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Since we're on the subject, here's a great site for everything Valpo:

http://www.footballfanatics.com/COLLEGE_Valparaiso_Crusaders

They also have Big & Tall sizes.

Wow this is a great link.  Wish I had known about this years ago.  Thanks. 

I did get my finishline hoodies today.  They are lighter in weight than the thick hoodie that I got from the bookstore a couple years ago.  This might be a good thing for crowded inside games.

Just thought I'd share my excitement in finding Valpo hoodies for sale along side the big schools at finishline.com .

If you are shopping for your crusader fan, they are 2 for $35 with free shipping.  Only one mens style is available in brown with Yellow Crusader lettering across the front and a logo on the shoulder/sleeve area.

I'm not affiliated with this store in any way just wanted to share and hope to see more Valpo gear for in stores!

I just hope the color of the floor isn't similar to our uniforms / shoes.  Can't remember what away game it was but we seemed to fade into the background.

maybe someone just needs to come up with a personality for our crusader.  right now he just struts around...still more cute than fierce.  Enjoyed seeing the other horizon league mascots in the tournament.  Rowdy the wolf mascot was pretty good.  The phoenix was just creepy.

from bracket tips on ESPN (just aired)...

"a number 13 seed has beaten a number 4 seed in each of the last 4 years."

I kept looking to see if I could spot Jay Harris somewhere in the mayhem, but never did.

did you see him at our championship game?  It made me happy to see that he made the trip.

Wonder if there's any chance they move this to the ARC....you know, we do have the big screen in there, and there would be more room.

that would sure be nice for those of us that didn't move quick enough on the tickets...

Friday, March 15, 2013

Congratulations to our Valparaiso Crusaders on their Horizon League Tournament championship and a berth into the NCAA Tournament!  Registration has reached capacity and is closed for the viewing party in the Harre Union ballrooms, but if you didn't get a chance to register, come join the festivities in Founders on Sunday evening as the Crusaders find out their destination and opponent for the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Detroit's 2012 championship seemed to be missing

I'm ok with that

What was on the other side of the sign Vashil was holding up by Buggy while he was cutting down the net?

it was the horizon league championship sign that was in front of the players when they were taking pictures with the trophy

there is one at the bookstore online site but its not the same...and not as nice as the players received.

When Ryan was fouled making a three-point shot near the end of the first half for a chance at the 4-point play, I was very close nearby. He lay on the court shaking and howled. I had never seen him that emotional, and I thought that would be the shot of the game (both the basket and my picture below). Little did I know what the second half would offer.

This picture is amazing!!!!! I enjoy viewing all of your photos of the action as well as seeing if I can find myself in the crowd.  Really great job.

Won't dispute the criticism of the reported attendance since I didn't see the figure myself, but I will say that I was very disappointed in Sections AA and EE which were mostly empty.

I'm thinking the messed up numbers might have something to do with the tickets being good for both games.  When we arrived during half time of the Detroit game, the lower bleachers were pretty filled with fans from that game and at least the Detroit fans that were near us left as soon as their game ended.  I was thinking we'd have a lot of space around us for the second game but it was totally full...

Seems like some of these folks from one game or the other moved down from the upper bleachers which might explain why some upper sections were empty.

Your story is what it is, and I don't take issue with it.  That said, Butler is an example of an academic institution very similar to Valpo (size, cost, enrollment, private) that has parlayed its success on the basketball court into increased enrollment, and correspondingly more revenue.  The following article from the Indianapolis Business Journal offers some supporting evidence:

http://www.ibj.com/hoops-success-helps-butler-avoid-enrollment-decline/PARAMS/article/36111

I guess the solution is that we should just win it all this year and get some incoming students who are big fans of this team. 

Maybe Valpo is recruiting the wrong type of kids who go to the university?

I don't think kids come to Valpo for the basketball team.  If kids primary goal in college was to go to sporting events they would most likely choose a less expensive school in the big ten or similar.  Speaking as a parent of two current Valpo students, I can tell you that they could have both gone to big name big team schools for much less.  I don't think my oldest child there had any idea of what the sports situation was at Valpo when making the choice.  I can assume this is similar experience for many kids at Valpo.  The joy we have found in following this team has been purely a bonus.

Quote from: valpospartan on February 26, 2013, 10:47:37 PM
Quote from: vuweathernerd on February 26, 2013, 09:45:53 PM
Quote from: crusadermoe on February 26, 2013, 09:06:45 PM
Nice comeback.    Team got it done. Where the h*** are the fans on a senior night game to clinch the league title?     Upper deck is empty.    Student turnout very lame.   Do students only go to TV games?
weather was undoubtedly a factor
Just an excuse.  Weather wasn't bad for a fan!

