Aussie Basketball Discussion

[Andrew]

Yeah, you're probably right. As I said before I hate those arguments against basketball; one could just as easily dismiss soccer as "kicking a ball around for 90 minutes and a couple of times, people score...maybe", test cricket as "most of the teams standing around for five days/a sport where even chain smokers can excel", league as "a bunch of muscleheads knocking each other about" and AFL as "what the fuck is this?" (apologies to AFL fans but again, I'm from league country ). All snide observations that may contain an element of truth, but don't give nearly enough credit to the respective sports and their athletes, relying on stereotypes and snark rather than an objective critique.

[The X]

The other one I've heard from a guy I use to work with: "Why bother watching basketball? They don't start trying until the 4th quarter."

I can kind of understand where that comment would come from if you don't follow the game, where players will sort of cruise & run the offence for 3 quarters, even though they're playing at 100%. In the 4th quarter everybody tightens up, the stars sort of take over, crowd gets more into it. So I can see where it came from but still thought it was ridiculous

My response knowing he is a huge soccer fan: "How about soccer? Both teams try not to lose the game for the first 80 minutes and then only try to score/go for in the last 5 to 10 minutes". That shut him up For the record, I actually do enjoy watching soccer, it's just you can pick out negatives from any game.

What I will agree though is that games have slightly too many fouls (would prefer more 50/50 calls being no calls) & too many timeouts (if they must have that many, turn more of the full timeouts into 20 second timeouts). Funnily enough if you're at a game in person then timeouts don't really matter (with exception of last 2 minutes) since you don't notice them as much as if you are at home. Fouls you do notice though.

[Andrew]

Agreed. There's a shred of truth in that for sure, but it's an oversimplification. Combine that with just the right amount of snark and sarcasm, and you can deride pretty much anything.

Fouls and timeouts are an issue, one I think that's gotten worse since I started watching basketball (though there could be some nostalgia clouding my memories there). As noted before though, other sports have their equivalents of these issues and a lot of them stop play when a team scores, whereas play continues in basketball unless there's a shooting foul.

I still think a lot of it comes down to the fact we don't excel in international competition. If we did, I think the sport would get a little more respect, it certainly couldn't hurt. That and the whole "it's an American sport" thing, as if the popular sports in Australia all originated here.

[Kenny]

When I was working with a bunch of tradies, they all dismissed basketball as "a poof's sport". I got basically no feedback as to why it was, except for the way players flop their hand when they shoot the ball. It really annoys me the ignorance of other people's arguments towards it; I get that it's not for everyone, but claiming it's a poof's sport when Rugby League once had a guy who was purposely shoving his fingers up other players' bums, it's very hypocritical.

When you guys are talking about Udoka, you mean Ubaka right? Because I thought it would have been bigger news if Ime Udoka played in the NBL, considering the coverage that "NBA Veteran" Eddie Gill got.

[Andrew]

but claiming it's a poof's sport when Rugby League once had a guy who was purposely shoving his fingers up other players' bums, it's very hypocritical.

Not only that but the general concept of big muscular men in little shorts piling on top of one another. It could describe footy, or something else entirely.

Reminds me a little of stand up comedian ANT's joke that boxing had to be invented by a gay man. "Two muscular men in silk shorts, fighting over a belt and a purse."

[The X]

When you guys are talking about Udoka, you mean Ubaka right? Because I thought it would have been bigger news if Ime Udoka played in the NBL, considering the coverage that "NBA Veteran" Eddie Gill got.

Yep, we meant Ubaka, not Udoka

[Kenny]

That's a shame, I'd love to see Ime Udoka play in the NBL. Particularly if he was on the same team as Damian Martin; nobody would get around that perimeter defense!

[shadowgrin]

Rugby League once had a guy who was purposely shoving his fingers up other players' bums

What did I just read?
And I thought Reggie Evans was a monster.

[Kenny]

His name is John Hopoate; it happened 10 years ago. It was pretty nasty and he was definitely doing it on purpose because he was a repeat offender.

Anyway back to topic, I'm thinking about going to the Blaze V Crocs... if for nothing else, I'd like to see how NBA Veteran Eddie Gill plays.

[koberulz]

Fouls and timeouts are an issue, one I think that's gotten worse since I started watching basketball (though there could be some nostalgia clouding my memories there). As noted before though, other sports have their equivalents of these issues and a lot of them stop play when a team scores, whereas play continues in basketball unless there's a shooting foul.

Is it an issue as much with the NBL? There aren't even any TV timeouts here. There wasn't a single timeout in the first quarter last night.

