I made it a personal point to keep this blog professional.  I didn’t want this site to turn into a Timberwolves-bashing fest like most other Wolves sites.  But after the performance the Wolves put on last night against the Magic, I’m temporarily lifting the rule.  They don’t deserve the protection – not when you get completely outclassed at home in a deadly important game.  They earned whatever verbal licks they’re going to take, and I have absolutely no qualms about treating this team like a pinata. 

[image] Kevin Garnett acknowledges the fans
If this keeps up, Kevin Garnett will be waving goodbye very soon… [image2]

Before I start with the bashing, I’d like to hand out an exemption or two.  The first one goes to Kevin Garnett.  28 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals is nothing to complain about.  You earned your paycheck last night.  If you told me that Garnett was going to have those kind of numbers, I would have penciled the Wolves in for a victory.  I know he’s catching some heat since Dwight and Darko combined for 35 points, but at least those two had some semblance of help down low last night.  You can’t ask KG to do everything. 

[ad2] I’m also handing out exemptions to Randy Foye and Craig Smith.  If Randy doesn’t start the next game, Coach Casey should be fired.  (Well, he should probably be fired anyway, but I’ll get to that in a minute.)  Randy’s stat sheet reads 13 points in 21 minuts off of 3-8 shooting.  Ricky Davis’ numbers are 16 points in 37 minutes off of 5-13 shooting.  I really don’t think you need a degree in rocket science to figure out where the majority of the minutes should be going. 

Craig Smith was less than impressive with only two points.  However, he inexplicably logged only 11 minutes. (Wait for it, wait for it…) And based on his previous performances, he’s earned himself a mulligan. 

Everybody else is up for grabs.  And actually, I’m not going to waste my fingers’ energy typing out fire and brimstone for each underachiever.  But collectively, they all played selfishly and without an ounce of passion in a big game.  I personally take back any good thing I said in regards to the first two games, because at this moment I’m ashamed to have them on my team.  I know I’m just some random guy on the internet and they all have more basketball talent in your pinky than I do in my whole body, but at least I have heart.  You would catch me dead before you saw me go out there and play with that level of disinterest.  It’s bad enough to play that way in a throw-away game, but to put on that poor of a display in a game that big during a season this important for your franchise… I can’t even finish.  If they have one ounce of dignity or self-respect they’ll go out there on Tuesday night and rip the heads off the Trailblazers.  But I’m not holding my breath on that one…

And now the moment you’ve all be waiting for… Dwayne Casey.  I thoroughly expect a pink slip to be in your mailbox Monday morning.  After the pathetic showing last year, you’ve done nothing to give Wolves fans any reason to think this season will be any different.  Your team looks disinterested, they look like they have absolutely no game plan, and your rotations are absolutely atrocious.  Please, somebody, anybody tell me why Craig Smith was the last big man utilized last night.  Case used Blount, then Griffin, THEN REED, before finally putting Smith in the game.  These asinine rotations are sucking the life out of this team.  Is it any wonder we fall behind by double digits early when we’re putting Troy Hudson, Ricky Davis, Marko Jaric, KG, and Eddie Griffin all on the floor at the same time? 

It’s one thing to go against conventional logic when you’re seeing results, it’s quite another to consistently ignore conventional logic when your team is getting pummeled into the ground.  I don’t want to be mean.  I honestly think Dwayne Casey is an extremely kind and good person, and I have an untold amount of respect for him in that regard.  But from what I’ve seen thus far, he is just not cut out to be a head coach. 

This team is in serious jeopardy.  It’s one thing to lose.  It’s quite another to have a four game stretch where you blow a sixteen point leas and are down by twenty in the three others.  And if it was just a matter of having a bad season, I could totaly deal with it.  I did for all those years before Garnett showed up, and I have for the past two as well.  But with the situation the Timberwolves are in now, every Wolves fan and I are in a very real danger of losing everything we’ve dreamed about for the past twelve years. 

I will personally consider it a huge life disappointment if I never see Kevin Garnett win a championship in a Timberwovles jersey.  And I and my fellow fans have invested enough of our time and money in this team to have every right to feel that way.  We deserve better than this.  More importantly, Kevin Garnett deserves better than this. 

Enought of my rant.  I’m done.  I just can’t believe we’re this close to losing everything and people on this team look like they couldn’t care less. 

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