As the Boomers try to get to the Australian Institute of Sport in spite of the Volcanic Ash cloud surrounding the country at the moment, we thought we’d take a moment to remind you of how good our teams can be, without any of the advantages more established Basketball cultures may have…

From our courtside reporter:

The organisation over here is on par with local basketball association standards (lost count how many times I’ve been told to sit down etc) but the games have been awesome.  Watched all 15 pool games in Kayseri where Aus were playing. Back in Istanbul now and went to the first knockout games last night, got Aus and Turkey games tonight (sellout) and got tickets for the next 2 nights which will have US, Arg, Lithuania, Russia, NZ, China, Brazil etc. Hopefully the German fans will lend me their drum again tonight.

The fans that have come over are awesome, Greece vs Spain last night was the best I’ve seen so far, they each took up a section behind the basket right next to each other. No trouble though. Looking forward to a Lithuanian game.

The Aussie fans are mainly family and gf’s of the players, so we’ve been sitting with them, but they’re a bit quiet. We really need some good Australian sporting chants, Aussie Aussie Aussie and D-Fence is getting a bit tiring…

1. Wow Magic, awkward…
2. If you haven’t heard by now, Australia won last night against France.  AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!
3. Ginobili-less Argentina beats Turkey.  This is going to be an awesome world championships.
4. What on earth are you doing Sasha?
5. The incomplete story of Kwame Brown.
   “In 2001, Kwame Brown graduated from a Georgia public high school and was drafted by the Washington Wizards first overall in the NBA draft, the first number one pick to come straight from the prep ranks. In retrospect, there were on-court red flags the Wizards should have heeded.
   First, Brown was a 19-year-old high school senior, so it’s likely the already dominant high school player had even more of a physical edge on the 18-year-olds trying to “contain” him. Second, much of his appeal was based on his quickness and agility packaged in a tall frame, but in order to withstand the NBA post game, he’d have to bulk up, which made him too stiff to use those gifts. There was more, but consensus holds that what did Brown in was the mental strain of playing in the best basketball league in the world and, more specifically, the hurt Michael Jordan put on him day in and day out in Wizards practices.”
6. Henry Abbott looks at MJ’s year in baseball.
   “There’s something we don’t do well in sports media, and that’s tell stories of vulnerability.
   If athletes are butting heads, dominating, humiliating, pumping iron, dunking, trash-talking or doing anything else high-adrenaline … we have that covered.
   But when those same people are in love, sad, making friends, traumatized, soul-searching, homesick — any of the softer human experiences — we’re just not well equipped to discuss it. We’re about winners and losers, about kicking ass and taking names, figuring out who’s alpha dog and all that. ”
7. Speaking of alpha’s, Kevin Durant… More from NewsOK.
8. Kyle Stack on another conspiracy theory.
9. Are you in the US and have hoop dreams?  D-League tryouts.  Just sayin.
10. Maybe the WNBA just needs more tv coverage.
11. So MJ is in NBA 2K11… so are his shoes…
12. Remember the Skybox ’92 cards?

1. The NBA heads to London.
2. Ricky Grace, the basketball legend, is to be inducted into the NBL hall of fame.  Via A Stern Warning.
3. The NBA is losing money?  That’s bad news for fans…
   “If the NBA owners and player’s union don’t reach an agreement with the collective bargaining agreement that expires after next season, the NBA could lockout on July 1st, 2011. Insiders and experts are anticipating a lock-out which would delay training camps and possibly the season.”
4. Must be because of contracts…
5. Who wants to go to the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame Dinner?  On hand will be Ricky Grace, Patty Mills, Andrew Gaze, and the Australian Men, Women and Wheelchair teams.
6. The Dream Team is cheaper than before.
   The average 2009-10 NBA salary for the 15 players now on the roster is about $5.8 million, just 30% above the average annual salary of all NBA players. There’s never been a gap that small in the eight other major international events that featured NBA stars. The next-cheapest team was in 2002, when the average salary was 56% above the league average. That team came in sixth place.  The 1992 Dream Team’s average NBA salary was about $3 million, more than triple the league average. Via Wall Street Journal.
7. Social change through hoops.
8. DO.  NOT.  MISS.  THIS…
9. Games to watch out for in the next NBA season.
10. Isaiah Thomas as a Knicks consultant.  Lots of buzz and discussion about this controversial re-hiring.
11. Speaking of which, buried among the bad blood there is still love for Thomas.
12. Scottie Pippen will be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame this month.  Guess who’s introducing him?  Now there’s a speech to look out for.
13. Rasheed is retiring.  Could he be the most underrated PF in history?
14. No.  I refuse to post this link.  It’s just trash gossip, with no real impact on the game we love.  Nope.  Will not.  Cleveland will win a championship before I post this link.  (Sorry Dan Gilbert.)  No No No.  Dammit.
15. Kevin McHale had a temper.  Via Basketbawful.

1. Aleks Maric will be playing for Australia at the World Championships.  Wait, who?
2. Don’t wear a Heats jersey in Cleveland.  Just sayin.
3. Big Yao said he’ll retire after this year.  The Dream Shake analyses what impact he’ll have this next season.
4. We loved Brian Grant’s heart.  Looks like it’s as big as ever.
5. Say you have Kirk Hinrich on your team.  What position would you place him in?  Nice run-through by Truth About It.
6. Thanks for the heads up from one of our readers.  The Wollongong Hawks have just launched their Hawks History site.  Great to see Aussie Hoops slowly getting their pride and passion back.
7. Is Shaq still relevant in the NBA?
   “He is a nomad, a hired bazooka who had to win on his terms. He left the Wild West because a young gunner was encroaching on his territory. When he teamed up with Wade, even though Shaq was the lesser player, he established himself as the center of attention. Even the act of bestowing Wade with his nickname, Flash, indicated who would be running South Beach. If language is the way that man exerts some measure of control over the universe he perceives, there are few stronger acts of control than that of naming. When Wade had outgrown the nickname and become his own man, with a NBA Finals MVP as proof, it was time for Shaq to mosey on down the road.” From Hoopspeak.
8. The Team USA Select Team has been chosen.  (Say Team again.)  This is the Team (sorry) that will be suiting up against Team (not on purpose) USA in anticipation of the World Championships.  Team.
9. Bargnani says he doesn’t feel like he’s at 100% yet.  That’s awesome for Raptor fans.
10. Oh Ron Ron.  Peep this great interview on ESPN.