Thursday, August 20th, 2009 at 3:45 pm  |  145 responses

Links: Win Signed KG Stuff!

Plus, how can Orlando improve?

by Lang Whitaker

Fri-day! OK, it’s actually Thursday, but I’m traveling tomorrow and out of the office, so this is my last post for the week here. And we’ve got something very cool to give away…

• I went to a charity benefit thing last night and got to see an advance screening of Inglourious Basterds, which was really, really, really good. Check it out this weekend.

(And FWIW, Omar promises we’re going to get his blockbuster summer movie review tomorrow. Gangsta!)

• Yesterday I was thinking ahead to the SLAM NBA Preview, and I tweeted my initial Top 5 teams to get some reaction. I went with, in order, the Lakers, the Cavs, the Magic, Denver and Boston.

A lot of people thought Denver should be replaced with San Antonio, and maybe they should be. I just thought Denver became such a tenacious defensive team late last season, like they all finally bought into defense winning games, and I suspect that will carry over into this season. I know they lost Dahntay Jones and Linas Kleiza, who were important for them last year, but I don’t think those guys were irreplaceable. And that Kenyon/Nene/Birdman rotation in the post is for real.

The other question I got a lot of was how I could drop Orlando behind Cleveland, considering Orlando picked up Vince Carter, Brandon Bass and Jason Williams, which will seriously upgrade their bench. As I noted, yes, Orlando added better players. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they became a better team. I think that’s still up in the air. My man Kelly Dwyer said, “Name a team that added better players that didn’t improve? Don’t say 2000-01 Blazers, because they didn’t add better players.”

It’s a good point, but I have seen it happen, multiple times, even with my own Atlanta Hawks. When they added JR Rider? Didn’t get better. Moses Malone and Reggie Theus? Nope. In ’03-04, the Hawks added Stephen Jackson, who ended up leading the team in scoring, but they lost seven more games than the year before.

Yes, Orlando’s roster is unquestionably better than it was a year ago. But has Dwight Howard learned to shoot? Will Vince be able to fill in for Turkoglu? My other thought about Orlando is that it’s going to be really hard for them to improve. They won 59 games last year and went to the Finals. The only way they improve on that is by winning at least 60 games in an arguably better Conference, or by winning a championship. That’s it. And that, to me, seems like a pretty slim margin for improvement.

• I don’t know much about him, but it seems Nets CEO Brett Yormark could sell water to a well. (Or a whale, for you olski wolski LInkstigators.)

Not only are the Nets retaining all their sponsors from last season, but they also have 10 new sponsors? Imagine if the Nets were good!

• Here’s a funny video clip from the Howard Stern Show that Jimmy Traina ran today on Hot Clicks…

• And the guys from FreeDarko found this mesmerizing clip of 8 mm NBA footage from the ‘70s.

Some great Wilt Chamberlain footage about a third of the way in. It’s well worth watching on full screen mode.

kg1• And finally, we have a contest. You may recall a few years ago, in Kicks 9, Kevin Garnett outed himself as a soccer fan. I’d heard that on a recent trip to Asia, KG had brought along his Xbox 360 and played FIFA the entire time. “I’m into Zidane with France, I’m a big Raul fan,” KG said. “Deco! Those are my guys.”

At the time, KG was more of a fan of FIFA than actual soccer (he was stumped when I asked him about Fernando Torres), but since then he’s apparently become a real futbol fan, and one of his favorite clubs is Chelsea FC. (I am trying really hard to not make a joke right here about how being a Chelsea fan reflects on KG’s taste. But I digress.)

To honor KG’s love for Chelski, adidas is dropping the adidas TS Commander LT x KG x CFC pack. It comes with a Chelsea version of the adidas TS Commander, a Chelsea jersey with Garnett 5 on the back (in the official EPL font, which is kinda fresh) and a Chelsea scarf. It will be mad limited and will only be available in Boston at Bodega.

That is, unless you’re a SLAMonline reader. I’ve got a Chelsea/Garnett jersey as well as one of the shoes autographed by KG sitting here on my desk.

Do you want ‘em? You can have ‘em. Seriously. Here’s how: Drop a comment down below and tell us why you deserve this KG swag.

That’s it. You’ve got until noon on Monday, when I’ll close the comments and pick a winner.

Have at it…

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  • http://slamonline.com Ben Osborne

    Classic links, classic Howard Stern.

  • AKIMANA

    lol I remember the great well vs. whale grand debate of 03 or maybe 04.

  • riggs

    i was a part of a handful of people who kept defending KG back when people were talking about his antics on the court.

  • Stephen

    I deserve to win this, just for the fact that I know I will never win it. Prove me wrong!

