College Wolf’s Open Mailbag…

It’s been too long! Way, way too long. Finally we are back with a brand new edition.  More questions and incoherent ramblings answers to everything you all have ever wanted to know.  Ohbytheway, the Wolves are terrible.  Yeah, I know.  Tell you something you don’t already know.  Well, I ain’t got much, so put that in your pipe and smoke it!  We’re commin we’re commin!  Enjoy the Mailbag, and until next time…

Feel free to leave any comments and/or email me questions for the next Mailbag. ([email protected])

Previous Editions:

–  January 12th, 2009.
–  August 27th, 2008.
–  June 9th, 2008.
–  March 3rd, 2008.
–  January 28th, 2008.
–  December 27th, 2007.

(Click “Read More…” to dive into the MailBag.)

Please tell me we aren’t the worst team ever.  Don’t lie.

– John V.

CW: Don’t worry, we aren’t the worst team ever.  Ugh.  Nevermind.  I can’t even try to say that with a straight face.  Ok, seriously though.  We aren’t the worst team ever in terms of “wins” and “losses”, but man, we sure are tuurrrrrible.


when will we see alando play?  or is he going to be cut?

– V. Yang

CW: Last night!  (1/26/2010, for the record.)  It only took him a month and a 30 point blowout loss to finally get in a game!  *cough cough* Nice acquisition Kahn *cough cough*  But if I had gotten around to answering this before he finally got into a game, my response would have been something like “never” or perhaps, “never ever.”

He won’t be cut, per se.  They just won’t bring him back after the season is over.  The move to acquire Alando was one of a purely financial incentive.


Hey CW, you like hurt your arm or something?  Surgery?  What happened?

– Forum guy

CW: Well, I initially thought my bicep tendon was ruptured, but it turns out from the MRI that my pectoral major tendon/muscle is completely torn.  So yeah, I’m having surgery on Thursday.  Ugh.

As for how it happened, I saw a pregnant woman drowning in the Mississippi River, so I jumped in to save her.  As I was doing so, I got hit by a passing luxury cruise ship. 

Such is the life of a good samaritan.

1.  Have you gotten to many games this year?  How is the atmosphere compared to last season?

2.  Al Jefferson’s FG%, PPG, RPG and MPG have all steadily increased when you look at his monthly splits.  Looking at his trajectory it would seem that he’ll settle in right back where he was last year at around 23/11.  Do you see the Wolves making the playoffs sooner if they keep him or trade him?  

Still no end in sight
David Kahn might lead up back
or maybe he won’t

– Pants

CW: Thank you.  I dearly love haiku’s.  They make me all warm and fuzzy inside.

1) After having gone to 30+ games each of the past three years, I’ve only been to a small handful this season.  It’s just not worth the time/energy/money with as pathetic as our team is these days.  If our Front Office doesn’t care, why should I?  Admittedly, $20 for lower level season tickets is a pretty good deal, except you can go to any given game and get a $5 ticket from a scalper and still sit wherever the hell you want!  So why buy season tickets?  This way, you can just go to games when ya want to, or have time, or whatever.  Anyways the atmosphere is somehow even worse than last year.  There’s literally no one at the games (sit wherever you want), and it’s quiet as #@)!  I feel bad when I’m talking, because everyone can hear me.  I don’t think anyone knows how to cheer, except for when they throw the damn T-Shirts into the crowd.  The atmosphere at Target Center is a combination of sad, pathetic, and just downright weird.
2) It is indeed true that Al has been playing better of late, but I think it’s pretty obvious he won’t ever lead us to a title.  And with Kevin Love playing almost as equally well, there are decisions to be made.  The worst thing is that they both play the same position, and we simply will not ever win big (in terms of a deep playoff run) with them on the court together.  So something needs to be done.  I am a big advocate of trading Al Jefferson instead of Love, because he’s older, has a bigger contract, and seems to have decent value around the league.  So with that said, I think we would make the playoffs sooner if we traded him, just because of the assets we could (presumably) get in return.  Plus then Love moves into the starting rotation and fills the void with little to no drop off.  From a purely hypothetical standpoint, I’d much rather have Love starting at PF + a star caliber SF or Center (from trading Al), rather than Al starting at PF and Love coming off the bench at PF.  It’s more quality starting positions under the trading Al scenario.
Trade all our players
Only way to rebuild team
Never win again

CW,


We are all aware that you have a special place in your heart for Ryan Gomes, perhaps a little bit of unrequited love.

