If Don Sims was not so polite, you might expect him to curse his misfortune in 2008.
His Otago Nuggets were in the headlines for all the wrong reasons too often this year.
There was the revolving door of imported players, the star American who publicly bagged the coach and the team, the pair who failed a drugs test, and the usual back-office dramas.
On the court, the perennially under-achieving Nuggets have won just two of their 17 games and will finish at the bottom of the National Basketball League for the fourth consecutive season.
But Sims, brought in from Seattle to replace Rick Castle, is upbeat about his team's achievements.
"Actually, as far as the team's development, I think we went in the right direction," he said.
"We didn't get as many wins as we would like and we had some other distractions which you wouldn't want for a club.
"But the young guys came along and the players adapted to the system very well, and were competitive in all of the games. So there were a lot of positive things."
Two-of-17 is a record that should not see a lot of ink wasted in the positive column.
But the development of rookies like James Ross, Tom Allan and Tom Rowe should hold the franchise in good stead in the years to come.
But the roster, Sims conceded, had too many greenhorns and a lack of experience had cost the Nuggets.
"A coach once told me: 'What's the best thing about freshmen? They become sophomores.'"
"Experience really shows coming down the stretch and we just didn't have a lot of experience this year."
For Sims, the season has been a steep learning curve as well. While he is no rookie coach, it is his first season in the NBL and he has had to feel his way.
In retrospect, the import shuffle at the beginning of the season was a result of not knowing what to expect of the league, he said.
"At first, I brought in some imports that I thought could do the job, not knowing the league.
"It just so happened we needed a higher level of talent and a little more dominant imports."
American centre Rahsaan Smith lasted just two games before he was replaced by Lemar Gayle and later Jay Anderson made way for Antoine Tisby.
With the disruptions the Nuggets continuously found themselves regrouping.
The Nuggets have been operating with one import after Gayle quit late last month and, in round 10, back-up centre Jason Greig broke his leg, leaving the Nuggets with one legitimate centre, Tisby.
You cannot help bad luck but the Nuggets have also been the architects of their own demise, with starting point guard Nat Connell and bench player Steve Robinson suspended for cannabis.
The pair have subsequently had their Otago contracts terminated.
Despite the troubles, Sims is keen to return, but on his terms. "I would like to come back but that is something upper management will have to decide.
"I've told them my needs."
Sims has asked for a two-year or four-year extension to his contract so he has the time to build a programme.
"There are two ways this franchise will move up to the top four and eventually win it. One is the process. You keep the young kids, you keep the coach and you build slowly.
"The other way is to do it the Wellington way and go out and buy the best players. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, Otago does not have that kind of funding.
"So the only way, in my opinion, they can be successful is to commit to a coach and the players.
"Changing up every year, or every other year, is probably not going to get it done."
The Nuggets will limp into their final game, against Canterbury, with a roster decimated by injury and unavailability.
The franchise was hoping to end the season with a win over the Rams in Christchurch tonight but further setbacks this week have ensured Otago will go into the game as the underdog.
Small forward Brent Charleton tore a ligament in his knee while training on Tuesday night and will spend the next six to eight weeks recovering.
Forward Josh O'Connell has tonsillitis and point guard James Ross will also miss the match because he has an exam.
From a 16-strong roster Sims has just nine available players left.
To make up the numbers, he has called Basketball Otago Academy shooting guard Josh Kitson into the squad.
•Nuggets v Rams
The teams
Otago Nuggets: Jamie Blake, Darryl Jones, Shaun Tilby, Antoine Tisby, Tom Allan, Tom Rowe, Mitch McRae, Pete Burgess, Josh Kitson.
Canterbury Rams: John Whorton, Gerard Bowden, Marty Davison, Joey Harrell, Jeremy Kench, Dave Langrell, Rewi Manahi, Mark Morrison, Luke Ruscoe, Ben Van Oosten, Paul McFarlin, Mike Townsend.
Head to head
2008: Rams 86-81, Dunedin
2007: Rams 80-70, Christchurch
2007: Nuggets 102-88, Dunedin
2006: Rams 92-85, Dunedin
2006: Rams 92-74, Christchurch
