Roger Powell

[wh]

I just came upon this interview with Roger Powell from 2013. Probably most everyone has seen it before, but I think it's worth reposting. Roger is a man of amazing character and conviction.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kDYLkZWxZsY

[valpo64]

wh...thanks for posting this, we can all learn from Roger's words and have more appreciation  for him as a member of our Staff.

[valpotx]

I keep getting surprised every year that he is not stolen away from Valpo.  I can understand Bryce staying around until this season, but I figured that Powell would have been recruited away 2 seasons ago.

[agibson]

Let's count our blessings!

(Or, alternatively, the Psalm for semester-opening chapel today was 90, with "Teach us to number our days", etc.)

[tiny707]

UIC-HC position?

[VUGrad1314]

Ooh I like that. Well connected in the region. Great basketball mind. Would make a terrific coach for a program that always felt as though they were a solid coach away from really building something. UIC angling for MVC membership perhaps? (Not that I'd take them as long as we still have Loyola and as long as there are much better basketball options out there but they're a team that I never fully cross off the list because of what they could bring if they ever got rolling.

[tiny707]

Call him.

[bigmosmithfan_2]

I mean, sure, call him but given that he reportedly did not want to be a candidate when Bryce left, I can't see why he'd want to come here now.

[Pgmado]

I mean, sure, call him but given that he reportedly did not want to be a candidate when Bryce left, I can't see why he'd want to come here now.

Is there anything you didn't do seven years ago that you would do now?

[wh]

I mean, sure, call him but given that he reportedly did not want to be a candidate when Bryce left, I can't see why he'd want to come here now.

Is there anything you didn't do seven years ago that you would do now?

When Bryce was coach Roger was asked about his interest in becoming a head coach. He said essentially that he doesn't operate his life in pursuit of personal goals. His only desire was to follow God's plan for his life. He said he could be perfectly comfortable remaining an assistant under Bryce, if that's where God wanted him to be. Thus, 7 years ago servant Roger Powell felt God's leading to stay with fellow servant Bryce Drew. Seven years later, God could be leading him in a different direction.

[JD24]

I mean, sure, call him but given that he reportedly did not want to be a candidate when Bryce left, I can't see why he'd want to come here now.

Is there anything you didn't do seven years ago that you would do now?

When Bryce was coach Roger was asked about his interest in becoming a head coach. He said essentially that he doesn't operate his life in pursuit of personal goals. His only desire was to follow God's plan for his life. He said he could be perfectly comfortable remaining an assistant under Bryce, if that's where God wanted him to be. Thus, 7 years ago servant Roger Powell felt God's leading to stay with fellow servant Bryce Drew. Seven years later, God could be leading him in a different direction.

Which is, apparently, sitting next to Mark Few.

[wh]

I mean, sure, call him but given that he reportedly did not want to be a candidate when Bryce left, I can't see why he'd want to come here now.

Is there anything you didn't do seven years ago that you would do now?

When Bryce was coach Roger was asked about his interest in becoming a head coach. He said essentially that he doesn't operate his life in pursuit of personal goals. His only desire was to follow God's plan for his life. He said he could be perfectly comfortable remaining an assistant under Bryce, if that's where God wanted him to be. Thus, 7 years ago servant Roger Powell felt God's leading to stay with fellow servant Bryce Drew. Seven years later, God could be leading him in a different direction.

Which is, apparently, sitting next to Mark Few.

Ok, so he's currently employed.  Unless he's glued to that seat next to Mark Few, I'm not sure what your point is.

[valpopal]

FWIW: According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Powell was a finalist and runner-up to Daniyal Robinson for the Cleveland State head coaching position last April. Robinson's contract was a base salary of $325,000 over five years. He can receive a $25,000 bonus annually if the athletic director determines the basketball program stayed out of NCAA trouble and did a decent job academically. His contract also pays an annual bonus of $25,000. There are other incentive bonuses, including if CSU advances to the NCAA tournament, the coach will receive an automatic raise to $400,000 annually for the remaining years on his contract. There are also bonuses for things such as reaching the NCAA Final Four ($50,000).

