The Rake Magazine

Month: February 2008

  • The Three Pointer: Laker Chew Toy

    Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

    Game #51, Home Game #26: LA Lakers 117, Minnesota 92

    Season record: 10-41

    1. Every Position

    Coach Randy Wittman was fairly nonchalant after his team got pasted by 25 points in a game that wasn’t even *that* close. But nobody could, or did, blame him, really: It was hard to tell how badly or well the Wolves had played because the Lakers looked like supermen. "This is a team playing extremely well," Wittman understated with a shrug. "We had a hard time matching up with them at every position."

    Every one. Al Jefferson played well; Pau Gausol was just a little more efficient, getting his 19 points on 9-11 FG while Jefferson was 9-18 FG. Jefferson had two assists but only one block; Gausol had nada dimes by a trio of rejections. It was at best a wash, with both ensconced on the bench for an entire 4th quarter of garbage time that found 14th man Coby Karl going up for not one but two alley-oops–Bostjan Nachbar envy, no doubt.

    Randy Foye took advantage of the blowout to do what he does regardless of the score: jack up shots. He had 16 of them in 28:43, giving him 75 heaves in 182 minutes. Four players on the team shoot more frequently. Jefferson is first, and justifiably so, given that he has 206 offensive rebounds and all those immediately chances for putbacks. McCants is second, and justifiably so, given that he’s the team’s most explosive and accurate perimeter shooter. The other two are clueless and past-his-prime, Gerald Green and Antoine Walker, and this, sad to say, is Foye’s current neighborhood. His 34.7% shooting is between Green’s 33.1% and Walker’s 36.6%; throw in Corey Brewer’s 35.4% and Sebastian Telfair’s 39.3% and the Wolves have already logged well over 4,000 minutes of playing time for sub-40% shooters thus far this year and we didn’t even pile on with Greg Buckner or Mark Madsen.

    We are supposed to be patient with Foye. Fine. If he is having trouble shooting and having trouble defending, what about a little court vision? Well, he still has more turnovers than assists and the Lakers trapped him into difficulty a handful of times last night. What? Are you sure he’s only been back 8 games? Well, okay, but if the performance curve doesn’t start to rise soon, I’m going to start pointing out that McCants, coming off microfracture surgery, had a better 2007 than Foye’s 2008 thus far.

    I can tell I’m unfairly impatient with Foye–who was 3 assists/1 turnover the other night although totally stymied by the trap–because with the possible exception of Jefferson, *nobody* on the Wolves had a good game. Corey Brewer had four steals but was absolutely abused by Kobe–who was psychologically playing for Brewer’s mindset in 2010-11 as much as this season, backing him down whenever he felt like it or simply driving past him. Too strong, too quick. And Kobe had an off night.

    Ryan Gomes continued his recent series of disappearing acts, and was on the floor for the Lakers’ 39-point third quarter. Jaric and Telfair were a combined 3-11 FG. Meanwhile, Lamar Odom had a casual triple-double of 10 points, 16 board and 10 assists.

    More fun facts: The Wolves and Lakers each had 93 shot attempts, but the similarity ends there as LA not only had seven more field goals but 10 more makes at the line, owing to the foul disparity–the Wolves committed 27, the Lakers 11, and while some of those whistles were Kobe worship (he was 13-13 FTs) more of it was a slower, smaller team trying to hold on, and hack, for dear life. due to the garbage time drought of just 18 4th quarter points after registering 99 in the first three, the Lakers finished with just 29 assists, the smallest total for a Wolves opponent in the past three games. No wonder everyone at Target Center–coaches, players, fans, media–were ready to get the hell out of there and flake out until next week. All except the Lakersm of course, who just finished a 7-2 road trip on ultracruise, an inordinately talented, confident and happy team that can play big, play small, play pretty or play gritty; a team that has caused Phoenix and Dallas to blow up their squads beyond all reason (Devean George apparently may save Dallas); a team that will give the Spurs all it can handle should we be lucky enough to see those teams fulfill their potentials and meet in the conference finals.

    Which brings me to my fly-by-night "midseason honors."

    2. Midseason honors

    Best in the East

    C Dwight Howard

    PF Kevin Garnett

    SF LeBron James

    SG Paul Pierce (I know he’s a 3, but he can play here)

    PG Chauncey Billups (Yes, over Kidd. Billups shoots 45.3% to Kidd’s 36.7%, turns the ball over less than half as much, and plays better D. That overcomes Kidd’s extra 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game. So does the extra 16 wins Detroit has over NJ. Oh, and Calderon is on the second team ahead of Kidd.)

