Valpo hosts SIU Game Thread, Wed., Feb. 12th, 7:00p CT, ESPN+

bbtds · February 13, 2020, 06:36:44 AM

https://www.kfvs12.com/video/2020/02/13/heartland-sports-pm/

Channel 12 KFVS CBS Cape Girardeau, MO

mj · February 13, 2020, 07:12:12 AM

Why was Kiser on the court with 2 minutes left of a blowout win?

NativeCheesehead · February 13, 2020, 07:42:00 AM

We only have so many walk ons.

usc4valpo · February 13, 2020, 07:54:27 AM

Nice to see these guys play well and comeback after a rough loss to Hogwarts. Great character.

vuny98 · February 13, 2020, 08:18:07 AM

With 5 games left, we sit tied for 6th and we play the right set of teams to move up in the standings (the two teams we are tied for 6th with, the team 1 game ahead of us, the team 2 games ahead of us, and a team at the bottom). Last two games we put together solid games. If that continues each of these games is very winnable. 3-2 gets us to 500, 4-1 will put us in the positive and certainly keep us out of the Thursday game.

SanityLost17 · February 13, 2020, 10:37:44 AM

Quote from: vuny98 on February 13, 2020, 08:18:07 AM
With 5 games left, we sit tied for 6th and we play the right set of teams to move up in the standings (the two teams we are tied for 6th with, the team 1 game ahead of us, the team 2 games ahead of us, and a team at the bottom). Last two games we put together solid games. If that continues each of these games is very winnable. 3-2 gets us to 500, 4-1 will put us in the positive and certainly keep us out of the Thursday game.

Exactly... 3 games are on the road but I think we can steal 1 or 2 of them. I understand all road games are hard and although we have played well in lots of road games we haven't' won very many of them, but if we play 1 or 2 games like we played @Loyola or @UNI I really think we can pick off a few teams.

Kiser is probably out, but between Krikke/Clay/Robinson/Gordon/Morgan we can get 25-30 good minutes in the aggregate. His leadership will still be there at practice and on the sidelines but you give each of those guys 5 extra minutes and it won't hurt as bad as we think.

FieldGoodie05 · February 13, 2020, 11:27:53 AM

Quote from: mj on February 13, 2020, 07:12:12 AM
Why was Kiser on the court with 2 minutes left of a blowout win?

Sorry, I'd agree with that statement if you had referenced other players but Kiser is a filler minutes guy. Thought I think you are being sarcastic . . .

FieldGoodie05 · February 13, 2020, 11:36:11 AM

Quote from: bbtds on February 13, 2020, 06:36:44 AM
https://www.kfvs12.com/video/2020/02/13/heartland-sports-pm/

Channel 12 KFVS CBS Cape Girardeau, MO

Thanks for sharing. Props for them covering their local college team. But man that is an amazing microcosm of media in this day and age. They showed only made shots by SIU of which there were 12 or 13 right? And then they showed Javon dribble off his shin . . . hahaha.

This type of reporting is why many stop watching their local news. I know my small world, but at 37-years old the local newspaper (from childhood onward) was full of poorly worded stories with very little meat to accurately form opinions of a subject. It's for that reason that I pay way too much money for Bloomberg.com and other outlets that have more detailed reporting on the world around me.

Note: Notice how I never mentioned politics until this point . . . pass it on gents!!!

VUBBFan · February 13, 2020, 01:31:22 PM

Quote from: talksalot on February 13, 2020, 05:36:16 AMI have not seen the replay... but if anyone has access and can post the 30-seconds from 16:10 to 15:40 of the second half. I'd love to see that Krikke put-back. The "Refs were letting them play".

Here are three looks on that play.
https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1228037734117388288

https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1228038034228117504

https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1227815105871667200

VUGrad1314 · February 13, 2020, 01:49:25 PM

If...

Javon can develop his outside shot...

Sackey can shake off this sophomore slump...

Clay can remain solid and make a big leap next year...

Mileek can continue to refine his game and get better on defense...

