I Have Some Things to Say

[Coolbreeze44]

Need to blow off some steam so here goes:

1) The DWill trade sucked. With our guy not even seeing the floor tonight it should be apparent.

2) So tired of seeing the constant whining that goes on all game, especially while the opponent is flying by us in transition. It starts with the coach and trickles down to the players who all feel enabled to do so. It looks terrible and if I was Glen Taylor I would be embarrassed.

3) We have Ricky playing so mechanical now. They've slowed him down so much that he can't even play to his strength. It's like they have shackles on him and he's playing in a box. He is playing joyless, and that is not the Ricky we know. What happened to the dynamic player who as a rookie would make the difficult seem routine? The guy who you had to keep your eye on because you weren't sure how he was going to dazzle next?

Take off the shackles and let him go. I have to believe that player is still in there somewhere.

4) Forget this year, could the future look any bleaker? How does this team get better in the next few years? You almost need to tear it down again and re-build.

I guess that's it for now. When do the Linx start?

[thedoper]

You forgot fire Adelman. I am with you. The whining is the worst. This starts from the top down. I personally don't care if Taylor is embarrassed though since he is the biggest embarrassment in the organization.

[Lipoli390]

Cool -- I agree with you completely!!!

[Lipoli390]

I'll add a few more thoughts on Ricky. A great passing PG is like a great QB. The great QBs excel at anticipating where their receivers will be and throwing to the spot. But to succeed they need receivers who can get to the spot before the defender or elevate over or outreach the defender. The problem Ricky faces is that his receiving targets generally lack the quickness, athleticism or length to take full advantage of Rick'y gifted passing ability. That's not an excuse; it's a reality. He was better two seasons ago because, as flawed as they were, he had long, fast, athletic wings in Wes Johnson and Michael Beasley. Brewer has good full court speed, but as I've pointed out before, he's not particularly long and he lacks the body control and hands to score effectively receiving passes and scoring on cuts to the basket in the half court.

Ricky definitely needs to improve his shooting and I'm disappointed with his failure to improve his shooting over last season. But his ability to take full advantage of his virtuoso passing stems in large part from management's failure to put the right types of players around him.

In addition, note that Ricky is the ONLY true ball handler in the Wolves starting lineup. Unlike any other good team in the league, Ricky is the only starting PG who gas to bear his team's entire ball handling burden. What is the impact on Ricky and the team? First it has to exhaust Ricky both physically and mentally. Second, it makes our offense completely predictable and relatively easy to defend. Finally, it hurts Ricky's shooting because he has to get almost all his shots off the dribble with no one to set him up very often for wide open shots where he can get his feet set and his body squared.

This team is very poorly constructed.

[AbeVigodaLive]

We're STILL making excuses for Ricky Rubio?

It has to stop. Two years ago, a few months ago... or even possibly a few days ago... several posters were saying that the Wolves don't need another ball handling player. "We have Ricky!"

Now. When he sucks... it's because there's no other option. Or, guys don't move well enough. Or, the coaches are stifling him.

I get it. He's got flair. And he seems oh so cuddly cute nice. But he's not good enough. It's 3 years in and he's not improving. NBA history tells us that he won't. He'll never be good enough.

It was fun while it lasted. But the Wolves are about to hit a very rough patch. Not to switch topics... but Love is out. We know that. Deep down, everybody does. More importantly, can anybody blame him?

So, what's left? When I see Rubio... I see mediocrity.

[alexftbl8181 [enjin:6648741]]

We're STILL making excuses for Ricky Rubio?

It has to stop. Two years ago, a few months ago... or even possibly a few days ago... several posters were saying that the Wolves don't need another ball handling player. "We have Ricky!"

Now. When he sucks... it's because there's no other option. Or, guys don't move well enough. Or, the coaches are stifling him.

I get it. He's got flair. And he seems oh so cuddly cute nice. But he's not good enough. It's 3 years in and he's not improving. NBA history tells us that he won't. He'll never be good enough.

It was fun while it lasted. But the Wolves are about to hit a very rough patch. Not to switch topics... but Love is out. We know that. Deep down, everybody does. More importantly, can anybody blame him?

So, what's left? When I see Rubio... I see mediocrity.

He's above average in every other area. Granted shooting is a big part of the equation, but the wolves are a better team with him then without

[AbeVigodaLive]

We're STILL making excuses for Ricky Rubio?

It has to stop. Two years ago, a few months ago... or even possibly a few days ago... several posters were saying that the Wolves don't need another ball handling player. "We have Ricky!"

Now. When he sucks... it's because there's no other option. Or, guys don't move well enough. Or, the coaches are stifling him.

I get it. He's got flair. And he seems oh so cuddly cute nice. But he's not good enough. It's 3 years in and he's not improving. NBA history tells us that he won't. He'll never be good enough.

It was fun while it lasted. But the Wolves are about to hit a very rough patch. Not to switch topics... but Love is out. We know that. Deep down, everybody does. More importantly, can anybody blame him?

So, what's left? When I see Rubio... I see mediocrity.

He's above average in every other area. Granted shooting is a big part of the equation, but the wolves are a better team with him then without

What areas are we talking about... just basic shooting, passing, defense? That seems like a very cursory glance that doesn't shed much light on much of anything.

[The Rage Monster [enjin:8010341]]

Abe I don't think they are necessarily excuses, they sound more like observations to me.

I would agree with these observations. I don't think we have the players on the team to take full advantage of the things Rubio does well, when's the last time you saw a successful lob at the rim in a half court set?

The other point about having another ball handler also makes sense. It's the level to which the other 4 starters cannot handle the ball that is the problem. Pek, he's a no dribble guy. Love, he's about a 1 dribble, step back guy. Brewer, he's a dribble and fall over guy. Martin, he's a dribble and lose the ball guy.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I guess I think Ricky's struggles are more about Ricky than the players around him. That said, it would be fun to see him on the court with someone with a more explosive vertical. Funny, we have a first round pick languishing on the bench with a nose for the basket and the most explosive vertical jump ever measured at the Santa Barbara elite wing training center. Hmmmmm.....

[AbeVigodaLive]

Abe I don't think they are necessarily excuses, they sound more like observations to me.

I would agree with these observations. I don't think we have the players on the team to take full advantage of the things Rubio does well, when's the last time you saw a successful lob at the rim in a half court set?

The other point about having another ball handler also makes sense. It's the level to which the other 4 starters cannot handle the ball that is the problem. Pek, he's a no dribble guy. Love, he's about a 1 dribble, step back guy. Brewer, he's a dribble and fall over guy. Martin, he's a dribble and lose the ball guy.

1) What about Rubio being able to maximize the players around him. Wasn't that one of his greatest strengths? That's what I read here and on the ESPN board.

2) I was the one begging for another guy who could dribble and create... for a long time. I was the one ripped for that viewpoint BECAUSE the team had Rubio. "We want Rubio creating, not Monta Ellis or anybody else." I'm not calling out anybody by name... I don't remember names. But I shirley remember those discussions.

Again, people are revising statements to excuse Rubio for being a bottom-tier starting PG.