LA TROBE UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

PERTH 99

The photo - From Left to Right

Standing:

Andrew Forbes, Matt Hardy, Dave "Cannanball" Cannan, Mark "Tonka" Stewart

Seated:

Tim "T-Bone" Thornton, Dale "Chippa" Weston, Courtney Reddrop, Brad Phelan

Front: Jeremy "Jesus" Caust

Absent: Luke D'Allesandro, Brett "Itchy" Stothers (Coach)

My Perth 99 Recollection by Andrew Forbes

The scene for the 1999 Uni Games was Perth and it saw a new look La Trobe Uni lineup head over to fly the flag. After a pretty dominant performance at the qualifiers, the team was confident although they were missing Luke Egan who had to go over and play NCAA ball in the US, and coach, Tony Holden whom was a last minute withdrawal.

New to the team were Intervarsity virgins Jeremy Caust, Tim Thornton, Dave Cannan and RMIT transfer, yours truly. The new faces only added to an already talented and formidable lineup.

As is the case with all IV's, the week was full of all manner of daring escapades, ridiculously stupid acts and some basketball. Some of the off court highlights featured the Virgin's having beers bought for them by their Veteran compadres. Thinking they were on a good thing, the Virgins happily accepted the pots however were confused by the peculiar taste of the beer. I remember offering the excuse that the beer was getting to the bottom of the keg and that is normal. They accepted the answer and I don't think it was until the end of the week that they were informed that the peculiar taste was a shot of vodka that went in to each pot we gave them.

The day of the Vodka in the beer incident happened to coincide with the AFL Grand Final. I remember that well as I tipped the correct winning margin exactly and the norm smith medalist (Harvey) and subsequently won both prize pools. Being a team player I put the money on the bar for the team and I think we may have got some 2 for 1 deal because I remember one of the longest lines of cowboy shots ever and there was still enough for beers. Speaking of beers, Phelan, Chippa and Courtz spent the day schmoozing the bar girls and at some stage Bradda ended up behind the bar serving us free beer. I think he offered to take over while the girls went on a break. Needless to say, Grand Final day set the tone for a big week.

It was on this trip that I first became acquainted with the LTU women's coach, Andrew "Sarge" Whelan. We shared a love for the Bombers, beer and basketball and still do 8 years later. Virgin, Dave Cannan also had the 3 B's in common with Sarge plus one other - Guinness. Eager to prove himself to the team, himself, Australia, the average Joe on the street, Dave attempted to consume somewhere in the realm of 10 pints of Guinness on one of the nights just to win a Guinness T-shirt. He probably could have bought the same t-shirt for 10 bucks. Funny how Dave spent the night curled up under the stairs at the opening ceremony only to be woken up by a cleaner running the vacuum cleaner past his nose.

I played at Hawthorn Magic with Jeremy Caust and recruited him to the IV team with promises of playing basketball against some of the best players in Australia. Jeremy was pretty raw and dedicated to becoming an elite athlete so I told him there were plenty of social opportunities however there would be no pressure put on him to do anything he didn't want to do. Years later, Jez told me that before that week he could count the total of beers he had ever had on one hand. 3 years later at the Sydney games I felt like a proud parent when I watched the Veteran Jeremy get stuck in to the Virgins and even funnel down a beer bong (poorly I might add). He blames that week for his failed basketball dreams. I beg to differ as it was at this IV that Jeremy was taught the principles of defence including the "pistols" concept. Naturally it was demonstrated in a pub using pot glasses, coasters and some practical demonstration. Amazingly, Mr Defence, Brad Phelan was the teacher.  I also remember coming back from our last night out before going him the next day. Myself, Itchy, Phelan and Timmy Thornton were the only ones still going and once again it was a big one. Bradda had been getting stuck into Jez all week about how he was going to impose his Veteran status on his pet "Virgin" and he decided that the last night was the night. We stopped by Maccas, grabbed the little packs of honey, peanut butter and vegemite, stopped by a construction site and picked up some cones and safety tape and headed back to the apartment. Although we felt we were stealthy in our approach, we obviously weren't and as we snuck in to the room I saw Jez sitting up against the wall trying to act as still as possible much the same as a wild animal will freeze so that the predator will not notice its presence. Alas, we saw him and the poor guy ended up smeared in a variety of sandwich spreads and wrapped up in council tape. Jez seems to remember Brad holding a carrot also!!

