BIN THE PLAYOFFS?
04/24/2008

The players can start their holidays early, their fans can save a packet and the rest of us will be saved a meaningless trip to the West Midlands when we could be joining the Bank Holiday weekend crowds in Blackpool, Brighton and Whitley Bay.

Never has the destination of the 2008 BBL Championship Playoff crown been more of a foregone conclusion. I would readily stake Richard Midgely's enormous pay packet on the fact that Newcastle are going to become the first team in British basketball history to win four successive end-of-season gongs.

Those of you who were at Tuesday's night's swanky Hilton Hotel bash on the banks of the Tyne will know what I mean. It was dubbed Newcastle's Celebration Dinner and the party has started early in the North East. Fab Flournoy and his players are beyond confident - the men in black just know that this is their time and those who dared top mention the 'F' word (that's failure, Skouson) were bundled into the back of a black transit van under the watchful gaze of the Eagles' physio/muscle Rob Forster.

They will never be seen again. Just as the 2008 Newcastle vintage may never be seen again. Becoming the first side to win four Playoff crowns on the bounce will (come on, it IS going to happen) be the beginning of the end for this sporting dynasty as Europe beckons, the pressure mounts and expectation reaches a frightening new level. I'm not saying the Eagles will suddenly become losers - far from it. But if this franchise really means business on a European scale then expect wholesale changes on and off the court in the next four months.

Just as it is inevitable that Newcastle will win the Playoffs it seems certain the Eagles will become the latest BBL club to dip their toes in European waters next season. But don't expect a Brighton-style implosion or a Guildford-esque attack of big stage nerves. Fab wouldn't take a team into Europe without every base covered and a masterplan par excellence. At Tuesday night's dinner Paul Blake had to warn those present that success on the continent won't come easy. But there is no way Fab will consider that next step if losing is an option.

So back to the here and now and this season's Playoffs are simply an opportunity for Newcastle to remind the BBL's also-rans of the new benchmark in the British game. But if they really must be forced to win three more fixtures in 2008 (all in overtime, no doubt) then I suppose a prediction or two is in order.

Tonight's first quarter-final will go the way of the Rocks and Worcester might just walk away from the Metro Radio Arena with their pride intact. Saturday's showdown will go the way of Sheffield and Guildford will complete the Final Fours quartet. Then it's on to Brum and a weekend which will belong to Newcastle. See you there.