MBB 2019-2020

[elephtheria47]

He said the right things, but anyone can talk...

[Valpo2013]

He said the right things, but anyone can talk...

Interesting to read about football and Women's Basketball
Both he said are going in the right direction

Hard not to when in the women's basketball case they are coming off one of the worst coaches we have had in any sport
As for football the same can be said for Dave C following Carlson

Point is anything would be better than what we had

[VUGrad1314]

Good interview. Excellent questions. Goes back to a point I made before. I don't have any problem at all with MLB sticking with his hire. If he truly believes Matt is the right guy for the program then kudos to him for sticking with him. And I truly hope those of us (myself included) who don't believe Matt is the guy have to eat our words in the next two years. But if he's wrong, he goes when Lottich goes.

I hope so too on eating crow on Lottich Feed me I'm hungry for some extra crispy please but as for the AD we have to be careful given our historic lack of institutional commitment to athletics what we wish for from an AD. There's a decent chance that any replacement will be significantly worse than MLB bringing about a protracted downturn in the program.

[NativeCheesehead]

Disagree.

If Lottich and Evans don't pan out (I'm a fan of Evans btw) be hard to find an AD with a poorer hiring record.

Don't settle for mediocre just because the next guy MIGHT be worse.

[VUGrad1314]

But is he mediocre because he's mediocre or is he mediocre because the institution hemstrings him at every turn due to a lack of commitment to athletics? It's possible he's doing the best he can with what little he's given and would do a much better job with more support. Unfortunately we'll probably never get the chance to find that out because the people that need to change the most for the good of the program are the ones least likely to do so because they themselves aren't actually invested in the program. They don't lose their seats if the athletes don't do well and so they have nothing to lose by maintaining the status quo. It's a truly sad situation and in this sense I feel very bad for MLB and Coach Lottich because this most critical factor is completely beyond their control.

[VULB#62]

Does anyone seriously think someone could be hired at the current salary level to replace MLB and do measurably better with the same poker hand that he will be mandated to hold — The hand MLB has been playing for his entire tenure?

However, it is fact of life in college sports, that when key people, be they coach or administrator, get fired, the institution upgrades salaries and budgets to attract the next guy. Had those upgrades been offered to the fired guys, betcha many of them could have succeeded and not gotten fired in the first place

[vu72]

The automatic assumption by some on this board is that MLB and Matt are "hamstrung" or have limited budgets or dealing with a lack of institutional commitment or this or that etc.  On what do you base these complaints?  Or are they assumptions with little fact to support them?  Does the lack of comfortable seating at the ARC translate to poor salaries or poor recruiting budgets? Some of the complaining is just over the top and I wonder where it is coming from.

We have always had a world view on recruiting for men's basketball as an example.  Where have the funds come from?  Our women's tennis coach was seen watching a match of a recruit in California.  Who paid for that?  Our football team has players from 15 states.  Did they just decide on their own that they wanted to play in Northern Indiana?  Our men's basketball team has  a $2 million dollar endowment for basketball recruiting.  Do other MVC teams have similar funds available to them?

Just lots of hand wringing and I am wondering where this is coming from--or, is it assumptions based on a lack of winning and thus it must be that the administration just can't be supporting our athletic teams, coaches and administrators.  Please let us fans know where your information is coming from. Thanks in advance for filling us in.

[VUGrad1314]

It's the inability (or unwillingness) to capitalize on the program's success

It's the lack of promotion of the athletics programs (admittedly this is getting better)

It's the fact that every conference we've moved into has publicly criticized our facilities and that doesn't inspire any campaign for change or any kind of substantive effort to rectify it.

It's that we have to wait decades for even basic improvements

It's the thought that arguably more has been done to please the change the mascot people than the build up the program people.

It's the thought that a move to the MVC took convincing for some board members

It's the long title droughts in many sports

[chairback]

Kiser is in a big boot....

From a fan standpoint this years non-conf is very crucial for the loyalist fan support.  If it's filled with non-D1 crap like last year I can see a big drop in season tix holders.  We are not asking for high majors, just decent mid majors.   I can't tell you how many people I know who are season tix holders who have said if the schedule is crap they won't get them.

[justducky]

Kiser is in a big boot....

Well, if he injured his foot kicking all the departing players in the shins, kneecaps and or tailbones then I think I can live with it.    I always knew that Kiser kid was worth his weight in gold. 