CW: I love him.
It’s sweet, but your paramour may be traded soon.  That non-guaranteed deal combined with the money he will be owed through to 2012 if the option is taken up is just the sort of contract David Kahn couldn’t help but deal.  It’s like Chucky Atkins contract on crystal meth because Ryan can actually contribute to a quality side.

CW: Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!1

So:

(1) What the chance your beau is on the move?

CW: I will admit, in reality, probably a pretty good chance.  If not this trading deadline, then most likely this off-season for sure.

(2) What can we reasonably expect for him?

CW: For him alone, probably not much.  But I could definitely see him being a part of a bigger deal that would turn out well for the Wolves.  If that were to happen, I guess I couldn’t complain.  Well, I wouldn’t complain if I were still alive, rather than committing suicide.

(3) Will you be OK?
CW: I will be ok if they trade him to a quality organization that wins.  Someone like the Celtics, Spurs, Rockets, etc.  Gomes deserves it.  And he’d fit in superbly off any of those benches.

For what it’s worth, I’d like to keep him, but I suspect we won’t.
– Auswolf
CW: Sigh. 🙁

What’s up CW?  Here are my questions:

What’s your opinion on Tim Donagy (sp?)?  No way he was picking 70% correct based off his knowledge of the refs, right?  He had to be betting/influencing his own games, right?

CW: Correct.  He was either influencing the game himself, or he was flatout lying about picking 70% correct.  It just doesn’t happen.  My guess is that he was lying, as I read an article on Truehoop (I believe it was), that responded to points Donaughy made.  Basically, almost all his “facts” and whatnot from his book about the refs that influenced the games were wrong.  Certain refs just did not influence betting outcomes because of biases, like Timmy said they did in his book.

Which players do you think are worth max contracts right now?  I’ve got lebron, kobe, chris paul, Durant, dirk, wade, amare, bosh.

CW: Good question.  Keep in mind, I wouldn’t give a NEW max contract to everyone I’m about to list, but if they currently have a max deal they are worth it.  I’d say: LeBron, Marko Jaric Kobe, Paul, Durant, Mark Blount Dirk, Wade, Bosh, Brian Cardinal Tim Duncan, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Paul Pierce, Brandon Roy, T-Mac (kidding), and Gilbert Arenas (definitely kidding.)

What’s your favorite sandwich?

CW: Well, my favorite foods are Shrimp, Chipotle, and pretty much any fruit. So if you put that on a sandwich I’d be good to go.  Otherwise, I pick the KFC Double Down Sandwich.  Oh lordy lordy.

You drafted a sick team in our yahoo league.  Was that luck, or are you just that good?

– Scott S.

CW: Clearly, I am just a genius NBA mind.  No luck involved.  If anyone cares, I’m currently in first place of a 14 team money league with:

PG: Tyreke Evans, Aaron Brooks, Brandon Jennings
SG: Joe Johnson, Kevin Durant
SF: Thad Young, Omri Casspi
PF: David Lee, KLOVE, Joakim Noah, DeJaun Blair
C: Nene, Sammy Dalembert

Your question got me wondering, so I went back to look at the draft results.  A few things I’d perhaps do differently:

