Poll: What is wrong with this Valpo Basketball team?

[crusadermoe]

I'm with ya VU1314.  You inspired me when you reminded me we didn't give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.

But seriously you make good points.   I said the Illinois State opening MVC game is crucial to win at home.  But I do plan to give them a good long chance over 4-6 games to do what you've described.

[VU2010]

Depends on his contract. If he has a 3 year contract, yes. If he has a 4 year contract, it depends on the stipulations of the contract. What's the buyout?

We MUST be thinking about the 2020 class and all the seniors we'd be losing after next year. Better yet, I'd talk with the players and get a read on their plans for the following year. If many were going to be seeking transfer options, then yes I'd go ahead and move on, especially if the buyout wasn't too high.

[VU2014]

Depends on his contract. If he has a 3 year contract, yes. If he has a 4 year contract, it depends on the stipulations of the contract. What's the buyout?

We MUST be thinking about the 2020 class and all the seniors we'd be losing after next year. Better yet, I'd talk with the players and get a read on their plans for the following year. If many were going to be seeking transfer options, then yes I'd go ahead and move on, especially if the buyout wasn't too high.

I think Paul mentioned that Valpo gives 4 year contracts typically. When did Bryce get his extension? I'd be willing put $ down that Valpo won't buy out Matt. A. I think he deserves 4 years and B. that's not Valpo's style. They won't pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to fire someone. Maybe they have a buyout provision but I highly doubt they'd cut him.

Paul mentioned the possibility for grad-transfers at the end of the year... I'm wondering if he has heard something that we haven't about the players possibly transferring...

I wouldn't make any decision about firing a coach based on anyone on this roster transferring. If I had to guess what will happen, we'll end up extending Coach Lottich when all is said and done.

[NativeCheesehead]

If Matt is not the guy, and you stumble through conference and players start bailing, he has to go. Holding onto him because you're too cheap to buy out a mistake sets this program back five years. We're not in the Mid Con anymore. With our facility and lack of local support we have NO margin of error anymore.

[EddieCabot]

Paul mentioned the possibility for grad-transfers at the end of the year... I'm wondering if he has heard something that we haven't about the players possibly transferring...

I didn't recall hearing that, but it certainly is a concern.  Bakari, Markus, Derrik and Ryan are all in their 4th year of college and could be on track to graduate in the spring.  I have no reason to think any of them would leave, but may have that opportunity.

[VU2014]

Paul mentioned the possibility for grad-transfers at the end of the year... I'm wondering if he has heard something that we haven't about the players possibly transferring...

I didn't recall hearing that, but it certainly is a concern.  Bakari, Markus, Derrik and Ryan are all in their 4th year of college and could be on track to graduate in the spring.  I have no reason to think any of them would leave, but may have that opportunity.

Start: 39:20

https://www.nwitimes.com/digital/audio/union-street-hoops/podcast-union-street-hoops-coal-in-valpo-s-stocking/article_bc919a3a-04ac-11e9-8c55-3bfae0ee6c9a.html

I rolled my eyes a bit when Paul mentioned Valpo finished 2nd behind Purdue for Brandon Newman. That was a distant second place. Great kid and I wish him well. He's a hell of a player. The coaches have landed some pretty good players (I think) but they haven't landed any program changing players yet. Newman could have been that guy, I don't fault the coaches for not out recruiting Purdue there. Maybe they land Skogman and he's that type of player. Or maybe they land a transformational talent in the 2020 class.

Recruiting really isn't my greatest concern with this program. It's been the lack of a cohesive offense for a while now and even the defensive break downs lately. The spirit of this team seems lost.

[VUBBFan]

https://www.athleticbusiness.com/emergency-response/basketball-player-defies-odds-post-cardiac-arrest.html


Nice article on Skogman. However it doesn't look too good that Valpo will land him.


