Exciting stuff..
For Sturt a brilliant 3 point shooter, great at blocks,rebounds and dunks. Very popular with the crowd when he comes on......
Sounds a bit like Cooper...

Come on Camel31 its always exciting to see if Cooper can score an uncontested basket from 1-2 feet away from the basket! :P

What a way to start of a day, Lets just hope Burston stays healthy all year and Coops see's very little court time. The last thing I will say on this topic is Cooper is this era's version of Jason Williams.

I was thinking that yesterday about Williams. But then, I could see why they kept signing him too.

Because he did good dunks during warm ups Isaac? :P

Whilst know my thoughts on this and in reality could not put it any better than KJ.
Scotty your team your reasons but dont insult our intelligence and build it up.
Fast losing my group of 5 season ticket holders with this signing making 3 out of my 5 gone now . Seats we have had from day 1 at Dome.
To me this decision more than bad decision it is wrong direction in many ways including getting fans through the door. Winning is all but Nbl is also about
entertainment.
I am now going try to think positive .
But my guess from reading between lines or posts that will only be short lived until mid next week when they sign irratic injury prone Groves.
Guess positive of Groves is that might work

Pretty much was going to happen... we needed a back-up big, if not Cooper, who else was it going to be? I don't really like it, but it'll just be for one season you'd think, so I'll get over it. And at least he's a good guy, hopefully a good influence on the team off the court.

This is a bad move, as if Burston goes down hurt we will be left with effectively no viable centre.

Look, I understand the reasons for going with him, but come on, blocked shots per minute. Yeah, he might block 1 shot in 5 minutes playing time, but does anyone think if he played 30 minutes he would average 6 blocks!

All the stuff about team chemistry doesn't wash with me either. IMO Cooper could play that role just as effectively from the first row behind the bench.

I've changed my mind about Groves though, and am quite happy with that option.

Mutley, who else can you get cheap for 10 MPG that will be solid if Burston is injured or in foul trouble?

KJ, no, it was because there were not really any local alternatives that had size/potential at the time, and we often had dominant guards (Maher, Mee, Thomas, etc) so it wasn't really worth bidding high for someone from interstate.

Bretts, 'building it up' is the job of a press release! Next you'll be telling us that the team the other year wasn't actually "set to soar". I can understand not getting excited about the signing, but fans have to be pretty fickle to make a purchasing decision based largely around a solitary back-up role in a game reduced to 40 minutes.

Let's say you have to write a press release extolling the virtues of David Cooper. What else do you put but talk up his ability to avoid injury and shot blocking ability?

Realistically, there's probably enough of a chance that they could back up Burston with Ballinger and Holmes anyway given the depth at PF.

For a bit of perspective, other back-up centres around the league:

Breakers: Tony Ronaldson or Alex Pledger (a development player)
Hawks: Tim Behrendorff or Larry Davidson
Tigers: Daniel Johnson
Blaze: Someone presumably no better than Greg Vanderjagt
Taipans: Not sure about Cairns, maybe Matt Smith after all or Rychart might fill in a bit behind Crosswhite as he did in Brisbane and sometimes in Adelaide
Wildcats: Cats fans said they've seen Justin Brown in Perth recently...
Crocs: Depends if they start Hinder and Roberts as PF and C. May not have a dedicated back-up centre?

Hardly a level above. It's the reality of a league that's lost Schenscher, Khazzouh and Knight in an off-season and is playing 40 minute games with a 'reduced' (for many teams) cap.

This is a bad move, as if Burston goes down hurt we will be left with effectively no viable centre.

Hereschenes, I don't know if Sturt could have filled that role, but maybe he could've. I know Cooper cannot anymore.

Isaac, after 10 years in the league if that is all that they could find to say about Cooper then that pretty much makes my point for me.

Look, I'll admit if I am wrong later, but if is the same guy who last season resembled a wet-lettuce when he caught the ball around the basket then it is a bad move. It is also somewhat surprising, given that Ninnis moves as a coach for the most part have been progressive.

I agree with you about Ballinger and Holmes though, especially given the shorter games.

All this said and done, I am actually really happy with the way this team is shaping up.

A whacky waving inflatable arm waving tube guy would be a more solid inside presence. Or if we're purely going for height, we could contract a painter's ladder.

