Wolves lacked heart, commitment

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 9/15/2004
 

 In the 2001 season, a year after playing for the NFC Championship, the Minnesota Vikings missed the playoffs. The team finished 5-11, and Dennis Green was let go before the last game after 10 years as head coach.

 Who will ever forget that hot August when Korey Stringer died of heat exhaustion in training camp? That more than anything else contributed to the Vikings’ demise.

 The Minnesota Timberwolves were the toast of Minnesota last year, winning 58 regular season games and securing the NBA’s number-one seed in the rugged Western Conference. They advanced in the playoffs for the first time in eight years, and the team that beat them in the Western Finals broke up their team.

 The 2004-05 season was the year of expectation, and the Timberwolves were the clear favorite out West. The Los Angeles Lakers did some strange things: trading Shaq, firing legendary coach Phil Jackson, and letting Karl Malone and Gary Payton go.

 What happened to Minnesota? They had the league MVP, Kevin Garnett, in his prime. However, Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell both felt strongly that owner Glen Taylor would reward them with new contracts.

 After all, he’s done crazy things before. He signed forward Joe Smith to a fraudulent contract! Right? So why wouldn’t Sprewell and Cassell think that Taylor would pad their pockets for helping his franchise reach the Final Four and join the NBA’s elite?

 He re-signed often-injured guard Troy Hudson to a big contract extension and rewarded hard-working team guy Trenton Hassell. “What about us?” Sprewell and Cassell asked. After all, Sprewell averaged 20 points a game in the playoffs, and Cassell had his best season, becoming an All-Star, averaging 20 points and eight assists per game.

 These savvy veterans felt jilted and were unhappy campers, and that disrupted the team chemistry. And that is where it all starts. Nobody was willing to work through screens and defend the pick and role. This team played without heart and commitment for most of the year; Flip Saunders was fired after 10 years with the team at 26-27.

 What’s next? What do the Timberwolves do now? Will Kevin McHale return? Absolutely! Taylor loves the guy. Whatever they do, it’s a lot harder staying near the top and climbing the NBA ladder and qualifying for the playoffs.

 Ask the Chicago Bulls, who returned to the playoffs this year for the first time since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen won their last title in ‘96-’97. Follow the bouncing white balls, folks — maybe the Timberwolves will win the lottery? As always, I spread hope.

 Tiger’s win is good for all

 If I had a dollar for every time somebody asked what’s wrong with Tiger Woods over the last two years, I would have Kevin Garnett money. My answer was always consistent: There’s nothing wrong with Tiger. Nobody wins all the time, especially in golf.

 Tiger’s great win in the Masters two weeks ago was his fourth Green Jacket, and it will put an end to that question. He has won $47 million on tour, and he’s only 29.

 He’s number-one all-time on the money list; he’s won nine major championships, tying him with Ben Hogan and Gary Player for third all-time, and he’s never missed the cut.

 The most relieved person in the world when Tiger won the Masters? His wife Elin of six months, who used to be his girlfriend — she has taken the brunt of all the blame for Tiger’s recent play.

 Remember, Tiger changed equipment four years ago from Titlist to Nike. And he dumped swing coach Butch Harmon. Many players who change equipment and coaches never recover. Remember David Duval?

 Tiger’s father Earl is not doing well; in fact, Tiger dedicated his win to his ailing father. Such matters of the heart certainly affect your ability to focus, and that is something you have to do in golf — focus.

 So all is right with golf: Tiger is number one again and made seven straight birdies in the Masters, although nobody saw it because the CBS cameras were off. That’s sad — Tiger’s hottest streak of his career and we’ll never see it.

 Do it again, Tiger! Chip in that classic shot on 16 that helped win the tournament. The United States Open is next. Tiger has won four Majors in a row before. Can he do it in the same year? One Major at a time.