|
7/30/2016 0 Comments Wolves Media Profile: David Naylor Posted By: Dan Slaubaugh
The Minnesota Timberwolves community is extremely fortunate to have a large collection of dedicated, knowledgeable Wolves writers who cover the team year in and year out. Here at OTP, we are giving fans an opportunity to find out more about these talented individuals. Our third profile feature is Canis Hoopus writer David Naylor. Name: David Naylor Affiliation: Canis Hoopus Web Address: www.canishoopus.com Twitter: @ProfCedar Well, David. I appreciate you taking your time out of your day to do this. Should be fun! It’s really my pleasure. It still blows my mind a little bit to be included on the same list as some of the other media taking part in this event, so I’m glad to be a part of it. How long have you been covering the Wolves for Canis Hoopus? The first piece I wrote for the site was a recap during the preseason of the 2014-15 season. I happened to be attending the game, which was in my hometown in Iowa, and offered to write a recap. I started writing in a regular capacity in January 2015. What sparked your interest in writing and how did you get affiliated with Canis Hoopus? I was asked by former Canis Hoopus, current Cold Omaha writer Zach Bennett if I’d be interested in writing on a more regular basis, and I just kind of went with it. I have always loved watching pretty much any kind of sport I can get my hands on, and writing about it felt extremely comfortable once I started. I’m very much still learning the craft, but it’s a fun, remarkable journey. What will readers find by reading your content on Canis? I try to cut a line between informative and emotive. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t. I’m still learning more about advanced stats and how to integrate them in my writing to serve an accurate purpose, and I’m also trying to figure out how to have a good voice to craft a narrative more regularly in my writing. I feel like some of my best work has been driven by passion, and finding that for every possible thing is tricky. Basically, I try and bring whatever I can find to the table, and hope that readers find something they didn’t know, whether a factual tidbit or a different perspective. What keeps you driven and motivated to cover the team with excellence? This is a really good question to think about in the end of the July, perhaps the deadest portion of the entire year as far as the NBA is concerned. I have great respect for the hard work and hours that every member of the team puts in throughout the year, whether players, coaching staff, front office, medical staff, any part of it. Keeping that at the forefront of my mind is the best reminder that I, as someone who covers the team on a regular basis, should do my utmost to reflect that in my own work covering them. Do you have any interest in possibly moving up in the sports media world to cover the team at a bigger platform? If the opportunity presents itself, I wouldn’t turn it down. I’m currently halfway through graduate school but have no degrees in journalism or any background in it whatsoever other than my work at CH. I enjoy writing, and now that it’s a major part of my life I don’t want to give it up, but it’s hard to see how I could make a successful, profitable career out of it from where I am now. Never say never, though! The Wolves are one of the NBA’s best young squads. Why should fans be sure to follow the team next year? Fans have the opportunity to watch the enormously talented young men playing for this team grow and develop together, not only this coming year but in the years to come. From Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine, to the absolutely ridiculous talent of Karl-Anthony Towns, to the fresh face of Kris Dunn, these players are still learning how to best apply their games both individually and as a team, and this journey’s going to be such a fun ride. Why would you not want to see how it ends? Do you have a favorite Wolves memory in the time you've been covering them? Obviously a pretty recent game, and not one I was covering live, but Ricky Rubio’s buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder last season felt so good. It was one game, one shot, but for Ricky to throw that right back in all the haters’ faces and beat a team that went on to be absolutely amazing in the following postseason, that was immensely satisfying to watch. What was the most enjoyable storyline in the past NBA season and why? The Golden State Warriors’ battle with history, and their ultimate failure to accomplish the title to go with their 73-9 regular season. The Warriors’ development has been incredible to watch, and I really wanted them to finish it all off in the Finals (and predicted they would in five games, which did not work out), but LeBron did what only he could do and took them down. I can’t wait to see what ridiculous things they manage to do this season, and how they embrace the role of villain. Which are some of your favorite NBA and Wolves related writers you follow? From the Wolves media, I can’t put any names before Britt Robson (@brittrobson) of MinnPost. If you’re a fan of the team or interested in them at all, Robson’s columns are absolutely necessary reading. After Britt, we are blessed with so many writers, bloggers and journalists that cover the team on a regular basis in Minnesota that it would be hard to make a list that doesn’t leave someone out. Read everyone and everything! Nationally, Tom Ziller (@teamziller) and Paul Flannery (@Pflanns) of SB Nation are both excellent. Ziller’s Morning Tip newsletter is where I start almost every day to track down the best stories I haven’t found about anything around the NBA. SI’s Lee Jenkins (@SI_LeeJenkins) hits home runs with every story he writes. One other, Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares) of SBN’s Denver Stiffs, Vice, Nylon Calculus and Hardwood Paroxysm, understands more about the game of basketball and how it works on the court than I ever will. Follow that man. Rapid Fire (Flame Emojis) Favorite sports movie? Space Jam Favorite food? Macaroni and cheese, all day. Favorite weather/season? Summer, always. Favorite TV show? Probably still House, MD although Breaking Bad is very close now. Hidden talent? I have perfect pitch. Here’s the Wikipedia entry on it. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_pitch) It’s basically a cool party trick. '95-'96 Bulls or '15-'16 Warriors? With both recency bias and the fact that I was 6 in 1996, I’m taking Golden State. Favorite NBA player of all-time? Steve Nash. Space Jam or Like Mike? Definitely Space Jam When do the Wolves finally end the NBA's longest playoff drought? I will be bold and say this season.
