The Official NBL 2006/07 Thread

So, to Shane Heal and the Dragons, you've lost me for good.

If it's any consolation, they're currently trailing the 36ers 55-38 at the half; Heal is leading the Dragons with 10 points. I guess the absence of any form of post presence makes it easier for him to chuck up more threes.

If there's anything remotely positive to find in the whole sorry affair it's that we can cast some new villains in the league but I don't think this is attention the league needs. They say any publicity is good publicity but the NBL really doesn't need anything that makes it look even more unprofessional and second-rate.

I'd love to be more supportive of the NBL but as I've said so often before the way the league carries itself it's very difficult and situations like this one with the Dragons don't make it any easier.

I never liked Heal anyway....I'm a huge fan of Mark Price so let's hope Heal fails

36ers up by nine with just under six minutes to go...

Edit: It's a done deal. 36ers 103, Dragons 88.

yeah, i'm all about the singapore slingers now. yay.

well, good to see fuller gets the last laugh, at least. a big fuck you very much to fox sports for their tv selections. the top two teams in an overtime thriller, while fox sports covers the bottom two teams in a game that wasn't even close.

MATCH REVIEW: Dragons @ 36ers (25 October, First Half Only)

I'm only doing the first half of this, since I had to go to the Wildcats.

Fuller: They really missed his inside presence. They got killed on the boards in the first quarter, and never really recovered.

Ingles: Why is everyone drooling over this kid? Brad Newley was the same story a few years ago, and look where he is now. Sure, Ingles can play, but he's not really that impressive IMO. If he was in his third year in the league, no-one would give a shit, but he's a rookie. So, from the assumption that he sucks, since he's a rookie, he appears to be Michael Jordan.

John Casey: Lanard Copeland hit 21 points against Adelaide? Cot Dang, Case, make a right call occasionally.

Steve Carfino: Is an idiot. "When you lose an Oscar Foreman, and replace him with a local kid, you aren't as good." First of all, I was under the impression that Oscar Foreman was a local kid anyway. But I guess I have no clue. Besides that point, Oscar Foreman had about as much impact as a feather falling onto a brick. That, and there's Carfino's immediate assumption that local kids suck. All this after sucking Ingles' dick for the previous ten minutes. Hypocritical stereotyping useless...you get the idea.

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I feel like writing a letter to Fox Sports demanding they show a replay of the Wildcats game. Seriously, they're getting like ESPN.

MATCH REVIEW: Tigers @ Wildcats (25 October)

The Schedule: Why would we want to watch the two bottom teams in a blowout when we could watch this? Word of the day is Wow. I'll make the call now: Best. Basketball. Game. Ever.

The Atmosphere: There is absolutely nothing like being live at Challenge Stadium in a close one. Nothing. As if the game wasn't exciting enough, the crowd steps it up to a whole new level. Most of the league reckons Townsville and Adelaide are better; I'd sure like to be at one of their games live then.

Hustle: Players from both teams were all over the court in this one. All 20 players acted as if their life depended on getting to the ball, and it paid off. I have never seen a better example of pure hustle than the play 40 seconds or so out from OT. It was unreal.

The Rules: For once, I'll take the Americans' side. An off the ball foul in the last two minutes should be unsportsmanlike. Melbourne managed OT by decking Rogers on the other side of the court with 16.4 seconds left, and a one point margin. Rogers only hit one freethrow, allowing Dave Thomas to tie with just seconds on the clock.

Caporn: Almost lost this one all by himself. Took a completely unnecessary off-balance three in OT, fumbled a pass, then dribbled into a corner and got stuck. On three consecutive plays. Then he goes and hits the winning freethrows. The proverbial Zero to Hero.

Wildcats: 9/10
Tigers: 8.5/10
Match: 10/10

Sounded like a thriller. But of course Fox Sports has to show a battle between the bums.

The South Dragon situation is very suspect. I'm glad I didn't sign up to become a member because I would be feeling very jibbed at the moment. Is it just me or does it look like they brought in Price and Fuller just to sell tickets, get media coverage and gain members. I will still support them for now, but any further questionable behavious and my loyalty may be lost. I can't stand the tigers (hated them since the days of South East Melbourne Magic - woohoo!) and really want another melbourne based team that is competitive. I just don't want a dirty backstabbing organisation to be that team. Oh well, I guess we'll see what happens...

I can't stand the tigers (hated them since the days of South East Melbourne Magic - woohoo

Yay! Go the magic! It sounds like youre in a similar position to what i'm in, (though you're maybe slightly more loyal). Those days were great, because they were the only professional sporting team who were specific to my neck of the woods. I will stick by the dragons for now, but now i'm gonna have to start demanding results. If these moves were made for the good of the team, then i'll give the dragons an opportunity to prove it. But they'd better prove it.

Back on the topic of the magic, I've got a signed poster of their entire final season team, (i.e. before they became the titans) including Chris Anstey, Jason Smith, Mike Kelly, John Dorge. Those were kickass times.

nice report koberulz, you're my weekly guide to keeping up on the in's & out's of the NBL season

i obviously won't be able to review every game i see, but i will get most done. there'll probably be a slight delay on most games since i watch them when it's convenient, rather than when they're on.

So who in here are acutal fans of teams?

i'm a Brisbane fan

We got a killer backcourt of Black and Bruton and Ebi Ere... I don't like Bruton much but he's still good

Gotta love the Breakers

Aggonising loss to Townsville last night, although it was an enjoyable game to watch.

