Haw-WHY are we doing this again?

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ABARedWhiteBlue
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Haw-WHY are we doing this again?

Post by ABARedWhiteBlue » Thu May 12, 2016 4:23 am

Seriously?

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sports/ ... stops-hilo
The American Basketball Association was once home to some of the game’s greats, including Julius “Dr. J” Irving, George “Iceman” Gervin, and Moses Malone.

The ABA, which was founded in 1967, went into cold storage with the ABA-NBA merger in 1976 and was brought back to life in 1999.

In April, the ABA announced the Hawaii Hammerheads as the latest expansion team for the upcoming season, which runs from November through March.

The Hammerheads will have 18 games, including 16 at home at either Honolulu’s Neal Blaisdell Center or Radford High’s Gym or maybe Hilo Civic.

The first signed player for the Hammerheads was Aukai Wong, a 2005 Hilo graduate, who wasn’t selected in the NBA’s D-League draft last year.

ABA president of basketball operations Kevin Williams is looking to schedule the Hammerheads for a two-game series at Hilo Civic to give Wong a homecoming.

“Our name is the Hawaii Hammerheads,” he said, emphasizing the Hawaii part. “We’re also looking into playing on Maui, too.”

The last pro organization to play on the Big Island was the Hawaii Stars of the Pacific Association, an independent baseball league, which ditched Hilo after the 2013 season.

The two Northern California teams refused to travel to either Hilo or Maui because of airfare and lodging costs. There were just four teams in the Pacific Association.

The Hawaii Stars debuted in 2012. There was little marketing put into the team, which never won a championship and didn’t draw well, often less than 200 fans, despite a half-dozen local players.

Over to the bigger round ball, there were several attempts by ABA expansion teams to hit a home run on Oahu. They all struck out.

In 2005, the Hawaii Mega Force closed shop after just two ABA games.

Mega Force owner Orrys Williams was banned for life from the league because he failed to fulfill several obligations, including making payments to his players.

The Hawaii Hurricanes, Pacific Rim Rockers, Honolulu Pegasus, other ABA expansion entries, also encountered financial problems due to the long-distance travel and never got off the ground.

“It’ll definitely work this time around. We have finances in place and a partnership deal with Hawaiian Airlines,” Williams said.

The Hawaii Hammerheads are responsible for flying other ABA teams from Las Vegas to Hawaii, a cost-effective move for Williams and the league.

As for the lodging, it helps to have multiple hotels putting in bids.

“We were close to a deal, but another hotel offer came in so we’re weighing that,” he said.

With games on Oahu, the Hammerheads will run into competition with UH-Manoa basketball games and high school games on Saturday.

But they’ll also feature games in the mid-afternoon on Sundays, most times at 4 p.m. If the Hammerheads hit it big at the gate, Sunday will be the day.

“We’re hoping to create the same fan base and work with those organizations,” Williams said.

The ABA is not affiliated with the NBA like how Major League Baseball has its minor league farm teams under its umbrella.

But the ABA has a long-standing relationship with the NBA.

“We have a connection with the NBA and the D-League,” Williams said. “Our focus is getting our players to the NBA’s D-League combine and to play in the NBA. We’re partners with international leagues.

“The No. 1 thing is you get paid to play with us, and you get a chance to get to the NBA or the NBA’s D-League.”

The salary range will be $1,500 to $3,500 a month, Williams said.

But it goes without saying for a chance to play pro ball, get film resume and maybe a shot at the NBA, that’s priceless.
Blather
Rinse
Repeat
Proud to be "Mean-spirited blogger #10K" ;)
And we believe it is better to have critics and people who care than not to have interest at all. Joe Newman 6/30/05
I never said the ABA had the greatest numbers regarding retention of teams. OldSchoolBaller (neither did we :rolleyes: )
The ABA has tarnished minor league professional basketball throughout this country Ed Krinsky 2/15/06
We are now making some adjustments to our schedule - Joe Newman 10/9/08 in perpetuity

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Post by robster2001 » Thu May 12, 2016 10:20 am

Will the paper give that much coverage to the team's inevitable fold? They will never draw enough fans to cover flying opponents in from Vegas... and, of course, they'll fold with a visiting team stuck on the islands holding unpaid "tickets"...

