raptor head coach Sam Mitchell however is beginning to get outright irritating. It almost makes me want to be a homer again.
Witness the quotes from this morning's Boston Globe:
"But while visiting with Mitchell, now Toronto's coach, Thursday night, Garnett told his old teammate that the way things are done in Boston seems to be a lot better than what he was accustomed to in Minnesota. Tonight, a rejuvenated Garnett makes his Celtics debut against the Raptors in their preseason opener at the PalaLottomatica.
Mitchell seems to be no better. Here's a guy that probably wouldn't even played in the league if it weren't for expansion, and who came BACK to the Wolves after a stint at Indiana. If top management was so horrible at the time, after "seeing how other people do things", why didn't he just sign with someone else? Was it the combination of Flip Saunders and KG that made the organization palatable at the time, or was it that he probably wouldn't have found a job anywhere else?
Maybe the two should just shut up, and thank God the Wolves organization--for better or worse--came along when they did.
In today's world, it's not revenge but gratitude that seems to be a dish served cold.
Witness the quotes from this morning's Boston Globe:
"But while visiting with Mitchell, now Toronto's coach, Thursday night, Garnett told his old teammate that the way things are done in Boston seems to be a lot better than what he was accustomed to in Minnesota. Tonight, a rejuvenated Garnett makes his Celtics debut against the Raptors in their preseason opener at the PalaLottomatica.
"I'm a little bit revived," Garnett said after yesterday's press conference at the Rome mayor's office. "It's good to be around excellence. It's cool . . . The organization, everything so far has been first-class. Obviously, the guys on the team [and coach Doc Rivers have] been phenomenal. In 13 years, this is the best camp I've been involved with by far . . .
"I've never experienced a lot of things that have been going on. But you can definitely tell a difference in the organizations. It's revived me, I will say that. I'm having a lot of fun."
and:
"[Garnett] loves being in Boston, loves his teammates," said Mitchell, the winner of this year's Red Auerbach Trophy as Coach of the Year. "He said if he knew the NBA was like this, he would have wanted to be traded a long time ago . . .
"I just think everybody does things a little different and he just enjoys it. When you've been in one place your whole career, you forget how other people do things and he's never seen how other organizations work. I think he's very impressed with the way Boston treats their players and how they do things."
Well, isn't that special? I would think after two substantial contracts one would not take outright shots at former management, especially when the first contract was a substantial advance for NBA players, if not KG's own pocketbook. He talks loyalty and old school values, but walks an entirely different path. Say what you want about Taylor, he took a substantial risk with Da Kid, and for awhile it worked out for both of them. 200 million or so later, he gets traded to a team that has a shot at doing something special. That is, if he's up to it. Whether he is or not remains to be seen.Mitchell seems to be no better. Here's a guy that probably wouldn't even played in the league if it weren't for expansion, and who came BACK to the Wolves after a stint at Indiana. If top management was so horrible at the time, after "seeing how other people do things", why didn't he just sign with someone else? Was it the combination of Flip Saunders and KG that made the organization palatable at the time, or was it that he probably wouldn't have found a job anywhere else?
Maybe the two should just shut up, and thank God the Wolves organization--for better or worse--came along when they did.
In today's world, it's not revenge but gratitude that seems to be a dish served cold.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
07-08 T-Wolves: Back to the Future - Part II
Hype and spin are so ubiquitous these days. Let's start with our dearly departed KG, who initially nixed a trade to Boston, and now is waxing eloquent about the tradition and history of the Celtics. Is it real, or is it the fact that he was able to sign another significant extension and now has two upper level stars to play with? Next, we have the Iron Ranger who after years of acquiring soft, jump shooting talent to surround KG, now is claiming smash mouth basketball is the style du jour. Moving on to our broadcaster extraordinare, Jim Petersen, who last year during the first half of the season proclaimed Mark Blount the second best center in the Western Conference. We can only hope that if Bad News Blount gets moved, Petersen will remember his words and not throw him under the bus as he did Mike James recently--another player who Petersen recommended the Wolves acquire. Finally, we have the Wolves organization as a whole, selling all the new players, pushing Al Jefferson as one of the next breakout stars, while simultaneously lowering the bar for the team.
What are we, the ordinary, uninformed, "never-played-the-game" fans supposed to believe? For the sake of selling tickets and keeping the franchise relevant, there's a whole lot folks at Club Timberwolves who want you to drink the kool-aid, and believe something special is beginning. Whether any fan chooses to believe is totally an individual decision, but I think we all should be asking ourselves questions along the way to keep things honest. For example, why would a team acquiring a majority of talent from one the worst teams in the last couple of years suddenly be "hype worthy"? Why would a VP who has utterly and completely failed to support a fabulous Hall of Fame type of player in his prime years now be able to build the right chemistry and talent to make a run at championship? As for Boston, why would three superstars who have yet been unable to make a significant dent in their post-season careers immediately be able to make a run at a championship?
What cuts through hype and spin are results, evaluating the gaps between promise and performance. Based on previous results, I would say the chances of the Wolves being worthy any time soon are poor. And, because the East Conference is still weak, Boston may take a run deep into the playoffs, but they won't win a ring.
Don't take my word for it though. See and judge for yourself, and don't believe anyone's sell job. We're better (and smarter) than that.