Round 2: Draft Carmelo over Joe Johnson.  BUT… JJ is a STUD who plays three positions, including PG.  That’s huge in fantasy bball.
Round 3: Draft Boozer, or Monta Ellis, or anyone over Vince Carter.  Smartly (I am a genius after all), Vince was included in trade(s) that eventually netted me Brooks and Nene.
Round 5: Draft anyone (Bargnani, Horford, Camby, Okafor, again anyone) over Ben Gordon. But he’s since been moved.
Round 6: KLOVE = STEAL OF THE DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Round 7: Jason Thompson was drafted ONE PICK before I took Thad Young. Booo. The only other guy I would have taken here was my 8th round pick… JO NO!  STUD!
Round 9: Again, my pick was stolen ONE PICK before me (Chris Kaman.)  But then I took Ty Evans. Marc Gasol was still available.  Nice round, some huge steals.
Round 10: While lesser NBA minds were drafting guys like Peja, T-Mac, Rudy Fernandez, Al Thornton, Ramon Sessions, and Larry Hughes!?!?!? I took Brandon Jennings. SUPER STEAL OF THE DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Round 11: I took Kelenna Azubuike. Yikes.  Should have went with Yiiiii or Gallinari.  Those foreigners never tempt me enough though.
Round 12: Full of hot garbage.  But I clearly had the best pick in the round being Carl Landry. Wait, he’s no longer on my team.  Damnit.
Round 13: The only guy in this last round that I would have liked was Channing Frye, but he was taken before I picked.  So, no worries there.

I’ve been out of the loop on the Wolves since the turn of the New Year…can you provide me a summary of what you saw out of the squad in January?  Who’s lookin good, who’s not, who’s improving, who is your scapegoat, who do you have a man-crush on, how’s our O, how’s our D, how’s Rambis, etc….

Also, I know that like me, you have been reading Bill Simmons’ Book of Basketball.  What are your thoughts and what is your favorite section/sections?

Finally…as of right now… NBA Finals prediction.  Also, 8 playoff teams in the West?

– Bonk

CW: Hmmmm… what did I see in January?  You probably saw as much as I did, despite the fact that you now live in Florida.  Looking at the schedule, the only game I have memory of watching from start to finish was… against the Cavs on 1/27.  I saw some bits and pieces of a few, but vacation/travel combined with the fact that none of these damn games are on TV makes it tough.  And while we are on this subject, what a complete joke. You think the organization would want as much interest and exposure as they can get. Yet, they limit it purposely? I’ve watched one complete game out of the past 10. That’s pretty sad and I’m a huge fan. At least, I was. Hard to be involved when I can’t even watch the team on TV. And I’m certainly not going to get a babysitter for CW Jr so that I can drive to TC to go to a game by myself. No wonder their attendance is so terrible. What a complete epic fail.

Other than that, Brewer has somehow been playing amazingly.  And its actually happening on a ridiculously consistent basis.  Besides him, it seems like each night a random player will have a good game, while most other guys struggle.  Well, I guess Love and Al have been consistent and doing well for the most part, but Rambis is inexplicably limiting Love’s minutes, and now he’s coming off the bench.  Not sure what to make of that.

I really do like Simmons’ book.  It’s solid.  I’m actually laughing out loud and LOVE his footnotes.  They are just gravy.  The past few years, his online columns have become a bit stale to me.  While I still read every one, I don’t laugh like I used to during his prime, back in like 2003-2006 or so.  Those were the best.  But anyways, the book is good and definitely recommended reading for any Simmons/NBA fan.  To be honest, I like most all of it.  Except, my least favorite chapter BY FAR was the “What If” chapter, where he took 33 scenarios and went back and did an “alternate reality” type deal.  His revisions to history are pretty legit, in that its not something absurd that could have only happened due to hindsight.  You would think a chapter like that would have some potential, but I was honestly just bored with it.  Not his best work.

The league is actually pretty wide open right now, to be honest.  I think there are like 6-7 teams that could win the championship, if they get lucky, stay healthy, and/or catch some breaks along the way.  Boston and the Lakers were the early season favorites, but they are both old, injured, and struggling of late.  I would like to see some  young, run and gun type team win it.  I’d like to predict Denver and Atlanta, just because I know that no one else will make this prediction.  And then I could say “Ah ha!  Told ya so” if it somehow happens.  The East will come down to the Cavs and Atlanta (since I wanted to pick them), with the West going down to Dallas and Denver. But, I can’t not pick the Cavs.  They are too good, and LBJ is playing his best ball (probably ever.)  So, I am thinking the Cavs over the Mavs. 

