Hinder Re-Signs

Captain of the Townsville Crocodiles Russell Hinder has been the first player to re-sign with the club for the upcoming 2010/11 NBL season.

Here is footage from the press conference which was held this morning.

Pat Mills Is In & NBL Has Action

Pat Mills is ready to hang with the NBA guys on a fulltime basis now.

Today Aussie Olympian Pat Mills has told reporters that he will be putting is name into the 2009 NBA Draft.

This is only one topic of many that is making news within basketball as we speak.

- sfgate.com - "In my head, I'm 100 percent in (the draft). There's an opportunity there, and I want to make sure I grab both horns and go for it," Pat Mills said. "I suppose there's always a backup plan, but in my head, there's no backup plan."

- nba.fanhouse.com - "According to several observers who saw the two afternoon workouts, Pittsburgh's Sam Young was the most impressive player. Young, a 6-foot-6 swingman, was in Group 1, and played with/against Luke Harangody (Notre Dame), Joe Ingles (Australia), Damion Jones (Texas), Jeff Pendergraph (Arizone State) and Marcus Thornton (LSU)."

- cougcenter.com - "Anyway, a little surprising (Aussie Aron) Baynes didn't want to see if he could catch on somewhere in the NBA this summer and fall, but good on the big fella for continuing his career. He's joining a good team that has qualified for the first division Euroleague in the upcoming season."

- The Canadian Press - "Representatives from 20 NBA teams attended, while Omri Casspi (Israel), Eric Devendorf (Syracuse), Danny Green (North Carolina), Daniel Hackett (Southern California), B.J. Mullens (Ohio State) and Luke Nevill (Utah) moved around the court in the morning. Another half-dozen were due in the afternoon, with more workouts scheduled throughout the week."

- FoxSports - "Perth Wildcats have confirmed forward Alex Loughton will not return to the NBL club for the upcoming season."

- Brisbane Times - "Centre Julian Khazzouh and forward Matthew Knight, both of who played under (Head Coach Rob) Beveridge at the Sydney Spirit last season, also informed their former coach they were Europe-bound and would not join him at the Cats."

- WAToday - "Perth Wildcats' scoring machine Shawn Redhage is staying at the club for at least the next year - and new coach Rob Beveridge has also launched an ambitious bid to bring fellow Boomer Mark Worthington back to his home state."

- Blaze website - "(Gold Coast) Blaze young gun Tyson Demos and towering centre Greg Vanderjagt will line up for their second seasons on the Gold Coast alongside former Brisbane Bullet and Perth Wildcats guard Chris Goulding."

- NBL.com.au - "After all the players and the club have had to endure over the past six months with the uncertainty of the league, it is good news to have Russell Hinder back as a Croc."

- NBL.com.au - “It has been an absolute pleasure being a part of the NBL for the past 13 years,” (Ben) Melmeth said. “Winning a gold medal at the Under 23 World championships, suiting up with Andrew Gaze at the world senior championships in Athens and winning an NBL championship with the Sydney Kings will be my three fondest memories I take from my time playing professional basketball."

Dwight Howard Interrupts Nike Puppet Commericals

Hinder Will Be Crocs First

Happier days are ahead for Russell Hinder and his family (left) as he will become the first Townsville Crocodile player to ink a new deal with the North Queensland franchise.







Look for an early morning (10am) press conference for this news to be officially announced.







In other NBL news, dual NBL championship winning guard Adam Gibson has signed with the Gold Coast Blaze.





Gibson, a current Australian Boomer will rekindle his relationship with former Brisbane Bullet coach Joey Wright.

Detoxing

"Is it true Rusty has 22inches?" That is something I cannot answer.

I've been in playoff detox for the past 48 hours and like any good addict, it never gets any easier to get over it as the years roll on.

It was another season where we did not achieve what we set out to do. Sure there were not too many people that rated the Crocs at the start of the year, but I always felt that if all things feel into place, we would be a chance.

No doubt we needed luck and things to fall our way, but if I felt the team I played on never had a chance, it is time for me to give the game away. (While on that, there has been some speculation that this may have been my last year. Not so, I'm here for another crack at the title.)

We were very close to making it happen here in Townsville. One game short of making the Grand Final and maybe surprising the Melbourne Tigers. It was not to be, but we had our chances and we just did not capitalize on them when they were presented.

