I won't stand for Tigers 'Sneaky' tactics.

It is a sad state of affairs when I am left to question the day to day actions of my beloved Melbourne Tigers.

I think they are currently a perfect example of the NBL mentality as a whole.

I applauded their decision to initially stand out of the upcoming NBL season with the South Dragons, and believed them when they stated they would not stand for more mismanagement.

Then they stabbed us all in the back and rejoined the league, stating change had occurred, but then wouldn’t tell us what?

I was immediately sent an email from the Tigers celebrating the fact that they will field a team in 09/10 and asking me to sign up as a member.

What will I get for my membership I ask?

Where is the stability? I feel if I had sent that cheque and they changed their minds again I would never get it back.

I have lost trust and faith in the Melbourne Tigers.

What will keep fans coming to see a league that can’t afford imports, Brian Goorjian, or to take the naming rights sponsor FROM TWO YEARS AGO off the current logo.
They don’t even have a rival anymore! (a blog for another day)

Anyway, the reasoning behind this post are many, Firstly – in today’s economic climate, does it look like the Melbourne Tigers are doing there part to help the sport of Basketball grow in this country?

Are they offering anything that says ‘Basketball is the way to go!’?

Obviously this isn’t an in depth financial analysis but a simple break down of current membership pricing.

Cheapest Seating prices

Collingwood Magpies 2009 – Adult Membership $170.00

Melbourne Victory 2009/10 – Adult membership $185.00

Melbourne Tigers 2009/10 – Adult membership $324 ($306 early bird ‘special’) (no parking included)

The average fan has been completely priced out.

I was told yesterday by someone who sponsors a box at The Cage, that no notice was given to them as a corporate sponsor when the team decided to sit out the season. They heard through the media. When the team announced it was back, they were promptly sent an invoice with no explanation.

Seems eerily similar to the fate of poor old Stephen ‘Sneaky’ Hoare, as Grantley Bernard writes in the Herald Sun today.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25657777-10914,00.html

POPULAR veteran forward Stephen Hoare feels like a forgotten man as the Melbourne Tigers build a championship-calibre roster without him.

A winner of two NBL championships in nine seasons with the Tigers, Hoare is unlikely to be offered a new contract and is waiting to gauge interest from Cairns Taipans, Townsville Crocodiles and Wollongong Hawks before considering retirement.

His greatest hurt is that he heard the news that his time with the Tigers was over from somebody other than the club, which has scheduled a meeting with him tomorrow.

"If the Tigers want to go in a different direction, I can understand that," Hoare said.

"I'm just disappointed that I still had a year to go on my contract and that after nine years, nobody called me and I found out from somewhere else."



That is pathetic.

Could Zac Efron Save Our Sport?

It is possible that High School Musical movies could possibly be doing more for the sport of basketball at the grassroots level in this country than the NBL and all other organisations combined?

I have been looking outside the box for signs that basketball is still alive beyond the hard core. I’m glad to announce there is a pulse, and it’s worth not pulling the plug just yet.

I have not seen any of the movies, but it seems that there is definitely a correlation with the amount of youngsters (especially young girls) enjoying basketball. With research now showing that basketball is the ‘coolest’ sport among the Under 10’s range*, an important demographic for the future of the sport. Thanks to this movie.

Obviously the connection has been made before, as this clip aired on Fox Sports for a time. I like the effort, but it seemed a bit B Grade.



The third movie is about to be released and the cast is in the country to promote. A Zac Efron poster was the centre page pull out of the Sunday Herald Sun. It was a plain poster with nothing more than a picture of the star in plain clothes and a blank background. The only thing that differentiates this picture from a driver’s license or mug shot (well he is a celeb) is the fact that he is holding a Top Flite Basketball. Something that most people wouldn’t think anything of, but for someone like myself who looks for anyway to promote the game, having the star of the biggest kids movie franchise in years hold a basketball (one that anyone can pick up an exact replica at REBEL Sport, $69.95 for xmas) is a big deal, and it got me thinking… They look up to the superdupersportstars!

Seamus or ‘Visy Guy’ should have moved fast to get this guy an NBL appearance! I guarantee HiSense Arena would have been packed last night if Zac was there in a Dragons Jersey! They already let Harry Potter slip through their grasp when he attended a game last season and no one really knew! It had to be done!