    Best in the West

    C Tyson Chandler (Way better than overrated Yao and no-D Amare)

    PF Tim Duncan (The toughest call, over Boozer)

    SF Carmelo Anthony

    SG Kobe Bryant

    PG Steve Nash (But in the playoffs give me Deron Williams. And I’m damning Chris Paul with faint praise by mentioning him only now.)

    Rookie of the Year: Sean Williams of New Jersey is the best rookie I’ve seen.

    Most Improved: Lamarcus Aldridge, with Chris Kaman second.

    Coach of the Year: Phil Jackson

    GM of the Year: Mitch Kupchak

    6th Man: Manu

    3. Silver Lining

    Because I’ll be cross country skiing all weekend and letting the board run amok, here’s some red meat to chew on. I just read somewhere, think it was the wonderful True Hoop about three days ago, that the Wolves have three of the top 31 draft picks if the standings were to hold firm. That includes a stud at #2 and a chance for a lucky hit at #30 and #31. My opinion of the Wolves’ top needs:

    1) A center who plays stalwart D

    2) A dynamic small forward who can get his own shot and play uptempo or half court

    3) An aggressive but pure point guard

     

    See you next week.

     

  • From Ghana to the Suburbs

    DANCE
    Ghana in Motion

    Every year, dance students from the Twin Cities travel to the Dagara Music Center, in Ghana, to study traditional Ghanaian music and dance on the home turf of the Saakumu Dance Troupe. This year, the tables have turned, as the Saakumu Dance Troupe kicks off its first U.S. tour right here, in the Twin Cities. Enjoy a vibrant West African performance that includes local artists the New Primitives and Ibé.

    Friday at 8 p.m., Suburban World Theatre, 3022 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-822-9000; $12.

    ART
    Worlds Away: New Suburban Landscapes

    Just
    as the Ash Can School turned to burgeoning cities for subject matter in the
    early twentieth century, suburbia has proven captivating to artists over the
    past few decades. But while many of them have tended to look outside city
    limits with a skeptical, ironic, or even condemning eye, this exhibit,
    organized around homes, stores, and roads, aims to go beyond stereotypical
    views. Among the works from some thirty architects, photographers, sculptors,
    and videographers, one favorite is Stefanie Nagorka, a sculptor who visits Home
    Depot stores, plucks materials for her pieces from the shelves, and assembles
    them right in the aisles or parking lot. Other artists look at the
    people-besides mom, dad, and 2.5 kids-living in all those tract houses (some of
    them are porn stars); propose revamping dead malls and big-box stores; and
    steal shots of suburbanites as they zoom around behind their steering wheels. —Julie Caniglia

    Preview Party Friday at 9 p.m., Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7622; $35, members $25.

    PERFORMANCE
    Exercise Your Creative Demons, Exorcise Your Winter Ennui

    Lamb Lays with Lion
    has organized a six-part series to help stave off the winter blues and
    keep the creative juices from freezing. Tonight is already the second
    week, but you have four Fridays left. Enjoy a host of great
    performances this evening as part of ExerciseEXORCISE. This week’s performers include the Mustache Rangers (comedy
    duo), Mad King Thomas (dance/theater), El Guante (solo word), the Nancy
    Drew Crew (feminist hiphop), Sally Rousse (avant-dance), Alex Cordoneau
    (Dracula lecture), and Meg Ashling (mariopaint performance).

    Friday at 9:30 p.m., The Bottling House Theater, 79 13th Ave. N.E., 212, Minneapolis.

    FILM
    Academy Award Nominated Short Films

    Starting tonight, you have a rare opportunity to see all five of the 2007 Academy Award nominated animated short films, and all five of the 2007 Academy Award nominated live action short films. Sounds like a party to me. I’d opt for the animated shorts, of course: "I
    Met the Walrus     (Canada), an animated documentary about 14-year-old Jerry
    Levitan, who snuck into John Lennon’s hotel room in 1969 and persuaded him
    to do an interview; Madame Tutli-Putli (Canada), in which a timid woman
    boards a mysterious night train and has a series of frightening experiences;
    Meme Les Pigeons Vont Au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go To Heaven) (France),
    about a priest who tries to sell an old man a machine that he promises will
    transport him to heaven; Moya Lyubov (My Love) (Russia), in which
    a teenage boy in search of love in 19th century Russia is drawn to two very
    different women; and Peter & The Wolf (UK & Poland), Prokofiev’s
    classical music drama of a young boy and his animal friends who face a hungry
    wolf."

