Matt Lottich Is Our Coach...Let's Look Underneath the Hood

[bbtds]

It's interesting that since Coach Matt did not speak that much in public (radio & VU video production shows) that we didn't know him that well except for those who had spoken with him in person.

Your point's well taken. But, perhaps someone can jog my memory. Was he doing that WVUR "quick few words on the way to half time" segments? Did they add those this season, and maybe only for certain (home?) games? It seems like I'd heard him on the radio a few times, but only a few.

If Matt was doing any radio interviews on WVUR I just don't remember hearing them. Anyone remember hearing them?

[FWalum]

Yes, he did a "how did the first half go and what changes will we make for the second half" interview at the start of halftime with the sideline reporter.

[crusadermoe]

Glad to hear that the rest of the press conference for Matt was impressive.    I am guilty of watching only the first 4 minutes at work and then getting back to work.  Evidently he got rolling and increased his confidence and specificity.  Great!   Sorry about the miss on Stanford Final 4s and yeah the NBA did carry cache for Bryce.  Fair enough.   OK, back to work.   

[bbtds]

Glad to hear that the rest of the press conference for Matt was impressive.    I am guilty of watching only the first 4 minutes at work and then getting back to work.  Evidently he got rolling and increased his confidence and specificity.  Great!   Sorry about the miss on Stanford Final 4s and yeah the NBA did carry cache for Bryce.  Fair enough.   OK, back to work.   

I'll admit that it is nice to have a job where I can drop things during the day and dedicate some time to Valpo basketball. There are some weekends and specific nights when I can not so there is a trade off.

[FWalum]

Thought this article from his MVP playing days in Japan said a lot about what is under the hood of our new coach! Lottich's Old School Ways Find Niche

[VULB#62]

Some insightful snips from that article that impressed me.

He is a throwback to a different era, an old-school player in a game that has become increasingly complex.

Though his endurance was impressive, it was his entire body of work that shone most brightly. The Stanford product is a fundamentally sound player during an era where that is an increasing rarity.

"Playing hard and playing to win are what I'm all about."

Lottich played for coach Mike Montgomery at Stanford and says that he learned a lot from him.  "He taught us that basketball is game of inches — every possession, every pass is important. We focused on how to do the little things right."

If he translates his playing style into coaching style, I think it bodes well for us.

[valpotx]

I didn't know that he was the MVP of the Japanese League.  This explains why GW's Japanese player posted a picture on Twitter of him talking with Lottich before our NIT championship game.

[valpopal]

Word is that Lottich has hired two assistant coaches: David Ragland of Northern Kentucky and Jackie Manuel of UNCG.

[VULB#62]

FROM NKU site:  Assistant Coach David Ragland comes to Highland Heights, Kentucky, as an assistant coach, following one year at Bowling Green State University and four years on the coaching staff at Indiana State

FROM UNCG site: Jackie Manuel is in his fourth season as an assistant coach on UNCG coach Wes Miller's staff in 2015-16. Manuel wrapped up a five-year professional playing career in 2011. He spent the 2010-11 season playing for the Miyazaki Shining Suns in Miyazaki, Japan, averaging 18 points, six rebounds and three assists per game. {That's the connection!}

[crusader05]

Manuel is from Florida and a UNC graduate with one year on their staff. Be interested to see if he opens different recruiting doors for us

[VULB#62]

Interesting that we poached a guy from a fellow HL school.

[VULB#62]

"Official" confirmation..
[tweet]721004888587694082[/tweet]

[vusupporter]

I'm pretty sure Goodman's Tweet was what Valpopal read before he posted.

[vu72]

Interesting choices and, I think very good ones!  Here's why:  Jackie Manuel played for UNC and was an ACC All Defensive Team member.  He is from the south and did play for the Celtics, albeit only for two months.  At 6'6" he should be able to help coach our bigs.

Ragland is from Indiana so should be able to help recruit in our backyard.  He also was a head coach at a JC.

I also think that both being people of color will help.  Not sure why as I'm very white myself.  Just a guess.

[VULB#62]

I'm pretty sure Goodman's Tweet was what Valpopal read before he posted.

Yep

[tweet]720996914116829186[/tweet]

[a3uge]

Wow, love both, if true! Jackie Manuel was on the NCAA championship team with Marvin Williams, Raymond Felton, and Shawn May. Never played in the NBA, but had D-League success. Wasn't familiar with Ragland, but he was the head coach of Vincennes for two years. Played D2 basketball at Southern Indiana and Missouri something or other.

[covufan]

I'm pretty sure Goodman's Tweet was what Valpopal read before he posted.

Or heard in the hallway...

[valpotx]

I like both pickups, and we are a step up for both of them.  I wonder if Manuel was the guy who was recruiting our Spanish big guy, since he also visited UNCG?  Maybe a package deal to secure the 6'11" Spaniard?

[oklahomamick]

NKU also lost Ronold Nored.  Nored is going to be head coach of the Long Island Nets from the NBA D League.

[Pgmado]

I'm pretty sure Goodman's Tweet was what Valpopal read before he posted.

I'm pretty sure Valpopal's post is what Goodman read before he posted.

[VULB#62]

There's more tweets than just this.

[tweet]721058646722023424[/tweet]

[wh]

Wow, love both, if true! Jackie Manuel was on the NCAA championship team with Marvin Williams, Raymond Felton, and Shawn May. Never played in the NBA, but had D-League success. Wasn't familiar with Ragland, but he was the head coach of Vincennes for two years. Played D2 basketball at Southern Indiana and Missouri something or other.

I don't know anything about Ragland and Manuel, but we didn't know anything about Roger and Matt, and look how that turned out. I am pleased that Matt chose 2 new faces looking to make their mark, rather than a head coach from a lower division or a former head coach from a failed program.
I also like how quickly the whole coaching staff replacement process was completed.  We went from down and out to full speed ahead in the blink of an eye at a very important time in the recruiting process. Congrats to our 2 ml's.

[bbtds]

Congrats to our 2 ml's.

Remember, one of the ml's is at Ohio State now.

[vusupporter]

Congrats to our 2 ml's.

Remember, one of the ml's is at Ohio State now.

Remember, we now have an ML as head coach.

[bbtds]

Congrats to our 2 ml's.

Remember, one of the ml's is at Ohio State now.

Remember, we now have an ML as head coach.

Didn't think that way. It means we had 3 ml's for 2 years.