MVC Hoops: 2017-18

[VU2014]

Just heard a rumor that Coach Ragland is going to join the Evansville staff. Also WFIE reported Coach Rags could be E-ville's top assistant yesterday. Coach Ragland also just follow the guy who reported it on twitter yesterday

https://twitter.com/Randy14News/status/976539660368404480

[vu72]

Loyola Wins!!  More money for Valpo and hopefully some fans show up next year for the games!!  Fantastic effort by Loyola!  Very well deserved! Much more prestige for the conference!

[VU2010]

Losing Ragland is a major blow. Especially because he seems to be the only interpersonal rah-rah guy on staff. Sad. And for Coach L to say he's never been described as mellow or whatever he said on Union Street Hoops..... Ya, idk bout that. 🧐

[FieldGoodie05]

Losing Ragland is a major blow. Especially because he seems to be the only interpersonal rah-rah guy on staff. Sad. And for Coach L to say he's never been described as mellow or whatever he said on Union Street Hoops..... Ya, idk bout that. 🧐

It's depressing watching you guys argue every little point.  Anything positive to say?  I'm excited about Valpo future with Fazekas and Freeman / Winnipeg Jet coming to town.

I truly don't care about coaching antics on the sideline.  That's just amazingly short sighted to condemn a coach for not getting technical fouls.  I'm glad you "pro technical" guys aren't in any control of our program. 

Best of luck to Ragland if he moves on, we appreciate his contributions.  But he's not a huge reason for success or failure.  He's simply an assistant coach. 

Anyone notice how little we hear from Gore these days.  Is that because Drew never talked to media and Gore was more vocal in his stead?  Seems like Lottich is far more media friendly, possible Gore is taking a more reserved public role with this staff.

[EddieCabot]

Loyola Wins!!  More money for Valpo and hopefully some fans show up next year for the games!!  Fantastic effort by Loyola!  Very well deserved! Much more prestige for the conference!

Great for the conference!  I hope Valpo's players are watching and envisioning what could happen over the next few years when they will be the most talented team in the MVC.

[VU2014]

Best of luck to Ragland if he moves on, we appreciate his contributions.  But he's not a huge reason for success or failure.  He's simply an assistant coach. 

Anyone notice how little we hear from Gore these days.  Is that because Drew never talked to media and Gore was more vocal in his stead?  Seems like Lottich is far more media friendly, possible Gore is taking a more reserved public role with this staff.

We can agree to disagree on assistant coaches not being a major contributors to a teams successes and failures. Assistants are crucial to any programs recruiting, scouting, development and game planning. I'm not saying we're going to fall apart without Coach Ragland but he was quite possibly our best recruiter reputationally and he's also a good coach. I wish him well if he decides to move on. Fingers crossed he ends up staying.

Coach Gore was fairly active during the season doing the pre and postgame interview with during every game. I also remember Coach Gore handling one or two of the media availabilities with Paul and Michael this season. Coaches not involved in the postseason seem to be doing a lot of recruiting right now.

[VU2014]

Great win for Loyola! They're going to be playing either Kentucky or Kansas State (playing right now).

[FieldGoodie05]

Best of luck to Ragland if he moves on, we appreciate his contributions.  But he's not a huge reason for success or failure.  He's simply an assistant coach. 

Anyone notice how little we hear from Gore these days.  Is that because Drew never talked to media and Gore was more vocal in his stead?  Seems like Lottich is far more media friendly, possible Gore is taking a more reserved public role with this staff.

We can agree to disagree on assistant coaches not being a major contributors to a teams successes and failures. Assistants are crucial to any programs recruiting, scouting, development and game planning. I'm not saying we're going to fall apart without Coach Ragland but he was quite possibly our best recruiter reputationally and he's also a good coach. I wish him well if he decides to move on. Fingers crossed he ends up staying.

Coach Gore was fairly active during the season doing the pre and postgame interview with during every game. I also remember Coach Gore handling one or two of the media availabilities with Paul and Michael this season. Coaches not involved in the postseason seem to be doing a lot of recruiting right now.

Maybe with the $100,000+ annual proceeds from Loyola's amazing run we can hire an effective assistant to replace Rags 😜😜😜

[VU2014]

Maybe with the $100,000+ annual proceeds from Loyola's amazing run we can hire an effective assistant to replace Rags 😜😜😜

If we were Arizona we'd probably take that $100k and buy some players 

[M]

If he leaves does that make him the assistant coaching equivalent of Brandon Wood?

How effective of a recruiter can a guy be skipping from team to team every couple of years?

[nkvu]

So how much more does the typical top assistant coach make than the other assistants on a team?

[VU2014]

Many of NKU's best players were Coach Ragland's recruits. Also he is the coach that really found Golder who is a hidden gem and was one of the best players by seasons end.

He wouldn't be the BW of assistants because E-ville is his hometown and it sounds like he might be an associate HC and would probably get a raise. Coach Rags is a first class guy.

[FWalum]

A 9 versus a 11 in the elite 8! First time ever. A real shot to make the final 4.

Interesting that in the Kenpom rankings Loyola is #34 and Kansas St #39.

[agibson]

And for Coach L to say he's never been described as mellow or whatever he said on Union Street Hoops..... Ya, idk bout that. 🧐

Having interacted with him a bit in person, Lottich's very intense. Seems like a real competitor. He may not jump up and down on the sidelines, or scream at refs, but I think he's got a real edge.

[VU2014]

And for Coach L to say he's never been described as mellow or whatever he said on Union Street Hoops..... Ya, idk bout that. 🧐

Having interacted with him a bit in person, Lottich's very intense. Seems like a real competitor. He may not jump up and down on the sidelines, or scream at refs, but I think he's got a real edge.

