How are we still Wolves fans?

[Thrillkill]

I started watching the Wolves the year KG was drafted but much more so the year after in 96. So, I've been a Wolves fan since I was like 8 or 9.

This is my 22nd year of Wolves fandom. It would be insane to stop now!

+1.

Following the NBA might be my favorite hobby, or at least I sure spend a helluva alot of time following it. It would be silly to not have a rooting interest.

If I was of fan of certain players and not a team it would be much more of a passing interest in the sport.

Even if our team sucks...it's still fun to be a fan and I like basketball. We are twisted and broken people in some way for sure!

We are always 2-3 good moves from being great. Then we make 2 bad one's and a historically brutal one.

I'll say this. It's pretty weird that the national media cares this time.

[LordNu]

Nu, I'm heading to my safe space.

[LordNu]

For the record, I am not advocating following another side. I was more interested in how we still come back year after year and endure.

As Joda said before, this has to be the lowest of lows I have ever experienced with this side, and I have been following closely for 16 years now.

I think once this Butler and Thibodeau situation is sorted, we will see the sunshine again.

And I agree with Lightning, the unity and camaraderie certainly puts this all into perspective. The Wolves aren't just a team, they are a fanbase (us) as well.

[Thrillkill]

For the record, I am not advocating following another side. I was more interested in how we still come back year after year and endure.

As Joda said before, this has to be the lowest of lows I have ever experienced with this side, and I have been following closely for 16 years now.

I think once this Butler and Thibodeau situation is sorted, we will see the sunshine again.

And I agree with Lightning, the unity and camaraderie certainly puts this all into perspective. The Wolves aren't just a team, they are a fanbase (us) as well.

This is not worse than being 5 hurt PG's away from a title and then replacing Sam and Spree with one less 1st and a guy who couldn't put his jersey on right.

This is not worse than losing 3 1st rounders and Joe Smith.

This is not worse than drafting well..............3/4 of the guys we drafted. Or the 50 sold picks.

It's annoying but those things crippled us on the court. As of now this has cost us 0 games. It's just annoying.

[LordNu]

For the record, I am not advocating following another side. I was more interested in how we still come back year after year and endure.

As Joda said before, this has to be the lowest of lows I have ever experienced with this side, and I have been following closely for 16 years now.

I think once this Butler and Thibodeau situation is sorted, we will see the sunshine again.

And I agree with Lightning, the unity and camaraderie certainly puts this all into perspective. The Wolves aren't just a team, they are a fanbase (us) as well.

This is not worse than being 5 hurt PG's away from a title and then replacing Sam and Spree with one less 1st and a guy who couldn't put his jersey on right.

This is not worse than losing 3 1st rounders and Joe Smith.

This is not worse than drafting well..............3/4 of the guys we drafted. Or the 50 sold picks.

It's annoying but those things crippled us on the court. As of now this has cost us 0 games. It's just annoying.

It feels like it though. Those instances were let downs, this one was a sucker punch by a player to us. At least that is how it felt.

[YBBR]

The shifting from bad to good and back to bad in the span of basically one year has been jarring to say the least.

That part has been rough. And maybe they figure it out and look much better than they have in preseason form. I hope so.

[LordNu]

The shifting from bad to good and back to bad in the span of basically one year has been jarring to say the least.

That part has been rough. And maybe they figure it out and look much better than they have in preseason form. I hope so.

Yeah, I guess it feels like a bigger hit because we fell much further off a higher perch.

[YBBR]

The shifting from bad to good and back to bad in the span of basically one year has been jarring to say the least.

That part has been rough. And maybe they figure it out and look much better than they have in preseason form. I hope so.

Yeah, I guess it feels like a bigger hit because we fell much further off a higher perch.

As a team they are nowhere near as bad as they showed so far this year. The talent level of some of these guys is far better than that. So hopefully we see that pay some dividends and get some enjoyable basketball along the way this season.

[Thrillkill]

For the record, I am not advocating following another side. I was more interested in how we still come back year after year and endure.

As Joda said before, this has to be the lowest of lows I have ever experienced with this side, and I have been following closely for 16 years now.

I think once this Butler and Thibodeau situation is sorted, we will see the sunshine again.

And I agree with Lightning, the unity and camaraderie certainly puts this all into perspective. The Wolves aren't just a team, they are a fanbase (us) as well.

This is not worse than being 5 hurt PG's away from a title and then replacing Sam and Spree with one less 1st and a guy who couldn't put his jersey on right.

This is not worse than losing 3 1st rounders and Joe Smith.

This is not worse than drafting well..............3/4 of the guys we drafted. Or the 50 sold picks.

It's annoying but those things crippled us on the court. As of now this has cost us 0 games. It's just annoying.

It feels like it though. Those instances were let downs, this one was a sucker punch by a player to us. At least that is how it felt.

Still felt much worse breaking up good teams and wasting picks because that was the organization and you can't get lucky drafting or trading for a new owner.

[Thrillkill]

The shifting from bad to good and back to bad in the span of basically one year has been jarring to say the least.

