Oh boy, here we go again... (Woj story on Love)

[floppymoose]

I don't think anyone but diehard realgm wolves forum members will even remember Love's comments 6 months from now if he has a good run in the playoffs. It's just drama. As long as it doesn't interfere with his basketball game, no worries.

[LOBO 7]

I haven't posted in a while, but I thought I would share my take on this....drama.

Also, I haven't read this entire thread so I may be repeating what someone else has already said.

While I don't completely disagree with everything he said, his timing could not have been worse. Right now he has the best team around him he has ever had, and they are winning games despite his struggles or even without him in uniform. This is a decisive moment in his career, a moment when he can prove that he can be the best player on a very good team, or he can crumble under the pressure. There is more pressure on him now than at any other time in his career, and I think his comments only added to that pressure. I honestly think he is only now realizing that, and I think (and hope) he regrets the comments now. I think his struggles recently are more mental than physical, as he has begun to realize that there is a lot of pressure on him to prove that he is the best player on this team. While he has always excelled at proving doubters wrong and overachieving, he has never been in a situation like this, where there are many different players, playing very well as a team, and he is kind of on the outside looking in, trying to step back into his role as the alpha dog. I still think he is the best player on the team, but there are others that are equally important to team success. In years past, he has just focused on improving his individual game, and he has done remarkably well. Now, he has to improve his team game and show his ability to turn a good team into a great team, which is a much different situation.

I think he will be fine if he shuts his mouth and focuses on fitting in with this very unselfish team. He also needs to change his mentality, which is not easy. He needs to play with a chip on his shoulder, but it has to be the "right" kind of chip. It needs to be the "underdog" chip that has carried him this far, and not the "entitled" chip that seems to be rearing its head lately. We'll see, but I think this season will be a real turning point in his career, for better or for worse. Either he will prove that he can put up big numbers efficiently in the role of "best player on a very good team", or, if he is unable to manage the complexities of pressure and expectations - coming both from within and from all around him - he could cause the beautiful potential of this team to sputter out.

I am optimistic, but we'll see...

[C.lupus]

good post Lobo. I agree with all of it.

I don't think anyone but diehard realgm wolves forum members will even remember Love's comments 6 months from now if he has a good run in the playoffs. It's just drama. As long as it doesn't interfere with his basketball game, no worries.

Agree with this as well. He'll be fine, he just needs to work things out mentally within himself. I have no doubt he will. I think he's learned a lesson here. I for one am ready to move on and welcome him back.

Jeez, he just put up 36/13 and looked like his his self from last season three games ago.

[xpmar9x]

If he leaves in free agency I would guess Chicago, NY or Brooklyn before LA.

Chicago - You should just trade him here.. please?

[Klomp]

Zach Harper ‏@talkhoops

There are Timberwolves fans saying the team needs to get rid of Kevin Love. I guess they're getting worried about playoff tickets.

[theGreatRC]

Zach Harper ‏@talkhoops

There are Timberwolves fans saying the team needs to get rid of Kevin Love. I guess they're getting worried about playoff tickets.

You can't be serious...Trading Love would add to the joke Kahn has been aside from getting Adelman, which attracted the other players.

[Mattya]

If he leaves in free agency I would guess Chicago, NY or Brooklyn before LA.

Chicago - You should just trade him here.. please?

It will cost you your soul...










and a lot of your trade assets.

[xpmar9x]

If he leaves in free agency I would guess Chicago, NY or Brooklyn before LA.

Chicago - You should just trade him here.. please?

It will cost you your soul...


and a lot of your trade assets.

You can have my soul, it's of no use. You can also have Reinsdorf entire savings accont.

..and Boozer

[Dewey]

Zach Harper ‏@talkhoops

There are Timberwolves fans saying the team needs to get rid of Kevin Love. I guess they're getting worried about playoff tickets.

You can't be serious...Trading Love would add to the joke Kahn has been aside from getting Adelman, which attracted the other players.

As a fan I'm not for trading Love at this point, but if I'm the owner, I might send Big-Mouth packing for the right deal. At this point he's talking **** on the air-waves, got some small injury issues (that could be lingering), and is a known liability on defense that can all neutralize statistics to a degree ... I might very well sell high and move on.

