Darian DeVries

[tiny707]

1.) Third Season.
2.) 7-0 with win over Kansas State.
3.) Region Players.
4.) Coach of the Year 2018/2019

[VUGrad1314]

1.) Third Season. 2.) 7-0 with win over Kansas State. 3.) Region Players. 4.) Coach of the Year 2018/2019

Let's be fair though... Drake's schedule is WAY WORSE than ours... If we looked like we do this year against Drake's schedule I'd be beyond the disappointment I feel right now I'd be downright livid.

[wh]

1.) Third Season.
2.) 7-0 with win over Kansas State.
3.) Region Players.
4.) Coach of the Year 2018/2019

As I've said many times:
• The "Region" hates the very name Valparaiso.
• Opposing HS coaches don't respect Valpo U. They tell their best players that they can do better.
• Most kids want to go away to school, even if it's 50 or 100 miles away.
• Some of these kids that Valpo passes on end up having character issues down the road like the Drake player that accidentally shot his friend with his loaded pistol.
• Region HS bb is drastically overrated. Almost no one ever wins a state championship anymore in any class from NWI. Certainly not proportional to the population. IN is still a bb honey hole but no thanks to the Region.
• if players like AP or Javon or Donovan or Ben or our newest OK first team all state recruit grew up in the Region, none of them would have given Valpo a 1st look, let alone a second. Their friends, family and mediocre coaches would have made sure of that by the time they were in middle school.
•Lastly, as a Valpo resident who values having a prestigious university in our community and whose son graduated from VU Law School, F the "Region" and their anti everything Valpo bias.

[VU2014]

1.) Third Season.
2.) 7-0 with win over Kansas State.
3.) Region Players.
4.) Coach of the Year 2018/2019

As I've said many times:
• The "Region" hates the very name Valparaiso.
• Opposing HS coaches don't respect Valpo U. They tell their best players that they can do better.
• Most kids want to go away to school, even if it's 50 or 100 miles away.
• Some of these kids that Valpo passes on end up having character issues down the road like the Drake player that accidentally shot his friend with his loaded pistol.
• Region HS bb is drastically overrated. Almost no one ever wins a state championship anymore in any class from NWI. Certainly not proportional to the population. IN is still a bb honey hole but no thanks to the Region.
• if players like AP or Javon or Donovan or Ben or our newest OK first team all state recruit grew up in the Region, none of them would have given Valpo a 1st look, let alone a second. Their friends, family and mediocre coaches would have made sure of that by the time they were in middle school.
•Lastly, as a Valpo resident who values having a prestigious university in our community and whose son graduated from VU Law School, F the "Region" and their anti everything Valpo bias.

WH bring up some interesting points. I'm not from the area but the sentiment I get is the same. People from NWI are very localized and seem perceive things from High School Community point of view. My best friend from College was from Chesterton and he has mentioned in the past the many Region natives thinks Chesterton and Valparaiso are ritzy communities and more affluent so they don't like the towns.

People really seem to not be able to get passed the the University having the name Valparaiso. If it were a generic name like "Purdue" it's easier for them to get behind. Obviously we're not going to change the name of the school because of that nonsense.

From an outsiders perspective I think it's because Indiana is a big High School basketball state so people get that tribal mentality of not being able to root for the town over's school. That's just my 2 cents for whatever it's worth. Valpo would need to become a mid-major powerhouse and have consistent NCAA tournament success to possibly convert fans or least have them embrace Valpo Basketball, imo. Simply marketing ourselves as The Region's Team won't cause anyone to embrace us. We need to have consistent success which we have delivered under the Lottich regime (yet).

I really hope we can turn it around with the program. I'm not a hater of Lottich but he has had sample size but not proven to be able to put it all together. He can recruit but the product on the court is not on par with what his predecessors (The Drew Family) were able to do. Mark LaBarbera nailed the Women's Basketball hire but his desire to have wanted to hire from within in Valpo Basketball coaching tree might be the downfall of the program. Just my opinion but if Coach Powell took the job I think the program would be better right now. He's in a good spot with Gonzaga and will land a good HC job down the road. Either way Lottich has 4 more years. We are not the type of school to buyout coaches. Like I said, I really hope we can turn it around.

