December 8, 2008 9:00 am  |  19 Comments

Randy Wittman’s Time in Minny Is Up; McHale (or Jesus!) to Coach


by Marcel Mutoni

Following a humiliating loss at home to the Clippers (the Clippers!) a couple of nights ago, a dejected Al Jefferson declared that not even Jesus H. Christ himself could coach his team out of the mess they’re currently mired in. Well, it might be time to give that Jesus fella a chance at the gig, because the guy holding it down - for the time being, anyway - is all but toast.

According to ESPN, and y’know, common sense, the Timberwolves are on the verge of firing their head coach. Yeah, a 4-15 start to the season will do that.

But Wolves owner Glen Taylor, sources say, wants Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale to agree to take Wittman’s place on the bench before going ahead with a coaching change.

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Yet it’s believed that McHale is resistant to coaching again, even on an interim basis, despite the fact that Minnesota’s much-maligned vice president of basketball operations has been successful as an interim coach before, guiding Minnesota to a 19-12 record in the second half of the 2004-05 season after firing Flip Saunders with the Wolves at 25-26.

Few things in this world are as depressing as watching the T-Wolves play ball these days. Just ask Britt Robson. A change, any kind of change, has to happen.

If I’m Glen Taylor, the Wolves’ owner, I give Kevin McHale the job. He can’t do any worse than Wittman did, and besides, it’s not like you’d be taking away any valuable front-office insight by having him roam the sidelines for a few months.

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This story is filed under: NBA, The Wire, Top News

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  • Michael Posted: Dec.8 at 9:15 am
    britt robson is a great writer, that piece was brilliant, damn it must suck to be a wolves fan

  • Justin Walsh Posted: Dec.8 at 9:16 am
    Head coach Jesus Christ has benched Al Jefferson for daring to blaspheme the exalted one’s coaching ability. Jefferson then wept like Big Baby Davis, to which Jesus came back to the bench and turned Al’s tears into wins. A Christmas miracle.

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Dec.8 at 9:30 am
    For some reason, I thought Wittman’s been head coach longer. He became head coach in early 2006 and his compiled a record 33.5 games under .500 in not even two full years. It’d be tough for any coach inheriting a team in transition like this. I wonder if he’s going to see a head coach offer in the League again…

  • Torrance Posted: Dec.8 at 9:30 am
    Maybe McHale can convince his pall Basketball Jesus to come in and clear this mess. After all, his 40 days in the Indiana desert are well overdue.

  • LexaB Posted: Dec.8 at 10:09 am
    Who really cares about the L-Wolves anymore??? I mean, outside the Minny area, of course…

  • A.K. Agikamik Posted: Dec.8 at 10:19 am
    I have the pleasure of reading and contributing to Britt Robson’s blog. His writing and insight makes the game so much better. Put him on your regular reading list if you care at all about the NBA.

  • B. Long Posted: Dec.8 at 10:20 am
    I think they should keep it 100% Minny and hire Jesse “The Body” Ventura.

  • Do Work Posted: Dec.8 at 10:39 am
    FIRE MCHALE!!! and it does suck being a wolves fan

  • Smack Talk Nation » nba news Posted: Dec.8 at 10:47 am
    [...] No changes (yet) at top for ‘rock bottom’ Wolves Minneapolis Star Tribune Citing NBA sources, ESPN.com reported Sunday night that Wolves owner Glen Taylor wants Kevin McHale to agree to coach the team before Taylor will agree to fire Randy Wittman. Report: Timberwolves will fire Wittman USA Today Sources: 4-15 Minnesota Timberwolves consider firing Randy Wittman ESPN Clips Nation- SLAM Online- FanHouse- Los Angeles Times all 217 news articles [...]

  • BETCATS Posted: Dec.8 at 10:58 am
    This makes sence to get rid of Wittman, McHale is another thing though.

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Dec.8 at 11:06 am
    The T-Wolves are making sense. I had to repeat that, BET.

  • SLAM ONLINE | » Line Of The Night — A Beastly Weekend Posted: Dec.8 at 11:28 am
    [...] How a coach on a bad team that is going nowhere can survive a completely uninspired blowout loss at home to the Clippers is beyond us, especially in this day and age of the light speed spinning coaching carousel. But as of the writing of this, Randy Wittman remains the captain of this long past sunken ship. In related news, a bit of a terrible team round robin tourney took place, with the Clip Joint visiting Memphis Friday, followed by Minnesota on Saturday. We needed a Memphis/Minnesota match up to truly set things off, but with a little middle school geometry, we can crown Minnesota as the second worst team in the West. Congratulations. [...]

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Dec.8 at 12:16 pm
    I hear they might move the team to Los Angeles.

  • vmcb Posted: Dec.8 at 12:49 pm
    hello new coaching gig for Sam Mitchell.

  • Tarzan Cooper Posted: Dec.8 at 12:59 pm
    i bet theyre still upset they took kevin over oj. silly lwolves

  • SLAM ONLINE | » Breaking: Kevin McHale To Coach Wolves Posted: Dec.8 at 1:02 pm
    [...] In the midst of for possibly the worst season in Timberwolves history, Kevin McHale has been recirculated to the sidelines. Former head coach Randy Whittman, as you’ve intuited, was shown his pink slip. [...]

  • RK Posted: Dec.8 at 1:53 pm
    To those outside wondering how Wolves fans are feeling about this… WHOO-HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Not so much that McHales on the bench, but that he won’t be deciding who gets our first round picks in exchange for overpriced scratch-n-dents!! Maybe tonight, for the first time in a long time, I won’t wake up screaming, “Roy and Mayo are both averaging over 20 a game!!! WHAT THE H#LL WERE YOU THINKING!!!”

  • Moose Posted: Dec.8 at 4:45 pm
    Tarzan, I don’t really agree with the transaction either. But a lot of people are forgetting, they got veteran leadership and good shooting in Mike Miller for Mayo as well, so it ain’t that terrible. But Miller will be irrelevant by the time the Wolves ARE, so it doesn’t matter. Just my opinion there. But it does help develop the young dudes more, I guess.

  • Roy Posted: Dec.8 at 9:29 pm
    Yeah big Al Jefferson, tell ‘em why you mad son!!! :D

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