What are we, the ordinary, uninformed, "never-played-the-game" fans supposed to believe? For the sake of selling tickets and keeping the franchise relevant, there's a whole lot folks at Club Timberwolves who want you to drink the kool-aid, and believe something special is beginning. Whether any fan chooses to believe is totally an individual decision, but I think we all should be asking ourselves questions along the way to keep things honest. For example, why would a team acquiring a majority of talent from one the worst teams in the last couple of years suddenly be "hype worthy"? Why would a VP who has utterly and completely failed to support a fabulous Hall of Fame type of player in his prime years now be able to build the right chemistry and talent to make a run at championship? As for Boston, why would three superstars who have yet been unable to make a significant dent in their post-season careers immediately be able to make a run at a championship?
What cuts through hype and spin are results, evaluating the gaps between promise and performance. Based on previous results, I would say the chances of the Wolves being worthy any time soon are poor. And, because the East Conference is still weak, Boston may take a run deep into the playoffs, but they won't win a ring.
Don't take my word for it though. See and judge for yourself, and don't believe anyone's sell job. We're better (and smarter) than that.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
07-08 T-Wolves: Back to the Future
Where is Marty McFly when you need him? If only he could travel back in time and correct a measure of the mistakes this franchise has made since their inception. However to be frank, I hate time-travel as a thematic premise--it's been way overused. I now prefer "rebuilding from failure" story lines, which is why this year's Wolves club will be fascinating. They are indeed starting from scratch--not quite the expansion years, mind you--but they are looking to rebound from their failures.
The biggest question in my mind is whether the same front office crew that failed so miserably can be counted on to succeed. And, given the increasing amount of spin in today's society, what will be the Wolves' actual definition of success, both short and long term? I would wager (unofficially of course, and with no NBA referees) that their definition of success ultimately is not a championship, but a return to the days where they can keep hope alive, sell tickets, and appear to be organizationally functional once again. If a championship happens along the way, great, but if merely "the promise" can be restored--along with the financial rewards--the Iron Ranger can indeed rest on his laurels and fish happily once again. After all, it's the plateau where all the other Minnesota sports franchises aspire to reach these days.
More to follow...
The biggest question in my mind is whether the same front office crew that failed so miserably can be counted on to succeed. And, given the increasing amount of spin in today's society, what will be the Wolves' actual definition of success, both short and long term? I would wager (unofficially of course, and with no NBA referees) that their definition of success ultimately is not a championship, but a return to the days where they can keep hope alive, sell tickets, and appear to be organizationally functional once again. If a championship happens along the way, great, but if merely "the promise" can be restored--along with the financial rewards--the Iron Ranger can indeed rest on his laurels and fish happily once again. After all, it's the plateau where all the other Minnesota sports franchises aspire to reach these days.
More to follow...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Blogs, Boards, and Broadcasters
I took a month off after the Lynx season to recharge, get my daughter to New York for a second year of college, and to prepare myself for what will be an interesting basketball season. Ever since the KG trade the Iron Ranger, Clueless Glen and the Wolves gang have been silent; I'm assuming they're trying to trade all the veteran talent who've requested a trade since KG left town. Of course, a functional team would attempt to hold onto the good assets (Howard), and try to deal the questionable to awful ones (Jaric, Blount, Davis), but since Howard still has some value, it probably will be the Michigan star who gets dealt before he ever steps onto the court in a Timberwolves uniform.
What has caught my eye has been the filler material produced until Wolves training camp starts: the blogs, message boards and contributions from broadcasters. I've been lurking around on MNSportsfan.com, checking Britt Robson's Rake submissions, and trying to stomach both the Wolves propaganda and Stephen Litel's offerings in countless online venues, as he continues his attempt to be the official Wolves town crier. And, of course, no off-season would be complete without at least one or two words from our TV analyst Jim Petersen, trying to hype the blockbuster trade, and convince a skeptical crowd that this time Kevin Mchale really knocked it out of the park. Ah, sweet cronyism!
I respect Mr. Robson, who I have noticed is branching out to discussing the Twins, some Vikings, and even posting on Brian Lambert's blog on the Rake. He hasn't said much about the Wolves, but I'm sure within a few weeks he will wax eloquent on KG and his basketball contributions (Tim Duncan is still better, BTW). The rest should be taken with a grain of salt; I like MNSportsfans around draft and summer free agent time, but beyond that it's a stew of unrealistic trades, McHale tirades, undeserved Wolves positivity, and Jerry from Blaine. Stephen Litel is a study in quantity over quality; what would happen to his Wolves access if he actually held their feet to the fire and asked a hard question? (That can be said for the sports MSM, as well).
What I find absolutely remarkable is the short memories of the folks who listen to people like Petersen. Here's a guy who:
1 - whole heartedly supported the first Boston trade
2 - advocated bringing Mike James here
3 - tried to sell people on Mark Blount's "professionalism" and skill level, just for starters.
Now, in the latest Stephen Litel masterpiece, he throws Mike James overboard without ever mentioning how strongly he felt James would be a major contributor to the club. If he were as honest and straight-up as people think he is, he should at least offer that small piece of accountability. Can't anyone even remotely attached to the Wolves organization say they were wrong...about anything?
Still, until the reality of the situation has locked in, everything is speculation at this point. Tubby Smith is still a hero, Pam Borton is still trying to recover from the mini-scandal two years ago, and the Wolves think they have a young nucleus of talent to build a future with. One would only hope SOMETHING goes right this winter.