  • Luis Moreno

    I’ma a huge soccer fan, my favorite team is Chelsea. I whoop on people with them in FIFA. I’m not going to lie and say KG is the best or my fave, because I’m a Heat fan. But I love both soccer and basketball and to have them both come together like this into one is just awesome and unbelieveable. I’m more of a basketball fan but not by much. Please hook me up SLAM. You can say I am already hooked up with the beg mag ever, but this just a bonus.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    I should win this because my knowledge of the NBA rivals my non-knowledge of “futbol”. Winning this would pique my interest into the sport most of the Slam staff loves.

  • Tommy Patron

    Yo! I’d love the swag, as I am a real, live US soccer person, still a dominant net minder @ 35.

  • Shrugz

    I would like to have it so I can shove it in the faces of all the Man U friends who also happen to be basketball fans HAHAHAH :D

  • JayChau

    KG, from a boy to a man; we witnessed it. Used to be just known as a lanky boy straight from HighSchool, there were many doubters. I doubted him. He proved me wrong. And now I’m a fan of his. Fierce competitor; wants to win in any way possible. I admire his dedication to the sport, and even his respect for other sports that represent him as a human being. Big propz to KG. Peace and love. This dope prize can be a great token

  • b00gaz

    I deserve this KG swag because im a sportsfreak but i live in a state that has no professional teams whatsoever and I have to cherish what ever professional exhibition games played here…basketball, football, soccer, pro wrestling, etc…you name it. I deserve this!

  • sixersforlife_85

    I am a huge Chelsea fan, was before the russian takeover and love them more every time I smell that freshly cut grass. My little brother is even more of a fan and we even sneak off to Cobham (near our home in Surrey) to peak at their training, my brother dreams of one day playing for them. Our family literally bleeds the blue, my dad once called in sick to a very important work meeting because it was being held in Manchester. The passion runs deep to the heart. I’m not going to pretend i’m a huge Garnett fan, because i’m not , but I love the NBA and I love Chelsea, please consider me as I am a true blue fan.

  • kevin

    Meshing together this Chelsea F.C. Jersey with Garnett on the back is as symbolic as when he first donned the Celtic green. Both entrenched in tradition and winning ways. I’ve followed KG since 1995 when this fresh faced kid first entered the league. I remember getting the 95 TSC rookie card of him where he is rocking the Timberwolves hat and the palm of his hand open to the camera as if say “Hey World! I’m here!” KG, being the freakishly athletic guy he is, could easily make the transition to playing soccer and dominate that sport as a forward. Defenders wouldn’t know how to contain this 6’11″ guy, especially when he goes up for a header. KG is as passionate about competing in the league as soccer fans around the world are about THEIR team. They share this same passion that normal people do not understand. Because they’re not real fans. I’m an avid fan of soccer and even a HUGER fan of the NBA. Thanks for the opportunity in winning this awesome prize. I would rock the hell out of the gear!

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Can’t front, I love KG but hate Chelsea even more. I don’t deserve it.

  • kaj

    Living in Holland, the only sport you will see is soccer and almost no basketball. But I don’t care about soccer, I just think that i deserve this price because I care about KG and basketball.

  • claude

    I should win this KG swag because I’m a crazy fusion of Artest and Zidane…I’ll headbutt random civilians if I don’t win. You really don’t want that to happen, do you?

  • JK

    I should win it because I think KG’s whole act is fake and his new love for Chelsea only reinforces my beliefs. Perfect team for him, perfect prize for me.

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  • Ben Maclean

    I should win this because my dad is german and african, therfore, i play soccer, and basketball

  • shea danino

    hey so, nobody truly deserves this item…but i really want it a whole lot. im as big a soccer fan as they come in america and ive been a chelsea supporter my whole life in fact my whole family is. lampard is my favorite soccer player in the world although hes getting a little older now. im also the biggest celtics fan in MA. hard to believe i know but im deffinitely up there. even before kg arrived i loved them. when they got ray allen i predicted a playoff berth. when they got kg i flipped out and ran outside in my boxers yelling and screaming because i just got out of the shower and heard the amazing news. in school we were asigned to write a sonnet and i wrote mine on the celtics and how they were gonna win number 17 and what do you know……they did :) i would be very grateful to be given this once in a life time item that i could cherish forever. this would be tghe best of both sports for me. id frame wut i could and guard it with my life. thanks for the oppurtunity slam hope i didnt disapoint.