Many people will always remember Game 3 and how the South Dragons over ran us in the end. I would like to turn your attention back to Game 1.

The game was tied up or very tight with six minutes to go. That was where I felt we let or opportunity slip through our hands.

The Dragons dominated us in the last six minutes of a ball game we controlled for the majority of the time. Closing out games in playoffs is key and we let a golden opportunity slip through our fingers during the later stages of Game 1.

Give the Dragons credit for playing better in the clutch but I will always feel those were the six minutes that hurt us making the second ever championship series for this proud club I play for.

I think fans and supporters of both teams will remember this series as hard fought but the better team in the end ran over the underdogs.

On the other hand, all teams have their moments to succeed, you just need to take them when they are presented.

What's News

- "To win it would be the greatest achievement I've been involved in in the NBL", said South Dragons coach Brian Goorijian. (The Australian)

Brian Goorjian is already pumping up his own tyres on what a great good he has done with this group. Trying to play the underdog roll once again. His team did finish first in the regular season after all and most of his players have come from solid rosters in the past.

- Former Brisbane Bullet player and four time Olympian Larry Sengstock has the support to bring the Bullets back. Will Basketball Australia see the same thing?

- A Sydney Kings consortium has asked for extra time for their proposal.

- You can never let the truth get in the road of the true make up of your squad. Sydney Spirit are trying to take their team to the Philippines. Just read and you will see the number of errors in this article. I had a slight chuckle to myself as I happen to know Marco and he does have basketball very close to his heart.

- My current teammate Rosell Ellis is temporarily being replaced by a former teammate, Galen Young. Read here to get the full story.

- Townsville Crocs reflect over loss.

Top 10 Kobe plays to date this season.

Cane Toad Becomes A Hinder-ence

Read below to find out who is intimidated with this creature.

Wow! That is about the only word I have to describe what would appear to be our final encounter with the Cairns Taipans.

The game certainly had the home fans buzzing and has led to some interesting conversations around town.

No, I have never seen someone ejected that fast in a game before. Taipans big man Ian Crosswhite exploded in the face of an official within the first ninety seconds of the game and spent the remainder of the game in the Taipans locker room.

If nothing else it set the tone for the remainder of the game. From that point on, the crowd was on edge and looking for more.

Surprisingly it took until the third quarter to see some more fireworks. This time it was a lopsided scuffle between strongman Rosell Ellis and Cairns guard Dwayne Vale.

There is nothing terribly unusual about a little pushing and shoving. What got exciting in this one was the involvement of the non-players.

One young floor wiper became embedded in the brawl like the meat in a sandwich.
And some of our corporate members got a little closer to the action than they bargained for when this may lay spilled over into a baseline box under on the end line. I had never seen so many people try and save a food platter.

Interestingly enough, I may or may not have seen Cowboys forward Carl Webb actually drop his platter and begin slowly edging towards the court, but that is another story for another day.

I cannot tell you how many people made comment after the game about how basketball could use more action and passion like this to get the fans pumped and excited.

I can’t say that I agree that we need to see it night in/ night out, but it was good to see a little fervor from my team mates, especially against the Taipans.

I also had to have a quiet chuckle to myself when I saw the photo used in Monday’s game report.

In a nutshell, it would appear that while the rest of us had each other’s backs and the battle was erupting, Russell Hinder went ahead and made sure that the ball was in safe hands and clear from any potential danger.

I was not at all surprised to see this moment caught on film. You see, Hinder and his family are regular guests in our home. And it just so happened that recently at the end of an evening of North Queensland hospitality, Rillie style, we tried to send Rusty around the corner with the rubbish for the bin at the side of the house.

“Rusty what’s the matter”, I asked when he returned with a look of terror on his face, rubbish still in hand.

“JR I’m not taking this (rubbish) up the side of your house”, he replied.

“What happened?” I shot back at him.

“There are cane toads up there,” he nervously stuttered.
Don’t worry Rusty,…next time the skinny kid from Toowoomba’s got your back.

You can read my column every Wednesday in the Townsville Bulletin.

News

- Rosell Ellis has copped a $750 fine for his behaviour against the Cairns Taipans, while both Dwayne Vale and Ian Crosswhite got off their charges.

- In a blow for the New Zealand Breakers, Kirk Penney will miss the team's vital road double this weekend. The NBL's leading scorer jarred a knee during practice earlier in the week.