HSM is doing what ‘One Tree Hill’ did to the 16-22 yr range for basketball awareness amongst the (predominantly female) masses. It’s made a positive association with pop culture and basketball. I’ve seen a few episodes and all I remember from them are the basketball scenes of which there were many, Chad Michael Murray shoots a brick and hears the wrath of a sarcastic cheerleader, “Nice shot.” His response, “Nice Legs.” I remember some strange things.

It’s rare that a girl would say ‘I like basketball players’, growing up in Melbourne and witnessing firsthand the nightclub/footy player scene, maybe the next generation will have basketball competing for the affections of footy chicks with aspirations of celebrity and notoriety... and money.

This is more than Declan making the AFL in Neighbours. The AFL doesn’t really need much help. If only one of the locals shows would have a likable star that plays basketball… But let’s face it, who are the kids watching. Aussie shows or US shows. It really is no comparison.


Turtle from Entourage is wearing Jordan Brand all the time. And everywhere I look around the city Asian dudes are too. But you never see them at ‘The Cage’, or Vodaphone Arena, unless And 1 is in town! It really alls comes down to money, and how it’s spent to get this game going here.

With the new league starting in 09, and NBL wallets finally being reopened, things could get very interesting.

Andrew Bogut has failed to attract the masses to the sport. That is not necessarily his fault. (Although this hair cut certainly set him back a ways). Patrick Mills on the other hand has the potential to do something that no other Aussie Basketballer in memory has achieved. There aren’t many six foot eight and above models. Something about the lanky loping giants intimidates. Patty Mills has the charisma to really be the Michael Jordan for this country that Andrew Gaze could never really be. Sure everyone saw how good of a player he was, and certainly a great guy, but Mills could sell things ala Jordan. And that is really what is needed.



Kids will buy Patrick Mills Merchandise, they will come to see him play, he is exciting. He is cool. He is the Real Life Aussie CMM & Zac Effron. Get him in a movie.

Trust me.


*Statistics collected after consultation with two cousins and one Primary School Teacher sister who quotes “They all love it. Every second kid has HSM bag, pencil case or drink bottle!”

A New NBL, but until then...

Once again the NBL has kicked off in a more than quiet fashion. But, I assure you, it has begun. Although, any news or highlights don't seem to have filtered through to anywhere other than cyberspace. It doesn't even get news coverage on something like Sports Tonight, which will show any sporting tripe to fill it's program. Surely the NBL doesn't have to pay to be reported on? That would explain it I guess.

The common perception is that the NBL has decided to get through this season 08/09 as quickly, quietly and cheaply as possible, ready to shut it down and return as the NEW NBL in late 2009.

As I sat there, losing minutes off my life after inhaling the artifical Dragon Smoke that hovered over the court, like the ghosts of NBL past. I decided I better take in as much as I can of my surroundings, because who knows what the NBL may look like in the future? Phrases like "New NBL" make me nervous. You don't really know what you're going to get. But, at least we have people thinking about saving this sinking ship, and an independant report, which has just been released, which didn't mince words.

So here's what I can tell you about some of the characters from the Dragons v Wildcats match up on September 17th:

Ben Knight appears happy just to be "back in the NBL" so to speak after his journey on the Singpore Slingers rollercoaster.

Brad Robbins looks like he could be playing for the Auckland Warriors in the NRL, with the stocky, bearded, guard bouncing around fearlessly among the bigger guards.


Isiah (spelling) Victor could be any number of mediocore players in the NBL, but because he's american, he should be your import for the season? I don't think so.



Nick Horvath seems like a good guy, but looks pretty goofy,and a hell of a lot like Ryan Stiles from Drew Carey and "who's line is it anyway", but he doesn't excite me. You can see why he wasn't import material. You need someone more exciting than that. The Dragons learnt their lesson with Todd Fuller I suppose.



Alex Loughton has some crazy hair. I was trying to think of a way to describe it, but then came across this picture which said it all. Jackie Moon. Still I think he has a good future in the NBL, maybe he needs a headband?


Oh yeah, and the Dragons won.

GO TEAM.