Author: David Shama

Randy Wittman was direct and honest in his post-game news conference last night following the Timberwolves’ 100-95 loss to the third year expansion Charlotte Bobcats.  After watching his team lose a 17 point second quarter lead and offer up a dismal second half effort, Wittman, now 5-9 since being named coach in late January, let loose with a candid and stinging evaluation of the Timberwolves. 

His message was the players think of themselves before the team and he asserted that after awhile Wednesday night they quit playing.  He talked about a “frame of mind focused on me rather than we.”  The frustrated coach complained that his players thought about “am I getting enough shots?  Is the ball touching my hands enough?” 

“I am tired of guys pouting on the floor during the game because of whatever, not enough minutes, not enough touches,” Wittman said.  “You can’t do that and win games.  Give me five (unselfish) guys who have no talent and you’re still going to lose the game but you’re going to go down fighting.  We didn’t go down fighting tonight. 

“I want five guys who will play for the team.  Their no. 1 goal is not to score 16 points and get 10 rebounds.  It’s to win the game.  I need five of those guys.  I would much rather lose that way. …” 

The Timberwolves are 3-7 in their last 10 games, have lost two straight since the All-Star break last weekend, and are 25-29 overall and in a fight for the eighth and last position in the Western Conference playoffs.  The season so far has been more about frustration and disappointment than promise and celebration.  

Players left the locker room soon after the game, including Kevin Garnett who wasn’t available to answer questions.  Point guard Mike James admitted there has been players-only meetings to address problems but didn’t seem enthusiastic about the usefulness of future meetings.  “It’s not what you say,” James said.  “It’s what you do on the court and that’s the main thing, what we do on the court.” 

No doubt neither management nor players are happy with this team’s season so far.  Inconsistency has characterized team play such as last night when the Timberwolves had 19 assists in the first half and two in the second.  Management has been working overtime looking at trades to change the roster.  With the trade deadline today, the team will either soon have a new look or be status quo until April when the season ends.  The best result for the Timberwolves, given their need for a major talent upgrade, is to miss the playoffs and be positioned to draft an outstanding college player next June. 

New faces, from college or other NBA teams, with more talent and team values, are needed to improve the Timberwolves.  Without those changes, fans will continue to show the apathy so apparent last night when despite the team collapse boos were seldom heard.

Depending on the source, you will find the world has about 200 countries. It seems like the domestic agenda for many includes having a professional basketball league.  A man drew this conclusion hearing the news that the darling of Gopher basketball last season and the year before, Vince Grier, has made his way to South Korea where playing professionally will make him a faster buck than the NBA’s Development League that he exited from here in the states. 

Grier was not chosen in last spring’s NBA draft but signed with the Miami Heat where he was the last player cut coming out of training camp.  He played in only three pre-season games, averaging 3.3 points on 72% shooting.  He averaged just 12 minutes of playing time. 

That experience was far different from Minnesota where he was the team’s star averaging 16.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.12 steals during his two seasons.  Last season in Big Ten Conference games only, he finished 14^th in scoring, ninth in rebounding and third in steals.  He was third team all-Big Ten as chosen by the conference coaches. 

It’s not easy to make an NBA roster as a free agent, particularly as a player with no pro experience.  Still, Grier is a prospect worth following in future years and he likely will try for an NBA roster spot come fall. 

At Minnesota Grier was a savior whose athleticism and scoring helped the Gophers reach the NCAA tournament in 2005.  The 6-foot-5 Grier is a slashing offensive player with an inconsistent jump shot.  He’s so left-hand dominant that it can seem like he doesn’t have a right hand.  Defensively, Grier looked ready for the NBA in college. 

Timberwolves’ assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg agrees with the assessment of Grier offered here.  He was asked if Grier, possibly a fit at shooting guard or small forward, can play in the NBA. “We’ll see,” Hoiberg answered.  “It all depends on how he plays and… getting put in the right situation would be a big part of it.” 

Grier is on a list of former Gophers globetrotting around the world.  The University sports information department has tracked the following players: Antoine Broxie and Terrance Simmons, Saudia Arabia; Adam Boone and Mo Hargrow, Austria; Arriel McDonald and Quincy Lewis, Spain; Jerry Holman, Turkey; Michael Bauer, Germany; Sam Jacobson, Italy; Dusty Rychart, Australia.

Two of America’s most authoritative baseball sources, the Sporting News and Sports Headliners, are picking the Twins to defeat the Mets in the 2007 World Series. 

Local radio history will be made on Wednesday, February 28 when KSTP broadcasts the Twins spring game against the Boston Red Sox starting at 6 p.m.  From 1961 through last season all Twins radio games were on WCCO. 

WCCO’s Sunday morning sports programming is feeling the competition.  Based on the latest ratings, fall 2006, WCCO is still No. 1 in total listeners but not in men 25-54.  KFAN is no. 1 in the 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. ratings while KSTP is no. 1 in 10 a.m. to noon. 

A source said University president Bob Bruininks and Detroit Pistons basketball coach Flip Saunders are friends.  Both were at Sunday’s Gopher-Ohio State game.

The Gophers’ Lawrence McKenzie, one of the conference’s leading scorers, will receive consideration from voters for all-Big Ten Conference honors.  After last night’s Gopher loss to Indiana he had made one or more three point shots in 36 consecutive games. 

Minnesota Wild general manager and president Doug Risebrough was asked to name a player who has particularly pleased him this season.  “I would say Pierre-Marc Bouchard.  He’s an offensive player who is finding a way to contribute more offensively.  It doesn’t always translate into goals or assists but he’s a threat more often… and a player they (the opponents) have to watch.” 

The Wild’s Wes Walz is scheduled for an appearance from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday at the Crown Royal Minnesota Golf Show at the Metrodome.  Matt Birk of the Vikings is scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday. 

The Timberwolves are celebrating Crunch’s birthday from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday in the skyway area near the team’s Target Center office. Crunch and dance team members will be there and the public can participate in games and eat cupcakes.