Thrown to the Wolves By Craig Kilborn for Sporting News Oct. 13, 2003
	Flip Saunders invited me to training camp about a month ago.  I trained by playing halfcourt at Garry Shandling's house.  Things were going great.  I regularly decimated Ali G. with my jump hook and took several charges from an aggressive David Duchovny.  Unfortunately, three weeks before camp, while outhustling Kevin Nealon for a loose ball, I strained my back and had to suspend my workouts. So, I almost bailed.  I thought, I'm 41.  I'm way, way past my prime.  I'm hurt.  And these are the best players in the world, and it could be devastatingly embarrassing for them to have me come to camp and rack up a triple-double.  Above all, I'm a Timberwolves fan, and I don't want to shake the team's confidence. But I sucked it up and went.  I had four goals: Don't get hurt, make a nice pass, hit a shot in an intrasquad game and spend some quality time with Michael Olowokandi.  I accomplished the first two.  The best I could do in the intrasquad game was a free throw.  As for the Kandi Man, he and I watched The Hours on DVD in his Escalade.  When he comes to L.A., he might crash on my floor. My proudest moment?  I made a really nice pass in practice-so nice that Kevin McHale came all the way around the court on his bum ankle to give me a high-five.  He compared me to a young Pistol Pete, which made my day. As far as talking trash goes, when I was playing HORSE with Kevin Garnett, I called a bank shot and yelled "Larry!" as I released it, referring to Larry Bird.  Note to young players: Don't yell "Larry!" until you're sure the shot is going in.  Because if, hypothetically, you miss the backboard and hit Fred Hoiberg in the head, it's embarrassing. I didn't quite play up to my expectations in the intrasquad game.  There was a lot of adrenaline.  I was thinking to myself, "This is it, Craig, go for it!" and I tried, but I pulled my hamstring and had to sit out.  Fortunately, my job requires no walking, so I should be able to soak my leg while talking to supermodels about their latest photo shoots. The team doesn't have that luxury, but those guys will be just fine.  Mark it down-one of the top two teams in the league.  I think it's down to the T-wolves and Spurs.  When they need inspiration, I hope they'll remember my no-look pass and come together as a unit. I don't know if I gained the players' respect.  I don't know if they factored in everything I factored in: my age, my lack of working out, my lack of practice and the fact that I spend six nights a week eating gourmet dinners and sipping Merlot.  A reporter summed it up best when he said, "Yeah, it looks like you used to play." It was fun.  Would I do it again?  Not at this age.  But it was something I really couldn't pass up.  I told Flip, "I wish this had happened 10 years ago."  And he said, "No one knew who you were 10 years ago." Watch The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn weeknights at 12:35 a.m.ET on CBS