What has caught my eye has been the filler material produced until Wolves training camp starts: the blogs, message boards and contributions from broadcasters. I've been lurking around on MNSportsfan.com, checking Britt Robson's Rake submissions, and trying to stomach both the Wolves propaganda and Stephen Litel's offerings in countless online venues, as he continues his attempt to be the official Wolves town crier. And, of course, no off-season would be complete without at least one or two words from our TV analyst Jim Petersen, trying to hype the blockbuster trade, and convince a skeptical crowd that this time Kevin Mchale really knocked it out of the park. Ah, sweet cronyism!
I respect Mr. Robson, who I have noticed is branching out to discussing the Twins, some Vikings, and even posting on Brian Lambert's blog on the Rake. He hasn't said much about the Wolves, but I'm sure within a few weeks he will wax eloquent on KG and his basketball contributions (Tim Duncan is still better, BTW). The rest should be taken with a grain of salt; I like MNSportsfans around draft and summer free agent time, but beyond that it's a stew of unrealistic trades, McHale tirades, undeserved Wolves positivity, and Jerry from Blaine. Stephen Litel is a study in quantity over quality; what would happen to his Wolves access if he actually held their feet to the fire and asked a hard question? (That can be said for the sports MSM, as well).
What I find absolutely remarkable is the short memories of the folks who listen to people like Petersen. Here's a guy who:
1 - whole heartedly supported the first Boston trade
2 - advocated bringing Mike James here
3 - tried to sell people on Mark Blount's "professionalism" and skill level, just for starters.
Now, in the latest Stephen Litel masterpiece, he throws Mike James overboard without ever mentioning how strongly he felt James would be a major contributor to the club. If he were as honest and straight-up as people think he is, he should at least offer that small piece of accountability. Can't anyone even remotely attached to the Wolves organization say they were wrong...about anything?
Still, until the reality of the situation has locked in, everything is speculation at this point. Tubby Smith is still a hero, Pam Borton is still trying to recover from the mini-scandal two years ago, and the Wolves think they have a young nucleus of talent to build a future with. One would only hope SOMETHING goes right this winter.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Optimism, Pessimism or Realism?
I thought my Dad was one of the most pessimistic dudes I'd ever met. I would accuse him of that every time he went into one of his long diatribes about how awful a particular situation was. His reply: "I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist." My father's words were echoing in my head as I read the StarTrib's accounting of the Lynx game last night, especially how optimistic everyone associated with the team was in beating a top flight team who sat their starters. Reading through my blog posts, it's clear my pessimism was predominant for the entire season. Am I merely a buzz killer, or a realist, when it comes to the Lynx, or the Taylor basketball organization for that matter? Probably a bit of both.
No doubt the Lynx have something to work with next year; but as with the men's side, the people that have created two consecutive disastrous seasons are still at the helm. They want a premier frontcourt player they tell us, but that's what they said before the season started when they suddenly reversed course and made a play for Harding. Zierden talks about the last 13 games where a couple of breaks either way could have resulted in a winning stretch of games and mentions the Washington game in particular. He forgets to say how big of a lead they had in that game, how incompetent he was in protecting the lead, and the inability of Noelle Quinn to break a press. For each positive the team touts, there's a pessimistic item that can be added.
Since I am not quite my father, I will simply say that this club hasn't demonstrated yet that they can assemble a solid winning team. There is hope, but it's fair and realistic to say that the proof is not in their hype, but in the execution of a solid organizational plan. We can pray for yet another ping-pong ball lottery to go our way, but would a third straight league number one reverse our fortunes? We'll just have to wait and see.
No doubt the Lynx have something to work with next year; but as with the men's side, the people that have created two consecutive disastrous seasons are still at the helm. They want a premier frontcourt player they tell us, but that's what they said before the season started when they suddenly reversed course and made a play for Harding. Zierden talks about the last 13 games where a couple of breaks either way could have resulted in a winning stretch of games and mentions the Washington game in particular. He forgets to say how big of a lead they had in that game, how incompetent he was in protecting the lead, and the inability of Noelle Quinn to break a press. For each positive the team touts, there's a pessimistic item that can be added.
Since I am not quite my father, I will simply say that this club hasn't demonstrated yet that they can assemble a solid winning team. There is hope, but it's fair and realistic to say that the proof is not in their hype, but in the execution of a solid organizational plan. We can pray for yet another ping-pong ball lottery to go our way, but would a third straight league number one reverse our fortunes? We'll just have to wait and see.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Bringing up the rear
If you're a manufacturer of ping-pong balls; I would consider the Twin Cities a prime choice for expansion. The demand in this area has gone dramatically up in the last week, with the KG trade and the ladies' performance. In the loss to Houston last night, we all but guaranteed the worst record in the league for the season. And, in a year where a 10-18 team still has a shot at the last playoff spot, we've eliminated ourselves from contention. As George Bush has said, that's hard work!
Hopefully, we won't be seeing a blueprint for the future on the Lynx side any time soon; that indeed would be the kiss of death. Their plan seems to be deceptively simple: Acquire league number one draft choices, and forget about the rest. Getting the first two hasn't done a thing to reverse our fortunes in the slightest, but maybe the third time will truly be the charm.
Not much has been said since it was reported early in the season that a Denver group was thinking of bringing the team to Colorado, but given the moves of this team, it still makes sense that something could happen. The Taylor organization certainly hasn't done anything to endear themselves to the Twin Cities basketball market, on either the men's or women's side. Without a substantial increase in wins, or recognizable player acquistions (Candice Parker, Whalen, McCarville), one would expect the same attendance for next year: between 2,000 to 6,000 fannies in the seats, with a couple of spikes given former Gopher appearances or cross-promotional efforts. That can't be good news for Mr. Taylor, affectionally known here as Clueless Glen. If they are to remain here, however, here are some suggestions:
1 - Bump Don Zierden to the front office, and establish Teresa Edwards as coach.
