When is it Randy Foye's Wolves?

[funkatron101]

Anybody else get the feeling from watching the games that Al doesnt really like Foye?

I've noticed that Al and Foye aren't nearly as buddy-buddy with each other as Foye and Gomes are.

[B Calrissian]

Anybody else get the feeling from watching the games that Al doesnt really like Foye?

I have thought that about Al and pretty much each player on the team. But I think it is just that Al never really seems to be happy during the games and is quick to get on his team mates when they make a mistake. Speaking of Al and mistakes.. Last night after Al brought the ball up court and turned it over (when he should have passed it right away) there was a timeout after and one of the assistant coaches was standing on court shaking his head at Al and Al just walked right by him.

So in regards to leadership I hope these are Foye/Love's Wolves and not Jefferson's.

[C.lupus]

Hard to say. He didn't look too happy last night but he was having a bad night, too. Maybe he gets too down on himself? Maybe he is just serious and determined and it looks like he's pissed?

[Mattya]

At times he seems like a good leader, and other times I get the same feelings about Big Al that others are talking about. We also got to remember that he is only 24, he is still getting better as a player, If he really took it upon himself this summer to be in better shape and get better on the defensive end, then I think the team would really look up to him. People look to him on offense, but when people look to you on Offense and Defense, thats when you really become a leader.

Foye really has been fantastic, on both ends of the ball. Offensivelly he is scoring well, his jumpshots are really falling, he needs to keep being aggresive and get to the line more though. I'm not sure it will ever really be his team, unless he keeps getting better, and keeps scoring in the 4th like he has been.

Edit: A lot of it has to do with the refs not making calls for him lately, I think once his reputation for driving the lane come aroung he'll get more calls

[WallyWorld]

I guess "sick" of is a strong word that may have been dissected a little too heavily. A better way to put it may have been, "annoyed by" or "frustrated with" Al and his lack of defensive intensity/team basketball on offense.

I have read an increasing number of Randolph comparisons on the web, and its just a shame when things regrress to an individual ambition as opposed to a team effort. Im not saying Al cant turn it around mentally, or that he is a bad attitude/player, etc. but Ill stand by my word that his attitude towards the game and other players could use a swift kick in the testicles. Al has no right to bear that scowl if he isnt going to give all on both ends of the court. He hasnt earned that respect just yet in my book.

Personally, i was roling my eyes when Al when 1-6 in the first 4 or 5 minutes of play last night. He has to learn to play in a team structure on offense. It is NOT a coincidence that our second unit has been playing top notch, unselfish basketball and helped stretch our leads during the meat of the game.

Now, I have no problem with Al as a cornerstone, a post guru, and an offensive beast, provided he stimulates more ball movement. The inside/outside game is what our team was built to excel in.
But he has to turn it up on defense and have a little more respect for his teammates.

[shrink]

Two things I heard from the McHale interview yesterday I think are appropriate.

First, he said that Foye has the perfect mindset as a team leader and fourth quarter scorer. He doesn't get too high or too low, whether they win or lose, or whatever the situation in the game (a la "the fourth quarter")

He also mentioned that one of the problems the team had earlier was that Al is such a great scorer inside, that once the team got the ball into him, they tended to stand around. You can see how this is changing now, but it's a lot harder to blame Al for not passing out if no one is moving. On the other hand, the less Al passes out, the less likely players would try to get open. I think that under McHale, that's switching around, but its easy to see that during this transition, Al might feel uncomfortable. He's always been the team's most reliable and willing scorer, but the team will do better if other players are involved.

[TheFranchise21]

Not sick of him by any stretch, but I always want more and as the team's best player, he's held to a high standard. The standard is not to be the best player on a crap team, the standard is to be the best player he can be, and he can be a lot better. Better conditioning, better defense, better shot selection.

Extremely well put.

My problem with Al is that he doesn't elevate his team's level of play/doesn't make the players around him better. Granted, it's hard for a big man to make others look good (so few are good at it, only Duncan and KG come to mind), everything we've been spoon fed about Al is that he is KG's replacement and that he is the leader of a new era of Timberwolves basketball. If he is to take on that mantle, I want someone who is going to make his teammates play at a higher level, the way a franchise player should. With that said, I think the perception that Al is a franchise player is dying down as compared to last year/two years ago when everybody was excited that we had a 20/10 big man who was only 22 years old. Al has time to turn it around and become a franchise guy, but until he commits himself to improving his defense and becoming more of a motivator as opposed to a scowler, he will only be a role player.

