Will You Cheer for Bryce?

[bbtds]

We are moving to Nashville. We've had it with Valpo BB.

Good luck in Nashville!

http://wkrn.com/2016/02/05/2-year-heroin-investigation-peaks-with-arrest-of-4/

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/vandy-students-arrested-in-drug-bust

http://www.wsmv.com/category/211088/davidson-county-news

I think you missed that I was having a sargasm when I wrote that.

ok, well I was having a shuckle about the city of Nashville.

[ValpoDad89]

The Drews did an immense service to Valpo but Valpo did reciprocate the best they could. Bryce was good as gone a few years ago and stayed and made the Program stronger now it is Matt's turn to take it and run with it. I am thinking he will.

Eventually he will probably go somewhere else. Valpo, like 350 other D1 schools are stepping stones in these guy's careers. The only jobs that aren't are UCLA, North Carolina, Duke, Syracuse and Kansas. Those are pillars and iconic gigs. I can't even say Indiana anymore considering the changes since Knight left and the fans wanting Crean's head. But as has been said, if your previous coach leaves you better off for the next coach, than you just have to trust the administration to make the right hire. I think Valpo has a good administration that will try and continue the legacy provided by the Drews.

[historyman]

The Drews did an immense service to Valpo but Valpo did reciprocate the best they could.

I don't believe that Valpo did reciprocate the best they could. I don't think Valpo, as a school as a whole, did nearly as much as the Drews were expecting. I think the Drews finally gave up and found a better fit for their needs and left abruptly.

[VU2014]

Reciprocate in what way? President Heckler praised him in a statement and said he's happy we can cheer for another VU. We named the court after Homer. I know the Drews the last few years were really pushing for a new ARC or at least major improvement to the facilities, which in all honesty they should be and have every right to push for that just as fans have. I really don't know what to believe in Mike Hutton's poorly written hit piece that Bryce is "steamed" and the Skara situation. Maybe things didn't end rosy but I'm over it and excited for the future.

[a3uge]

The Drews did an immense service to Valpo but Valpo did reciprocate the best they could.

I don't believe that Valpo did reciprocate the best they could. I don't think Valpo, as a school as a whole, did nearly as much as the Drews were expecting. I think the Drews finally gave up and found a better fit for their needs and left abruptly.

Bryce did not leave abruptly. He was applying for a new position the moment he became head coach.

[vu72]

The Drews did an immense service to Valpo but Valpo did reciprocate the best they could.

I don't believe that Valpo did reciprocate the best they could. I don't think Valpo, as a school as a whole, did nearly as much as the Drews were expecting. I think the Drews finally gave up and found a better fit for their needs and left abruptly.

Abruptly? Really?  29 years later?  Valpo did PLENTY for the Drew's and they did plenty for Valpo. First, Homer would have been fired by most schools after the dismal start. Tom Smith had won 12 games each for his final two seasons as coach.  Homer takes over and wins 10, followed by seasons with 4,5 and 5 wins before finally getting back to where Tom left off, with a 12 win season.

Next the AD lets Homer bring in his son Scott as an assistant, who, to my knowledge had no previous coaching experience and didn't even play basketball in high school or college.  Next thing you know Scott is moved up and takes over as the Head Coach.  Tell me again where else that might have happened.  Scott is so grateful that ONE year later he bolts for MUCH greener (as in much more Green Backs) pastures.  Homer steps back in and is paid more then the University President.  Next thing Bryce is anointed and the rest is history, off to much greener pastures.  Bryce was paid very well.  Homer, Scott and Bryce are all millionaires and Valpo has gained national recognition.  I think it was a fair deal for the Drews and for the University.

[VULB#62]

The Drews did an immense service to Valpo but Valpo did reciprocate the best they could.

I don't believe that Valpo did reciprocate the best they could. I don't think Valpo, as a school as a whole, did nearly as much as the Drews were expecting. I think the Drews finally gave up and found a better fit for their needs and left abruptly.

Really?  29 years later?  Valpo did PLENTY for the Drew's and they did plenty for Valpo. First, Homer would have been fired by most schools after the dismal start. Tom Smith had won 12 games each for his final two seasons as coach.  Homer takes over and wins 10, followed by seasons with 4,5 and 5 wins before finally getting back to where Tom left off, with a 12 win season.

Next the AD let's Homer bring in his son Scott as an assistant, who, to my knowledge had no previous coaching experience and didn't even play basketball in high school or college.  Next thing you know Scott is moved up and takes over as the Head Coach.  Tell me again where else that might have happened.  Scott is so grateful that ONE year later he bolts for MUCH greener (as in much more Green Backs) pastures.  Homer steps back in and is paid more then the University President.  Next thing Bryce is anointed and the rest is history, off to much greener pastures.  Bryce was paid very well.  Homer, Scott and Bryce are all millionaires and Valpo has gained national recognition.  I think it was a fair deal for the Drews and for the University.

