Holiday Weekend Wrap-Up: Links

by wyn on Sep 2, 2008 5:36 PM CDT in Links

Former full-time Wolves writer Steve Aschburner gives McHale and Co. a B grade on the offseason. His main concerns are an un-pure point guard starting and a natural 4 starting at the 5. Tough to completely disagree if you ask me, but I think Miller and Love's passing abilities will help relieve Foye of all initiating responsibility. Moreover, despite long-term concerns of getting beaten on defensively, Al more than held his own offensively at the 5 last year.

Basketbawful has a rebuttal for Aschburner's characterization of McHale. With video proof. After watching that second video, it's not hard to see where Al's been getting ideas for his moves (as if we hadn't been told enough). Plus, if you're worried about Love being able to play his below-the-rim game effectively against bigger NBA competition, McHale should be one of the best tutors he could have.

Apparently Shad really likes to go to clubs. According to The Vegas Eye, he was at the LAX Nightclub over Labor Day weekend (As were Antoine Wright, Damon Jones, Juwan Howard and Howard Eisley).

Mike Miller jerseys were sold out at the State Fair and according to the salesperson went quickly says Gopher Nation on RubeChat. Good to see him generating some excitement.

Fox Sports somehow deduced that Sebastian Telfair is the 10th most likely player to improve this year.; I'm not trying to make any wild predictions, but I think we may have legitimate candidates for All-Star (Jefferson), ROY (Love), MIP (Telfair) and 6th Man (McCants or Gomes, depending on the rotation) this year.

Speaking of which, Kevin Love did not make Four-letter.com's expert's list of ROY candidates. But, neither did Derrick Rose.

Wolves Watch over at MVN posts an update and division outlook.

NBC King 5 likes some of the fantasy implications for Minnesota this year. Al and Miller will absolutely be productive fantasy players on this team, although I think this guy doesn't quite have the frontcourt rotation nailed.

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I heard

I heard on the radio today (a MNN Sports update to be exact), but havent seen any internet articles about it, that the Timberwolves are ditching thier old parque floor and bringing in a new one for the next year. The guy they quotes (some exec for the Wolves, I forget his name) said it basically goes with the flow about this being an all new team, with the new players, the new uniforms, the whole works

by DedicatedFollowerOfFashion on Sep 2, 2008 5:50 PM CDT 0 recs

I know I might sound like a broken record, BUT...

I’m really disappointed that the Wolves didn’t do a throwback year with the branding. Acknowledging the 20th Anniversary would’ve still accomplished a different look than the KG era, and let’s face it, that’s what the current franchise is trying to distinguish itself from. I don’t blame them.

But, KG was not around in the Wolves’ first season and a year spent recognizing that inaugural period would go miles toward re-branding the team as THE TEAM, not just KG & Friends.

Moreover, I think they’ll be improved this year, but I highly doubt they’ll be a playoff team. A throwback year would garner non-KG attention from marginal sports fans; a group that hasn’t consistently followed the NBA in Minnesota.

Then, when next year rolls around, they take off the throwbacks, put the past to bed, and unveil the future look of the team. But that past that’s put to bed is “20 years of NBA basketball in Minnesota” not, KG’s Gone Now, Let’s Move On.

I really think the franchise missed a huge opportunity in their re-branding process.

by wyn on Sep 2, 2008 11:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

As always, thanks for digging around on the web.

I feel Aschburner is always so negative on everything. Don’t like reading him cuz he’s always talking about what will go wrong instead of what might go right. Don’t know if I’m alone in this :)

Love the 2nd McHale vid. That’s some post play.

Agree with all the candidates for awars but one. Don’t hink we have a chance at 6th man because we’re in a season where there will be individual battles. This means playing time will fluctuate a lot. So I don’t think we’ll have a 6th man, we’re still figuring out the rotation + I think there are better 6th men out there than Gomes (whom I do like) or Mccants.
Don’t think Jefferson will make it but I agree he should be, or at least he’s a candidate. Yes.

by Wim (Belgium) on Sep 3, 2008 5:42 AM CDT 0 recs