MBB 2018-19

[oklahomamick]

Gore?  He had his opportunity.  He didn't want the spotlight or simply preferred the assistant. 

[VUGrad1314]

Gore?  He had his opportunity.  He didn't want the spotlight or simply preferred the assistant.

Are you sure? I was given to understand that MLB simply preferred Lottich.

[crusader05]

I don't think Gore has head coach desires. He likes his position and where he is as I understand it. Bryce tried to take both him and Powell (as well as Alec) when he left but he refused.

I believe the first choice was Powell and then it went to Lottich once they realized Powell was definitely going to go where Drew went.

One thing that I think it missed in retrospect is how chaotic Drew's leaving really was for the team. The news hit and then Bryce literally went awol and wouldn't answer players calls. Meanwhile, he was trying to get at least two of the three main coaches to leave with him. The players were freaking out and angry and the big fear at the time was losing players, especially Alec. The players themselves were really happy when they found out Lottich got the job, partially I think because they felt so confused.

I get that it's typical but I don't know if it's fully appreciated how if Bryce got what he wanted he would have left Valpo with two of our asst coaches and our best player. I personally think that if we are frustrated with our place now we would be in an even worse place if we didn't limit Bryce's leaving to just him, powell, and, i guess, skara.

[oklahomamick]

You don't think they had the conversation with Gore?  Gore has been at Valpo for 12 years, through Homer, Scott and Bryce.  Gore was higher up the bench than Lottich.  I can promise it was discussed. 


And there is nothing wrong with it. 

[VU2014]

From my understanding it came down to Gore and Lottich at the end. Luckily Gore stayed on as the associate HC. Gore is a really good assistant/associate HC. He's a good recruiter, a great teacher of the game, particularly with developing bigs (track record speaks for itself), and also great at building personal relationships which is huge in college basketball. We're lucky he is at Valpo. He's been a stabilizing force for a long time at VU. 17 years. That's almost unheard of. I'm not so sure it's a given that Coach Gore won't get offered a HC job and not take it one day. I think if the right opportunity presents itself he'd take it. He's paid his dues and I'd wish him well. I hope Coach Gore remains with VU for many years to come.

I'll always appreciate and root for Bryce but the way he left wasn't great. It's fairly standard practice to make a quick exit but when it's your alma mater and your hometown you'd think there would be a slightly softer exit. It is what it is. I wish him well at Vandy.

[EddieCabot]

Yep. Ford started slow rallied his troops and has surged. DeVries has done an amazing job. Give him Valpo's roster and we'd probably be looking at Loyola Part II. I don't care how critical the 2020 class is if he can't turn it around by this time next year Lottich needs to go. Hire Gore or Townsend that way we probably won't lose recruits anyway.

Won't happen.  Can you name one situation ever where a Head Coach was fired and permanently replaced by one of his assistants?

[crusadermoe]

Yeah, Tom Horne was followed by his O-Coordinator Stacy Adams.   

Not a great move.

[EddieCabot]

Yeah, Tom Horne was followed by his O-Coordinator Stacy Adams.   

Not a great move.

Was Horne fired?  The press release said he resigned.

[crusader05]

question for those out there that I believe have coached or just know more than me:

How hard is it to make big changes mid-season? I know you can fiddle with line-ups, switch up play calling, but do you really have the opportunity, once the season is going, to go back to the drawing board and rework things?

[crusader05]

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/1097612423333335040


update my question to how hard is it to make changes when 4 of your players aren't even practicing?

also based on some other tweets it sounds like Ryan's injury was really bad and he may have to have surgery after the season is over.

[VU2010]

I don't fault them for picking ML amidst the chaos of Bryce leaving. I get it -
Wanting to keep things as normal as possible with Alec & Co. finishing up. Whatever ML's salary was, Alec deserved half. At least - metaphorically speaking.

Since then, it's been red flag after red flag that most fans didn't want to make more of then we had to - so we chalked it up to bad luck (Jubril) and injury (Peters) etc .... and then wow look at us 8-0!!!! And starting true freshmen .... and then bad luck (Joe). Alas, we took a downward spiral fast. Blamed it - rightfully so - on the conference change. Felt better about ourselves since the MVC was the 8th best conference when all said and done last year and Loyola making it to the final four was the icing on the optimism cake.

And then, that fantastic start in mvc play after an up and down start .... and since more excuses with injuries and competitiveness and laundry and refs and blah blah blah ...

Meanwhile - others are progressing and we're regressing. Holding out - once again - for transfers to come in and solve our woes and hoping for everybody to stay and not transfer.

Yes - there's no reason why we *shouldn't* be better next season. Yes we should have a better record and so forth. But that doesn't mean ML is the guy and the future is worth it.

I hope next year is a blast because then we'll be in building mode again for years to come. It'll be like the Olympics - hoping for a good show every 4 years...

[VULB#62]

Yes. It seems that EVERYTHING rests on NEXT year.

[bbtds]

It's fairly standard practice to make a quick exit but when it's your alma mater and your hometown you'd think there would be a slightly softer exit. It is what it is. I wish him well at Vandy.