    Opens Friday, Animated Shorts at 2:15 & 7:30, Live Action Shorts at 4:20 & 9:30 p.m., Lagoon Cinema, 1320 Lagoon Ave., Minneapolis; 612-825-6006; $8.25 ($5.75 seniors and children).

    Also this weekend:

    Romeo Castellucci’s theater of the subconscious — Hey Girl, at the Walker (Friday through Sunday).

    VocalEssence: Witness’s The Duke Ellington Effect at the Ordway (Sunday).

     

  • Happy Valentine's Day — not just today, but every day!

    I for one think that to have one day to tell the people you care about how much you love them is nothing more than an opportunity for stores to raise the price of flowers and chocolates to make up for the 364 other days when we don’t give our loved ones a special something to brighten up their day.

    Don’t get me wrong; I think having a day dedicated to Love is a great idea, but I believe that telling the people in your life how much you care about them should not just fall on Valentine’s Day.

    So to those of you who felt the pressure to go out and pay more for flowers and chocolates to bestow on your loved ones… I have an idea for you.

    Save some money and wait for all of the Valentine’s Day Hype to wear off. Then give the people in your life a box of divine chocolates or a beautiful floral arrangement when they least expect it.

    I could be wrong on this, but chocolate tastes wonderful and melts in your mouth any day of the year, and flowers are always appreciated, especially on a day when you least expect it.

    Much love to my husband, kids, and Louie (the family dog) — all of whom make every day Valentine’s Day!

     

     

  • V-Day Food Flix

    Being married to the restaurant industry means that, for me, today is not that special. My entire adult life I’ve either worked the night or sat home while my sig other does.

    My own special tradition includes take-out and a food movie. I’m so very happy to squish into the couch with a bucket of chicken fried rice from Kindoh, a giant pork sandwich from Scotty’s or the Toto (extra goat cheese) from Punch. No, I don’t want to try new foods tonight, bring home something cutting edge from some fancy pants new chef. I’m not up for lust, I want good old reliable and satisfying loooooove.

    Top Food Flicks

    Big Night … can’t get enough of this brilliant movie. I think every dinner party I throw lives in the shadow of their Louis Prima fete.

    Eat Drink Man Woman … I’m utterly jealous of the food that is wrought by such humble tools.

    Tortilla Soup … a Latino version of Eat Drink Man Woman. Not bad.

    Chocolat … Depp, duh.

    Like Water for Chocolate … the book is better, but the magic is still there.

    Tampopo … Japanese film in the Seven Samurai tradition, except with a ramen shop.

    Soylent Green … it’s made of people!

    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (new) … ALL HAIL TIM BURTON!

    Dinner Rush … even pasta can be deadly!

    Soul Food … truth will out at Sunday dinner.

    Moonstruck … I like this movies because it seems like they are always eating or drinking. I crave the egg in the toast hole.

  • Extreme Naked Sushi

    I got a press release the other day from Temple, Thom Pham’s
    Asian Fusion restaurant, announcing that on March 8, the restaurant will hold
    a Nyotaimori / Nantaimori event.
    "Nyotaimori and Nantaimori," the press release helpful explains, "are accepted
    traditions in Japan of serving sashimi and sushi off of the body of a woman or
    a man. It has been practiced for centuries, initiated as an art by the
    Geisha Community."

    This struck me as a bit dubious. Given the traditional
    status of women in Japanese society, it wouldn’t surprise if me salarymen out
    for a night on the town might use naked geishas as serving trays. But naked
    men? Maybe it happens, but I doubt it has been practiced for centuries.

    "Temple has been noted for its unique and beautiful
    presentation of Sushi," the press release continues. "Now Temple
    continues in its pursuit of presenting sushi as a true form of ‘Art.’"

    It turns out this is a trend that has come and gone in other
    parts of the world. According to an article on the website, Japan for the
    Uninvited    , body sushi "received a lot of media attention in the West in the
    1990s. This coverage massively exaggerated the popularity of nyotaimori in
    Japan – these restaurants are actually very rare, and generally associated with
    organized crime rather than being mainstream."

