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Random dribbling: Wow and Ouch!
TweetYOU know what's great about opening night of the NBL/WNBL seasons, other than just the fact we're finally underway?
It's that your season predictions - that is, your predictions of how teams will finish the SEASON (and of course, based on everyone staying healthy all year) - are fresh in everyone's memory.
There were four games last night and in all honesty I only correctly selected one winner - Wollongong over Sydney in the iiNet Championship.
I expected New Zealand to swagger into their sold-out North Shore Events Centre and give Perth a bit of a baaa-th while in the WNBL, Dandenong sans Jenna O'Hea looked ripe to get beaten by Bulleen, and Adelaide was primed to KO Bendigo at home.
Instead the Wildcats showed sometimes you SHOULD pay attention to PSST form by pantsing the Breakers by 21 points, embarrassing enough at the best of times. But in Auckland? Wow. And. Ouch.
SO it's across to the Sandpit where Sydney takes it right up to the Hawkers before falling by just three points in a terrific opening game for the free-to-air TV coverage.
(But OMG, the commentary! If Brendan J or Carfino said "Shane won't be happy with that" or "Shane would be happy to see that" or "Shane blah blah" one more time I was gonna scream. Brendan too with the: "That's right Steve. Shane wouldn't be happy to see that, Steve. That's not good, Steve. I have to agree Steve. ... Um, so Steve, you seeing anyone?"
Sorry, but that's where it sounded like it might be headed. Was there a Gordie in that game at all by the way? It's a new season all right, but some things don't change, sadly.)
The game was a beaut though, all four imports having good moments and, fair such of the sav, but Glen Saville turning back the clock with a vintage class performance. Wow. And. Ouch.
LET'S switch to the ladies where my title favorites Bulleen took a welt from the Rangers, with newbie Sara Blitz-halves accumulating a game-high 19 points at 57 per cent, eight boards, a couple of assists, a steal and a block on debut. Wow.
At Adelaide Arena, the Lightning - anxious to erase the lasting memory of their twin home playoff losses to Bulleen and Dandenong last season - hit 0-of-12 three-pointers, 4-of-10 free throws in the last quarter and 29-of-72 from the floor overall to gift the Spirit with an important road win.
Remember Bendigo was down Renae Camino, though Adelaide also was down Jenni Screen.
Gabrielle Richards was a big focus inside and her basket and bonus free throw to win the game were quality.
But what about the pocket rocket? Kristi Harrower is STILL amazing. Try 20 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals. You have to just love her. But. Ouch.
NOW here is the shocking truth. If I had one doubt on the night, the only prediction I would have changed would have been Sydney to beat Wollongong!
Yes, I know. Pathetic really.
Just had a sneaking suspicion the Kings might be able to catch the Hawks a couple of men down (Coenraad, Demos) and, it being the rivalry clash, maybe get an upset. Had I said that out aloud, it would have been 0-4 on opening night for me.
Good thing I didn't mention it to anyone, eh?
CONGRATULATIONS to BA for finally on Thursday acknowledging Lorraine Landon's retrenchment.
No-one has an issue with BA "implementing a staff restructure, which will be finalised later this month".
And few would have an issue re LL's ultimate redundancy with "the position of General Manager, WNBL and Competitions" being cut.
Without entering into the merits or otherwise of some of Landon's past work (because she has been a galvanising character), she has given pretty much her adult life to administering the sport, making her treatment by BA again extremely ordinary. And I'm NOT referring to her positions being made redundant.
There are just appropriate ways to allow someone who has given so much service to depart with dignity. Ouch.
SPEAKING of BA, it is wonderful for Canberra that Brigitte Ardossi was cleared by the WNBL Tribunal of striking Bulleen's Rachel Jarry with an elbow.
Ardossi can play tonight against Sydney after the charge arose "from a collision" between the two players during the PSST. (You know, the sort of collision you get when you viciously throw your head against a swinging elbow.)
