LaBarbera announces retirement

[VU2014]

Paul Oren wrote about a list of 5 potential Athletics Director successors:

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1493602529774649349?s=21

[vu72]

Paul Oren wrote about a list of 5 potential Athletics Director successors:

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1493602529774649349?s=21

I read the same article but am wondering if this is part of the pay site?  If so, it probably shouldn't be shared here.

[Pgmado]

Paul Oren wrote about a list of 5 potential Athletics Director successors:

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1493602529774649349?s=21

I read the same article but am wondering if this is part of the pay site?  If so, it probably shouldn't be shared here.

In order to access the entire article, one needs to subscribe to the site. Sharing links isn't a problem. Copying and pasting the entire story would be the issue, but I know none of you would do that to me. Right? Right.

[wh]

Paul Oren wrote about a list of 5 potential Athletics Director successors:

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1493602529774649349?s=21

I read the same article but am wondering if this is part of the pay site?  If so, it probably shouldn't be shared here.

In order to access the entire article, one needs to subscribe to the site. Sharing links isn't a problem. Copying and pasting the entire story would be the issue, but I know none of you would do that to me. Right? Right.

It costs $.16/day for a monthly subscription or $0.13/day for an annual. Paul isn't playing games here. He is filling a HUGE gap in coverage in a big way. He has already published several great feature stories with personal interviews, plus postgame stories, etc. This is a must-have for passionate Valpo fans. Let's show Paul that we appreciate him by getting on board!

[valpotx]

Paul Oren wrote about a list of 5 potential Athletics Director successors:

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1493602529774649349?s=21

I read the same article but am wondering if this is part of the pay site?  If so, it probably shouldn't be shared here.

In order to access the entire article, one needs to subscribe to the site. Sharing links isn't a problem. Copying and pasting the entire story would be the issue, but I know none of you would do that to me. Right? Right.

PO, if I subscribe, can you promise that there will be no Green Bay Packers references?

[Pgmado]

Paul Oren wrote about a list of 5 potential Athletics Director successors:

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1493602529774649349?s=21

I read the same article but am wondering if this is part of the pay site?  If so, it probably shouldn't be shared here.

In order to access the entire article, one needs to subscribe to the site. Sharing links isn't a problem. Copying and pasting the entire story would be the issue, but I know none of you would do that to me. Right? Right.

PO, if I subscribe, can you promise that there will be no Green Bay Packers references?

I can promise there is baseball content coming tomorrow afternoon.

[valpotx]

Paul Oren wrote about a list of 5 potential Athletics Director successors:

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/1493602529774649349?s=21

I read the same article but am wondering if this is part of the pay site?  If so, it probably shouldn't be shared here.

In order to access the entire article, one needs to subscribe to the site. Sharing links isn't a problem. Copying and pasting the entire story would be the issue, but I know none of you would do that to me. Right? Right.

PO, if I subscribe, can you promise that there will be no Green Bay Packers references?

I can promise there is baseball content coming tomorrow afternoon.

Ok, I will subscribe, and I believe that we have tacit agreement that John Elway is vastly superior to Brett Favre.  Any time that the Packers are mentioned in The Victory Bell, I will picture you nodding in agreement

[NativeCheesehead]

So I'll spoil PO's article. The candidates are:

1. Fauxmer Drew
2. Greg Kampe
3. Phil Wille's right fist
4. JD Collins
5. The deflated Crusader

[tjn2004]

That picture from the tweet says it all.  Mike Avery should be the top of the candidate list.


While MLB did do some good things for the athletic department many years ago, he also made the lazy hire of Lottich, extended him after a few flukey W's in Arch Madness 2020, and let's not forget the Tracey Dorow debacle.  There was also funding esports right as he cut mens soccer and tennis which was just a bad look even though esports probably costs a fraction of a real sport. 


And while he can't be blamed for the shortcomings of university finances, was he ever specifically out pushing a big campaign for athletics?  A specific campaign for the ARC situation would probably get more interest than the generic old "Crusader fund" or whatever it goes by now.  I've always viewed him as someone who was "just mailing it in" for several years now, basically since the ink dried getting us into the Valley.

[oklahomamick]

well said. 

[vu72]

That picture from the tweet says it all.  Mike Avery should be the top of the candidate list.


While MLB did do some good things for the athletic department many years ago, he also made the lazy hire of Lottich, extended him after a few flukey W's in Arch Madness 2020, and let's not forget the Tracey Dorow debacle.  There was also funding esports right as he cut mens soccer and tennis which was just a bad look even though esports probably costs a fraction of a real sport. 


