coleman

Giants start game in jocks
By Peter Kogoy and Peter Krupka
December 09, 2002

SIX red-faced Victoria Giants players were forced to sit out the start of their game against the Perth Wildcats wearing only their "jocks".

The embarrassed basketballers had little choice as a team of seamstresses worked against the clock to replace $1000 of the distinctive blue uniforms stolen from the Giants' dressingroom at Vodafone just hours before Saturday night's tip-off.

Victorian police are investigating the theft of singlets and matching shorts, all easily indentifiable, carrying the names of players Dave Biwar, Dusty Rychart, David Cooper, Miles Pearce, Rhys Carter and Nik Mirich.

The theft forced officials at the Arena in Swan Street in the city to delay the start by 30 minutes as club owner Peter Fiddes, a clothing manufacturer, called in a team of his best seamstresses to make a fresh batch of uniforms at his Preston factory.

"I can see the funny side of it today but I didn't on the night," Victoria coach Mark Wright said. "The last I saw of the uniforms was where we left them hanging on pegs after finishing a lunchtime shoot around. The theft wasn't reported until around 5pm, but officials couldn't delay the game any longer.

"When the game did get underway I had six blokes who wanted to play but couldn't get into the game because they were sitting on the bench in just their jocks. The crowd did see the funny side of it as the players were forced to dress themselves on the court.

"By the time I got them in the Wildcats had jumped us by 12 points and the game was as good as over for us."

"I believe in the brotherhood of man, all men, but I don’t believe in brotherhood with anybody who doesn’t want brotherhood with me. I believe in treating people right, but I’m not going to waste my time trying to treat somebody right who doesn’t know how to return the treatment."
Malcom X Speech, Dec. 12 1964, New York City.

david