    If Tom Pham really wants to be on the cutting edge, he could try serving wakame sake, which, according to Japan for the Uninvited, "is poured down a model’s body and drunk from the cup formed by her closed thighs. The name “wakame“, meaning soft seaweed, refers to the pubic hair floating in the drink. This is not widely-practiced, and wakame sake is even rarer than nyotaimori."

    Well, naked sushi still sounded like a good idea to me. But March 8
    seems like a long time to wait, though, and the cost for nyotaimori night at
    Temple – $75 per person, including sushi, sake and champagne, is a little
    beyond my budget. So I stopped off at the Midtown Global Market, and picked up
    a six-piece sushi sampler from the Sea Port Market: two pieces apiece of
    salmon, tuna and eel.

    I think I probably could have talked the missus into letting
    me eat sushi off of her naked body. It was the part about letting me take a
    picture of her naked with sushi on her body and post it on this blog that was
    the deal-breaker. So I suggested instead that she take a picture of me with the
    sushi artfully displayed on my body. She didn’t think this was a very tasteful
    idea, but I am willing to let the public judge for itself – I am willing to
    take risks for my art.

    This she was willing to do.

    We have two cats, Edgar and Hazel, who are usually
    restricted to a diet of raw kibble, but this definitely aroused their
    curiosity. These guys work as a team. While Carol was arranging the sushi and
    chopsticks, Hazel snuck up behind her and started licking one of the pieces of
    salmon. Then Eddie started licking the tuna on my chest.

    At any rate, Carol dutifully snapped the photo of the tuna –
    a piece that the cats had not touched. And then she tasted it. "Tastes like
    cold sushi," she said.

    Edgar declined comment.

     

  • Love Is All Around (but it may be hiding)

    DANCE
    No Tiaras, No Tutus — Ballet of the 21st Century

    Minneapolitans beware: The Chamber Ballet of Saint Paul is vying for the spot of "Minnesota’s premiere professional ballet company." Artistic Director Phillip Carman has crafted a Debut performance — featuring eight of the Twin Cities’ top dancers — that brings classical ballet into the 21st century by adding elements of contemporary dance in innovative ways. The Debut program, which begins this evening, consists of four pieces — two of which are world premieres. "The hypnotic performance of Andrew Lester, in L’Apres-Midi d’un Faune will leave you breathless, while the passion and longing of Coeur d’Amour made our Italian audience in Ascoli Piceno weep with its sensitivity in August 2006." Also on the slate — and making a world premiere — Nightmusic offers an exploration of Mozart’s music, while In the Moment offers cutting edge choreography. Sure, you can catch performances on Friday and Saturday, as well, but this evening’s performance includes the option of a black-tie reception at the St. Paul Hotel. If you really want to make a night of it, you’ll just book one of their romantic packages and spend the night in joyful bliss — with a loved one, of course.

    8 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-290-1221; $37.50-$47.50, black tie dinner & show $145.

    FILM
    La Bohème

    What better way to spend your Valentine’s Day than
    taking in La Bohème, a silent, melodramatic classic at the beautiful and, dare
    we say, sexy Heights Theater. This 1926 film, based on the Puccini standard,
    has all the usual suspects: the tragic
    Mimi, a consumptive, and her jealous lover, the Bohemian poet Rodolfo. Their
    love affair and eventual separation unfolds in all its emotive glory to the
    luscious sound of the Wurlitzer organ. Lillian Gish, then one of the cinema’s
    brightest stars, personally chose the great King Vidor to direct, and the
    result is a beautiful and touching movie that will send you and your beau home
    in each other’s arms. —Peter Schilling

    7:30 p.m., Heights Theater, 3951 Central Ave. N.E., Columbia Heights; 763-788-9079; $8.

    MUSIC
    Who Says Sweet Has to Be Soft?

    If heartbreakingly sweet vocals are more your style for the big V-day, then head over to the Triple Rock for The Redwalls show. The Chicago quartet offers an evening of "rambunctious ass-shaking stomp, raucous energy, and meticulous R&B pop and rock."

    9 p.m., Triple Rock Social Club, 629 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612- 333-7399; $12.