My playoff field in the West:  1) Lakers 2) Denver 3) Dallas 4) Spurs 5) Portland 6) Utah 7) Memphis 8) OKC

cwmailbag.jpg

1) How do you feel about the Twolves now?  Would you watch this current team fumble around on court like a drunken hasslehoff looking for a cheeseburger or my recommendation before the season (and the idiotic hiring of Kahn’t) of a starting 5 of Jefferson, Love, Jianlan, Battier and Flynn??

2) Where is Rubio? Sorry you know my feeling on this kid – not sold right now.

3) I am buying a home – finally-  or I should say attempting to, why is this the most stressful thing I have ever done? I have had pregnancy scares with ex’s that weren’t this stressful – any advice to make this less stressful that doesn’t involve drinking Hennessey every time I have to go sign papers or deal with lender/agent/bank?

4) Modern Family is the best new show on TV – yes or no.

5) Lost starts back on Feb 2. – I haven’t been this excited for a TV show since Voltron was on TV.

– Justin Lucas

CW: Congrats!  You rock at life!  You rock because you are the hearalded “Emailbagger of the Month!”  So, send me money take a bow and pat yourself on the back!

1) They are still “my team”, but as I responded to Bonk above, they sure make it hard for fans to follow them when the games aren’t even on TV.  I mean, WTF, seriously?  Yes, I remember your off-season plan.  It was decent, and Yiiiiiii has proven to be legit this year.  That starting lineup certainly wouldn’t be any worse than what we’ve got.  I’m not sure it’s “the answer”, but we could build on it with our cap space and upcoming draft picks.  The Kings and Thunder really screwed us, as I’d love your plan if it included Ty Evans or James Harden instead of Flynn.  But that boat has sailed.

2) I can’t hate on Rubio.  I mean, he’s one of the best trade assets of any team in the NBA.  But we aren’t paying him, and as long as he continues to impress in Europe we can demand a ransom to trade for his rights.  As for trading him to New York (or anyone)… no.  It’s absurd that they would give him away to the Knicks.  Nothing personal, but all the talk was/is about Rubio going to New York. It doesn’t help the “speculation situation” that the Timberwolves are a terrible team and Organization that has been one of the laughingstocks of the NBA for the past 5 years or so.  That’s undeniable.

But in two years (or more) anything could happen.  I mean, his skills are already obviously apparent to anyone that knows basketball, and he’s only improving.  Did anyone see the Brandon Jennings explosion coming?  Anything could happen, and by the time he’s in the NBA a lot of things will have changed.

3) Ahhhh… I feel your pain.  It’s just such a… daunting task.  You think to yourself about how huge of a transaction it is, and you really don’t want to EFF IT UP.  I mean, as soon as you buy one, will you find a better one?  Will interest rates go down?  Can you afford it?  So many decisions. But I guarantee you, once you are in a house it’s one of the best feelings ever.  We thought we were completely happy in our apartment before CW Jr. came along, but then when we were in our house… holy shit we could never go back to that small apartment.  As far as location and finances, as long as you can afford it and as soon as you find the one you like, just bite the bullet and go for it.  It’s like buying a new huge TV, after you do it you’ll always see other deals down the road.  But, if you sit there and wait and wait and wait for the “perfect deal”, you’ll never buy one.  Just don’t get something beyond your means and you’ll be fine.  Plus, the housing market is starting to rebound so your investement should pay off if you plan on staying in the house for a while.  Oh, and Hennessey never hurts.

4) Sorry, no. 

5) I’ve never really been able to get into “Lost”, but that’s probably because I didn’t start watching it from the beginning.  I’ve liked the little bits I’ve seen here and there, but its something that you need to see from Day 1.  Plus I already DVR waaaaaay too many TV shows the way it is.  I wish there were 48 hours in a day.

College Wolf,

I’ve been here for days.  It’s cold and dark.  I’m locked in a cupboard.  I mark the passing of time with the arrival and departure of the man who I think is the boss.  I recognise the voice from the phone call.  He said he couldn’t wait to see me in action.

