What Valpo game do you want to revisit?

[Pgmado]

I truly enjoyed researching the Lutheran Miracle game and I'm looking for another game to dive into. I've listed five. If there is another, feel free to list it.

[Chairback]

I got to go with the Western IL 3 OT win.  I was at that game in the first row of the chairbacks.  It would be interesting to hear about all the politicking that went on after the win to try and get a post season game.

Was the fight game Phil Wille beating the crap out of one of the Oakland twins?  Not sure there is much of a story there other than the dude got his a** beat.  I can't remember how Homer reacted to all of that though.

[Pgmado]

The Fight game is notable for several reasons. It was Valpo and Oakland's first meeting after the Grizzlies claimed a share of the conference title the previous season. You can't remember how Homer reacted because he was in the hospital that day and Scott Drew coached the game. Homer had chest pains that morning and I believe was rushed to the hospital. Finally, the game started at 11:00 in the morning as it was on television. The student section was absolutely nuts for that game, at least from what I remember

[historyman]

It would be good to hear from Jim Kerwin about the 3 OT game and the time he got into a yelling match with Homer over Tony V.

[oklahomamick]

The Fight game is notable for several reasons. It was Valpo and Oakland's first meeting after the Grizzlies claimed a share of the conference title the previous season. You can't remember how Homer reacted because he was in the hospital that day and Scott Drew coached the game. Homer had chest pains that morning and I believe was rushed to the hospital. Finally, the game started at 11:00 in the morning as it was on television. The student section was absolutely nuts for that game, at least from what I remember

This was my freshman year in college.  I don't remember this.  Can someone give me the play by play?  Is it on youtube or some other archives? 

[wh]

Gotta go with the Oakland game. I was there. We were totally humiliating them. As the game wore on their players became increasingly more chippy, finally leading to the Jon Champagne Phil Wille explosion. Champagne clearly threw the first punch as the 2 went down to the floor. Next thing I knew Wille got him in a headlock and landed a full force uppercut to the face. There were also several other punches both ways but Wille definitely out dueled the other guy. The Champagne twins were a couple of hot heads that every Valpo fan had complete disdain for. I also remember Kampe talking about that game after Oakland got admitted into the HL. Unfortunately, his acct. of what happened was far more favorable toward his player. Clearly revisionist history.

[valpotx]

I was there as well, but don't remember if it was my FR or SO year (what year was it?).  I just remember how hilarious it was to see two fairly uncoordinated bigs sprawling around on the ground trying to jostle for position.  Oakland's guy definitely started it, which received an immediate reaction from PhilWill.  Also, was it WIU where Ivan Vujic hit a guy in the balls? lol 

[historyman]

Jon Champagne cutting down the net at the O'Rena after they tied for first with Valpo but won the #1 seed in the 1999-2000 Mid-Con tourney.

[a3uge]

How about the first round CIT game against Iona in 2011?

[valpo84]

Went with the 3OT game with WIU. Incredible game and no post-season, but it launched the program onto a more national scene. The Miami (OH) OT bracketbuster is another interesting game to revisit.

Would like a story on the FSU game at some point too. That is the forgotten game but we had to win to go to Sweet 16. Valpo matched up very well with fairly non-descript (no superstars) FSU (an ACC team) and I remember feeling that we were in control of that one and that our bigs did a great job with theirs. Game actually went OT. FSU was a 12 seed and had won their 1st round game v a surprising 5th seeded TCU, led by Lee Nailon. If TCU had won, former TCU head football coach and Valpo legend Jim Wacker would have been a storyline.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

How about the first round CIT game against Iona in 2011?

TCU, led by Lee Nailon.

FOR GOSH DARN DARN NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO MENTION THAT NAME ON THIS BOARD

[wh]

How about the first round CIT game against Iona in 2011?

Do you mean the game that Homer convinced ml to pay a lot of money to host because he felt the team deserved something special for the fine season they had and for how hard they had worked and for what good people they were and for which Cory Johnson and others from the team went to Pepe's bar the night before the game and had a good time and then went through the motions and play halfheartedly resulting in getting blown out by a team they were favored to beat and for which I bought 4 tickets to attend and watched in total disgust as we were out hustled and out worked and that I heard afterwards some of the players just wanted to get the season over and move on with their lives showing no gratitude for what Homer had done after inexplicably blowing 2 or 3 games at the end of conference play losing the conference championship followed by losing in the conference tournament against a team they were obviously better than?  Is that the game?   

[HC]

^^^ Nailed it^^^

[FWalum]

I understand why there are no votes for the Southern Utah game.  The intrigue for that game was more off the court than on.  This was the Mono tournament that left us in somewhat ragged condition and with one of our best players, Milo Stovall, extremely unhappy and sitting on the bench. I was lucky enough to be with the team during that tournament and remember the profound feeling of disappointment that followed.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

who would vote for a loss anyway?

[Pgmado]

I covered the Southern Utah game as a sideline reporter and one of my most vivid memories coming from that game was when Homer called a timeout early on when it was 9-2 or something like that. He looked at Jared Nuness in the huddle and basically told him to take the ball and put it down in the middle of the court because Valpo clearly proved they had no interest in playing that night. He may have sworn during that rant and it may have been the only time I've ever heard him swear.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

He may have sworn during that rant and it may have been the only time I've ever heard him swear.

Now THAT would be worthy of an oral history

[valpo84]

^^^ Nailed it^^^

Wouldn't that be Nailoned It? (No, he didn't do that.)

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Wouldn't that be Nailoned It?

[covufan]

I'd go with the Elite 9 loss to Rhode Island in '98.  It would be interesting to hear from the Harricks in how the game affected them.  The crowd, with many Purdue fans, was decidedly in Valpo's favor.  The team came out after leaving the floor for an encore with the fans remaining.

[StlVUFan]

I'd go with the Elite 9 loss to Rhode Island in '98.  It would be interesting to hear from the Harricks in how the game affected them.  The crowd, with many Purdue fans, was decidedly in Valpo's favor.  The team came out after leaving the floor for an encore with the fans remaining.

Especially your take on the crucial turning point in the first half when the TV pbp guy's main feel good storyline suckered Bill Jenkins into a flagrant (technical?) foul.

[covufan]

I'd go with the Elite 9 loss to Rhode Island in '98.  It would be interesting to hear from the Harricks in how the game affected them.  The crowd, with many Purdue fans, was decidedly in Valpo's favor.  The team came out after leaving the floor for an encore with the fans remaining.

Especially your take on the crucial turning point in the first half when the TV pbp guy's main feel good storyline suckered Bill Jenkins into a flagrant (technical?) foul.

Revisiting with the '98 team would be the most interesting to me.  Going with the FSU game would be more uplifting after the win and heading to the Sweet Sixteen, but the finality of the Rhode Island game, the near home crowd feel, the Harricks, and the overall feel of how close that team was, and the confidence that carried with each team member into their after school life would be quite a story. 

[vu72]

I'd go with the Elite 9 loss to Rhode Island in '98.  It would be interesting to hear from the Harricks in how the game affected them.  The crowd, with many Purdue fans, was decidedly in Valpo's favor.  The team came out after leaving the floor for an encore with the fans remaining.

I believe that is properly known as the "Nifty Nine"!! 

[usc4valpo]

OK, for interest sakes, and to improve our psychology knowledge, how about Jan 1984 against Eastern Kentucky where the Tom Smith 5'10" experiment ran amok?

[valpotx]

I can watch that SUU game anytime, as I taped it figuring that I would get on ESPN.  Terrible timing in that the cameras were on me as I was yelling profanities and flipping double birds at Jeff Monaco and House .  To be 19 lol