Looking to December

[StlVUFan]

Yes we absolutely lost to OU at home in our final season in the Mid-Con, but we also lost twice at the O'Rena in the last two years in the Mid-Con.  So we were 15-3 against them until last season.

[VUfan]

Still one of our best records in the Mid-Con, though always close games.

[StlVUFan]

Still one of our best records in the Mid-Con, though always close games.

Except for 2 blow-outs at the ARC, yes.

[justducky]

IMO these are all winnable games.  I think we win 4 of 5 non-conf. games and 2 of 3 conf. games = 6 wins.  That would give us a very good overall record of 11-4 going into Feb. and could set the stage for an excellent season.

There is only one way to define an "excellent season" - NCAA tournament.

That being said, going 11-4 would be a good start, and maybe even a springboard to the conference and possible a tournament double bye scenario. Also being said, I don't see that happening. Maybe I will be wrong, but Valpo isn't consistant enough night in and night out.

So was that a vote for 5 or was it less than 5, or was that a wiggle-room 6 vote? Inquiring minds want to know.

[bbtds]

So far in December Valpo is 2-2. I wonder if anyone would have predicted beating Butler and Bowling Green and losing to IPFW and Oakland at the beginning of the season.

The Crusaders should beat NIU. The tough games coming up seem to be IUPUI and Milwaukee. IUPUI beat Ball State at Conseco Fieldhouse 66-57 behind their superstar, Alex Young, 22 points, Monday night. Ian Chiles had 17 for the Jaguars who have won 3 in a row and stopped a 6 game Ball State winning streak. Will the Crusaders go 0-3 against the Summit League? Who would have ever believed that could happen? 

You can never take Green Bay lightly but Valpo should be able to beat them at the ARC.

Also StlVUfan's signature is a great warning for Valpo about this year's Butler team. Watch out for the improving Bulldogs when they come to the ARC in February.

[wh]

I don't feel nearly as good about the team right now as I did after the Butler win.  IPFW and N IL are both in the worst 25% group, and yet we lose to one and play from behind for most of the game in the other.  Then I read Bryce's comments in the paper that some guys were a little under the weather plus they were playing with a short rotation.  I hope I'm wrong, but this is starting to sound eerily similar to last year's flu and injury excuses after playing down to (and getting beat by) lesser competition, starting with a loss to a hapless Toledo team and ending with the end-of-the-season swoon.  Maybe our coaches and players need to do some benchmarking at Cleveland State to see how they won repeatedly last year with what was basically a 6-man rotation and the usual variety of injuries.  I think this next game will go a long way in telling whether this year's version has just been in a minor funk or in fact has caught the "weak and weary" disease that hovered over the men's locker room for most of Jan, Feb and March. 

[valporun]

The flu issues could just be the guys not taking care of themselves by staying warm or layering up to go outside going to classes, the library, get food, and other walking campus details. I mean how often do you see those guys walking around campus in hoodies and sweats with baseball hats on when the temperatures start to change, thinking they are immortal to the weather changes? Common sense would say to take care of your ego about getting sick, be careful and pro-active about getting sick, instead of careless, and being sick for days, so it affects your health in practice and in games.

[valpo04]

The flu issues could just be the guys not taking care of themselves by staying warm or layering up to go outside going to classes, the library, get food, and other walking campus details. I mean how often do you see those guys walking around campus in hoodies and sweats with baseball hats on when the temperatures start to change, thinking they are immortal to the weather changes? Common sense would say to take care of your ego about getting sick, be careful and pro-active about getting sick, instead of careless, and being sick for days, so it affects your health in practice and in games.

Science would tell you that you get sick from germs and viruses, not from weather changes or cold weather

[valporun]

Common sense would say to protect yourself from having those germs and viruses enter your body.

[valpopal]

I was wondering how the team would be in December, and mentioned the possibility of flu or colds in my original comments. By the end of the semester sickness was widespread. You would walk down the halls and hear coughing or sneezing from every classroom. The germs could easily be on each door handle, desk surface, etc.

[valpo04]

The germs could easily be on each door handle, desk surface, etc.

...or on their girlfriends 

[valpotx]

I can tell you were being sarcastic about science saying germs are the only cause, but I want to challenge any scientist to come measure that in my area in November - March.  We can go from 70-80 degrees to 30 overnight, and then back up to 70 the following day.  When this happens, everyone gets sick in the office 

[valpofan56]

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, colds are not caused by being cold. They are caused by viruses. A likely reason people get sick more when it is/gets cold is because people start spending more time inside around other people where they are more likely to pass those viruses among each other.

[valpo04]

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, colds are not caused by being cold. They are caused by viruses. A likely reason people get sick more when it is/gets cold is because people start spending more time inside around other people where they are more likely to pass those viruses among each other.

The pediatrician at our baby class in July said "you can let them run around naked out in the cold if they want...they are not going to get sick from it.  That and wet hair causing pneumonia are old wives tales that you will surely hear as you raise your child."

Sure enough...tried to explain it to my grandmother who replied "ooh just listen to your grandmother!"

[historyman]

I just don't understand how this thread went from how Valpo was doing in December to how colds effect the team to how the team catches colds from their girlfriends to how viruses are spread to about how the temperatures change so quickly in Texas to how babies catch colds and if you should listen to your grandmother's advice on caring for babies.

[valporun]

I just don't understand how this thread went from how Valpo was doing in December to how colds effect the team to how the team catches colds from their girlfriends to how viruses are spread to about how the temperatures change so quickly in Texas to how babies catch colds and if you should listen to your grandmother's advice on caring for babies.

Is Friday here yet?

[valpo04]

I just don't understand how this thread went from how Valpo was doing in December to how colds effect the team to how the team catches colds from their girlfriends to how viruses are spread to about how the temperatures change so quickly in Texas to how babies catch colds and if you should listen to your grandmother's advice on caring for babies.

It went much the same way a game thread for the NIU game became a discussion about the history of WVU's coach in 2002...

That means Gale Catlett played one season with Jerry West at West Virginia for the Mountaineers. West played at WVU from 1956 to 1960.

[Crusader03]

Ok, everyone, let's reel it in. 

I think we end up with 5 wins this month.

[historyman]

I just don't understand how this thread went from how Valpo was doing in December to how colds effect the team to how the team catches colds from their girlfriends to how viruses are spread to about how the temperatures change so quickly in Texas to how babies catch colds and if you should listen to your grandmother's advice on caring for babies.

It went much the same way a game thread for the NIU game became a discussion about the history of WVU's coach in 2002...

That means Gale Catlett played one season with Jerry West at West Virginia for the Mountaineers. West played at WVU from 1956 to 1960.

Well at least I was still talking about college basketball not cold viruses or grandma's advice on babies.   

I'll agree with the 5 win December.

[justducky]

So, will the 2 winners for the month of December please step foreward. My conservative estimate of 5 was still too optimistic. If your less than 5 vote actually meant 3 then you need not admit you were wrong.