Minnesota professional sports franchises are in a rut, at least the big three are. The Wild are making an impressive playoff run since acquiring a new goaltender, but the Twins, Wolves, and Vikes are all facing a similar situation, and its the kind of situation that polarizes their fan base instead of uniting them.
The question is, "When does a famous former (or aging/disagreeable) star become less than desirable to have around?" In other words, is there a point in time when a once great player can no longer help a franchise but actually hurt them?
The Twins signed Torii Hunter this last off season for one primary reason: to put nostalgic fans back in the seats at Target Field. It was primarily a business move by a desperate franchise. They feel paying him twice what he's worth at this point in his career, twice what anyone else offered, will get fans who are sick of a losing team back though the turnstiles, in effect, paying for his salary and generating early fan interest this season while hoping against hope that the Twins will be better this season than most expect.
There are some who think that the Twins got him to mentor younger guys like Buxton and Rosario, but insiders doubt Torii will be very good at that. He has a way of getting younger players angry rather than motivated (Justin Morneau has lots of stories and was happy to see Torii leave the first time), and his coaching ability has always been a question mark. Torii never worked very hard at being a fielder. He relied more on his speed and natural ability to do the job defensively. He never bothered learning the finer points of positioning and situations, which is why he is now the worst outfielder in baseball. He relied on his speed and arm, not his brain. And it's the THINKING things that good coaches relay to younger players.
I'd put Torii AND Twins management in the fossil category. Why fossil? They just lay there in the dirt hoping something good will be dug up.They continue to do the same old things that don't work while hoping the Twins defense and pitching is good enough to make the team better. I'm not saying it won't work because great hitting and pitching this year COULD happen, making up for both bad defense and management.
But history suggests that won't happen. Especially with the money pit at first base known as Joe Mauer.
Which brings us to one of the huge Minnesota sports stories from yesterday. Kevin Garnett and his $13.5 million salary are back in Minnesota. Garnett is not the player he used to be. No one disagrees with that. Over the last two seasons for Brooklyn he's averaged less than seven boards and seven points a game. And his old bones never play back to back games any more. And they had to give up a 26 year-old former first round draft pick to get him.
I'm not as opposed to THIS deal as the Twin's deal with Torii, but I don't like the idea that the Wolves have committed a roster spot and that much money toward salary cap to an old, part-time player. IF the Wolves had traded for any other player with those stats and that salary at that age, you would have thought they had gone crazy.
But it's KG!
Once more the nostalgia factor overrules common sense. At least Kevin Garnett practices hard and pushes himself and others every time he's out there. That potentially could be a good influence on some of the young stars the Wolves now have in their line-up. The problem is that Garnett is also known as a dirty player. He's always pushing and shoving while playing with a huge chip on his shoulder. He would lead the league in technical fouls if he played more. And much like other bullies, he always blames the other guy. A little shove by someone else often results in a retaliatory punch that gets him noticed and ejected. That is not a good thing. And he's gotten worse at that part of his game over the last few years. If you see him on Sports Center now days it won't be because of a triple double, it will be because he got ejected...again.
For all I know this is just the first step in Saunder's and Garnett OWNING the Wolves in a few years. Garnett has frequently stated that is one of his goals in life. By the time he's done playing, he will have over $350 million in salary from the NBA. No player has made more. Shaq is a distant second with $285 million or so. And rumors suggest that Garnett has invested his salary and endorsement money well.
Why don't I think this is a horrible idea, but merely a bad one? Because KG is a dinosaur, not a fossil. He still has life in him and he plays hard. He may be an aging T-Rex with a few teeth missing (metaphorically speaking) but there still are not many who want to challenge him.
I also don't mind losing Thaddeus Young. He'd cost the Wolves $10 million next season and still leave as a free agent the following season, AND he wasn't even a starter. He was a mistake as a first round draft pick and he played "too short" for his position as a power forward in the NBA. The Wolves got rid of baggage and maybe Brooklyn will figure out how to use him better.
Mainly I don't mind it because the Wolves never look like they're going anywhere. With or without KG the Wolves won't be any better one way or the other. They need another draft pick or two for anything good to happen to them. And KG doesn't prevent that from happening so it's all good. With KG the Wolves WERE once good. Maybe his influence will help more than it hurts this time around as well.
And now it's time to talk about stinky garbage.
Adrian Peterson, paving his way to join the Dallas Cowboys, came out swinging yesterday saying he doesn't trust Minnesota or its fans any more. He says the Vikings SAY they want him back but that, "they never had his back while he was going through this ordeal."
Where to begin? Adrian, you are NOT the victim in all of this. Your son is.
Period.
This is just another example in the long line of examples of YOU not taking responsibility for YOUR actions. We didn't beat your child. YOU did. We didn't use a charity's credit card for personal expenses. YOU did. We didn't smoke marijuana before a pre-trial drug test. YOU did. We didn't skip the NFL meeting where you had a chance to explain yourself and your regret over this horrible incident. YOU did. We didn't take the whole season off WITH PAY so that you could clear your name and then suddenly cop a plea bargain at the very end when you and your lawyers realized you'd be found guilty. YOU did.
And now you're blaming your team and your fans for noticing all of this and not forgiving you, even though you've never really demonstrated you are sorry for any of it. You aren't sorry for any of it, if you were, you'd be asking the fans and the Vikings and the league and the sponsors and children everywhere for forgiveness, and begging for a second chance.
Instead you accuse us for all your problems. Adrain Peterson, you are a jerk of the highest magnitude. You aren't sorry, you were merely "put out" by all of this. You were just mad all of this had to happen to YOU.
I don't understand the mindset of the Vikings fans who want you back. You aren't welcome here. Both your character and intelligence come into question daily.
I also have no doubt that on the proper team with the right circumstances you could still have two or three really good, maybe great, seasons left in you. But I can't stand the stench of you. Please go elsewhere. My Vikings smell bad enough without you.
Minnesota will smell better if you are not here.
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