Inspired by Stephen Colbert, I present to you my premiere edition of "Tips of the Hat, Wags of the Finger" for the 2007-08 season.
A wag of the finger to Greg Buckner, who is reportedly upset about getting traded to Minnesota. Greg…I realize that it’s a bummer to get dealt from a contender to a rebuilding team, but it simply isn’t acceptable for you to disturb the team chemistry. Get over it, and step into your role as a veteran mentor to the youngsters. It’ll be okay. I promise.
A wag of the finger to Rashad McCants, who failed to say anything interesting in his media day interview. C’mon Rashad…I was expecting you to compare yourself to a library book, or something…not say boring stuff, like "We now have the chance to showcase." Seriously, you’re getting a little rusty with your quotes!
A tip of the hat to Ricky Davis. I’ll admit it…I’ve always considered Ricky to be a big punk. No, I never quite got over the infamous game where he "rebounded" a ball he threw off the backboard to complete a triple-double. But as it turns out, Ricky’s actually a good guy…he’s organizing a dinner for workers who helped save lives after the 35-W bridge collapsed. Good for him…I’ll have to reconsider my attitude towards him.
A wag of the finger to Marc Stein. In his latest power rankings, Stein ranked the Wolves dead last in the NBA…that’s simply too harsh. I’m not suggesting the Wolves are going to have a particularly good year, but this team is going to be a bit better than people in the mainstream media are suggesting. If our guys can mesh quickly, I have a feeling that the Wolves will move up a few spots in Stein’s rankings.
A tip of the hat to Juwan Howard. While Juwan recently reiterated his desire to get traded, it definitely looks as if he’ll accept a role of mentor on this young team. Juwan’s been extremely classy throughout his time in Minnesota, and that’s something I appreciate from him, especially given his disappointment over the Garnett deal. We love ya, Juwan…you’ll be a valued presence in Minnesota.
A tip of the hat to Marko Jaric. No, I can’t believe I’m saying this either, but I’ve gotta give credit to Jaric for showing some enthusiasm during the opening day of training camp. Now, if only he could show some positivity on a more consistent basis, I might not despise him as much as I do.
Finally, a tip of the hat to me (a little cocky, I know). Join me right here at T’Wolves Blog this Saturday at 2:00 pm, as I live-blog the Wolves’ preseason opener. While they’re playing some mysterious European team I’ve never heard of, it should still be a fun game to watch and discuss.