Second this. He's an intense competitor.

[SanityLost17]

Many of NKU's best players were Coach Ragland's recruits. Also he is the coach that really found Golder who is a hidden gem and was one of the best players by seasons end.

He wouldn't be the BW of assistants because E-ville is his hometown and it sounds like he might be an associate HC and would probably get a raise. Coach Rags is a first class guy.

I think losing Ragland would be a blow.  Losing Ragland to an in-state rival who is in the conference is an even bigger blow.   

Doesn't really matter though.  I think Ragland will be a head coach somewhere in the next 5 years based on what everyone says about him.  So we were not going to keep him forever.  Good for him.  Gets to go back home and maybe take over if the current coach doesn't work out.   Probably a dream situation for him. 

[ml2]

Gets to go back home and maybe take over if the current coach doesn't work out.   Probably a dream situation for him.

I don't think he would get to take over if the current coach doesn't work out. Schools usually don't hire assistants off of staffs that haven't had success. For the heir apparent position to be appealing you need to believe that the current head coach you will be working for will be both successful and interested in moving on when success comes.

[VU2014]

Gets to go back home and maybe take over if the current coach doesn't work out.   Probably a dream situation for him.

I don't think he would get to take over if the current coach doesn't work out. Schools usually don't hire assistants off of staffs that haven't had success. For the heir apparent position to be appealing you need to believe that the current head coach you will be working for will be both successful and interested in moving on when success comes.

Nailed it ML2. McCarty would need to communicate his aspirations to move on from Evansville to a bigger job. Evansville is in a total rebuild and it wouldn't be hard to imagine it taking at least 3, maybe 4-5 years to get back to competing for the top MVC regular season championships. I doubt McCarty is going to be leaving that program for a bigger job anytime soon and Coach Rags would have to be "the coach in waiting" for a long time. I'd think he'd get a opportunity to be a HC somewhere before the Evansville job comes open again. If things don't work out with McCarty 4-5 years down the road you can almost guarantee the Evansville admin is going to hire from within the McCarty coaching ranks.

You can make the case that the Valpo Head Coach job is further along to reopening then the Evansville Head Coaching job. I like Coach Lottich a lot and think he has a bright future but I'm under no elusions that if we reach Loyola type success or go on a deep tourney run, that he's going to stay and take less money to stay at Valpo. Bryce is a native son of Valparaiso and his father is essentially the patriarch of the program and he didn't even stay. Nor do I blame him. Our Athletics Director and Administration has stated publicly that they want to hire their head coaches from within the program if a coach moves on. That helps attract good assistants who know they'll potentially have a shot to take over the program one day. Maybe that factors into Coach Ragland's decision to stay or go.

Young professionals in all careers want to work at a company where they know they have a chance to rise through the ranks and get promoted. Valpo is a program where coaches have a chance to rise or use their positions as a spring board to "bigger jobs". I'm not sure Evansville supplies the same opportunity to him to rise in the near term or is as good of a program to spring board to a "bigger job". Just something to keep in mind.

https://twitter.com/patmhickey/status/977256410038898688
https://twitter.com/rick57614/status/977256091955449856

This tweet makes it sound like it's happening.
https://twitter.com/patmhickey/status/977258941456494593

[VUGrad1314]

I want EVERYONE from President Heckler to the University Board; from the Athletic Department to the coaches and  athletes themselves; and from the students\alumni to the fans in the community to read this tweet, understand it, and believe in it. This tweet is 100% true. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT in whatever ways you can give it; and if we get it, someday soon it could be us doing the very thing Loyola is doing right now! Loyola did it in 5 years. How's that for a master plan? Let be just like them! Go Valpo!

https://twitter.com/TribStarTodd/status/977705880010526720

[VUGrad1314]

Good to see excitement  enthusiasm and the seeds of rejuvenation being planted in Evansville.

http://www.valleyhoopsinsider.com/mccarty-party-has-started/

[VU2014]

Good to see excitement  enthusiasm and the seeds of rejuvenation being planted in Evansville.

http://www.valleyhoopsinsider.com/mccarty-party-has-started/

One thing that was great to hear is that he plans on scheduling tough games in OOC every season. Good to hear because playing good opponents will help their team's RPI even if they are losses in many cases, which will boost the Conference RPI. That seemed to be a major grievance with Marty Simmon's tenure.

[VUGrad1314]

Now if only Barry Hinson would do the same at SIU... He has a good team this year... No excuses...

[VULB#62]

I want EVERYONE from President Heckler to the University Board; from the Athletic Department to the coaches and  athletes themselves; and from the students\alumni to the fans in the community to read this tweet, understand it, and believe in it. This tweet is 100% true. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT in whatever ways you can give it; and if we get it, someday soon it could be us doing the very thing Loyola is doing right now! Loyola did it in 5 years. How's that for a master plan? Let be just like them! Go Valpo!

https://twitter.com/TribStarTodd/status/977705880010526720

Copy and paste into an email to MH.

[VU2014]

Now if only Barry Hinson would do the same at SIU... He has a good team this year... No excuses...

Barry actually scheduled some solid teams this season like: Louisville, SLU, Murray and the got into the Las Vegas Classic and played Nevada, but SIU always plays their fair share of cupcakes. TBH we did too this season with SIUE and UC Riverside. That UC Riverside could be the low point in my time of being a fan. That game will stick with me till my dying days. Never again should we ever lose to a team like that. Last season schedule was weak for a few reasons that had to do with the conference switch, but on the bright side it sounds like the 2018-19 schedule might be coming along nicely.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/TribStarTodd/status/977705880010526720

Copy and paste into an email to MH.
[/quote]

Keep us posted if he responds.