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St. Cloud State University
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Time is now for Wolves, Huskies
By Andy Rennecke
Published:
Thursday, February 13, 2003
I've been a frustrated Minnesota Timberwolves fan for way too long.
For six excruciating, painful years I've been witness to my precious local NBA basketball team being driven out of the first round of the playoffs. After every Anthony Peeler miss, or Kevin Garnett choke job, the Wolves have found just about every way conceivable to lose.
Every early May now has become a depressing period of the year for me. I know the Wolves are going to lose, I just don't know how they're going to. However, this season I've regained my optimism and I'm finally beginning to feel like K.G. and his pups have a chance of advancing to the second round.
Garnett is easily having his greatest season as a pro. He continues to average around 20 points (22.1 ppg), 10 rebounds (12.8 rpg) and five assists (5.7 apg) on a nightly basis. No one fills a stat sheet like him, and no one will ever come close.
The only problem with all of this is the lack of talent surrounding Garnett. With complimentary players like Wally Szczerbiak, Rasho Nesterovic, Marc ("Big Jack") Jackson and Troy Hudson in place, Minnesota does have some weapons at their disposal. Nonetheless, they need another star to go alongside the best player in the league.
That player would be none other than Seattle Supersonics' point guard Gary Payton. Payton, in the final year of his contract, has been rumored to be on the trade block. With no true point guard (Rod Strickland is, but it looks like he's always busy smoking crack), the Wolves need someone with the gumption to guide a team far into the playoffs.
If they acquired Payton, the Timberwolves would be set for a major march through the postseason. Of course, it would have to come at a price. What they can do is trade the rights to Mr. Boca Raton, Terrell Brandon.
It seems like Brandon has been in retirement for years now, not just one season. With insurance covering most of his contract for salary cap purposes, the Sonics would jump at the chance to acquire the rights to a player they don't have to pay in return for Payton.
Again, it's up to Wolves management to step up to the plate and have the guts to make a deal. If Vice President Kevin McHale, head coach and General Manager Flip Saunders and owner Glen Taylor came through in the clutch with something like this, I'd be flabbergasted. It would also give them back the respect they lost around the state when the whole Joe Smith fiasco occurred.
K.G. needs another big name, and hopefully it will be Payton. I've been whining for this deal to occur for more than four years now. I pray to the basketball gods that they will finally grant my wish and put The Glove in a Timberwolves uniform.
Another team is also in a put-up or shut-up type mode. That team would be none other than the SCSU men's basketball team. They're off to a great start in their pursuit of success in the NCAA tournament.
Two years have passed since they were one game away of the Elite Eight. Last year they were basically outplayed and outclassed by South Dakota State. But watching them now, they seem to be playing with more urgency and awareness. It seems like head coach Kevin Schlagel knows this is his best shot at the national championship.
Currently, SCSU (19-3, 9-2 NCC) leads the NCC and is on the right track to home court advantage in the Wells Fargo NCC tournament. The combination of seniors Forrest Witt and Jason Kron have proved to be a deadly one for their opponents.
While Witt still is streaky, Kron picks his team up whenever they need him. And if both aren't at the top of their games, junior point guard Alex Carlson, senior center Brent Frikken, sophomore forward Steve Trull or sophomore sixth man Nate Miller picks them up.
With as much depth as the Huskies possess, it would be considered a major failure in the eyes of their fans if SCSU doesn't produce in the playoffs. One or two wins won't suffice. Making the Elite Eight will.
Both the Wolves and the Huskies will be facing the same kind of pressure, just at different times. In addition, both teams have built their programs up to certain standards that if they don't come through with some hardware at the end of their seasons, they may be considered choke artists.
But hey, this is just one guy's opinion right?