She's probably a little raw yet in terms of experience, but she understands the women's game, and as a former elite PG in the game, I think giving her the reins at this point would be perfect for a young team. Zierden has been a loyal employee for the Taylor organization; he has been consistently overmatched as a head coach, but he hasn't been given much to work with either, especially in the front court. Reward him with a spot where he truly belongs, either as an assistant for the men's team, or a front office exec. They seem to enjoy acquiring front office "talent" as much as putting qualified players on the court--what's one more for the country club?
2 - If the number one choice is NOT Candice Parker, deal the pick for some front court help.
Janel McCarville may still be available; she had a breakout season, but the Liberty also have had a tough year. What the Lynx have now will not do it for them. They have enough youth on their team. Vanessa Hayden will likely be coming back, but as I've said before, she's never been in good enough shape to consistently help the team. Which leads to:
3 - Dump Nicole Ohlde.
She seems like a very nice person, and so I won't be overly critical of her anymore, but enough is enough. She's not the answer, or even the question.
4 - Acquire a veteran point guard to back up Lindsey Harding.
It's clear they need to be able to run a half court offense if the transition game isn't happening for them. SA has to work way too hard for shots, and it shows in the fourth quarter. Even with her injury, Harding has to come a long way to demonstrate her ability to run a team.
5 - Hire a defensive minded assistant coach, either to replace Edwards, or Jenkins.
They really need help on the defensive end, even more than their offense, if that's possible.
6 - Get the pecking order straight.
It's pretty bad when early in the season all a team had to do was double-team SA, make her give up the ball, and watch the turnover happen. Ohlde failed miserably as a second option, Harding was inconsistent; only Svet showed up as a viable option this year. Part of a successful half-court offense is solidfying the options; if option number one is down, swing the ball side-to-side or inside- out, and run a play for option two or three. Or, have SA create, draw a crowd and have her distribute. As Trent Tucker used to say, "basketball is a very simple game". We need to know who those second or third options are, and we have not done much this year to develop them.
There you have it, for better or worse. Meanwhile, I'm searching through my portfolio, looking to buy stock in a ping-pong conglomerate...
Hopefully, we won't be seeing a blueprint for the future on the Lynx side any time soon; that indeed would be the kiss of death. Their plan seems to be deceptively simple: Acquire league number one draft choices, and forget about the rest. Getting the first two hasn't done a thing to reverse our fortunes in the slightest, but maybe the third time will truly be the charm.
Not much has been said since it was reported early in the season that a Denver group was thinking of bringing the team to Colorado, but given the moves of this team, it still makes sense that something could happen. The Taylor organization certainly hasn't done anything to endear themselves to the Twin Cities basketball market, on either the men's or women's side. Without a substantial increase in wins, or recognizable player acquistions (Candice Parker, Whalen, McCarville), one would expect the same attendance for next year: between 2,000 to 6,000 fannies in the seats, with a couple of spikes given former Gopher appearances or cross-promotional efforts. That can't be good news for Mr. Taylor, affectionally known here as Clueless Glen. If they are to remain here, however, here are some suggestions:
1 - Bump Don Zierden to the front office, and establish Teresa Edwards as coach.
She's probably a little raw yet in terms of experience, but she understands the women's game, and as a former elite PG in the game, I think giving her the reins at this point would be perfect for a young team. Zierden has been a loyal employee for the Taylor organization; he has been consistently overmatched as a head coach, but he hasn't been given much to work with either, especially in the front court. Reward him with a spot where he truly belongs, either as an assistant for the men's team, or a front office exec. They seem to enjoy acquiring front office "talent" as much as putting qualified players on the court--what's one more for the country club?
2 - If the number one choice is NOT Candice Parker, deal the pick for some front court help.
Janel McCarville may still be available; she had a breakout season, but the Liberty also have had a tough year. What the Lynx have now will not do it for them. They have enough youth on their team. Vanessa Hayden will likely be coming back, but as I've said before, she's never been in good enough shape to consistently help the team. Which leads to:
3 - Dump Nicole Ohlde.
She seems like a very nice person, and so I won't be overly critical of her anymore, but enough is enough. She's not the answer, or even the question.
4 - Acquire a veteran point guard to back up Lindsey Harding.
It's clear they need to be able to run a half court offense if the transition game isn't happening for them. SA has to work way too hard for shots, and it shows in the fourth quarter. Even with her injury, Harding has to come a long way to demonstrate her ability to run a team.
5 - Hire a defensive minded assistant coach, either to replace Edwards, or Jenkins.
They really need help on the defensive end, even more than their offense, if that's possible.
6 - Get the pecking order straight.
It's pretty bad when early in the season all a team had to do was double-team SA, make her give up the ball, and watch the turnover happen. Ohlde failed miserably as a second option, Harding was inconsistent; only Svet showed up as a viable option this year. Part of a successful half-court offense is solidfying the options; if option number one is down, swing the ball side-to-side or inside- out, and run a play for option two or three. Or, have SA create, draw a crowd and have her distribute. As Trent Tucker used to say, "basketball is a very simple game". We need to know who those second or third options are, and we have not done much this year to develop them.
There you have it, for better or worse. Meanwhile, I'm searching through my portfolio, looking to buy stock in a ping-pong conglomerate...