And I would submit that the Drews knew full well over the course of 29 years what kind of school Valpo was/is all along with respect to discretionary funds for athletics and the unwillingness of the university leadership to borrow large sums to underwrite the athletic program.  They also understood that Valpo alumni are not a rabid fan base that throws money at athletics.  In many respects, despite these hurdles, the university did pretty well by the basketball program. I think many of us would choose to allocate more $$$ to the facilities and program support, but by nature, we are dedicated sports junkies.  The B of T and other leaders are not quite as committed to sports as we are.

[historyman]

The B of T and other leaders are not quite as committed to sports as we are.

This is not a given. It's a choice by the Valpo board. Do you think if Butler had hired Homer Drew and he had been as successful at Butler as Homer was as Valpo that they would be in the same position that Valpo is in? No, the Butler board realizes the importance of their athletic department in the promotion of their school to be in the position they are in as a school. To me Valpo would be more successful in academics if they used the success of the basketball program to draw the increase in enrollment that Valpo so dearly desires. Why has Butler been more successful in increasing attendance and why is Vandy willing to pay a basketball coach so much? Because they know the athletic department's success leads to more success and increased enrollment for the academic side of the school. When/if Valpo's board ever realizes this the school as a whole will be more successful. It's no coincidence that schools like Butler and Vandy are more successful academically than Valpo.

[VULB#62]

The B of T and other leaders are not quite as committed to sports as we are.

This is not a given. It's a choice by the Valpo board. Do you think if Butler had hired Homer Drew and he had been as successful at Butler as Homer was as Valpo that they would be in the same position that Valpo is in? No, the Butler board realizes the importance of their athletic department in the promotion of their school to be in the position they are in as a school. To me Valpo would be more successful in academics if they used the success of the basketball program to draw the increase in enrollment that Valpo so dearly desires. Why has Butler been more successful in increasing attendance and why is Vandy willing to pay a basketball coach so much? Because they know the athletic department's success leads to more success and increased enrollment for the academic side of the school. When/if Valpo's board ever realizes this the school as a whole will be more successful. It's no coincidence that schools like Butler and Vandy are more successful academically than Valpo.

H-Man, it seems you are contradicting your first sentence. But I agree with everything you state from sentence 3 onward.  Just like a athletic team takes it lead, spirit and personality from it's Head Coach, a university's attitude and culture are dictated by the B of T and President.  I think Mark Heckler is a departure from previous presidents in a good way.  But much more of an awakening needs to take place in the other levels of leadership before the truths you mention are embraced.  Some schools get it quickly, some don't ever get it, and some just take longer than others.

I will say that Valpo is more of a national name now than ever before and certainly more than when I was enrolled.

[historyman]

The Drews did an immense service to Valpo but Valpo did reciprocate the best they could.

I don't believe that Valpo did reciprocate the best they could. I don't think Valpo, as a school as a whole, did nearly as much as the Drews were expecting. I think the Drews finally gave up and found a better fit for their needs and left abruptly.

Bryce did not leave abruptly. He was applying for a new position the moment he became head coach.

How long before Bryce accepted the job at Vandy did you know that Bryce would no longer be the coach at Valpo? Did you know for sure he would be gone after the season was over? It was abrupt.

[M]

That Vandy job wasn't open long. I think as soon as it opened most people knew it was over.

[ValpoDad89]

How long before Bryce accepted the job at Vandy did you know that Bryce would no longer be the coach at Valpo? Did you know for sure he would be gone after the season was over? It was abrupt.

I think everyone and their mother knew Drew was not long for Valpo considering he looked at other higher conference gigs each of the last 2 seasons. Given the season the Crusaders had and deep run in the NIT, I don't think he could've been a hotter coaching commodity going into the Final Four. While many didn't want to admit it, myself included, I think we all knew he was gone after this season. I think I would've been more shocked had he stayed. So I don't think abruptly would be an accurate statement relative to his departure.

It was so abrupt that we had his replacement hired a week later. Someone must've had an inkling that he might leave and already had a Plan B up their sleeve to make a hire that quick.

[VULB#62]

I took abrupt to mean: once things got going, Bang, Bang, it was over and done. What, one week, 10 days at the most from rumor to Nashville presser? The other abrupt component was the "no goodbyes" element. Once it was a done deal, he just disappeared from all radar screens in the state of Indiana.  Yes, we all knew he was looking, but the way it came down was incredibly quick.

[FWalum]

Interesting Q and A with Bryce from Sports Illustrated.  Q and A with New Vanderbilt Coach Bryce Drew

[Valpo89]

Interesting article. He said the word "Valpo."

[valpotx]

We exist

[NativeCheesehead]

Do we? Or are we all a figure of Greg Kampe's imagination?

[Valpo89]

In Kampe's imagination, we are simply Mayberry.

[valpo64]

Isn't it time to drop this topic from this forum?

[valpotx]

In Kampe's imagination, we are simply Mayberry.

In STL's imagination, all he can think about is Kampe

[StlVUFan]

In Kampe's imagination, we are simply Mayberry.

In STL's imagination, all he can think about is Kampe

And Valpo beating him every damn time, I tell you.