NCAA College Basketball Talk

[VU2014]

It's pretty classless to heckle a man's family. Not cool.
https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/935970070580334593

[bigmosmithfan1]

What, are you saying that Butler fans are actually terrible despite spending years wrapping themselves in self-righteousness about the wholesomeness of their "Way," a la St. Louis Cardinals fans? I'm stunned. 

[bbtds]

What, are you saying that Butler fans are actually terrible despite spending years wrapping themselves in self-righteousness about the wholesomeness of their "Way," a la St. Louis Cardinals Green Bay Packer fans? I'm stunned. 

[VU2014]

Not something you see every day. A player (respectfully) calling out their fans/students for not showing up and supporting the team. UTA is a good team.

https://twitter.com/erickneal01/status/936107815688654848

[vu84v2]

As VU2014  and Matt Norlander correctly noted, there were a few Butler "fans" who had absolutely no class. That does not mean that Butler fans, in general, lack class. I would agree that other Butler fans around the people heckling coaches and players should have encouraged them to stop (perhaps they did).

Some people here get really put off by the "Butler way". Isn't there a "Valpo way" that just lacks the branding? I am sure that some fans from other schools in the Horizon League think of Valpo like some here might think of Butler.

Regarding the posts on Oakland...I saw their game against Kansas. While getting blown out at Kansas could happen to a lot of schools, it was apparent that there was no team concept or effort from any of the Oakland players. Kendrick Nunn was just jacking up shots to make himself look good and no one played any meaningful defense. Things may change, but it looked to me like Kampe has lost that team.

[FWalum]

Regarding the posts on Oakland...I saw their game against Kansas. While getting blown out at Kansas could happen to a lot of schools, it was apparent that there was no team concept or effort from any of the Oakland players. Kendrick Nunn was just jacking up shots to make himself look good and no one played any meaningful defense. Things may change, but it looked to me like Kampe has lost that team.

I am glad that somebody said it.  Really surprised that Coach Kampe let that happen, that was one of the worst games I have seen Oakland play. I have a lot of respect for Kampe, but he should have pulled the stars and let the bench players in, perhaps they would have shown some heart.  The lack of effort in that game was astounding.

[valpo64]

I have always felt that "King Kampe"  coaching ability was over-rated.  He has always had the players but has rarely put together a "team" that was as successful as predicted.  I think he has had more teams that under-achieved as opposed to over-achieving.  His longevity as OU's only coach doesn't make him an outstanding coach.  For many of his years at OU they were not even a D-1 program.  I sure would not want him as Coach at Valpo.  I think that if he coached our "team" this year at Valpo our record would be no where near what it is today. His personal qualities far out shine his coaching abilities IMO.

[valpotx]

Not something you see every day. A player (respectfully) calling out their fans/students for not showing up and supporting the team. UTA is a good team.

https://twitter.com/erickneal01/status/936107815688654848

Never going to happen.  UTA is a huge commuter school.  My wife did her undergraduate work at UTA, being graduating from law school at the University of Houston.  She says that no one ever attended UTA games of any type, and they have always been good at baseball.

[valporun]

Wow. Oakland almost lost to Oral Roberts last night... ORU is 1-6 on the season. The game went to overtime. That would have been a soul-crushing loss not only because ORU stinks but because of they're old-rivals. This is not the way OU fans wanted to begin their season.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=400989314

For the first time in awhile, ORU is not the favorite. They have a new head coach this season, after firing Scott Sutton. It was due time, the way things were going in Tulsa. I had some interest in ORU over the years, but after the move to the Southland, they lost their image. Yes, a lot of that was due to mismanagement of the university by the Roberts family, and the move had to be made for financial reasons, but it hurt their athletics a bit with a real baseball/basketball toughness compared to what they had in valpotx and me's college years.

[bbtds]

Wow. Oakland almost lost to Oral Roberts last night... ORU is 1-6 on the season. The game went to overtime. That would have been a soul-crushing loss not only because ORU stinks but because of they're old-rivals. This is not the way OU fans wanted to begin their season.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=400989314

For the first time in awhile, ORU is not the favorite. They have a new head coach this season, after firing Scott Sutton. It was due time, the way things were going in Tulsa. I had some interest in ORU over the years, but after the move to the Southland, they lost their image. Yes, a lot of that was due to mismanagement of the university by the Roberts family, and the move had to be made for financial reasons, but it hurt their athletics a bit with a real baseball/basketball toughness compared to what they had in valpotx and me's college years.

The way Scott Sutton was fired was not right. He was told his brother must go and he was not going to change his coaching staff for the admins. So he was fired. Why can't a head coach pick his staff? As long as they don't have criminal pasts or something in the background that makes them unemployable.

[VU2014]

Wow. Oakland almost lost to Oral Roberts last night... ORU is 1-6 on the season. The game went to overtime. That would have been a soul-crushing loss not only because ORU stinks but because of they're old-rivals. This is not the way OU fans wanted to begin their season.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=400989314

For the first time in awhile, ORU is not the favorite. They have a new head coach this season, after firing Scott Sutton. It was due time, the way things were going in Tulsa. I had some interest in ORU over the years, but after the move to the Southland, they lost their image. Yes, a lot of that was due to mismanagement of the university by the Roberts family, and the move had to be made for financial reasons, but it hurt their athletics a bit with a real baseball/basketball toughness compared to what they had in valpotx and me's college years.

The way Scott Sutton was fired was not right. He was told his brother must go and he was not going to change his coaching staff for the admins. So he was fired. Why can't a head coach pick his staff? As long as they don't have criminal pasts or something in the background that makes them unemployable.

ORU had some very strange recruiting rules enforced by the admin. Coaches were not allowed to recruit players with visible tattoos. Just so weird and out of touch, imo.

