Hoops

At the beginning of the basketball season there were over 1000 Season Ticket Holders (STH)for the Wolves - by the last game there were 153 STH's with Perfect Attendance - of which I am one. So I get a free dinner on May 19th (Kate is going with me). In addition I have the opportunity to be the STH of the Year - to be eligible you had to have Perfect Attendance and write a 2 paragraph letter. I asked Heidi to write me a draft since she works nights and is such so verbose - I'm more bullet points and quick blurbs. So I took her draft and modified a little......here it is:

I, Julie Benick, should be chosen as the Season Ticket Holder of the Year for 2009. If you have ever seen a kid in a candy store (or perhaps in this day and age, a kid in an IPod store) then you have seen me at any Timberwolves event or game. When I go to the Gameworks and Autograph events, I'm positively giddy for the chance to meet the guys up close and get autographs and photos - you can tell my excitement based on my goofy grin in some of the photos. I am more than a dedicated and loyal fan (who scrimps and saves all year to buy tickets) – I have jerseys, bumper stickers, screen savers, signs, key chains, license plate frames, computer wallpaper and a cubicle full of Timberwolves’ gear. I even drink my water from a Timberwolves water bottle.

During the season I live and breathe Timberwolves, knowing that a game is always just around the corner makes otherwise boring winter months fly by. The end of the Timberwolves season does not mean the end of me being a fan. I read all the Timberwolves news, keep up with what the players are doing in the offseason, and I follow players, NBA and Timberwolves on Twitter. This season I started bringing my 11 year old niece to games so I can hook the next generation - heck, I even drag my husband to a few games and he is not much of a sports fan! But there is one critical and outstanding characteristic that I think is ultra important to being the number one fan and that is…I stay until the last buzzer for each and every game. I know that until that last second ticks off the clock, it is anyone’s game. All too often I have seen teams come from behind in the last 2 minutes and walk away with a win. And then, I have to admit, I laugh at all the other Minnesota “fans” that have left early so they don’t get stuck in traffic - only to hear on the radio that our dear Wolves have WON! Even if we lose, it is important to support the team until the end!! And last but not least, I should be the Season Ticket Holder of the Year because I am a Woman that is Crazy for the Timberwolves! The NBA is just not a man’s game!

Thanks for the opportunity!!!
jb (jbhoopsfan on Twitter)


Hope I win. Now for other ball news:
KG is out - I feel bad for him - they have the last game on Sat to see who moves on and I sure hope it is NOT THE BULLS! Th egames have been very exciting to watch tho'

Kevin Love made second team for Rookie All Star - way to go!!

Don't really like San Antonio or Mav's but guess the Mav's are slightly more tolerable.

social networking

so I gave in to FaceBook and am addicted and now Tweeting some too. It's crazy but FB is pretty fun and that's where all my peeps are so had to take the plunge.

Keeping busy - am going to tan tonight. Last night was a Wolves game (disappointing one) but Kate and I had fun - it's always a good time when me and Kate hangout. Her new office is right downtown off Hennepin so thats cool - we can do some rooftop bars this summer!

Sat - take T to work then off to OCB for Nordin Quarterly breakfast. Sat night going to Swarm game in LOL suite. Sun is the day I can pick up me Saints tix - they have free food and tap rrotbeer and regular beer and fun stuff like. After that I am going to a movie with Lo - awesome cuz we don't spend enough time together - her kids are littler than mine and she does Scouts etc so we are both busy gals. We are going to see Duplicity although she doesn't know it yet.

I was asked to bring my crafts to a barn boutique in May so I better get on it and get some stuff done - socializing gets in the way.

I also joined Netflix so see how that will go. Liking it so far.

First Saints game I have tix for is May 19th - same day as Heidi's surgery so I guess she won't be one of my dates :)

so far

Fri I shopped a little with gift cards.
Sat went to work out - Gen Grandmas funeral - lunch with Kate and haircut. Lunch was at teh Good Earth which is natural/organi/healthy and not so healthy. I had Heart Beet Juice (beet,carrot and whaet grass) it was very good, Then I had curry dusyed mahi-mahi with jasmine rice and fresh vegies in a coconut curry sauce - YUM. We wrecked all that by each having a piece of of Baileys Chocolate Cake - it was so very good!!!!!
Sat night went out and had a few drinks with Joey,Adam,Niner,and two kids from Lancaster. It was fun.

