Union Street Hoops

[vu84v2]

I personally feel Valpo got more respect last year being a Thursday team heading to the finals for a shot at the title over the one and done 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th seeded teams.

Laughing...while perhaps true, this is not a model for long term success.

[FWalum]

New episode out with Todd. Some good insight into the new players!

[Chairback]

As always this episode was very good.  It brings a little normalcy back to listen to these.  Thank you Paul and great
job.

Also, we are lucky to have Todd as part of our program.  I hope there is a banner up at the arc with his name on it one day.  He deserves it.   

[vu72]

As always this episode was very good.  It brings a little normalcy back to listen to these.  Thank you Paul and great
job.

Also, we are lucky to have Todd as part of our program.  I hope there is a banner up at the arc with his name on it one day.  He deserves it.   

I can't find the link.  It isn't up at nwi.com

[IndyValpo]

As always this episode was very good.  It brings a little normalcy back to listen to these.  Thank you Paul and great
job.

Also, we are lucky to have Todd as part of our program.  I hope there is a banner up at the arc with his name on it one day.  He deserves it.   

I can't find the link.  It isn't up at nwi.com

Do you have Spotify? That is where I find it

[vu72]

As always this episode was very good.  It brings a little normalcy back to listen to these.  Thank you Paul and great
job.

Also, we are lucky to have Todd as part of our program.  I hope there is a banner up at the arc with his name on it one day.  He deserves it.   

I can't find the link.  It isn't up at nwi.com

Do you have Spotify? That is where I find it

Got it on Apple!

[Corohan2]

Just looking at odds for next season.

Good to see local teams Illinois and Iowa so high this year.

[VALPO LI]

New episode of Union Street Hoops!
Great episode with Paul and Mark LaBarbera that touches on everything from testing, conference games, baseball and football.

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1332334211823505413

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1341122571501236224?s=21
https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1341122947872862210?s=21

[VU2014]

Hey Paul, Any chance of a new Union Street Hoops Podcast dropping? The program seems like an absolute mess right now. Would love to hear your honest thoughts. Cast aside your personal relationships with the people at the ARC and tell us your unvarnished thoughts on the current state of Valpo Basketball. Might be a good episode to get Todd on if he'd join.

Fans and Almuni are embarrassed by what we have seen unfold this season.

[Pgmado]

There's been a lot of content lately. Here's a review...

Hail Redacted - a dive into the mascot change featuring interviews with two former Valpo football players on opposite sides of the issue.
https://omny.fm/shows/union-street-hoops/hail-redacted

Bonus Interview: Kaitlyn Steinhiser - Valparaiso's student body president joins the pod to discuss how the mascot change came about from her end
https://omny.fm/shows/union-street-hoops/bonus-interview-kaitlyn-steinhiser

March Is On - Missouri State beat reporter Wyatt Wheeler previews Arch Madness opener. Former Valparaiso marketing admin Scott Ochander discusses the 2011 rebrand and (attention ValpoTX) the deep study into the Crusader nickname.
https://omny.fm/shows/union-street-hoops/march-is-on

Arch Madness 2021: John Kiser - Kiser takes us through last season's Arch Madness run
https://omny.fm/shows/union-street-hoops/arch-madness-2021-john-kiser

[valpotx]

Thanks PO.  Was this the only prior review on the nickname, ever since 1995?  If so, I think that it is fair to say that it has been reviewed on occasion over the years, but for those that say, 'it has been reviewed for several decades,' is causing it to sound like a continuous thing that was ongoing during that time period.  I wouldn't reference 3 reviews over a 25-26 year period, as anything other than branding studies against current views, versus continuous reviews because a name is offensive. 

[wh]

Two thumbs up on the Kiser interview. So much fun to relive last year's tournament run through his eyes. One thing I still don't have a handle on is the true impact Bradley switching to zone had on the outcome of the game. As I recall, Wardle took full credit for it stopping our momentum, yet Matt completely downplayed it. He said we had some great looks that just didn't go down. John mentioned the fatigue factor, but nothing about the zone. I find it interesting that the 2 teams have such different takes on what completely turned the game.

[Pgmado]

Two thumbs up on the Kiser interview. So much fun to relive last year's tournament run through his eyes. One thing I still don't have a handle on is the true impact Bradley switching to zone had on the outcome of the game. As I recall, Wardle took full credit for it stopping our momentum, yet Matt completely downplayed it. He said we had some great looks that just didn't go down. John mentioned the fatigue factor, but nothing about the zone. I find it interesting that the 2 teams have such different takes on what completely turned the game.

John did mention not being able to hit shots when Bradley went to the zone. I think there's very little question that Wardle pulled out a great coaching move by shifting to the zone. I don't think it was something they had done much. He rolled the dice and took his chances that Valpo's legs wouldn't be there, and he was correct.

