Thank you Minnesota
I wanted to take a minute to tell the fans of the Minnesota Timberwolves a heart felt thank you for all of the support and enthusiasm for the team over the past few years. Even though the past couple of years had been tough from a wins and losses perspective, when I will think of my time in Minneapolis, I will always think about that 2004 team that almost made it to the NBA Finals. At that time, Kevin Garnett was the MVP of the entire league, Sam Cassell was an All-Star and Latrell Sprewell was one of our emotional leaders. I remember during the playoff run that year how driving to and from games was absolutely crazy with part of downtown shut down so that cars could get through. This was all possible because of you, the fans and your amazing support.From a different standpoint, Minneapolis has come to feel like an absolute second home for me personally. Having grown up in Northern California, I never really knew much about Minnesota until Kevin McHale and Glen Taylor signed me to play for the Timberwolves. Needless to say, the past several years have been some of the best years of my life and I am grateful for the opportunity, the support from the community and the fact that you truly made me feel at home in new place. Thank you for your friendship and for the giving me the chance to play for the team. When friends from out of town came to visit Minnesota I would always take them to the stone arch bridge downtown, the state Capital, or the Mill City Museum. Exploring new parts of the Twin Cities became one of my passions while I was there.
After I learned of my trade to the LA Clippers, David Kahn left me a voicemail and it was great. To you, the fans, David Kahn is going to do a great job as the General Manager. He is going to tirelessly do everything in his power to return the team to the same form of that special 2004 season. And to Glen Taylor, I express my thanks for allowing me to contribute to a great team. I'm sure that you will get the team back to the high expectations that you and the community have for the team. It has been an honor to play for the team over the past number of years and to be part of your organization.
But above all, I want to thank you the fans. I wish all of you the best and I hope that I will see you down the road and perhaps at a Timberwolves vs. LA Clippers game in the future!
Sincerely,
Mark Madsen
Madsen's farewell from his blog.
over 2 years ago
Stop-n-Pop
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i’ll definitely be at the Clips game. i’m guessing the dog will get quite a reception, as will Rhino and Bassy.
by jocky_flubio on Jul 23, 2009 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Mark Madsen
although you lack anything close to NBA level talent, you are the Michael Jordan of class, enthusiasm, and eloquence. We’ll miss you not so much as a player, but as a citizen, teammate, and gentleman.
Dance on, you three-missing PF-C with the negative PER. Dance on.
Rooting for a Rubio Revolucion since roughly 10:20 a.m. on June 24th, 2009
When I started reading it....
I didn’t even have to get to the end to know who it was from.
Class Act.
Only cowards pray for rain.
Clippers
With the addition of Madsen, the Clippers will likely make the playoffs. :) Maybe if they change their name to the California Clippers they will win the title next year.
I love how this man
has been paid over $11 million since he entered the NBA, yet isn’t above picking up a few pennies by placing Google Ads on his blog.
Rooting for a Rubio Revolucion since roughly 10:20 a.m. on June 24th, 2009
Oh, I'm sure he
..garners a solid 3 or 4 tenths of a cent per click.
Classy and elegant...
Tip of the hat to the “Human Victory Cigar.”
If (most likely when) he gets bought out of his contract, could there possibly be a place on the bench as an assistant for him? Or perhaps a spot in the FO – methinks a plum spot in the PR/Community Relations would suit…
Kahn is following through with the right little calls and such
Despite his schedule, David Kahn is doing stuff like calling the coaching candidates they didn’t decide to invite back first, and apparently leaving a gracious message for Madsen.
I liked Kevin McHale as a person, but he didn’t always do that stuff. For every situation where he drove Chris Richard down to the Skyforce, there was a Doug West trade or a failure to talk to Terry Porter and his agent during free agency. He really did like his players, and it pained him to let anyone go, and there was a defensiveness about it that didn’t serve him well. Bridges got burned when they shouldn’t have.
AWESOME
Thats a really solid thing of him to do. Not too many people trash talk the team they leave, but on the other hand not enough players thank the teams that have accepted them for most of their playing careers. Garnett didn’t say a word if I remember correctly and we LOVED that man. Many of us treated Madsen’s name like crap and he does this for us before he leaves. Class act. Truely classy act. Thanks Mad dog.
by Mplax on Jul 23, 2009 10:43 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Wait
Garnett has thanked the team nmeraus times, during his introductory press conference in Boston, when Glen Taylor came out and said that KG tanked a season, and I can never forget
This is for all the people in ’Sota
, comment he made after winning the championship.
I am sorry
I dont know how to use the comment thing.
I guess since he said it's for us
The Celtics should send us the trophy right? :D
Come on, they’d still have 15
Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get. ~Homer Simpson
by thewild_viking_twins on Jul 24, 2009 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions
Freebee
How about contributing some of that $11 million to the local economy and take out an ad in the paper???
Pining for a Troy Hudson/Marko Jaric backcourt.
like corey koskie...
….i seem to remember him pulling an add out when he left the team.
The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com
This is way
he was loved by the “general fan”. I couldn’t really explain it in word and still can’t but it’s this kind of .. being a “good guy” that made people love him.
We got Rubio!
Great guy
I saw Mad Dog at a bar, downtown, last winter, and just said hi to shake his hand. His friends wanted to leave, but he stopped and chatted for about five minutes with my group of friends. I can’t imagine another famous pro athlete doing that.
Very Classy
Mad Dogg was and still is the worst basketball player in the NBA, he can’t shoot, rebound, pass,and he has a very bad 3 point shot. But, for some reason it is these kinds of players, the kind would do anything for there team, that we come to love more than the selfish superstars. It is odd, i know, but these are the players that when they step on the floor you want to cheer for.
Dwight Howard and him are the only players like that.
by FutureViking43 on Jul 26, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions
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