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Reality hasn't become part of Spree's world
BOB SANSEVERE
This will make you laugh, or it'll make you cry out in disgust: Latrell Sprewell will be paid $14.6 million this season to play basketball and is worried about making ends meet.
Spree isn't at all happy with the Timberwolves' offer of a contract extension. He called the reported three-year, $27 million offer "insulting'' and is demanding a trade.
He also said Sunday, in the midst of a rant, "I've got my family to feed.''
On Monday, he didn't back off from that statement.
He was given the chance, too.
It was pointed out to Sprewell that there are plenty of unemployed people with families to feed — more than 9,000 are out of work in St. Paul alone, according to state data. Then he was asked if, upon reflection, he considered his statement too strong.
He didn't blink.
He just said: "That is where I can be if something happens to me. So, it's not strong.''
Actually, Spree, it is.
It is one of the most ridiculous, out-of-touch things a multimillionaire can say.
But don't just take my word for it.
How about taking the word of some people who spent Monday morning at the Minnesota WorkForce Center in St. Paul, a place where people with families to feed go to find a job?
"It's insulting because I come here every Monday to try to find work,'' said John Haas, 47, of St. Paul, who would like a job in the food service industry.
"I wish I could make one percent of what he's making,'' said Ernest Drift, 44, an unemployed construction worker from St. Paul.
"I feel like vomiting when I hear that,'' said Harold Tucker, 44, of St. Paul. "That's sickening.
"He's making $14 million and most people are lucky to be making $14 an hour.''
Tucker, who works two jobs, was at the center with his wife, Vicki, trying to find her work.
"We need two incomes,'' said Tucker, who has two children in college. "Sprewell needs a real job. He needs to see what hungry is. He should come down here.''
Something tells me Sprewell's six children will not go hungry any time soon.
All the other things Sprewell said about his contract situation were, by comparison, no big deal.
He can demand a trade. He can call the Wolves' offer insulting. That's all part of negotiations between a player and a team. But nobody who makes $40,000 a day every day of the year should ever say, "I've got my family to feed.''
As Ralph Lorance, a 52-year-old unemployed teacher from St. Paul, said, "It's preposterous.''
It sure is to most people.
Neither Wolves coach Flip Saunders nor Wolves vice president Kevin McHale wanted to talk about Sprewell's trade demand or his "family to feed'' comment. That's understandable. They don't want to give Spree more ammo to rage.
Sprewell claims he's about done talking about his contract and his trade demand, though the issues are unlikely to disappear anytime soon. Sprewell also is unlikely to disappear from the Wolves. Just because he wants to be traded doesn't mean McHale is working the phones. And there's no reason he should, particularly when Sprewell is saying he will bust his butt just as always.
He's not threatening to leave the team in a huff, and even said it was "ridiculous'' to ask him if he would refuse to play without a new deal.
If Sprewell plays hard, so what if he's unhappy with his contract? The same goes for Sam Cassell, who also wants a contract extension. A little turmoil is tolerable, unless it begins to fracture the team.
The only way the contract desires of Sprewell and Cassell could harm the Wolves is if Kevin Garnett were to take the side of management. Garnett made himself unavailable to the media Monday, something he does far too often, but Cassell said KG supports him and Sprewell.
"We all know who the franchise player on this team is,'' Cassell said. "He's a fair man. He's an honest man. You ask his opinion about our situation and it upsets him.''
We can only wonder if KG was upset to hear Spree say, "I've got my family to feed.''
You would hope his reaction wouldn't be much different than Megan Hendrickson's.
"I think it's asinine,'' said Hendrickson, 27, of Roseville, who has a job but was using facilities at the WorkForce Center on Monday. "Most people won't make in their lifetime what (Sprewell) will make this year.''
Many people won't make this year what Sprewell will make today alone.
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A reason NOT to root for Minnesota.
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