[Pgmado]

Latest episode of USH. I sit down with the four members of Valpo's Class of 2025.

https://omny.fm/shows/union-street-hoops/the-class-of-25-episode

[justducky]

Latest episode of USH. I sit down with the four members of Valpo's Class of 2025.

https://omny.fm/shows/union-street-hoops/the-class-of-25-episode

Interesting! So if I speculate that these four along with Krikke, Edwards, JO, and Barrett grab 150 of the 200 available per game minutes; will I get any argument?

[valpotx]

Good session, other than the Ohio State, Purdue, and Texas focus areas not aging well

[FWalum]

So if I speculate that these four along with Krikke, Edwards, JO, and Barrett grab 150 of the 200 available per game minutes; will I get any argument?

Could happen if we don't get any significant immediately eligible transfers. Krikke, Edwards, JO, and Barrett may average 100 minutes between the 4 of them and this years freshman added another 56 minutes, but I think the number for this freshman class was unusually high and unless one of the incoming freshman is the starting point guard minutes will get spread around, especially if Gordon and Morgan are in the mix.

[valpopal]

So if I speculate that these four along with Krikke, Edwards, JO, and Barrett grab 150 of the 200 available per game minutes; will I get any argument?

Could happen if we don't get any significant immediately eligible transfers. Krikke, Edwards, JO, and Barrett may average 100 minutes between the 4 of them and this years freshman added another 56 minutes, but I think the number for this freshman class was unusually high and unless one of the incoming freshman is the starting point guard minutes will get spread around, especially if Gordon and Morgan are in the mix.

A video recommendation appeared in my YouTube feed this morning of an interview with Matt Lottich by Todd Ickow in January 2018 in which Lottich points to the "young team" as a reason for some of the difficulties in a recent games losing streak. I believe we could do a compilation video of interviews every year since that 2017-2018 season and find the phrase "young team" repeated each time. It looks like we're in for more of the same next year. Perhaps the new Valpo nickname should be the Fountains of Youth because our teams seem to stay forever young.

[VU2014]

I'm not sure Paul would do it. But spill the dirt on Lottich. Transfers are two way street. Partially on the kids but the current state of the program reflects on him and it's not positive.

There is more going on behind the scenes than is being shared publicly.

[elephtheria47]

Even if Paul would do it, would not expect them to say much. Not a good look for a new/potential team if you're publicly talking bad about your previous team or coach.

[VU2014]

Even if Paul would do it, would not expect them to say much. Not a good look for a new/potential team if you're publicly talking bad about your previous team or coach.

Yes it would likely not get addressed publicly and Mark LaBarbera would likely continue on with his blinders and try to deflect away from his hiring mistake.

[VUGrad1314]

Even if Paul would do it, would not expect them to say much. Not a good look for a new/potential team if you're publicly talking bad about your previous team or coach.

Yes it would likely not get addressed publicly and Mark LaBarbera would likely continue on with his blinders and try to deflect away from his hiring mistake.

"Hiring from within is what the great programs like Butler do. We want to be like Butler." Yeah when you actually have a competent person ready and willing to take the job that strategy works just fine. You don't hire some Johnny Come Lately at the end of your bench because you're too cheap to run a national search when up and coming coaches would have tripped all over themselves to come here and expect to "Be like Butler." That takes investment. That takes commitment not parsimonious penny pinching just to do something because "Well other programs did it and it worked." What a joke. Actually we are like the Butler of the MVC because we serve up wins to our opponents on a silver platter. "Your victory is served, sir. I hope it is to your liking." Overall I think MLB is a decent AD but he has (at best) a checkered history when it comes to hiring coaches and then shows way too much loyalty toward them when they prove that they suck. But that probably comes from on high. He can only work with what he's given and if Valpo is too cheap to invest in a real coach then this is what we end up with and we shouldn't be surprised.

[VU2014]

Well Valparaiso has at least $600K from the Tourney shares. There is no excuse for not having the $ to buy him out but I can't wait to see what they waste the $ on this time that won't go in Men's Basketball their flagship program that LaBarbera has failed to maintain and be a good steward of.

[VUGrad1314]

Well Valparaiso has at least $600K from the Tourney shares. There is no excuse for not having the $ to buy him out but I can't wait to see what they waste the $ on this time that won't go in Men's Basketball their flagship program that LaBarbera has failed to maintain and be a good steward of.

Unfortunately we had a shortfall of about $600K so most of the money will go to that I assume also we're in the midst of a rebranding so most of what's left over will probably go to that meaning we probably don't have the money to buy out Matt Lottich unless the Ramblers keep winning they don't leave for the A-10 everyone comes back (Krutwig Williamson Moser) and they do it all again. Help us Loyola you're our only hope!