Hoops

Why didn't people like Dunlap?

Blakemore was my favorite player on that Sixers team. The Charles Barkley of the NBL (well maybe not entirely, but he was a round mound of rebound). I would have loved to see him involved in the Sixers success but it wasn't to be. Does anyone know what he is doing now - I reckon he finished with Canberra in about 1998 and may have made local league appearances in 1999 but I'm not sure?

Heard the same thing about this from players in the team about Blakemore being told to put Cat on his butt.
I also know someone who played at Metro State under him and said he helped him grow up. Easier to do with kids than grown men.

From an outsiders perspective (Bullets Fan) I thought that he was a college coach type, as has already been stated.

From a leadership/people development perspective I thought that it was amazing how a guy like Smyth could come in with his laisse faire system, but with a belief & trust in the players & coaching staff & get immediate success. Dunlap set the system up, doing the hard hards of player development for Smyth to come in & put faith in the players as professionals & get the results.

Then on Smyth... I think he needed some x & o's towards the end because belief in the players went so far.

Sorry to disappoint btw guys, but Jesus is still playing for Boston - and yes he IS black! :D

Ah, its all coming back now. That rivalry with Perth was awesome. I used to be on edge every time we played those guys. I vaguely recall Blakemore being one of my favourite players at the time, but also thinking he was a bit of nob for his actions. I don't think I'd even considered the idea of a player revolt before that point in time, so I think I was a bit shell shocked at the whole thing.

Tragic that we ended up losing Rose AND Dunlap over the discipline of a player who never amounted to anything after that.

Thanks for reminding me of old times guys. Hope you don't go postal on us now Loco. Just remember, it was 14 years ago!

May have to have a look of that list of yours Loco....

And Valley players are good blokes.

Actually I have a game of us v Canberra from that next season Loco, from memory Rose, Blakemore, Darnell, Hawkes perhaps all playing against us. We got flogged as well from memory.

Beantown, I think that was the Blakemore and Cattalini stoush in Perth?

Blakemore went to Canberra the next year if memory serves me correctly, and Catt came to us.

Loco is sitting in a corner right now wering all 36 of his Rob Rose jerseys rocking back and forth.
He might be back later folks.....

Oh no... you really don't want to get Loco started on Dunlap and Rose. Run for the hills everyone, it's coming!!

Really Loco? Boti agreed with cutting Rose?!?! That surprises me - Rose was still a great player at that point. Can you remember why Boti agreed?

We are the best run sporting club in the world.

Rod Popp had the same problem in Cairns as Nutwork stated. They are college coaches who have trouble with pros & egos. Popp would yell at Mike Kelly (he went on an American trip with the Marlins) the same as a rookie like Aaron Fearne. He couldn't distinguish between different people. He was the boss 7 ruled with an iron fist. Doesn't work!

I agree with the positive comments about Dunlap. He did turn this club around after things fell apart post Ken Cole. A GF and two semis in three years speaks for itself. It was a shame that he did appear to end up in conflict with his team by the end of the second year, but didn't that stem from some incident during the finals that year? My memory is hazy on that now, but I recall Blakemore losing it and Dunlap disciplining him and getting other senior guys offside.

I would be very interested to hear what Maher says about his time under Dunlap. Does he credit Dunlap with helping him develop into the player he became? Or was it more in spite of Dunlap?

Anon, please do not insult Dunlap by comparing him to Ninnis.

I don't see Ninnis being appointed head coach at many college programs soon, except maybe Pasadena High.

At least Dunlap knows a 2 for 1 is not just a deal from Designer Direct.

Dunlap was a youth coach. All of the Veteran's of the Sixers basically got the arse.

Sixers had a pretty good team at the time; and "giving the young guns a go" took over the "play the best lineup you've got" routine most coaches do.

Was a mixed bag of results. Good news is that Maher stepped up and became "the man".

From what I understand Dunlap was a college coach, he had no experience dealing with professional players. He knew how to deal with young kids who needed him to get them through school and did everything he told them to do. Apparently he struggled to relate to older (and some younger) professional players who were used to being treated as if not equals, at least adults.