
Marty Clarke
" found out in the New Zealand series"
a series where
1) BA sent a seriously deficient referee ( cos the series was just a training run)who let the NZ refs run the show, and who was overawed by the crowds
2) NZ fielded a full strength team that eventually ( and VERY deservedly) made the medal rounds in the WCs, actually better than OZ had ever achieved.
3) BA, injuries and the NBL teams restricted the players available for selection, because it wa a training run.
4) I think ( and i could be wrong) that BA was so confident they gave NZ a two game series, all in NZ, that was expected to go 2:0 to OZ, or at least one HUGE blowout that would eclipse any ( extremely unlikely) single win by NZ.
does not exonerate Smyth from the result, but not so sure that BG would have gotten a better result in the same circumstances.
BA learnt their lesson, and ensured Smyth took 100% of the blame - in which they were obviously successful ;)

Exactly right re: Breheny. Kind of blows when ex-players with a name get paid more than the people who actually know what they are doing. Smyth-Breheny and more recently Gaze-Vickerman duos come to mind. The latter was even worse because he wouldn't even listen, although happy that Vickerman got his own gig again and won a title.


"He knocked back Patty Mills for 3 straight years, basically had said said for many years that he was not ever going to be a point guard, but when left with a suddenly "spare" scholarship a few weeks before the start of the year (Scott Pendelbury), he pulled in Patty as a cheap option , as he lived locally, and the scholarship FOR THAT YEAR had to be given to someone . Then patty excelled with the intense training that was now available to him."
Great example.
"He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches."
/thread

The ones that will reply will all say they like him - so what ?? they all had 1-3 years in a free boarding school where he was the headmaster ( for the boys)
He knocked back Patty Mills for 3 straight years, basically had said said for many years that he was not ever going to be a point guard, but when left with a suddenly "spare" scholarship a few weeks before the start of the year (Scott Pendelbury), he pulled in Patty as a cheap option , as he lived locally, and the scholarship FOR THAT YEAR had to be given to someone . Then patty excelled with the intense training that was now available to him.
the facts are that the absolute cream of all junior basketball players when to the AIS for the vast bulk of the years that Clarke and others ( Phil Brown, Frank A, Patrick Hunt etc) were the head coaches there.
Many many of those players just needed the time and training facilities, and a coach that did not "do harm" . Not saying that those coaches did not do well,or work hard ( as many many opals said " brownie could rebound my shoots all day, and he was soooo good at passing the ball to me at just the right speed and spot for the shot"
The coaches did a good job, earnt their pay and position through hard work (and a little bit of patronage and lucky timing - just like EVERY job out in the real world.) , but to say that their performance was any better than what another very good development coach ( and Australia always has a few dozen on hand at any one time) would have achieved is very naive.
those players that did "make it" have absolutely no incentive not to say good things in acknowledgement of the free ride and genuine support they received, even if its just to be polite, and the ones that did not get picked for the AIS don't have any credibility ( as they clearly ( joke) weren't good enough )
However there are a few examples of where players reached great success after being 'rejected" by the AIS development coaches. That does not make those coaches 'bad" , just stop posting as if they were god's gift.
many of the head 9 and assistant) coaches in the mens and womens AIS program never had great success as coaches of senior teams, there are very few who did. But Australian junior players had lots of success as seniors, and many would have whoever had been in the development positions.



If it is true Creek would not even take a call from DUKE then he is an absolute dopey member.



It wasn't a missed opportunity for Creek no as he's on the cusp of making the NBA now and never would've been considered to be drafted straight out of college.

It's a massive "if" though. Don't underestimate.
Look at Tai Wynyard. Really gutted for him. Put a major dent in his career. Hope he recovers.

It was a missed opportunity. If you do well in college at a big school like Duke you are going to get drafted by the NBA.

Some people aren't interested in college. I never understood the fascination with it myself and if I had been in Creek's shoes I would rather start my pro career at 18 then go to college in the states.
At the same time the vast majority of college kids will never be good enough to play pro ball so going for the experience would be an option.

"Creek could have gone to Duke. Did not take their call. Had no interest."
Wow. Creek seems like a homer -- only now he finally went abroad for the stint in Germany.

Is the local development coach being talked about here with close links with Sudanese kids Rashad Tucker?

Please don't allow the actions of one individual in Adelaide cloud the value of those passionate about developing players.
There is a big difference between those who take a genuine interest in building a child's skills and confidence so they can meet their goals, be it to become elite, move from a domestic to a district program or just feel like they are contributing to their school team more, versus someone who promises the world to everyone.

"Plenty of these development type coaches in Australia who rarely seem to coach actual winning teams/programs but get plumb player development roles."
Yeah and what's wrong with that?
You need player development coaches; and not just team HC's. Australia has player development coaches and that is why you guys develop so many NBA players - it should be praised, not criticized.
Just my subjective opinion, but I think PD coaches are more valuable to have in the system. PD coaches = more skillful players = more skillful teams.

Creek didn't wanna go to college , so he asked Marty to sign him , otherwise he would go to afl draft and also back then , you had to have one under 23 player in the team , so he got DJ...

DJ and Creeks development under creek was exceptional, we didnt notice it at the time but it is paying off now, both those players wouldnt be the players they are today if it werent for clark, he was a terrible head coach but his time as the AIS assisted a lot of players whom are playing globally, he should be commended for his role as a development coach and not remembered for time as head coach at adelaide. Adelaide had no money at the time and clark would have been cheap comparred to other coaches avilable at the time.

Yes, Marty is just the bloke that Canberra needs, if only he had stayed on with the 36ers, they would have had two NBL titles by now. Would be a HUGE lose to the Geal's program is they can't find the money to keep him, they may well have to offer him the head coach position in order to ensure they don't lose such a proven winning basketball coach. but then if hes back here permanently, surely he will take over the Boomers ( aust men I mean) program ASAP :0

NBA great and President of the Serbian Olympic Committee, Vlade Divac, will join the Sydney Kings at training tomorrow – Monday January 23, 2012 from 0930am. All media are invited to attend.
There will also be a singlet presentation to Vlade from the team.Anyone know what the occasion is? Just passing through? Olympic research of some sort?
