Pessimistic crap, sorry Boti. Lots of decisions gone awry and three terrible years but this is NBL ownership and sometimes you take what you get. Reckon the Hawks would exist if Arun wasn't around? Simply a different coach would've made for a different result this year. Hell, a different import (or even the original) could've had us in the pack given the quirky season.

If what's left of SOS can hold on, a roster similar to this year's with a competent coach could be enough to get things in the right direction.

If Marty were reappointed, then, fair article but I'd be writing it then not now.

Boti on Twitter: "@BenFitz Think I might know something you may not. Interesting couple of weeks coming up."

Boti is to much of a band wagon jumper for me.

It's become pretty obvious that Boti is spoon-feeding the readers what they generally want to hear.

Complaining that ownership doesn't have the money to put together a powerhouse squad and veteran coach is weak journalism.

If finding cashed up owners were easy the 36ers wouldn't have needed an SOS ownership group in the first place.

Rather than selfishly fuel the fire, Boti should get off ownership's backs and be part of the solution.

I think "clueless" is harsh. Obviously it's no walk in the park but aside from the coach, no other decision to date has been especially damaging. And on that, they had an advisory panel and picked a guy many supported, plus put in a championship assistant. Had it worked, I think so many smaller issues would get overlooked.

Not like there are countless big money alternative owners in basketball - how many have dropped away over the years? And not like there are countless sports admins at the right price with loads of experience and looking for a job - they'd work for the AFL or cricket, tennis, etc first.

I'd be interested to know if now, with hindsight, the club would've replaced Marty at some point (and when) or honoured the contract regardless of the results to come?

Exactly. Such an easy fix. New coach alone gets you a couple of ladder rungs higher. Use the import slots and you're laughing.

The business side of things things will then follow in basketball-mad adelaide.

The only thing that would worry me is the commitment to starting daniel johnson just because his stats look nice. I dont personally believe he can contribute to a winning team, but he is under contract and you have a proven guy in Peach playing behind him. Bringing in a proper professional coach will temper that somewhat though, or maybe even turn DJ into a winner. Just gotta flush out all that Marty Clarke DNA that's embedded in his game first...

The Sixers - the WNBL AIS in the NBL

No player wants to play for a coach who loses games. Not in under 18s, and certainly not in the NBL.

They just say they do in the media because it's the polite and professional way of going about things and won't put any aspect of their career in jeopardy, and out of respect for Marty who for all I know might be a great guy to be around non-basketball wise. This whole "players want to play for marty / coach out contract clause" nonsense is the single most overblown bit of hyperbole in this ongoing sixers drama.

Ninnis was not allowed to replace Groves if I remember correctly whilst Clarke was free to remove imports at will. So I wouldn't say Ninnis failed but didn't have the same freedom as Clarke which ultimately gave him the poor second season.

Anon, not saying there isn't a giant list or that they shouldn't be improved - just that a winning team stops a bunch of owners from being called clueless. A lot of that list pertains directly to the coach and player selection.

Other anon: Putting team performance on SOS is a huge stretch IMO. They're linked and there's forever been a disconnect, but plays at either end are decided by the coaches and the players are responsible for following them. When we get smashed inside, that isn't the Silver Fox out there on court.

Ninnis also had Hill as an assistant who I don't think was quite his pick.

The keeping Clarke for the full three years decision is the major stuff up in my opinion.

Some of the others like cutting CJ and replacing him with SC are flow on effects from the blind faith in Clarke.

However, keeping Clarke the full three years has proven to be a crazy decision.

Management gets a 'F' from me for that decision alone.

So many things could have potentially been salvaged if Clarke was replaced instead of CJ.

Isaac, when it is the same old, same old being delivered by Clarke then it is definitely Silver Fox out there on the Court for mine.

The person that repeatedly gives the keys to the car to a blind driver is responsible for the car wreck.

I stopped getting angry at Clarke and Radford after they got rid of CJ.

By that point their incompetence was proven.

From that point on (at the very latest) Silver Fox and Co were 100 percent responsible for every loss.

That alone gives me no faith in Silver Fox and indeed the 36ers into the future.

"Until this season, cheap rosters Isaac?"

What cheap rosters? All those seasons we have used the fully salary cap if not close to the full salary cap.

My issue with SOS wasn't that they gave 3 years but they didn't put any performance clause in the contract. As a result, I understand that their cash flow probably didn't allow them to get rid of Clarke and pay for a new coach but they could have at least made the correct decisions by not allowing Clarke to get a new import. Clarke had made many decisions on imports where he was wrong on almost every occasion, so this was a chance for SOS to step up and make the correct decision

"Their decison making and unwillingness/inability financially to correct their mistakes translates directly to the court."

Let's bring in the new owners then. I'll think that's a credible idea when someone other than Ken Cole puts their hand up.

None of the decisions have anything to do with any of us. They are all made based on money/returns and investments. So what we are given, we are given

Plain and simple.

There are two options, get rid of current coach and change the whole atmosphere to what the 36ers culture is, or rehire the same shit n giggles and get nothing for your investment.

If they werent going to field a team in 2013/14, i wouldnt be surprised

No performance clause in Clarke's contract proved to be a problem in replacing him, however, Clarke as stubborn and self centred as he has been should have had the decency to walk away with the performance he was delivering. He should have had the respect for a club like this and not stuck around like a bad smell driving the club further and further into the ground. The reaction of the fans should have also driven him away, but for his own selfish purpose he made the club honour his contract at such a huge cost to its reputation, its fan support and its sponsorship support.

Its only last week there was a news story where he was asked about next season. His comment was that the coaching decision is out of his hands but given another chance, he could turn this club around. Is that the comment of someone who is delusional or not? Can't believe he actually has faith in himself to succeed another season or more.

Isaac,

I'd be interested to know if now, with hindsight, the club would've replaced Marty at some point (and when) or honoured the contract regardless of the results to come?

How quick we forget!
Would love to have the time to delve into the archives to find all of those who were so concerned of not having an NBL team in Adelaide a few years ago.
SOS were the Messiahs.
I think that we should be very grateful to the 'remaining' people who have kept the club going as others move on (or visit Her Magesty's Motel)
Let's hope Brett makes a big culture chasnge and gets the state supportive asnd attending once again

+1 on culture. The season could have been so different, with so many narrow losses from winning positions. Half the season's games decided by 6 points or less. Sixers win 4/14 of the close games, which is the difference between playoffs and the spoon. Owners, coach or players? All share the blame, but you have to feel some sympathy for SOS - the team showed they were good enough to win & proceeded to lose.