[VUGrad1314]

Kiser is in a big boot.... From a fan standpoint this years non-conf is very crucial for the loyalist fan support.  If it's filled with non-D1 crap like last year I can see a big drop in season tix holders.  We are not asking for high majors, just decent mid majors.   I can't tell you how many people I know who are season tix holders who have said if the schedule is crap they won't get them.

I didn't like a lot of MLB's comments about how since the NET weighs offensive efficiency as a key factor he's going to try to goose those metrics with some games he knows VU can win... Sounds like an excuse to put some crap on the schedule going forward... I hope he realizes that the reason Belmont got in and UNCG didn't is because Belmont had good non conference wins while UNCG didn't. Who you play\SOS still matters. Please do not lose sight of this.

[FieldGoodie05]

Kiser is in a big boot.... From a fan standpoint this years non-conf is very crucial for the loyalist fan support.  If it's filled with non-D1 crap like last year I can see a big drop in season tix holders.  We are not asking for high majors, just decent mid majors.   I can't tell you how many people I know who are season tix holders who have said if the schedule is crap they won't get them.

I didn't like a lot of MLB's comments about how since the NET weighs offensive efficiency as a key factor he's going to try to goose those metrics with some games he knows VU can win... Sounds like an excuse to put some crap on the schedule going forward... I hope he realizes that the reason Belmont got in and UNCG didn't is because Belmont had good non conference wins while UNCG didn't. Who you play\SOS still matters. Please do not lose sight of this.

I'm not sure that you can schedule like a giant slayer every year.  You have to know your team and what they are capable of.  Wins are essential for momentum guys, we can't play all neutral site P5 and limited home slate knowing we have zero chance for at-large in a certain year.

[VUGrad1314]

Except for Javon, this is not something you heard ascribed to any of the players that have transferred very often...

https://twitter.com/coachgore/status/1115237607032729602

Maybe we'll be okay after all...

[crusadermoe]

Our basketball budget is in the middle of the pack in the MVC if I recall..perhaps #6 or 7.  Beyond hoops, I would only be speculating about our budget.  I do agree that MLB faces funding challenges that come from long VU history. 

But Valpo84 put his finger on the key issue when he showed that Akron U. graph showing on the size of net losses which athletics brings to universities who are not P5 football schools.  Most are subsidized at 60% or more of athletics expense. At this point financially, VU funding likely has limits than are a bigger factor than the attitude of the board or President. 

[GoldenCrusader87]

I know it's a private institution; however, where does one go to see released tax statements or whatever it is from 3+ years ago? I've heard people say they can tell what these folks made (ballpark at least) once it's been 3 years.

Just curious. If MLB, for instance, is making around $100k, then it's a different conversation than if he's making a lot more than that. Why? Because I don't know that you could find a good replacement without forking over some cash.

Also interested in knowing what Bryce made his last year at Valpo... or even Matt as an assistant or first year head coach.

[vu72]

I know it's a private institution; however, where does one go to see released tax statements or whatever it is from 3+ years ago? I've heard people say they can tell what these folks made (ballpark at least) once it's been 3 years.

Just curious. If MLB, for instance, is making around $100k, then it's a different conversation than if he's making a lot more than that. Why? Because I don't know that you could find a good replacement without forking over some cash.

Also interested in knowing what Bryce made his last year at Valpo... or even Matt as an assistant or first year head coach.

It has been posted somewhere and believe it is form  990 for tax exempt institutions.  They don't post everyone's salary, just the top 5 or those over a certain amount.  I also found this posted when Bryce was hired away.  "In 2013 Bryce was credited with $377,464 in pay" I also am sure he was the highest paid university employee at that time.

[NativeCheesehead]

MLB makes more than 100k.

[craftyrighthander]

GuideStar is the website the posts all the Form 990 for exempt organizations.  It is a couple of years behind, as the last VU 990 shown is 2015.   

[SanityLost17]

Regarding the departure of Smits/Sorolla... 

I actually am starting to think that maybe MLB will be a better coach if he can get away from the "true post" tall/slow center position in favor of a stretch PF playing center.   I am not sure our new recruits exactly fit that mold or not but it seems like maybe Smits/Sorolla never fit MLB's game plan and he just wasn't experienced enough to adjust what he wants to do with the players he had.   

Javon/Golder are really the only 2 players I am really going to miss.  I was kinda ready to move on from the 7 footers.   Any chance Golder still changes his mind?   If that is the case Javon is the huge loss and everything else can be made up with the right recruiting.   

[humbleopinion]

 I'm not sure exactly where this narrative of Golder returning came from. He put his name in for a transfer. I can't imagine that a coach would want a player back if his return would be based on the fact that no better team wanted him. I just don't see him contributing to the "team first" spirit if he were allowed to return.