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Truth or Originality?
"No, I don't quite understand why McHale still has a job. And I think he failed to take advantage of one of the greatest players in NBA history. Now do you want to tell me how this is even remotely qualifies as an original, interesting take on August 2, 2007?
What is interesting to me is that the guy I've been bashing has had three pretty good drafts in a row. That those drafts and the trade he just made point toward a philosophy of play he has always preached, one directly at odds with the two most influential figures in the Wolves' past success--KG and Flip Saunders." - Britt Robson, August 2, 2007
I would offer to Britt that what's unoriginal lies in the continual and long standing failure of the Wolves organization to acknowledge what the real problem is. Isn't it usually said when a coach gets fired, that it's easier than firing all the players? Well, in this case, both the coach AND the players are getting fired, with the core issue remaining...the Iron Ranger and Clueless Glen. There is absolutely no evidence that McHale's new Navy will be any better in the end. Why? Because it's not simply about the players; it's also how you treat them, how you work with their agents, what type of contracts you sign them to. It's a skill set beyond the hardwood, and the Ranger doesn't have it. We've seen this now for many years. THAT is what's unoriginal. We're still waiting for Godot, and it's time the play ends.
For the record, it's not because KG was traded that I harp on these facts. Some of the things KG said at the Boston press conference was incredible. Taylor showed plenty of loyalty and love to the guy, over 200 million worth. KG--while great--was an over priced talent, but never recognized his role in all this mess. He's content to play victim. Now as you, me, and many others have said, there are no excuses. But the fact remains everything negative about the Wolves has flowed downhill from the front office. Marv Wolfenson, Harvey Ratner, Bob Stein, Jack McCloskey, Glen Taylor and Kevin McHale. A wall of organizational shame.
Yeah, it will be interesting to see what happens, and I'll go to games, because I love basketball, and it will be a challenge for me to guess which referee is actually on the take. But even more than wasting a top talent like KG, the real tragedy is here ruining a basketball market with incompetence, arrogance, and spin. It's an old familiar theme; boring, unoriginal, but it's the truth.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Ticket to Ride
An era looks to be ending, I'm sorry to report. As much as I've enjoyed watching KG over the years, I guess everything has to end, especially in professional sports. The delusional behavior by just about everyone associated with this drama brought this to a head. Here's what I posted on Britt Robson's Rake blog:
"If you can only primarily deal with one agent and GM in any professional league, you're screwed. Somewhere along the line, Glen Taylor must have an on-the-road-to-Damascus epiphany and understand what damage he and McHale have wreaked on an unsuspecting basketball market. If that understanding ever is achieved, sackcloth and ashes aren't nearly enough for what has transpired here during KG's tenure. Given that scenario, this deal is pretty much the same as any other realistic offer. It won't solve the core issues facing this club. At least we might get our draft pick back from the last botched trade.
Fred Hoiberg can't fix this, neither will Jim Petersen, who I'm sure --just like the other Boston trade--will defend it for at least a year and half. And, just like the other Boston trade, he will be wrong. It will take a totally fresh look to build the scouting, dealing and coaching acumen to make this team a success.
However, KG is no Tim Duncan. If reports are correct, him asking to get paid another 100 million dollars over four to six years demonstrates we could have never found the resources to build around him anyway at this stage of his career. The T-Wolves needed to get salary relief from him if he was to stay in Minnesota for life. So fine Danny Ainge, give him one last big payday. There are no excuses left for KG; if those three are healthy, they should make runs deep into the playoffs for at least three years, given the East's reputation as the JV conference.
As for what we have now, I guess I wouldn't worry about the rebounding. Other than Ticket, we were getting dominated when it counted anyway. KG wasn't tough on the glass, he grabbed a lot of easy rebounds at the end of plays. We now at least have a couple of players willing to play in the low post. Consistently.
What we have left are many gambles, but no safe bets. It will take much more hard work and fresh analysis to build the right mix of youth and veterans to compete in the Western Conference.
We're again at wait and see, with the Iron Ranger still at the controls. Given his performance at draft time, and Taylor's subsequent spin of this drama, why should we bother to trust anything they have left to say?"
"If you can only primarily deal with one agent and GM in any professional league, you're screwed. Somewhere along the line, Glen Taylor must have an on-the-road-to-Damascus epiphany and understand what damage he and McHale have wreaked on an unsuspecting basketball market. If that understanding ever is achieved, sackcloth and ashes aren't nearly enough for what has transpired here during KG's tenure. Given that scenario, this deal is pretty much the same as any other realistic offer. It won't solve the core issues facing this club. At least we might get our draft pick back from the last botched trade.
Fred Hoiberg can't fix this, neither will Jim Petersen, who I'm sure --just like the other Boston trade--will defend it for at least a year and half. And, just like the other Boston trade, he will be wrong. It will take a totally fresh look to build the scouting, dealing and coaching acumen to make this team a success.
However, KG is no Tim Duncan. If reports are correct, him asking to get paid another 100 million dollars over four to six years demonstrates we could have never found the resources to build around him anyway at this stage of his career. The T-Wolves needed to get salary relief from him if he was to stay in Minnesota for life. So fine Danny Ainge, give him one last big payday. There are no excuses left for KG; if those three are healthy, they should make runs deep into the playoffs for at least three years, given the East's reputation as the JV conference.