I never experienced the ORU rivalry but I know they had some good teams in the past but really have fallen on some hard times. It's not very common for
mid-major schools like Valpo & Oakland to have a rival all the way in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But the old Mid-Con was sort of all over the map after that mass exodus of teams back in 1994 I believe it was. It's hard to believe how good the old Mid-Con & Horizon League use to be before all the realignment. They both had strong programs in both of them.

I've heard fans toss around the idea of adding ORU to the MVC if they decided to go to 12. I'm not particularly on board with that idea given ORU's struggles.

[bbtds]

ORU had some very strange recruiting rules enforced by the admin. Coaches were not allowed to recruit players with no visible tattoos. Just so weird and out of touch, imo.

I'm actually good with that requirement but I know that you can't win with that rule in today's society. Scott Sutton recruited with the "no tattoo" rule for approximately 18 or less years. I think it affected his recruiting but he was able to live with it. My guess is that Scott's brother, Sean, did not profess his Christianity and therefore was ruled as unacceptable as a mentor by the ORU admins. But that is only a guess.

[VUGrad1314]

I've given Milwaukee a lot of crap on here for bad losses and I know they are a popular choice on here as an MVC expansion candidate, but I'm just a person who calls things as I see them. And they don't appear ready for this conference. In the spirit of fairness I have to call out one of my preferred additions: Belmont. Things started out great for then close losses to Washington and Providence and victories over Middle Tennessee and Vanderbilt had them looking like a sure at-large contender and a great potential addition to the MVC but after suffering a sweep at the hands of Lipscomb it seems fair to question them. I get that Lipscomb played up in those games and is having a strong season but there's no way Belmont should ever have been swept by them. Given their track record I'm still a heavy supporter of adding them but after this I am starting to believe that the danger of a falloff for them is very real and perhaps they aren't as safe as choice as I thought.

In other candidate news the inconsistency of the play of the Dakota schools also bothers me. I begin to wonder if maybe Murray State and Northern Kentucky is the best path forward for the conference

[VU2014]

Some potentially good news for mid-majors. Lets hope the committee actually follows through with this come selection time.
https://twitter.com/TheAndyKatz/status/938076214073237504
https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/938090747856916480

[VU2014]

A pretty cool student tradition at the Taylor University basketball games. I wish we could get something going like this at Valpo. These things sort of need to happen organically but it could definitely work a Valpo.

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/2017/12/08/taylor-universitys-silent-night-holy-union-community-creativity-and-chaos/919137001/

https://twitter.com/espn/status/939296665026158600
https://twitter.com/JennaRWatson/status/939290783181627392

[VUGrad1314]

Despite the conclusion of the author I personally believe given how razor thin the margin was that the new tournament system would have pushed both Monmouth and Valpo into the field in 2016 while knocking Syracuse and Tulsa into the NIT.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/how-the-ncaa-tournament-selection-committee-is-changing-how-it-judges-teams/

[VUGrad1314]

Some first-rate jokes in the replies thread.
https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/941715249694199808

[vufan75]

Clemson and David Skara on ESPN2 right now playing South Carolina for those who might be interested.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[FieldGoodie05]

Clemson and David Skara on ESPN2 right now playing South Carolina for those who might be interested.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

Just an observation, our new MVC compatriots very infrequently mention Valpo during their analysis of the state of the league (halftimes, pre games or post games).

They always show the MVC rankings and records, and we are plain as day at 9-3 yet not even a comment.  Illinois State color commentator has not mentioned Valpo 1x in the four games I've watched.

It's very nearly a purposeful slight.  Suppose it's their way of saying PROVE IT BOYS.

Note: This Ill State guy reminds me of Lou Holt...marbles in his mouth.  Great guy, but good lord he butchers names.

[valpospartan]

A pretty cool student tradition at the Taylor University basketball games. I wish we could get something going like this at Valpo. These things sort of need to happen organically but it could definitely work a Valpo.

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/2017/12/08/taylor-universitys-silent-night-holy-union-community-creativity-and-chaos/919137001/

https://twitter.com/espn/status/939296665026158600
https://twitter.com/JennaRWatson/status/939290783181627392

It wouldn't work at VU because of the much smaller student turn out at games compared to TU's. BTW, Taylor's enrollment is about half of VU.

[VU2014]

 
https://twitter.com/WeatherManCam_/status/943582337090097157

[M]

Anyone else see the bs that TV Teddy Valentine pulled last night in the FSU/UNC game?! He's the worst.

[VU2014]

Gary, IN native Eugene German is tearing it up at NIU this season. It looks like he only received 1 offer which was from NIU. He looks undersized and I'm not sure if there were grades issues or something. It blows my mind the kid only got 1 offer. He led the State of Indiana in scoring his junior and senior years and won earned 2015-16 Northwest Indiana Post-Tribune Player of the Year.

https://twitter.com/PostTribSports/status/949098963587788801

[FieldGoodie05]

Anyone else find Robbie Hummel hard to stomach as an announcer?  I have no reason to dislike him, but wow.

He makes uninformed statements and is really harsh sounding.  Sort of feels like the guy at the party that everyone wishes would tone it down.  Maybe we treat him like a "freshmen" announcer and he'll be better by his senior season!!!

[VU2014]

Anyone else find Robbie Hummel hard to stomach as an announcer?  I have no reason to dislike him, but wow.

He makes uninformed statements and is really harsh sounding.  Sort of feels like the guy at the party that everyone wishes would tone it down.  Maybe we treat him like a "freshmen" announcer and he'll be better by his senior season!!!

I listened to one his games a while back and thought he did a solid job. I think he does a really good job as a studio analyst for the Big 10 Network