Is this the same Boti that ripped into fans earlier in the week re booing etc? Whilst they're not the same thing ..... maybe you're either behind the team or you're not.

1. I did wonder at the time if Boti's article about fan patience was some kind of joke.
2. Why does Marty dig himself holes with these sorts of quotes?

might suggest marty lack of communication skills are big factor - listento the team huddles on fox - i got no cluwe what he telling players and they dont seem to run it anyway -
any experts here who can comment on these huddles

Anon 340374....both of our imports are under the age of 25 so maybe he is looking at developing them as well? If you look at our starting 5, Crosswell is the only one over the age of 25 and then you have Creek who is 19 or 20 coming off the bench - thats a fair bit of development I think?

I don't mind the balance of youth and experience, at least on paper. I like Crosswell as a signing, Helliwell is just last man off the bench, Ballinger has been around for a bit and Herbert and Ng are not inexperienced nor elderly. Johnson, Creek and Weigh are good youth options - we're not carrying someone like B Allen or D Jackson (though there are reasons Jackson is in that Hawks team). Simpson is great and Warren is not perfect but is generally quite useful. Both are young for imports (24 and 23, or so).

So while the roster is young enough to develop a few, it's also balanced enough that it should be performing better than it is right now.

"We are not getting distracted by wins and losses when you know you're building something."

It is comments like that which are the reason I am going to enjoy it so much when he is eventually fired.

The roster is fine, certainly the equal of at least three other teams in the league who are of course above us.

Clarke has the cattle. He just isn't a shepherd.

At NBL level isn't it all about W&L's

Moses, I was thinking the exact same thing this morning when I read the article.

Sadly, I think we will find Balls on the outer next season and his 10 points and cash used to bring home Brad Newley or someone like that....

Geez i wonder how Leeanne Grantham (CEO) & the owners reacted when they heard that puzzling quote from Marty! A lot of money & considerable resources have been afforded to Marty since taking up the role of Coach of the 36ers! It's time that some W's start to come with his master plan! Marty time to wake up & finally realise that you're coaching in a professional league where coaches are measured by W's & L's!

I personally think Marty is an excellent coach, just not as a "Head Coach".

I think Marty is good for the program and the club in regards to developing these players, but needs to be assistant to a tried and tested coach. Leave the head coach for psyching them up for the game night and steering the ship; leave Marty to get their heads out of that mindset during practice and focus on dev.

This begs the question, who would be a good head coach to not only steer the Sixers but who'd also serve as a good mentor for Marty?

-'So while the roster is young enough to develop a few, it's also balanced enough that it should be performing better than it is right now.'

Wow Isaac, for once you are not sitting on the fence!!

Huh? I have said this sort of thing all season. And last season you were unhappy because I wasn't on the fence about some things!

Clarke : " It (the loss) didn't have anything to do with the character or the desire or hustle. "

I read that too Camel. I was curious where the hustle was when Petrie strolled in for a dunk in the last quarter.

Oh, and just to clarify something Marty, I'm not questioning the team's character.

How did Boti get this quote from Marty if he wasnt upstairs when it was said?

Can anyone who was upstairs after the game verify this was what was actually said

Muzz Buzz It was quoted on the NBL website.

I wonder if the sponsors are getting distracted by W & L. I am sure they don't enjoy having their companies reputation assigned to a club that doesn't seem to mind if they are on the bottom of the ladder and are the laughing stock of the league....

Since he became coach, we are 11 wins, 25 losses!!
Get distracted, use it as motivation, make changes, don't just sweep it under the rug and pretend it's all ok, because it bloody well isn't!!
Don't want us to judge him on wins? ok let's look at other things that are a coach's job:
Defensive structure: Hideous, or non-existant.
Offensive structure: He's built an offensive unit that doesn't really need much structure to post a winning score. The guys don't run to a structure, just play their game. (ie. our ability here isn't so much down to the coach).
Team selection: Revolving door last year, so clearly not great. Team is quite good on paper, but building a team 100% on offensive ability and completely neglecting defense is just dumb recruiting. DJ, Ballinger, Warren, Weigh, Crosswell, Ng are all very limited in defense. Haven't really taken notice of Simpson's defense. Only ones who are passable defenders hardly play.
Game night performance: Golden ticket Weigh gets 30+ minutes regardless of form on the night. Simpson has been easily our best player in the last few weeks, yet hasn't hit the 30 mark all year. Creek comes in and does some good things, then we don't see him again. Only game he played proper minutes, he top scored. Ballinger is being grossly overused while he is clearly struggling. He draws up a play, then the players usually don't run it anyway. Find a way to make it understandable.
Teams pretty much go into the game knowing that if they make their shots and play a bit of defence, they will win. That's a pretty damning assessment of a professional team.
I don't normally slam a coach like this (dont think I have at all, Ninnis or Clark) but the way we are going, and him refusing to accept or address these issues says he clearly isn't here to win games and needs to go. Sitting there pretending everything is rosy and ignoring the obvious shortfalls this team has isn't acceptable.