As for what we have now, I guess I wouldn't worry about the rebounding. Other than Ticket, we were getting dominated when it counted anyway. KG wasn't tough on the glass, he grabbed a lot of easy rebounds at the end of plays. We now at least have a couple of players willing to play in the low post. Consistently.
What we have left are many gambles, but no safe bets. It will take much more hard work and fresh analysis to build the right mix of youth and veterans to compete in the Western Conference.
We're again at wait and see, with the Iron Ranger still at the controls. Given his performance at draft time, and Taylor's subsequent spin of this drama, why should we bother to trust anything they have left to say?"
Sunday, July 29, 2007
SA goes Crazay
One thing I do like about this squad is that they don't give up. Last game it was Svet and SA, this time SA goes off for 39, against a much better team in the Monarchs, and on the road to boot. Any time you have a talent like Augustus, the game will generally be watchable, and when she's on...SA has the ability to put a team on her back. Minnesota took nine more shots than Sacramento, and made six of them. Combine that with Sac's inability to turn their overwhelming foul shot advantage into a real plus, and you've pretty much got the win figured.
The negatives: Noelle Quinn had eight assists, but eight turnovers. Considering Amber Jacobs had her shot at PG, it looks like we'll have to put up with Quinn the rest of the year. Nicole Ohlde once again disappears against better post talent. I am surprised that overall the Lynx have somewhat held their own rebounding-wise against other teams. Given Ohlde's soft play, moving Stansbury into the starting line up has paid dividends. Hopefully next year Ohlde will be someone else's marshmallow, while Stansbury could make a nice non-starting role player for the club, especially if she works on her free throw shooting.
While it's true the Lynx don't win unless SA has a monster game, this is another "credit where credit is due" victory. After the collapse last week again Washington, and the blowout loss against Phoenix, this team would have every reason to fold and play out the string. But finally being able to beat a team with a losing record at home, and then go on the road and beat a potential--if not slightly fading--championship contender, speaks volumes for their heart.
The negatives: Noelle Quinn had eight assists, but eight turnovers. Considering Amber Jacobs had her shot at PG, it looks like we'll have to put up with Quinn the rest of the year. Nicole Ohlde once again disappears against better post talent. I am surprised that overall the Lynx have somewhat held their own rebounding-wise against other teams. Given Ohlde's soft play, moving Stansbury into the starting line up has paid dividends. Hopefully next year Ohlde will be someone else's marshmallow, while Stansbury could make a nice non-starting role player for the club, especially if she works on her free throw shooting.
While it's true the Lynx don't win unless SA has a monster game, this is another "credit where credit is due" victory. After the collapse last week again Washington, and the blowout loss against Phoenix, this team would have every reason to fold and play out the string. But finally being able to beat a team with a losing record at home, and then go on the road and beat a potential--if not slightly fading--championship contender, speaks volumes for their heart.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Svet Equity
Let's discuss positives for a minute. How good has Svetlana Abrosimova been for the club this year? In fact, you could say that possibly they haven't used her enough. She's not the impact player they thought she'd be coming out of UConn, but given this abysmal season, when someone shines--even slightly--it's easy to notice. She deserves a ton of credit for keeping her focus and providing veteran leadership in a bad situation.
As for last night, it's great that the Lynx could beat ANY team the rest of the season. The Sparks are a shell of their former selves, and are continuing their descent to join the Lynx at the bottom of the standings. Unlike the Lynx however, it will probably be a short stay, since Lisa Leslie will potentially rejoin the team next season. Our team has a lot of work to do, and many holes to fill, starting with the front office, and working their way up to the players.
As for last night, it's great that the Lynx could beat ANY team the rest of the season. The Sparks are a shell of their former selves, and are continuing their descent to join the Lynx at the bottom of the standings. Unlike the Lynx however, it will probably be a short stay, since Lisa Leslie will potentially rejoin the team next season. Our team has a lot of work to do, and many holes to fill, starting with the front office, and working their way up to the players.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Black Eye Friday
A bad day for basketball on Friday, both from a local and national perspective. The FBI's investigation into alleged game fixing by an NBA referee is bad enough on it's own merits, but will stimulate the rise of conspiracy theorists everywhere when a team loses or mysteriously comes back to cover the spread. At the Lynx game, you could hear the insinuations of the crowd as the referees called foul after foul on our club. It's hard to imagine a game where the opposition shoots 55 foul shots to our 15 at home and NOT suspect something was going on. However, I don't think anyone is all that interested in the point spread of WNBA games. Yeah, the refereeing was bad, but this second black eye was all on the Lynx, especially coach Zierden.
Zierden was over matched on Friday, as he has been most games during this horrendous slump. Once the Mystics decided to pressure the club with occasional full court presses and frequent half-court traps, the Lynx melted down faster than Chernobyl. He couldn't call a time out, make an adjustment or find a substitution pattern that would prevent the Lynx from committing 32 TURNOVERS. As the referees were ringing up fouls, allowing the Mystics to get back into the game with no time running off the clock, Zierden could not find a way to work the refs, either by a technical or other means. It was the most incompetent display of coaching I have seen ever at the professional level, men or women. I was trying to see Glen Taylor's reaction as the game changed from Lynx blowout to Mystics steal, but I think even he was stunned into speechlessness.
