Poll: Grade the 2017-18 season for Valpo Basketball

[FieldGoodie05]

Need J to transfer, along with others.

I'm assuming you mean our best remaining defender Sorolla?  Mighty short sighted, I feel that he's a better all around player for most of the last two years at the position.

I'd label J as one of the core (5) players I do not want to transfer.  We can get scoring from the SF, SG and PG position and surely we need development / transfers from the PF slot.  Derrik and J are about as complimentary as we could ask for at our tiny Lutheran university.  Boy I disagree wholeheartedly on that statement if I'm reading it correctly.  There's always a chance I'm not.

[VU2010]

You're right. I'm just emotional about it all at the time, lol. J is a better defender. He frustrates me on O. Seriously seems like he doesn't look at the basket and often doesn't square his shoulders up. We will be better next year. No doubt. I'm sure there's way more going on behind the scenes, as is the case with everything in life, that us fans don't realize. Coaching from the couch is much easier. I would love to see the Admins show their support for this program. We're in a great conference. No comparison to the Mid C or Horizon. Huge opportunities. Just need to seize the moment.

[crusadermoe]

I think the ratings from WH a few posts back are concise and I agree with all of them.   

On other note:  interesting that all four of the Illinois teams made the semifinals.  No reason I can see.  just interesting.   

[VU2014]

Todd Ickow and Paul Oren had a great conversation with Harry Schroeder from ValleyHoopsinsider.com

Start: 03:00 minute mark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qj4mj7HQLM

https://twitter.com/FatherHarry1/status/969354590234783754

[VUGrad1314]

This public whining about the officials isn't going to make us any friends and might actually make the problem worse.

[valpo64]

What is with the OVC logo on the Schroeder piece?   Sorry, wrong Valley!

[a3uge]

This public whining about the officials isn't going to make us any friends and might actually make the problem worse.

Not sure how it can even get worse

[bmlvu97]

I gave it a "C" mainly because of all of the circumstances.  It was the first year in the conference (if I remember right, the first year in the Horizon was not pretty either), the injuries and player losses didn't help.

We will see...

[valpopal]

With 43 members voting thus far, the grade point average is 1.3 or a D+.

[VUfan]

C- loss of player, Sickness, New Conference, New players new roles, young coaches  yet the team kept growing and got better to the end. The bar will be higher next year( Don't tell the cops were it is)  

[VU2010]

3 minutes into the shared video,
Todd made it very clear. His biggest takeaway pertains to the perfect size of midmajor arenas and the support of admins and fans. Bingo. Anybody else notice that?

[VU2014]

C- loss of player, Sickness, New Conference, New players new roles, young coaches  yet the team kept growing and got better to the end. The bar will be higher next year( Don't tell the cops were it is)  

I gave it a "C" mainly because of all of the circumstances.  It was the first year in the conference (if I remember right, the first year in the Horizon was not pretty either), the injuries and player losses didn't help.

We will see...

I originally gave a D. Looking back I'd probably give a C- due to circumstances of what some others pointed out. Regardless a very disappointing season and things must change for the better going forward.

[vu72]

For all of you, including faculty members, who are all over the Administration for not supporting the team.  I have a question:  How do you know that a full court press isn't underway to raise the money to make the changes sought?  We are expecting millions of dollars and these things don't happen over night.  I just am amazed at the negative vibes thrown around here.  Give us the inside scoop as to all the things you know about the Administration's sabotaging the basketball program. Please!!

[bbtds]

For all of you, including faculty members, who are all over the Administration for not supporting the team.  I have a question:  How do you know that a full court press isn't underway to raise the money to make the changes sought?  We are expecting millions of dollars and these things don't happen over night.  I just am amazed at the negative vibes thrown around here.  Give us the inside scoop as to all the things you know about the Administration's sabotaging the basketball program. Please!!

To me it's all about the history. We've had 20 years to get some things done. The VU administration got very little accomplished for it's marquee sport. With that track record one can reasonably assume the same type of support will be given to the MBB program in the next ten years. If they would like to prove me wrong, come up with a $14 million donor and unveil a huge expansion program that benefits MBB then I would be ecstatic to hear about it.

[VULB#62]

For all of you, including faculty members, who are all over the Administration for not supporting the team.  I have a question:  How do you know that a full court press isn't underway to raise the money to make the changes sought?  We are expecting millions of dollars and these things don't happen over night.  I just am amazed at the negative vibes thrown around here.  Give us the inside scoop as to all the things you know about the Administration's sabotaging the basketball program. Please!!

Because we don't know and probably will never know, we are forced to draw conclusions. The administration is not even partially transparent about its plans. I cannot even recall a trial balloon or a vision statement supported by some visual ideas that tells loyal fans what this administration aspires to with respect to improving the athletics department (inside of 30 years). ML's statement about the ARC on USH is symbolic of the overall upper management attitude that he reports to.  72, unless this administration begins to communicate ideas and vision to its caring constituents relative to athletics, it will continue to receive the questioning and negative feedback it is getting here. It is about positive, forward thinking management style and the Valpo management style is sorely lacking in inclusiveness — not the PC inclusiveness everyone talks about, just the regular alumni, fan, student, interested public inclusiveness in the affairs of a university we care about.

Shoot, no one even has a visual of what the ARC will look like 20 years from now AFTER we build the rec center everyone is talking about. Come to think of it, we as alumni and fans don't even have a visual of the envisioned rec center. Hmmmm. Maybe there is no rec center.

[bbtds]

For all of you, including faculty members, who are all over the Administration for not supporting the team.  I have a question:  How do you know that a full court press isn't underway to raise the money to make the changes sought?  We are expecting millions of dollars and these things don't happen over night.  I just am amazed at the negative vibes thrown around here.  Give us the inside scoop as to all the things you know about the Administration's sabotaging the basketball program. Please!!

