Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with Ian Stacker

Four Diegos Profile:               

World Champion Basketball Coach – Crocs – Australia Youth Basketball team in 1998

Diegos Verdict: 

Hey Frankie he coaches a round ball game – could be an option for the Socceroos. Just a thought.

Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with Ian Stacker…

Stacker on big match celebration…

Diegos: “How did you celebrate the great win last night against the United States? Does the head ‘Croc’ sound a bit croaky?”

Stacker: “We’re trying to keep the celebrations to minimum because we’ve made the semi finals in fine style but we are about winning a gold medal and that’s our aim.

So the head ‘Croc’ is feeling good”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1998

Stacker on his half time pep talk…

Diegos: “It seemed like we really took over in the second half against the Yanks.

The boys hammered on 16 point to 2 in the opening stages after half time.

What did you say at the interval? Did you use the old Alan Jeans ‘sausage’ analogy?”

Stacker: “Right from the start of the game we wanted to be the aggressive team.

A lot of countries fear playing the USA and we wanted to make a statement that we weren’t scared of them.

We wanted to dictate the terms at which the game was going to be played. I think our guys did a great job at doing that.

No Diegos, there weren’t any pep talks involving sausages.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1998

Stacker on the perils of overseas agents…

Diegos: “There is a parallel between the youth soccer and youth basketball in Australia in that all the young athletes these days are all very aware of the great financial possibilities on offer overseas.

Of course the presence of overseas agents could tempt them take their eye off the ball at times.

Do you think the ‘Crocs’ early ordinary performances in this tournament were a result of a few of the guys perhaps focusing on the millionaire lifestyle of the NBA rather than what’s happening on the court?”

Stacker: “Yes I think you’re right.

Just about every NBA team has a scout here watching these championships and I think that’s definitely got to be in the mind of the players.

I think the poor start was as a result of a lot of little things combined together.

I think the guys found it difficult to cope with the fact that not all the support was for Australia. The Turkish team had a lot of support. It was more like a soccer crowd.

Australian basketball fans can learn a lot from the soccer fans. They’re very passionate and make a lot of noise. We can probably do without trashing the stadium afterwards though but the rest is great for the game.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1998