On the other hand, Mills spent much of the night doing an impression of someone being beat up by an invisible guy and got a lot of calls.

[Andrew]

I'd have to agree there, it's been a while since I watched NBL on any kind of regular basis as I've mentioned before but timeouts weren't really an issue. I was speaking more generally there.

[koberulz]

Wildcats and Breakers both get 102 points in their opening games.

[koberulz]

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Undoubtedly the best part is the two Melbourne players both on the floor next to each other trying to pull each other up.

[koberulz]

What I don't understand about the TV deal is why the NBL didn't look elsewhere. It's all well and good sticking with this because it's FTA and you'll get all the games on TV by 2014-15, but at the end of the day it's a shitty timeslot, it will always be a shitty timeslot, and when the 2015-16 season comes around you're without any TV deal or fanbase to televise to because the people who used to watch it on Fox haven't done so for five years and have stopped caring. I see no reason One will ever care about the basketball, given that One's sole purpose now is to force things onto Fox Sports, so it's not going to improve even if ratings go through the roof. Which they won't, because it's on at 10.30 at night.

The NBL would've been much better off looking for a different deal in the off-season, as soon as it became clear what One's intentions were (which was almost immediately post-season, so they had plenty of time). Seven or Nine may have been interested, because you've got a product that's getting 100,000 viewers with little marketing and promotion. Come 2015, you've got a product that's getting 100 viewers, Seven and Nine aren't going to give a shit and we're back to Wednesday night games on Fox.

[Andrew]

Excellent point. I would think at least Nine would be interested, if they'll carry regional basketball (I've seen them broadcast Hunters games recently) I'm sure they'd have given the NBL a shot.

[NovU]

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Just watched this vid and I watched hockey today at a bar. The lock out will perhaps force me to do this more often.

But surprisingly, this Kings vs Tigers game was entertaining.

[koberulz]

Excellent point. I would think at least Nine would be interested, if they'll carry regional basketball (I've seen them broadcast Hunters games recently) I'm sure they'd have given the NBL a shot.

What league is that? I had no idea Nine had anything to do with basketball at all.

[Andrew]

That's the ABA:
http://www.australiabasket.com/Australi ... A_2011.asp

Pretty sure it was on Nine.

[Kenny]

I find it pretty cool that Harvey Grant's son is playing in the NBL. He looks like he's capable of producing highlight plays and the league needs more guys like that... well, at least if they're trying to get more viewers. Obviously basketball is about more than the flashy moves, but they're what get people interested in initially following the sport I think.

On another note, Julian Khazzouh kind of reminds me of Pau Gasol with how he barely gets off the ground

[koberulz]

That's the ABA:
http://www.australiabasket.com/Australi ... A_2011.asp

Pretty sure it was on Nine.

I'll take you word for it. Doubt it was One, and they're the only channel I know of with Australian basketball involvement at the moment. Had no idea the ABA had TV.

If anyone's looking for an NBL/basketball fix, check out nblbball. He's got a ton of old NBL/NIBL games, in ten-minute highlight versions, including games featuring the Falcons and Bullets. I'm going to try and go through and chop some of the games I've got up into 15-minute highlight reels and upload, too.

[Andrew]

That was just the final, I'm not sure if it was a regular thing. The more I think of it, the more I'm sure it was Nine, Mike Rabbitt was calling the game and he's an NBN/Nine anchor.

[koberulz]

That was just the final, I'm not sure if it was a regular thing.

Probably was just the final. Still pretty good to see happen, though. Was hearing stories the other day of the '95 (I think) SBL grand final. Live on channel Ten and sold out Challenge Stadium. I'm convinced I was born about a decade early.

Put this together last night:

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[Dan's Brain]

Put this together last night:

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Those were the days. Loved the Titans. I was trying to woo Frank Drmic's sister at the time, which may explain the affection i had for them.

[Kenny]

A couple of major blowouts this weekend. Despite not having Kirk Penney anymore, the Breakers remain to me my favourite team to watch. Probably because CJ Bruton is one of my favourite NBL players and I like Abercrombie's game. Corletto was absolutely destroying the Kings. Harvey Grant's son is pretty impressive with his shot blocking ability. I think he had at least 3 or 4 that I saw.

I also love how much of a big deal Carfino makes about Eddie Gill playing over 150 games in the NBA. It's good to have a veteran with the Townsville Crocs

[koberulz]

Cairns's B team takes care of the Blaze in front of 1200 people. Yay NBL!

A guy I played juniors with got on the floor Friday for the Wildcats, which was pretty cool.

New Zealand are ridiculous. 102, 98 and 98 in 40 minutes. It's basically them or Perth at this point.