Excellent post Hendo!

"It (the loss) didn't have anything to do with the character or the desire or hustle."

Defense shouldnt be as hard as the Sixers make it look.

"Playing hard, not playing smart - maybe that explains my point better."

Spot on Isaac.

I think this is reflected in some shot selections at times also.

Did Adelaide have a decent match-up for Worthington?

Booooti is a tool with a hidden agenda. Blind Freddie can see what they are trying to do.
Well said Anon!!

I definitely sense that this team is on the cusp of busting out a big streak. There is some swagger emerging. Simpson with the fist pump, Ng hitting the 3 ball all good signs.

Of course translating that to W's will be the litmus test.

Looking forward to Ballinger finding his slot in the team as for now Simpson is proving to be legit at the PF

Smarter decisions, better d rotations, a few lucky rolls and it will all fall into place.

"The players are showing hustle that wasn't there a couple of years ago..."
I agree with Isaac on this one except I would change "years" to "weeks".
They have come a long way since that Sydney belting at home. I feel like they are playing better basketball and defence has picked up but there are definitely holes still there. I think sometimes as good as DJ can be at one end he can kill us at the other end. He seems like he is naturally quiet and that will kill you on defence. I also noticed the group called out a zone and Ballinger told DJ to go to the foul line from the baseline, then he had Weigh tell him to go down under the basket.
It seems that some of the players have no idea what they are doing on the defensive end. And breakdowns like that and lack of communication is when you don't get the right rotations and guys like Petrie waltz into the keyway without a defender near him.
But On a positive I have noticed the last 2 weeks DJ getting slightly more aggresive, especially going after defensive rebounds and that's a great thing to finally see.
I think Simpson is a great player for this team and if he could get himself fit, I would hardly take that kid off. He brings so much to the team. Defensively he is a presence in the keyway and looks like he's been schooled well. He's smart but at the moment just a little too slow. He also brings great energy which is 'real' energy.
It would also be great to see Chris Warren talking more out on the court, that's what a point guard should do. That's why Crosswell fits in well, he is very much unappreciated for what he brings in leadership. I would like to know why he only played 10 minutes on saturday. Yes Ng fired up and so did Warren but that was late in the game.
There are some positive signs their but I just think it's coming too late. This season is done already.

I agree with a lot of that. A couple of the guys are headless chickens on D and many don't seem confident enough to talk.

On this season though while I think we're definitely behind the eight ball, our schedule has been loaded fairly aggressively - yet to play the FNQ teams, yet to get the Hawks in Adelaide. Not that we are guaranteed to win those, but nor have we had an easy run to date - Perth twice, NZ, Melbourne, GC - those are the top four teams according to many. It's really those two Kings games more than anything that smashed us hard. Not many would've tipped us to be any better than 4-4 (Kings x 2, Hawks, maybe GC at home) and more likely 3-5.

Desperately looking for a reason to believe in the rest of the season maybe, but also trying to be realistic!

DJ is now in top 5 on rebounds.

What is the "something" Clarke is building? And with which players - who is signed beyond this year?

Weigh would have a change a coach in his contract of course.
No one else is signed.
Hearing Joey about Simpson , I imagine he'll getta lot of offers.

It was about this time last season , Marty had mentioned something similar .

So in other words - nothing!

Not at all an unexpected comment from a coach who's pro record is a dismal 11-25. Sounds to me like Clarke's trying to distract those who make the decisions (club management/owners) from the real issue which is that this once proud club who continues to have the best fan support in the league is going nowhere fast under his coaching.

Hendo is dead right. On offense, while not perfect, the team has enough talent to post a winning score every game and they seem to do a lot of it more on their own individual talent rather than any set plays. However, there is no point in posting a would-be winning score if your defense lets the opposition score more points than you do. And right now our defense basically sucks. Poor options and turnstile one on one defense is killing us right now. About the only thing we're doing well in for once is rebounds and that is mostly down to Simpson and DJ.

