These are exciting times for basketball fans.
The Breakers are on the cusp of winning the Australian league, the Tall Blacks are shaping a new golden generation, the NBA has never been more exciting, and the Otago Nuggets . . . well, at least they are competitive.
We could be set for the most virulent outbreak of hoops fever since the Miracle of Indianapolis in 2002.
The Breakers are reaping the rewards of hard work, good management and some astute signings.
Bringing Kirk Penney, the best player in New Zealand or Australia, home a few years ago was clearly the most important step.
But everywhere you look, the Breakers are loaded. They've got size, scoring, smarts, defensive intensity (well, that can be a little scratchy) and depth.
Long-time Dunedin basketball fan Roy Colbert emailed me this week to say he would love to see a game between the Breakers' starting five and their bench. He reckons the bench might win.
Promised land awaits for Breakers
Colbert also reminded me that the Breakers, the Warriors and the Phoenix (formerly the Kingz and Knights) aren't exactly pioneers in the field of New Zealand teams playing in Australia.
The New Zealand cricket team was regularly invited to play in a one-day knockout tournament with Australian state sides in the early 1970s.
New Zealand won the V & G Cup in 1970, beating Victoria in the New Year's Day final. It was knocked out in the semifinals (by Western Australia, then Victoria) the following two years, but won the title again in both 1973 and 1975.
There has been talk of the Breakers set to "finally" become the first of the big three New Zealand teams to win the Australian title.
But that's a bit unfair. It's only 16 years since the Warriors were formed. It took the New Zealand cricketers 26 years to win their first test, and the All Blacks took 68 years to win their first series in South Africa, and the Tall Blacks took 30 years to beat Australia.
When you think of the obstacles the New Zealand teams face - extra travel, biased judicial panels and administration, reluctance of some Australians to relocate - it's actually amazing they've made it so far so quickly.
Henry's misguided lecture
Oh no, Ted must be in World Cup mode. He's starting to bring out his scolding voice. Next step: rotation, followed by shifting a key member of the backline to a different position.
Plenty has been said about All Black coach Graham Henry's jibe this week at young New Zealand rugby players who dare to pursue their career overseas.
Most focus on Henry's hypocrisy, given he bolted to coach Wales over a decade ago.
But what I think people are missing is the audacity of Henry - and the New Zealand Rugby Union as a whole.
They throw millions at a select few players, over-paying them in cases like Rodney So'oialo and Ali Williams. And they let the grassroots wither. Then they complain when second-tier players like Jared Payne and John Afoa and Alando Soakai move to secure their futures overseas.
They've mucked up the famous rugby pyramid and they have no-one to blame but themselves.
The people have spoken
Still no official word on what this game will be at Carisbrook on July 22.
But I can tell you virtually everyone who responded to a story we had a week ago, suggesting they play a North-South game rather than a meaningless test, liked the idea.
Was the NZRU listening?
Old Golds maligned
I love the New Zealand Rugby Almanack. All New Zealand sports reporters owe it a huge debt of gratitude.
But my North Otago brethren and I are steaming.
In the 2011 edition, the Almanack editors have been most unkind in their summation of North Otago's season, which I don't have to remind you ended in Meads Cup glory.
North Otago "relied heavily on loan players", the editors write. "Most were quality players from Dunedin."
This is blatant misinformation that appears to deliberately undermine the achievements of a tiny union.
For the record, just three players out of the 15 who started for the Old Golds in the final were from outside the province.
One of those, Luke Herden, has 48 caps for his adopted province. Another, Eric Duff, went to school in Oamaru. The third was veteran winger Greg Zampach.
Project 150
Hopefully readers saw the announcement of our big birthday project last week.
We are producing a series called The 150 Greatest Moments In Otago Sport to help mark the Otago Daily Times' 150th birthday.
Your thoughts are important - so please email me with the people or moments you feel must be acknowledged.
Horton remembered
Dunedin cricket fan Warwick Larkins has urged us to remember the contribution the late Martin Horton made to New Zealand.
Horton, who died in England earlier this month aged 76, was a long-serving all-rounder for Worcestershire and also played two tests.
He played four seasons in New Zealand, for Northern Districts, and loved the country so much he stayed for 17 years.
Various English newspapers described Horton as the New Zealand coach, but it appears he was more of a coaching director.
Larkins said the father of New Zealand cricket, Walter Hadlee, was notoriously averse to the concept of the national team having a coach.
Pack up yer shovels
Mountain Bike Otago needs a few spare hands, wheelbarrows and shovels.
The organisation is spreading 480 tonnes of gravel on 6.5km of the Switchback Track at Nichols Creek over the weekend of May 7-8.
It wants to make the track more of an all-weather surface for the thousands of riders and runners who make use of it. Prospective helpers can follow the signs from Leith Valley Rd, and will be provided with free barbecue food.
Book giveaway
To mark The Last Word's return after a massive hiatus of five weeks, I have a book to give away.
It's For The Love Of The Game, celebrating heartland rugby in New Zealand.
Flick me an email with your name and a daytime phone number by Monday noon if you want to go in the draw. The book will have to be collected from our Dunedin office.