And while he can't be blamed for the shortcomings of university finances, was he ever specifically out pushing a big campaign for athletics?  A specific campaign for the ARC situation would probably get more interest than the generic old "Crusader fund" or whatever it goes by now.  I've always viewed him as someone who was "just mailing it in" for several years now, basically since the ink dried getting us into the Valley.

A bit harsh and also filled with forgotten accomplishments by Mark.  As for a "big campaign for athletics" did you forget about FITT?  That brought artificial turf, lights and scoreboard to Brown Field, new tennis courts and ultimately a real track to the complex. Behind the scenes he has raised money for the completion of Hilltop, the upgrades to softball and baseball fields, the redo of Homer Drew court, the addition of the four sided scoreboard in the ARC, new  first class weight room for football, redone locker rooms for all teams and finally the national broadcast ability at the ARC, Brown Field, as well as the softball and baseball fields.  These changes cost millions of dollars and he has also garnered commitments for things like basketball recruiting endowments etc.

Yes, there have been a few bad hires or at least hires that may have looked good on paper but failed on the court/field but most importantly, he drove the administration(s) to move up not one but two conferences.  No small accomplishment. As for the removal of men's soccer, there is a reason why only five of the full time Valley teams have men's soccer--it requires very expensive international recruiting for a sport that doesn't even charge for admission to a game. 

[valpo64]

Well said, vu72.

[tjn2004]

The video board was back when we were still in the Horizon, that's kind of my point about he has mailed it in since we got to the Valley. 

The amount of money that gets dumped into that football program has always made me shake my head.  Traveling with that huge roster to schools scattered all over the country, coaching staff, etc. just to hold some imaginary status of "football school."  I was there when they were even winning the PFL and the apathy was still abundant then.

Putting a new floor in the ARC was more required maintenance than anything else as it needed some work with the "rebrand" and all.  That was basically putting a band aid on the compound fracture that is the ARC compared to our Valley peers now.

Investing money into Brown Field and the tennis courts to then turn around and get rid of some of the main tenants of those 2 facilities was a lack of vision and planning.

All that investment for ESPN broadcasts, for our games to get buried online making VU less visible than our Horizon League days, because the product on the court isn't worth putting on the flagship broadcasts anymore.

But it could be worse, Mark could've bit off more than we could chew and moved us to a conference with huge travel expenses and have to charter jets to the east coast all the time like Butler 

[usc4valpo]

At least Butler University cares about Their program and have experience final four success...

[wh]

At least Butler University cares about Their program and have experience final four success...

Butler is mired in mediocrity. They, like Valpo, are 1 promotion above their level of competence. They have become nothing more than a major market placeholder for the Big East.

[valpotx]

The video board was back when we were still in the Horizon, that's kind of my point about he has mailed it in since we got to the Valley. 

The amount of money that gets dumped into that football program has always made me shake my head.  Traveling with that huge roster to schools scattered all over the country, coaching staff, etc. just to hold some imaginary status of "football school."  I was there when they were even winning the PFL and the apathy was still abundant then.

Putting a new floor in the ARC was more required maintenance than anything else as it needed some work with the "rebrand" and all.  That was basically putting a band aid on the compound fracture that is the ARC compared to our Valley peers now.

Investing money into Brown Field and the tennis courts to then turn around and get rid of some of the main tenants of those 2 facilities was a lack of vision and planning.

All that investment for ESPN broadcasts, for our games to get buried online making VU less visible than our Horizon League days, because the product on the court isn't worth putting on the flagship broadcasts anymore.

But it could be worse, Mark could've bit off more than we could chew and moved us to a conference with huge travel expenses and have to charter jets to the east coast all the time like Butler 

You and I observed different things about Valpo Football during my time on campus.  While the average student probably didn't care, those games were packed with fans.  During my time on campus from the 1999 to 2003 Football seasons, people cared about Valpo Football, and we had 4k-5k fans per game.

[tiny707]

I believe he was offered early retirement? I think I saw it in Paul's interview.

[usc4valpo]

Wh - 2 final four championship games. They are in a better situation right now than Valpo. They may be down right now but I think they can step it up.

[Valpo89]

Tex, you're looking back with rose colored glasses. Yes, the football games drew good crowds back then. But no way was it an average of 4,000-5,000 for home games. I covered the games for the newspaper back then. The only crowds that big were homecoming and the PFL title game.

