Here we were, revelling in the excitement of the Wollongong Hawks' success story, delighting in some joyous news to help beat off the economic downturn, and along comes a barrage of snippy comments that would put a true wildcat to shame.

WA Today writer Joseph Sapienza created an attention-seeking upset when he criticised the Hawks' underdog status heading into the grand final series against the Perth Wildcats.

He described the Illawarra as "that NSW South Coast backwater with a population of what, 345, with 11 dogs, a rec centre in Dapto and a fraternity club".

"It took the Hawks a while to sell out the WIN Entertainment Centre. 'Operation Sell-out' as they've hilariously dubbed it," he sniped. No doubt the Wollongong front office sought the help of upstart rent-a-crowd companies in towns such as Kiama, Port Kembla, Gerringong and Stanwell Park to help make it a sell-out."

Goodness, one would think this man had a complex.

And we'd understand why.

While nothing irked Sapienza more than sports fans trying to build morale on the basis that their team is not as big - in terms of population and land mass - as their rivals, facts must be faced.

Despite being a fraction of Perth in both size and population (284,169 versus 1.6 million), Wollongong has managed to produce a basketball team capable of whipping the city's baggy shorts bottom.

Our hats go off to Perth for actors Sam Worthington and the late Heath Ledger, but we've got Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Norman Gunston.

And where else but the Illawarra could opera singer Anthony Warlow and Australian Chamber Orchestra lead violinist Richard Tognetti hone their classically gifted craft?

Author Tim Winton gives credit to Perth, but DH Lawrence found literary inspiration at Thirroul and Wollongong-born author Nikki Gemmell picked up a few tips for her saucy Bride Stripped Bare right here in the Gong. Famed poet Henry Kendall is credited with writing Australia's first patriotic poem following a stay in the Illawarra.