  • http://i31.tinypic.com/25ggbgj.jpg NuggetsFan

    Garnett has been one of my favourite players since he first entered the NBA. From his first year being mentored by Mitchell & Porter, to his years with Starbury, then my favourite T’Wolves squads with Brandon, Sealy, Smith & Wally, to one year of success with Cassell & Sprewell, to being surrounded with Mike James & Ricky Davis. I was ecstatic when he was traded to Boston, finally getting a legitimate chance at the Larry O’Brien trophy. Even though a number of “fans” turned on him this past season, I haven’t… nor will I ever. I had never been happier seeing a player win a championship than I was when KG got his in ’08.

    Long story short, there’s nothing more I love than repping KG (check my name for a couple of my jerseys… R.I.P. Leke), and sporting a Chelsea/Garnett jersey would be a unique way of doing it.

  • Evan

    I adore Mr.Garnett and despise Manchester United too much to not possess this prominent and superior reward of salutation. I also hope to one day bear the KG beard of greatness while sporting the exalted Chelsea jersey and kicks. So yeah,I deserve it..

  • runngun22

    Because unlike the majority of the people trying to win this, I am actually a fan of both basketball and soccer. Surprisingly, like KG, Zinedine Zidane and Raul are two of my favorite players as well. And questioning me about my Garnett fandom is a question that I think you already know the answer to.

  • http://slamonline.com/ niQ

    Man I need to win this! I’m working at this office and nothing exciting ever happens. I’ve been wanting KG to succeed since I read that one article in SLAM where someone said he wouldn’t amount to anything. When KG joined the Celtics I told all my friends that KG will finally get his. Lo and Behold it happened! Hook me up!

  • http://slamonline.com 360vue

    insane! my team and my player! (well my none sixers player)… i didnt know he was a chelsea fan… and lay off all u commentators, u dont know what ur onabout, chelsea rule and its only jealousy that lead to your negative comments! personally, KG has good taste as he recognises winners. chelsea are a class act and so is KG…
    sigh since i live in europe i doubt i can win, but if any of u haters win that sweet gear, dont burn the top at least send it my way, ill give it the lovin it deserves. although anything with KGs name should be with gold, fan of chelsea or not… whoever wins, enjoy the kicks! they look sweeeeeeeeet

  • The Last Kings Fan

    Though Chelsea is not even my favorite team that wears blue in Barclays (that would be Everton, and yes, almost entirely because of Tim Howard), I should win this because I too love Fifa almost as much as I love actual soccer. Also, seeing KG in Celtic green sickens me, but the most recent jersey I have of him says Timberwolves on the front of a black jersey, so this would be a lot more fresh than that.

