WHY AREN'T OUR BEST ON THE FLOOR?
This week the Boomers have been preparing for the YouYi (friendly) games which are to be played in Perth and Singapore against China. Brett Brown has made his way back from America to put his team through their paces in preparation for the Olympic game qualifiers.
You wouldn't think playing for your country was that important though seeing there is only 3 players from the 2010 World Championship group playing. I would understand totally if there were other commitments going on, but there isn't. All the European competitions are finished up along with the NBA (which may not even go ahead in 2011/12) and still our big guns are no where to be seen. I mean Andrew Bogut, Joe Ingles and Patty Mills all seem to be in the country over this weekend, why don't they have a run? Give the fans something to be excited about!
Where is Brad Newley, Aleks Maric, Steve Markovic, David Andersen and Matt Nielsen? Why is Nathan Jawai not at the camp? Khazzouh gets his first chance to play for Australia and decides not to be available. I know if I was in his position I'd be jumping at the opportunity to play for my country. It seems to becoming less and less important in Australian basketball. I know in all our other major sports in this country, athletes would die to compete for the green and gold.
I've got nothing against the guys in camp at the moment (some of them I call friends) but that group is not upto international standard. We haven't done well in an international tournament in many many years. Why when we have all the pieces are we not making it compulsary to be available when there are camps or tournaments. We can't just let our elite athletes stroll in whenever they feel free too. It shouldn't work like that but it sure is at the moment. I don't know who is letting it but it's got to change and do so quickly, otherwise another first round knockout is on the cards at the Olympics.
I'm glad the game is being held in Perth, they love their hoops over there. I'm pretty much guaranteeing that if it was in Sydney there would be nobody there. There is no marketing material on that team, no names people can associate with. It doesn't mean they're no good it's just that basketball isn't as big as some of our countries other sports. That is why these events are key in bringing people to the games and showing the country we have some world wide elite athletes.
I don't know New Zealands team but if we don't bring a good team to the Oceania Qualifications we may not even make the Olympics!