0 Comments
 By: Tim Parochka The outlook and future of sports teams can change drastically by a few small decisions made by a franchise. The San Antonio Spurs traded their point guard George Hill for a low lottery pick which became Kawhi Leonard; the Patriots selected Tom Brady in the late sixth round; the Minnesota Vikings signed an undrafted free-agent, John Randle. The decisions listed above were not spotlighted because they didn't feel like decisions worth mentioning, but those small decisions altered each franchise. The Minnesota Timberwolves' organization have made decisions in the past that have led them to where they are now, but I'm sure you don't pay those small decisions enough respect. In the 2014-15 season, the late and great Flip Saunders orchestrated the greatest manipulation I've witnessed since Squints kissed Wendy Peffercorn in the movie: 'The Sandlot'. The plan before the 2014-15 season wasn't to garner the worst record in the association, but instead, the plan was to surprise the NBA and win upward of 35-40 games. The Wolves already had Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin and the team signed Moe Williams in the off-season. They traded for the future rookie of the year, Andrew Wiggins, another hopeful young asset, Anthony Bennett, and an established NBA veteran, Thad Young. The Wolves wanted to prove to themselves and to the league that they could continue to win despite shipping their best player to Cleveland.
The Wolves started the season strong and Ricky Rubio created a fantastic vine after a win on the road against the Brooklyn Nets. However, the very next game against the Orlando Magic, Rubio suffered an ankle injury which plagued him for most of the season. After the Rubio injury, the original plan died and Flip's new plan was born. The Wolves would lose as many games as possible while getting their young players, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine, in-game repetitions. Remember, the original plan was for LaVine to sit out a majority of his rookie year because he was such a raw talent out of UCLA - LaVine didn't even start in college. But getting Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine in-game reps wasn't enough to compete with the Sixers and Knicks for the worst spot in the NBA. Flip traded Corey Brewer to the Houston Rockets for a bench player who wasn't very good; Flip traded Thad Young - one of the best Wolves' player that season - to the Brooklyn Nets; Flip traded Moe Williams to the Charlotte Hornets; and Flip signed six players to 10-day contracts which helped the Wolves lose more games. My favorite part of the 2014-15 season was when Flip Saunders substituted Arinze Onuaku - a poor NBA player - into the game in the final minutes if it appeared the Wolves were about to win. That's manipulation. The minor decisions made by Flip Saunders in 2014-15, like signing six players to 10-day contracts, has led the Minnesota Timberwolves' to this point. Zach LaVine is a full year ahead of his development. Andrew Wiggins development was expedited because he was given the ball on every possession his rookie year. And now the Wolves have the best young talent in the NBA, Karl-Anthony Towns, and a proven coach in Tom Thibodeau. All because Flip made the decision to manipulate the 2014-15 season. What was the general consensus around Minnesota before the Wolves acquired Karl-Anthony Towns? Probably something like: "We have a great future because of Andrew Wiggins. Hopefully LaVine continues to develops." How ridiculous does the above statement sound now that the Wolves have Karl-Anthony Towns? Could you even imagine what the Wolves would be without Karl-Anthony Towns? The Wolves would have been solid without Towns, but the Wolves have the possibility of being great with him. It's crazy how quickly teams can change in sports. A few years ago the Cavaliers were a team with a ball eccentric point guard who couldn't get the Cavaliers 35 wins, but LeBron "goes home" and one year later the Cavaliers are in the NBA Finals and a year later they are the NBA Champions. The Minnesota Vikings future was up in the air with Leslie Frazier as head coach, but fast forward two years later and the Vikings are the NFC North Champions with a bright future. Two years ago, the Wolves didn't know if they would get a valuable return on Kevin Love, but remarkably, the Kevin Love trade has led the Wolves' to two of the top young players in the NBA. Sports are crazy, man  Posted By: Dan Slaubaugh
