Gary Giants...

[panchess]

..the former Anderson (IN) Champions leave town without a trace, and have become the Gary Giants. They lost their first game to the Minnesota Ripknees last night.

Looks like the Steelheads have some competition for the Northwest Indiana basketball dollar...

[Chuck the Writer]

You mean the Twin Cities Ballers. Although it would be nice to get that rec-league franchise out of the Wigwam so the Alley Cats can have it all to their selves.

[panchess]

..not Twin City. I think the Ripknees press release was wrong, but given the ABA, you can understand why they would get confused.

[preeths]

Apparently, Twin City filled in for Anderson. Not sure when that schedule change was made.

[BreakersFan]

I give the Giants a week in Gary before they move to Sauk Valley. Then the Rollers and the Giants can play out the rest of the season against each other.

Seriously, it's a good thing the Champions had blank jerseys. That way they can be from any city with any nickname and not have to get new shirts!

[heavesrock]

Did Twin City or Anderson move? I think it was Anderson, because Twin City has been drawing very well.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

..the former Anderson (IN) Champions leave town without a trace, and have become the Gary Giants. They lost their first game to the Minnesota Ripknees last night.

Looks like the Steelheads have some competition for the Northwest Indiana basketball dollar...

I didn't get the memo. Apparently, no one else in Gary got the memo either. When the Northwest Indiana media finally gets wind of this then they are going to have a field day.

panchess,
Looks like the Steelheads have some competition for the Northwest Indiana basketball dollar? Huh? Please get serious. I onced stated that you'll have to be "connected" to run an operation like this in Northwest Indiana. I'll stand by that statement.

[MJHankel]

I would agree that this seems very fishy, though it is actually reported in newspapers that the newly moved Gary, Ind Giants played in MN.

What did the Steelheads ownership buy another team? and even if they did why would they buy one in the ABA as they have been openly negative about it.

Well maybe something will be said at the Press conferenct today in Gary from the Steelheads' ownership. If it is true maybe that is why papers have not said anything as of yet. Maybe the ownership is just keeping it hush hush.

I really doubt all the speculation I just said. (these are just the rambling thoughts of a guy with no sleep for 2 days)

[MJHankel]

Ok, to put it strait, first I didn't notice the thread in the ABA section before I wrote my last post, second

I just don't get it. How the heck do people think they can opperate like that? I mean the fact that there is no local press about it at all throws a big red flag. I mean well at least they can say they are getting better press than the Rollers. They got basically none as well (unless it was bad).

I swear this sounds like more of a sick stupid joke than a legitmate business venture. I still don't get how newspapers have actually reported on them playing. When Gary media has nothing at all. Is it a fantasy team?

[preeths]

According to a very good source, there are no Gary Giants. The Twin City Ballers played at Minnesota, and for reasons known entirely to only those two teams, Twin City was referred to as Gary for that game. One reason I heard was Minnesota either didn't like the "Twin City" designation or wanted to avoid confusion locally, as the Ripknees play in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul).

[Sam Hill]

According to a very good source, there are no Gary Giants. The Twin City Ballers played at Minnesota, and for reasons known entirely to only those two teams, Twin City was referred to as Gary for that game. One reason I heard was Minnesota either didn't like the "Twin City" designation or wanted to avoid confusion locally, as the Ripknees play in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul).

The ABA's New Year's resolution: To be even more ridiculous in 2007.

[sportsguy12]

According to a very good source, there are no Gary Giants. The Twin City Ballers played at Minnesota, and for reasons known entirely to only those two teams, Twin City was referred to as Gary for that game. One reason I heard was Minnesota either didn't like the "Twin City" designation or wanted to avoid confusion locally, as the Ripknees play in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul).

That's what makes this league so unprofessional. You can't change a team name before a game because someone doesn't like something and is going to take their ball and go home.

Look at Tri-City in Nebraska and Tri-Cities in Washington state. It's Twin City vs. Twin Cities. Would the NY Giants change their name to NJ Giants for one game when they play the Jets? Or the Lakers to Hollywood when play the Clips.

This is assinine. Well, not really, when it comes to the ABA. It's the norm.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

According to a very good source, there are no Gary Giants. The Twin City Ballers played at Minnesota, and for reasons known entirely to only those two teams, Twin City was referred to as Gary for that game. One reason I heard was Minnesota either didn't like the "Twin City" designation or wanted to avoid confusion locally, as the Ripknees play in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul).

Now I'm REALLY confused! I thought this Twin Cities team was from Benton Harbor, Michigan:
http://www.oursportscentral.com/sports/?t_id=1915

Hmmmmm. If the "very good source" is correct, then the Minnesota Ripknees distributed a blatantly FALSE press release:
http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3411953

...the Ripknees cruised to a 128-86 victory over the Gary (Ind) Giants on Thursday evening at the Gangelhoff Center. The Giants had just moved to Gary from Twin Cities.

My opinion:
The press release above was correct at the time and the Ballers intended on playing at least some games in Gary as the Giants, but got caught speeding.

The facts:
Someone associated with the old Hammond Rollers recently attempted to reserve the basketball court at the Hudson-Campbell Sports Center in Gary. That same person is now associated with Twin Cities (or Tri-Cities, or whatever they are calling themselves these days). Benton Harbor, MI is not that far from Northwest Indiana.