Valpo Rivals

[zvillehaze]

Nice article from Paul Oren regarding Valpo's basketball "rivals". http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/does-valparaiso-have-a-rival/article_3e4a9204-2496-11e3-8b43-001a4bcf887a.html  He seems to argue that now Valpo is atop the Horizon League, they have no rivals.  But as a frequent visitor of this board, I think that Oakland is the new rival.  Thoughts?

[vu72]

It's Butler 

[classof2014]

This year's rival/big draw game will definitely be Wright State, sadly Valpo doesn't have a true rival. No schools are that close and compare in size. As Oren said in the article "UIC is too Chicago"

I think we have big draw games more than rivals, I think this year the two big ones will be Wright State and possibly Oakland. I think they'll be a good turnout for Detroit too, just because of what has occurred in the recent past.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

fixed it for you

http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/does-valparaiso-have-a-rival/article_3e4a9204-2496-11e3-8b43-001a4bcf887a.html

[valpotx]

Oakland would be the best bet due to competitive games over the last few years.  I don't see Wright State as being a rival, except for this year due to everyone picking them to win the conference.  Their team plays with more class than Detroit, so we can't dislike them for that reason past this season.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Yeah, we don't have a rival in the traditional sense.  I originally would have said Oakland, but since they have Detroit...

plus Paul convinced me that our rival should be whoever else is good this year.  WSU it is.

(Did he really say that he prefers Billy Donlon to Bryce?)

[wh]

Had Butler stayed in the league I think we would have a pretty solid rivalry in place at this point. We would have extended our winning streak from 4 to 7 this past season, knocking them out of the HL tournament with a 15-point victory.  They would have accepted another invitation to the NIT over more deserving teams based on milking their "glory days" reputation one last time. "Brad" would still be their coach because no one would be interested anymore.  Pundits would be writing that "the Butler way" apparently had more to do with a roster of future pro players than some mysterious master system that no one but Butler has the intelligence to put in place.  Last, but not least, their 5 remaining message board fans would be posting that they hope their students don't storm the court if they're fortunate enough to upset us this year.  Oh, and I would be starting a thread over here about now entitled, "Do you still consider Butler our rival?"   

[vu72]

Had Butler stayed in the league I think we would have a pretty solid rivalry in place at this point. We would have extended our winning streak from 4 to 7 this past season, knocking them out of the HL tournament with a 15-point victory.  They would have accepted another invitation to the NIT over more deserving teams based on milking their "glory days" reputation one last time. "Brad" would still be their coach because no one would be interested anymore.  Pundits would be writing that "the Butler way" apparently had more to do with a roster of future pro players than some mysterious master system that no one but Butler has the intelligence to put in place.  Last, but not least, their 5 remaining message board fans would be posting that they hope their students don't storm the court if they're fortunate enough to upset us this year.  Oh, and I would be starting a thread over here about now entitled, "Do you still consider Butler our rival?"   

[LaPorteAveApostle]

not even waiting:
http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=1265.msg36258#new

[EddieCabot]

It seems simple to me ... since Valpo is the two-time league champion, every other HL team views them as a "rival", while Valpo views any team threatening to knock them from the top as a "rival".  For this season, WSU seems the likely candidate.

I enjoyed the article, but I'm surprised resident grammar expert, LPAA, didn't notice this sentence:

With the start of the season around the corner, I took a look at the recently-released schedule to try and find when Valparaiso would be hosting its "rivalry game."

I know I'm old school, but the accepted use of "try and" when meaning "try to" gets under my skin.  I shake my head and move on when I see it on facebook, twitter or in blogs.  When professional journalists use it, I get concerned.  When that professional journalist is also a journalism professor at a quality university like Valpo, it causes me to do a double take.

Mr. Oren has responded to me before (which I appreciated and respected), so I'm curious to hear his response on this.  Maybe my opinion is outdated and "try and" is now acceptable.  If I'm off base, I'll accept it, move forward and try to (or try and) do better in the future.   

[vu72]

It seems simple to me ... since Valpo is the two-time league champion, every other HL team views them as a "rival", while Valpo views any team threatening to knock them from the top as a "rival".  For this season, WSU seems the likely candidate.

