Tuesday, September 22, 2009

If an NBL season kicks off in the woods…



Sorry, it has been a while since my last post. It is the off season I guess.

You may not know it, but yes the NBL is about to kick off for the 2009/10 season.

TOMORROW!

If you haven’t been swept up in the avalanche of coverage recognising its beginning (yeah, right), here’s a quick update…

Much has changed since the 2009 Champion South Dragons cut down the nets on their home floor. For starters, they are now G O W N. Gone.

Only Eight teams will compete for the title this season:

Melbourne Tigers

Townsville Crocs

Wollongong Hawks

New Zealand Breakers

Perth Wildcats

Adelaide 36ers

Cairns Taipans

Gold Coast Blaze

OAMPS is now the leagues major sponsor. Not quite as cool as “Hummer”, but hey, like Stephon Marbury would say, “Love is Love.” Well in the case of the NBL “Money is Money.”


The games will now be 40 minute contests (like everyone except the NBA already plays), rather than 48 minutes.

Tickets will not be 16.666% cheaper to make up for lost action.

Fox Sports is broadcasting games*

*Not many, but who could blame them, not exactly a secure financial investment.

Steve Carfino has gone the way of the Dragons and as of 2009 is no more.


Taking his place are two of AFL’s and FoxSports most sought after commentators.

Brian “Barge” Taylor and Dwayne “Pipe” Russell.

Two great characters who should bring a wider audience and some interesting calls to the commentary this season. They have taken the opposite route to the NBL, unlike Stephen Quartermain, Clinton Gribas and John Casey who all used the NBL as a stepping stone to the AFL.







They will be assisted by best mates, Andrew Gaze and Hammer Heal.