Official ABA Traveling Team?

[tbayz1]

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/nov/23/thunderbolts-get-plenty-scoring/

The Knoxville Thunderbolts got their second win of their inaugural season in the ABA on Saturday night, pulling away from the Tri-City Racers and winning 129-103 in front of about 300 fans at Grace Christian Academy.

Seven players - led by Andy Tipton's 20 points and 11 rebounds - reached double-digit scoring for the Thunderbolts (2-3).

The Racers are an ABA traveling team, filling in as an opponent when needed. They'll have a regular schedule next year. Both teams are under the same ownership.

"I thought we played with more energy tonight than we had in a few games," said associate head coach Larry Robinson. "We got a lot of runs up and down the court and the energy is what was different."

Knoxville twice led by 14 in the first half, only to see the Racers go on scoring runs. Nate Hardin's layup with 1:55 left in the half pulled Tri-City even at 57. The half ended with the Thunderbolts up 63-59.

"This ABA thing is designed to be fast," said Robinson. "It's a game of spurts . . . they spurt, we spurt . . . really the one who can be consistent the longest is the one who comes out winning. I think we were consistent, especially in the second half."

By the end of the third, Knoxville had a 17-point lead, thanks mainly to Marquise Foster's 12 in the period. Foster finished with 19. Former University of Tennessee player Damon Johnson added 16 and Brad Harris 14. Keith Isom of the Racers had a game-high 29, 21 on 3-pointers.

Former UT standout Dane Bradshaw added 11 points and eight assists.

"Dane was consistent throughout," Robinson said.

Jordan Howell, who played for UT a year ago, was on the roster in the preseason, but left the team for personal reasons.



Well good to see the game had a replacement team because of the no-show Cleveland Rockers...

However, according to the WV Blazer's recap of one of their exhibition games versus the Tri-City Racers (http://www.wvblazers.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100:blazers-host-knoxville-thunderbolts-and-tri-city-racers-for-fundraisers&catid=23:games&Itemid=97), they are based out of Knoxville. So could this be a team set up by the Thunderbolts to assure games will get played when stiff opponents don't show up...?

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

I think there is no question that this team is a Knoxville-based stand-by team.

The local press might buy this for now:

The Racers are an ABA traveling team, filling in as an opponent when needed. They'll have a regular schedule next year. Both teams are under the same ownership.

but after the 6th meeting between the Bolts and Racers, someone is going to ask tougher questions.

...

If they WERE an ABA-authorized travel team, they would be on the ofiicial ABA website, no? (The question is rhetorical...)

...

So, Cleveland failed to show (big shock there, BTW).

Burrell, Larry - are they one and done?

And how does that schedule look so far?

[Paul S]

I'll give Knoxville some credit. They must be so wary of other teams doing a runner on their away games obligations they simply decided to construct their own opponent!

Ft. Wayne's Best cost money to fly in. So if the real team shows the attendance would have been 312, but if in ABA-esque fashion they don't, the T-Bolts now have 300 and a replacement team.

Also, nobody was shot during a football game prematurely ending the game. I think in stark ABA terms this game is a roaring success.

[formerlyknownasfells]

It looks like Joe swiped this idea from Tom Doyle and the PBL. The PBL did this last year with the PBL Travelers and it saved them a few times.

[The Sweeper]

It looks like Joe swiped this idea from Tom Doyle and the PBL. The PBL did this last year with the PBL Travelers and it saved them a few times.

<Sarcasm on>

Joe stealing an idea from another league??

Never! That would be unethical.

<Sarcasm off>

[preeths]

So have any regular season games that didn't exclusively involve Winston-Salem, Knoxville and Nashville, and only those three, been played as scheduled?

[turbocamyes]

So have any regular season games that didn't exclusively involve Winston-Salem, Knoxville and Nashville, and only those three, been played as scheduled?

The Dream Tournament. I know, I know, it was a pre-season tournament, but the games were announced and played. I suggest that until the league posts a schedule and accurately tracks regular season games we should count all games, including pre-season and against non-league opponents, as a measure of a team’s strength. Here’s why:

1. Look at the discrepancy over the years between what OSC reports as games played and the standings on the league site (when they appear.)
2. The almost random selection of teams for the Power Rankings and eventual postseason—there’s a formula, but how does it value the difference between a forfeit, a win against a fill-in such as a traveling team or loss against last minute replacement team. What if Nashville or another, stronger team showed at the last minute to play Knoxville?
3. No published regular season stats. Why not count the 37 points Derek Foster put up against Maywood? Is it any less impressive that what Andy Tipton did against a non-ABA team?