I think Bryce's, and Homer's exit from his Asst AD position, exit were a result of having given so much to the Valpo program and realizing that Valpo's board took more pride in it's academic reputation, except for the Schrages paying for the basketball wing, than reinvesting money in it's marque athletics program. There had to be a bit of unbelief when Valpo named a court after Homer and then said thank you very much, that is all we plan to do right now.

[VU2014]

Yes. Itdeems that EVERYTHING rests on NEXT year.

There is no way he's going to be a lame duck coach with such a huge and important recruiting class in 2020.

I completely agree that next season is make or break with the fans but I just don't think it's make or break for our coaching staff regardless

[M]

Agree, why would they let the guy recruit this monster class if they're going to fire him at the end of next season if they wind up in the basement again?? It'll either be this year or 3-4 years from now (if things were to continue to be bad). Hopefully next year is great and we can start worrying about others coming to poach our coach.

[VULB#62]

Monster class?  WTF.

[VUGrad1314]

It's fairly standard practice to make a quick exit but when it's your alma mater and your hometown you'd think there would be a slightly softer exit. It is what it is. I wish him well at Vandy.

I think Bryce's, and Homer's exit from his Asst AD position, exit were a result of having given so much to the Valpo program and realizing that Valpo's board took more pride in it's academic reputation, except for the Schrages paying for the basketball wing, then reinvesting money in it's marque athletics program. There had to be a bit of unbelief when Valpo named a court after Homer and then said thank you very much, that is all we plan to do right now.

Why can't we have both? Why can't we be both? Several schools can why not us? The board needs a serious attitude adjustment with respect to athletics.

[VUGrad1314]

Monster class?  WTF.

Six open schollies for 2020.

[bbtds]

It's fairly standard practice to make a quick exit but when it's your alma mater and your hometown you'd think there would be a slightly softer exit. It is what it is. I wish him well at Vandy.

I think Bryce's, and Homer's exit from his Asst AD position, exit were a result of having given so much to the Valpo program and realizing that Valpo's board took more pride in it's academic reputation, except for the Schrages paying for the basketball wing, then reinvesting money in it's marque athletics program. There had to be a bit of unbelief when Valpo named a court after Homer and then said thank you very much, that is all we plan to do right now.

Why can't we have both? Why can't we be both? Several schools can why not us? The board needs a serious attitude adjustment with respect to athletics.

Direct that question at Heckler, LaBarbera, the board. I'm sure they have great excuses that nobody here will be happy with. Where do you think Lottich learned it from?

Board Of Directors

David A. Bochnowski, Munster, IN

N. Cornell Boggs, III '82, Ludington, MI

Luther C. Brunette, Carmel, IN

Barbara S. Dammann '76 (Guild Chair), Roswell, GA

Jeffrey H. Dobbs '77, Leawood, KS

John L. Draheim '64, Clearwater Beach, FL

Mark H. Duesenberg '84, Rocky River, OH

Carolyn Schlie Femovich '71, Hellertown, PA

Joyce S. Hagen '79, Naples, FL

Mark F. Hagerman '67, Fort Wayne, IN

Robert D. Hansen, Jr. '82, Greensboro, GA

Mark A. Heckler (University President), Valparaiso, IN

Mark P. Helge '71, Rockford, IL

David J. Hessler '65, '68L, Westlake, OH

Colette J. Irwin-Knott '81, Zionsville, IN

Frederick G. Kraegel '70 (Chair), Henrico, VA

Bruce R. Laning '81, St. Francis, WI

Marian J. Moon '72, Arcadia, OK

James W. Mueller '72, '75L, Paradise Valley, AZ

Andrew N. Nunemaker '91, Milwaukee, WI

Steven W. Parks '67, Northbrook, IL

Bonnie E. Raquet '70 (Vice Chair), Williamsburg, VA

Lisa Rice, '98 (Alumni Association President), Libertyville, IL

Linnea K. Roberts '84, New York, NY

Verne O. Sedlacek, Westport, CT

Scott A. Seefeld '89, Milwaukee, WI

John W. Shelton '80, Frankenmuth, MI

Paul A. Strasen '78, Littleton, CO

Amy L. Vie '89, Chicago, IL

Joel R. Wilson '72, Weston, CT

Julie M. Winkler '96, Naperville, IL

Ronald H. Zech '65, Belvedere Tiburon, CA

[M]

WTF...derpity derp

[VU2014]

I knew the ankle looked bad but wow...

https://twitter.com/rwweinstein/status/1097599031864373251?s=21


How long would this ankle surgery take to recover from?

[VUGrad1314]

Yeah might as well have the surgery and get healthy for next year. We don't have much to play for this year anymore. Even if this gives Lottich yet another excuse we should be playing for next season right now and doing whatever makes us a better team then.

[VU2010]

No comment 🤦‍♂️

[NativeCheesehead]

Ugg. One board member from the nineties? A bunch of old people making decisions. Looks like congress. (Both sides of Congress)

[nkvu]

I knew the ankle looked bad but wow...

https://twitter.com/rwweinstein/status/1097599031864373251?s=21


How long would this ankle surgery take to recover from?

I admire his desire to come back and help the team this year. Given his history of injury I understand his desire to play this year, but seriously the team is going no where and if he can get well with surgery and be ready to go next year he should seriously consider it.  Maybe this would give some minutes to Maleek and help him develop so he could contribute his next two years.