Aussie Basketball Discussion

[Nick]

A number will. A number dropped off in week three or so, once they realised he wasn't a superstar.

Well, of course a "number" will. Some will stick. Some will not. The point is, when all is said and done the league will have been better off by having Patty for a stint rather than not.

[koberulz]

Given that he spent a considerable amount of time trashing the league on Twitter, and the Tigers as an organisation are completely shit (dropping from 1000 members a few years ago to about 400 members this year), that really isn't guaranteed. Attendance was up for a game. TV rating were up for a game. After that first week, though, ratings and attendance are no different to what they've been for years. Ratings-wise, you could argue that the same number is actually an increase due to the move from live games to a three-hour delay, but that's as far as you can really go.

[The X]

Goulding owns!!!

Goulding is a flopping piece of shit. So much for that being a point of emphasis...

The flopping, his shot selection, it all just adds to his epicness.

[koberulz]

Bogut just confirmed the massive news he tweeted about was Patty's departure, rather than some big deal that was actually positive and would deserve hype.

Basically all the lockout has done is confirm that they're both dicks.

[Kenny]

Patty Mills maybe, but Bogut's dickish nature was established well before this period of time. He was putting people offside before he even played a game in the NBA. I'm a fan of his, but I don't always care for what he says.

[Nick]

Bogut is a bit of a douche, Patty Mills is a legend though.

[koberulz]

Bogut is a bit of a douche, Patty Mills is a legend though.

I refer you to the video of him flopping.

[Nick]

I refer you to every single interview of him. He's just a cool as down to earth guy. I don't really care if he flopped.

[Andrew]

Patty Mills maybe, but Bogut's dickish nature was established well before this period of time. He was putting people offside before he even played a game in the NBA. I'm a fan of his, but I don't always care for what he says.

I'm with you on that one.

[koberulz]

I refer you to every single interview of him. He's just a cool as down to earth guy. I don't really care if he flopped.

I can tell you didn't see it. Flopping is one thing, entirely making shit up after fouling a guy six times is quite another.

Not to mention the whole fucking off to China thing.

As far as Bogut is concerned, I've never paid any attention to him prior to this, so I wouldn't have a clue how much of a dick he's been in the past.

[Nick]

I have seen the flopping footage. I just disagree that he's a dick. I like him. *shrug*

What's wrong with him going to china?

[koberulz]

In itself, nothing, but given all the 'wanting to help out' stuff he was crapping on about (no idea how much of that came to fruition, but I haven't heard anything about it since) and the fact that a departure to China wasn't brought up as a possibility until the day it happened...

[The X]

In the end Mills only thought lockout would last about 4 to 6 weeks, signed with NBL so that he could play bball and get paid whilst at home in Australia. I think his intention to try to help the league would've been genuine, just like Bogut, but he probably came to conclusion with lockout going long term that it was better for his future NBA prospects and bank balance to be in China.

[Nick]

Yep. And if you were in the same position koberulz you'd have done the same thing. You're just being a cynical asshat.

[Kenny]

I'd say Mills' dickishness is more on the court than off it. He seems to have a bit of an "I'm NBA bitch" attitude when he's playing the "lesser" competition. But I agree that off it he seems like a cool guy.

Still, he doesn't hold a candle to Jingles when it comes to attitude

As far as Bogut is concerned, I've never paid any attention to him prior to this, so I wouldn't have a clue how much of a dick he's been in the past.

Bogut more or less called Longley a stiff, to which Luc pretty much said (in my best Jesse Pinkman impression) "Win some rings and then you can talk about me... BITCH!"

Okay, Luc didn't really say it like that, but you get the point

[Andrew]

Having said that, Bogut has already established himself as a better player than Longley and should ultimately have the better NBA career, at least from an individual standpoint. Still, he could've been a bit more respectful, shown a bit more class there.

[koberulz]

I think his intention to try to help the league would've been genuine

It wasn't just the league, he was talking about working with indigenous Melburnians. If he did, I didn't hear about it, and spending time on Twitter saying the NBL sucks is not helping the league.

he probably came to conclusion with lockout going long term that it was better for his future NBA prospects and bank balance to be in China.

Bank balance, perhaps, but I don't see how it'll do anything for his NBA career.

[Kenny]

Having said that, Bogut has already established himself as a better player than Longley and should ultimately have the better NBA career, at least from an individual standpoint. Still, he could've been a bit more respectful, shown a bit more class there.

Without a question he's superseeded Longley on an individual basis, but he was still selling short the kind of player Luc Longley actually was. I think he was pretty underrated in the grand scheme of things. Jordan, Pippen and Rodman were of course all a big deal during the three-peat, but the fact Longley was a centre that was able to last all three championships under Phil Jackson's system speaks volumes I think.

[Andrew]

Agreed, he was a decent centre, a solid hand in the right system and he enjoyed a respectable career.

As for Mills, I have to agree that it has to be pretty much a financial decision. It doesn't really do much for his NBA career at all, especially since players who have signed on in China won't be able to join an NBA team until March (assuming of course the season isn't lost as currently seems likely). Fair call on his part I suppose, we all have the right to seek out the best financial situation we can.

[Kenny]

I read on Twitter that the Tigers are now trying to pursue Bogut. I wonder if it has merit or whether it's like Townsville's Shaq rumours.

[koberulz]

A bid for a second Melbourne team, likely to enter the league in 2013-14, has been placed with BA.

[Andrew]

Fair enough I guess. Getting a team in some other places first should be a priority but I'm guessing the fan interest is there in Melbourne for a second team, along with the necessary financial backing.

[koberulz]

The thing with Melbourne is that anyone not a part of the Tigers juniors hates the Tigers, so the market for a second team there is essentially the whole of Melbourne.

I'd much rather that than them forcing in a Brisbane team there seems to be basically no interest in. And as muchas you want the Falcons back, I don't think they're going to fare better than a second Melbourne team. The interest appears to there, to the point where I'd say Newcastle is more likely than he Bullets at this stage, but that's really no reason to turn down what is, essentially, a first true Melbourne team.

It would also help if the NBL tried scheduling Tigers games on nights when their juniors aren't playing, so that the few peoe who would want to go to a Tigers game actually can.

[Andrew]

Fair call. Ideally they'll all make it back into the comp at some point, after all in the league's heyday we had all three of those teams (and indeed, a third Melbourne club). One step at a time, I suppose.

[Kenny]

A team in every state capital would be a nice touch, but one step at a time I suppose. As for Brisbane's interest, the reason why I'm not showing interest in the games is because I don't like the Gold Coast Blaze. Aside from the epicness of Chris Vujacic-Goulding, I can't like them because I hate the Gold Coast as a place (and yeah, I've mentioned that before). Still deciding on whether to go to the Townsville game that'll be here next year, as they're my adopted QLD team. My favourite is still New Zealand though... as dirty as that makes me feel