Labarbera needs to step down

valpofb16 · November 20, 2019, 08:43:15 PM

He has half a**ed many sports in a lot of places, basketball is middle of pack now, lack of facilities. New conference prematurely. President Heckler gone.

Valpo needs to move away from Labarbera ASAP

NotBryceDrew · November 20, 2019, 08:49:18 PM

I was about to make a thread saying he needs to be fired. Then I saw this. Agree!

M · November 20, 2019, 09:26:59 PM

Probably lots of changes coming with a new president. Wouldn't be at all surprised if head of athletics is one of them.

valpotx · November 21, 2019, 03:30:52 AM

I can understand Men's Tennis, in spite of their success, as the MVC does not support the sport. But Men's Soccer? Why not Men's S&D, which is also not supported by the MVC, and has no history of success? Just dumb...

FieldGoodie05 · November 21, 2019, 04:42:36 AM

Good thing none of us are being overdramatic here. The national average for D1 programs per school is 19. Irregardless of which programs received the bad news, this is a strategic move that was needed to be made. We are a small school that very nearly resembles D2 in student body (and therefore budget), they average 16 D2 programs per school guys. Take a breath, suns about to come up.

Note: Median undergraduate enrollment supporting that 19/school average is nearly 10,000 students. Logic is the driver gentlemen, get on board.

https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Recruiting%20Fact%20Sheet%20WEB.pdf

VUGrad1314 · November 21, 2019, 05:02:57 AM

I don't think S&D cuts enough scholarships therefore doesn't save enough money. Same with CC. This way we can continue to be bad in those sports and BS our way to the required numbers even as more budget cuts come.

valpofb16 · November 21, 2019, 07:55:34 AM

FieldGoodie05 nobody is questioning Valpo has had too many sports. However Tennis and Soccer were the long withstanding programs.

It is like any business, finances must permit expansion or you will fail. Valpo athletic department over grew their funding means. They also joined a larger conference with further travel. The team's have not been the most competitive in the MVC, that either falls on coaching, or person who hires the coaches i.e. AD.

So in recapping Mark L has:
-misinterpreted University's capability of expanding sports teams
-incorrectly budgeted resulting in losing sports teams
-moved to a conference financially and competitively they weren't ready for
-has made some head scratching hires.

These are core principals of an AD's job and Mark has failed the University. It is time for him to go.

vu72 · November 21, 2019, 08:21:02 AM

I suppose we will lose Karen Avery now as Mike will need to move to get another job. We've got one great tennis facility for just one team.

M · November 21, 2019, 09:14:34 AM

Good post FieldGoodie

78crusader · November 21, 2019, 09:44:21 AM

Some perspective:

Other MVC private schools -

Evansville: no football program
Drake: no baseball program
Bradley: no football program
Loyola: no football OR baseball program

The vast majority of people on this board, including me, have no real idea of the financial and other pressures facing most private schools today. For every Notre Dame and Villanova there are 25 schools grappling with rapidly rising costs and fewer students in the recruiting pool.

I suspect there will be many private schools, including some very fine ones, that will go down in the next decade. VU is taking steps to ensure they are not one of them.

I have worked with Mark LaBarbera for several years now on various athletic endeavors and I feel he has done an excellent job at this university. In addition, he is a fine man and an outstanding representative for our school.

Paul

FieldGoodie05 · November 21, 2019, 10:49:32 AM

Quote from: 78crusader on November 21, 2019, 09:44:21 AM
Some perspective:

Other MVC private schools -

Evansville: no football program
Drake: no baseball program
Bradley: no football program
Loyola: no football OR baseball program

The vast majority of people on this board, including me, have no real idea of the financial and other pressures facing most private schools today. For every Notre Dame and Villanova there are 25 schools grappling with rapidly rising costs and fewer students in the recruiting pool.

I suspect there will be many private schools, including some very fine ones, that will go down in the next decade. VU is taking steps to ensure they are not one of them.

I have worked with Mark LaBarbera for several years now on various athletic endeavors and I feel he has done an excellent job at this university. In addition, he is a fine man and an outstanding representative for our school.

Paul

Thanks for your contribution Paul, I appreciate the perspective. We are all Valpo enthusiasts so I am sure it's difficult to take contraction news like this with a grain of salt. You did a fine job and thanks for posting.

IndyValpo · November 21, 2019, 11:36:11 AM

I understand the need here I just don't understand Men's Soccer. It is a MVC sponsored sport. Seems to fly in the face of what we are trying to do here.

If Men's Tennis is out, honestly how long before Men's Swimming and Bowling follow.

valpotx · November 21, 2019, 12:45:40 PM

I never do this on here, but this one is a huge pet peeve of mine, as a lot of folks use the word. There is no such word as irregardless. The -ir becomes redundant, when paired with regardless. You are basically saying regardless regardless...

valpo64 · November 21, 2019, 12:56:06 PM

Discontinuing those sports as well sure makes sense to me. I think that some of us need to step back and take a cold-shower. Some of these posts are totally out of line and are just ridiculous. Just for the record, I haven't heard much about Gonzaga's success in tennis or soccer lately. The same goes for Murray State

vu72 · November 21, 2019, 01:32:52 PM

I guess this is all part of a changing dynamic in College Administration as well as College Sports. Things change or, more appropriately, things need to change.

We have had very little success in Men's Soccer. We have been around .500 in win/loss seasons under Mike and have never been to the NCAA tournament (I think).