[IndyValpo]

Wh - 2 final four championship games. They are in a better situation right now than Valpo. They may be down right now but I think they can step it up.

Fortunately their fan base is less convinced. Wander over to Butlerhoops sometime. I wish them nothing but the worst!!

[may know]

Mark did the absolute best he could with what he was given in institutional support. I know he'll still support VU and I hope he still makes appearances in his retirement.

This next hire is going to be very crucial.

[wh]

Wh - 2 final four championship games. They are in a better situation right now than Valpo. They may be down right now but I think they can step it up.

Fortunately their fan base is less convinced. Wander over to Butlerhoops sometime. I wish them nothing but the worst!!

In 5 years under LaVall Jordan:
• 1 season with a winning conference record.
• average finish in conference 8th
• conference record 40-53
• current year - picked 5th, finished 9th
• last year - picked 6th, finished 10th

Butler became a national brand, mid-major powerhouse, media darling, the magical "Butler way," Gonzaga of the Midwest. Look at them now.

"When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
I have become comfortably numb"

Sincerely, Butler and Valparaiso Universities

[VUGrad1314]

I am really going to enjoy watching Valpo's resurgence when (not if) we find the right man for the job to lead our men's basketball program back to prominence. When we become everything we thought we would be when we first joined and finally prove ourselves to be a credit to the MVC. It's a day I fondly look forward to. I don't know who the man to lead us there will be but I know that he is out there and I am confident we will find him eventually. As for the topic of this thread I overall have a positive view of LaBarbera's tenure as AD. I believe we can confidently say that much more good for the university was accomplished than bad during his time. The facilities upgrades have not come fast enough for anyone's liking but they are happening slowly but surely the institutional commitment has not been there to the degree that we would like it to be but there are hopeful signs that that is changing and the two conference moves were absolutely huge. He has some big misses on coaching hires on his resume to be sure but in my opinion he still rates as perhaps the best AD Valpo has ever had. I wish him well in his retirement and hope that his replacement will be even better!

To the point about Butler's struggles, I doubt there are many Butler fans complaining about where they are right now. They struggle but they are in a league with basketball blue bloods like Villanova and Georgetown along with several other tradition rich schools like St John's Providence Marquette etc. Plus they have a great media deal and lots of exposure. I think they're just fine with how things have turned out.

Just for comparison's sake: Here's Valpo in the MVC under Matt Lottich:

35-55 Conference Record

Average finish in conference: 7th (and this is arrived at by giving them the greatest possible benefit of all ties for example last year when we tied for 5th I gave him 5th When we tied for 6th I gave him 6th If I use our Arch Madness seeding the number will be lower)

ZERO seasons with a winning conference record (9-9 doesn't count)

To his credit he has performed up to (and last year even exceeded) preseason expectations but the fact that the expectations were that low to begin with is very worrisome

This year Picked 7th Finished 7th

Last year Picked 8th Finished T-5th

I bring this up to ask: if Butler fans criticize LaVall Jordan and the direction he is taking their program on their board (which I'm sure they do because those results speak for themselves) are they poisoning the well and damaging their program's recruiting too or does that only apply to criticism of Lottich? I would argue that the poor performance is itself a hindrance to recruiting and that pointing that out as a fan changes little to nothing in that regard. After all kids want to win no matter what level they end up playing at.

[valpotx]

Tex, you're looking back with rose colored glasses. Yes, the football games drew good crowds back then. But no way was it an average of 4,000-5,000 for home games. I covered the games for the newspaper back then. The only crowds that big were homecoming and the PFL title game.

The home stands were always very full, outside of the really crappy weather days.  There are no rose-colored glasses.  I can't find any records that fully go back to that time, other than putting together some info from other programs.  I forgot that the 5,000 includes the visitor side, which you can't really control.  However, you can see that it was routinely 2,500+ within conference, which means that the home side was pretty full:

https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/232982674
https://cdn.streamlinehosting.net/pioneer-football/media/stats/2002/day.htm
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/232772674
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/233262674

[usc4valpo]

MLB did well as AD at Valpo. Decent man and his accomplishments were significant. Made some hiring mistakes but any AD will. I also think he has been in his role for awhile and it was time to move on.

Lottich won't be fired because of the AD transition, but somewhere somehow a deep discussion of his status  and performance evaluation is required and not put on the side. Yep