Krikke can continue this leap he is making and add to it...

And the recruits are as good as advertised...

We could be in for some special times ahead! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!

NativeCheesehead · February 13, 2020, 01:51:28 PM

So next game could be the debut of Coach Kiser.

Seriously, I know he's got the whole engineering thing going for him. But tell me he doesn't profile as a guy who would make an excellent coach.

VUGrad1314 · February 13, 2020, 01:59:06 PM

Quote from: NativeCheesehead on February 13, 2020, 01:51:28 PMSo next game could be the debut of Coach Kiser. Seriously, I know he's got the whole engineering thing going for him. But tell me he doesn't profile as a guy who would make an excellent coach.

See a little Diebler in him too do you?

crusadermoe · February 13, 2020, 04:36:24 PM

i want to see more minutes for Clay.

He has a great overall game on both defense and offense and rarely seems to drive himself into trouble. In fact he rescues a lot of rebounds and late in clock plays with good anticipation.

Good things seem to happen when he touches the ball. Maybe he emerges even more during the Kiser injury

VUBBFan · February 13, 2020, 05:04:06 PM

Quote from: crusadermoe on February 13, 2020, 04:36:24 PMi want to see more minutes for Clay. He has a great overall game on both defense and offense and rarely seems to drive himself into trouble. In fact he rescues a lot of rebounds and late in clock plays with good anticipation. Good things seem to happen when he touches the ball. Maybe he emerges even more during the Kiser injury

Don't know how he could get more minutes. Has been getting around 30 and more a game. Has even gotten more than Javon (the leader in minutes) a few times.

VUGrad1314 · February 13, 2020, 05:27:26 PM

Kiser's minutes are going to be split between several players most likely. I think we'll see an uptick in playing time for a lot of people. It's going to take a committee effort to replace what he brought and I hope his injury motivates the whole team to step up.

GoldenCrusader87 · February 14, 2020, 01:25:34 PM

I know he's the fan favorite and respect his want-to attitude but if he gets on the coaching staff along with the other former walk on who is already on staff - that'll be the last straw for me as a donor and supporter of the school and program.

Why? Because it would show Matt isn't willing to go and seek an alternative perspective. I know I will get flack for this post but am OK with that as it's what I firmly believe.

VUGrad1314 · February 14, 2020, 03:20:30 PM

I don't know what to say to that... Matt hiring a player who might have coaching acumen to start as an end of the bench assistant is the end of your support for the program? That's a ridiculous statement. Would it have been better if he had been a scholarship player and an obvious four year contributor? I like when Valpo has found outside voices and influences too but there's nothing wrong with grooming a guy you might think has potential in the ranks on your own bench especially if he's not occupying a pivotal role to start out. Valpo has gone outside its "family" and "network" many times to find assistants. What was Powell's connection to the program? Ragland's? Dildy's? Holloway's? Was Gore a "Valpo guy" before Homer brought him aboard? All I ask is that Valpo hire quality candidates and if that means it's from within the network that's fine if it doesn't that's fine as well but the idea that Valpo hires someone from within for a small role on the coaching staff is the end of your time as a fan is a pretty heavy statement and one that I don't understand. And this is coming from a fellow Lottich skeptic who has been on your side of the Lottich debate fairly consistently but is trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. I really think good things are about to come for us. That SIU game was a strong indication. If we can string another game or two like that together it looks very good for our future. Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!

NativeCheesehead · February 14, 2020, 03:29:52 PM

Yeah, bit of an overreaction there, 87. I was thinking as a grad assistant if he needs an extra semester or two of work. Engineering is a tough major.

VUGrad1314 · February 14, 2020, 03:48:16 PM

Oh one other point: This came from someone who is all about hiring Greg Tonagel to COACH THE TEAM but can't stand the thought of Kiser as an end of bench assistant. That's some cognitive dissonance.

