side.The shame for me not getting the Joshua fight is that it felt like this was the best chance for it to happen, unless I go and win another one of the titles

MINNEAPOLIS -- Tom Thibodeau, king of solitary marathon film sessions, got lonely.It happened throughout the past year as he moved around the country, trying to take advantage of a paid year away from the NBA. In all, he spent time with 13 NBA teams, watching practices, having lunches with coaches, watching games and, of course, going through security checks and riding shuttle buses.I didnt like traveling alone, Thibodeau said. It got to me. I dont know how people do it.The Minnesota Timberwolves hired Thibodeau because of his strong history of teaching defense and his demonstrated ability to squeeze everything out of his Chicago Bulls teams from 2010-15. But owner Glen Taylor, who gave him a five-year, $40 million deal to also oversee the teams basketball operations, might be getting a coach who is slightly different from the one the NBA last saw.Thibodeau kept telling people he viewed last year as a sabbatical. That meant more than rest, it also meant training. In all that time alone, Thibodeau did a lot of thinking and considering. Whether it will lead to real changes is to be seen.Thibodeaus methods were often branded as old school, even though he repeatedly showed his defensive principles were designed to slow modern offenses. When it came to playing time and the 3-point shot, well, he wasnt as progressive.But there are already signs he is trying to modernize his approach in his first days working with one of the leagues most promising young rosters. As an example, Thibodeau for the first time has hired a shooting coach -- Peter Patton, who was schooled by San Antonio Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland -- because as he went around the league he noted many teams were adding the position. Patton wont just work with the Wolves players, he will consult the front office in looking at player acquisitions and draft preparation. Again, thats progressive.When examining how the Wolves can break their 12-year playoff drought, Thibodeau immediately pointed to the 3-point line. The Wolves finished 29th in 3-point attempts and makes last season.We gave up nine [3-pointers] a game, and we made only five and a half, Thibodeau said. Thats like starting the game 10 points behind.Thibodeaus Bulls teams werent 3-point heavy. They were 28th in attempts in 2013-14 and 29th in 2012-13, though in his final season, they improved to 16th. Some of that, of course, was due to personnel. But his focus on it now is part of the old-fashioned coachs attempts to evolve.Were a work in progress, Thibodeau said, perhaps even talking a little about himself. Weve got to close the gap.Thibodeau has been using that line a lot in the first days of the season, sometimes reaching his arms out and making a symbolic squeezing motion.The team had plenty of salary-cap space this summer, and some speculated theyd get deep into the bidding on former Bull Luol Deng. But instead of using a large block to chase a veteran starter, they signed a range of reserve players, including?Cole Aldrich, Jordan Hill and Brandon Rush. Thibodeau also signed veterans John Lucas III and Rasual Butler, both of whom played for him with the Bulls, to help the transition for younger players and to teach his systems.The Wolves left $10 million in cap space unused, and two of their highest-paid players, Kevin Garnett and Nikola Pekovic, wont be playing for the team this season. Its a young, relatively cheap and deep roster, albeit still largely unproven.In theory, at least, all the bodies should reduce Thibodeaus famous dependence on riding his front-line players for major minutes, which some believed led to the Bulls rash of injuries. Long-term rest techniques and injury-prevention methods were other league trends Thibodeau observed, notably in his time around the Golden State Warriors and their strength in numbers vision.I liked the core of the team. I want to get to know them better, he said. Im going to focus on the players we have. That gives me a better idea of what our needs are.The Wolves finished last season ranked 27th in defensive rating, a woeful number that Thibodeau certainly has the expertise to improve. They did win four of their last five games, including a bit of a magical West Coast trip in which they won at Golden State and Portland in the same week. Still, it added up to just 29 wins, another losing season.We have the talent, and we have the length to be better on defense, but we didnt always have the discipline, Karl-Anthony Towns said. Im willing to say I dont know. I want to learn.Towns said he thought Thibodeaus defensive system was similar to what he ran at the University of Kentucky, and he was encouraged that hed learn quickly. When this was mentioned to Thibodeau, he just grunted with a half-smile. Towns and the Wolves havent seen anything yet.Thibodeau didnt need a league-wide tour to learn how to teach defense. Looking at the way the Wolves have set up their preseason schedule makes it clear who is in charge now and what his goal is. Thibodeau essentially designed three training camps. Though technically voluntary, every Wolves player was doing full workouts for 2-3 weeks before the beginning of actual training camp. According to players, these were de facto practices.Its a clinic every day, guard Ricky Rubio said. Theres an intensity in practice. Hes tough but in a good way.Then Thibodeau scheduled 11 days between the start of official practice and his first preseason game. Some teams had as little as four days of practice before the preseason opener. In a way, that is the second training camp. The third is an unusual nine-day preseason road trip that will take the Wolves to five cities, including stops in Kansas City, Missouri; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Louisville, Kentucky. This will enable a long bonding session, much of it in non-NBA cities, that will mimic an offsite training camp.In this time, Thibodeau, as one would expect, is drilling his players on defensive techniques. He didnt say it, but his actions make it clear he was appalled at the Wolves defensive habits last season. More than half of the early workouts were focused on defense. There were film sessions focusing on positioning. There were drills