- Perth Wildcat centre Paul Rogers is out for the remainder of the season. Rogers who has been battling injury all year made the decision so the Wildcats can re-activate former St Mary's Gael Adam Caporn.

- A great read about Wollongong Hawk Glen Saville and his career in the Gong.

- James Harvey and Greg Vanderjagt are safe on the Gold Coast.

- Ratepayers to help out Taipans cause?

- Cairns Taipan Martin Cattalini keeps his team's slim playoff hopes alive.

- Basketball's Meltdown

- My own piece of gossip. Look for Joey Wright to be back coaching in the NBL next season.

New Year's Resolutions & Hodge Takes One To Nutz

The Crocs brought in the New Year with a bang,..a solid win over the league leading South Dragons. While my teammates were out on the town ringing in the New Year, I was at home taking notes on some of their New Year resolutions.

Russell Hinder is known for his hustle play and those “one percenters” that help get his team over the line for a victory. And sharing team colours with him for the second time has reacquainted me with the fact that the guy spends A LOT of time on the floor.

Rusty’s resolution: To take the shoe size down by one size in an attempt to avoid tripping over those pesky painted lines on the court.

The “Love Doctor” Rosell Ellis has created a buzz around town on air when he doles out relationship advice every Thursday morning. From what I understand, many of his ‘patients’ are impressed and willing to take on board Rosell’s advice.

Ro’s resolution: To organise “The Love Doctor”World Tour. Stay tuned to find out when the Love Doctor’s tour bus will be rolling into a city near you.

My longtime teammate Kelvin Robertson has provided the team with many a laugh over the past few months (who am I kidding,…years), most recently it has been as a result of his joke telling. And let me tell you, it isn’t the punch line that is getting a laugh.

Kel’s resolution: To tell a joke that I haven’t already heard from my seven year old son.

Anthony Susnjara has been a great addition to this year’s team. His sense of humour and candor can never been misinterpreted. And if there is a random, short lived injury to be had, you can bet it will find a home with him. In his short time with the Crocs, he has already managed to suffer from random leg spasms and neck stiffness that lasted for days. He has been so light-headed that he has nearly fainted in practice and has vomited after an ill placed knee from a member of the opposition.

Sus’s resolution: That his next injury suffered be one that he may actually be able to receive some type of treatment for.

You may wonder just how Corey “Homicide” Williams could possibly be left off such a list as this? Two words: Too easy.

And last but not least, I am betting that all Croc fans would love to see their team can go undefeated for the rest of the season.

Well, I will see you Sunday afternoon when we face the Blaze and we will see if we can carry out this particular New Year’s resolution together.

You can read my article every Wednesday in the Townsville Bulletin.

Something To Make Adelaide Fans Feel Better

Success...There Is A Fine Line

This is the trophy that is bringing clubs unstuck.

Well anyone who follows basketball would know that this week the NBL has been making national headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The Brisbane Bullets and the Sydney Kings are on the verge of collapsing and the players are having to fight to get the dollars owed to them.

The ironic part of this whole situation is that these are two of the three clubs, the Melbourne Tigers being the third, who have regularly been championship contenders at one point or another in this decade. Not only have they been contenders, but each has at least one ring. These clubs have triumphed on the court, but this success has not translated to the bottom line: the business of making money.

The definition of ‘success’ in the world of sport can have many arms or elements and which of these you choose to set your focus on can mean the difference between staying afloat and sinking .

Because we are talking about sport, the first and most obvious measurement of success is that which is recorded in the win/loss column or by the number of championship rings on your players fingers.

However it is this second measurement, that being the bottom line, the dollar figure, that sometimes appears to become somewhat skewed in the sporting world in Australia. ‘How secure is your club financially,’ is a point often washed over by a tide of love for your sport and/or passion for your club.

Take the current NBL drama as an example. Clearly both teams in the centre of controversy have demonstrated their on-court success, but any professional sporting organisation is more than just the men or women running around on the court or field week in, week out. It has been that tricky but equally important business end that they have failed to keep in check and could potentially be their demise.

Many armchair warriors who have followed the progress of these clubs would say that there could be some karma coming back around to them. Both the Kings and the Bullets franchises have pushed the envelope when it comes to the salary cap, particularly in the last five or so years.

So now, would you brand either the Kings or the Bullets as a success, keeping in mind that there is a distinct possibility that neither will be participating in the upcoming NBL season? No. Again I will reiterate my point, their teams have been successful, but success of the club as a whole hinges on more than just 10 guys on a court.

