“Are you not entertained?!?”
Julius Hodge’s arrival in Melbourne was a controversial one immediately for the Tigers, on various fronts. The expected animosity between Hodge and his former employers, the Adelaide 36ers, have come to a head in his visit to Brett Maher Court on Saturday night. After the Tigers defeated the Sixers 87-84, Hodge decided to stamp his mark on the court, by twice stomping on Brett Maher’s signature.
It was clear that Hodge’s re-arrival into the NBL was going to bring some excitement to the league and this was certainly that, a week after a heated post-game situation between the Perth Wildcats and the Gold Coast Blaze. Any publicity and interest is a good thing for the NBL from my perspective and the villain figure that Hodge represents is a needed one — particularly when the likes of Shane Heal, Simon Kerle and even Chris Anstey have not been present in the league this season.
If nothing else, it was warming to see the mature reaction from the Tigers’ Mark Worthington, a former league-villain himself, who pulled Hodge away and apologised to at the subsequent press conference. I’ve always been a fan of Wortho’s and perhaps a few more people will be as well after this incident, as one of Australia’s finest players.
The Adelaide Advertiser (Boti Nagy) had this on the incident (as well as additional video footage):
Maher, who on his Friday night internet show was supportive of his former 36ers teammate, watched in dismay from the Apollo Restaurant as Hodge twice stomped on his signature at Brett Maher Court.
The venue was named after the 36ers’ dual Larry Sengstock Medallist and triple-championship captain last season with his retirement after 522 games.
Maher rated it one of his greatest honours and, like most, believed Hodge was simply talking up his first visit into Adelaide as an opponent when he midweek said: “If I’d played two more years there, they’d have named it after me”.
But Hodge, who had struggled all match to deal with the incessant crowd derision on which pre-game he had claimed he would thrive, twice stamped his foot on Maher’s on-court signature.
He was dragged away by Tigers’ captain Mark Worthington but went back for a second stomp before he was confronted by 36ers players and club chief executive Ben Fitzsimons.
“Yeah, I was a little disappointed,” Maher said of the flamboyant American’s antics. “He could’ve come out of that game looking pretty good.
“But instead he ruined it all by acting like a two-year-old child who hadn’t been given his lollies.
“He played a pretty average game and was definitely affected by the crowd. But that wasn’t warranted.”
Hodge last night was unrepentant.
“If I could do it again, I would have continued to step on it and step on it and step on it,” he said. “I want them to remember how it felt for the rest of their lives and I’m sure they will and every time I play there I will make it my personal effort to try to go out and destroy them.”
The Herald Sun had this:
It was the move that almost blew the lid off the “Dome” – and one only Melbourne Tiger Julius Hodge would have the guts play.
That the Adelaide Distinctive Home Dome’s court is the “Brett Maher Court” says plenty about the esteem with which the Sixers legend is held. So when Hodge – the infamous former Sixer – “celebrated” with his feet on the paintwork, it caused the stadium to erupt.
Chants of “Julius is a wanker” belted out and and some furious fans tried to jump the security rails to confront Hodge.
Meanwhile Gaze Hoops tells us that Hodge was fearful of the crowd:
Julius Hodge feared for his safety inside the Distinctive Homes Dome on Saturday night, as according to Hodge, fans bombarded the flashy swingman with beer and spat on the American as he tried to escape with team-mates off the court.
But the most troublesome thing, is Hodge saying he was a victim of “Racists epithets” from the hostile crowd, before/during/after the Melbourne Tigers season saving 87-84 victory over the Adelaide 36ers in overtime.
“I definitely was scared,” said a softly spoken Hodge on Sunday afternoon, “It was a very rowdy crowd. I don’t think there was enough security. It was a disgrace to the NBL.
“The fans were classless, they spat, threw beer and drinks, it hit a couple of us.
“They were yelling out racists epithets. A lack of class displayed by them.”
Hodge stomped his feet on the “Brett Maher Signature” (on the Brett Maher Court) following the game, admitting it was an act of celebration. “Definitely a celebration, I was happy we won. I haven’t been that up for a basketball game since my Sophomore year in a game against Duke, which we won.”
All of this of course comes with the back story of Hodge’s earlier battle with the Sixers in a pay dispute, which Kevin Brooks interviewed Hodge about prior to the game. Brooks determined that Hodge was within his rights on the matter and in fact was not paid, though the details still do sound a bit hazy. Meanwhile, the tension was also built up through a cyber-battle between Hodge and former teammate Brad Davidson. Davidson had disparaged Hodge as a teammate, referring to their time together in Adelaide. Daniel Eade of Gaze Hoops had Hodge’s response here.
This latest stomping incident will be reviewed immediately by NBL Commissioner, Chuck Harmison and adds interest to an already super-tight competition brewing on the ladder.
