Wood to Michigan State. Official

[govalpogo]

I think Valpo loses it's "star" player and improves it's team chemistry.  Take the good with the bad, it'll still be a good team next year.

[dcvalpo]

I think Valpo loses it's "star" player and improves it's team chemistry.  Take the good with the bad, it'll still be a good team next year.

I know this unpopular around here, but losing Cory isn't exactly going to make us weaker either. 

[valpocleveland]

Wood is now top of the VU-spite list that includes:  Diebler's brother, Scott Martin, Robbie Hummell, Kenny George, and Bryan Bouchie.  

I admire all of the "good luck" comments but pretty crappy that he is leaving the girl that got him to the prom.  Big black eye on program that clearly stamps us as "not big time" or "able to help folks get to next level".

Broader question is about the value Bryce Drew is brining (or not bringing) to the program as an ex-NBA player.  This needs to be considered by ML - and likely will not.

I am intrigued on how Jon Diebler made this list. He was the all time leading scorer in Ohio High School Basketball. Did he sign a letter of intent and then back out of it? Hate to break it to you but he was NEVER coming to Valpo. I would have loved him to play for the Brown and Gold but I don't think he can be on any spite list.

As for Wood, I am sad to see him go but glad we had him for 2 years. He transferred in from another school so we can't be too disappointed that he did the same thing to us. Here is hoping Homer can land someone else for next year.

[rlh]

Wood is now top of the VU-spite list that includes:  Diebler's brother, Scott Martin, Robbie Hummell, Kenny George, and Bryan Bouchie.  

I admire all of the "good luck" comments but pretty crappy that he is leaving the girl that got him to the prom.  Big black eye on program that clearly stamps us as "not big time" or "able to help folks get to next level".

Broader question is about the value Bryce Drew is brining (or not bringing) to the program as an ex-NBA player.  This needs to be considered by ML - and likely will not.

I am intrigued on how Jon Diebler made this list. He was the all time leading scorer in Ohio High School Basketball. Did he sign a letter of intent and then back out of it? Hate to break it to you but he was NEVER coming to Valpo. I would have loved him to play for the Brown and Gold but I don't think he can be on any spite list.

As for Wood, I am sad to see him go but glad we had him for 2 years. He transferred in from another school so we can't be too disappointed that he did the same thing to us. Here is hoping Homer can land someone else for next year.

Jon Diebler verballed to Valpo when Jake signed.  He then backed out when Ohio State came callin'

[covufan]

For a moment, I thought we had 14 pages of posts after the official announcement!

But, I see that some thread merging has been going on.

I thought the same thing!  

I don't understand all of the negativity around his decision, and bringing back a "spite" list.  These are young men looking out for their education and basketball playing future.  Some will make mistakes and get information from AAU coaches that may confict with what VU coaches and playing minutes tell them.  Brandon gave everything he had, both on the court and in the classroom - what more can we ask?  Yes, we are all disappointed that his talent will not be wearing the VU uniform next year, but his decision wasn't about loyalty - it was about his basketball and education future.  I wish him the best.  As for Hummel and Martin - who can blame them for choosing Purdue (and later Notre Dame in Martin's case)?  Both of these schools provide a good education and have very good basketball programs - with national exposure.  Getting a player of Bryce's talent is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  We should not expect other regional players to come to VU just because they are close in proximity.  

Even without BWood, I'm looking forward to next year's team.  There is much talent on the perimiter, with more than enough capable scorers to take over the scoring we'll miss without BWood.  

[mj]

Can we stop thinking that education has to do with anything basketball related. The NCAA has you fooled. There are very few basketball players that are "student athletes".

Remember when Butler made their first National Championship and their players attended class that week. The media was shocked they attended class. That speaks volumes to the status of education in athletics. 

[vuweathernerd]

Can we stop thinking that education has to do with anything basketball related. The NCAA has you fooled. There are very few basketball players that are "student athletes".

Remember when Butler made their first National Championship and their players attended class that week. The media was shocked they attended class. That speaks volumes to the status of education in athletics. 

and the butler administration deserves to be commended highly for doing so. anybody know if they were in class the week prior this year as well? or was last year more of a fluke given that they didn't have to travel for the game.

[DMvalpo18]

Can we stop thinking that education has to do with anything basketball related. The NCAA has you fooled. There are very few basketball players that are "student athletes".

Remember when Butler made their first National Championship and their players attended class that week. The media was shocked they attended class. That speaks volumes to the status of education in athletics. 

and the butler administration deserves to be commended highly for doing so. anybody know if they were in class the week prior this year as well? or was last year more of a fluke given that they didn't have to travel for the game.

i heard that they skyped into classes and also typed papers and turned them in during the final four.

[Valpo89]

i heard that they skyped into classes and also typed papers and turned them in during the final four.

I hope they did better than 18 percent on their assignments.

[valpofan56]

i heard that they skyped into classes and also typed papers and turned them in during the final four.

I hope they did better than 18 percent on their assignments.

[CrusaderFan1]

Going to miss having brandon on the team, he was a good player, but lets look forward to what we DO have, a bright future!

[vuweathernerd]

i heard that they skyped into classes and also typed papers and turned them in during the final four.