To be fair, the first half and initial part of the third quarter showed promise. The Lynx displayed a better ability to work inside-out and not depend primarily on long jump shots. Clearly however, when the opposition decides to show up and play defense, this team can't run a half court offense to save it's life. Once the easy transition buckets stop, and the jump shots don't fall, the Lynx become painful to watch. To see Amber Jacobs throw entry passes at people's feet was especially disappointing. Since the FO didn't try to pickup an accomplished veteran backup for Lindsey Harding, Amber and Noelle Quinn are it. Quinn failed miserably to break a press or a trap, and unfortunately Jacobs was even worse. No court awareness or leadership skills whatsoever. Usually a PG ideally is the extension of the coach, but given the coach, I would advise Amber to raise the bar. Her career depends on it.
Of course, everyone's concerned about Seimone. She again was an offensive marvel, but had 8 turnovers on her own, and by the time of her injury late in the 4th looked spent. It's tough to play 1 on 5 in a half court offense. I'll amend that a bit because Abrosimova stepped up with 20 points, especially when SA went down. But SA makes tough shot after tough shot; this team doesn't make it easy for her to find a rhythm. By the fourth quarter, as in the Sun game, she was starting to disappear, then came the injury. The house of cards then started to cave.
This team has talent and a fair amount of feistiness. They hung in given the refereeing, poor coaching and their own lack of execution. Even with the meltdown, it wouldn't dissuade me from showing up to the TC and cheering the team on. It's clear however that the players and fans deserve better than what's been given them. We're now back at the same place when the Lynx were winless, and we were wondering if they were going to win any games at all. Tonight it's Phoenix, and while it looks like SA might play it will be interesting to see if the ladies can pick themselves up from such a poor showing and compete. This has to be wearing on them; black eyes are hard to hide.
Zierden was over matched on Friday, as he has been most games during this horrendous slump. Once the Mystics decided to pressure the club with occasional full court presses and frequent half-court traps, the Lynx melted down faster than Chernobyl. He couldn't call a time out, make an adjustment or find a substitution pattern that would prevent the Lynx from committing 32 TURNOVERS. As the referees were ringing up fouls, allowing the Mystics to get back into the game with no time running off the clock, Zierden could not find a way to work the refs, either by a technical or other means. It was the most incompetent display of coaching I have seen ever at the professional level, men or women. I was trying to see Glen Taylor's reaction as the game changed from Lynx blowout to Mystics steal, but I think even he was stunned into speechlessness.
To be fair, the first half and initial part of the third quarter showed promise. The Lynx displayed a better ability to work inside-out and not depend primarily on long jump shots. Clearly however, when the opposition decides to show up and play defense, this team can't run a half court offense to save it's life. Once the easy transition buckets stop, and the jump shots don't fall, the Lynx become painful to watch. To see Amber Jacobs throw entry passes at people's feet was especially disappointing. Since the FO didn't try to pickup an accomplished veteran backup for Lindsey Harding, Amber and Noelle Quinn are it. Quinn failed miserably to break a press or a trap, and unfortunately Jacobs was even worse. No court awareness or leadership skills whatsoever. Usually a PG ideally is the extension of the coach, but given the coach, I would advise Amber to raise the bar. Her career depends on it.
Of course, everyone's concerned about Seimone. She again was an offensive marvel, but had 8 turnovers on her own, and by the time of her injury late in the 4th looked spent. It's tough to play 1 on 5 in a half court offense. I'll amend that a bit because Abrosimova stepped up with 20 points, especially when SA went down. But SA makes tough shot after tough shot; this team doesn't make it easy for her to find a rhythm. By the fourth quarter, as in the Sun game, she was starting to disappear, then came the injury. The house of cards then started to cave.
This team has talent and a fair amount of feistiness. They hung in given the refereeing, poor coaching and their own lack of execution. Even with the meltdown, it wouldn't dissuade me from showing up to the TC and cheering the team on. It's clear however that the players and fans deserve better than what's been given them. We're now back at the same place when the Lynx were winless, and we were wondering if they were going to win any games at all. Tonight it's Phoenix, and while it looks like SA might play it will be interesting to see if the ladies can pick themselves up from such a poor showing and compete. This has to be wearing on them; black eyes are hard to hide.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Offensive Measures
The biggest gap in last night's loss wasn't the score, it was the difference between two players--Seimone Augustus and Katie Douglas. During the game, the ESPN announcers frequently brought up the thought that many other players--and Seimone herself--believe she's the best offensive player in the league today. On natural talent alone, that's a good argument to make. However as we saw last night, it's when that offense is applied, and also the ability to play defense that wins games. SA has a ton of talent, and is a marvel to watch, but her inability to stop Douglas and/or score at the end of the game was crucial to the Lynx's defeat.
Of course, you can't play 1-on-5 in this league and expect to win many games. Zierden's offensive strategy seems to have three legs: transition scoring, pick and roll, and perimeter movement of the ball for a three point shot. This team--whether Harding is healthy or not--has extreme difficulty in a structured, half court offense. That could be simply because of youth, but I think it goes deeper. As a coach, Zierden is an able assistant, but seems unprepared to handle the demands of a head coaching position. To his credit, this team has generally played hard during the season, and last night on national television they displayed a good amount of grit; but they are woefully unprepared and disorganized. How many times this year have they come out of a time out on offense only to turn the ball over? Why does Seimone seem to disappear during stretches of the game? The problem with this team is that there are too many questions, and not enough answers.
From a stats perspective, they are holding their own in many categories. Last night they dominated the boards, which helped the ladies to stay in the game, and created many offensive opportunities in transition. They shot well from three point distance, and buckled down on defense enough in the second half to make the overall shooting percentage close enough. Tiffany Stansbury has shown an increased amount of aggressiveness in the paint, but only shot 50% at the free throw line. If you're going to be Shaq-like at the stripe, you had better finish well or draw fouls against the opposition's best post player. Given that all year I've been harping on the lack of low post acumen, Stansbury has been a welcome addition to the starting squad, but --like the rest of the team--is a work in progress.