[vu72]

1.) Third Season.
2.) 7-0 with win over Kansas State.
3.) Region Players.
4.) Coach of the Year 2018/2019

As I've said many times:
• The "Region" hates the very name Valparaiso.
• Opposing HS coaches don't respect Valpo U. They tell their best players that they can do better.
• Most kids want to go away to school, even if it's 50 or 100 miles away.
• Some of these kids that Valpo passes on end up having character issues down the road like the Drake player that accidentally shot his friend with his loaded pistol.
• Region HS bb is drastically overrated. Almost no one ever wins a state championship anymore in any class from NWI. Certainly not proportional to the population. IN is still a bb honey hole but no thanks to the Region.
• if players like AP or Javon or Donovan or Ben or our newest OK first team all state recruit grew up in the Region, none of them would have given Valpo a 1st look, let alone a second. Their friends, family and mediocre coaches would have made sure of that by the time they were in middle school.
•Lastly, as a Valpo resident who values having a prestigious university in our community and whose son graduated from VU Law School, F the "Region" and their anti everything Valpo bias.

WH bring up some interesting points. I'm not from the area but the sentiment I get is the same. People from NWI are very localized and seem perceive things from High School Community point of view. My best friend from College was from Chesterton and he has mentioned in the past the many Region natives thinks Chesterton and Valparaiso are ritzy communities and more affluent so they don't like the towns.

People really seem to not be able to get passed the the University having the name Valparaiso. If it were a generic name like "Purdue" it's easier for them to get behind. Obviously we're not going to change the name of the school because of that nonsense.

From an outsiders perspective I think it's because Indiana is a big High School basketball state so people get that tribal mentality of not being able to root for the town over's school. That's just my 2 cents for whatever it's worth. Valpo would need to become a mid-major powerhouse and have consistent NCAA tournament success to possibly convert fans or least have them embrace Valpo Basketball, imo. Simply marketing ourselves as The Region's Team won't cause anyone to embrace us. We need to have consistent success which we have delivered under the Lottich regime (yet).

I really hope we can turn it around with the program. I'm not a hater of Lottich but he has had sample size but not proven to be able to put it all together. He can recruit but the product on the court is not on par with what his predecessors (The Drew Family) were able to do. Mark LaBarbera nailed the Women's Basketball hire but his desire to have wanted to hire from within in Valpo Basketball coaching tree might be the downfall of the program. Just my opinion but if Coach Powell took the job I think the program would be better right now. He's in a good spot with Gonzaga and will land a good HC job down the road. Either way Lottich has 4 more years. We are not the type of school to buyout coaches. Like I said, I really hope we can turn it around.

The fact that the locals aren't crazy about VU and don't support the teams isn't new.  For whatever reason Valpo students and the University have, going back to the 60's or before, been views as "rich kids" from an "elite" school.  That doesn't always sit well with locals when, going back, may have been families of iron workers or other blue collar folks who didn't like our "image".  Going way back this could have also been a "Lutheran/Catholic" thing.  For many who viewed the University in an unfavorable light, cheering for a state school or a Catholic one just was a better fit.

[VU2014]

1.) Third Season.
2.) 7-0 with win over Kansas State.
3.) Region Players.
4.) Coach of the Year 2018/2019

As I've said many times:
• The "Region" hates the very name Valparaiso.
• Opposing HS coaches don't respect Valpo U. They tell their best players that they can do better.
• Most kids want to go away to school, even if it's 50 or 100 miles away.
• Some of these kids that Valpo passes on end up having character issues down the road like the Drake player that accidentally shot his friend with his loaded pistol.
• Region HS bb is drastically overrated. Almost no one ever wins a state championship anymore in any class from NWI. Certainly not proportional to the population. IN is still a bb honey hole but no thanks to the Region.
• if players like AP or Javon or Donovan or Ben or our newest OK first team all state recruit grew up in the Region, none of them would have given Valpo a 1st look, let alone a second. Their friends, family and mediocre coaches would have made sure of that by the time they were in middle school.
•Lastly, as a Valpo resident who values having a prestigious university in our community and whose son graduated from VU Law School, F the "Region" and their anti everything Valpo bias.

WH bring up some interesting points. I'm not from the area but the sentiment I get is the same. People from NWI are very localized and seem perceive things from High School Community point of view. My best friend from College was from Chesterton and he has mentioned in the past the many Region natives thinks Chesterton and Valparaiso are ritzy communities and more affluent so they don't like the towns.

