Pat Mills and the NBA Draft

If you're a Pat Mills fan, then you're probably wondering if he'll decide to play college ball again next year or try to go pro. According to the NBL and DraftExpress, he's seriously considering the 2009 NBA Draft, which will be held on June 25.


So why would Mills test the waters of the draft? Or more importantly, why would an NBA team be seriously interested in Mills? Well, for starters, he's quick, has an explosive first step, and like many Australians, he has well-developed skill. "In addition to his nice athleticism, Mills also has textbook form on his jumper, displays solid ball handling ability, and produces as many steals as almost any qualified player" in the DraftExpress database. If you're interested in a more detailed analysis of Mills' performance, DraftExpress provides good statistics from his two seasons at St. Mary's and his time on the Australian National Team.


The deadline for underclassmen to declare their interest in the draft is just around the corner (April 26). He can get involved and still maintain NCAA eligibility as long as he pulls out before he gets an agent. So I guess we'll know where his head is in about 10 days.

My New Year's resolution: yawn more, drink less coffee

I never thought the subject of yawning was all that interesting, but I read a fascinating article today that explains why we yawn. Contrary to popular belief, we yawn to cool our brains, not because we're bored. Yawning keeps our brain temperature regulated which helps us operate more efficiently.

So how does this relate to Australia? The researchers that conducted this study chose to analyze parakeets because "the birds have relatively large brains, live wild in Australia, which is subject to frequent temperature swings, and, most importantly, do not engage in contagious yawning, as humans and some other animals do." This left me wondering if people in Australia yawn less than say, Americans?!?

Since I can't employ a research team to answer that question, I do know that the Aussie tour group we visited with this weekend was yawning quite a bit. But I think that had more to do with jet lag and a busy schedule than outside temperature, because the temperature change they recently experienced was working in their favor for brain cooling. When they left Sydney, it was 90 °F (32 °C), and when they stepped off the plane in Raleigh, the temperature was 41 °F (5 °C). Since they were pretty tired, and exhaustion was shown to increase deep brain temperature, a big yawn here was probably just what they needed. Plus, they say a good morning yawn can function like a cup of coffee and give you a jolt of energy.

I know what my New Year's resolution is for 2009 -- to replace coffee with yawning. I think I can handle that.

To tip or not to tip, that is the question

I wish money was not an issue, then I'd tip freely. Well, to the hard workers who've earned it and could use some extra cash. However, since my budget is tight, I constantly find myself wondering if I should tip this person or that person.

Here's a perfect example of the stressful tipping dilemma. Today, at the grocery store, a teenage boy helped me carry out my groceries. Should I tip him? Well, since I didn't know, I waited to see if there was an awkward moment after he finished loading the bags into my car. There wasn't, so I didn't tip! And now I feel awful and cheap.

Over in Australia, tipping is entirely different. Since servers in restaurants make a decent wage, they don't expect nor depend on tips. Now, if you receive top-notch service, then it's fine to tip. But it's not expected. We actually had several waiters refuse gratuity. They encouraged us to spend our money on us not them.

Since we are tippers here in the States, I found the following article quite interesting and a tad helpful: "Ten workers to tip this season". It explains when and how to say thanks.

Christmas in paradise

While reading the Sydney Morning Herald online, an article titled "Christmas gifts for sports fans" caught my eye. Hoping to find some good gift ideas for the men in my life -- my dad, brother, husband, son -- I clicked on the story.

Some of my favorite recommendations include a wave rider, beach towels, sunscreen, surf board and cricket set. I don't think my dear old dad will be needing sunscreen this winter in Kentucky.

Why the summer-oriented gifts? The average temperature in Sydney during the month of December is nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Australians celebrate Christmas and New Years at the beach. When we lived there, I found the Christmas decorations to be so funny. They depicted Santa in a suit, but not his full-length furry suit. His bathing suit! It was very cute.

Fill 'er up, mate!