Because we don't know and probably will never know, we are forced to draw conclusions. The administration is not even partially transparent about its plans. I cannot even recall a trial balloon or a vision statement supported by some visual ideas that tells loyal fans what this administration aspires to with respect to improving the athletics department (inside of 30 years). ML's statement about the ARC on USH is symbolic of the overall upper management attitude that he reports to.  72, unless this administration begins to communicate ideas and vision to its caring constituents relative to athletics, it will continue to receive the questioning and negative feedback it is getting here. It is about positive, forward thinking management style and the Valpo management style is sorely lacking in inclusiveness — not the PC inclusiveness everyone talks about, just the regular alumni, fan, student, interested public inclusiveness in the affairs of a university we care about.

Shoot, no one even has a visual of what the ARC will look like 20 years from now AFTER we build the rec center everyone is talking about. Come to think of it, we as alumni and fans don't even have a visual of the envisioned rec center. Hmmmm. Maybe there is no rec center.

Maybe this is the wrong university to be supporting when wanting to support a university to use MBB to actually grow the mission set forth by the board of the university. For some universities MBB and athletics is not a proper tool for these purposes. I sincerely hope this MBB program will become what I see as a useful tool that other Christian liberal arts schools have used to further it's mission as a school. Did God actually say thou shalt not use athletics to further your mission?

[vu72]

For all of you, including faculty members, who are all over the Administration for not supporting the team.  I have a question:  How do you know that a full court press isn't underway to raise the money to make the changes sought?  We are expecting millions of dollars and these things don't happen over night.  I just am amazed at the negative vibes thrown around here.  Give us the inside scoop as to all the things you know about the Administration's sabotaging the basketball program. Please!!

Because we don't know and probably will never know, we are forced to draw conclusions. The administration is not even partially transparent about its plans. I cannot even recall a trial balloon or a vision statement supported by some visual ideas that tells loyal fans what this administration aspires to with respect to improving the athletics department (inside of 30 years). ML's statement about the ARC on USH is symbolic of the overall upper management attitude that he reports to.  72, unless this administration begins to communicate ideas and vision to its caring constituents relative to athletics, it will continue to receive the questioning and negative feedback it is getting here. It is about positive, forward thinking management style and the Valpo management style is sorely lacking in inclusiveness — not the PC inclusiveness everyone talks about, just the regular alumni, fan, student, interested public inclusiveness in the affairs of a university we care about.

Shoot, no one even has a visual of what the ARC will look like 20 years from now AFTER we build the rec center everyone is talking about. Come to think of it, we as alumni and fans don't even have a visual of the envisioned rec center. Hmmmm. Maybe there is no rec center.

Understood and agree about the lack of transparency.  The problem is that it is "the Valpo way" probably going back to the conservative Lutheran pastors in 1925.  Still, they took a BIG risk!
I was trying to find an announcement about the new science building.  What I found was an announcement about the groundbreaking on the day it happened!

I also found this interesting from the same article:

During the past few years, Valpo engaged faculty members, architects and a professional laboratory consultant to identify priorities and develop an efficient plan of action to meet long-term student needs.

Now, they have more than a few years to make a plan but the conservative nature of not only this administration but those going before, would indicate that there well be plans and studies underway but they won't be announced, even conceptually, until the funding is in place. 

[VULB#62]

Yeah, I find it disheartening.  And I don't know if that is even traditionally "conservative."  Conservative, in my mind, is careful use of financial resources coupled with methodical planning.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with that philosophy.  But nowhere in there should that mean not sharing these careful plans as they evolve as a means of creating enthusiasm and support. Every business I have ever been associated with and consulted to maintained a rolling 3-5 year business plan that implemented a higher set of measurable strategies and shared both with employees and customers/shareholders.  In that way it let these stakeholders know that THERE IS A PLAN.

I guess it just is what it is 

It places fans in a wait and see what happens mode, rather than a mode of anticipation.  Probably why we see such generally tepid support for anything these days.

[FieldGoodie05]

Yeah, I find it disheartening.  And I don't know if that is even traditionally "conservative."  Conservative, in my mind, is careful use of financial resources coupled with methodical planning.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with that philosophy.  But nowhere in there should that mean not sharing these careful plans as they evolve as a means of creating enthusiasm and support. Every business I have ever been associated with and consulted to maintained a rolling 3-5 year business plan that implemented a higher set of measurable strategies and shared both with employees and customers/shareholders.  In that way it let these stakeholders know that THERE IS A PLAN.

I guess it just is what it is 

It places fans in a wait and see what happens mode, rather than a mode of anticipation.  Probably why we see such generally tepid support for anything these days.

I don't expect a lick of information shared.  My minimal contributions qualify be for zip. 

I'm not sure that broadcasting their business on message boards or to unqualified ppl like me gets them anywhere.  Are any of you high net worth alumni or otherwise involved....oh wait, you'd probably not want publicity either.  Hmm

This is not a public university last I checked.

[VU2014]

The 2017-18 season is officially over. Valpo will not be pursuing a postseason tourney.

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/970741290156556288

[Billy Co]

I'm happy the season is over. I'm excited about our future but it was time to be finished with this disappointing season.

We could have paid money for practice time but I'm not sure it would have been worth it with this team. These core guys will have chances at postseason experience in the future. Tevonn and Max have been to NCAA Tournament and NIT championship and wouldn't need these few meaningless games.

[valpotx]

I very much agree that the last place team in a conference, should not participate in a postseason tournament.  We have higher expectations than such a thing...