[crusader05]

I think it's because he never said "yes i'm transferring" just that he's looking into it and did not provide any more comment. I don't think the staff just holds on but depending on how he handled his convos with his teammates and the coaches we shouldn't assume bad blood or anger over this decision or whether or not he should be given the space to make up his mind and be welcomed back if he so desires.

[vuny98]

I'm not sure exactly where this narrative of Golder returning came from. He put his name in for a transfer. I can't imagine that a coach would want a player back if his return would be based on the fact that no better team wanted him. I just don't see him contributing to the "team first" spirit if he were allowed to return.

If he chooses to return he should be welcomed back with open arms. These are peoples lives and his choice could affect the rest of his. You can't fault someone for looking to see if a better fit may be out there.

That being said, we also can't hold his spot indefinitely nor should we. His choice to look has consequences and if we fill his spot or recruit someone to play the same position, that's the risk he would take.

[wh]

I'm not sure exactly where this narrative of Golder returning came from. He put his name in for a transfer. I can't imagine that a coach would want a player back if his return would be based on the fact that no better team wanted him. I just don't see him contributing to the "team first" spirit if he were allowed to return.

If he chooses to return he should be welcomed back with open arms. These are peoples lives and his choice could affect the rest of his. You can't fault someone for looking to see if a better fit may be out there.

That being said, we also can't hold his spot indefinitely nor should we. His choice to look has consequences and if we fill his spot or recruit someone to play the same position, that's the risk he would take.

None of us has the slightest idea about the underlying reason(s) for Golder requesting a transfer.  It he just innocently wanted to test the waters to see if there was a better fit for whatever he's looking for, it might be ok to "welcome him back with open arms." If, on the other hand, he had an ongoing problem with Matt - how he used him, how Matt coaches, or whatever else - and used it to sow discord, Matt would be a fool to bring him back. The last thing Matt should do with a brand new group of players is welcome back a problem child from the past. Anyone who would do something that illogical and self-defeating, especially when their job is on the line, needs to take a beginning management class. If it were me (or anyone with leadership experience), it would take a very deep discussion and a lot of convincing on Golder's part before I would even consider running a risk like that (again, especially if my job was on the line, and that individual could help bury me).

[vuny98]

I'm not sure exactly where this narrative of Golder returning came from. He put his name in for a transfer. I can't imagine that a coach would want a player back if his return would be based on the fact that no better team wanted him. I just don't see him contributing to the "team first" spirit if he were allowed to return.

If he chooses to return he should be welcomed back with open arms. These are peoples lives and his choice could affect the rest of his. You can't fault someone for looking to see if a better fit may be out there. That being said, we also can't hold his spot indefinitely nor should we. His choice to look has consequences and if we fill his spot or recruit someone to play the same position, that's the risk he would take.

None of us has the slightest idea about the underlying reason(s) for Golder requesting a transfer.  It he just innocently wanted to test the waters to see if there was a better fit for whatever he's looking for, it might be ok to "welcome him back with open arms." If, on the other hand, he had an ongoing problem with Matt - how he used him, how Matt coaches, or whatever else - and used it to sow discord, Matt would be a fool to bring him back. The last thing Matt should do with a brand new group of players is welcome back a problem child from the past. Anyone who would do something that illogical and self-defeating, especially when their job is on the line, needs to take a beginning management class. If it were me (or anyone with leadership experience), it would take a very deep discussion and a lot of convincing on Golder's part before I would even consider running a risk like that (again, especially if my job was on the line, and that individual could help bury me).

Fair point. My comment was with the assumption that there was not any animosity between anyone and that Golder was not a locker room cancer. If that were the case, I would imagine Golder would want out on his own accord and we wouldn't have to worry about if Matt should or should not take him back.

[wh]

Let me apologize in advance if someone else has already brought this up. Do we know for sure that Golder is on track to graduate this spring?  Most players that graduate in 3 years begin attending classes in the summer before their freshman season. So, by the end of the 2nd semester of their junior year, they have attended 3 summer sessions. Golder was at a junior college as a freshman. I guess I would be surprised if junior colleges bring their freshman recruits on campus the summer before their freshman year. Of course, I could be wrong. If not, he would have to have taken one heck of a course load over 3 years to have enough credits to graduate this spring. If he doesn't graduate, he would have to redshirt next year, then have 1 year eligibility remaining. I'm not sure there are many programs that would tie up a scholarship for 2 years only to
get 1 year's use out of an average mid major player.