I enjoyed the article, but I'm surprised resident grammar expert, LPAA, didn't notice this sentence:

With the start of the season around the corner, I took a look at the recently-released schedule to try and find when Valparaiso would be hosting its "rivalry game."

I know I'm old school, but the accepted use of "try and" when meaning "try to" gets under my skin.  I shake my head and move on when I see it on facebook, twitter or in blogs.  When professional journalists use it, I get concerned.  When that professional journalist is also a journalism professor at a quality university like Valpo, it causes me to do a double take.

Mr. Oren has responded to me before (which I appreciated and respected), so I'm curious to hear his response on this.  Maybe my opinion is outdated and "try and" is now acceptable.  If I'm off base, I'll accept it, move forward and try to (or try and) do better in the future.   

I always find it interesting when folks take the time to correct or inquire about the proper use of the language. It isn't just Apostle.  I think it says much about the general intelligence of the crowd on this board.  I doubt you could find such curiosity on any other board.  I certainly am not an English major, but I do try to use proper punctuation in my texts! Clearly a generational issue.   

[LaPorteAveApostle]

resident grammar expert, LPAA

i'm honored

With the start of the season around the corner, I took a look at the recently-released schedule to try and find when Valparaiso would be hosting its "rivalry game."

hmm...i never thought too much about this case; but we all have our pet peeves!

i suppose you could argue that the conjunction creates a parallelism in which the second infinitive is not fully expressed yet still understood, i.e. "to try and [to] find" but i think EC has an easier case to make.

[a3uge]

It seems simple to me ... since Valpo is the two-time league champion, every other HL team views them as a "rival", while Valpo views any team threatening to knock them from the top as a "rival".  For this season, WSU seems the likely candidate.

I enjoyed the article, but I'm surprised resident grammar expert, LPAA, didn't notice this sentence:

With the start of the season around the corner, I took a look at the recently-released schedule to try and find when Valparaiso would be hosting its "rivalry game."

I know I'm old school, but the accepted use of "try and" when meaning "try to" gets under my skin.  I shake my head and move on when I see it on facebook, twitter or in blogs.  When professional journalists use it, I get concerned.  When that professional journalist is also a journalism professor at a quality university like Valpo, it causes me to do a double take.

Mr. Oren has responded to me before (which I appreciated and respected), so I'm curious to hear his response on this.  Maybe my opinion is outdated and "try and" is now acceptable.  If I'm off base, I'll accept it, move forward and try to (or try and) do better in the future.

I think your being a little harsh.

http://xkcd.com/1238/

[historyman]

It seems simple to me ... since Valpo is the two-time league champion, every other HL team views them as a "rival", while Valpo views any team threatening to knock them from the top as a "rival".  For this season, WSU seems the likely candidate. I enjoyed the article, but I'm surprised resident grammar expert, LPAA, didn't notice this sentence: With the start of the season around the corner, I took a look at the recently-released schedule to try and find when Valparaiso would be hosting its "rivalry game." I know I'm old school, but the accepted use of "try and" when meaning "try to" gets under my skin.  I shake my head and move on when I see it on facebook, twitter or in blogs.  When professional journalists use it, I get concerned.  When that professional journalist is also a journalism professor at a quality university like Valpo, it causes me to do a double take. Mr. Oren has responded to me before (which I appreciated and respected), so I'm curious to hear his response on this.  Maybe my opinion is outdated and "try and" is now acceptable.  If I'm off base, I'll accept it, move forward and try to (or try and) do better in the future.

I think your being a little harsh. http://xkcd.com/1238/

Yes, you need to try and see the iron knee.

[Pgmado]

No harm no foul Eddie. I tend to (try and) write informally on the blog and when I read it back before submitting I didn't even notice. Your point is well taken and I'll try and improve in the future!

[covufan]

I think your being a little harsh.

http://xkcd.com/1238/

I hit 'random' a few times and got "Duty Calls":

http://xkcd.com/386/

[Smj]

Really... This much discussion about the proper use of a phrase.....   Not what I am here to read - maybe you should join this forum instead:

http://www.onestopenglish.com/forum/

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I hit 'random' a few times and got "Duty Calls":

Still the best one, ever.  Maybe the best single-panel cartoon of the millennium, period.

Not what I am here to read

Then don't read it.