[PeeDee]

At the same time, we need to realize some of the things Al does are things a lot of Wolves fans have pined for for a long time. We used to chide KG for not being a little selfish and taking games over more often, now we have that in Al and we want him to be more of a team player.

There's a definite balance... if he finds it, he'll be one of the greats. If not, the Zach Randolph comparisons may be warranted.

[horaceworthy]

I've got no beef with Big Al or his attitude. All the demonstrative antics we saw from KG over the years and Jefferson isn't begrudged a scowl?

I take more of a Devilz/TF21 view of him, where he's held to a higher standard, but I'm willing to show patience as long as I see effort and improvement. I see those two things from Al, with the most noticable improvements coming in his shotblocking and jump shot, so it appears to me that he's making an attempt to become a more rounded player. There's still a lot of room for improvement, but steps have been made in the right direction.

I'm a little surprised to see so many down on Al's attitude. I've liked his attitude (at least the little bit I can glean) for the most part since he came to the Wolves. His demeanor wasn't too sunny last night, but I think that can be looked past given that he was probably frustrated with his play and also had to get seven stitches above his eye.

I'm not worried about him and Foye not being buddy buddy. Steph and KG were made out to be thick as thieves and we all know how that turned out. If their play doesn't suffer and the lockerroom doesn't look like the brawl in "Anchorman," then I'm not concerned with whether or not they're getting together after practice, popping some popcorn and watching "Lost."

[theGreatRC]

I've noticed that Foye and Al don't seem to be as nice toward each other than let's say, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge(Who weren't close before, but now are), I mostly noticed it during one of the games where Foye lobbed a pass to Jefferson and Al laid it in at the buzzer, and Al didn't acknowledge the nice pass Foye gave him, he just kept walking toward the locker room.

Right now, this is Al's team(Best player) and it's obvious from interviews and Mchale's comments about getting the ball to Al. This team needs a closer that can handle the ball and shoot the rock(Foye), and that is exactly what Randy is turning into as of late. Al needs to involve others more in the offense, and not just become so predictable when he gets the ball(Meaning that the ball will not touch another teammates hands). He also needs to be the voice on defense; helping out on a man who has beat our guys off the dribble, intimidate in the post(Ratliff, Mutombo, Mourning types), and just alter shots.

Right now, nobody is far and away the best player on the team that it has to be "their team", we need a full effort from 15 guys on our roster night in and night out.

[B Calrissian]

^ You still think that Mayo, Roy, and Jefferson could have all ended up on the same team?
The trio that COULDN'T have been.

[walchy]

i love the hipocrisy of this board.

KG is here. He doesnt take over and try to win, he defers too much

Al trys to do too much in crunch time, trys to win the games himself


Its amusing.

In regards to him being a leader, the best player on the court doesnt alwatys need to be the leader. In most cases it is, because those guys were jst made to play basketball, but some just arent vocal leaders. Al just doesnt seem to be that kind of leader. Its not something he can really learn. Sure he can do it, but wouldnt you perfer him to concentrate on playing basketball?

In regards to randys great play of late, its a testimate to how crappy Whittman was. Not only his actual coaching on the court, but the rotations, the inconsistancy, he truely had no idea how to run an NBA team.
Mchale, for all the **** he's given, has managed to give all the players roles, and if they deviate from those roles he benches them (see; Mccants, Rashad) and if they do those roles well, gives them more pt (Cardinal, Brian).
Thats why this team is working, and I (yes, me, i am awesome) said it months ago. Roles needed to be established to the players. Not changing every night, like twittman was doing. hence the recent winning streak, and overall improved play.

[Devilzsidewalk]

^ You still think that Mayo, Roy, and Jefferson could have all ended up on the same team?
The trio that COULDN'T have been.

yea GreatRC, whats up with the Blazers bro? This community isn't fun and game, it's a gang. We're like the Vice Lords - maybe our best days are behind us, but we're still strong and we might rise up at any time. And you sure as hell can't come in here flying another gang's colors without getting shot.