Arrrggh! blah blah blah to some of these negative posts, honestly!

IMO, It is so irrelevant and petty when people post on about themselves and their friends/who ever, not deciding to buy season tickets, because they are un satisfied about who has been signed! DON'T BUY THEM!

Everyone is entitled to there opinion, but when your not the Coach, you really have zero say about the signings, so get over it and look at the positives that far outweigh the negatives, ie:, at least there will be a team to support this season! Choose a new sport to support if your just going to be negative and rattle on about players you think don't deserve a spot, the Coach thinks they do, and that's what counts!

I think what Scott has done with the team is great for this season and there are many, many fans who will be getting behind what is a great team this season. The guys who have been signed are such good, respectable guys off the court, and that's already a huge compliment to Scott and the SOS, but the main thing is they all have something individually beneficial to bring to the team and the competition and it's up to us as fans to get behind them as a team, not attack them as individuals.

Get behind the team!!! It's a fantastic team so far. Go Coops! and bring on Groves if that's what the Coaches think is a winner. It's his team.

:) GO SIXERS ! ! ! !

I have moved on, not complaining about it anymore, i will wait for the start of the season and the first time is tippy toes touch the court.

Yes of course you are right Isaac Scotty had to build the signing up and Mutleys right he did not have a lot of positives to say really . Again Mutleys right that suprising signing given the progressive fwd thinking Scotty has done since in job.
Sorry Isaac and heresence you will never convince me there was not a lot of better alternative but Isaac point re not a lot of depth in back up centres in other NBL teams in season ahead.
Mind you prefer them to Coops. Feel bad knocking him as been good team member but so was Sapwell etc we did not keep him on past due date
Bit concerned re lack of feedback re Gilchrist who has been down there to see him trial out as feedback please. Love Mutley please use his picture on your posts please Mutley

I still blame the U23 rule that hamstrung them. As Boti mentioned, the league's rationale was signing players that "aren't good enough to make it in the US college system" - say what?! We want the less talented young guys?

Mutley - to clarify, I agree with you, he's useless on-court these days. But I just think they were probably out of options. I'm just kinda resigned to fate with it, like Big Sexy.

Coopsokwithme, the fans do have a say in who is signed to some degree. If the coach decides to pick a team of players everyone hates then their would be less crowd to the games. So that is taken into account when picking players.

Also I think its fine to attack individual players if they don't put in 100% or destroy the chemistry or don't learn from their mistakes.

Ninnis certainly has done a great job with picking this team and he can't please everyone. If some people don't renew their tickets because Cooper plays 5-10 minutes then so be it.

Early last season , Luke Schenscher was a slow starter and Cooper came on and steadied things down.
Sturt is a polite young man, respectfull to those around him, but just turned 23.
I'm a basketball fan that's not a fan of a new BA rule of U23 and 40 mins.
I'll go to the Dome and watch the 36ers and the double header.
I MAY go a bit less if I'm hard up for cash.

Isaac I thought these change their names posters were not going to happen.
Cooper---- whatever alias you used or normally use I cant stop my friends from not wanting to buy season tickets for whatever reason they have.
But maybe by me and others writing our thoughts keeps us interested and stops us from saying cant be bothered anymore.
If we all agreed with everything or each other there would be no website to voice our opinion on .
I am sure young Sturt etc are good respectful person of court too .
Great attitude by the way dont like something go way dont buy season tickets.
Sorry I thought people buying tickets to games was how team payed the players and all other costs.
Hey I dont want to go along to game with 2k there I want 5k plus there at games . So dont tell us who care and have a opinion not to use that right or we cant buy our tickets and encourage our friends to do so

KingJames, you raise a good point but in reality the Coach wouldn't put together a team that "everyone hated" because a Coach gets his job from being smarter than that, surely.

IMO Yes, "attack" players that CLEARLY DESTROY team chemistry (because that is detectable a mile away and should be addressed). But don't pettishly attack our players when they fail now and then, especially when that failure is not from a lack of trying.

Our Team work their guts out at training and weights and on game nights and they all strive to be better then they are to keep their positions.

Nobody wants to perform more then they do.

:)

Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I don't think anyone's questioning work ethic or desire to win here. It's a professional (?) sporting franchise - fans want to see a) wins and b) excitement.

