[外電] Garnett on being loyal: It's 'just what you do'
http://www.startribune.com/511/story/1008469.html
Is it fidelity to be a one-woman man when you're dating, oh, Halle Berry?
(Or, in the interest of equal opportunity, a one-man woman when your guy is
Brad Pitt?)
Is it charity to give away $1 million when you've got $1 billion?
And is it loyalty to stick with the New York Yankees, Google, Toyota, the San
Antonio Spurs, ESPN, Harvard, the New England Patriots, Steven Spielberg or
John Grisham?
None of that is being particularly faithful, generous or loyal. That's all
easy.
If ethics are what you show when no one is looking, loyalty is how you react
when things aren't easy. When, in fact, times are rough and when your bonds,
connections, convictions, beliefs and allegiance all are tested by
circumstances beyond your control.
Yet it never fails: Kevin Garnett gets in a room with a bunch of reporters
from around the country and, one after another, the question many pose to him
is: Why are you loyal to the Timberwolves?
Well, how 'bout this for an answer: Because Garnett or anyone else can't be
"loyal" to the Spurs, the Lakers, the Mavericks, the Suns or any team for
which Shaquille O'Neal decides to play. It's easy to hang with NBA franchises
that, year after year, make serious runs at a championship. And Garnett
called a New York reporter on that during the media availability session
Friday afternoon at All-Star Weekend.
"You're looking at it from the standpoint of what someone does for you for
you to be loyal," Garnett said at the Palms. "That's not how I'm looking at
it. That's not my definition of being loyal. When you're loyal, it's ... just
what you do."
Surely there have been plenty of business reasons for Garnett to roll with
the Wolves; they will have paid him more than $230 million by the time his
contract expires in 2009, and they offered him those deals as soon as he was
eligible, with only token haggling back in 1997.
That was just one of the topics addressed, and pretty deftly handled, by a
guy who has been doing this All-Star stuff for 10 years now. In fact, even
Garnett had to chuckle when someone prefaced a question about Orlando's
budding superstar Dwight Howard by noting that Howard had idolized the Wolves
player while "growing up."Heh. Growing up?" Garnett said.
But it's true. Garnett is three months shy of his 31st birthday. Howard is
two months past his 21st. This weekend, the two are plastered,
gargantuan-sized, on the side of the pyramid Luxor hotel, courtesy of shoe
maker Adidas. A massive replica of Garnett's "West" All-Star jersey is draped
over the huge gilded lion outside the MGM Grand. Howard's "East" shirt is
being worn by the Statue of Liberty replica across Las Vegas Boulevard, in
front of New York New York hotel and casino.
Here are some excerpts from the other Q's and A's from Garnett's table
Friday:
‧ On his biggest adjustment over the year to playing in All-Star Games: "My
thing was -- playing against guys like Timmy Duncan and Shaq, who at the time
was in the West -- being able to turn that competitive fire off to play
alongside those guys. Opening up to get to know some guys. After a couple of
times, I started to get comfortable. You interact, whether you want to or
not. It's a good thing, man, because you know what to expect once you hit the
court. It's kind of good to be laid-back."
‧ On whether he'll feel any "relief" when the NBA trading deadline passes
Thursday: "It's part of the game. I'm no stranger to the trade talk. I won't
run from it. If Kevin McHale and Freddie [Hoiberg] feel that they need a
change in the organization, then that's what it is. When it's time for me to
make a decision on what's best for me, I will. ... But you're putting it like
I'm afraid of something, and I'm not. You're putting it like I'm in a
dilemma. I'm focused on winning games for the T-Wolves, and if the T-Wolves
see that they need to move me, then that's what it is. But I'm not afraid of
it."
‧ His favorite All-Star memories: "New York [1998]. It was Kobe's first
time. MJ [Michael Jordan] was back in the Garden. D.C. [in 2001] still stands
out to me, for when the East came back and beat us. Obviously Atlanta [in
2003], it was close to home and obviously, I won the MVP, which was cool."
‧ The Wolves' season so far: "You have frustrated moments throughout the
year. I'm no exception to that. But for the most part, man, we've been able
to stay afloat, and I'm looking forward to the second half of the season."
‧ How far away Minnesota is from contending again: "I dunno. I don't think
that's a question that has a direct answer. A team has to bond and build and
continue to get better. For the most part, we've been trying to do that."
‧ In a deck of cards, if you were the king on your team, who would be the
ace? "I would be the ace instead of the king, and you can put somebody as the
king. The Crazy 8? Ricky Davis. Joker? [Justin] Reed. Mad Dog [Mark Madsen]
is the heart. Rashad McCants rocks the diamonds."
‧ On his advice to Denver's Carmelo Anthony not to let his ego get bruised
by being an "injury replacement" All-Star (Garnett made his first trip in
1997 as a late roster addition): "I was telling 'Melo not to get into the
labels on how you get here. Ten years from now ... it won't say how he got
here. It'll just say "06-07 All-Star,' and that's what you [remember]. Damn
how you got here."
‧ On being named All-Star MVP in 2003, in Michael Jordan's final appearance
in the showcase: "Part of me obviously wanted to cherish it, but in respect
to what he's done for the game [and] not only me but other young guys, I
wanted to give that to him. ... He declined and told me to enjoy it. That
made me feel a lot more special about the award."
‧ One TV reporter asked Garnett if he would be his best man at a wedding
Saturday and balked when Garnett instead offered to provide beverages and
party favors: "You don't know what kind of champagne I'm able to bring to the
party or what kind of rice I'm throwing. I'm pretty good when it comes to
throwin' rice."
‧ On Scottie Pippen referring to him as a "statistical player" and doubting
him as a winner: "I can't get mad every time people hang their hats on
something negative about me. That's not going to make or break who I am or
get me to do something different."
‧ On the effect it will have on Garnett's career if he doesn't win a
championship: "I prepare myself every night to go out and play at a high
level. I try to give myself and the team a chance to win. I try to do
everything I can every night to give my team an edge. It will be kind of ...
a discount, if you will, if you don't win it. But I have a lot of things in
my career that I can look on. ... But you play this game to win and the
ultimate is a championship, so ask me that when I'm done."
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