That part has been rough. And maybe they figure it out and look much better than they have in preseason form. I hope so.

It was more jarring that they can never quite put a team around KG stuff.

And Oh, I forgot Marbury. Even though we got a good deal on that one. Until of course we drafted Wally instead of Marion and Brandon got hurt. And he ran off Googs first.

Fucking Wolves! If it's not one thing it's................every other possible thing.

[DonaldDouchebag]

You need to enjoy the futility. Embrace the shittiness.

[DonaldDouchebag]

You don’t quit on a family member just because they have cancer.

Yes but what if they are comatose and haven't shown any signs of consciousness for 20 years except for a brief twitch of a finger and needs to be kept alive by a breathing apparatus and has a feeding tube inserted and who you need to change the bed pan every day? At some point you need to just pull the plug

I can't do it though.

Bed sores have a certain unpredictable quality, I suppose.

[digitalwolf]

Because I grew up in Minnesota and I love basketball. Easy answer for me!

[zeitgeist]

The shifting from bad to good and back to bad in the span of basically one year has been jarring to say the least.

That part has been rough. And maybe they figure it out and look much better than they have in preseason form. I hope so.

It was more jarring that they can never quite put a team around KG stuff.

And Oh, I forgot Marbury. Even though we got a good deal on that one. Until of course we drafted Wally instead of Marion and Brandon got hurt. And he ran off Googs first.

Fucking Wolves! If it's not one thing it's................every other possible thing.

In the 1999 draft we ended up with Wally Szcerbiak and William Avery. We could have taken Rip Hamilton, Andre Miller, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry instead of Wally and Ron Artest or Andrei Kirlenko instead of William Avery or hell, even Manu Ginobili.

[Style]

A Marion/KG/Kirilenko defensive trio would’ve been devastating on teams.

[mlhouse]

The history of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been a story of bad decisions and even worse luck.

Look at all of the bad luck this team has had over the years starting with the draft lottery odds, the death of Flip and Malik Sealy, the behavior of players like Marbury and Sprewell.

Just when you think the team is going to take off, it collapses in a fit and it seems that history constantly repeats itself. THink Marbury-Garnett falling apart. Then Garnett-Cassell-Sprewell falling apart. Now, Butler-Towns-Wiggins. F.A.L.L.I.N.G A.P.A.R.T.

There has been some good luck too. Being smart enough to draft Kevin Garnett as a high school player. I don't think Kevin McHale gets enough credit from Rubes here who were too young to understand the absolute bottom he built this team and how he made shrewed moves to keep it there.

Of course, that is balanced by the fact that McHale after 2004 couldn't make a good move to save his soul. In my opinion, McHale brilliantly ran this team for 8 years. If he would have retired after the 03-04 season people in the NBA would have considered him one of the best NBA GMs ever. Who could have predicted he would make such bad decisions after?

But then, the Wolves compounded this by hiring David Kahn. How bad was David Kahn? I have answered this numerous times: if the Wolves would have hired a Rube Chat Rube at random they would have been better off. Going from 4 terrible years under McHale to David Kahn destroyed this franchise.

Even the decisions that looked correct, like hiring Rick Adelman as a coach never worked out. And I would argue that the Thibs hiring is the same. On paper, what a hire. But, the end results were beyond terrible as the weaknesses of each of them seem to far outweigh their strengths in this organization.

Lets hope we get off to a good start this year and all of the troubles blow away..........

[The Replacements]

The T-Wolves are just one of many horrible Minnesota sports teams histories. If the Twins didn't win 2 World Series titles, the sports scene would be completely a wash out. Think about it:

1. The Wild are wildly supported yet we have a borderline playoff team with no hope of making a run anytime soon.
2. The Twins are in the second year of hope with a new regime. Most of us know where this will land.
3. The Wolves have the worst history of all and most of us were incredibly excited about Thibs & Butler changing the franchise. This is the ultimate Charlie Brown kicking the football moment. This year or next year will start another run of picking in the lottery.
4. The Vikings are the best Minnesota franchise and probably the one that has caused the most pain.
5. The Gophers.......... nothing needs to be said

#oneofus means a lifetime of painful sports memories.

[Moses Scurry]

The T-Wolves are just one of many horrible Minnesota sports teams histories. If the Twins didn't win 2 World Series titles, the sports scene would be completely a wash out. Think about it:

1. The Wild are wildly supported yet we have a borderline playoff team with no hope of making a run anytime soon.
2. The Twins are in the second year of hope with a new regime. Most of us know where this will land.
3. The Wolves have the worst history of all and most of us were incredibly excited about Thibs & Butler changing the franchise. This is the ultimate Charlie Brown kicking the football moment. This year or next year will start another run of picking in the lottery.
4. The Vikings are the best Minnesota franchise and probably the one that has caused the most pain.
5. The Gophers.......... nothing needs to be said

#oneofus means a lifetime of painful sports memories.

Toxic masculinity post.