"It's been a forever-changing experience," Skogman said of the past nine months. "I've gotten the low-majors in the spring, and then in the summer I had the heart problems and ended up getting some high-major offers. I'm definitely looking to go to a bigger school right now."

[VU2014]

https://www.athleticbusiness.com/emergency-response/basketball-player-defies-odds-post-cardiac-arrest.html


Nice article on Skogman. However it doesn't look too good that Valpo will land him.


"It's been a forever-changing experience," Skogman said of the past nine months. "I've gotten the low-majors in the spring, and then in the summer I had the heart problems and ended up getting some high-major offers. I'm definitely looking to go to a bigger school right now."

Bummer.

Skogman is our lone remaining scholarship offer in the 2019 class.

[FWalum]

Bakari, Markus, Derrik and Ryan are all in their 4th year of college and could be on track to graduate in the spring.

Derrick has already graduated.

[VUGrad1314]

Given PO's comments and the fact that we have so many potential graduate transfers and the increasingly more forgiving waiver process I can't shake the feeling that this conference season is make or break and if we don't succeed we're about to get decimated. I think he knows something. I think some players may have already signaled their departure or are at least hinting at the possibility. It would certainly explain the inexcusably terrible effort we've seen the past two games. I've gone from optimistic about the future to very concerned. I don't think this has anything to do with the rigors of moving up to the MVC I think they might be tuning out\getting tired of Lottich for whatever reason.

[VU2010]

Any chance Micah comes back this year? Let's hope so. I did notice ML had a bigger sheet of paper last game. Not sure what is on it - seemed like the same old, same old to me. We've seriously regressed. Horribly. And, I don't get how that's on the players. Doesn't even talk to them during timeouts. The man's getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, presumably. Should have weekly press conferences and talk with the media to get some of these questions answered ... at a minimum. All so sectetarive.

[bbtds]

Bakari, Markus, Derrik and Ryan are all in their 4th year of college and could be on track to graduate in the spring.

Derrick has already graduated.

Are you testing me? His name was spelled correctly in the quote yet you spelled it incorrectly anyway.

[wh]

In 2014 I predicted that the day Bryce left would be the day the music died for Valparaiso men's basketball:

As I've said a few dozen times before, VU men's basketball is living on borrowed time due to the administration's ongoing refusal to address facility needs. Every Valpo fan/alumnus should thank their lucky stars for Bryce and his ability to succeed despite the lack of support he needs and deserves. The day Bryce leaves is the day the music died. Anyone who thinks Greg Tonnagel or anyone else can waltz in here and recruit the way Bryce has with a glorified high school gym for facilities is kidding themselves.

Oh, no need to remind me of the never ending, always changing list of critical facility needs "far" more important than upgrading the ARC. I understand. Difficult choices sometimes have to be made. I only hope the the administration understands that remaining competitive is no different for the men's basketball program than for the science program, or a restaurant, or any other business venture.  If you fail to invest in facilities comparable to those of your competitors, you will not remain competitive. This is an indisputable fact.

Thus, like it, don't like it, care, don't care, believe it or don't, it is where we're headed beginning the day Bryce Drew leaves - the day the music died.

I am highly concerned that what I prophesied 4 years ago is playing itself out as we speak. I only hope I'm wrong.

[VUGrad1314]

How can a school that's so expensive be so woefully behind in all aspects of facility development? Yeah they're doing a great job playing catch up now but where was this initiative years even decades ago? What were they doing with all that money before if not reinvesting it in the school?

[VU2014]

How can a school that's so expensive be so woefully behind in all aspects of facility development? Yeah they're doing a great job playing catch up now but where was this initiative years even decades ago? What were they doing with all that money before if not reinvesting it in the school?

The previous admin neglected to renovate and build new and much needed buildings. We've been playing catch up for a while now.

[VULB#62]

How can a school that's so expensive be so woefully behind in all aspects of facility development? Yeah they're doing a great job playing catch up now but where was this initiative years even decades ago? What were they doing with all that money before if not reinvesting it in the school?