I'm really enjoying Carlos Powell's play, but cant help but feel that its a little cheap that apart from Pepper, Henare and Olsen our team is led by imports....

that was one hell of a finish. i thought townsville had it wrapped up with a minute to go, then powell gets a shot for the game on the buzzer...they really dropped the ball there. literally and metaphorically.

koberulz when's the next Cats' home game? I'll probably go watch, Rogers is looking really good atm, hes getting back to his MVP form. Brooks has dropped off the radar a bit, havent heard much of him since the first 3 games or so. Is he travelling alright?

i didn't really notice brooks at all on wednesday.

the next game is november 1 against brisbane. they have fixtures on their site, and they're also on the NBL site. check it yourself, you lazy bastard

Lol, thanks for the info. I'll check next time lol.

Yeah Brooks has dropped off, i think Redhage, Rogers and Ronaldson noticed he was the star and they got jealous so they all stepped up their games lol. Ronaldson is the most consistent on this team by far. Redhage is alright but he tends to over shoot when hes not hot simply because hes the "star".

ronaldson has certainly worked on his 3-ball over the offseason, i doubt it improved that much by itself. if he could drive, he'd be a real threat, but with that frame...

kudos to fox sports for covering a townsville game, a townsville-melbourne game, a townsville game, a melbourne game, and another melbourne game. that's what i call variety.

why the fuck is the allstar game in the first month or so of the season? that's pathetic.

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MATCH REVIEW: Crocs @ Tigers (October 28)

Carfino: Just because the guy is on a 1-on-0 fast break does not mean he has to pull off a double pump quadruple backflip 540 tope dunk folloed by three backflips on the way down. this is not streetball, for jaesus' sake.

Fast Break: Several occasions here where either too much or too little passing resulted in a turnover. The first two Melbourne breaks were awesome, but it went steadily downhill (for both teams) from there.

Complacent: Melbourne relaxed too much and let Townsville into the game. Teams who know how to capitalise on that could easily defeat the Tigers.

Over The Top: How many times did Townsville give up an over the top lob pass right into the keyway for a wide open layup in the first quarter?

D: Some awesome defensive plays here. One of the best defensive clinics I've seen, especially in the fact that pace was not sacrificed.

Shotclock: WTF is the "It has to be a shot to reset the clock" rule? How can you tell whether it's a shot or a pass? If an alleyoop pass somehow scores unassisted, does that mean it doesn't count?

Chris Anstey: It's going to take some serious work to get the MVP title off of him. Absolutely huge tonight on both ends of the floor.

D-Mac: How the hell is this guy still playing? He looks 20 out there, and at this rate he'll be dead before he retires. Not a knock on him at all, because he can damn sure still play.

Townsville: 7/10. Started well, faded quickly.
Melbourne: 8.5/10. Awesome throughout, got a little complacent late.
Game: 8.5/10. Defensive clinic, run 'n stun gameplay...this one had it all except a closer scoreline.

Nice update koberulz, I don't watch NBL anymore, but it sorta sounds like its gotten alot better over the past couple of years. Although no one will ever be as good as Mike Chappelle

Carfino: Just because the guy is on a 1-on-0 fast break does not mean he has to pull off a double pump quadruple backflip 540 tope dunk folloed by three backflips on the way down. this is not streetball, for jaesus' sake.

Wtf?

Could you explain? (i didnt watch)

Shotclock: WTF is the "It has to be a shot to reset the clock" rule? How can you tell whether it's a shot or a pass? If an alleyoop pass somehow scores unassisted, does that mean it doesn't count?

Thousands of young hopefuls in Australasia aiming for the NBL and just happening to have patterned their game after Shawn Marion are now heart broken

Did Carfino do an awesome dunk or just do too much? Ah well, the NBL needs more action, don't know what you're complaining about if he did some move that was ridiculous

And the NBL's 1 to 10 rating system needs to go IMO... it's stupid, I can hack the 2 imports rule but the rating players on a scale of 1 to 10 is stupid... or at least they should update the ratings each season or something. An example of its flaws: Derek Rucker is still rated a 10... I know it tries to help the league stay compeititve.... I still think the NBL can do without it... But i guess some clubs arent rich enough to survive...

Dragons finally won last night. Heal supposedly played well, dropping 15 in the first quater I believe and 26 for the game. Quite a few players have gone out and publicly backed Heal as well, saying his practices are at the intensity they expect and he's coaching at a level that they demand.

brad newley went on a 1-on-0 fast break and did a one-handed dunk.

"don't know if we're gonna have him goin to the dunk contest, open court like that shoulda thrown it backwards or somethin. he shoulda taken off."

that's carfino's exact words, i just reviewed the tape. it's not the only time he's done a similar thing, he does it almost every dunk (or lack thereof) he considers unsatisfactory.

lol, yet if Newley had missed, he would of gotten harsh words from the dude I bet.

But Newley did get a nice dunk in the paint when he cut in. I didnt even look like he was going to dunk that one.

I remember that part aswell koberulz, he stole it off Anstey and sprinted off and then just did the easiest dunk in the world lol.

The alley oop was pretty good.

Quite a few players have gone out and publicly backed Heal as well, saying his practices are at the intensity they expect and he's coaching at a level that they demand.

I wonder why they are supporting the coach? Cause they wanna get playing time?

Anyhow, I have no problem with Heal coachign and Price quiting but from some articles, it seemed that Heal had the intent of kicking Price out the door.... I felt real bad for Price. And with Fuller, I am sure they could have used him but since most NBL teams are playing small ball now... I guess its alright...