MINNEAPOLIS -- Cole Aldrich was vacationing with his wife in Italy when a lifelong dream came to fruition.He had sealed a deal to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team he grew up watching in suburban Minneapolis. Because of the time difference, a giddy Aldrich decided to send his father a text

MINNEAPOLIS -- Cole Aldrich was vacationing with his wife in Italy when a lifelong dream came to fruition.He had sealed a deal to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team he grew up watching in suburban Minneapolis. Because of the time difference, a giddy Aldrich decided to send his father a text message rather than give him a call.I think I said, `Dad, Im coming home, Aldrich recalled on Thursday.The message did not quite have the effect he had planned on.I thought you were coming home from vacation! Walter Aldrich hollered from the back of the room.Alas, Aldrich meant he was coming home for good. To play basketball for the Timberwolves, to live in the home he returns to every offseason after spending the first six seasons of his NBA career bouncing around with five other teams.Ive been a Timberwolves fan all my life, Cole Aldrich said. Whether it was in another city playing for New York or Oklahoma City or wherever, I always tried to keep tabs. And you root for your city. For me to be home, Im going to go out there and play hard. Im not going to guarantee a championship or anything like LeBron, but just Im going to try to do all I can to help us win games.Aldrich was a high school standout at Bloomington Jefferson in suburban Minneapolis before going on to win a national championship at Kansas. The 7-foot center was the 11th overall pick by Oklahoma City in 2010, but had a hard time finding footing in the league while starting his career with a team that had quickly emerged as a Western Conference power.Most lottery picks you go to a team thats struggling and you usually get your opportunity right away, he said. For me, the opportunity really didnt come until probably four years into the league. Through that transition you just have to grit your way through it.He spent two years in OKC and also played for Houston, Sacramento and New York before delivering his best season as a pro with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2015-16. He emerged as a productive and efficient backup to DeAndre Jordan, and new Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau went after him in free agency to provide some much-needed depth behind big men Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng.Aldrich got a three-year, $22 million contract from the Wolves, but he doesnt expect the money to change him.Ive been wealthy my whole life. Great family, friends. Thats what its all about, Aldrich said.He said he had talks about joining Thibodeau in Chicago with the Bulls a few years back and feels uniquely suited to play for a coach who values toughness and defense. Aldrich pointed to a scar over his left eyebrow and then popped out his fake front tooth to serve as his credentials.As you can tell, Ive got a few scars and Ive got a missing tooth, he said with a smile. It kind of fits the groove. Just exciting to play for him and the organization is going to be a really good few years.Aldrich was a freshman in high school when Kevin Garnett led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004. The Wolves havent been back to the playoffs since, and the hometown kid wants desperately to be a part of the team that breaks that dubious streak.I remember the atmosphere and the excitement, he said. Being in the playoffs this last year and my first few years, just seeing those crowds and knowing what our city would be (like) to have that crowd would be awesome.Nationals Jerseys 2020 . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Washington Nationals Shirts . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. 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Yet the Ducks are looking for positives, and theyve found one in the emergence of quarterback Justin Herbert.The 6-foot-6 freshman has thrown for 507 yards and eight touchdowns in two starts for the Ducks (2-5, 0-4), taking over for graduate transfer Dakota Prukop. A local kid out of Eugenes Sheldon High School, he is the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Oregon since 1983.In last weekends 52-49 overtime loss at Cal, Herbert tied the Oregon single-game record for TD passes with six. But the game ended on a disappointing note when he was intercepted by Jordan Kunaszyk on the final play of the game.Hes still going through growing pains. Hes just got to learn through games like that but I still trust him with everything in me, Oregon running back Tony Brooks-James said.Coach Mark Helfrich even found himself addressing comparisons between Herbert and former Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota this week.I think hes a highly competitive, highly productive guy thats really quiet. I think theyre similar that way, Helfrich said. Certainly their freshman years -- just of how they present themselves -- are remarkably similar. But I think its very unfair to make that comparison on the field yet.Helfrich went on to add that Herbert has earned the respect of his teammates.I think you saw how much guys respect him and how guys rallied around him in these last couple games, I think thats telling, the coach said.Oregon must win four of its last five to be bowl eligible. Theyre favored at home on Saturday against Arizona State (5-3, 2-3), which has lost three of its last four games after a 4-0 start.WHO WILL START FOR ASU? The Sun Devils also have a young quarterback in Dillon Sterling-Cole, who could start against the Ducks. The freshman was pressed into service in last weekends 37-32 loss to Washington State after Manny Wilkins was injured and Sterling-Cole completed 7 of 16 passes for 86 yards.dddddddddddd Earlier this week, Sterling-Cole was taking snaps with the first team, although Wilkins was back at practice and could return against the Ducks.NO QUIT: There was talk after the Ducks fell 70-21 at home to rival Washington that some of Oregons players had quit on the team. But the teams spirited game against Cal quieted the critics.Everyone who says we quit are just liars. We gave it all. We gave it everything we had, Brooks-James said after the game.STEALING SIGNS? Last year the Ducks turned heads when they used large white sheets on the sideline at Sun Devil Stadium to hide signals. Helfrich would not comment this week about whether the team would use them again. Washington also used sheets last year against Arizona State.Then Washington States Mike Leach was reprimanded and fined $10,000 for comments he made about Arizona State stealing signs, in advance of the Cougars victory over the Sun Devils last weekend.I think they still steal signs, and well have to keep an eye on that, Leach said. That is a very unsavory practice they have, so well have to do what we can to defend against it.After the game, ASU coach Todd Graham confronted Leach using an expletive that was caught by television cameras.YIKES!: The five-game losing streak is Oregons longest since 1996. The Ducks havent lost six in a row since 1991 when Rich Brooks was head coach.THE SERIES: Oregon has won nine straight against Arizona State, averaging 44.3 points per game. The Ducks also lead the all-time series with the Sun Devils 18-16 and have won the last three in Eugene. The last ASU win was in 2004 at Autzen Stadium. ' ' '