GoldenCrusader87 · February 14, 2020, 04:59:23 PM

Because it would mean two of the coaches are recent grads who essentially only played under one college coach.
Not very diverse is my point. Now - if the head coach is a savant and doing things that people are trying to emulate, touché. Nothing personal to either player and wouldn't make a difference if they were on scholarship or not. Just saying we need more than want to ... grit ... being in one boat. History is showing us we need more Xs and Os is all I'm saying. Any leader who surrounds themself with people who offer dynamic and different experiences will surely benefit from it if they're willing to explore what they have to offer. I make the statement not because of who we're talking about but the larger picture of what that *could* imply about the limited vantage points and philosophies on the table.

justducky · February 14, 2020, 05:15:16 PM

Quote from: NativeCheesehead on February 14, 2020, 03:29:52 PMYeah, bit of an overreaction there, 87. I was thinking as a grad assistant if he needs an extra semester or two of work.

Sure! If John has the strong desire (coaching isn't for everyone) and we have an unfilled need for his specific qualifications then he might be an appropriate choice.

Quote from: GoldenCrusader87 on February 14, 2020, 01:25:34 PMWhy? Because it would show Matt isn't willing to go and seek an alternative perspective. I know I will get flack for this post but am OK with that as it's what I firmly believe.

I think Im finally understanding your thoughts. Matt trains John. John unconsciously models his thinking, behavior and situational response. Avoid the groupthink danger by letting John coach elsewhere first. Its something to think about.

VUGrad1314 · February 14, 2020, 05:48:26 PM

Right because having former Duke players serve as assistants under Coach K has been such a problem for that program... or former Butler players under the various Butler coaches over the years... If your program is solid and it works then promoting from within is not a bad thing if you really believe a candidate can work. It is good to get an outside voice every once in awhile as well but promoting from within is something a lot of successful programs do with of course mixed results but usually solid. Such was the thought process on hiring Matt in the first place and it looks like maybe that experiment is about to turn the corner. But we'll see I'll reserve judgment on that specific case but promoting from within is common especially at private schools.

vusupporter · February 14, 2020, 10:38:53 PM

I'm sure Kiser is looking to utilize an engineering degree to jump-start a coaching career.

VUGrad1314 · February 14, 2020, 10:46:56 PM

Quote from: GoldenCrusader87 on February 14, 2020, 04:59:23 PMBecause it would mean two of the coaches are recent grads who essentially only played under one college coach. Not very diverse is my point. Now - if the head coach is a savant and doing things that people are trying to emulate, touché. Nothing personal to either player and wouldn't make a difference if they were on scholarship or not. Just saying we need more than want to ... grit ... being in one boat. History is showing us we need more Xs and Os is all I'm saying. Any leader who surrounds themself with people who offer dynamic and different experiences will surely benefit from it if they're willing to explore what they have to offer. I make the statement not because of who we're talking about but the larger picture of what that *could* imply about the limited vantage points and philosophies on the table.

Look at the assistant coaches that have been on his staff since he came here. There's been a lot of turnover yes but it looks to me like he is consistently looking outside of the network and family for ideas. Again, several of the coaches that have been here during the Lottich era are not "Valpo guys" Lottich himself is something of an outsider having only been on Bryce's staff a little bit. I think there is plenty of diversity of opinion on his staff and I'm sure he consults a variety of sources and people for opinions. I understand the concern but do not share it. I don't think he's just trying to surround himself with yes men who follow his one perspective at all.

vok22 · February 14, 2020, 10:52:18 PM

Maybe I will be proven wrong, and I understand this was all hypothetical, but I can't imagine John going through a rigorous degree such as mechanical engineering, to end up being an end of the bench coach at a mid major school. With his record as a student athlete walk-on that is majoring in mechanical engineering, he will end up getting a solid, well paying job in his field. However, the point is still valid to me in regards to hiring in house. I have nothing against hiring in house, especially for end of the bench assistants, but it would be nice to have an out of the system x and o guy. Maybe we already have that, I am not too familiar with the roles of each assistant coach, and it certainly is not something to end a fandom over.