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    Teatro del Pueblo’s Political Theater Festival

    If you ask me, the best way to spend V-day is exploring Latin American social political issues. That’s right; you heard me. What reasons can I give you? Well, first off, we’re the hot-blooded lovers, right? (That’s what they say, anyhow.) Reason number two: we’re very (and I mean very) passionate about our politics — and passion is certainly what the day calls for, in one form or another. And finally, Valentine’s Day is actually named after two Christian martyr’s — both named Valentine — and certainly that’s somehow more in keeping with "theater of the people" (the literal translation of Teatro del Pueblo, the group putting on tonight’s show) than spending a bunch of money on a fancy dinner. The Seventh Annual Political Theater Festival includes a number of plays, all by Latino playwrights: Hurricane in a Glass, by Kimberly del Busto; The Great All-Dominican Championship Playoff Game, by Rubin Rice Lichtig; Out of Cordoba, by Hector Roberts; Variation on Mixed Generations, by Eric Silva Brenneman; and For Mi ChiChi, by Tere Martinez. The show also includes two premiere interactive plays by Dominic Orlando and Papers of Antigone, a dance/performance piece by the Columbian group NAME. New this year will be a world premiere retrospective art exhibit of the political paintings of Spanish painter Santiago Zarzosa.

    8 p.m., Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-4444; $15, students, seniors, fringe $13.

    For more Valentine’s day ideas, see Jeremy’s Iggers blog post, "Dinner and a Show? — Valentine’s Day." And while you’re at it, check out some of our other great online stories.

  • Music of Love (and Hate) on Valentine's Eve

    MUSIC
    New Orleans Piano Master Allen Toussaint

    If you know New Orleans R&B, you know this man. Allen Toussaint has been producing hits for half a century, teaming up with some of the country’s best musicians, and inspiring others to record his songs with great success. Bonnie Raitt recorded "What is Success," Warren Zevon recorded "A Certain Girl," the Jerry Garcia Band recorded "Get Out of My Life Woman," The Band recorded "You See Me," The Who recorded "Fortune Teller" — all Toussaint songs. And tonight, you can have the pleasure of hearing him for yourself.

    7 and 9:30 p.m., Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant, 1010 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; 612-332-1010; $50, $40.

    Break the Habit

    Ok, I love New Orleans R&B, and certainly I can appreciate a master piano player, but I have to confess (embarrassing as it may be) it’s not Toussaint I listen to — much too loud — in my car when things are not quite right. Shhh. "Here we go for the hundredth time. Hand grenade pins in every line. Throw ’em up and let something shine. Going out of my f**king mind." That’s right, baby: it’s Linkin Park. Tonight. No need to hide any longer. (Though I’ll probably go in disguise.)

    7 p.m., Xcel Energy Center, 175 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; 651-989-5151; $39.50-$56.

    Valentine’s Eve Glam/Fetish Bash

    Celebrate Valentine’s Eve with glam, fetishism, and All the Pretty Horses. Let frontman Venus redefine rebellion and sexuality for you on this special day. "My neighbor Venus is the front person for a band called All the Pretty
    Horses," wrote Emily Carter for us in 2002. "He or she sports a lovely pair of partridge-sized breasts that
    peek out over a leather bustier, a talent for fearsome guitar licks,
    and a vocal apparatus that effortlessly blends the power of Diamanda
    Galas with the decadence of David Bowie… It’s one thing
    to be a transsexual glam-goddess in Manhattan’s seen-it-all Meat
    Packing district, where trannies strut their stuff as a matter of
    course. It’s quite another to walk into Mill’s Fleet Farm in Oakdale at
    eight in the morning, wearing a lace-up midriff and standing six feet
    tall in platform boots." You don’t have to go to Fleet Farm to catch Venus this evening.

    8 p.m., First Avenue, 701 First Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-8388; $8.

    Also tonight, Dan "Daddy Squeeze" Newton brings his fox trottin’ ways to the Varsity. And you can bring your own music to the stage at the Cedar as part of Bill Cagley’s open mic.

  • Open Thread: Nets and Raptors Losses

    Okay folks, I just finished a Three Pointer (entitled "Point Drought"), clicked on to my "node hierarchy" and promptly lost all the copy. If you have any impressions of the past two losses, feel free to put them down. I’ll add comments when I wake up in the morning.

    The computer system extends its apologies.

     

    Update: First of all, thanks to the loyal bunch of you who have thoughtfully filled the breach with comments early this morning. In answer to some of your disbelief, yes, I really am that computer illiterate–it’s amazing that this tubes things works as often as it does.

