Matt 1Phil Smyth, your time has come.
December 21st 2007 03:37
The Adelaide 36ers franchise is one of the proudest in the National Basketball League. While being competitive during basketball's boom period in Australia in the mid-1990s, a change of coaches finally paid dividends when the team one back-to-back championships in 1997/1998. The Messiah was former Canberra Cannon and 36er, Phil Smyth, a popular man who coached like he played: hard but fair, and while having plenty of fun. Smyth's outstanding record of making the playoffs continued, winning another title along the way. However, the honeymoon is well and truly over and after looking like missing the final 8 for the second year running, 'the General' should be shipped elsewhere.
I have been a huge fan of Phil Smyth's since he took over from Dave Claxton at the end of the 1996 season in Adelaide. He truly did a fantastic job in taking a non-playoff team to the championship in his first two seasons. While the squad always had the benefit of having star shooter Brett Maher, choosing former Denver Nuggets, Darnell Mee and Kevin Brooks as imports brought the title to South Australia. Mee will go down as one of the best defensive talents this country has ever seen. And Brooks, a lanky shooter full of personality, had the uncanny ability to hit difficult clutch baskets at range. Together with Maher and other parts of the puzzle, John Rillie, Paul Rees and Martin Cattalini, Smyth had assembled a wonderful team and could not have wished for a better start.
The first blemish on Smyth's resume came on the international scene. I have no doubt that he was harshly dealt with by Basketball Australia. After a shock loss to New Zealand in 2001/02, he suffered the embarrassing fate of being sacked only a few months into his reign as national coach, being replaced by rival, Brian Goorjian. Goorjian in a much longer time-span has had very, very limited success with the national team, only marginally beating New Zealand, with an Andrew Bogut-led Boomers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games at home in Melbourne. His other results have been average at best with a talented squad.
The second 36er championship was vintage Smyth. Having practically dismantled all that remained of the 1997/98 teams apart from captain Maher, 2002/03 saw 'General' Smyth bring in a new bunch of players, whom he moulded to resemble his previous outfit. Role players such as Mark Nash, David Stiff and Rupert Sapwell were as important as Maher and new star import, Willie Farley. And, the late-season addition of cut former Wollongong Hawk, Matt Garrison at small forward was a stroke of genius, with the eccentric American starring in the Finals vs. West Sydney. This was though, Smyth's last great triumph.
While they made the playoffs for another four seasons after the 2002 championship, they missed out last year (2006/07). Unfortunately ever since 2002 the 36ers have led campaigns full of nothing more than broken election-style promises and poor recruiting based more on romanticism than commonsense. Brooks was returned in 2003/04, while Farley, Rees and big man Brett Wheeler were given the same opportunity. They were all brought back to Adelaide even though they were well beyond their best, purely because they were fan-favourites and in some cases, mates of the coach. Farley and Brooks had remarkable championship years but were never the same after that and Wheeler was a horrible recruit for the club. A solid, championship-winning player in Sydney and Perth (with a stint in Victoria), Wheeler was picked up on the back of an injury-ravaged 2005/06 season, where he hardly played a game. Last year with the 36ers he was similarly barely spotted. Smyth also remained loyal to championship 6th man Mark Nash for two seasons too long after injury hampered so many of his seasons.
However, if anything, the big criticism of Smyth and his coaching staff has been his inability to secure young, local talent that have since flourished elsewhere. None stand out more than Brad Newley and Joe Ingles - though you could also make a case for Jacob Holmes, Brad Hill, Shannon Seebohm and Oscar Forman. Newley was by-passed by Adelaide before he starred up in Townsville for three years and then was drafted into the NBA by the Houston Rockets. It wasn't until Newley was on the verge of superstardom in this country that Smyth awoke from his slumber and decided to sign the guard to a deal. Of course, this was too late, with the Adelaide-born and raised Newley now plying his trade in Europe. Ingles starred at the Southern Tigers in Adelaide's south until he too was overlooked locally but not by the new franchise in 2006, the South Dragons. "Jingles" has shone with his spectacular, crowd-pleasing play since the day he arrived to play for Shane Heal's team. The 36ers could use his excitement right now.
The current 36ers outfit smacks of no-risk recruiting. On paper the team is delicious. On watching them, they leave a sour taste in your mouth. Excusing injured leader Brett Maher, workhorse Brad Davidson, all-star Adam Ballinger and the evergreen Lanard Copeland, this team has lacked spark, hunger, drive, determination and the Big 'D', defense, all season. Darren Ng has had moments of brilliance but also moments of Allen Iverson-like selfishness, where he fails to recognise the open man. David Cooper has less offense than a straight man in a gay bar. Matt Sutton still hasn't made the cut, turning the ball over too often when called upon. And Axel Dench is a lumbering, selfish log who thinks he's Reggie Miller from behind the 3-point line and plays defence like the Polish army did against Germany in 1939. He has been a recruiting farce. As has now former 36er, Mike Chappell, who struggled with fitness, form and confidence during his time here. The man who starred in New Zealand and Wollongong was a shadow of his former self in Adelaide disappointing everyone, including the coach, until finally receiving the axe.
When asked of whether he should step aside, Smyth will smile, as he often does. He is a wonderful personality for the game and we've seen him smile many times over the years. But this season has seen him smile less than most, due to a string of disappointing results from a below-par team. Smyth would say that his record is impeccable and mention his fantastic winning percentages; however, these were a long time ago with very different teams and players. His past two years have been tarnished by short-sighted recruiting and a lack of consistency. Other coaches smile and laugh at the 36ers defense at the moment.