Let’s, for the sake of comparison, take a look at the Crocs.

True, the franchise has no championship rings on fingers or trophies in the case since their inception in 1993. Patience by the people in charge and from the fans can begin to wear thin on this matter.

I, however, take comfort in knowing that the Crocs will stand the test of time and will bring a team to the NBL each and every season. I also sleep easy each night knowing my family and I will see the money that is owed to us, on the exact day it is owed to us each and every month that I am contracted with the club.

In this day and age of Australian sport, a player often has to take a gamble, or educated guess on what the best thing for their future is.

Take someone like Sydney Kings player Russell Hinder. The Crocs were in the recruiting race for him a few years ago. Hinder weighed up his options and decided to sign with the Kings. He gambled (albeit correctly) that playing under Brian Goorjian on a daily basis could lead to experience on the National Team.

He got that opportunity. You can never begrudge an athlete for having aspirations to represent his country. Good for Rusty.

However, all week Hinder and his family, which includes a wife and two young children, have been running around in circles trying to meet their monthly budget because he has not seen a payment in his bank account for the past few months.

It would be interesting to hear his response to the question of whether he feels like the Kings are successful.

Would I say the Crocs were successful? Well, I get paid and we will have a team on the court that will take another shot at the championship this season, and for a few more seasons after that. You have to be in it to win it.

You can find my weekly column in the Townsville Bulletin every Saturday.

And It Continues

Reality is Hinder and his family may lose their house.

When I was deciding on what to blog about today I was thinking of leaving the NBL alone. I checked my comments page and noticed all the comments were left by fellow bloggers. Good to see another person's opinion so it led to me not being able to leave the state of the NBL alone.

Now my man Glockers believes the league cannot survive with out Sydney and Brisbane. This is what I have to say in reply.

Glockers..it would be great to have both Sydney and Brisbane in the league. Especially due to the points you make.

On the otherhand they have created their own fate. Whether you want to point your finger at the utter disrespect for the salary cap or loss of sponsors, they have dropped the ball somewhere.

What needs to be remembered, this is a business and the business is sport. Businesses come and go, just as players come and go. It might sound ruthless but this is the world as we know it today.

Sure we have the issue of TV rights and major sponsors but if your market is changing, seek out sponsors that fit your landscape.

What would help out the league right now is some positive, feel good stories and the NBL making a statement about what is happening with the rest of the teams in the league.

You look at the remaining teams in the league, all are on the upswing I believe.

Wollongong I'm not sure about and/or if they are recovering from their financial problems of last year but I would think they would be moving forward since they are currently recruiting an improved roster.

The Razorbacks I have no idea about but if they move to Penrith at least they are trying to improve their situation. They are looking at ways to make the club stronger. Whatever your personal feelings towards Penrith are at least the Pigs can start to build a regular fan base that would live in close proximity to the gym. Something they could have never achieved at Homebush.

Take a look at the rest of the franchises and you have your rock solid teams (Melbourne, Townsville, Cairns, Perth). Crowds and sponsorship seem to be ticking over in these locations.

Adelaide seems to have got it back on track and with coach Scott Ninnis adding a healthy diet of locals to the roster, the Croweaters will come out and support their team.

New Zealand is making a splash and should build on their playoff debut of last season.

New kids on the block Gold Coast have made a few subtle changes and are looking to crack the top 4.

That leaves the Dragons. With Brian Goorijan back in town I'm confident in saying the Dragons will get support from the Melbourne community.

Sure it would be tough to lose a couple of high profile franchises but the foundation they have been built on was not rock solid.

I feel if you have solid franchises and a good product their will always be a market for your business.

Time will tell but the sport of basketball is not in as bad a shape as what has been portrayed over the past three days.

NBL Articles:

DJ Leon Smith was ahead of us all. Check this article out.

Best Off Ground has his say.

Former teammate Russell Hinder may lose his house.

Ebi and Sam only remaining Bullets.

Some Big Wigs have there say on it all.

Tim Morrisey thinks the NBL needs to start from scratch.

NBL season to go ahead.

Super League anyone?

On a lighter note, watch out Tim Gunn, Greg Vaderjagt is coming after your job! Please watch and enjoy what the one time Brisbane Bullet gets up to in his spare time!