Kent Brockman
Years ago
Open letter to BA in todays tiser
some interesting points here.
"AN open letter to Scott Derwin, Basketball Australia CEO.
DEAR SCOTT,
What is going on with Australia's men's basketball program, mate?
It's been going from bad to worse during your tenure and - let's be frank here - the Boomers team which left our shores ultimately bound for the world championship is, arguably, the lamest yet.
Beyond Andrew Bogut, C.J. Bruton, Jason Smith and Brad Newley, you'd be hard-pressed to justify the selection of another of your boy Brian Goorjian's grab-bag of college types not-ready-for-international-ball, over-the-hill-cronies and guys who have "potential".
Truly Scott, does playing at some second division U.S. college really prepare a kid for international basketball? Or make him more worthy than some guy busting his hump week-in, week-out in our NBL?
Do we truly not care how we fare in Japan?
The team left yesterday with little fanfare and a preparation which included a meaningless series against New Zealand.
Mate, no offence, but we're sick of the Tall Blokes. We play them regularly at Oceania, we played them at the Commonwealth Games . . . they even have a team in our NBL.
Ok. First the Boomers contest the Boris Stankovic Cup in China against Greece and France. That should help their profile in Oz.
Then it's on to the worlds and a series bound to have BA's PR department at wit's end finding ways to explain Australia's performances.
Who knows? They might even be good given any expectation or pressure has been removed from the "young bloods".
You're probably too young to remember Scott but back in the days when we readily understood our guys would always be pushing a wheelbarrow full of expectation up Everest at these tournaments, we were always still left mesmerised and proud by how well our teams performed anyway.
It's called Anzac spirit but it's not something your American-born coach appears to understand when he lectures us about how overwhelming it's all going to be. Of course, once BA used to help, not hide.
Think 1978. Before your time, I know, but BA brought out the U.S. team for a five-Test series against Australia before the worlds. Not only did the series fill stadia everywhere but the Boomers made a quantum leap from 12th to seventh at the worlds.
Try 1987 and 1988 too. That's when BA brought out the Soviet Union in consecutive years for unforgettable Test series against our little Aussie battlers.
The Soviets claimed gold at the Seoul Olympics and Australia made it to the medal rounds for the first time in history.
Coincidences? Not likely.
Right now though, BA cannot even afford Matt Nielsen's health insurance so a primary player is left out.
Now Scott, did you ever think maybe we don't need to bring Brian's coaching buddies from the U.S. to provide insights at his overwrought camps? Or maybe Brian doesn't need a bench staff of nine - count 'em, nine - to bring home a result which, more than likely, will only challenge your PR machine's imagination and creativity.
Just a thought.
Enjoy the sushi."