In the eyes of Adelaide 36ers fans, Phil Smyth is a legend, and one of the true nice guys of Australian basketball. He has done so much for the state of basketball in this country and particularly, South Australia. However, unpopular decisions have to be made for the 36ers to be successful once again. And, unfortunately, Phil Smyth is standing in the way of the team and a another championship.
He'd probably laugh at that but his current record isn't very funny.
I have been a huge fan of Phil Smyth's since he took over from Dave Claxton at the end of the 1996 season in Adelaide. He truly did a fantastic job in taking a non-playoff team to the championship in his first two seasons. While the squad always had the benefit of having star shooter Brett Maher, choosing former Denver Nuggets, Darnell Mee and Kevin Brooks as imports brought the title to South Australia. Mee will go down as one of the best defensive talents this country has ever seen. And Brooks, a lanky shooter full of personality, had the uncanny ability to hit difficult clutch baskets at range. Together with Maher and other parts of the puzzle, John Rillie, Paul Rees and Martin Cattalini, Smyth had assembled a wonderful team and could not have wished for a better start.
The first blemish on Smyth's resume came on the international scene. I have no doubt that he was harshly dealt with by Basketball Australia. After a shock loss to New Zealand in 2001/02, he suffered the embarrassing fate of being sacked only a few months into his reign as national coach, being replaced by rival, Brian Goorjian. Goorjian in a much longer time-span has had very, very limited success with the national team, only marginally beating New Zealand, with an Andrew Bogut-led Boomers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games at home in Melbourne. His other results have been average at best with a talented squad.
The second 36er championship was vintage Smyth. Having practically dismantled all that remained of the 1997/98 teams apart from captain Maher, 2002/03 saw 'General' Smyth bring in a new bunch of players, whom he moulded to resemble his previous outfit. Role players such as Mark Nash, David Stiff and Rupert Sapwell were as important as Maher and new star import, Willie Farley. And, the late-season addition of cut former Wollongong Hawk, Matt Garrison at small forward was a stroke of genius, with the eccentric American starring in the Finals vs. West Sydney. This was though, Smyth's last great triumph.
While they made the playoffs for another four seasons after the 2002 championship, they missed out last year (2006/07). Unfortunately ever since 2002 the 36ers have led campaigns full of nothing more than broken election-style promises and poor recruiting based more on romanticism than commonsense. Brooks was returned in 2003/04, while Farley, Rees and big man Brett Wheeler were given the same opportunity. They were all brought back to Adelaide even though they were well beyond their best, purely because they were fan-favourites and in some cases, mates of the coach. Farley and Brooks had remarkable championship years but were never the same after that and Wheeler was a horrible recruit for the club. A solid, championship-winning player in Sydney and Perth (with a stint in Victoria), Wheeler was picked up on the back of an injury-ravaged 2005/06 season, where he hardly played a game. Last year with the 36ers he was similarly barely spotted. Smyth also remained loyal to championship 6th man Mark Nash for two seasons too long after injury hampered so many of his seasons.
However, if anything, the big criticism of Smyth and his coaching staff has been his inability to secure young, local talent that have since flourished elsewhere. None stand out more than Brad Newley and Joe Ingles - though you could also make a case for Jacob Holmes, Brad Hill, Shannon Seebohm and Oscar Forman. Newley was by-passed by Adelaide before he starred up in Townsville for three years and then was drafted into the NBA by the Houston Rockets. It wasn't until Newley was on the verge of superstardom in this country that Smyth awoke from his slumber and decided to sign the guard to a deal. Of course, this was too late, with the Adelaide-born and raised Newley now plying his trade in Europe. Ingles starred at the Southern Tigers in Adelaide's south until he too was overlooked locally but not by the new franchise in 2006, the South Dragons. "Jingles" has shone with his spectacular, crowd-pleasing play since the day he arrived to play for Shane Heal's team. The 36ers could use his excitement right now.
The current 36ers outfit smacks of no-risk recruiting. On paper the team is delicious. On watching them, they leave a sour taste in your mouth. Excusing injured leader Brett Maher, workhorse Brad Davidson, all-star Adam Ballinger and the evergreen Lanard Copeland, this team has lacked spark, hunger, drive, determination and the Big 'D', defense, all season. Darren Ng has had moments of brilliance but also moments of Allen Iverson-like selfishness, where he fails to recognise the open man. David Cooper has less offense than a straight man in a gay bar. Matt Sutton still hasn't made the cut, turning the ball over too often when called upon. And Axel Dench is a lumbering, selfish log who thinks he's Reggie Miller from behind the 3-point line and plays defence like the Polish army did against Germany in 1939. He has been a recruiting farce. As has now former 36er, Mike Chappell, who struggled with fitness, form and confidence during his time here. The man who starred in New Zealand and Wollongong was a shadow of his former self in Adelaide disappointing everyone, including the coach, until finally receiving the axe.
When asked of whether he should step aside, Smyth will smile, as he often does. He is a wonderful personality for the game and we've seen him smile many times over the years. But this season has seen him smile less than most, due to a string of disappointing results from a below-par team. Smyth would say that his record is impeccable and mention his fantastic winning percentages; however, these were a long time ago with very different teams and players. His past two years have been tarnished by short-sighted recruiting and a lack of consistency. Other coaches smile and laugh at the 36ers defense at the moment.
In the eyes of Adelaide 36ers fans, Phil Smyth is a legend, and one of the true nice guys of Australian basketball. He has done so much for the state of basketball in this country and particularly, South Australia. However, unpopular decisions have to be made for the 36ers to be successful once again. And, unfortunately, Phil Smyth is standing in the way of the team and a another championship.
He'd probably laugh at that but his current record isn't very funny.
| 74 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by The Rated