Rookies! Rookies! Rookies!

Well it's all about rookies for me right now - reflecting on my rookie year as GM, looking forward to my first annual draft and enjoying the promising play of recently acquired rook Josh Boone.

Rookie GM
Wow! What a learning experience my first year in this league was! Going in I thought I knew a fair bit about the NBA and how to play fantasy hoops - until I met you guys and realised how much I didn't know! Very eye opening experience to learn some valuable lessons from keen fantasy ballers all around the globe. Hmm, so what did I learn - well, looking back I was a bit too quick to pul the trigger on a certain David West and 'Q' - think i could have done better. Will make much better use of the waiver wire in future too. Live and learn right? You can all look forward to a pretty well drilled Adelaide team in its sophomore season.

All things considered it was a pretty good first season. Knocked off the LA Jam (who were admittedly without the power of Yao) in the first round and narrowly fell to the Rage in the next (if only the Bargnani / Marv Williams combo played poorly in that series you'd be looking at a conference finals team - which incidentally would have also lost to the Fusion in all likelihood). Still, you have to give credit where credit is due...congratulations to both the Fusion and Spoilermakers.

2007 Annual Draft
As the 2007 annual draft rolls around the Adelaide Dragons will be spectators until the second round. Let's not forget some of the second round sleepers taken last year though - Garbo, Millsap, Walter Hermann (Fabio / The Big Pretty - insert male model joke here), Craig Smith and Balkman. Let's not forget who snared Azubuike before he actually got his dues in the NBA - and who also waived him at exactly the wrong point in time! Hah hah I'll put that one down to another rookie GM mistake.... Plus the second round also produced the Dragons own dynamic duo - Rogriguez and Boone (sounds like a law firm)! Needless to say the Dragons scouts will be doing overtime to snare that second round sleeper this year.
One final thought - Eddie Griffin! Grrrrrrr, now i know what it must feel like being a T-Wolves fan - of the Minnesota variety, not the Danish equivalent!

Dragons by Name, Dragons by Nature!

Greetings fellow GMs!

Still on holidays and just thought I'd point out we're in for back to back 40 degree plus days down under (that's over 105 fahrenheit for those of you in the northern hemisphere) after having a countless of number of days which were 90+. Net result - me spending a lot of time online and losing anything that once resembled a reliable jump shot (just call me Yakhouba Diawara)... On the positive side it's given me time to muck around with things like photo shop to create some temporary sort of team logo, I've done a few (even despite my very limited photo shop skills) but this is the best to date. Comments? Feedback? Suggestions? Criticisms? In relation to the logo that is, not my basketball game - or lack thereof...

Commish, if you happen to be reading this please note the use of the word 'temporary'. I have no doubt that you'll come up with something better than my hack job (which incidentally is better than the hack job in the Knicks v Nuggets clash - maybe he confused his head for the ball?!).

Interesting fact, Adelaide is the capital city of the driest state (South Australia) in the driest country on the driest continent in the world. Now who wants to come visit? Believe it or not we're actually on water restrictions at the moment - can't even water our lawns during weekdays! $315 fine if you do!

Before I go, does anybody know whatever happened to Harold Miner and Isaiah Rider? Funny story about JR - when somebody sat one of his exams 'on his behalf' he actually mis-spelled his first name! Hah! Fine student athletes those Runnin' Rebels... Well that's what I've heard anyway.

Okay, enough for now. All the best for '07 and cheers to the Commish for updating things over Christmas and the new year - talk about being dedicated to the cause!

Happy trails.

GM Skip - Dragons

Dragons Welcome Royalty!

HAIL TO THE PRINCE!

The Adelaide Dragons are pleased to announce the arrival of Tayshaun Prince to their playing roster.

In a major 6 player trade Prince, Eddie Griffin and Sergio Rodriguez were welcomed to relocated FBF franchise the Adelaide Dragons. Although it was well known the Dragons were seeking a small forward due to the new rule changes it was unknown who would round out the starting 5 just days before the start of the season. Many offers and counter offers were made but in the end Dragons management was pleased to acquire the services of the four year pro out of Kentucky. Big things are expected of the new recruit and anything short of an all-star season will be a disappointment.