In this case, Cooper is arguably the Club's best case scenario given the limited options available for a number of reasons - one of which being the U23 rule. It doesn't mean everyone needs to be happy about it.


That said, in this kid's opinion:

- I'd prefer a young / solid body unknown than Cooper, but I'm biased towards youth / athleticism.

- U23 rule needs to be raised to 24 or abolished alltogether.

- If the league is hell-bent on 10 minute quarters, trial it for the upcoming season for the sake of TV packaging, although I'm not thrilled.

- I <3 Sixers.

Isaac, if I had've know you had Doug and Sara coming to see you this morning I would have sent the signed/framed Cooper print I have on my office wall with them!

why is everybody complaining about a back up centre position? Im pissed were signing garbage Cortez Groves with an import spot. Id prefere Grizzard at least he will stay healthy.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I don't think anyone's questioning work ethic or desire to win here. It's a professional (?) sporting franchise - fans want to see a) wins and b) excitement.

Mutley, my knowledge of sinks has at least doubled today.

Hah!

Simple Coopsokwithme you are too close to the situation obviously and we are not attacking anyone we are voicing our opinion on a plyr being re signed.
Darnell JR and many other great plyrs train and play hard but get cut and dont have a team.
If you sat in the stands last season you had ears closed at the groans etc when Coops come on or missed open shots from 1-2 ft or watched whilst opp. rebounded .
But more importantly so much has been done to keep club going want to see it keep moving fwd and get new supporters to club.
EG some kid like Sturt would get crowd buzzing in the few mins he got not groans .
Re chemistry much as I didnt like it Hodge destroyed team chemistry but got crowds through the door not right but just a point.

Bretts, I tried to, can't figure it out. Isaac (or whoever else knows) how do I add a picture to my profile?

When you post, you need to put the email address (you registered at gravatar.com) in the Email field (which doesn't get shown to the public).

Mutley, go to www.gravatar.com, and use the email address that you use in the email field to post here.

Zounds... trumped again!

Whenever I fear my subtlety may go unnoticed, hereschenes comes through. Bless you, sir.

Milhouse why do you keep on going about Groves being injury prone? As far as I'm away the only injuries he has had is a bad poke in the eye causing him to miss a few games and the nerve damage injury. Both were unlucky circumstances. I can't remember any other injuries, not saying I am wrong but let me know if there was others that caused him to miss lots of games?

From memory Groves was pretty injury prone in his later yrs with the Hawks & most of his time with the Dragons was spent on the sidelines.

He is also now in his 30's so you'd think he's more likely to end up like Mike Chappell & Charles Thomas in terms of not being able to live up to past performances, but I hope he proves me wrong as he looks a lock on th SG position.

I still feel we should be looking at a SF that can defend & get to the basket gievn the amount of guards on our current roster. If we have to go with a Guard would Ebi be a better fit? At least we know he will be on the court

Well they managed to sign the two players I absolutely would not pay to see play.
Well done Sixers, while you're at it, maybe you can see what J-Will is up to these days as well.

Jake, Ebi would cost too much and shoot the ball too much.

This certainly puts the nail in the Schenscher plan.

KJ, Groves copped a savage screen in a Breakers game and missed a few games after that I think.

Jake, Ebi and Donta Smith would just be priced way out of Adelaide's reach IMO.

Darden might be a better fit for that sort of role, but wasn't always a prolific scorer and a few people are of the opinion that we need more offense.

Skip, I don't know how possible Luke would've been in the first place - is always going to have overseas as his priority.

Coops may not be the most skilled player in the NBL but a great locker roomguy. Dillion Boucher is in the same md. Every team needs these types of guys. Plus money plays a huge factor in it as well.

I would be a great locker room guy and I will work 110% when I am on the court and I won't complain about minutes either, I should ring Scotty up and see if I can get a game, who cares that I am not up to NBL standard :-)

I remember asking my brother in his first year training or playing for the Sixers how Paul Rees got it done despite being a bit of a glacier in his movement. He said that one of Reesy's big advantages came through experience - he knew how to play his opposition and what their tendencies were, a bit like an innate scouting report.

(And I'll just say "Isaac, what's that got to do with David Cooper?" before someone thinks they're a comedian!)