Maybe during time outs Clarke could get on them about defense rather than giving them offensive plays they never seem to run? Do something different. And maybe having less player rotations wouldn't be a bad thing either. If a player gets on a roll leave him out there. If he's not doing much other than taking up space then sub him out with someone who will do something. Right now Clarke seems to be doing the opposite. A player gets on a roll he gets subbed. A player is little more than a passenger and he's left on. It's beyond belief sometimes.

And as for Boti.....he might well have his own agenda about things but being realistic I think that when it comes down to it, just like the rest of us, he has the best interests of the 36ers at heart. Difference is that he is in a position to be able to put his point of view out there in print to a much greater audience.

It doesnt matter to me what Marty says they are working on. He has shown over the last 2 years that his style isnt going to change.

The simple question is would this team be performing better under a different coach. The answer to me is a clear yes therefore the only true solution is to replace the coach with someone who is able to get the best out of the players.

25 years ago the 36ers management sacked coach Ken Cole after he had taken the team to a Grand Final the previous season and up until him being removed as coach he had taken the team to a 22-2 record in 1986. Even though he was brought back to coach in the finals and indeed coached our first championship team that year he was still let go at the end of the season. Ok, sure, I know the reason he was sacked was because of the marijuana incident but still, the club sacked the coach who had turned the club from a possible contender to dominating champions.

Fast forward to November 2011. Marty Clarke has now coached the 36ers in 36 games and has a 11-25 record with little sign that things will get better. Yet there seems to be little the clubs management want to do about it.

Ok, I know today's club management is totally different to those who ran the 36ers in 1986 but seriously, if the teams record under a coach is 11-25 (a lousy 44%) then something definitely needs to be looked at. Although I get the feeling that the club still has faith in Clarke's ability to recruit the cream of the AIS crop to the club, as mis-guided as that faith may or may not be. That faith may be what is keeping his job safe.....

Scotty Ninnis was let go for less.....at least he got us to the 2008-09 Elimination Finals.

The NBL competition is very tight. One expects that all top tier national sports competitions to be that way. Wins and losses is the measurement of a coach. A 50% win rate is the benchmark. Marty is at 30%. In the AFL, what pressure would a coach yielding 30% be under?

1. What is the win rate of the other current NBL coaches?
2. Could any of those other guys get better win % with the Sixers?
3. How does this win % compare against other Sixers coaches?
4. Is there a correlation between a rookie coaches win % and his win % after 10 years?
5. Does Marty just need time?

Spinner, would you rush to resign many players on a last-placed team?

Weigh and Crosswell are on two-year deals. Ballinger is in the final year of (from memory) an extension to a deal (I think the club would be reluctant to re-sign him for the same amount right now, and he'd probably be reluctant to take a discounted offer). Johnson is in the second of a two year deal, Creek also. I'd guess that Ng and Herbert are on single year deals. Helliwell would be on a one-year deal. The imports also.

I'm not aware of it having happened with these players, but it's possible that offers have been put to them but they are opting to test the market.

Of the players uncontracted, I think I'd look to lock in Simpson and maybe Creek (for his points value alone, if it stays low). I like Johnson, but I'd want to see how his defense goes over the course of the season.

The club might want to see a bit more of Simpson before they make a call, or might think an import SG is a better move if Ballinger stays. Creek is someone who might want to test the market.

Ng is a comfortable late signing if the spot is there. Herbert, I'd be waiting to see how he plays out the season.

I wouldn't rush to keep Warren, though I do like him. I'd try for a Jackson or Gill first.

AIS = DEVELOPMENT = DON'T CARE IF THE TEAM LOSES = MARTY'S MENTALITY.
It is my understanding that Marty is on a 3 year contract and the owners can't afford to sack him and pay him out.

Isaac - no, I wouldn't be rushing to sign players in a last placed team...but I wouldn't be hiding behind the "3 year plan" or the "building something" crap when none of the current players are going to be there to execute the plan or be part of something.

I get that a team has to have a plan, but FFS, actually have a plan and don't just hide behind an excuse! Clarke has never accepted any responsibility. All he has done is make excuses and make stupid comments like W/L doesn't matter! He is a development coach, not a head coach in this country's professional league.

I have seen him mention that three year plan once (and like I said then, every coach would have one). You've mentioned it in every snide joke ever since. It quickly became like Smyth's "six weeks to gel" - everyone will remember that and how boring that became on Hoops.

