Is Garnett a "jerk" or behaves differently off the

[campybatman]

I'm not a Garnett fan. Still, I find this suspicious coming from a Detroit sports site. You know, what was the point of including Garnett in this particular section of the article to begin with? By the end, you see that it's basically leading up to speculative conversation in regards to the future of Wallace with the Pistons. Because he and Garnett are no more comparable than Garnett with Duncan. These power forwards are more different than alike, in my opinion. They're special players in their own ways.



Watching Wallace battle Boston's Kevin Garnett -- two of the elite power forwards of our time -- offered a fascinating contrast in personalities.

Off the court, Garnett can be a jerk. He is rude to ball boys and locker room attendants. He gets himself so intensely wound before games, he's even a jerk to his teammates at times.

But on the court, Garnett is the perfect teammate. He plays hard every second he's on the floor. He shares the ball. He executes the game plan completely and without questioning anything. If the coach says to cut, he cuts. If the coach says to play zone, he plays zone.

Wallace off the court is one of the warmest and funniest guys in the league. There isn't a ball boy or locker room attendant that he hasn't tipped lavishly. You think back on all the things he has done -- buying championship belts for his teammates, working patiently and tirelessly with the young guys on the team, working tirelessly for underprivileged kids in the community -- he has a heart of gold.

But on the court, Wallace can be a jerk. There are times, because he is so ridiculously skilled, he just gets bored and lax. He doesn't always agree with the game plan, but instead of arguing about it before the game, he sometimes tries to rebel against it during the game.

His passion to win is every bit as strong as Garnett's, but Wallace too often channels that passion into negative energy. And because his personality is so large and dominant on this team, once he goes to the dark side, he generally takes the team there with him.

Not much was made of Wallace coming late to shoot-around Friday. He has come late many times before. But his coming late on the day of a do-or-die game deflated the entire team. When he sauntered in 15 minutes late, his teammates knew he wasn't going to be there for them that night -- and he wasn't.

Wallace will be 34 in September. He has one year left on his contract ($13.7 million). Because of that, and because he still can be a force especially in a contract year, Wallace has trade value.

Certainly Dumars will at least test the waters to see what return he might be able to get on Wallace. He might even look to package him with another starter.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... /806020370

[JiriMania]

Thank goodness this is a no spin zone, or i would have thought this writer for the Detroit Pistons has an incredible bias towards one of the players he might root for.

[SmoothLikeButta]

lol I have never heard anything like that in all his years at Minnesota

[Fencer reregistered]

He's unapproachable before games. He claps talcum powder in the scorer's face. He's foul-mouthed. There was an ESPN Magazine article about a rather sizable posse of his. He got ripped for using a military metaphor when we had troops in actual battle.

That's the complete list of derogatory things I recall about KG's personality.

[dwestside]

God forbid, prickish professional athletes. This is a collection of the greatest talent in the world, with egos the size of the universe. Anybody who sets the civility standard of these guys to that of a freaking mormon is incredibly naive.

[Datruth345]

kg's going to war quote was great it got a bad rap for no reason

"This is it. It's for all the marbles. I'm sitting in the house loading up the pump, I'm loading up the Uzis, I've got a couple of M-16s, couple of nines, couple of joints with some silencers on them, couple of grenades, got a missile launcher. I'm ready for war."

oh no that horrible

and i have seen Garnett say thank you to ball boys giving him water on the bench, for what its worth

[DieselCeltic]

I don't believe a word of this BS nonesence.

[Tricky Ricky]

I believe it, I know he wont sign autographs unless he is paid, however I dont care what he does off the court, it is on the court that matters to me

[MyInsatiableOne]

I believe it, I know he wont sign autographs unless he is paid, however I dont care what he does off the court, it is on the court that matters to me

Exactly. Russell wasn't all warm and fuzzy off the court but he's still one of the most revered players ever. And a good guy, to boot.