People really seem to not be able to get passed the the University having the name Valparaiso. If it were a generic name like "Purdue" it's easier for them to get behind. Obviously we're not going to change the name of the school because of that nonsense.

From an outsiders perspective I think it's because Indiana is a big High School basketball state so people get that tribal mentality of not being able to root for the town over's school. That's just my 2 cents for whatever it's worth. Valpo would need to become a mid-major powerhouse and have consistent NCAA tournament success to possibly convert fans or least have them embrace Valpo Basketball, imo. Simply marketing ourselves as The Region's Team won't cause anyone to embrace us. We need to have consistent success which we have delivered under the Lottich regime (yet).

I really hope we can turn it around with the program. I'm not a hater of Lottich but he has had sample size but not proven to be able to put it all together. He can recruit but the product on the court is not on par with what his predecessors (The Drew Family) were able to do. Mark LaBarbera nailed the Women's Basketball hire but his desire to have wanted to hire from within in Valpo Basketball coaching tree might be the downfall of the program. Just my opinion but if Coach Powell took the job I think the program would be better right now. He's in a good spot with Gonzaga and will land a good HC job down the road. Either way Lottich has 4 more years. We are not the type of school to buyout coaches. Like I said, I really hope we can turn it around.

The fact that the locals aren't crazy about VU and don't support the teams isn't new.  For whatever reason Valpo students and the University have, going back to the 60's or before, been views as "rich kids" from an "elite" school.  That doesn't always sit well with locals when, going back, may have been families of iron workers or other blue collar folks who didn't like our "image".  Going way back this could have also been a "Lutheran/Catholic" thing.  For many who viewed the University in an unfavorable light, cheering for a state school or a Catholic one just was a better fit.

VU72, great insight. I didn't even think of the religious aspect of being a Lutheran school in a fairly Catholic area. Also the optics of a blue collar family rooting for a perceived affluent school.

Maybe the affluent thing was a real thing back in the day but most Valpo students I think are from middle class to maybe upper-middle class family background (fairly large generalization). I don't think pursuing a college education is just for the "elites" anymore. It's attainable for anyone now with student loans. Now the price of getting an education these days is completely different conversation.

I'm Catholic and went to Valparaiso. I don't care about of that religious differences between Lutheranism and Catholicism. It just doesn't matter to me and most of the younger people growing up today I think. I think Valparaiso was a majority Catholic when I went to school. I think that would surprise a lot of people who aren't a part of the Valparaiso University Community. Also our newest University President is Catholic. That stuff just isn't important, imo but I do know for a lot of my friends who came from very religious Catholic families it was important to their parents that they went to a Catholic school like Marquette. I mean DePaul is a "Catholic" school but you wouldn't know it from administration or student body (obviously I'm generalizing a very large University).

But it's always interesting that the surrounding Region Community hasn't embraced us or have even been somewhat anti-VU for whatever reason.

[vu72]

I'm Catholic and went to Valparaiso. I don't care about of that religious differences between Lutheranism and Catholicism. It just doesn't matter to me and most of the younger people growing up today I think. I think Valparaiso was a majority Catholic when I went to school.

Probably right about it not mattering very much today.  But, for us "old timers", when I was in school (67-72) Valpo was probably 75% Lutheran with many of the students more focused on becoming teachers/clergy.  There was a whole dorm for just the Deaconesses. It also was a time when Catholics were being taught that the only way to Heaven was through the Catholic church. Didn't sit well with Protestants.  Remember also that going back to the 20's through at least the 70's, Sunday morning worship at the Chapel was always packed. Granted there were probably a thousand more students but even so, if 100 showed up on a Sunday it would surprise me today.  Different times and hopefully more local folks we join wh in supporting our great University. It also doesn't hurt to have the word get out that teams at Valpo are knocking off BIG teams!)

[crusader05]

The university has seen a large increase in commuter students recently so I do think some relation to Valpo is changing but for the lognest time Valpo was known in the region for it's law school as it was often where local lawyers and Judes went while the two big state schools in Purdue and IU and then Notre Dame always dominated.  I also think there as been plenty of distance between the school and the town that was probably both sided. I don't think it's much of a "region" thing in regards to not liking Valpo cause of the town but I do think there was a view that the School was full of outsiders.

I graduated from a very large high school in the area and I could count two hands the amount of students I knew who went to Valpo but I also don't remember a lot of outreach from the school.

[tiny707]

Now 13-0.....l