Going in Opposite Directions

     The news that Kevin Garnett possibly coming here all came so suddenly I didn't even have time to react. The first reports surfaced on Thursday morning and by that afternoon it was a reality. By the way, before I go any further, I'd like to announce that this column is not going to have any "Torii Hunter and now Kevin Garnett, what is this 2002?" jokes in it. That's another thing that came suddenly.
     Sure, Garnett will be a constant reminder that the Wolves took Thaddeus Young instead of the Heat first rounder in the Wiggins trade that could come back to haunt them, but what he gives them could be just as good.
     Garnett will give the Timberwolves an edge nobody else can bring. As talented as this young core is, nobody on the Wolves has a nasty streak to them. KG can get that to rub off on them. Anthony Bennett's sleep walking his way through another game? KG will get his head on straight. DeMarcus Cousins is dirtily pushing around Gorgui, talking trash and just generally being a dick? KG's got Gorgui's back. The things that change cultures can only be learned if someone's leading by example, and that's what he'll bring.
     On the other side there's Adrian Peterson and his people, who have been displaying an A-Rodian level of stupidity lately. Keep in mind, this is after Zimmer, Spielman, and various teammates have said they would love to have him back. That didn't keep Peterson from saying he's "uneasy" about returning and saying, "There were people (in the organization) that I trusted, who knew exactly what was said, who weren't heard from." That quote couldn't sum up this entire saga any better. Almost six months after the incident Peterson still doesn't seem to know what he did wrong. As ludicrous as the suspension was*, it was still because he beat his kid with a stick. He's not exactly a martyr.
*I never got to talk about the suspension when it happened but here are my thoughts now: The NFL panicked. They didn't know what to do, so they were hoping that either the Vikings would release him so they could forget about him like Ray Rice, or he wouldn't get his court stuff done until after the season so they wouldn't have to deal with it until later. But then when they reached the plea deal they had no idea what to do.
     It only got worse when Peterson's agent, Ben Dogra, got into it verbally with the Vikings VP of Football Operations Mike Brzezinski at the Combine, saying that Peterson will never play for Minnesota again. Once again, it's best not to do things like that when you don't have moral high ground.
     The way things are going, sports in Minnesota might be strikingly similar to 2002 by this summer: Torii Hunter and Kevin Garnett are the heroes, and nobody cares who Adrian Peterson is.