wolves/nba

my my...i didn't realize popovich could be so outspoken...i like it!

Funny how all these reports of respected coaches and figureheads (not to mention players) on other NBA teams are trickling out saying how well the Timberwolves are looking and how well they are built for the future. It will be interesting what the Kahn bashers are going to jump ship to next, you know, because they are super awesome fans and all. "Rubio will never wear a Timberwolves uniform", "Kahn has no clue" blah blah blah. Do yourselves a favor and embrace the new Timberwolves team. You might like what you see and become a "real" fan.

"Real" fans can also be critical of coaches and management, as well as players. Right now Kahn's track record is mixed. He's made some very poor decisions and also some very good ones. I, for one, am disappointed that he selected a guard coming off a serious knee injury in the second round of this most recent draft. If Lee ends up being able to play, I will change my opinion of this draft pick and compliment Kahn for making another good decision. Acquiring Beasely and Randolph and drafting Rubio and Williams are some of the excellent decisions Kahn has made.

Snooze makes a good point (I think Lee will be good, though. I mean, he's a second round pick, most second rounders never even make the team; plus, we didn't have to pay him if he didn't make the team) but uglymike is right. This message board was filled with irrational garbage for two years. Can we go back and count how many people trashed Rubio because of his stats in Euro league? Please, someone do this. It was ridiculous. Or how many people wanted to trade for freckin' OJ Mayo or Kevin Martin, or who said Love will never be good enough to be the best player on a good team? Kahn, "mixed" record or not, has transformed one of the worst teams I've ever seen -- the 09 Wolves -- into a group of young athletic players who share the ball and are lead by a great young player (KLove) and one of the most promising PGs in a league full of promising PGs (Rubio). Flynn was a mistake, yes. Rambis was a mistake, yes. But we're past that now.

I am somewhat of a bandwagon fan. Its not necessarily the winning I am attracted to but the hard play and enthusiasm. I enjoyed the Musselman era even though they were overmatched because they played hard, played to their strengths and played like they cared. I haven't watched much the last few years because I cannot stand to watch bad dispassionate basketball I don't care who it is or what the results. Therefore, I might not be a "real" fan in the eyes of many but I will follow this team as long as they show hunger to compete regardless of record. I might remind people wanting to annoint Kahn as a genius that they are still 2-3 and will not be shooting 65% for the year. No such thing as a genius when it comes to this stuff anyway.

@Dantes....Kahn isn't a "genius". In fact there is no genius in an NBA front office but there's something to be said for cleaning up years worth of bad contracts and front office blunders in this short of time. Kahn got an undeserved bad rap by all media in the country (not just Strib readers) imo. For the record the Wolves should have been 3-2 by now if not for a blatant non call for LeBron trucking Tolliver at the top of the key to get Miami back into that game...but so goes the NBA. I personally don't think bandwagon fans are a bad thing as long as they have the mindset you have. If people play hard the games are still fun to watch win or lose. I take it you love the ending to the movie Blue Chips lol