Interesting post on the Loyola board

[bbtds]

I guess you all could consider this an editorial from the publisher, posted on the Message Board instead of the Front Page of Ramblermania. But I'm so tired and lazy right now I can't bear putting it up on the front page with the WordPress stuff and trying to find a photo.... whatever....

1. Valpo was the Best Add That Could Reasonably Be Expected for the MVC.

I remember the harsh language that Valpo fans started to use against Loyola when they started to surpass Loyola in the HL standings, when they routinely beat Loyola in the HL, and when they were snubbed by the MVC. Some of the quotes on the Valpo message boards were as nasty as you would expect from the Wichita State folks. So we've already got a good candidate for taking over the trash-talk void that will be opening up with the absence of Shocker Nation, and Koch-funded Wichita State bizzness.

So..... Welcome Valpo!!!! Everybody's happy to add Valpo to the MVC, but were pissed off to add Loyola. So let's scrape their noses bloody against the dirty pavement under the stink of their crap. By the way, Loyola is 34-15 all time against Valpo, so we might actually now have a positive W-L record against other MVC teams now.

2. Loyola's Recruiting

OK. Take it easy. Breathe slow.

Loyola has--- FAR AND AWAY --- the best recruiting class in the league coming into the 2017-18 season. This is on top of having three returning senior starters and the league's 6th man. I suppose this is why ESPN's Bracketology puts Loyola as the favorite in the league for the 2017-18 season. According to Verbal Commits, Loyola has a better level of recruits than Wichita State.

3. Have Dignity, Please.

Even when Loyola was going up against Butler in the HL, I was pleading.... please... when we start to dominate... please... be logical, gracious, and realistic. Obviously, there's never EVER been a penalty in the United States for being illogical, rude, outrageous, impractical, offensive, or stupid. Look at the current President of the United States. There is no penalty for being ill-informed, obnoxious, offensive, sexist, or racist. It's a low bar right now to ask our fans to be nicer and more diplomatic than the President of the United States, but I hope we do so while imagining the nice precedent set by Presidents Reagan, Obama, Clinton, and George H.W. Bush.

4. We are all Billboards.

Everyone you know, and some of the people THEY know, should be aware of Loyola Basketball. Buy extra tickets and invite people you only know through friends!!! If you have extra tickets that you're not going to use, think carefully about WHO and WHERE and WHAT TYPE of people might want to see a Loyola game. Do you have friends who don't spend enough time with their kids? Donate your tickets that you're not going to use in advance.

5. This is the year we break the 32-year streak, if we all agree this is the year.

Everybody has to agree, and vow to one another that this is the year, and nothing will stop us. Every day, every game, every road trip, every tournament game, every practice, every freakin' step of the road--- the players have to admit and pledge to each other that THIS IS THE YEAR THAT NO ONE WILL STOP US AND WE ARE GOING TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT. We need to scream this vow at each other.

Other suggestions are welcome. I also hope to see a thread with people signing up for more than an ordinary commitment.

I never said Loyola was a bad pick for the MVC or that they didn't have excellent facilities.

This is a good opportunity to put a good foot forward in the MVC. Loyola has come a long way.

[bigmosmithfan1]

I think there was some extra satisfaction among older Valpo fans when VU started to dominate Loyola during our overlapping HL tenures because the Ramblers wouldn't schedule us for a good 20+ years prior to that (there was reportedly some bad blood between Tom Smith and Gene Sullivan back in the day that dragged on for way too long, and indications were that the bad blood was one-sided coming from Rogers Park after Homer took over. I think there was one non-conference home-and-home in the mid-2000s shortly before we joined the HL but that was it).

That said, I've always loved VU being in a league with Loyola and going to VU-LU games at their place. It's a great trip, a nice campus, and the two schools are a natural fit with one another. It's great to be back as conference mates with them.

[a3uge]

Their fan is sure proud.