Gilchrist just tweeted - Say hello to the newest member of the Adelaide 36ers! I'm very excited & I will work as hard as possible. God is great!

Good to see him acknowledge Robert Rose in his Tweet.

Interesting Choice, could have done worse

cooper that is more then happy with Gilchrist

Im still happy about this, Coopz has been putting in a respecatable performance for years, ok so he hasnt set the world alight, but i think he's done a good job in the past and will do again this year.

I just hope Cooper doesn't read the forum, and find out that only Scotty, Isaac and me reckon he's a good pick for the team.

Congrats to Coops on the signing. All the best for the season.

Let's hope he puts his detractors to shame this season. His offence makes hearts flutter, but he is a good team player.


PS David, could I please get those piccys of Scotty back?

JT can you post them onto this site after you get them back .

I think Coops is a smart signing and will benefit greatly from playing with a backcourt of Gilchrist and Groves.

I have no problem with this signing. What Coops brings at his best is a useful support player who know his limitations. Won't set the world on fire, but should only have to play limited minutes behind Burston.

I have just grown back the hair I pulled out last season watching Cooper play. He frustrated many and now he is back. Doesn't make sense in the promotion of the team.

*1st post on the new hoops* Whoa!

Solid signing - all we need off the bench.

I went to training a few weeks and filmed a bit of the Cooper-Sturt matchup in the scrimmage. I didn't notice it on the day but Coop would've scored about 20-30pts to Sturt's 5 in the 30mins I captured. I'm not saying he's gonna drop numbers like that in the regular season but he certainly dominated Sturt.


Strongly against Groves - a SF would be a much better fit IMO. Grizzard or Darden would be great, I certainly don't want to see Ballinger, Burston AND Holmes starting.

Hill will start at small forward. Holmes, Groves and even Herbert will relieve depending on matchups. Herbert is a very capable defender, even on bigger players.

Cooper struggled last year, but for a number of years prior to that he was a solid backup that could be relied upon for 6-7 ppg, 5-6 rpg and 1.5-2 bpg.

Hard for him last year given how poorly the Adelaide backcourt performed, for a variety of reasons.

Much better insurance than Sturt, who while athletic has not proven he can play at anywhere near NBL level.

I have heard that the Sixers are looking at bringing in a 2/3 that also has the ability to bring the ball up the floor when required.

EC et al - in regards to Cooper, I believe they were working hard to get an U23 big guy (Motum?), but as that didn't work out they have re-signed Cooper and will look for a different U23. The reason for signing Cooper was he is the best big option for the cheap price he comes at.

Whats with all the Cooper hating? He is the epitomie of everything that a club needs - unselfish, defensive mentality and solid rebounder. For those that think chemistry doesn't matter, try playing a whole year in a team with a player who upsets the applecart. Been there, done that, and it ain't pretty. Coops is a gem.

The poison seed at the Sixers now is Holmes. His only redeeming 'talent' is his rebounding as he's been on teams with little other rebounding talent. He is selfish offensively and his huge ego weighs on his shoulders like a pile of bricks even bigger than his shooting stats. No wonder he always plays with that weird hunch.

Winston,
I love how you are complaining about people bagging Coops (as I said previously not saying anymore) but then you go on and start bagging another player. How do you know all this about Holmes? As a player he works as hard as anyone else

Sorry for the double post. but maybe next season when can just sign players solely on the fact that they are good blokes and team players. Oh what we live in the real world and sometimes in the work place people don't get along and it is not because they aren't nice people it is just because you have personality clashes.

Thanks for clarifying my point Big Sexy love handles....

A personality clash in an office is easy (leave some thumbtacks on their chair) but in a sports team its a different scenario altogether.

Holmes works hard, true, but so did Charles Thomas. CT was a mushroom (the poisonous type that give you the runs and make you see double) and Jacob looks like he has learnt his on court demeanor from the master.

I WOULD rather have a bunch of team players and good blokes and lose every game than some show boating stats grabbers. Thats why I watch the NBL, not the NBA!

Anyway, I guess we all like the sport for different reasons.... lucky we get to have a 50% new team every year to keep giving us something different!

Now where did I leave my thumbtacks......

Winston, I can promise you that Charles Thomas did NOT work hard!