[LightningMan]

While I get your point, Turbo, I think the real answer to Preeth's question is no.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

The Dream Tournament. I know, I know, it was a pre-season tournament, but the games were announced and played. I suggest that until the league posts a schedule and accurately tracks regular season games we should count all games, including pre-season and against non-league opponents, as a measure of a team’s strength. Here’s why:

1. Look at the discrepancy over the years between what OSC reports as games played and the standings on the league site (when they appear.)
2. The almost random selection of teams for the Power Rankings and eventual postseason—there’s a formula, but how does it value the difference between a forfeit, a win against a fill-in such as a traveling team or loss against last minute replacement team. What if Nashville or another, stronger team showed at the last minute to play Knoxville?
3. No published regular season stats. Why not count the 37 points Derek Foster put up against Maywood? Is it any less impressive that what Andy Tipton did against a non-ABA team?

Turbo -
I see your points, but I agree with Lightning.

Also, you do realize that just this post alone took far more effort than Joe exerts in putting together the rankings OR the league schedule, right?

Your work and attention to details are excellent; it's too bad the leagues you research (at least this one) don't put in even half the same effort you do.

[turbocamyes]

We’re all here hoping to see basketball succeed on the minor league level, but for whatever reason, the ABA insists on following a business model that almost demands failure from the bulk of its teams. What’s sad is there is good basketball being played. I was at Friday night’s Broncs-Storm game. It was played in a small historic gym and without much attention outside of the three to four hundred fans that showed up. You couldn’t have had two more opposite looking teams during warm-ups—Nashville with its’ mostly Division I roster, decked out with professional looking uniforms, running very disciplined lay-up drills and coached by Jan van Breda Kolff. And the Storm, wearing reversible jerseys, throwing up jumpers or walking over to the stands to shake hands with the fans. I also saw GM/Coach Short do the same, talking to fans, making sure the scorers table and refs were ready. And when the game was finally played, you would have thought it was over by half time. After three quarters it was 81-58, Nashville. But the Storm came back, scoring 49 pts in the last quarter to lose by four—111-107. All hustle, good defense and a bunch of three pointers. And it seemed to me to be accomplished without any the help from the refs.

Oh, and I tried to score the game—not as easy as it looks. I’m not going to complain too much anymore about missing stats.

[Sam Hill]

"This ABA thing is designed to be fast," said Robinson. "It's a game of spurts . . . they spurt, we spurt . . .

...everybody spurt-spurt.

They'd actually make more money if it was a porn outfit.

[TEN]

I found this post I made back in early August....it was advice for the team in West Virginia. Nice to see that Knoxville is reading the board!



Your first investment for your franchise should be this....

Go out and buy a set of reversable jerseys...you'll need a road team so make them blue on one side and red on the other (that way you might fool people into thinking they aren't seeing the same team at least a couple of times)...number them from 1 to 12...then keep the phone numbers of the best local players in Bluefield on speed dial....and keep in mind they will need time to get off at their job at the local Hardees...

It's good to have maybe 20 or 25 of those guys so your fans don't realize they are seeing the same guys every night. You can rack up a gaudy record and get a high seed in the ABA Championship Extravaganza!

Don't let your players help you round up guys....their family members will know who the ringers are and blow your cover....since 90 percent of the crowd will be family members anyway.

Take my advice....

[SignGuyDino]

Won't they need a fleet of travelling teams?

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3748788

Thunderbolts Schedule Benefit Exhibition Game
December 6, 2008 - American Basketball Association (ABA) Knoxville Thunderbolts

Knoxville, TN. The ABA Knoxville Thunderbolts have scheduled a benefit exhibition basketball game against the Tri-City Racers, an ABA team scheduled to begin league play in 2009. The game will benefit Knoxville College's Athletic Department and will take place at 715pm on Wednesday, December 10th at Giffen-Alumni Memorial Building, 901 Knoxville College Drive, Knoxville, TN 37921.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students with ID and $5 for youth 12 & under. According to Doc Glisson, team owner, "This should be an exciting game between two good teams with lots of local popular players - and our goal has always been to give back to the community. Being able to support the athletic department is very important to us. We hope there's a large crowd." For more information, visit www.knoxvillethunderbolts.com or www.abalive.com.