In the final analysis, the Lynx were right there, positioned to steal one on the road. It was the ability of Douglas to take over the game--giving Whalen a nod for the assist--and the inability of our team to deal with it that lost the game. If Seimone is a true team player, she should take a few lessons from last night's game. Be an offensive machine when it counts, and don't forget about defense. With a little more tough mindedness--along with better coaching and talent--this team will truly be able to build around you.
Of course, you can't play 1-on-5 in this league and expect to win many games. Zierden's offensive strategy seems to have three legs: transition scoring, pick and roll, and perimeter movement of the ball for a three point shot. This team--whether Harding is healthy or not--has extreme difficulty in a structured, half court offense. That could be simply because of youth, but I think it goes deeper. As a coach, Zierden is an able assistant, but seems unprepared to handle the demands of a head coaching position. To his credit, this team has generally played hard during the season, and last night on national television they displayed a good amount of grit; but they are woefully unprepared and disorganized. How many times this year have they come out of a time out on offense only to turn the ball over? Why does Seimone seem to disappear during stretches of the game? The problem with this team is that there are too many questions, and not enough answers.
From a stats perspective, they are holding their own in many categories. Last night they dominated the boards, which helped the ladies to stay in the game, and created many offensive opportunities in transition. They shot well from three point distance, and buckled down on defense enough in the second half to make the overall shooting percentage close enough. Tiffany Stansbury has shown an increased amount of aggressiveness in the paint, but only shot 50% at the free throw line. If you're going to be Shaq-like at the stripe, you had better finish well or draw fouls against the opposition's best post player. Given that all year I've been harping on the lack of low post acumen, Stansbury has been a welcome addition to the starting squad, but --like the rest of the team--is a work in progress.
In the final analysis, the Lynx were right there, positioned to steal one on the road. It was the ability of Douglas to take over the game--giving Whalen a nod for the assist--and the inability of our team to deal with it that lost the game. If Seimone is a true team player, she should take a few lessons from last night's game. Be an offensive machine when it counts, and don't forget about defense. With a little more tough mindedness--along with better coaching and talent--this team will truly be able to build around you.
Monday, July 16, 2007
At the Half....
While we are all hopefully enjoying our all-too-brief summer up in the hinterland, the Lynx have a lot of work ahead of them. People are making a fairly huge noise about Harding being out for the rest of the year, but the reality is that this injury has more of an impact on her career than the Lynx's season. Harding was having an up and down season at best, a struggle most rookies have in the beginning. We'll send a few positive waves her way and hope for a complete recovery in time for next year.
In her stead, it looks like Noelle Quinn and Amber Jacobs at the point. Quinn had nine assists in the last game before the All-Star break; it will be interesting to see how her style develops in the Zierden system. Jacobs will fill in when necessary; if I were her, this would be my last season here. It's pretty clear the team has no interest in developing her any further. I thought actually Amber would do a little better in the pros; coming out of BC, she had a decent shot and seemed to have excellent leadership qualities. Just like the men's game however, it usually takes a while for people to learn to play point guard at the pro level. it will be interesting to see where she lands next year, and whether she's with the club or not.
On the-beating-a-dead-horse front, I wonder if the same can be said for Nicole Ohlde. It's apparent she's not the answer in the front court, however the club has few options at this time. Ironically, this is a time when the team needs her the most. She can rescue an truly abysmal season by showing up and having a strong second half. The move to pair her off with Stansbury and bring Mann off the bench is decent, it takes some of the rebounding, low post pressure off Nicole. She needs to face the basket a little more, and let the game come to her. With Harding gone, I would run a few more plays for her to see if she's up to the challenge.
It's going to be tough no doubt; some amount of free tickets are being offered by the club to help maintain some semblance of attendance, there's not much buzz about the team right now. With their major acquisition now on the shelf, and no one waiting in the wings, it's time to look inward and see how mentally tough this team is.
In her stead, it looks like Noelle Quinn and Amber Jacobs at the point. Quinn had nine assists in the last game before the All-Star break; it will be interesting to see how her style develops in the Zierden system. Jacobs will fill in when necessary; if I were her, this would be my last season here. It's pretty clear the team has no interest in developing her any further. I thought actually Amber would do a little better in the pros; coming out of BC, she had a decent shot and seemed to have excellent leadership qualities. Just like the men's game however, it usually takes a while for people to learn to play point guard at the pro level. it will be interesting to see where she lands next year, and whether she's with the club or not.
On the-beating-a-dead-horse front, I wonder if the same can be said for Nicole Ohlde. It's apparent she's not the answer in the front court, however the club has few options at this time. Ironically, this is a time when the team needs her the most. She can rescue an truly abysmal season by showing up and having a strong second half. The move to pair her off with Stansbury and bring Mann off the bench is decent, it takes some of the rebounding, low post pressure off Nicole. She needs to face the basket a little more, and let the game come to her. With Harding gone, I would run a few more plays for her to see if she's up to the challenge.
It's going to be tough no doubt; some amount of free tickets are being offered by the club to help maintain some semblance of attendance, there's not much buzz about the team right now. With their major acquisition now on the shelf, and no one waiting in the wings, it's time to look inward and see how mentally tough this team is.
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