RealGM

Recap of a game in which the rookie KG crossed paths w/ 36 yr old Magic Johnson during his brief comeback that season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1WsoD7bvcA

Boy it sure would've been nice to have Eddie Jones on the Wolves back when he was available

I was only 8 when this came out so maybe its just a memory thing, but was Rider really THAT good? He was everywhere!

J_Era_3 wrote:Boy it sure would've been nice to have Eddie Jones on the Wolves back when he was available

McHale refused to accept Jones/Campbell for Googs/change a few yrs later, knowing full-well that the Wolves were probably going to lose Googs (which they did, of course).

Good stuff

Peezo wrote:I was only 8 when this came out so maybe its just a memory thing, but was Rider really THAT good? He was everywhere!

Rider had the potential to be a top 5 player in the game. It was extremely depressing that his mental issues kept him from his potential.

hourockman wrote:

J_Era_3 wrote:Boy it sure would've been nice to have Eddie Jones on the Wolves back when he was available

McHale refused to accept Jones/Campbell for Googs/change a few yrs later, knowing full-well that the Wolves were probably going to lose Googs (which they did, of course).

Yeah I heard about that couple years ago. I just can't believe how stupid he was not to do that. On the bright side, Jones did leave the Hornets in only a season & half to go play for his hometown team (Heat).

I was at this game. Vividly remember those over the shoulder passes from Magic to Eddie Jones. Didn't realize Phil Hartman was in the stands, that's neat.

This video brings up two of the great/frustrating what if's in Timberwolves history.

1) What if McHale had made the Googs for Jones/Campbell?

2) What if JR's head had been screwed on straight?

Cool to see actual evidence of Spud Webb playing for us. No pictures on google.

mandurugo wrote:

Peezo wrote:I was only 8 when this came out so maybe its just a memory thing, but was Rider really THAT good? He was everywhere!

Rider had the potential to be a top 5 player in the game. It was extremely depressing that his mental issues kept him from his potential.

Speaking of Jones and Rider, when JR was with Portland in the late 90s, he used to announce to the press that Eddie Jones couldn't guard him. Eddie would tell reporters he didn't care about individual matchups, but he looked irritated answering the questions. Rider was pretty much correct, Eddie was too thin to defend the post against stronger guys like Richmond, Jordan, Drexler, Rider (though it wasn't easy to guard those guys on the perimeter either).

When he was w/ the Lakers for that one season, Kobe apparently latched onto him as someone to practice 1:1 with...Kobe DOES like individual matchups. Phil played him a bit in the first few months, but he kept him off the playoff roster that year in favor of guys like John Celestand and Mike Penberthy, who were getting zero minutes at that stage of the season. JR reportedly shed tears when he was told about Phil's decision. I'd be surprised if he hadn't pawned that (2001) ring long ago.