    Anyway, here is an abridged version of what I wrote and somehow erased last night. I’ll post them a point at a time so something is up as soon as possible, and try to make the third point be responses to comments already posted. Thanks again.

    1, Missing McCants

    It’s already been a strange February for Shaddy. I was one of the very few media folks to notice (or at least report on) the temper tantrum he threw during the Houston game; and apparently one of the few who didn’t notice that ESPN highlighted the friction between Wittman and McCants during its telecast of the Celtic game. Whether you think either of those things was underplayed or overhyped–and I’m honestly just trying to play straight man here–it didn’t look good for Shaddy’s long term status with the ballclub.

    But since he sprained his ankle late in the second quarter versus Toronto, McCants has demonstrated his enormous value to the ballclub. Last night against the Nets it was especially obvious why you need at least two scoring threats to win most NBA games. Notice I didn’t say two scorers. Bassy Telfair led the Wolves in scoring last night, tying his second best point production (24) and field-goal attempts and makes (8-17 FG) of the season. But the Nets never seriously regarded him as a threat; not enough to prevent them from doubling down on Jefferson with Jason Kidd whenever Big Al had the ball in the low block. Often a third person, a big man, would likewise come at Jefferson from the side. He finished 5-18 FG, with 11 rebounds, after torching New Jersey for 40 points and 19 boards the previous time the two teams hooked up.

    Whatever you think of him–and my bar graph on the guy rises and falls like an amusement park ride–McCants get his own shot better than anyone on the squad, leads the team not only in three-pointers made but three point percentage (40.9%), and, after falling in love with the long bomb earlier in the season, mixes that trey threat in with deft drives to the hoop. He is the only Timberwolves player who can burn an opponent for a bushel of points in a big hurry should they decide to play Ring Around the Rosey on Jefferson and dare Minnesota to beat them elsewhere.

    Consider the other possibilities.

    Randy Foye was supposed to be the #2, or even #1A guy beside Jefferson this season, but that’s clearly a long ways off. Foye’s line last night was typical of his 2008: 2-7 FG (although he did hit 2-3 from outside), 2 assists and 3 turnovers. And Foye’s lack of lateral movement and quickness on defense is worrisome. Is he really that far off from NBA game shape, both physically and mentally, or is that knee still balky?

    Ryan Gomes is the #3 scorer on the ballclub behind Jeff and Shaddy. But Gomes works best moving without, rather than with, the ball. He needs smart, unselfish teammates in order to be truly effective. It was revealing, however, that when Gomes snapped out of his slight slump by canning his last three shots in the 4th quarter last night (taking 1-6 FG to 4-9), the Wolves not only scored more than 21 points for the first time in six quarters since McCants went down, they jumped up to 32 points. Simply put, if Gomes is your second scoring threat, you are going to struggle to get 90–a figure the Wolves haven’t hit in their current 4-game losing streak.

    Antoine Walker is probably second to Gomes in court intelligence, and second to McCants in three-pointers made, which is why Wittman had him out there plenty last night, especially to combat New Jersey’s fairly effective zone in the second half. But age and/or rust have clogged ‘Toine’s wheels and it was a changing-of-the-guard moment in the third period last night when he faked the trey, twinkle-toed down the lane and tried to offer up his floater only to have rook Sean Williams smack it away. A short term solution at best for second scoring option and even then not a particularly reliable one.

    Gerald Green periodically gets the sob story treatment in the dailies about how he wants to play more and is such a great athlete. What those stories never seem to mention is that Green is now 47-143 FG for the season, which is less than 33%. And putting the ball in the basket is supposed to be his forte.

    I presume I don’t have to make the cases for why Marko Jaric and Corey Brewer–who both bring some tough defense and nice intangibles to the court–aren’t your #2 scorer.

    2. Small Is Not Beautiful

    As someone who has harshed on the Wolves’ small lineup, I give Coach Wittman and the front office (and, as a previous commenter noted, the selflessness of Jefferson for agreeing to play out of position without complaint) credit for making it work better than I imagined it could against a variety of opponents.