As for Mark's work, remember that under his leadership we brought back Men's and Women's Golf and also added Women's Bowling. So in that sense, he has added three and lost two. Net gain.

FieldGoodie05 · November 21, 2019, 02:18:06 PM

Quote from: valpotx on November 21, 2019, 12:45:40 PM
I never do this on here, but this one is a huge pet peeve of mine, as a lot of folks use the word. There is no such word as irregardless. The -ir becomes redundant, when paired with regardless. You are basically saying regardless regardless...

Any idea where this creeped into our vocabulary? I enjoy reading a good deal and most authors continue to use that word openly. I do see your point.

valpotx · November 21, 2019, 07:51:15 PM

No idea, but it is heavily overused in Texas lol. I grew up hearing that all of the time.

Just Sayin · November 21, 2019, 08:13:58 PM

Quote from: valpotx on November 21, 2019, 07:51:15 PMNo idea, but it is heavily overused in Texas lol. I grew up hearing that all of the time.

You might could be right.

FieldGoodie05 · November 22, 2019, 05:29:26 AM

Quote from: Valpofan2021 on November 22, 2019, 04:07:46 AM
As the AD, LaBarbera should have showed a bit more compassion for the current soccer players, and future ones as well. It makes no sense that Valpo chose to announce the discontinuation of its men's soccer program just after the NLI signing period. During the NLI signing period, programs allocate scholarship funds to incoming signees, after sorting through their current roster's financial commitments. If LaBarbera used his job-specific knowledge, he should have advised the "decision-makers" that the best time to inform the current men's squad would have been a few weeks ago before the NLI signing period began. This would have given student-athletes interested in transferring more access to scholarship funds. Good luck to those kids trying to find scholarship opportunities for this coming spring semester in just a few short weeks before the end of the fall semester. Also, informing the team a few weeks ago, would have prevented current high school seniors from signing NLIs with Valpo last week, only to learn that these contracts are null and void due to the men's soccer program being discontinued. Signing an NCAA D1 NLI after years of dedication to your sport and in the classroom is a significant achievement. Can you imagine what these kids are going through now due to LaBerbera's ill-timed announcement? It seems like LaBarbera was asleep at the wheel.

Last game was Nov 13th

valpofb16 · November 22, 2019, 06:08:39 AM

FieldGoodie can defend Labarbera until he is blue in the face but a few things are actual facts

1. We lost sports programs
2. We lost them without notice uprooting approximately 50-75 people
3. His records across the board have gotten worse.

Failure Is Failure.

FieldGoodie05 · November 22, 2019, 06:20:49 AM

Quote from: Valpofan2021 on November 22, 2019, 05:40:43 AM
It doesn't matter if the last game was November 13th. At other schools, like the University of New Mexico Men's Soccer, the players and staff knew a year in advance that the program was being discontinued which allowed for all interested parties to plan accordingly. The Valpo AD and President were negligent in providing this same courtesy to the current Valpo Men's Soccer staff and student-athletes.

I would agree with you on that point regarding advance notice. By ending the programs abruptly it sends the wrong message to current and future coaches. But my dissatisfaction ends there.

So I am not disagreeing with the choice of programs, rather, the way in which it was done publicly (quickly and without warning). No one knows for sure what severance package was presented and how all that is going down. Personally, my discomfort for the way it was done is all that makes me think twice here. I still believe in a balanced budget above all else. Only the gov't can run deficits and get away with it.

P.S. Based on the posts of the "jumpers" on this forum, I don't think any of them made this point and that is why I have posted in disagreement. It's not that I disagree with their emotional tie to VU (I applaud that). What concerns me is that this becomes a runaway freight train on a myriad of topics and if a core of ppl don't post to help bring down the emotional highs I think this forum goes off its rails. If I have offended the "jumpers" over the years, I am sorry . . . but I will continue to bring my own brand of logic to points (whether ppl agree or not).

usc4valpo · November 22, 2019, 07:42:37 AM

When programs get cancelled, there is always going to be several that get victimized. The approach in how the soccer and tennis programs were cancelled lack tact for sure. However, even if it were done more tactfully, folks will be pissed.

Personally I would rather see a few sports program that are successful at Valpo than several where funding and bandwidth become diluted and the results suck - which is the current situation at Valpo. Having programs just for the sake of having it without an ambition of being great or even successful makes so sense. True, some involved with those programs are going to feel the hit, but having program that consistently lose is embarrassing.

As for MLB, who knows his fate with the new president. Nothing to do with performance, but he has been around for awhile, and sometimes change is a painful but good thing. He does represent the university well.

IndyValpo · November 22, 2019, 08:55:20 AM

Did we really just sign a new batch of freshmen a week before killing the program. If so that is beyond cruel.

FieldGoodie05 · November 22, 2019, 11:37:58 AM

Quote from: IndyValpo on November 22, 2019, 08:55:20 AM
Did we really just sign a new batch of freshmen a week before killing the program. If so that is beyond cruel.

Maybe I overlooked it, but where was the announcement for new signees? Thought this team was heavily underclassmen team. Were there any newcomers? Just jumped on our website and a quick glance didn't show the announcement.

bbtds · November 22, 2019, 11:45:45 AM

Quote from: valpotx on November 21, 2019, 12:45:40 PM
I never do this on here, but this one is a huge pet peeve of mine, as a lot of folks use the word. There is no such word as irregardless. The -ir becomes redundant, when paired with regardless. You are basically saying regardless regardless...

Regardless regardless of it being a pet peeve that you apologized for I appreciate your notion to correct the grammar.

No quid pro quo