Basketball On The Internet.

SCHEDULE TRULY FLATULENTLY UNIMPRESSIVE - REALLY? That was as good as Basketball Australia could come up with for its 2014-15 draw for the WNBL?

It must have really kept the crack minds at the federation burning the midnight oil to come up with a Grand Final rematch to open the new season.

“Hey everybody! Listen up. I’ve got it. Why don’t we have Bendigo and Townsville play each other as the marquee Round One match to start the season?

“They finished the last one off in such great style, let’s have them start the new season off too.

“What do you reckon?

“And wait, cause you’re going to love this. Here’s the big twist.

“Instead of having them play in Bendigo, let’s have them start off in … wait for it … Townsville instead!”

You can just hear the conversation, can’t you?

So yeah, by all means.

Let’s have exactly the same start as last season.

Let’s not stretch the imagination too much now or break into a sweat.

“This way we don’t even have to do anything except alter the dates from last year’s fixture!

“Think of the printing costs we will save!

“It worked in 2013-14 so why not do it again in 2014-15?

“Who’s even going to notice?”

Or care?

Right. No-one, of course.

Just as no-one cared about BA’s penny-pinching no-awards-night decision last season which came on top of promises of exciting new plans for the WNBL, delivered to the players at the preseason Spring Shield.

“With the NBL demerging, BA will give the WNBL its full focus,” went the pep talk.

Nothing beats rhetoric.

But let’s get back to the draw because it gets better.

Or for “better” read “more of the same”.

“Now whoa, just had another brilliant idea. You know how last season West Coast opened up against Adelaide?

“Well how about this season we have West Coast open up the season against … wait for this … Adelaide!

“But no, no, no, wait. Here’s the absolute zinger.

“This time instead of playing IN Adelaide, they will tip-off in Perth!”

Brilliant!

Sheer Genius!

Did BA address the notion put forth (repeatedly) in the off-season by numerous WNBL luminaries (and even Opals coach Brendan Joyce) about finally having a point of difference from rival sports for the league by embracing a best-of-three Grand Final series?

Nup.

Of course not.

Change?

Innovate?

Care?

Not on BA’s schedule.

Not now, not ever.

Do WNBL clubs know how to spell “de-merge”?