    But last night wasn’t one of those times. The Nets were able to run out the seven-foot Nenad Krstic alongside 6-10 Josh Boone, then bring 6-9 leaper Sean Williams, 6-10 Stromile Swift, 6-10 Malik Allen and 6-9 Bostjan Nachbar off the bench. Their ability to own the boards kept them in the game during the first half (when the rebounding edge was 33-19) and then made the difference in the game-deciding third quarter. Consider that aside from two jumpers by the seven-footer Krstic, all of New Jersey’s 28 points came on free throws, layups and slam dunks. Combined with the ability to surround and frustrate Jefferson with a variety of bigs and littles, New Jersey won the points in the paint 40-26 (the gap was 32-14 early in the fourth period), and the Wolves lost despite getting more free throws (28 attempts to NJ’s 22) and despite ringing up 43% from outside the arc (6-14 3pt FG).

    3. "Viewer Mail"

    First of all, thanks for hanging with me through the gremlin snafus.

    A few of you are carping on Jason Kidd, named game MVP by the Strib and the lead personage in most of the game accounts I’ve seen elsewhere. That’s why I love my independent-minded readership (even when they train their contrarian focus on me). I think the Kidd-Shaq comparisons are apt, in that both bring something to the table that, while fading fast, is pretty unique and potent when it can still be uncorked. For Kidd it is the jack of all trades aspect, the abilty to rebound, dish and defend in a manner that enhances the ability of his teammates on the court. And I think the trey he hit in the 4th quarter last night was a back-breaker (on a nice feed from Vince Carter, another target of yours and mine). Jim Petersen kept talking about how dangerous the Nets would be as a distantly seeded playoff team, but I don’t buy it. They have no answer for Dwight Howard, KG, or Sheed. And it is truly Vinsanity imagining Carter trying to guard Rip Hamilton or Ray Allen. I whole-heartedly agree with Stop and Pop that Sean Williams is a great prospect–he has impressed me more than any rook I’ve seen this season–and that is Krstic can get a little more mobility, that will be an intriguing front line to go with the sporadic Big Three.

    Wim and Andy G want to know if I think there is a death watch (occupationally speaking, of course) on Wittman. No, I don’t. Not only that, but I think Wittman wins a power struggle with Shaddy if it ever comes down to a one-or-the-other showdown. I yo-yo in my regard for Wittman nearly as much as I do McCants. It is to his credit that he has fostered a very tight ballclub in terms of players pulli
    ng for each other and mostly getting along–Jefferson, as tops on the pecking order, also deserves kudos for this. I can second-guess as well as the next sideline observer, and think he should play a legit center much more frequently beside Jefferson, and that he should give McCants much more rope in terms of playing time to either hang himself or make like Tarzan and swing to a fat new contract. This would be at the expense of Marko, through no fault of his own. Jaric has been a good soldier this season, but starting and getting 30-35 minutes a night is not a good fix for this club in the short run or the long term. As much as I enjoy what he and Brewer are bringing to the table on defense, has anyone else noticed that the Raptors and the Nets have put up back-to-back 30-assist games on Minnesota (Toronto had 31, actually)?

    Finally, I’ll throw out this topic for conversation: Who does Corey Brewer guard tonight? The matchups on smallball would dictate Brewer on Vlad Radmanovic, with Jaric on Kobe and Gomes on Odom, but that removes our second (or first) best on-ball defender against the Lakers’ two potent swingmen.

  • Malaysian Restaurant Does Chinese New Year, Singapore Style

    Yusheng means raw fish, but it’s pronounced the same as
    another word that means increasing abundance, which is why raw fish salad is
    eaten on Chinese New Years, when it is traditional to dine on foods whose names
    or shapes may augur good fortune in the year ahead. Yusheng, however, isn’t an ancient Chinese tradition – it was
    invented in a Chinese restaurant in Singapore in 1964, and it isn’t widely
    eaten in China proper, though its popularity has spread to Malaysia and Hong
    Kong.

    Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine on Eat Street is offering yusheng (listed as Good Luck Rainbow Raw Fish Salad) as one of
    the courses in their 12-course Chinese New Years menu, available through Feb.
    21. The complete banquet costs $268 for a party of 10, but you can also order
    the individual courses a la carte, and the yusheng ($12) is definitely worth trying.
    The new year – the year of the Rat, was actually last Thursday, but you aren’t
    too late for yusheng – it’s traditionally eaten on the seventh day of the new
    year (i.e., this coming Thursday, February 14), which happens to be the same
    day that everybody turns a year older, according to the Chinese way of keeping
    track.

    The ingredients for yusheng are on display on a table near
    Peninsula’s entrance: mounds of shredded daikon and jicama in shades of bright
    red, yellow, orange and green, slices of raw squid, dried papaya and bags of
    wonton chips and sesame seeds. If you order the dish, the ingredients are
    brought to your table on a platter, and the server does the final assembly,
    adding a few small strips of raw salmon, pouring over a sweet plum sauce, and enthusiastically
    tossing it all together with chopsticks.