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Post by Minor League Mania » Thu May 12, 2016 12:04 pm

So, Kevin Williams is now back with the ABA after his own league folded??? SMH

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Post by nksports » Fri May 13, 2016 10:44 pm

They forgot to mention the ABA team there that folded after it got caught running up credit card charges on people who bought tickets from them.

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Post by nksports » Fri May 13, 2016 10:46 pm

But the ABA has a long-standing relationship with the NBA.
That relationship is utter contempt on the part of the NBA.

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Post by suge night » Fri May 13, 2016 11:14 pm

Remember the NBA paid a ransom to get rid of what was left of any relationship to the aba rights to share anything with the NBA, and that already didn't include the current aba people.

What is funny not ha ha is that these simple minded people continue to rehash a failed model the aba can't ever get a national established league built around [place whatever word you want here--------] these knuckle heads think flying hotels food and don't forget any ticket sales all take cash, and most of these teams think they can enter a major media market and well enough said about this dead animal (aba) :rolleyes: [Rest In Peace]

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ABARedWhiteBlue
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an 18 game schedule

Post by ABARedWhiteBlue » Fri Aug 19, 2016 4:15 am

with 16 at home?

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sports/ ... -isle-home
By KEVIN JAKAHI Hawaii Tribune-Herald
The Aloha spirit lured the Hawaii Hammerheads to Hilo, where the American Basketball Association expansion team will make its permanent home.

The Hammerheads start their inaugural season with a two-game series on the road, Nov. 26-27, at the Louisiana Cajun All-Stars and the Shreveport Flight.

Then the Hammerheads’ 18-game schedule will close with 16 contests at home, including 14 at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium and two in Kailua-Kona.

The Hammerheads make their Big Island debut against the Jacksonville (Fla.) Giants, the ABA defending champion, on Saturday, Jan. 7 in Kailua-Kona.

Then the two-game series closes on Sunday, Jan. 8 at Hilo Civic, giving East Hawaii local fans their first opportunity to watch professional basketball.

“The Big Island embraced the team as its own from the first phone call we had with county officials and the residents of Hilo,” said Kevin Williams, president of basketball operations. “We believe this is the perfect partnership for the team to grow and be a major part of the community.”

Williams isn’t from Hawaii. He’s from Houston and played ball at Huston-Tillotson University in Texas. But he understands the Aloha spirit because one of his players is Aukai Wong, a 2005 Hilo graduate, also a sharp-shooter and sound counsel.

The Hammerheads chief pointed out that he doesn’t want the team to be a bunch of strangers to the local community. It helps that Wong’s personality makes anyone he meets feel like a new best friend.

“We would like to thank the people of Hilo for welcoming the team with open arms and making us feel a part of their family,” Williams said. “Our players are looking forward to being an active part of the community and working with the kids to grow the game of basketball.

“From community service to providing affordable family fun entertainment, we will work every day on and off the court to make the Big Island proud to say they are home to the Hawaii Hammerheads.”

Wong, a 6-foot-3 guard, was the expansion team’s first signee and will serve as a drawing card for local fans.

“Aukai is the perfect piece to build a championship contender with. He is one of the best shooters I have ever seen,” Williams said. “He is the ultimate teammate, and I know his game is perfect for the uptempo pace of the ABA. He is a crafty guard with the heart of a lion, and we know every night playing in front of his hometown fans he will bring 100 percent effort.

“I spoke with him recently, and he is excited to be playing in his hometown and having the Hilo community come out and support him and the team.”