The Minnesota Timberwolves community is extremely fortunate to have a large collection of dedicated, knowledgeable Wolves writers who cover the team year in and year out. Here at OTP, we are giving fans an opportunity to find out more about these talented individuals. Our second profile feature is Lucas Seehafer, who landed a writing position at Canis Hoopus after his successful run with his start-up blog "The Long Two". Name: Lucas Seehafer Affiliation: Canis Hoopus Web Address: www.canishoopus.com Twitter: @SeehaferNBA Well, Lucas. I appreciate you taking your time out of your day to do this. Wolves news is a bit dead right now. No problem! The doldrums of summer are definitely upon us, but the season is fast approaching. There’s only *checks calendar* a couple more months until the Wolves take the court again! *weeps softly* How long have you been covering the Wolves for Canis Hoopus? I started writing for Canis on January 1, 2016 after writing at my own blog, The Long Two, beginning in late September 2015. What sparked your interest in writing and how did you get affiliated with Canis Hoopus? I’ll try to keep this short. My itch to write first arose during my senior year in undergrad, but I can’t really say what triggered it. It just kind of happened. I actually wrote a few FanPosts on Canis Hoopus that were met with mixed reviews. I kind of gave up writing after I published those for a few reasons, but the itch came back much stronger the following September when I started grad school. I wanted a hobby that would help me decompress and allow me to focus on something for a few hours a week other than what I was studying, and writing about basketball seemed to be the natural solution. I started up The Long Two towards the end of September and wrote roughly 2-3 posts per week. A few days after Christmas the guys from Canis contacted me on Twitter and asked if I would be willing to write for their site and the rest is history. What will readers find on Canis Hoopus? Readers will mostly find (in my opinion) some of the best Minnesota Timberwolves coverage on the internet, but that’s not to say we’re strictly a Wolves’ blog. Eric in Madison (the head honcho at Canis) will include a Today in History segment at the end of many of his posts that outline important events that have occurred in the past on that particular date and Josh Clement (another writer at Canis) often includes a This Week in Things that are Great segment that touches on cool things that have happened within the past week. I’ve written a review on Andrew Wiggins’ new shoes and made the case for why Space Jam 2 is a bad idea. Key Sang once wrote about the WWE. We are also famous for posting some of our favorite recipes after blow out games rather than writing about the carnage on the court. What keeps you driven and motivated to cover the team with excellence? The biggest thing is that I look at the people I consider colleagues in the Wolves’ blogosphere (guys like John Meyer, David Naylor, Eric, Key, Josh, Steve McPherson, Tim Faklis, Bill Bohl, Zach Harper, Derek James, Zach Bennett, all of you at On the Prowl, and countless others), and I see what great work they do. It really makes me dig deep and strive to write to the best of my ability. They make me look at Wolves’ basketball, and the NBA in general, at different angles and with different perspectives and I feel like that “competition” has really helped me grow as a writer and basketball observer. And then there are writers like Darren Wolfson, Jon Krawczynski, and Britt Robson, who are so far above what I could ever dream of becoming as a writer, who also provide motivation and a goal to reach for, no matter how unobtainable it may seem. I think I would die if I ever became as good at covering the Wolves as those guys, and really everybody that I named in this answer, are. Do you have any interest in possibly moving up in the sports media world to cover the team at a bigger platform? You know, I don’t want to say no, but I am very happy with where I am at at the moment. If an opportunity were to arise I would definitely have to think about accepting it, but I wouldn’t say that I am actively in search of opportunities. There are many more deserving people who are much better at what they do than I am and I am really passionate about the grad program in which I am enrolled, so that definitely is my priority. The Wolves are one of the NBA’s best young squads. Why should fans be sure to follow the team next year? The Wolves are going to be a fun team to watch and there won’t be a lack of story lines surrounding the team. KAT, Wiggins, and LaVine form, in my opinion, the most exciting young core in the entire NBA, only possibly rivaled by the Milwaukee Bucks. Those three all figure to take major leaps forward under Tom Thibodeau’s leadership. Ricky Rubio will continue doing Ricky Rubio things and hopefully everyone will finally appreciate the value he brings to the team. New comers Kris Dunn, Cole Aldrich, Brandon Rush, and Jordan