Christmas & Teammates

I think I have been taking it a little easy on my team mates so far this year. I had a pretty good response from the fans on our my New Year’s Resolution piece, so I better work at digging up a little more dirt to keep the fans happy.

First we’ll go with assistant coach Rohan Short. For those of you who don’t know him, Shortie is a very even keeled person in nearly every situation I have ever witnessed him be a part of. Not so last week when the team was returning from the Gold Coast.

While the team was checking in at the airport, the flight attendant checking us in innocently asked for the basketballs we carry to be deflated before boarding. Witnesses to the incident say that they could actually see the exact moment Shorties’ boiling point was reached. After his explanation that on several hundred flights he had never been asked to deflate the balls fell on deaf ears, the poor guy was left to do as she had instructed before the balls were to be put on the flight.

After hearing of the incident, many of the team commented on the uncharacteristeric blow up from our team peace maker. In the end we all had agreed that we were all allowed our bad days and this was his.

It wasn’t until the next day we discovered that our Shortie had a little more on his mind that day than he let on.

You see, it was the next day that he had finally chosen to propose to his longtime girlfriend. The best part is she said yes. Congrats Shortie and Annie.

In the limited time I have spent with first year Crocodile Brad Williamson, he seems to be another pretty easy going guy.

That is, apparently, until he does not get what he wants for Christmas.

He was holding out for Xbox’s latest craze, World Tour, Guitar Hero and he thought he had it in the bag.

Unbeknownst to Brad, his girlfriend had wrapped up his present (wait for it,… an ergonomic chair) to look exactly like the game.

Well, at least when Brad finally saves up enough pocket money to buy what the game, we will have good posture while logging in the hours playing it.

But Brad wasn’t alone in his disappointment over not receiving the World Tour Guitar Hero. Cam Tovey also believed his family would come through with the goods and was sadly mistaken when he opened up his state of the art massager.

Last but not least, Keegan Tudehope received a late Christmas gift on Sunday afternoon, when the member of the local Bouncers Basketball Club saw his first action in an NBL contest against the Gold Coast Blaze.

Keegan knocked down a three pointer on the full time buzzer and it will be forever in the record books.

As a personal aside to Keegan’s story, I believe there is another important part of the story that the everyday fan may not be aware of. Keegan’s reward is testament to his persistence. Here is a guy that has reliably turned up many a day to practice this season only to have to patiently watch from the sideline and wait for one of the ten contracted players to call for a break.
His three point basket was what you call taking advantage of an opportunity and here’s hoping more of your opportunities end the same way.