[campybatman]

kg's going to war quote was great it got a bad rap for no reason

"This is it. It's for all the marbles. I'm sitting in the house loading up the pump, I'm loading up the Uzis, I've got a couple of M-16s, couple of nines, couple of joints with some silencers on them, couple of grenades, got a missile launcher. I'm ready for war."

oh no that horrible

and i have seen Garnett say thank you to ball boys giving him water on the bench, for what its worth

Do you've a link for that quote?

[CelticsWhat!]

Why is this garbage even being posted? This is the type of stuff writers fill their pages with when they don't have a team to follow...like the Pistons.

These morons don't care about getting their facts straight. They also wrote about how Garnett was expelled for beating up a white kid in high school. Not bothering to find out that he actually had nothing to do with it. Facts?? Who needs facts??

[bruno sundov]

Sounds like sour grapes to me. DET lost but our players are at least better people. WAH!!! cry if it makes you feel better.

[sully00]

I think people are reading way to into what the guy is talking about with Garnett. It was simply an outside perspective of KG who also has fought with teamates in practice and punched that Rickert kid in the face and he was just working out with the team. He is over the top intense and maybe that is what makes him great.

I would say the error that the writer is making is that he mistakes game preparation for off the court. Obviously Wallace lacks game preparation and certainly is not a mentally tough player, instead of realizing that this situation is not a contrast of on court/off court he needs to realize that it may well be the key between talented and great. Hugs and kisses are for parties and therapy...and locker room celebrations.

[Tricky Ricky]

-= original quote snipped =-



Exactly. Russell wasn't all warm and fuzzy off the court but he's still one of the most revered players ever. And a good guy, to boot.

Well Russell had his reasons, regardless its on the court that really matters

[reggielewis]

hahah of course he's a jerk, thats why when he left Minny (besides the fans) the staff, the trainers and all the "little" people were sooo sad to see himg o.. Seriously I rememeber seeing interviews with the training staff and other employees in Minny where they were really sad to see him go because he had been so good to them. Give me a fricken bREAK. Garnett has never been a problem because if he ahd, we would ahve heard all about it when is ee Garnett, i see a guy who taps all of his teammates, coaches, etc hands every game. I see a guy who but all the rookies new suits. I see a guy whor enetd out a theatre in nY for his team so they could watch American Gangster, I see a guy who has taken his teammates to Pats games. Are u kidding me? Is this not the same guy who just won the community assist award?? give me a BREAK

[MyInsatiableOne]

-= original quote snipped =-



Well Russell had his reasons, regardless its on the court that really matters

Hey, I agree...Russell is one of the few people who I've never met who I have the utmost, total respect for. The guy is class, dignity, etc rolled into one incredible person. I was just saying, during his playing days he wasn't universally adored, either, yet he is revered as a sports icon. If KG is perceived as being a "jerk" by some, it's not because he is necessarily...

[tombattor]

Anyone can be a jerk in certain moments/situations. He's not perfect, just like anyone else. He's just very good at basketball. And for me, that's all that matters.

[sully00]

reggielewis

I think you are still missing the point. He is talking about KG's pregame routine and more likely how he treats opposing teams support staff as he prepares for the game that is what the writer sees. KG acts kind of like a tool pregame and then blossoms into this uber teamate and leader while Sheed is buddy buddy with everyone and everything getting ready and then acts a like a tool when he gets into the game.

[GuyClinch]

I think the writer is taking advantage of the fact that KG is likely so intense that he might snap at a person here or there before (and during)the game. I imagine it doesnt' matter who - kinda of like Lebron snapping at his mom.

He may or may not be a real "jerk" but the author can avoid lawsuits by taking advantage of this fact.. I am sure they can find some ball boy he snapped at thus they can offer a great defense..

Does the author have any REAL inside knowledge of KG's jerk behaviour? I kind of doubt it. Journalists take alot of shorcuts - just as that big Patriots "fan" Tomase.

Pete

[reggielewis]

reggielewis

I think you are still missing the point. He is talking about KG's pregame routine and more likely how he treats opposing teams support staff as he prepares for the game that is what the writer sees. KG acts kind of like a tool pregame and then blossoms into this uber teamate and leader while Sheed is buddy buddy with everyone and everything getting ready and then acts a like a tool when he gets into the game.

fair enough