One Shining Moment(s) Volume 2

The one follower (that would be me...I have a tendency to talk to myself) that I have, has requested that I do another edition of One Shining Moment...so here we go...

James "Hollywood" Robinson: How does one thrive in the last five minutes of garbage time when they have been glued to the bench throughout the first 43 minutes of the game? This should be a psychology case study. You single-handedly won three to four games by yourself that the Timberwolves had pretty much given up on...you drained three after three after three until Flip would bring the starters back in to help assist you in the dramatic comeback victories.

Spergon Wynn: If Randy Moss and Cris Carter can't make you into an NFL caliber quarterback, it's time to hang up your cleats. So by default, your One Shining Moment was somebody naming you "Spergon".

Jim Wacker: I love how you come in here from coaching the Necessary Roughness team down in Texas, and then decide that we are going to alter the uniforms so they don't even resemble our school colors. Jim, in case you didn't understand we have some tradition here in Gopher Nation Football...1. losing 2. losing in Maroon and Gold uniforms.

Paul Molitor: My fondest memory of Paul Molitor was when he was a bench coach for the Twins. Twins were playing in Cleveland and the umpire was shrinking the strike zone when the talented Indians team was up to bat. Molitor who is usually pretty calm, loses it and gets kicked out of the game for arguing the inconsistent strike zones for both teams. Before he does though, he throws a batting tee onto the field to symbolize how small the strike zone was for Cleveland...it was classic, but even more classic since it came from a mild-mannered Molitor.

Ndudi Ebi: I still have flashbacks of David Stern saying..."the Minnesota Timberwolves select Doody E.B..." That has to be your moment in the sun, other than depositing that guaranteed money every two weeks, for three years into your bank account.

Cris Dishman: You are one of the many reasons I don't care for cornerbacks. While the infamous Antonio Freeman catch, let him fall down and don't touch him, and then let him get up and run all the way to the endzone while I try to find the closest camera to celebrate/sulk...irritates me...it brings up a bigger point. Why do cornerbacks always celebrate the "almost" plays? Just because the offense didn't make a play, doesn't mean that you necessarily made a play. I don't need your stupid gestures and/or facial expressions to tell me you "almost" made a play. Just catch the ball...oh yeah you guys can't catch it, otherwise you would be on the offensive side of the ball (insert: unless your Troy Williamson joke here).

Shane Heal: You had International success against the USA team in the Olympics. The Timberwolves are really interested and obtain you...yet, you never had an impact on our franchise the way we had hoped. Did I just describe the Ricky Rubio situation...??

Butch Huskey: You were one of the pioneers...of "washed-up veteran baseball player that the Twins will sign for cheap to make it seem like they are improving the ball club to the fan base, then they either release or trade you midway through the year because the experiment shockingly failed."

SBG

Let Them Play...

Mr. Kahn,
We get it...the Minnesota Timberwolves haven't had a legitimate bonafide point guard since...well, never. We had a grade school crush on Stephon Marbury, but like all crushes...we were the ones that got crushed in the end.

You spent your first ever draft with the Timberwolves accumulating every point guard you could get your hands on. And you know what...I don't even mind. In fact, I'm a little excited to see how it plays out (with or without Rubio).

The only request I have, is a line I'm stealing from the classic movie The Bad News Bears..."Let Them Play". Let the youngsters play and see how this thing shakes out.

I don't need you Mr. Kahn to go hire a coach that intends to slowly bring these kids along to teach them life lessons. Let them play. Let them play now...this franchise is over 20 years old with only one significant playoff run in its history. We may lose (actually we will lose a lot), but we the fans deserve to see the future on the court playing immediately. They shouldn't be getting spot time here and there like the last regime often did breaking in the rookies. Put them on the court and let's see what we got.

I am pretty disappointed that everyone is all up in arms about not filling other positions. After the trade with the Wizards, this team still has many, many holes to fill. Whatever happened to the logic that you take the best available player on the board? I'm not one to judge if Curry is better than Flynn or vice versa, but in an NBA draft, especially a well documented weaker draft class why would you make a stretch selection on a position of need rather than taking the best player available?

SBG

Yes we Kahn!

I already like Kahn...he got rid of McHale. However, Kahn needs this Thursday night's draft to prove that this organization (mostly Glen Taylor) means basketball, not business. The last few years, the draft has served as a way to skim down on cost for Taylor and company:

• Wolves draft Brandon Roy at number 6 in 2006...only to trade him down to Portland for the draft rights of Randy Foye. We would likely still have Kevin Garnett on our team if we would have kept Brandon Roy.


