TOP
CATS
VS SLAMMERS
For months now Penrith
Basketball Association and Penrith Panthers have been working together
to form a bid for Sydney's second NBL team. Hours upon hours of hard
work and money have been put into this project, dubbed 'Project Topcat',
and now after so much suspense and hope it has all come to a big fat nothing.
The team was hoping to
play at a complex in Homebush Bay, where the Kings will also have their
new home. This would have seated 20 000 people and it will be the biggest
and best venue in the country. Bob Turner, the guy who led Sydney (along
with Shane) to the NBL playoffs quite a few times) was also behind Penrith's
bid and was their major promoter. The team was to be called
the Panthers and there were already inquiries made by present and past
NBL players about team positions.
Unfortunately Project
Top Cat was not the only competitor for the licence. Western Sydney Slammers
based at Liverpool were the opposition. They are planning on building a
15 000 seat stadium (as you can see it is SMALLER than the one Penrith
had their eyes on), but since construction hasn't even begun yet, they
will use a 5 500 seat stadium (obviously not expecting many supporters).
Their main guy was Robbie Cadee, the Slammers general manager, former Bankstown
Bruins coach and former Opals coal.
As you can see Penrith
were the only ones that truly deserved to win the right to buy (for $2
million I might add) Sydneys second NBL license. But they didn't.
The Western Sydney Slammers won because :- (these are the reasons given
in 'The Daily Telegraph Monday, November 17, 1997)
* Well thought out plan
and prepared to meet the NBL's tough criteria. Refused to take no for an
answer.
And this is why we lost
(according to the same paper)
* Too hastily put together
left them with little time to lobby effectively although at one stage with
the mooted involvement of James Packer, they dominated negotiations.
Other articles in newspapers
claim that the Panthers would have been a clone of the Kings - yeah, right
mate .. Penrith has their own identity, and plenty of quality CBA players
who would have no trouble adjusting to the NBL.
The Penrith Press, Tuesday November
18, 1997, touches on what Penrith can do when the Slammers start to try
and take their CBA and State League players. It's a shame that this has
to happen, and they would have no trouble if Penrith had won like they
deserved to.
Penrith Panthers CBA Team -
Champions 1997
Players :-
(L-R) Greg Gibson,(sorry, don't
know) , Jamie Driscoll, Ray Conry, Tim Lowe, Andrew Clarke, Travis
Lane (front)
Coach :- Curt Forrester
The Western Sydney Slammers
will be known as the Western Sydney Razorbacks when they join the league
in the Summer Season! Their first game is against the Sydney Kings. Should
be something to see...
Stairway
Back To Heaven