[Mattya]

I dare some of you to read the Celtics board trade thread. I DARE YOU!!!

[C.lupus]

LOL

[Esohny]

I dare some of you to read the Celtics board trade thread. I DARE YOU!!!

Of course I went there like a moth to flame:

So, since the cat is out of the bag, here is how I understand it:

Green
Lee
Bass (going somewhere, don't know where, but deal doesn't work without him*)
Sullinger
Two 1st RD Picks (assuming because of time left on contracts and the going rate of stars is generally two 1st RD picks)
$3M

for

Love
Williams
Ridnour

*Maybe Boston doesn't want Williams and he would be combined with Bass? I have no idea, really, just attempting to figure out how this would reasonably work.

[Biff Cooper]

This link to Britt Robson's latest work was posted on rube chat. As usual, it is pretty good stuff from Britt:

http://www.minnpost.com/sports/2012/12/growing-pains-kevin-love-wolves-and-their-fan-base

[Krapinsky]

This link to Britt Robson's latest work was posted on rube chat. As usual, it is pretty good stuff from Britt:

http://www.minnpost.com/sports/2012/12/growing-pains-kevin-love-wolves-and-their-fan-base

This guy is one of the best sports writers around.

[Swish4]

We can't just give our Love away. It has to be earned.

[LOBO 7]

This link to Britt Robson's latest work was posted on rube chat. As usual, it is pretty good stuff from Britt:

http://www.minnpost.com/sports/2012/12/growing-pains-kevin-love-wolves-and-their-fan-base

Yeah, very good stuff. Some of the same points I (not as eloquently) tried to make in my last post:

I haven't posted in a while, but I thought I would share my take on this....drama.

Also, I haven't read this entire thread so I may be repeating what someone else has already said.

While I don't completely disagree with everything he said, his timing could not have been worse. Right now he has the best team around him he has ever had, and they are winning games despite his struggles or even without him in uniform. This is a decisive moment in his career, a moment when he can prove that he can be the best player on a very good team, or he can crumble under the pressure. There is more pressure on him now than at any other time in his career, and I think his comments only added to that pressure. I honestly think he is only now realizing that, and I think (and hope) he regrets the comments now. I think his struggles recently are more mental than physical, as he has begun to realize that there is a lot of pressure on him to prove that he is the best player on this team. While he has always excelled at proving doubters wrong and overachieving, he has never been in a situation like this, where there are many different players, playing very well as a team, and he is kind of on the outside looking in, trying to step back into his role as the alpha dog. I still think he is the best player on the team, but there are others that are equally important to team success. In years past, he has just focused on improving his individual game, and he has done remarkably well. Now, he has to improve his team game and show his ability to turn a good team into a great team, which is a much different situation.

I think he will be fine if he shuts his mouth and focuses on fitting in with this very unselfish team. He also needs to change his mentality, which is not easy. He needs to play with a chip on his shoulder, but it has to be the "right" kind of chip. It needs to be the "underdog" chip that has carried him this far, and not the "entitled" chip that seems to be rearing its head lately. We'll see, but I think this season will be a real turning point in his career, for better or for worse. Either he will prove that he can put up big numbers efficiently in the role of "best player on a very good team", or, if he is unable to manage the complexities of pressure and expectations - coming both from within and from all around him - he could cause the beautiful potential of this team to sputter out.

I am optimistic, but we'll see...

[LOBO 7]

^ So basically whether we like it or not we need to ride Kevin, either to glory or a trainwreck. His ability to return to form, both mentally and physically, and to become "the best player on a very good team" is what will dictate what happens with this team, not only this year but in the future. It is truly a decisive season for this team, and it is nerve-wracking, but all we can do is be patient and hope for the best.

[Adenusi]

We can't just give our Love away. It has to be earned.

Would be nice if the real Love came back.

[m2002brian]

was it real or just a phase?

[Adenusi]

It was real. Was the best PF in the game last year IMO on a team of scrubs. Then he got injured, started bitch1ng and his play regressed horribly. He's gonna have to earn back the confidence fans had in him.