T'Wolves fire Flip Saunders; Kevin McHale interim coach

[hitonme]

It sucks for the T'Wolves. Nothing but a bunch of selfish players like Cassell, Hudson, and "I Have My Kids To Feed" Sprewell. Read the following article that I have posted and read the part where Saunders might coach for next season and who might he bring with him:

Posted on Tue, Feb. 15, 2005





Pohlad looked at Vikings

CHARLEY WALTERS


Billionaire Twins owner Carl Pohlad, who signed pitcher Johan Santana to a deal worth approximately $40 million Monday, said he considered entering the bidding process for the Vikings.

"But the numbers got too high for me," Pohlad said.

Billionaire Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor bid $500 million cash, plus $100 million if a new stadium were to get built, and believed that was more than the team is worth.

Curiously, Arizona businessman Reggie Fowler, whose estimated net worth according to one resourced source might be as little as $200 million, reached an agreement with owner Red McCombs on Monday to buy the Vikings for an estimated $625 million, depending on how the deal is calculated.

Fowler, who repeatedly has declined to reveal his net worth or offer even an approximation, has three New Jersey real estate developers as partners expected to own nearly 70 percent of the team. But Fowler will be the managing partner.

There is some question whether the sale to Fowler will be approved by the NFL's finance committee and subsequently the league's 32 owners. But people in the know say Fowler's chances of approval appear to be favorable provided he is able to satisfy the league of certain criteria that remain confidential.

Fowler will have to satisfy the NFL that he has the resources to maintain operation of the Vikings should any of his partners decide they want out of the deal.

• Taylor, whose Timberwolves are worth an estimated $300 million, said he was not disappointed when the sale to Fowler was announced, and he wishes Fowler well.

• A NFL insider said Taylor would have had no trouble being approved had he been able to buy the Vikings. If Fowler is not approved, McCombs likely would suffer embarrassment for not accepting what many would consider a sure deal from Taylor. The next NFL owners meetings are March 20-23 in Hawaii.

• McCombs and Vikings President Gary Woods have repeatedly nagged the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission about finding ways to produce more revenue for the Vikings from the Metrodome. But Chairman Roy Terwilliger, whose commission oversees the Dome, said the agreement with Fowler shouldn't affect the Vikings' use of the Dome in any way.

• Woods addressed Vikings staff members Monday and said he expected the NFL to approve the sale in two to six weeks. Although staff members had been kept in the dark about the status of a potential sale of the team, Woods insisted to them that he and McCombs had been forthright. Some staff members would disagree.

• It was July 3, 1998, when McCombs bought the team from a group of Minnesota partners. The NFL voted to approve the sale on July 28, and the sale closed and McCombs officially became owner on Aug. 20. McCombs could still trade controversial wide receiver Randy Moss, cleaning up the mess for Fowler or Taylor or whomever ultimately ends up with the team.

• If all goes smoothly for Fowler, it's conceivable he could own the Vikings within five weeks. Then he could hire a general manager to oversee the April draft, when the Vikings will have the No. 18 overall pick.

• Fowler is expected to meet with the NFL's finance committee March 9-10 in Florida.

• If Fowler's group has relocation of the Vikings as an option, it's unlikely Los Angeles will be available by the time the team is free to leave Minnesota. Word around the NFL is that the New Orleans Saints are the most likely team to move to L.A. The Saints can buy out of their stadium lease for $80 million after next season. The Vikings are bound to the Metrodome through 2011.

• If former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders ends up with the Los Angeles Lakers next season, it will be interesting to see whether the Lakers, one of the few teams that could afford Kevin Garnett, try to trade for the Wolves' star. Garnett is an unselfish player who wouldn't seem to have difficulty playing with egomaniac Kobe Bryant.

It's unclear whether the Lakers have enough players to trade for Garnett, but Devean George from Minneapolis and Augsburg would seem a cinch to be included in a deal.

• The New York Knicks remain a possibility for Saunders next season, and there is at least one prominent person in the organization who would like to see him coaching there. But Knicks chairman James Dolan is considered a meddler and a difficult person for whom to work.

Word is a handful of NBA teams already have expressed interest in Saunders, including Cleveland, Seattle, Portland and Toronto, which is managed by Rob Babcock, formerly the Timberwolves' player personnel director. Don't count out Orlando or Detroit, either.

• Saunders' agent, Mark Termini, flew into town last weekend to try to ensure that his client is to receive some $8 million he is owed by his contract, which runs through the 2005-06 season.

• Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who resides in suburban St. Paul, on his team's negotiations with Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana: "He wants Minneapolis; we've offered St. Paul, with the exception of Mancini's.

Imagine Bryant and Garnett. The Lakers will be one of the top teams MAYBE next season.

[GottaLoveLA]

The Clippers will overtake the T-wolves

[mamlook]

^^ the only Clipper fan still around.

[GottaLoveLA]

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