Beast of schedule

In early January, local fans on both sides of the island are in for an entertaining treat because the Hammerheads play the league’s toughest beast. The Giant have won three of the last five ABA championships.

“We wanted to bring the best team to the Big Island to show the fans the caliber of basketball played in the ABA,” Williams said. “The Giants averaged over 140 points last season, and they return 10 players from last season, including ABA MVP 7-foot Jermaine “Slim” Bell. I know this will be a difficult game for us, but we will be ready for them.”

The team’s unofficial slogan is “It’s Hammertime.” No, there’s no copyright infringement from MC Hammer. A good song to play at games would be “U Can’t Touch This,” especially if the Hammerheads are winning.

But as far as Hawaii’s schedule goes, TLC’s hit song, “No Scrubs,” aptly applies because only lions and tigers are being invited to dinner.

“Our second weekend, we host the New Jersey Express, a powerhouse team in the ABA having made it to the Elite 8 the last four years and Northeast Division Champions the last three seasons,” Williams said. “We will host six of the Elite 8 teams from last season. We will have no games off. That’s what we want, and what the fans and our sponsors want.”

Wong and waterfalls

“Our team features Aukai Wong and Brandon Matano (former UH player), a high-flyer from Oahu, and we recently signed 6-10 forward Joel Feigler from Hawaii Pacific University,” Williams said. “We will have eight high-quality players coming from the mainland to partner up with our awesome trio. The Hammerheads will be a team to watch out for in the ABA this season.”

And what’s a TLC reference without mentioning “Waterfalls.” Justin Bieber was recently in Hilo, and maybe he listened to Lisa Lopes’ chorus, “Don’t go chasing waterfalls.”

But for Wong, his dreams are coming true.

“This is a huge step for the future of basketball on the Big Island. The time is right, and Big Island fans deserve a professional basketball team,” he said. “This has been an interesting year for me. Almost a year ago, in October, I was blessed to be in Toronto working with the Raptors D-League team.

“Now, I am proud and motivated to represent Hilo, the Big Island, and the state of Hawaii in the ABA and to play in front of my home crowd.”

Net notes

ABA president of basketball operations Kevin Williams will be a guest on ESPN Hawaii radio at 10:30 a.m. Thursday on KHLO AM 850.

Matano starred on TNT’s The Dunk Kings. Here’s a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN5JBq13kTo
Proud to be "Mean-spirited blogger #10K" ;)
And we believe it is better to have critics and people who care than not to have interest at all. Joe Newman 6/30/05
I never said the ABA had the greatest numbers regarding retention of teams. OldSchoolBaller (neither did we :rolleyes: )
The ABA has tarnished minor league professional basketball throughout this country Ed Krinsky 2/15/06
We are now making some adjustments to our schedule - Joe Newman 10/9/08 in perpetuity

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Post by robster2001 » Fri Aug 19, 2016 11:11 am

There is no way in hell this works financially.

If it's a hobby for the team owner, great, enjoy the one season before reality sets in. But... this isn't sustainable.

I'm preaching to the choir, aren't I?

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Post by Sam Hill » Fri Aug 19, 2016 1:36 pm

“It’ll definitely work this time around. We have finances in place..."

Okay, sure.

Even Ryan Lochte is smarter than that.
Old enough to remember when bashing the ABA was fun.

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Post by dmbishop » Fri Aug 19, 2016 3:14 pm

If Kevin Williams is the ABA President of Basketball Operations, why does he talk about the Hawaii team as if he is an owner?
We believe this..."
Our players are looking forward to being an active part of the community..."
"I know this will be a difficult game for us..."
etc
He is not listed as a Management or Advisory member anywhere on the ABA website. Perhaps the Trib made a mistake as it appears he is the President of Basketball Operations for the team and not the league.

BTW, the ABA lists 110 teams for this season. That might be a record.

Dave
Last edited by dmbishop on Fri Aug 19, 2016 3:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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