    We sampled a couple of other auspiciously named dishes, but
    our luck was mixed: the Good Luck Seafood Crabmeat Soup ($12/$18) was
    delicious, but the House Full of Silver & Gold Buddhist Yam Pot (actually,
    a basket of fried taro root stuffed with stir-fried vegetables just wasn’t very
    interesting, or very tasty. Still, I would gladly go back to try some of the
    other New Years Specials, like the Prosperity Seaweed with Chinese Mushroom and
    Dried Oyster, the Double Lobster, or the Coconut Butter Jumbo Shrimp. And I am
    a big fan of a lot of the Malaysian dishes on the regular menu, such as the nyonya laksa curry soup ($7.95), and spicy golden tofu ($10.95).

    Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine, 2608 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis, 612-871-8282.

    Just down the street at Rainbow Chinese Restaurant, chef-owner Tammy Wong
    is offering a list of a la carte specials through Saturday, February 16 that
    ranges from a starter of king crab salad, celery hearts and Belgian endive
    tossed with yuzu dressing and topped with caviar ($13), to entrees of tangerine
    beef fried with kumquat, ginger and rock sugar ($16),
    Chilean sea bass with black bean sauce over spinach ($30) .and an egg custard with
    asparagus and king crab ($16).

    Rainbow Chinese Restaurant, 2739 Nicollet Ave.,Minneapolis,(612) 870-7084.

  • Love and Mystery at the Expense of Laughter

    BOOKS & AUTHORS

    A Literary Lovefest at Raking Through Books

    Join us for tonght’s Raking Through Books, The Rake’s monthly happy hour book club, at Kieran’s Irish Pub.
    This month, local literati present their takes on love, hate, kissing,
    bittersweet meetings and partings, rants about family, whatever moves
    their hearts around Valentine’s Day. Guests include authors Antay
    Bilgutay, Carol Bjorlie, Jill Breckenridge, Carol Connolly, John
    Gaterud, Cindra Halm, Phebe Hanson, Lorna Landvik, Ardie Medina, Bart
    Schneider, Faith Sullivan, and Katrina Vandenberg. The featured book, Classical Love Poetry,
    edited by Jonathan Williams (with contributions from Clive Cheesman) will be
    for sale at a 20-precent discount. Plus, partake in the new monthly book swap. Bring a book, take a book! Meet kindred readers! Have a beer. —Jennifer Havrish

    5:30-7:30 p.m., Kieran’s Irish Pub, 330 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis; free.

    MORE BOOKS & AUTHORS
    Celebrate Writing and Sisterhood with the Erdrichs

    Not since the Brontës bulled their way to prominence in
    nineteenth-century Duluth has the flyover cultural set seen a distaff
    literary dynasty—or, quite honestly, any sort of literary dynasty—the
    likes of the Erdrich sisters. By now everybody knows Louise (independent bookstore owner and author of the award-winning Love Medicine and all sorts of other critically acclaimed novels, children’s books, poetry, and short story collections); and everybody should know Heid,
    who for our money is a more consistently stunning poet than her more
    celebrated sister. The impetus for this family reunion, however, is the
    publication of Night Train, a debut collection of short stories by Lise Erdrich,
    the sister we confess to knowing almost nothing about. We do know,
    though, that she was a 2007 Bush Foundation fellow, and Sherman Alexie
    has said of her collection, “This book challenged, entertained,
    thrilled, and scared me.” No idea how often they actually get a chance
    to sit down together, but we’re guessing they’ll have plenty to talk
    about. —Brad Zellar

    7 p.m., Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-630-6174.

    COMEDY
    Cinematic Titanic

    It’s coming on the 20th anniversary of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and the crew is coming to us, right here, tonight, at the Acme. Join original cast-members Joel Hodgson, Josh Weinstin, and Trace Beaulieu — along with MST3k favorites Mary Jo Pehl and Frank Conniff — for an evening of "stand-up comedy, interactive hijinks, and
    peeks at our first DVD release: Cinematic Titanic’s ‘The Oozing Skull‘."

    8 p.m., Acme Comedy Company, Historic Itasca Building, 708 1st St. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-6393; $20, dinner & show $32.