Sunday - made breakfast for everone at noon - ran to target then Wolves game with Carrie - we had a great time.

sparkrecipes - feed 4 peeps under 10 bucks

http://www.sparkpeople.com/10recipes.pdf

Love or Mayo? LOVE!! Rookie of the Year

Here is a closer look at some impressive stats that Kevin Love has put up this season, as of March 22nd.
Player Efficiency Rating - Rookies (min. 20.0 mpg)
RNK
Player
GP
Min
PER

1
Kevin Love, MIN
70
25.1
18.29

2
Brook Lopez, NJN
70
30.5
17.72

3
Greg Oden, POR
49
22.2
17.51

4
Marc Gasol, MEM
69
30.7
16.55

5
Michael Beasley, MIA
68
24.2
16.20

6
Russell Westbrook, OKC
70
32.7
15.45

7
Derrick Rose, CHI
70
36.8
15.43

8
Eric Gordon, LAC
66
33.6
15.18

9
D.J. Augustin, CHA
60
26.2
14.59

10
Rudy Fernandez, POR
67
25.7
14.45

11
O.J. Mayo, MEM
69
37.9
14.15



In just 24.9 minutes per night, Kevin Love ranks second in the NBA in total offensive rebounds:

1 Dwight Howard, ORL 289

2 Kevin Love, MIN 240
3 Emeka Okafor, CHA 234

4 Pau Gasol, LAL 223

4 Paul Millsap, UTA 220



Kevin Love leads the NBA in offensive rebound %:

1 Kevin Love, MIN 15.4
2 Dwight Howard, ORL 14.1

3 Paul Millsap, UTA 13.6

4 Andris Biedrins, GSW 13.6

5 Emeka Okafor, CHA 12.6

** Love is on pace to become the first NBA rookie to lead this category since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984-85.



Kevin Love ranks third in the NBA in rebounds per 48 minutes:

1 Dwight Howard, ORL 18.6

2 Joel Przybilla, POR 17.4

3 Kevin Love, MIN 17.2
4 Samuel Dalembert, PHI 17.1

5 Troy Murphy, IND 16.6



Kevin Love has grabbed 10+ rebounds 31 times this season, most among NBA rookies:

1 Kevin Love, MIN 31
2 Marc Gasol 18

2 Greg Oden 18

4 Brook Lopez 17

4 Jason Thompson 17



Kevin Love has grabbed at least one offensive rebound in all but two games, best in the NBA:
1 Kevin Love, MIN 68

2 Yao Ming, HOU 66

3 Jason Thompson, SAC 66

4 Dwight Howard, ORL 65

4 Brook Lopez, NJN 65

4 Emeka Okafor, CHA 65



Kevin Love has gotten better as the season has gone on:

Oct/Nov 8.6 ppg 6.3 rpg

Dec 6.6 ppg 9.1 rpg

Jan 12.6 ppg 10.0 rpg

Feb 12.2 ppg 10.1 rpg

Mar 15.2 ppg 9.9 rpg



Kevin Love is the only rookie among the nine players averaging a double-double since Jan. 1 (min. 20 games):

Marcus Camby 10.4 ppg 10.7 rpg

Tim Duncan 19.0 ppg 10.9 rpg

Dwight Howard 21.9 ppg 14.0 rpg

David Lee 17.3 ppg 12.7 rpg

Kevin Love 13.2 ppg 10.0 rpg

Steve Nash 15.7 ppg 10.6 apg

Troy Murphy 15.9 ppg 12.0 rpg

Chris Paul 24.0 ppg 10.4 apg

Deron Williams 20.9 ppg 11.0 apg



Kevin Love is on pace to finish with the fourth-best rebound percentage by a rookie in NBA history (min. 20 minutes per game):

1 Clifford Ray, CHI 22.1 (1971-72)

2 Larry Smith, GSW 21.4 (1980-81)

3 Charles Oakley, CHI 21.2 (1985-86)

4 Kevin Love, MIN 21.0 (2008-09)

5 Shaquille O'Neal, ORL 20.6 (1992-93)



Kevin Love is on pace to finish with the fifth-best offensive rebound percentage by a rookie in NBA history (min. 20 minutes per game):

1 Larry Smith, GSW 18.3 (1980-81)

2 Popeye Jones, DAL 17.6 (1993-94)

3 Hakeem Olajuwon, HOU 16.9 (1984-85)

4 Charles Oakley, CHI 15.7 (1985-86)

5 Kevin Love, MIN 15.4 (2008-09)

and people wonder why I'm not a practicing Catholic

Twin Cities Archbishop opposes Obama speech at Notre Dame

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Count Archbishop John Nienstedt as among the chorus of prominent Roman Catholics coming out against Notre Dame's decision to invite President Barack Obama to speak at its commencement in May.

The leader of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese has written a blistering letter to Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins calling the invitation "egregious" and a "travesty."

Nienstedt calls Obama an "anti-Catholic" politician who has worked against church policies on abortion, stem cell research and gay rights.

The archdiocese would not release the letter, but it's leaked on to the Web and has been covered by the Catholic media.

In a statement, Jenkins says the invitation should not be seen as an endorsement of Obama's policies.


Help the poor, feed the hungry and love the unloveable but leave the university alone - there is plenty of more important stuff to be outraged about than who speaks where. I know it is a Catholic institution but c'mon.

You can NOT vote for people based on your beliefs - you can NOT buy their stuff and you can NOT listen to them, attend events etc. But you can't stop others from doing the same - they might not share your beliefs. There are lots of thinsg I wouldn't do - but I wouldn't stop you.

Obama gets hazy on reefer economics (opinion piece)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0401pageapr01,0,1071790.column