I'm so happy that $20 can once again get you a respectable amount of fuel. Now that the price for a gallon of gas has dropped below the $2 mark, it seems crazy to think how much we paid to fill up this past June. $70 to $75. That's ridiculous!

I just checked to see what the going rate for a litre of petrol is in Australia... At several stations across Sydney, regular unleaded petrol is priced at 100.9 cents per litre. The lowest its been in three years.

This reminded me of the shock and confusion I experienced the first few times I bought litres of petrol in Oz. When I tried to calculate my gas mileage, I had to convert litres to gallons, AUD to USD ($) and kilometers to miles. Needless to say, I soon quit calculating and just enjoyed the drive. Actually, after a few weeks of driving on the opposite side of the road, I got used to shifting gears with my left hand and resisting the urge to turn right on red.

What do kangaroos and kiwis have in common?

Answer: The 2008 Rugby League World Cup final

Australia is not only hosting the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, the Australian men have also made it to the final match. The Kangaroos will take on the Kiwis of New Zealand this coming Saturday. Talk about some intense competition. These two teams have quite a history. Back in 2000, they faced off in the championship game (or "Grand Final" as the Aussies say) with Australia capturing the world title.

And on the women's side of things, New Zealand pounded Australia 34-0 to retain its World Cup crown earlier this week, giving the Kiwi Ferns their third World Cup victory since 2000.

Aussie imports debut in season openers

Most schools played their exhibition games earlier this week and open their regular season this weekend. The team at HSE is excited to see the new Aussie imports do their thing. Of the 30 Australian men and 45 Australian women playing basketball for Division I schools this year, 18 of them are freshman.

In addition to the newcomers, there are several sophomore standouts like Hayley Munro, Louella Tomlinson, Patt Mills and A.J. Ogilvy.

So keep an eye out for these mates. And best of luck to all the schools and players as they kick off their 2008-09 season.

Pat Mills makes ESPN's "Top Five College Hoops Players"

Pat Mills, a sophomore point guard on the men's basketball team at St. Mary's College, has been getting some serious attention since his Olympic debut on the Australian national team this year.


Last week, he made Andy Katz's "Top Five College Hoops Players" on ESPN. Plus, Katz also published a great story about him on ESPN.com.

This Aussie import is definitely one to watch in the backcourt during the 08-09 season. Plus, it's rumoured that he will be a top pick in the NBA draft next June.

For all you coaches out there looking to find another hidden gem like Pat Mills, there's never been a better time to tour Australia.

Lonely Planet goes to Sydney and Melbourne

Check out Lonely Planet's video guides to Sydney and Melbourne. They paint quite a realistic picture of what it's like to visit the two cities.

Sydney is described as a "fast-pulsed" city that "struts around like it's the capital even though it is not". While Melbourne's adjectives include artsy, cultured and "the most European of Australian cities".

Their "must-sees" in Sydney were the Sydney Harbour, Chinatown and a walk from Bondi to Coogee beach. When visiting Melbourne, they recommend going to an Australian Rules Football game, Federation Square and the National Gallery of Victoria.

These activities are a great start. But if you want the true Aussie experience, our Australian tour guides, with their local knowledge, can take you off the beaten path to some really cool spots. It's like having a homecourt advantage far away from home.

Australia kicks off women's soccer league

For the past four years, there has not been a national women's soccer league in Australia. That's shocking for several reasons:

- Australia's national team, The Matildas, is currently ranked 12th in the world and has competed in four Women's World Cup tournaments.

- Football Federation Australia (FFA) considers women's soccer to be the fastest growing team sport in Australia.

- The FFA has over 100,000 registered female participants.

So with the backing of a new corporate sponsor, the FFA kicked off the Westfield W-League on October 25. Since Westfield has 44 shopping centers across every major metro area in Australia, the league's homepage pairs an action shot of glamorous soccer players with the headline "football with style".

All eight teams in the competition were matched up for four games during the opening weekend. Round 1 resulted in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Newcastle coming out on top.

