Hoiberg Could Someday Run the Timberwolves' Show

I was traveling all weekend. with the main order of business and pleasure being my granddaughter's confirmation in Minnesota.

While in the state of 10,000 lakes and 10 billion dandelions, I took 30 seconds to read what Charley Walters wrote in the St. Paul Pioneer Press about Fred Hoiberg.

I always figured Hoiberg would someday return to Ames as Iowa State's athletic director or head basketball coach. After all, he's still called The Mayor in Ames. Hoiberg was a basketball standout at Ames High School and for the Cyclones from 1992-1995.

But now Walters writes that Hoiberg [pictured at the left], who had to quit playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves because of heart problems, has become a favorite of team owner Glen Taylor.

"The Timberwolves continue to prepare Hoiberg for the possibility of eventually taking over control of basketball operations," Walters said.

"'We're getting him involved in all parts, and this coming year, we'll get him some more responsibilities,'" owner Taylor added.

[RON MALY'S COMMENT: Count on it that Hoiberg will be a success wherever he winds up. He's always been a winner}.

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Things continue to disintegrate for God's gift to basketball coaching, the esteemed Lute Olson.

My West Coast Correspondent tells me the Arizona Daily Star reports that "one of the Arizona Wildcats' top incoming recruits wants out, and Lute does not appear willing to let him go.

"Emmanuel Negedu, a top-40 forward in the class of 2008, met with Olaon in Boston yesterday and repeated a desire to be released from his binding letter of intent citing recent changes since he signed, according to his AAU coach.

"According to Negedu's traveling team coach, Mark Adams, Olson did not offer the recruit an immediate release. So if Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood honors Olson's wishes —- Livengood is the only school official authorized to sign a possible release —- Negedu will have to sit out a season and lose a year of eligibility before he can play elsewhere.

"I was always told, and Emmanuel was told when he signed, that if he really wanted a release they would release him," Adams said. "If something came up, and he didn't want to go, they said they'd let him out."

"Negedu signed the letter of intent just 10 days after Olson began a leave of absence Nov. 4. Since the signing, Olson extended his leave to the entire season, all three of Arizona's assistant coaches last season have departed and standout guard Jerryd Bayless left for the NBA draft.

"Three other Arizona players also remain in doubt for next season: Forward Chase Budinger may stay in the NBA draft, guard Nic Wise may transfer, and incoming freshman Brandon Jennings has not yet met NCAA eligibility requirements.

"Negedu, who is from Nigeria, developed a particularly tight bond with Arizona assistant coach Josh Pastner, who left last week to take an assistant coaching job at Memphis.

"The Wildcats may offer a scholarship to Brea-Olinda (Calif.) senior guard Kyle Fogg, who is in town taking an official visit to Arizona. Fogg is one of the best remaining unsigned prospects in the class of 2008.

"Fogg's coach at Brea-Olinda, Bob Terry, said he believes Fogg would accept a scholarship to Arizona if Olson offers one. Fogg is also being recruited by Providence [where former Drake coach Keno Davis is now working], San Francisco, Fresno State, Hawaii, New Orleans and Oregon State...."

[RON MALY'S COMMENT: Iowa could have two or three players who might want to play for Olson -- with emphasis on the word "might."]

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In the event you missed it, the Iowa Crush women's football team was nipped by the Dallas Diamonds over the weekend, 62-0. Defense seemed to be a problem for the Crush. So was the offense.