Pigs treated like cattle on Singapore trip - coach

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-10-12 14:06

Pigs treated like cattle on Singapore trip - coach  The manager of the West Sydney Razorbacks is to protest to the National Basketball League (NBL) after his lanky squad were forced into the knee-crunching confines of economy class for an eight-hour flight to Singapore.

The Razorbacks, nicknamed the Pigs, were handed a record 126-89 defeat by the Singapore Slingers on Monday after the team -- who average a neck-straining 200cm in height -- suffered away from the wide open spaces of business class.

"You've got all these little people and average-sized people sitting in exit rows and my boys are all squashed in together," coach Mark Watkins was quoted as saying in Wednesday's Australian newspaper.

"That was a bit ordinary and it was the same on the way home; we didn't get any exit row seats. If the NBL want us to play in Asia then they have to look after us a little bit better.

The Australian-based NBL features 10 domestic teams as well as the Slingers and the New Zealand Breakers.

"I'm going to sit down and write a letter to the NBL telling them it's not good enough.

"We weren't treated very well by Singapore Airlines. It's pretty disappointing," Watkins added.

The shortest member of the Razorbacks squad reaches a modest 188cm on the tape measure while centre Julian Khazzouh -- who still managed 12 points on Monday despite his cramped preparations -- looks down on his colleagues from 209cms.

The Razorbacks are bottom of the NBL standings after defeats in their opening two matches of the season and never recovered on Monday after the hosts raced to a 21-2 lead at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.