intended to create habits.We have to get an understanding of it. We cant rest, Thibodeau said before starting a checklist. We have to be a talk [on defense] team, we have to be challenging shots, we have to learn to finish defense correctly.Thibodeau gave the impression that theres a long way to go for the Wolves, even if his players talk positively about their improvement. Hes also paying a lot of attention to Andrew Wiggins, who two seasons ago was the leagues rookie of the year. In many ways, Wiggins holds the key for the long-range upside of the Wolves. Towns, last seasons ROY, has the look of a budding All-Star, perhaps the most exciting young player in the league. Young wing Zach LaVine quietly had an outstanding second half last season, especially shooting from long range. Theres a lot of excitement over rookie point guard Kris Dunn, who had a promising summer league.But the team needs Wiggins to grow into his potential, to be heading into the conversation for All-Star and All-NBA teams starting now. Going into his third season, this is the time when he should be taking large leaps forward. Thibodeau is spending extra time with him, watching him work on individual drills after practice and giving special instruction.Theres significant excitement around the team, the idea that Thibodeaus arrival combined with natural maturation of young players could truly create the roots of a serious team. Combined with a new practice facility and a renovated Target Center, there is a feeling of rebirth. Thibodeau, of course, is more focused on the work than anything else.Its like building a house, Thibodeau said. Were still working on the foundation. Cheap Shoes Discount .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Cheap Shoes Replica . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. Cheap Shoes Website .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Cheap Shoes Free Shipping . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. David Price says Anthony Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn opted for the easier fight by picking Eric Molina instead of him for December 10.The IBF world heavyweight champion makes a second defence against Molina (25-3, 19 KOs) after the American was preferred to Joshuas fellow Briton Price (21-3, 18 KOs).It is not the match up fight fans have been waiting for, but in the circumstances Hearn was limited for choice of opponents, with less than six weeks until the fight at the Manchester Arena.Price told ESPN that he believes Texan Molina will not come to win after accepting the fight against Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs) at short notice.Theyve taken the safer option without a doubt, Price said. I always thought that Joshuas team -- not Joshua himself -- think that Molina is a safer bet. Its less likely that something will go wrong.My selling point is the excitement I would bring. But Joshuas people began to realise theres a serious chance of him getting knocked out if he fought me.I thought I was going to get it at one point but, the longer its gone on, the less likely it has become that I would get it.Theres not going to be many champions picking me out as a voluntary defence and I think its boiled down to his trainer [Tony Sims], and I cant blame him. Molina was the safer option.But the thing with Eric Molina is that I dont think hes going to come to win at all and thats the difference -- I would have come to win.Molina has fought for a world title and even in his best win against Tomasz Adamek he was very defensive, and almost journeyman like. He doesnt take many chances. If he sits on the ropes this fight will be over in a couple of rounds. If he fiddles about for a bit, it might go five rounds.It wont bring the same anticipation or excitement as fighting me would. A fight between me and Joshua wouldnt have gone the distance and it would have been a war while it lasted.Wladimir Klitschko, the former champion whose nine-and-a-half reign was ended by Tyson Fury nearly a year ago, decided not to box Joshua on December 10 due to a calf injury and not enough time to promote a fight of that size.That left Hearn searching for a new opponent for the 2012 Olympic gold medallist and considered Price ass well as Molina.ddddddddddddIf Joshua, 27, makes a successful second defence against Molina, Klitschko lies in wait for a clash that is being lined up for March or April and possibly at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.With such a big fight in the making, 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Price believes he was too much of a risk but says fans will still tune in to see Joshua-Molina.With such a big fight around the corner, they didnt want to take any chances, Price said. Joshua probably heard what I said and wanted to set the record straight because hes a fighter, but its not down to him.Eric Molina was supposed to be my opponent on December 10, but now they are fighting him instead of me.Its part of the business. His options were limited. They would have slaughtered him if he fought me because Ive been knocked out and Molina is going to get slaughtered. But everyone is tied up and the fans will probably still tune in and watch it. The outcry will subside.The shame for me not getting the Joshua fight is that it felt like this was the best chance for it to happen, unless I go and win another one of the titles and then we can fight. Once he beats Molina there are bigger fights for him and there will be mandatory defences.Price, from Liverpool, said he is now waiting on news for an opponent, but still hoped to fight on the show in Manchester.Molina, 34, is the third successive American Joshua has fought. In April, Joshua captured his first world title when he knocked out Charles Martin in two rounds before Dominic Breazeale lasted until the seventh round in June.Molina was knocked out in the ninth round when he challenged fellow American Deontay Wilder for the WBC version of the world title last year.He was also taken out in a round by fellow American Chris Arreola in February 2012, but has recently restored some confidence.Molina knocked out Polands former light-heavyweight and cruiserweight world champion Adamek in the tenth round in his last bout in April and afterwards said: The ultimate goal is to become the first Mexican-American [world] heavyweight champion. ' ' '