[C.lupus]

i love the hipocrisy of this board.

KG is here. He doesnt take over and try to win, he defers too much

Al trys to do too much in crunch time, trys to win the games himself


Its amusing.

I wouldn't say it's hypocrisy. It's just a fine balance that needs to be found. I want Al to attack the basket but he needs to realize when he has a good shot and when he doesn't. He and the whole team will be much more effective when he learns to pass out.

[TheFranchise21]

i love the hipocrisy of this board.

KG is here. He doesnt take over and try to win, he defers too much

Al trys to do too much in crunch time, trys to win the games himself


Its amusing.

In regards to him being a leader, the best player on the court doesnt alwatys need to be the leader. In most cases it is, because those guys were jst made to play basketball, but some just arent vocal leaders. Al just doesnt seem to be that kind of leader. Its not something he can really learn. Sure he can do it, but wouldnt you perfer him to concentrate on playing basketball?

In regards to randys great play of late, its a testimate to how crappy Whittman was. Not only his actual coaching on the court, but the rotations, the inconsistancy, he truely had no idea how to run an NBA team.
Mchale, for all the **** he's given, has managed to give all the players roles, and if they deviate from those roles he benches them (see; Mccants, Rashad) and if they do those roles well, gives them more pt (Cardinal, Brian).
Thats why this team is working, and I (yes, me, i am awesome) said it months ago. Roles needed to be established to the players. Not changing every night, like twittman was doing. hence the recent winning streak, and overall improved play.

I'm sorry, are we not allowed to criticize our own players? Should we just be happy with what we have in Al and not wish for more? I don't think any fan is ever fully satisfied with a certain player's play. I wish Adrian Peterson didn't fumble so much. I wish Joe Mauer would hit more home runs. I wish Marian Gaborik wasn't as fragile as a china doll. We're all just here to critique the players... we're not hypocrites.

Myself personally, I wasn't speaking about Al needing to be the leader. I was speaking about how if we are to consider Al to be our franchise player, he needs to be a leader.

[walchy]

i understand what your both saying, but its just sort of funny to see us get what we always desired with KG, in a player who takes over games, yet arent happy with the way he does it.

Im not saying hes perfect, far from it i just found it amusing.

That being said, in regards to him being a franchise player, i'd say he is our franchise player. Heck, if Foye keeps playing this well and improving, we could potentially have two franchise level players.

with him needing to be a leader, as the franchise player, i dont see that as completely true.
from what im getting from you franchise, you want him to be a vocal leader. Here's where i disagree.
(yes i know this is a completely different scenario, but shutup) Back when i was playing High school ball, me and my best freind were named captains of the team (because we were the two best seniors). We wernt the best two players, especially me. i was good, but only got about 15 minutes a game off the bench, at best.
My freind played about 20 off the bench, and we were happy to do that. There were guys playing almost full games, taking most of the shots and doing all that.
Even though we wernt the 'franchise' players on the team, we were definitely the leaders of that team. We were up on the bench like mad dogg every game, and on the court we never shut up.
Thats the sort of leadership we need, not necessarily from our franchise player. Just someone whos willing to stick their neck out. Sure, if we get that from al, or randy, then great, but its just the fact that WE NEED THAT from someone. once we get that guy, even if its a vet playing 25 mins a night, you will see this team improve a lot.

[theGreatRC]

^ You still think that Mayo, Roy, and Jefferson could have all ended up on the same team?
The trio that COULDN'T have been.

yea GreatRC, whats up with the Blazers bro? This community isn't fun and game, it's a gang. We're like the Vice Lords - maybe our best days are behind us, but we're still strong and we might rise up at any time. And you sure as hell can't come in here flying another gang's colors without getting shot.

I'll remember to wear my blue and forest green before I come back in here, boss

In all seriousness, I just like Brandon Roy; his chilling calmness at all times on the court in any situation is just awesome. (The Blazer bandwagon in my sig is a joke)

+ I know that if we had Brandon Roy in 06, we probably would still have KG and would never would have had the chance to get Mayo(Which turned into Love and Miller)