Jazzy Jay Blogs on hawthornbasketball.com.au

Added 3 April 2008

First
What's up everybody? and welcome to my first post.

I have to be honest, Big Kev asked and I spoke about me blogging my way through the Big V season way back in November. We were both excited about letting everyone in on the inner sanctum of what goes on behind the scenes of the Men's team, both on and off the court. I promised him something both insightful and slightly humorous by December, which turned into January, then February and now we are in April. The only excuse I can offer is the whole Nightmares squad has been following me everywhere since my Pro City team destroyed their franchise in the Thursday night men's competition playoffs last season. Unlike what I did in that game I can't seem to shake the tag this time. They are at my house, my work, studying my movements, looking to gain an advantage. I wake up in the morning and I got Cam Taylor making me breakfast, Tommy Forde is shadowing my every move I just can't concentrate with these guys around.

But the good news is I am here now and we have a lot to catch up on.

Pre-Season
With the hang over of last season's championship well and truly gone, Coach Rees put us through our most tailored pre-season to date. With the team going so deep into the playoffs for the 3rd straight year, and the month long celebration which followed, we started a month later than normal (in November) and instead of the 'backwards thinking' flogging players normally get prior to Christmas, we focused on gradually building our core strength and fitness base. Don't get me wrong, it was hard and I had the occasional weak moment where I thought my dinner was going to end up on the BSC floor, but we trained a lot smarter this pre-season. This will benefit us as the season progresses.

Along with a re-worked training regime, we have had to adjust our game plan to suit our new look smaller line-up. With championship big men Steve Carter and Boyd Smart retiring on top and our pin-up boy Glenn 'Chubbsy' Watts going all Dieon Sanders and switching sports to focus on his AFL career (the entire Big V women's competition held a minute's silence prior to their games last weekend), we have recruited the original Hawthorn Magic swingman and Wally Szerbiak look-a-like Jeremy Caust, and the 'human heartbeat' Chris Bellesini. Interesting note on Chris, his resting heart rate equals that of Lance Armstrong. Once after a game in Sandringham he felt that he didn't get enough of a work out, so he ran home............... to Vermont. Which is like 30kms. The guy is amazing. I get tired just watching him warm up for practice. Along with these 2 experienced Big V campaigners, Kieran Kaufman and Rory Ellis have joined the Big V squad from the Under 20 program. These 2 baby-faced assassins will still compete in the Friday night comp leading the under 20's, while training and playing in the Big V program.

Leaders
Myself and Seb have been made co-captains for season 2008. I am really excited for Seb, he is a natural leader and he has really taken his game to another level in the last 12 months. Watch out for him in 2008. Tommy Forde and Peter Jordan are our Vice-Captains, along with Seb these 3 are the leaders of the next generation and future cornerstones of our franchise, a group that includes Zac Barry (Pro City's finest), Pauly K and Brenton Leneghan. Another interesting note: All four of the BigV leaders played Magic Juniors.

Opening Night
The pre-season was such a blur, with a handful of practice games, and inter-squad scrimmages. Round 1 came around very very quickly. A grand final rematch against Mildura hyped to be nothing short of a massive game.

We were all excited to be back at BSC last Saturday night and all the guys were really impressed and thankful of the support we received. The guys love playing of front of big crowds and hopefully we can put on some entertaining games for you this season.

Unfortunately we didn't deliver with a rather unusual 4th quarter fade out.

Post game, coach discussed about our execution down the stretch, as well as our inability to contain our men in 1 on 1 stops. These were 2 aspects that really cost us. Some positives were the scoring efficiency of our starting 4 and 5 men, Stew and Seb. As well as Matty Slaven shooting a high percentage. Defensively, which in the past has been our staple, was our let down.

The Swamp
This week we play the Altona Gators at down at The Swamp on Saturday night. We share an intense and fun rivalry with Altona. We knocked them out of the 2006 playoffs, with a 3 point win at Xavier, and The Swamp has been a place of some of our greatest wins in the past. In 2005 we won our 11th Straight game to finish the season and book ourselves a playoff spot out of no-where. Last year there was a rampaging Mattie Slaven taking on all comers, preaching to whoever would listen 'THEY ARE GETTING TIRED!!!". It is a great venue to play in and in this weeks game, we look to re-establish our defensive pressure along with offensive discipline and execution. The Soultrain has been restricted this week with a heel injury, but will play, so we will take an unchanged line-up into Saturday Night's game.

Pauly K's Haircut
Pauly K has started to get somewhat of a cult following from the hometown Hawthorn crowd, he even has his own cheer squad called 'KOP THAT' (a play on Pauly's love for the boy band Take That) and for his recent 21st birthday, we brought Pauly K some hair clippers, amongst other things. And for opening night he rolls up without the normal slick fro' but with a crazy looking buzz cut, taking his hardness to a Tyler Durden level. We all think it's awesome, but what do his fans think?

Until next time
In the coming weeks I'll be teaming up with the Justin 'Soultrain' Guppy, to give you the low down on Hoops, Xbox and Hip Hop, we'll do some player interviews, talk about any new video games, and just general business. Stay Tuned.

Haw-what?

Jazzy

Emily Matheson Blogs on Hawthorn Basketball Online
Hawthorn Magic Kick Off BigV Season
2008 Hawthorn Magic BigV Fixtures
2008 Hawthorn Magic BigV Squads
2008 BigV Season Photos in the Gallery