  • http://www.slamonline.com J.Singh

    There is not another person in the world that deserves this dope prize more than me. My whole life I have been down with Garnett. Since the day he was drafted I was rootin for this guy. Even when he was getting knocked out the first round over and over I was rootin for this guy. I could feel his pain when he was in Minnesota loosing in the first round as many times as he did. It was so hard to watch the dying seconds of his elimanation games. I remember when I was younger I used to get intense before games like Kevin would. My dream was always to see him play and meet him and watch him win a ring. I remember when KG got traded to Boston it was one of the happiest days of my life. I could picture the Big 3. I felt the hard times ending. I could feel it.. for once in his career KG had a legit chance at winning what he was missing. an NBA Championship. I had to see KG in action in a Boston uniform live. My dad bought me a Kevin Garnett Boston jersey like a month after he got traded. I gotta a job at McDonalds just so I could make money and go see KG play live in the playoffs. The C’s finished the regular season with 66 wins. I was happier for KG than he himself probably was(seriously!). I had made enough to sit 3rd row in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. I flew out to Boston and got to the arena like 7 hours before!!. Rocking my Celtics KG Jersey and my KG addidas commander kicks that I bought with the money that was remaining from my job I walked all around the arena untill I got to the area where the limbos arrive. 3 hours later after walking around and going to stores near by I saw a bus go through. I made a run for it and I could see Rip Hamilton coming out. The garage was still open. It was like something wanted me to go in there. The two guys at the garage were just about to close and I some how snuck in. They were starting right at me and as I walked through they never said nothing!. I was destined to meet KG. I saw the Pistons players go in. I was cussing at them all. I walked around the parking area. A black escalade pulled in. I thought I missed the Celtics bus. If I got caught I would be kicked out probably and all that hard work would go to waste. So out jumps KG!! from that escalade. He looked at me and winked and made his way towards the arena. I didn’t know what to do. I was speechless. I was about to fall and think about what the hell just happened. I ran at him and said “Yo KG!”. KG responds “What it do”. I told him I was one of his biggest fans ever and have been down with him since day one. I told him how I was so happy he has a chance to win it. I told him I felt his pain from the past seasons. I told him he is the reason I play ball and play every game with passion and love. I told him to light these suckas up tonight. KG smiled at me and pounded his chest saying “Thanks bro I appreciate it, Ima light them up tonight, fo sure” I told him how I flew all the way to Boston to see him play and how I got the tickets. Kevin responded “It’s going to be worth it man, you watch”. I asked him to sign my jersey and shoes. Kevin had a tear in his eye I could tell. He said “At times like this it hits me that WOW! I am actually doing this, I am a celebrity, I remember my I was a kid playing in sandals, I never thought it would get to the point where people would work for moeny to come watch me play from other countries and sh*t!”. He wrote on the jersey. “To my Indian brotha Jagvir, thanks for the love homie”,From Kevin Garnett. Than he signed. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. Kevin shook my hand and made his way out. I had just met one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball and after that conversation with him I found out I had also met one of the realist players to ever play the game aswell. So I left through some door and made my way to my seat. KG spotted me in the third row. Gave me a scaaary look. That game KG did what he said he would. He lit them up. He lit the Pistons up. Dropping a season high and playoff high 33 points with 7 boards. It was a great game and the C’s won by 4. We were 1 game away!. Me and Kevin were 1 freaking game away! from the promise land. As the C’s left KG pointed at me and I pointed back at him. He pounded his chest one more time. Than one of the happiest days of my life took a turn. As I left the arena three guys followed me out. I was alone and had to get a cab to the hotel. It was three white males. I hurd one of them say. “This fu**ing terrorist got his jersey signed”. Another dude said “Look he got his kicks signed too”. I turned around and said “Fu** off you ignorant sh*ts”. It pissed me off. They were calling me a terrorist just because I was brown and Indian. As I waited for my cab, these three guys rushed me from the back took me down and ripped off my jersey. I was down and no one was helping me. People were screaming thats all I remembered. They took my shoes and made a run for it. I tried chasing them barefoot. But they got away in their car. It was late in Boston and I was choked. All that stuff I got signed taken away. I called the cops and told them what happened. I a 16 year old boy had just got jumped by some 20 year olds for being different and having something they wanted. So I got in a cab all bloody nose and sh*t. It was a piss off that I got jumped by some racist guys and got something I worked for taken away. I got back home and the next day KG was going to the Finals. I watched them dominate the Lakers in the Finals when they got their. Than that game 6. I actually shed a tear and got goosebumps far before KG’s post game. It hit me with like 5 mins left. We did it. I could feel how KG felt. I watched the C’s celebrate and when KG in the post game came is when I started crying like he did. “Anythings Posiiiiiiiiiible!” “Top of the world!”, “This for everybody!!” at that moment I thought about what Kevin said to me and how this was for me too in a way. Than he screamed “What you gonna say now!?” “TOP OF THE WOOOOORLD”"TOP OF THE WOOOOORLD”. It was a great day and I will never forget that moment when I broke down in the final 5 mins of Game 6 2008 Finals. It felt like I had accomplished something. No KG haters could say anything now. It was like I had a 1000 pound truck on my back and it was gone. The monkey was off my back and best of all it was off of Kevin Garnett’s back. My favorite player the one I grew up watching my whole life, The guy who made me want to play basketball,The guy who went through so many hard times through his life, had FINALLY got what he was missing. The ultimate prize. The NBA Championship. I remember watching Kevin say “I just knocked the bully out”. I thought about when I get bullied at game 5. I was out numbered. For once I could not relate to Kevin because the bullies who took my jerseys and shoes got the best of me I did not get them back or stop them. Please Slam let me feel how my favorite athlete ever felt when he knocked the Bully out!. After all I have been through because of KG and for KG I deserve this stuff more than anybody in the world. Anybody.

  • http://www.sprint.com/sero dma

    Lang, stop doing this to yourself. Jimmy Jackson and JR Rider for Steve Smith sure must bring back some bad memories.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Myles Brown

    I deserve it because I asked nicely. Please?

  • Pic

    water to a whale or well.. brings back memories of the old Links! Did you ever get Hov to settle that??

  • toad

    im the biggest kg fan in MN! he deserved his ring!

  • Eric

    I need this or else I will make everyone cry like KG did Big Baby.

  • Bruno

    I deserve this KG stuff!!!
    I’m a big fan of KG and I’d put this Chelsea jersey despite me being 101% fan of Liverpool (You’ll never walk alone Lang) just ’cause it has Garnett 5 on the back
    there’s a problem you’ll have to send it to Lima, Peru
    Thanks

  • Luckyluciano

    * NO AMERICAN SHOULD WIN THIS COMP!