According to Joe Dumars, Tayshaun Prince will "get more post-up opportunities." It is expected that Prince will be used as "a power-forward hybrid, like Phoenix uses Shaun Marion." And for once, someone agrees with me. I say this because of Joe Dumars statement that "we still have four All-Stars on the team. It's just that one name is going to change." Everyone mark Tayshaun down on those All-Star ballots! (sourced from The Detroit Pistons Today Blog)

The deal which saw the departure of David West meant the Dragons part ways with a key member of their 27-12 record achieved last year as the Berkeley Bandits. 2006 first rounder Korolev and big contract player Quentin Richardson rounded out the deal which saw them traded to the front runners in the Oden sweepstakes - the Seatown Rebels.

Prince seems to thriving on the prospect of his new environs, when asked about Seattle he was quoted as saying:

"Usually when we go to Seattle, it’s raining all of the time. We really don’t get a chance to do anything down there." (source tprince22.com)

..it was unsure if Prince's second sentence referred to the weather or the Rebels recent chances of playoff success. (sorry Ronald, couldn't resist!)

Dragons management is also hopeful that the change of scenery will also inspire four year Seton Hall pro Eddie Griffin. The big man has shown glimpses of his potential and has posted some big numbers when given the minutes and will be given every opportunity to shine in Adelaide. Sergio Rodriguez has the makings of a solid pro career and will be given the time to develop and learn the ropes from Andre Miller and Smush Parker.

Dragons management now faces the difficulty of managing the cap and looking to improve on a talented albeit largely unproven bench. Much rides on the starting 5 and all fingers are crossed for a healthy season.

The Dragon's lair will be a formidable place for visiting teams this season.



KEVIN BROOKS NAMED ASSISTANT COACH

In unrelated news Kevin Brooks was recently announced as assistant coach of the Adelaide 36ers. The move was welcomed by players and fans alike. His contribution to the 36ers championship years with former Denver Nugget teammate Darnell Mee were much appreciated and will be sorely missed.



DRAGON'S SCOUTS TO MISS NEWLEY GAME

Dragon's scouts will reportedly miss the 36ers game against the Townsvile Crocodiles this Friday and won't get a chance to see NBA draft prospect Brad Newley strut his stuff. So far he's putting ons how for the scouts with his numbers up bigtime from last year, averaging 21ppg on 51% from behind the arc (up from 35% last season) but so far has shown little improvment in other areas of his game. Watch this space.

Grog Blog

Newbie on the block!

First of all, thanks to all the FBF GMs for taking the time to drop me a line and have a chat, definitely a very knowledgable group of basketball followers and friendly too.

They say you never forget your first time and for me it was a bit of a bittersweet moment, my first trade that is - CJ Miles for what will hopefully turn out to be a fairly high second round draft pick. Tough call to make, seems like a kid with lots of upside and some pretty decent hops. Couldn't see him getting the minutes behind Giricek and Brewer though, Fisher might also be a factor. Roster was maxed out so something had to give, at least now I have a bit more flexibility in what I can do.

What I can't do is find a deal for David West! C'mon people, here's a guy who averaged 17 and 8 last year, earns under $2m a year and has his prime basketball years ahead of him. Chandler and Peja? Yeah they'll help the Hornets, but they won't hurt West. Chandler is a younger version of PJ Brown and Peja (in my opinion) doesn't have another 20ppg season in him, defenders will shut him down so quickly it'll make your heads spin! You heard it here first, Peja averages 15 & 5 in 07. West will get his minutes, and he'll get his points and rebounds too. I'm not going to be giving him away, so let's hear some reasonable offers...

A litle bit about me? Well my fave player of all time would be the Big O (no, not Oliver Miller) I'm talking about Oscar Robertson, anyone who can average a triple double over the course of a season has my respect! As for modern day players I liked Joe Dumars (class act and real pro) and Reggie Miller (anyone who can talk trash and back it up in NY has my respect too!). Favourite basketball icon would without a doubt be Bill Fitch. Here's a guy who turns, losers into playoff contenders and NBA finalists and did it his whole coaching career. Love the drill sargeant attitude too, hey somebody had to tell Brent Barry how it was going to be, lucky he never coached Latrell. Anyone who takes the Clippers into the playoffs, ultimate respect! One of the best coaching jobs I've ever seen guiding the 97 Clippers team into (and straight out of) the playoffs. Let's not forget how many head coaches this guy has coached either, he's not just from the old school, he taught at the old school!

"We couldn't make a basket, we couldn't rebound, and we didn't play defense. You might say we put it all together." — Bill Fitch

That's enough history for now.

Interesting fact: Rick Brunson was the starting point guard for the Adelaide 36ers in 95-96.

Later.
Skip ;-)