Hill will improve the bench play. Nemanja Bjelica will have a stronger sophomore campaign. Kevin Garnett may be playing his final season in the NBA. Basically, if you like exciting basketball, the Wolves will provide it and may have their first winning season since 2004. Do you have a favorite Wolves memory in the time you've been covering them? It has to be the overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors, right? I mean, that game was so much fun and was really the first time I thought to myself, “Holy *beep* this team has a chance to be SPECIAL soon.” Andrew Wiggins was amazing, Karl-Anthony Towns was amazing, Shabazz Muhammad was amazing. I remember just being in a state of stupor after that game. It felt like the Wolves had just won a playoff series. What was the most enjoyable storyline in the past NBA season and why? The Cleveland Cavaliers winning the NBA title. It was just so cool to witness LeBron be the greatest player of his generation against arguably the greatest regular season team of all time after being down 3-1 and coming back to bring a championship to Cleveland for the first time in an eternity. It was like watching a fairytale, only more unrealistic. Which are some of your favorite NBA and Wolves related writers you follow? Well I listed pretty much all of my favorite Wolves’ writers earlier, but other favorites of mine include Matt Femrite, Zach Lowe, Howard Beck, all of The Starters (J.E. Skeets, Trey Kirby, Tas Melas, and Leigh Ellis), Kristen Ledlow, and Shea Serrano just to name a few more. I’m sure I’m forgetting some. NBA Twitter is so full of knowledgeable writers it’s tough to narrow it down and not forget someone. Rapid Fire (Flame Emojis) Favorite sports movie? Truthfully, I’m not a huge movie guy, but I really like Rudy. Favorite food? There’s so many to choose from! But if forced to make a choice I’d say tater tot hotdish. Favorite weather/season? Definitely the beginning of fall when the nights are around 45-50 degrees and the days are in the high 60s. Favorite TV show? I don’t watch much tv either, but Scrubs and Psych are tied for number one.Hmmmmmm. I think I’d say photography actually. It’s a hobby I enjoy partaking in every once in a blue moon and I’d like to think some of my pictures are good. '95-'96 Bulls or '15-'16 Warriors? Well, this is a lot like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, both are fruit, but they really can’t be compared because their genetic make-ups are so different. The way in which the game is played today compared to back in ’95-’96 makes this comparison difficult, in my opinion. Regardless, both were historic teams that changed the way the game is played. Favorite NBA player of all-time? I’m a relative newcomer to the NBA (I became a diehard only in 2011), so my list of potential all-time favorites is limited to the recent past. So I have to go LeBron James. I’ll brag to my grandkids that I got to watch his entire career and the majesty that it was. Space Jam or Like Mike? PFFFFF. Space Jam hands down. Lil’ Bow Wow’s got nothing on Bugs Bunny. When do the Wolves finally end NBA's longest playoff drought? My heart says this coming season, but my head says 2017-18. I think 41 wins should be the goal this season; anything above that is gravy Another big thank you to Lucas for appearing on our series. Wolves fans, make sure to follow he and his content daily on Canis Hoopus!  By: Drew Mahowald
I don't need to go into too much detail on Karl-Anthony Towns. After all, this is a Minnesota Timberwolves blog, and those who stop by this website are probably aware of who he is and how unearthly amazing the dude is. But since he's a fun topic, I'll go into a little bit of detail. Towns, the first overall selection by Minnesota in the 2015 NBA Draft, is a robot. He's too perfect too be a human being. Sooner or later, the NBA will figure it out and ban him from the league. But for now, we'll keep this little secret to ourselves. As a rookie, 'KAT' placed himself in elite company. However you want to look at the numbers he registered, he ranks right up there with the best rookie big men to ever throw on an NBA jersey, including the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and David Robinson. The statistics back up the claim, too. Towns is one of just three rookies in NBA history to register per game averages of 18 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 54 percent from the field and recording a PER of 22 or better. The other two players are O'Neal and Duncan. Olajuwon didn't do that. Robinson didn't do that. Patrick Ewing didn't do that. (Insert any other all-time great big man here) didn't do that. However, Towns' rookie season is now in the past. The hype he garnered from that rookie campaign