    YOU GUYS DONT EVEN LIKE SOCCER, STICK TO BASEKETBALL

    GIVE IT TO ME, PLEASE.

  • Pic

    I deserve this KG-CFC pack coz I met Bill Russell and Jerry West last Friday at a conference in Marina del Rey, but I had to stay professional and refrain from asking for an autograph. Until now, I’m kicking myself for letting that chance pass.

  • El Grondo

    I need a shirt because I’m writing this shirtless.

  • Big Stu

    Man I should win it just so i can wear it in New Zealand to the New Zealand Breakers (playing in Aussie NBL) games and freak the hell out of the Breakers big man Rick Rickert who met the wrath of KG a few years ago at Minny.

  • http://slamonline.com Ben Osborne

    Not saying he deserves prize, and it’s Lang’s call anyway, but that Big Stu entry is pretty funny.

  • Mitch

    i deserve to win because my father’s co worker’s sister is married to him and she refuses to hook me up with some gear so this would be the only way i could get some. also, ive been a celts fan ever since i saw my first lakers game

  • unemployed

    I deserve it after getting fired by my boss who caught me trying to write a KG parody of Chelsea’s We’ll Keep the Blue Flag Flying High song in an effort to win this contest. I bloody swear! It’s possible he disapproved of my unproductivity, but it’s also possible that he’s an Arsenal fan. Or worse yet, a Lakers fan.

  • The Ghost of Wilt Chamberlain

    Some great Chamberlain footage? Of him standing flat footed on a potential rebound opportunity or of him hugging the guy?

  • http://lastknickstanding.blogspot.com Bryan

    I should win because it’s my girlfriends birthday Monday and she was born in Italy to an English father so her family is obsessed with soccer and this would be an incredible gift to give her, especially since I introduced her to basketball during KG’s and the celtics championship run through the finals. SO help me out lang! This would be the best birthday present ever!

  • The Matty Trip

    you should totally give them to me because my boss is from England and a huge Chelsea fan. Hell I could thank Slamonline.com for the raise!

  • http://www.realcavsfans.com Anton

    I deserve the KG stuff because as a young child growing up it was my dream to have a boring sport injected with Garnett’s intensity. If I were to walk around with that jersey on and lame fools would strike up a conversation about some boring “football” sport, this swag would finally let me bark in their face without the drawbacks of rationality.

  • http://www.basketbrasil.com.br Rubens Borges

    Cause I’m brazilian, and we are all about futebol here… And the team I root for, Internacional, beat Barça to become 2006 FIFA Cluib World Champs

  • Rock

    I don’t deserve it but would like to win it, imagine walking around australia wearing a chelsea garnett jersey, people wouldn’t have a freaking clue. Oh and I would make my mad keen celitcs mate stupidly jealous Plus I can’t get to Boston to buy the shoes

  • http://www.twitter.com/dmngz Edgar Dominguez

    First of all, when i saw Chelsea on the twitter feed, i thought i was getting a post from one of my Chelsea updates. I was wrong, it was you, but even better, I have the chance to win something now. Now on to the combination of KG and Chelsea, I’m a Chelsea fan and i gotta say that’s pretty dope, never thought i would see a Chelsea basketball shoe, topping that with a KG autograph. The Jersey is pretty sick, KG epitomizes heart, determination, and just sheer dopeness. It is only fitting that for Chelsea, the person who rocks the number 5 is Michael Essien. To me, Michael Essien is the person who makes that team what it is (yes i know they have big name players, but….), Essien is a workhorse, coming back early from knee surgery to help the team in Champions League competition, Essien is a beast when defending and he can strike from 30 yards out. I’m not a Celtics fan but i do support them, I’m a Kings fan living in LA, so I get bagged on all the time, but as a basketball fan you gotta love KG, and I don’t see how people in LA hate on KG, dude is just real (maybe 08 had something to do with it hahaha). I’m not much of a fan fo stars, Kobe and LeBron have too many fans, Steve Blake and Juan Dixon are actually my favorite players, but you gotta like KG and Michael Essien (youtube him if you still dont know). I’d really love to win this, hope I get chosen. To all those who took the time to read this post, thanks and peace. Oh yeah, shout out to my boi Lawrence Funderburke.

  • http://www.nicekicks.com Chris

    I’m a Manchester United fan so that jersey is THE only way a Chelsea shirt would ever touch my back, I think that’s reason enough.

  • Thunder Dan

    I deserve this stuff cuz i’v never won anything…. ever. door prizes, contests, anything. always finish no. 2 like memphis…. oops wait that never happened… my bad

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    I don’t deserve the jersey because I didn’t bother writing a proper post, but if I did, I would totally deserve it. May I have it?

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Please?

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