Wolves Howl on Halloween

Here's an idea: Take two elementary schools with nearly 1,000 combined kids in costumes, throw Crunch and some Timberwolves Dancers into the mix, and parade everyone around the hallways. All of a sudden, it's a nice little Halloween Wednesday in the Minneapolis area.

While the Timberwolves players wrapped up another practice session at Target Center (don't worry, we'll get to the favorite all-time costumes of McCants, Smith and Hoiberg later), Crunch, Annie and Eileen were spurting through hallways at Lakeview Elementary School in Robbinsdale and Gatewood Elementary in Minnetonka.

"At our first stop, we paraded around Lakeview through the classrooms and hallways with all the kids and really had a great time," said Annie. "Crunch was insane as always: turning the lights on, shoving desks around, scaring kids and everything else you could think of, but the kids just love him."

"My favorite costumes had to be the two kids dressed as a bottle of ketchup and mustard," added Eileen. Crunch nodded briskly in agreement.

After handing out tickets to a November Wolves game, stickers and candy to the Lakeview kids, the crew scooted over to Gatewood of the Hopkins school district, located in Minnetonka. Off Eden Prairie Road. Go figure.

"The Timberwolves brought an energy that we hadn't had in the past at our Halloween celebration," said Gatewood principal Donna Montgomery. "It added a lot of positive spirit to have Crunch and the dancers here, and you could see that the kids had a great time."

Of course, both schools were sprinkled with the usual motley crew of costumes: Power Rangers, ghosts, Care Bears, Little Mermaids, witches, lizards, commandos, refs, Ninja Turtles, princesses, Incredible Hulks, and of course, Superman, Batman and Spiderman. George Bush, Dick Cheney and Bill Clinton were on hand as well, though without extensive security.

Timberwolves Halloween Favorites
At Wolves practice, we asked a few of the guys to give us some Halloween knowledge, and here's what they had to say:

Craig Smith: "I was Jack Johnson ... the boxer, not the singer, man. But the best costume I ever had was Dracula from Sesame Street."

Huh? Dracula from Sesame Street? Rashad McCants, how would you dress Smith?

Rashad McCants: "I'd make him the Incredible Hulk. Green lips. All that. He'd have to rip his shirt off and be green, though. Either that or John Coffee from the 'Green Mile.'"

And Rashad, what's the best favorite costume you wore as a kid?

McCants: "I never wore a costume. Ever. Not in my life. I got candy from my sister."

OK, that's ridiculous Rashad. You've never had a costume! Ever?

McCants: "Nope. Never."

Whatever. Mayor?

Wolves assistant GM Fred Hoiberg: "First of all, here's what my four kids were wearing: The twins (four years old) were football players. Pads, helmet, the works. My 8-year-old son was a skeleton, and my 10-year-old girl was some sort of Frankenstein bride."

And your best costume ever, Fred?

Hoiberg: "My mom once made this mix of corn syrup, red food coloring and oatmeal and put it on my face. She also put all this stuff in my hair to make it spiky. It took three days to get off."

That's a good costume? Lastly, Ryan Gomes: I always used to wear masks, like the one from "Scream." That was a good one.