I don't love his lack of accepting responsibility either, but I'm guessing that he's just not that media-friendly or trained. He's also offside with our main basketball journo in town which will never help the perception of him or the choice of quotes that hit the public.

I think his intention with that statement is that if you concentrate on doing the right things, building a culture, training right, making Adelaide a target not a backwater, then success will follow. You have to do these things. That's all fair enough but obviously framing it as he did gets people quickly offside as they take it to suggest that he doesn't even want to win.

It's interesting to compare his comments and position with that of Wollongong. McLeod is a highly revered coach and, their budget aside, he has a similarly average record after a tough early schedule. He has what might be the weakest import duo in the league and no one in the team is really performing out of their socks, but his comment this week was that they'd fine tune a little bit, but no grand changes. They had 24 turnovers on their home court last game.

In Adelaide, fans would have most of that team and especially the imports up in front of a firing squad. Both imports rubbish. Martin not good enough to start. Sav and Soup too old. Davidson injury prone. Gruber too meek. Jackson a waste of time. Forman a swag of stats down on last year (in Adelaide, how many would put that on Marty?). And so on.

McLeod:

"It's a marathon, it’s not a sprint," said the 2009-10 NBL Coach of the Year.

"We haven’t played Townsville this year and we play them three times in the season, so this is a new series for us.

"If we lose [Saturday’s] game is it the end of our season? Certainly not. But obviously every game you drop makes it harder to make the play-offs," he said.

Isaac I think it is probably the completely external Locus of Control Clarke exhibits, as he really doesn't seem to take any responsibility for the teams' performance, which is most displeasing.

The difference with Wollongong may well be that their fans might be more appreciative of still HAVING a team, as they really almost didn't anymore a couple of years back. Whilst the Sixers were sold post-Hemmerling, I don't think many of us ever doubted that SOMEONE would buy them and keep the team going. And I am extremely grateful to the SOS for doing just that, which just adds to my frustration at Clarke's public comments. I am sure that the SOS members are frequently asking "what exactly are we building here, Marty?", though not likely as frequently as "why did we give this guy a three year deal?"

At the end of the day, irrespective of what he thinks he's building, so far he's 11-25, and has already this season twice been out-coached by Moose Robilliard. I mean, come on.

Oh and I concur that Jackson is a waste of time.

croswell is on a two year deal???

shit :(

It took a bunch of guys still losing personal money and after having worked some of the roles themselves in the early stages to save the 36ers. If people assumed it would happen one way or another, they're lucky to not be surprised. Many people looked and talked, but only one group of fairly everyday people (compared to Groves' money at the time) actually stepped up. Quick fix attempts like the Bullets and Dragons have killed clubs. If the owners have backed a strategy/plan and are riding it out, I'm not unhappy about looking for the gradual positives and trying to give some benefit of the doubt, as frustrating as the results can be.

Beveridge slummed it with West Sydney and then continued his plan in Perth.

Beveridge, 39, was always the Wildcats' preferred option, with the club saying it wants to develop young talent and build a title-winning outfit even if that takes time.

Fair enough re Jackson. I am sure he is a great guy but at this stage all he is going to do is set a career NBL record for most number of games played with court time < 1 minute. I am aware of Delaney.

Yes, I can certainly imagine the Adelaide fan reaction. And I understand that we are probably stuck with Clarke as removing him would require paying out his contract, and if I was one of the SOS I wouldn't want to be putting too much more money into the Sixers until it actually showed me a return. But if we are 3-12 midway through next season...

I think the Adelaide roster is quite competitive, but what has killed them in just about every game is a complete lack of defensive intensity. They do not seem motivated, and I believe that it is Clarke's job to rectify that. In short, I would like to see the team play with and ounce of the passion and determination that most of us appreciate the SOS have shown.

Past teams here lacked that intensity but would also get spooked and throw away leads or were destroyed on the road, or barely tried once they felt the game was gone. I think those latter things have started to disappear. A win in Perth, competitive in NZ, largely competitive in Wollongong. Beat Melbourne. Done in overtime the second Kings game thanks to some specific turnovers. Were in that Blaze game despite all those defensive errors. Sad to be bottom and looking for any positives, but the alternative is pessimism.

I think that passion and intensity has improved significantly but like I said the other day, they need to play smarter now that they're playing harder. I suspect a few of the things important to key defenders are as innate as they can be added or improved and are going to be a huge challenge for any coach.