[valpo64]

If he was interested in the Cleveland State job he surely would at least look at Valpo I would think.  He is a good candidate as is Tonagel.

[wh]

Here is the (2013) interview I referenced.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=kDYLkZWxZsY&feature=share

Amazing guy. Continuing with the spiritual theme, getting Roger would be manna from Heaven.

[wh]

If he was interested in the Cleveland State job he surely would at least look at Valpo I would think.  He is a good candidate as is Tonagel.

I have great respect for both men. Greg has a very successful track record as a head coach (albeit a lower level); Roger does not. Advantage Greg. Greg's recruiting wheelhouse is in places like Plymouth and Bremen, IN. Roger was born and raised in Joliet, IL. He played college bb at Illinois. His dad played at Illinois State. He recruited throughout the state, including the Chicago metropolitan area. Presumably, he has more personal contact with prospective assistants with a similar profile. Advantage Roger.

IMO the path to a Missouri Valley Conference championship begins and ends in neighborhoods that produced Javon and KC, not small town WI or IN.

[vu84v2]

Lots of justifiable respect for "The Rev".

[tiny707]

Agree WH. Need to get back to recruiting Chicago and region. Having said that UIC, Bradley, ISU and SIU are saying same thing about Chicago market recruiting. They just seemed like they had more toughness.

[VULB#62]

Ya know, I never watched a second of the Zags in the last couple of years and it now comes home to roost. I have no idea how they play. So.........

Now that Roger is "on the discussion table,"  you have to consider his mentors and their systems. We all know how Drew teams played. They knew how to recruit and win on the mid-major level. Roger was a piece of that and hopefully he did the "sponge thing." At Vandy he got a good taste of P-5 ball AND P-5 recruiting. Getting bounced out of Vandy when Bryce got screwed was a good thing for him as well, because he was forced to go somewhere else to continue his learning journey. And dang!  He winds up at Gonzaga sitting by one of the best in the game.

Given that and assuming he is interested, if Roger were to win the job, what type of recruiting and game philosophy would he bring to this program?  Would we be GCU Northeast, Bulldog East, or Roger back home on his own in the midwest?

[historyman]

FWIW: According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Powell was a finalist and runner-up to Daniyal Robinson for the Cleveland State head coaching position last April. Robinson's contract was a base salary of $325,000 over five years. He can receive a $25,000 bonus annually if the athletic director determines the basketball program stayed out of NCAA trouble and did a decent job academically. His contract also pays an annual bonus of $25,000. There are other incentive bonuses, including if CSU advances to the NCAA tournament, the coach will receive an automatic raise to $400,000 annually for the remaining years on his contract. There are also bonuses for things such as reaching the NCAA Final Four ($50,000).

But the biggest bonus is either living in or driving to downtown Cleveland.

[historyman]

Is there anything you didn't do seven years ago that you would do now?

Drink Metamucil
Remember what it was like during the pandemic
Wish Valpo had a new head coach in place
See so many people of one political party set a record pleading the fifth. (I better stop there)

[David81]

Is there anything you didn't do seven years ago that you would do now?

Drink Metamucil
Remember what it was like during the pandemic
Wish Valpo had a new head coach in place
See so many people of one political party set a record pleading the fifth. (I better stop there)

LOLOL. On Facebook, I once made a joke about some uptight fellow needing regular servings of Metamucil, and suddenly my Feed was filled with ads for digestive supplements.

More seriously, within seven years, we may well know the ultimate fate of VU's D1 sports commitment. Not to denigrate the players and coaches of any other VU sports team, but I think this MBB hire is that significant. A return to consistent 20+ win seasons and being in the conversation for post-season play would be the difference maker.