Three things...

[Pgmado]

Interested in doing a little exercise here. I've got two questions that I'm curious to see answers to.

1) What are the best three things that the Valparaiso basketball program has going for it?

2) What are the three biggest obstacles or improvements or shortcomings that impact the Valparaiso basketball program?

[valpotx]

Best:  championship pedigree/banners, Lottich can recruit, and the hope that JFL/Clay/Krikke stay at Valpo
Worst:  Perception of our facilities among our conference foes/recruits, Lottich is still improving on his X's/O's (getting better), and our funding is near the bottom of the league with the improved competition

[VALPO LI]

To me the three best things the Valparaiso basketball program has going for it is it's winning history with the Drew family.
Being in the MVC!!!
Being in the Chicagoland region.

Improvements and shortcomings to me are definatly the facilities.
Home non conference schedule.
Attendance at home games.

[usc4valpo]

Best: Winning history.
Chicagoland location
MVC affiliation

Worst:
Facilities
Lack of financial commitment
Apathy of university administration

[GoldenCrusader87]

Interested in doing a little exercise here. I've got two questions that I'm curious to see answers to.

What are the best three things that the Valparaiso basketball program has going for it?

1. History / The Shot / The Drews
2. Being in the MVC
3. Being in the Chicagoland area / recruiting opportunities

What are the three biggest obstacles or improvements or shortcomings that impact the Valparaiso basketball program?

1. Not having a Drew as coach and thus negating the history and notoriety making us have "a thing" that makes us unique (other than our brown jerseys which we only wore last year unfortunately).
2. Apathetic administrative and donor support (leading to horrible facilities and sub-par game day environment).
3. Acceptance of mediocrity and moral wins as a barometer of success or measuring our success relative to others historically. Again goes back to our struggle to find an identity in the post-Drew era.

[FieldGoodie05]

Best:
1) History of winning
2) MVC affiliation
3) Proximity to fertile recruiting grounds (IL, IN and MI)

Worst:
1) Apathy by University administration
2) Budget constrained by size of school
3) Limited alumni engagement

[VALPO LI]

Best:
1) History of winning
2) MVC affiliation
3) Proximity to fertile recruiting grounds (IL, IN and MI)

Worst:
1) Apathy by University administration
2) Budget constrained by size of school
3) Limited alumni engagement

I am glad you brought that up.  Last season I called the alumni association several times leading up to the GW game and asked if there were any formal plans to meet up with fellow Alumni in DC prior or after the game.  I was told there were none.  I asked if the University had a section of seats reserved I could buy into, I was told there were none.  I found that odd.  So I bought my ticket online as close to the floor as I could, drove to DC proudly wearing my gold giving high fives to every Valpo fan I saw and then went home right after the game!

[VUGrad1314]

1. History

2. Conference Affiliation\Location

3. A strong young core\good incoming class that give reasons for optimism for the future.

1. Poor facilities that lag way behind our conference mates

2. Level of investment\institutional commitment that lags way behind our conference mates

3. Torn between lack of community support and engagement on campus and off and non-conference scheduling.

If I could add another positive it would be the family atmosphere of the program and for the university as a whole that constantly churns out leaders that we can be proud of and is led by men that we can be proud of for their impeccable character (even if the results just haven't been there yet for Lottich his character is absolutely unassailable.)

[oklahomamick]

Best:
1) History of winning (although its starting to become ancient history)
2) All conference possible Player of the year in JLF (short term)
3) MVC

Worst:
1) Apathy by University administration
2) Athletic department/AD
3) Not having a star coach.  (mid-majors have to have lightening in a bottle)

[vu72]

I'm wondering where the   "Level of investment\institutional commitment that lags way behind our conference mates" comes from.  Do we know what our budget is compared to others in the conference or is this just "poor us" stuff?  Asking for a friend.

[VUGrad1314]

Our budget is nowhere near the top level of the conference Last I saw it was somewhere between 4th and 8th and if the board gave a rip we'd have better more frequently updated facilities so that part is obvious. It's not poor us It's our leadership.

[NativeCheesehead]

Everyone pretty much hit the nail on the head in the above replies as far as the positives. I would one on the negative: Game day experience. This used to be a huge strength, and part of it relates to facilities, bathrooms, parking, etc. How many games did we lack a pep band this year? And that's not the music department's fault. Would really like the AD to address this.

The chair backs are a good indicator of the health of the program. Most of the people who sit there are long time fans/boosters. Gradually those fans are departing and not being replaced. That impacts the program in terms of both money and interest. I was shocked at how many games the chair backs were only 1/2 - 2/3 full.

[tiny707]

Positives
1.) Location. We have the best of BOTH worlds. Chicago market and The Region/Basketball rich Indiana. Let's face it, most kids want to play close to home so parents/family can go to most of games(JFL, Nick, Zion, Luke-Chicago area, Ryan, Mileek, Brock-Region, Eron, John-Indy.
2.) Tradition.
3.) Playing time.

Negatives
1.) Facilities.
2.) Fan base at games.(Win and they will come).
3.) Small boring campus with not much to do.