Am I the only one who doesn't like Kevin Garnett?

First, Kevin Garnett is an incredible player -- he's an amazing athlete and has a well rounded game. I don't like him.

Every game I see him in, he does something that annoys the hell out of me. He taunts other players, he continues a play way, way, way after a whistle just to show another player up, and he does numerous other pesky annoying things. It's never anything outlandish like a Rodmanesque act, but it's always so many little things that makes me shake my head in disgust.

Here's an example. Playing against a particular team I usually watch, Minnesota made a basket and Garnett was near the ball as it landed on the floor. In that spot most players pass the ball to the ref or quickly walk away from the ball. Garnett hovered around the ball as it slowly bounced away from the baseline, pretending he would scoop it up and pass it to the ref. As the ball bounced away he continued this little act until the ball stopped around the three point line. Pleased with his trickery he ran away from the ball.

Should he have been fined? No. Should he have been given a technical or called for delay of game? No. Should I call him annoying because of this? Yes.

Now, is it too much of a stretch to say that these little annoying things he does is connected with him never winning anything? Shaq, Kobe, Iverson, Kidd, and Duncan never do these little annoying things because they're too busy trying to win (or get phone numbers from nineteen-year-old girls in the crowd -- that's just Kobe). Garnett is as talented as anyone in the league and his surrounding cast has not been as bad as people would like to claim it is. Maybe this childish mindset of his could be why he's never won.

One last thing: I know Garnett is pretty popular, and many of you might think this post proves that I'm crazy. Some of my more sensitive critics might call me misinformed, ignorant, or disrespectful. Just remember, a few years ago everyone loved Sammy Sosa. Now in the public eye, what once were amusing quirks are now character flaws. Maybe the same will happen with Garnett.