will undoubtedly carry over into his sophomore year as a pro -- and rightfully so. With soaring expectations, a new head coach and playoff ambitions, what will Towns give us for an encore in his second year? Well, in case you forgot already, let's remember that Towns is actually a robot. He possesses too perfect of a combination of basketball talent and personality to be a human being. So let's get that out of the way first. In all seriousness, there is no reason to believe this kid won't improve upon his rookie season in Year 2. He possesses nearly every skill required to be a successful big man in today's NBA on both sides of the ball -- and he consistently flashed these skills as a 19- and 20-year-old dude. Offensively, he can score facing the hoop, with his back to the hoop, from the block, from mid-range and from the perimeter -- not to mention his incredible court vision as a passer and ballerina-like footwork when performing post moves. And the 2016 NBA Rookie of the Year managed to display this array of skills in an efficient manner. His 22.5 PER rating ranked 13th in the entire league among players who logged 1000 minutes. Defensively, Towns made it known that he will be a force to be reckoned with for a long time. His alien-like wingspan helped him become a widely-feared rim protector. Additionally, the 7-footer also showed on multiple occasions that he is capable of switching onto a guard on putting the clamps on. Just ask Bradley Beal or two-time league MVP Steph Curry. Statistically, despite playing on one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, Towns maintained 2.8 defensive win shares, good for Top 50 in the league and tops on the Wolves. So how can this 20-year-old robot get any better? New head coach Tom Thibodeau, known for his defensive expertise, will undoubtedly make significant improvements to Minnesota's defense, which will only help Towns individually. Thibs-coached teams have a history of performing at an elite level on the defensive end and, while it may take a few years for the young Wolves to get to that level, steady improvement is inevitable. Additionally, Thibodeau's offensive system should assist in Towns' development too, namely by utilizing his passing skills. Joakim Noah made a living playing for Thibodeau in Chicago by dishing back door passes for layups and handing the ball off to perimeter players for open shots. Towns should have the opportunity to take on that role throughout the season, which will only open other opportunities for his aforementioned scoring abilities. And it's worth repeating -- Karl-Anthony Towns is 20 years old. It's almost incomprehensible to think about, but he's only going to get better as he gains experience and as his teammates continue their own development. The encore Towns presents us during his sophomore season will be similar to his rookie campaign -- jaw-dropping, fantastic and probably historic. Only this year, more experience, prestigious coaching and improved play from teammates will elevate his game even further. I'll leave you with Towns' own words, from a response to Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press, in which he gives a sneak preview of what Timberwolves fans can expect from himself and his team in the near future. "A lot of people tend to think we're the Timberwolves and we're at the bottom of the barrel. I just want people to know that we're coming. Just remember us, because where we were the last 13 years, things are going to change." Drew Mahowald is an editor and writer for On The Prowl. He also serves as an assistant editor for NFC North Barroom, where he covers the Minnesota Vikings. You can follow him on Twitter at @DrewMahowald. All stats used are courtesy of basketball-reference.com. 7/27/2016 0 Comments Eager to Start By: Tim Parochka
Hello, My name is Tim Parochka. I am introducing myself as a writer for On the Prowl. I am from Minnesota, but I am currently residing in Washington D.C. because I was recently offered a position with Sirius XM Radio as a sports producer. However, I am a dedicated Minnesota Timberwolves fan. I stuck with the team when they were their most unbearable (2008 - 2010) so I will continue watching in-depth, especially since they have an opportunity to win again. #MaketheWolvesGreatAgain - Thanks for the idea, Mr. Trump. I want to bring a unique and fresh perspective as a writer. I want to bring intriguing comparisons and honest, unbiased opinions. You may have seen my interview with Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine's trainer, Drew Hanlen, which erupted on social media and gained steam in major media outlets in the Twin Cities. I am very excited for this opportunity and I am eager to start posting articles for On The Prowl. |