I agree. In Valpo the weather wasn't that bad. The roads were drivable, and had been treated, and yes, it was messy, but it wasn't nearly as slick as I thought it might be. Now driving all the way to Michigan City or all the way from Milwaukee, through Chicago, to Valpo might have been a different story with the weather and snowfall amounts being different in different areas near Valpo.

I drove from the Chicago suburbs and it was pretty hairy at times.  traffic was slow and there were a few bad accidents.  I wouldn't be surprised if many did not make the trip from this area because of the weather.

Over the years, have there been bridges burned between the community and University administration that have kept community members away from anything at the university? As was mentioned before, possibility that many community members don't want to shell out $20 a ticket to take 4 family members to a game, where they are in the cheap seats, and feel like they aren't a crucial part of the atmosphere...

I recall seeing more in previous years about "family packs" of tickets that included tickets and food for a very inexpensive price.  Didn't see as much of that this year.  Also don't think there was as many community nights.  In the last year or two it seemed like at almost every other game there was little kids playing at halftime or some kind of church group at the game.  This year it seems as though more community groups are singing the anthem but thats about it.  Perhaps the administration felt that they didn't need to offer as many of these types of promos based on the success of the team?  Seems to me it would be better to give away free tickets than see the stands empty.

But, the site doesn't seem very tightly designed, nor the rules, frankly, very tightly written.  You have to "Like" them on facebook.  Then you have to enter an email address and a name.  But, it doesn't seem to do anything with the email address?  It does mention that "irregular" votes will be invalid. 

yeah...thought it was strange that i had to agree to several facebook permissions, but oh well.  I filled in all of my email addresses and voted for Ryan. 

been worried about this all day but the Chicago area forecast was already downgraded from what it was earlier today and hopefully I can get on the road before the snow is supposed to start here at 3 or 4. 

Not missing this game for the world!

---How many on this board - some of VU's most avid fans - were really pumped for this game?

all good points.  I bought 2 tickets ages ago since last year I got crammed into aa when I waited until the last minute to get my tickets.  I ended up having a hard time getting someone to come with me.  a lot of the same reasons as you and we are all coming back on Tuesday for senior night.

However, those that don't go to a Saturday game at noon on ESPNU, are not true fans.

Does anyone really care any more about being on tv?  Perhaps this isn't as big of a deal to the kids as it used to be.  They came out for the big games that were meaningful which is the biggest deal to me.  There are other things to do on campus, being a fan of the bball team might not be the same as it was when you and others were in school.  I still see a huge increase of kids attendance in the past two years.  Some performance groups are also on tour this weekend so that may have been a small dent in the empty space

Quote from: HC on Today at 07:49:43 PM
I really like the play by play guy on HLN tonight

A baker's dozen!

"(insert name here) got hacked going up for the basket.  hacked!"

Valpo, with a student body of 4000 draws 5000 for the Detroit game.

I think we should acknowledge the great job that has been done promoting this game to students and the general public.  The t-shirt contest among a ton of social media has really increased the student turn out!

Quote from: StlVUFan on Today at 12:02:07 AM
If UIC or WSU finishes 9-7 or higher, it wreaks it for GB since both beat GB at least once.  If Detroit or WSU finishes 10-6 or 11-5, that also wreaks it for GB.  Detroit split with GB, and WSU swept them.

I think your spelling wreaks.

Now if you were in a spelling bee some people might call it a car wreck waiting to happen.

I believe stl was using that slang that all the cool kids are using these days.  "wreaks" is slang for wreaking havoc.  "That volcano eruption totally wreaks!"

At one point, one of the broadcasters said that... Bobby was a BIG "6'10" and........ IF VALPO HAD A FOOTBALL TEAM they might come looking for him to join it.    That one hurt.   

that gave me a chuckle.   um...

There was also a comment about how Ryan got some playing time after Brandon Wood left...

#5 (is not really a question.  or a movie.  more of a test of your coolness quotient.)

Z your own:  http://www.easymemes.com/review/65288_4YfefdawD4uZlGA

did you type that with your boxing gloves on?

I'm surprised that the scoreboard operators performance isn't better by now.  I kinda understood it last year since the scoreboard was new, but I agree that it still takes way too long for updating, even the players on the court are still wrong.  I end up just forgetting about the middle scoreboard and looking at the two old style ones at each side of the building.