Yes it was at the PSST. Way back then. (Onions have always been in short supply in our game's administrative offices, let's be honest. But they did finally get around to dealing with it.)
Jarry suffered a concussion from the "collision" but the Tribunal determined Ardossi was not guilty. There was no malice, apparently.
How a Tribunal can determine that is always interesting to me. I would bet there are a myriad of incidents where a player will do something they would definitely regret if it connected, and usually do when it does connect and damage caused. That doesn't alter the fact it happened though.
Levels of malice or intent really become irrelevant. No-one means to knock someone out or break someone's arm, surely.
Forgive my lack of faith in our Tribunal system but I recall one year when Martin Cattalini was suspended for fighting, but no other player was suspended. So, apparently, he was fighting with himself. In that case, is that worth a suspension? Or just some pyschological counselling?
HAD a couple of stories up at adelaidenow.com.au if you're looking for additional ways to kill time, though they naturally are Adelaide-centric.
SO IT wasn't Ivan McFarlin after all who became Townsville's second import, but the SEABL-based American forward does look like he might be in the wings for an NBL call-up at some point.
McFarlin, 203cm and an Oklahoma State alumni, will return to Bendigo next SEABL season, where he played for the Braves in 2010-11.
Macca suited for 11 NBA games with Philadelphia 76ers in 2006 and has played in France, Turkey, Switzerland and Poland.
He spent 2012 with Tochigi Brex in the JBL (Japan Basketball League - not John Bradshaw Layfield), averaging 15.6 points and 9.7 rebounds under former North Melbourne Giants championship coach Bruce Palmer.
While the rumor mill had him heading for the Crocs, truth is he will be back in the SEABL in 2013, but don't be surprised if he does earn an NBL shot before too long.
HAD an interesting conversation with Chris Anstey regarding his role as Tigers coach and the media's role in making predictions etcetera.
Truth be known, most of us who are asked by Sports Editors to rate teams know that, at best, it's fraught with peril, at worst a shot at year-long humiliation.
When I worked mine out, I know full well if I'd done it all again 10 minutes later, I would have had a different order. Give me another 10 and it would have differed again.
Let's face it, in the NBL, most of us would select New Zealand and Perth to be back in the finals but here is my most honest possible assessment of every NBL team's best case-worst case scenario.
NZ - champion/miss playoffs
Perth - champion/miss playoffs
Adelaide - champion/miss playoffs
Wollongong - champion/miss playoffs
Cairns - final four/last
Townsville - champion/last
Melbourne - final four/last
Sydney - final four/last
You can see, Townsville has the biggest scope in my view, but every team is in the hunt and every team is a chance to bomb out. Health is SUCH a key issue.
Now you can say that is a cop-out or you can agree 2012-13 has enormous scope for upsets and thrilling matches. Opening night already has shown us that!
NBL champion in 1982, West Adelaide Bearcats will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the first SA flag success at national level on Saturday, December 1.
The club also will unveil its inaugural Hall of Fame inductees, and its lost but now replaced championship banners.
There will be a cocktail party following the formalities on court at the club's Port Adelaide Stadium home, tickets just $10 for adults and gold coin for children.
The bar will be open and if you have ever been involved with West Adelaide as a player, coach, administrator or supporter at any level, this is its Must-Attend event.
JUST in case you're interested, although I've already revealed a fair lack of competence, I've got Sydney to beat Canberra, Townsville to take Logan and West Coast to upset Bendigo in tonight's WNBL matches.
I'm thinking Cairns too deep for Townsville tonight and the 36ers to beat Melbourne tomorrow in the NBL fixtures. Check them out on NBL.TV if you can't get along.
FRANCIS the talking mule, Mr Ed the talking horse, and Salem the talking cat walk into a bar.
The barman looks up from where he is cleaning glasses, stares at them and says: "What is this? Some kind of joke?"