Further context: compare the last, say, 20 years to the growth and campus enhancement of many selective   D-III institutions, some of whom have endowments that are below Valpo's.  They have kept pace with overall campus needs, but they have also kept apace athletically. No athletic scholarships, no gate revenue at athletic events, sponsorship of 20+ varsity sports and maybe a number of club sports, and investment in athletic facilities to support all that.  In many (most?) cases, those investments make Valpo's athletic plant pale in comparison. How do they manage that?



Oh, oh. We're back to facilities —— — again.  Facilities are not what's wrong with this Valpo MBB team.

[NativeCheesehead]

I have been saying for years as people praise the heck out of Heckler for talking about athletics. Words are wind, show me something.

[FWalum]

Bakari, Markus, Derrik and Ryan are all in their 4th year of college and could be on track to graduate in the spring.

Derrick has already graduated.

Are you testing me? His name was spelled correctly in the quote yet you spelled it incorrectly anyway.

I know how to spell Derrik's name and have spelled it correctly many times, this was an auto correct mistake, as a matter of fact it almost happened again.  Need to put his spelling in the database.

[usc4valpo]

Valparaiso's administration has always been reactive than proactive and it pisses me off.

[vu72]

Honest Question here:

If you're AD, and this team once again plays, and loses on Thursday in St. Louis, do you make a change?

(Not asking if ml will make a change, would you?)

No.

[VUGrad1314]

Compare and contrast this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Oqy0khPL8g&fbclid=IwAR03C1E2E4iXZWPZDvMEDUMjYSoqXs2JFG6DGRECBNJV0Zhclx2nPkSTQlw

To this:

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/25654651/steve-alford-doomed-lack-self-awareness-ucla

Both are successful basketball players from the midwest who eventually went into coaching spending time in the MVC early in their careers.

The former is a struggling young head coach who is reflective and  clearly working on getting better. He frequently consults his coaches to gain insight and perspective. What he said about his time off during the holidays took incredible self-awareness and gives plenty of reason to believe that he will improve and grow into this role. He also clearly lives by his faith and has good morals.

The latter is successful but self-absorbed. Clearly doesn't reflect on his coaching lacks self-awareness and has bad morals despite professing to be a man of faith. Leaves little reason to hope for improvement because he already knows everything. Just ask him.

Give me the former every time.

[oklahomamick]

Don't know but would like to purchase the warm up top that Golder is wearing

[EddieCabot]

I agree with 1314's take on Lottich.  He seems like a good fit for Valpo in a lot of ways, but is still finding his way as a fairly new head coach. 

The article you posted on Alford's firing is interesting.  Medcalf has been critical of Alford for a number of years, so I'm not surprised to see him dancing a jig over his firing.  It's also interesting that he is quick to cite how much UCLA fans/supporters didn't like Alford, but of course, these were the same fans/supporters who ran Ben Howland out of town after he won 69% of his games and took the Bruins to 3 Final Fours.  He won the Pac-12 in his final season. 

UCLA spends relatively little (compared to ACC or B1G ) on their program, yet they are still expecting success like they had in the days of John Wooden and Sam Gilbert.  It will be interesting to see who they hire, but if I was a top 25 or so coach, I would run the other way.

On a side note, I saw that Murry Bartow was named interim HC (old-timers will understand the connection to Valpo).

[VU2010]

Good luck changing this program with an attitude like this ... Lottich: "I'm not superstitious. I'm evaluating every single day. It's just the way it's going to be from now on. I'm not changing who I am. If you don't compete in practice, you're not going to be playing much."

[VUGrad1314]

Good luck changing this program with an attitude like this ... Lottich: "I'm not superstitious. I'm evaluating every single day. It's just the way it's going to be from now on. I'm not changing who I am. If you don't compete in practice, you're not going to be playing much."

When energy and toughness are our main issues how on Earth is playing the guys who bring it in practice and practice well a bad idea?