Thursday, September 20, 2007

NBL has loss on Opening Night

The NBL season opened last night for six teams and across two countries. With the announcement of Hummer as the naming rights sponsor of the league, things appeared to be looking up. That was until the launch of the new website.

The website launched, complete with Aaron Olsen's mug on the banner. Now as far as I know, Olsen was last seen in the mountains of Canada looking for Grizzly bears (and his jump shot). I continued to surf the new site, but found too many incomplete sections. Maybe my expectations are too high, but I believe if you unveil a new website you should have it completed before you launch.

When game day rolled around, there was positive buzz about how fans would be able to listen to the games via the internet. This is a positive and progressive step, but has yet to come to fruition, despite the fact that we are three games into the season.

I can only speak on behalf of some of the voices of Townsville who are used to a live radio broadcast of all Croc games. Those who dialled in to their computers in anticipation were sorely disappointed. They were left frantically texting someone who knew someone that may have been one of the eight hundred people at the game in West Sydney.

The new release website looks like it has the potential to create some traffic. This is what fans (and the league) want,...or should we say 'need'.

Maybe the NBL needed to use the off-season to harness that potential and turn it into a polished product that was actually ready for Round 1 action.

All Boxscores so far:
http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=72097
http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=72102
http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=72101
http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=72120 you may have to scroll a little

Relevant NBL articles:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22448483-10389,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/basketball/new-sponsor-gives-nbl-a-revup/2007/09/18/1189881514426.html
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22448092-10914,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/basketball/tigers-and-bullets-favoured-again/2007/09/19/1189881594947.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4207716a1823.html
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22449634-5001023,00.html
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Crocs-hold-off-Razorbacks/2007/09/19/1189881599112.html
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22442774-5001023,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22449727-10914,00.html
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=16&ContentID=41002 Trahair signs with Perth
http://sportal.com.au/default.aspx/afl-news-display/brogan-reaches-the-ton-35887 former teammate Dean Brogan...congrats

14 comments:

Snoop Wogg said...

Congrats, a win against the Pigs is great for you, but not for basketball in Sidd-er-knee. One thing, that photo that NBL.com are running of Big Ben is downright scary could put anyone off their lunch. Is it true he was a stunt double for the guy whose body was inherited by the Bug in "Men In Black"?

John Rillie said...

Snoop:

I will have to ask Pepper if he has ever appeared in any movies. I'm too busy working on my game to have time for movies. Unlike yourself who can afford lunch from 9 to 5 to surf the web.

Anonymous said...

So why number 44 and then number 31???

John Rillie said...

DJ:

My rookie year I wore 44 in honour of George Gervin. One of the all time great scorers in NBA history. I moved to Adelaide and had to forfeit the number to Leon Trimmingham. In the meantime Tim Morrisey had written an article about myself and compared me to Reggie Miller. Titled "Seperated at Birth", I have run with it ever since.

MAGIC MAN said...

yeh i get the same thing with Magic Johnson.. what do you do....

Anonymous said...

I use number 8 as it represents the snowman that I am :)

Anonymous said...

u have lost some series weight in that old school photo on your home page. maybe a few extra kg's might help your low post game this year

John Rillie said...

Anonymous:

My low post game is legit no matter what weight I'm at. You better double in a hurry. Just ask Clint McDaniel, Anthony Stewart and the list keeps on rolling!

John Rillie said...

Magic Man:

So what number did you settle for since Ervin Johnson took your number? And who are you....Byron Scott, James Worthy, Jamaal Wilkes, Kurt Rambis, Wes Matthews?

MAGIC MAN said...

no no, he watched me play, he said, you know what, you have 32...

John Rillie said...

Magic Man:

How did your career pan out? I'm quite intersted to learn more.

Anonymous said...

he is the magic johnson of B Grade! :)

MAGIC MAN said...

yep what he said.

John Rillie said...

I might have to come out and get some footage for the blog. Could be priceless