Lynx Championships: 4 (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017)

[T_J]

Of course, that is balanced by the fact that McHale after 2004 couldn't make a good move to save his soul. In my opinion, McHale brilliantly ran this team for 8 years. If he would have retired after the 03-04 season people in the NBA would have considered him one of the best NBA GMs ever. Who could have predicted he would make such bad decisions after?

This is a preposterous statement. The Joe Smith fiasco tainted anything Mchale ever did which was BEFORE the Cassell/Sprewell all in year.

McFail was a failure big time before and after the one great season in 30 years. He wasted a top 15 all time talent for over a decade aside from one year.

You gotta be kidding me.

[LordNu]

The T-Wolves are just one of many horrible Minnesota sports teams histories. If the Twins didn't win 2 World Series titles, the sports scene would be completely a wash out. Think about it:

1. The Wild are wildly supported yet we have a borderline playoff team with no hope of making a run anytime soon.
2. The Twins are in the second year of hope with a new regime. Most of us know where this will land.
3. The Wolves have the worst history of all and most of us were incredibly excited about Thibs & Butler changing the franchise. This is the ultimate Charlie Brown kicking the football moment. This year or next year will start another run of picking in the lottery.
4. The Vikings are the best Minnesota franchise and probably the one that has caused the most pain.
5. The Gophers.......... nothing needs to be said

#oneofus means a lifetime of painful sports memories.

I like that hashtag, it has been used before - or at least the phrase - when talking about being a Minnesota fan.

#oneofus

[zeitgeist]

A Marion/KG/Kirilenko defensive trio would’ve been devastating on teams.

KG/Marion/Artest or Kirilenko would have been in conversation as the best defense since Bill Russell's Celtics.

[mlhouse]

Of course, that is balanced by the fact that McHale after 2004 couldn't make a good move to save his soul. In my opinion, McHale brilliantly ran this team for 8 years. If he would have retired after the 03-04 season people in the NBA would have considered him one of the best NBA GMs ever. Who could have predicted he would make such bad decisions after?

This is a preposterous statement. The Joe Smith fiasco tainted anything Mchale ever did which was BEFORE the Cassell/Sprewell all in year.

McFail was a failure big time before and after the one great season in 30 years. He wasted a top 15 all time talent for over a decade aside from one year.

You gotta be kidding me.

Sorry, but you are the one making a preposterous statement, although a lot of the Rubes here will agree with you.

First, when McHale took over the team in 1995 from Jack McCloskey this was a franchise that was going absolutely and positively no where. Over the course of its history the team had won 22, 29, 15, 19, 20, and 21 games, 126 - 366 record. Turning that into a playoff team in less than 2 years was an amazing turnaround that McHale deserves enormous credit for. While most of you think that it was no big deal, drafting a high school player like Garnett with the 5th overall pick was an incredible risk and then being able to make the deal for Stephon Marbury the next season built a foundation that could have been a very competitive team.

Second, when Stephon Marbury went off the reservation, McHale did a great job of trading out of it and then when Terrell Brandon career was ended by a knee injury McHale not only maintained the team in the playoffs, it got better. In fact, two years after Brandon's career was effectively over, Brandon was traded in a 4 team trade that brought Sprewell to the Wolves.

Third, and this I have gone over and over again, the Joe Smith trade was not the "debacle" that people like you make it out to be. Sure, I agree that losing assets is a bad thing, but you seem to be of an age where your experience with teh Wolves draft position is at the top of the draft. Instead, the team lost what would have been the 25th overall pick in 2001, the 26th in 2002, we drafted Ndubi Ebi 26th on 2003, and the the 29th overall pick in 2004. Big fucking deal.

The Timberwolves were a top level team of that era and very late first round draft picks that were due guaranteed contracts meant very little to the viability of the team. In fact, because they did not have to guarantee a contract to a first round pick, it gave them added roster flexibility. In the offseason before the 2001-02 season, without a first round pick, they added Gary Trent AND JOE SMITH as a free agents. The next season they signed Troy Hudson as a free agent.

In the offseason of the 2003-04 season they added through trades Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell, and also added Trenton Hassell, Mark Madsen and Fred Hoiberg as free agents. This was the greatest season in the history of the franchise with 58 wins and advancement to the Western Conference championship, and despite not having first round picks, THREE OF THE STARTING PLAYERS FROM THAT TEAM WERE ADDED IN THE OFFSEASON. Of the 6 players that played in at least 70 games that season, Garnett, Cassell, Sprewell, Hassell, Hoiberg, and Madsen, FIVE OF THEM WERE ADDED THE PREVIOUS OFFSEASON.

Sorry, but the claim that prior to the 2003-04 season McHale wasn't a great success story as a GM is complete and utter bullshit, and claiming that the Joe Smith "fiasco" had any real impact on the team is even more bullshit.

[feekdogg]

It's just sports.
It is what it is. I watched an expansion team in the Metrodome. A perpetually disappointing team beats the hell out of not having one.

[t_wrex]

I love the wolves like my tongue loves my canker sores.