I didn't know.

[Nathan A.]

Hi guys,
This is a column I wrote in my local newspaper here in
Nebraska (published 3/26). This is not big NBA
country, but my readers have to put up with my Celtic
centered columns once in a while. Thought I'd share it
with you guys, since you might care more than my
actual readers here.

Nathan A.


	I just didn’t know.
	It takes hours gaining strength in the weight room
and years of honing skills to be a good athlete. To be
a special athlete, it takes something more, something
you can’t measure in percentages, points or reps.
	One of my coaching mentors once said that it takes a
lot of good, dedicated athletes to have a good
basketball team, but to win a state championship takes
a special player. This special player must not only be
very talented, but possess a love for the game. She’s
willing to shoot baskets in the rain, stay after
practice to shoot free throws after everyone else
leaves and run bleachers in the summer heat. In a
word, what makes a good player a special player is
passion.
	Athletes with the right mix of talent and passion are
rare, so when they come along, we common folk need to
appreciate what we are seeing.
	When my favorite basketball team, the Boston Celtics,
traded for Kevin Garnett last summer, I wrote in this
space that I was indifferent.
	Sure, Kevin Garnett was a great player, but at that
point I had seen him in more commercials that
basketball games. I lamented that the Celtics were
trading an up-and-coming Al Jefferson for a
near-the-end-of-his-prime Garnett. When I heard a
Timberwolves fan say he didn’t like the trade, I
pointed out that Garnett’s window was closing and that
Jefferson would likely be a star for the next 10 to 12
years. He might not be Kevin Garnett, I argued, but
even Kevin Garnett isn’t going to be Kevin Garnett for
much longer.
	I just didn’t know.
	My first clue came when I watched an interview
Garnett gave to John Thompson on TNT in 2005. A year
after playing in the Western Conference finals, the
Wolves were in danger of not making the playoffs. When
Thompson pointed out that Garnett’s individual
statistics were very similar to his MVP season the
previous year, Garnett replied, “This ain’t golf. This
ain’t tennis. It’s not about me. It’s about us.” It
wasn’t just the words. It was that it took him a long
time to say it because he was fighting back tears.
	He was filthy rich. He was the reigning MVP. But the
losing wore him out. In a world of me-first
professional athletes, Garnett’s passion for the game
drove him to tears on national television. (Seriously,
if you care about basketball or sports, you need to
watch this interview. Go to www.youtube.com and do a
search for “KG interview.” It should be the first one
to pop up.)
	I caught a glimpse, but I still didn’t know.
	Once the season started, and I got a chance to watch
Kevin Garnett play basketball every night, I knew.
	This is a man who is rich beyond our imaginations,
but plays each game like his next meal depends on it.
I saw it when his seven-foot frame dove on the floor
after a loose ball, out hustling Jason Kidd the other
night. I saw it a few weeks ago when he missed his
first free throw, grabbed the ball and pounded it
against his head repeatedly. The Gahden crowd went
nuts. He made his second free throw.
	If an opposing player shoots the ball after a whistle
has stopped play, Garnett will swat it away before it
gets to the rim, so competitive that he won’t even let
the opposition make a meaningless shot with play
stopped. Now the other Celtic big men have followed
suit.
	There’s a reason why Kevin Garnett is being mentioned
as MVP candidate this season, even though he currently
ranks No. 44 in scoring and No. 17 in rebounding among
NBA players. And yes, Al Jefferson (21.3 ppg and 11.6
rpg) is putting up better numbers than Garnett (18.8
and 9.5).
	But Garnett’s attitude, his passion, has infected the
rest of the Celtics and made them the best team in the
NBA. You can see it in the bench players who spend
more time standing than sitting on the sidelines and
race out to greet the players coming off the court for
a time out. You can see it the way a Celtic will
literally sprint to help up a teammate who has been
knocked to the floor. This is a team on a mission, and
it’s being led by Kevin Garnett.
	Al Jefferson may be an NBA all-star for the next 10
years, but I’m fine with that. Missing his career will
be worth it just to watch Kevin Garnett play for my
team for a few years.
	I know the NBA is not really popular around here, but
if you’re a fan of sports, if you love to see player
play with passion for all the right reasons, then you
need to be a fan of Kevin Garnett.
	Now you know.


      ____________________________________________________________________________________
You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost.  
http://tc.deals.yahoo.com/tc/blockbuster/text5.com