According to FFA CEO, Ben Buckley, the W-League "completes the pathway for women in football, and creates an opportunity for the best players in the country to perform on a national stage.''

If your soccer team is looking for high-level competition and would like to visit Australia, Horizons Sporting Events can put together a great tour package for you.

The times they are a-changin'

Daylight Saving Time will come to an end this weekend for the entire US, but across most of Australia, it just started. What complicates things even further is that not all of the states and territories in Australia observe this time change. Clocks went forward one hour for five of the eight regions on the first Sunday in October -- NSW, Victoria, the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia. Western Australia was giving daylight savings a 3-year trial, which ended last Sunday. And Queensland and the Northern Territory do not have daylight savings.

So needless to say, this month, I've visited the World Clock almost every day to check the time. Currently, there's a 15 hour difference between North Carolina and Sydney. But after we "fall back", that will change to 16 hours.

If you're getting ready to travel and all of this makes your head hurt, check out this Daylight Saving Calculator. It will do the math for you.

Now you see it. Soon you won't.

Here's an interesting incentive to visit Australia sooner than later...

Frommer's released a new guidebook called "500 Places To See Before They Disappear" this month. There are 21 Australian listings -- mostly sites at risk from real estate developers and climate change. An Art Deco theatre in Adelaide, Sydney's Luna Park, the Great Barrier Reef, Gold Coast and the whole island of Tasmania, including the Tasmanian Devil, have made it into the unconventional book.

Other sites featured include the Tower of London, the pyramids of Giza, the Florida Everglades ecosystem and the Dead Sea.

Author Holly Hughes said that "Many of the case studies in this book are reasons for hope, not despair, and the more support we can lend them, the better."

The book review suggests this reading for "passionate travelers and the eco-conscious" who wish to see "rare cultural, historic, and natural places before they are irrevocably altered or even gone forever." So there you have it. Better get while the getting's good.

Top 10 reasons your team should visit Australia

10. Recruiting exposure -- great way to introduce Australian student athletes to your school.
9. Opportunity for athletes on your team interested in playing professionally overseas to show off their skills.
8. Outstanding competition across multiple sports -- basketball, soccer, rugby, tennis... the list goes on and on.
7. Exciting sights and attractions -- the Sydney Harbour and Great Barrier Reef, just to name a few.
6. Learn international concepts that can be applied to your game. Gives you a competitive edge back home.
5. No language barrier. You may even pick up some Aussie slang, mate!
4. Great cultural experience -- from Aboriginal art to their "no worries" mentality.
3. Chance to catch up on your reading or watch movies during the long flight.
2. Cuddle a koala or pet a kangaroo.

And the #1 reason your team should visit Australia...
The adventure of a lifetime!

Come walkabout

The much anticipated Tourism Australia advertisements debuted earlier this month. The new global campaign is built around the upcoming blockbuster "Australia" by Baz Luhrmann. In the movie, Nicole Kidman plays an uptight aristocrat who is transformed by visiting the country and all that it has to offer. In the ads, also directed by Luhrmann, Australia is extending an invitation to tourists to 'come walkabout' and have a similar transformative experience.

Australia’s Aboriginal people go ‘walkabout’ to reconnect with the land and their traditional way of life. For most of us, a ‘walkabout’ takes the form of a vacation to escape the pressures of daily life. Consequently, one of the two tv commercials in this campaign follows a New Yorker who is transformed from a stressed out, high-powered executive to a relaxed beach bum after visiting Australia.

The print ads have the same transformative message -- "To find yourself sometimes you need to lose yourself." -- and feature locations across all eight Australian states and territories.

Think you can beat the Boomers?

The Boomers, Australia's National Men's Basketball Team, are preparing for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and they would like to compete against American college teams as part of their training for this prestigious competition. HSE is honored to be coordinating tours for select teams to travel to Australia and experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Contact us to learn more about the Boomers' training dates.