3/9/13, 7:30pm - ESPNU: Green Bay @ Valpo HL Tournament Game Thread

[Smj]

Thanks for sharing that article.... Loved it - such a great read.   i love that it included Lubos.  He was a fun player to watch.   (and i LOVED the dig on the HL POY who passed up a shot)   ...   What movie has the qoute -  "I want the ball coach.   Winners usually do"?

[govalpogo]

With Todd's call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9x2BFYpOXs#ws

Love BMac's guttoral laughter!

[Pgmado]

The Replacements. "Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory...lasts forever."

[Valpo89]

Great call by Todd and I loved Brandon in the background. He sounded like Bill Rogers in Oklahoma City.

[valpotx]

I also enjoyed the Lubos part of your article Paul.  It is amazing that he still remembers games from 11-12 years ago, as I am sure that he has played around 500+ since that time.  The things that stick out most about our past players are how well-rounded and well-spoken they all are, and just good overall people 

[agibson]

With Todd's call.

Love BMac's guttoral laughter!

Great montage!  Very happy to hear the call, and BMac's excited additions were great.

[valpopal]

Thanks for sharing that article.... Loved it - such a great read.   i love that it included Lubos.  He was a fun player to watch.   (and i LOVED the dig on the HL POY who passed up a shot)   ...   What movie has the qoute -  "I want the ball coach.   Winners usually do"?

Yes, excellent article by Paul. I appreciate the way it puts the current season and particularly Rowdy's play into a historical perspective. This should remind readers why we ought to be thankful for the current group of seniors, as well as to especially savor these final times we get to watch Rowdy and the others play in a Valpo uniform.

[agibson]

Broekhoff, Barton and Buzzer-Beaters
http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/broekhoff-barton-and-buzzer-beaters/article_40602bd6-8a3f-11e2-ad5a-001a4bcf887a.html

Great piece - very inspirational.  Might even sell a couple of tickets.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

It really says a lot about the program that all these guys who leave keep rooting for them.  B-Mac, who if not for his redshirt would not have shared the court with any of the current players, was as happy as any of the current roster, and Lubos was excited as well.

Lesser men like to see things collapse after they leave, to make it seem as though they were the ones holding everything up.

[valpopal]

Great call by Todd and I loved Brandon in the background.

An instant classic! 

[valpotx]

Andy Katz blog:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/9039611/a-wooden-award-winner-other-march-madness-thoughts-college-basketball

• I loved seeing the complete opposite reactions from Valpo's Bryce Drew and Marquette's Buzz Williams after buzzer-beaters Saturday. Drew fell backward to the floor and rolled over. He experienced the thrill of making a last-second shot as a player and now knows what it's like to coach one. Williams never uncrossed his arms in the corner as Vander Blue hit the game-winning shot off the glass. I couldn't tell whether he even smiled. But I wouldn't have been surprised in the locker room if Williams didn't dive on the floor. He's not about himself in public, but he pours his passion into every possession, practice and game.


• The semifinal buzzer-beaters for the Horizon League (Wright State over Detroit, too) couldn't have come at a better time after the league took a hit with Butler's departure (I was the first to say it would take a step back). The Horizon League lost a top-25 presence, but the competitive balance and excitement didn't wilt.

[agibson]

Andy Katz blog:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/9039611/a-wooden-award-winner-other-march-madness-thoughts-college-basketball

And, in the same blog,

I'm all for the hot team getting into the NCAA tournament with a run through the conference tournament, but it has to be made more difficult than just three or four games on a neutral court. That's why the top seeds should be rewarded either with a double bye or with getting to play the tournament on the campus site (NEC) of the highest remaining seed. Liberty might still be able to get out of the Big South in this scenario, but at least the league is making it harder to do so and the best representative is more likely to come out of the league. This is still more advantageous for the conference because it gives the league the opportunity to play out of the 16-seed game. A good example is the NEC. Robert Morris earned the top spot, hosted, then lost in the semifinals to Mount St. Mary's. So that's on Robert Morris. RMU had the chance.

[KL31NY]

With Todd's call.

Love BMac's guttoral laughter!

All right, be honest. Who was tickling B-Mac? He was absolutely giddy after that play.

[ValpoHoops]

With Todd's call.

Love BMac's guttoral laughter!

All right, be honest. Who was tickling B-Mac? He was absolutely giddy after that play.

<Sheepishly raises hand> 

I was two seats away from him...at least a couple of those noises he made (not exactly sure what to call them) were directed at me...

[StlVUFan]

I'd like to say how impressed I was with Ryan in this game. Not because he hit the game winning shot, because we all know that was great, but because he forced things a little bit when it was necessary. He hit some tough shots, but more importantly he took some tough shots. Ryan will have to play like that the rest of the way if Valpo's going to continue having success (define that however you choose). This team is better when he's just a tiny bit selfish.

Not only that, but every defensive rebound he got in the final minutes was ripped down with unprecedented ferocity.  GB players tried to crowd him and poke at him, and I'm fairly sure their guts paid the price for it.  There was a scowl on his face every single time.  It was truly a sight to see.

[agibson]

Not only that, but every defensive rebound he got in the final minutes was ripped down with unprecedented ferocity.

This is still my favorite image of Ryan.  How ferociously he hangs on to rebounds.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Before this year, we had never beaten the Phoenix twice in a year. 

Now we've beaten them twice in 150 hours...

[valpopal]

I'd like to say how impressed I was with Ryan in this game. Not because he hit the game winning shot, because we all know that was great, but because he forced things a little bit when it was necessary. He hit some tough shots, but more importantly he took some tough shots. Ryan will have to play like that the rest of the way if Valpo's going to continue having success (define that however you choose). This team is better when he's just a tiny bit selfish.

Not only that, but every defensive rebound he got in the final minutes was ripped down with unprecedented ferocity.  GB players tried to crowd him and poke at him, and I'm fairly sure their guts paid the price for it.  There was a scowl on his face every single time.  It was truly a sight to see.

This is still my favorite image of Ryan.  How ferociously he hangs on to rebounds.

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.





For those interested, I have now added about 25 more of my pictures from the game at the Valpo Basketball Photography web site:
http://photography226.wordpress.com/

[Smj]

I so look forward to your photos....

[bbtds]

I also love this tenacity from Bryce.

http://photography226.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/bryce-angry.jpg


He is developing a style I always wished Homer had displayed more often that only Jim Kerwin could bring out.

[Kyle321n]

I so look forward to your photos....

Me too. I always play "Where's Kyle" when I look through them 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Jim Kerwin

the rocker from Lowell?

[valpospartan]

While not a game winner we should give a mention to Mike Jones' layup as the clock ran out against ND to tie the game in '88 and send it to overtime, which ultimately resulted in a Valpo win.  I thought the Anselm/Jones fast break was the most exciting play ever to happen at the ARC, until of course last night.

I agree.  I was there and also have it on VHS tape. 

[valpospartan]

Not only that, but every defensive rebound he got in the final minutes was ripped down with unprecedented ferocity.

This is still my favorite image of Ryan.  How ferociously he hangs on to rebounds.

I have always called Ryan "a rebounding machine". 

[letsgovu]

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.