I get thrown food occasionally.  Apparently I’m being fattened up to “expire” or be moved at the deadline.

Occasionally he makes a call.  I think he is a bit weird; shouting down the phone stuff like “What will it take to get Gay?” and “I’m not giving you Love!”.  I just hope he doesn’t turn his loveless gay intentions to me.

Then there is that video.  Shape recognition? For an adult?  All I hear over and over is “the basics of the triangle”.  Shit -it has three sides, dude.

When will I get a chance?  I scored like a crazy man in Wisconsin.  If I can get out of this cupboard I’m sure I can make a contribution.  I mean, what have the Wolves got to lose?

Help me, College Wolf, your my only hope.

Free me.

– Alando.

CW: A+++++ for the creativity and humor. 

I honestly wish there was more I could do to help your cause, Alando.  I do.  Believe me.  Buuuuuuut… best of luck next year in Europe!


CW: 

Your website has (to me anyways) the perfect balance between being a T-Wolves fan but also being realistic about rooting for a very poor team.  A couple of other websites I like a lot, but I disagree with their approach.  I’ve never posted on either, so this is just from an outsider’s viewpoint:

Canishoopus:  Great with the analytics, and I like the passion their posters have, but they are so overwhelmingly positive about a franchise that has averaged 27 wins the past 4 years and off to a blazing 9-35 start that to me it seems less then honest at times.  An example:  the recent stomach punch losses at the buzzer.  I’m generalizing here, but More then one poster kept commenting that it’s good the team loses (the “more ping-pong balls” strategy) which I find a little bizarre.   The attitude seems to be that there is no doubt that this franchise will be another OK City or Memphis very soon, I guess I don’t share that viewpoint when looking at the franchise history – and the fact that Kahn had plenty of GM’s to choose from (Tom Penn, Dennis Lindsay) and instead went with a guy that was running away from lawsuits in the minor leagues

RubeChat:  Entertaining.  Some hilarious posters, and some that immediately attack anyone who posts anything about any subject.  That may be the point of the website, but it gets a little gratuitous when you got posters challenging each other to one on one games through a website.

Do you guys try to have a balanced tone?  Is that why you started the website?  Or is just a reflection of your personalities?

Thanks much,

– CM

CW: Wow, thanks.  Really appreciate the kind words CM.  It means a lot to get mail like this.  I’m glad to see you enjoy our site, and we’re glad to have you as a returning visitor.  Thank you.

As for your questions, I think its just a reflection of our personalities.  As you know from the forums, I’m not fake and will admit when I’m wrong (happens way too often.  *cough cough* I thought KLove was a BUST *cough cough*)  But for the most part, I’ve been burned too many times in the past that I just try to be as realistic as possible.  Yes, sometimes I will tend to overreact to bad losses, but I just can’t remain overly positive during every 20 point blowout loss.  But on the flipside, I almost always give credit where it is due when positive things happen.  We don’t try to feed anyone BS about this team, especially with the way the Front Office and Organization has treated fans.  I mean really, purposely not showing 25 games on TV this season?  That’s just proposterous. 

We’re just glad that there is such a huge community of people like yourself that are willing to come and chat about the TWolves in the forums with us.  It makes running and maintaining website all worthwhile.

And we’ll leave everyone with this Haiku.  Yeah, it’s true that the Wolves suck.  But think how bad things COULD have been if we still had McCants, Foye, Miller, etc etc etc.

Clank clank clank clank clank
Brick brick brick brick brick brick brick
McCants practicing


As always, a big thanks to everyone that participated and sent in questions and/or comments, I couldn’t do it without you all.  You can leave additional comments below if you so desire.

Hopefully I can continue to do the Mailbag on a somewhat steady basis… please feel free to email me any questions/thoughts/hate mail and I can save them for the next edition.  The more questions/responses I get, the sooner I can open another Mailbag.

Email all inquiries/Mail Bag questions/comments/hate mail to: [email protected]

CW