• Wolves draft O.J. Mayo at number 3 in 2008...only to trade him to Memphis in exchange of Kevin Love and other spare parts.


• During the same draft night...after trading away a much needed wing player (O.J. Mayo), they gift wrapped their 2nd round pick Mario Chalmers (another much needed wing player) and ship him off to Miami for some more cash.

The money they are saving in making the moves above, doesn't even come close to the money they are potentially losing on the ticket sales, merchandise sales, etc if they would've standed pat and made their selections without financial interest as a factor on draft night.

You should worry where you sit financially when you are calculating how to pay those overvalued, underperforming free agents (Troy Hudson, Trenton Hassell, Mark Blount, Mike James, Mark Madsen etc) that you sign to ridiculous contracts that puts your franchise in this position in the first place.

SBG

I'm not a fan of Delmon Young

If Twins fans' don't like Delmon Young...it basically boils down that they didn't like what we (Twins) had to give up in order to get him. Especially, considering the type of year the Rays had in 2008. I am not in that crowd. In fact, I like watching the Bartlett-less Twins...I don't have to see my wife drooling over Barty's (compliments to Gardy) every at-bat anymore. Anyways, here's my rant on Delmon:

1. There's no time clock ticking down when you step in the batter's box Delmon. That means you don't have to swing at the first pitch you see. Especially, when every scouting report in the league is aware of this tendency. Do you really think they're going to groove one in for you on the first pitch?

2. There's many reports that you don't listen to anyone (manager, hitting coach, former Major League ballplayers, etc) about adjustments to your swing. In fact, you politely tell them to buzz off with four letter words. That shows a lot of confidence in yourself. However, when you have an at-bat...you hardly ever take a strike, and you would never take two strikes in one at-bat to save your life. That shows a lack of confidence on your part for not even trusting yourself with two strikes in the count. Where is the confidence at when you are actually batting?

3. If you really watch and listen to Twins broadcasts on TV while Delmon Young is playing...Dick "the biggest homer" Bremer even has subtle rips into you about your approach to the game (both hitting and fielding).

4. It's painful to watch you run. You look like my two year-old daughter prancing around in Mommy's oversized heels.

5. I get the feeling you only play the game for the stats on the back of your baseball cards.

6. You have a strong arm. However, you play balls so poorly (taking bad routes and not tracking them quick enough) that it really never becomes an asset for you.

7. I like Nick Punto more than I like you.

8. I would rather have your overweight 35 year-old brother (Dmitri Young) play left field and bat in our lineup every day over you.

9. I'm actually writing this while you are on a little bit of a hot streak too. Yet, you still only currently have 3 extra base hits (2 doubles and 1 home run) in 164 plate appearances. That's pathetic.

10. I know I'm digging up the past...but, you actually threw your bat at an umpire while arguing balls and strikes during a minor league game. John Rocker would be disgraced at that act.

SBG

One Shining Moment(s)

Here's my tribute to Minnesota sports figures past and present with their "One Shining Moments" that are engraved in my head. These are not the most recognizable names, but they bring back some pretty vivid memories for me.

Miles Tarver: I never saw you play in high school, but your "One Shining Moment" was riding Jason Kidd's fame into a college scholarship of your own. Man, you were ugly.

Scott Erickson: I was at the game for your no-hit performance against the Brewers. However, whenever your name pops up...I think of the you and Inga Hammond in the Bullwinkle's men's bathroom.

Dan Mastellar: Many don't remember this name...but, Twins gave this guy a charity call-up to the big leagues because he was Chuck Knoblauch's best friend. He hit a game winning home-run against the Yanks at the dome.

Eric Guliford: You sneaky, little pesky receiver who somehow got wide open to set up the game winning field goal for the Vikes against the Pack at the dome. If Jim McMahon didn't wear a visor...you would've been covered.

Michael Williams: You shot free throws like a stud, however you never really played. So basically, my dad is just as good as you are at basketball.

Glen Mason: Your moment was against Michigan at the dome (but was duplicated many times before and after). How do you dominate the game running the ball and still not be able to control the game/clock whatsoever? This game was Tecmo Bowl style. All you had to do was stop the one play Michigan was running on offense...that would be the screen play, Glen.

David Ortiz: I had a man crush on you when you played for the Twins. The game I remember most is at Kansas City where you had a slide into home plate (you unknowingly broke your hand). Your next at-bat you homered to right. You then pulled yourself out of the game and the x-rays revealed you had a broken hand.

Hosea Crittenden: "Play Hosea!"

I'll have more memories to share with you at a later date...

SBG