Plenty of nicknames came out of the week away. Brad Phelan started calling Jeremy Jeetsus which became Jesus, a name that still sticks with him today. Timmy Thornton became T-Bone and Dave Cannan became Cannanball. The nickname of all nicknames goes to Mark Stewart however. The guy never stopped working the girls. He literally spent hours laying groundwork which all the guys found hysterical. Someone labeled him Bobcat to begin with, but before too long it became Tonka a name that sticks with him to this day. He still lays groundwork too!

Of course we went to this Uni Games to play basketball and we had one of the better teams that I have been fortunate enough to be involved with. The team featured 4 players that topped the 6'7 mark and our guards were not too bad either. I don't remember too much of the games bar the match that we lost to UWA. We had won most of our games pretty easily and having seen UWA we thought it would be the same. However our complacency was punished by UWA's player, Exeter (can't remember his first name) and he single handedly knocked us out of the semi finals and medal contention. We were pretty shocked that we had lost the match but only had ourselves to blame. I remember that Braddles had a big tournament and he was awarded with selection to the Green and Gold team. He would have won the award for his efforts off the court also.

The La Trobe Uni team was actually a pretty small contingent featuring men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, men's soccer and a couple of athletes. We didn't have much to do with the soccer blokes however the 2 basketball teams and the volleyball teams became very tight knit and before long the cry of "You're a dirty Hoo Har" became the war cry. Thus the legend of the La Trobe Uni Hoo Har was born.

The photo of 9 young blokes dressed in togas reminds me of my introduction to La Trobe University and La trobe Uni basketball. It is where I was first introduced to the clubs traditions and history. It is where I met people who have become friends for life and I look back at the occasion with great fondness. Naturally there are many more stories that I can think of (some not print worthy) however I think those that I have written about really sum up what IV was and became for me. Friendship, comradeship, teammates and history!

WHERE ARE THE PLAYERS THESE DAYS

Jeremy Caust - Wine Industry. Jesus moved to Sweden with his girlfriend Malin whom he met through the basketball club. As far as we know he is a wine taster but he is also spreading the LTU spirit and loves a beer.

Tim Thornton - Account Executive. Timmy still lives in Sunbury and his happily married to Erin. Sunbury through and through, he still plays Div 1 ball with the Jets and enjoys the peaceful life.

Dale Weston - Student. Chippa graduated from LTU after 7 years only to go and study a Dip Ed at Deakin Geelong. Up until 2005, Chip played ABA with Eltham before retiring and moving to Ocean Grove with his girlfriend Amy.

Courtney Reddrop - Student. Courtz played Big V for La Trobe and then decided he hadn't finished studying. He now is studying to be a vet in Perth.

Brad Phelan - Accountant. Braddles continued playing ABA with Broadmeadows (Hume City) before going for the big dollars thrown at him to play local footy. He still has a run in the Diamond Valley league and still gets out as only a Phelan can do, on the weekends.

Andrew Forbes - Director, Uni League Basketball. Still with the club, coaching the women's Big V team after retiring from playing at the end of 2006.

Matt Hardy - No one has seen or heard from the big fella. Last anyone heard he went OS and for all we know is growing turnips in Spain.

Dave Cannan - Research Assistant, Royal Children's Hospital. Cannanball retired from playing Big V with LTU in order to pursue his other life ambitions - watch the Bombers, drink beer, player soccer, play footy, fawn over girlfriend. He does it all and is very happy although the rest of LTU want to see him suit up again.

Mark Stewart - Computer Geek. Moved to London to lay some international groundwork and by all reports is doing very well. Has vowed not to mover back to Australia until Richmond become competitive again. His application for permanent residency goes through next week.

Luke D'Allesandro - Promotions Executive, Australian Grand Prix. The high flyer of the group, Dalla is enjoying life. We almost had him back in LTU colours but it now looks like work will take him on the international tour. Half your luck.

Brett Stothers (Coach)- Itchy is happily married and a father to boot. We haven't caught up with him for a while but assume he is well. We still live in hope that he will resurrect his KISS coverband and dress up as Gene Simmons one more time.