I hope they did better than 18 percent on their assignments.

wow... not even gonna touch that one.

[sectionee]

My last, I hope, blog post on Brandon.  Good luck at MSU.
http://sectionee.blogspot.com/

[IrishDawg]

i heard that they skyped into classes and also typed papers and turned them in during the final four.

I hope they did better than 18 percent on their assignments.

Hilarious... keep enjoying those tourney checks that Butler keeps writing.

Valpo will be fine without Brandon Wood.  Jay Harris will step into his role very nicely, just like I expect Kenney to step into Howard Little's.  Real challenge will be filling Johnson's spot.

[DMvalpo18]

i heard that they skyped into classes and also typed papers and turned them in during the final four.

I hope they did better than 18 percent on their assignments.

Hilarious... keep enjoying those tourney checks that Butler keeps writing.

Valpo will be fine without Brandon Wood.  Jay Harris will step into his role very nicely, just like I expect Kenney to step into Howard Little's.  Real challenge will be filling Johnson's spot.

cory johnson? are you serious? have we had a softer big man? he even finessed his dunks. and i also remember him trying to throw down a one-handed tomahawk when he was flying down the lane against loyola (which we got killed in that game). he missed it badly...and we needed to score on that possession. ANYWAY. not to be a downer on cory. but i have to say, i think i prefer van wijk, because he is a little bigger, definitely stronger, and won't shoot threes. i will admit that there is a gap in skill between them, of course. but i will be honest and say that i won't be missing cory too much. a nice player, but overmatched on most nights.

[agibson]

You prefer van Wijk to Johnson?!?  I think van Wijk has a lot of potential, especially if his back would allow a regular practice schedule, or serious minutes in games.  Johnson's perhaps not a bruiser, not a "dominate the paint" kind of big man.  But, he was a proven all-conference caliber player.  He'll certainly be missed.

[vuweathernerd]

anybody that doesn't appreciate what cory did for two years is ridiculous. would you have been saying the same thing if he had been playing where he was supposed to be instead of playing up? we'd have been long lost without him.

[rlh]

I'm amazed when I read some of these posters who criticize what Corey did for us the past two years.  It's obvious that they don't have a real understanding the game and what it takes to battle people bigger than you every night.  Corey was a warrior and I would love to have five guys like him on the floor for my team.  If everyone battled as hard, there would be very few worries......

[koala]

You know Rowdy also battled against these bigger bodies along side Cory and played out of position, he also grabbed the most rebounds for the team and with Cory was a warrior and you know what he will be back next year doing it all again.   It's about time we moved on and put this post to rest.   Yes Brandon has left for Michigan State and the best of luck to him.   We also lost Howard, Cory and Mike but we still have the rest of the team and some new players coming in.   Every team has players graduating and moving on so we are no different.   What makes me sad is the posters saying that we wont be good now that these players have left well I can tell you we have a team of players ready to go and before everyone starts writing them off just wait and see.   Yes our most potent scorer is gone but that opens it up for some others to step up and take his place.   We have plenty of scorers so it shouldn't be a problem, where we will lack is in size.   It would be so nice if we got a legitimate 6'9" or 6'10" banger to help Vuk, Kevin and Cam play the five spot so the others can play in their rightful positions.   It was a waste with Cory in the 5 and Rowdy in the 4 last year and it looks like it's going to be the same this year?   Just my two cents worth but can we now say goodbye to Brandon and say hello to the new team of next year please......   

[cmack]

cory johnson? are you serious? have we had a softer big man? he even finessed his dunks. and i also remember him trying to throw down a one-handed tomahawk when he was flying down the lane against loyola (which we got killed in that game). he missed it badly...and we needed to score on that possession. ANYWAY. not to be a downer on cory. but i have to say, i think i prefer van wijk, because he is a little bigger, definitely stronger, and won't shoot threes. i will admit that there is a gap in skill between them, of course. but i will be honest and say that i won't be missing cory too much. a nice player, but overmatched on most nights.

You are spot on with your assessment.  You are not saying that you don't appreciate what Cory did.  You are not saying that he was a bad player, but he was definitely soft.  That is fact.  Van Wijk is a different type of post player.  He is not gonna dance out on the perimeter or tip-toe around his defender for a weak flat-footed layup attempt. Can we at least agree that both were hallmarks of Cory's game?  Cory made the best of his style of play, however, post players who will move some bodies and take the ball up strong to the basket.

[vu72]

You know Rowdy also battled against these bigger bodies along side Cory and played out of position, he also grabbed the most rebounds for the team and with Cory was a warrior and you know what he will be back next year doing it all again.   It's about time we moved on and put this post to rest.   Yes Brandon has left for Michigan State and the best of luck to him.   We also lost Howard, Cory and Mike but we still have the rest of the team and some new players coming in.   Every team has players graduating and moving on so we are no different.   What makes me sad is the posters saying that we wont be good now that these players have left well I can tell you we have a team of players ready to go and before everyone starts writing them off just wait and see.   Yes our most potent scorer is gone but that opens it up for some others to step up and take his place.   We have plenty of scorers so it shouldn't be a problem, where we will lack is in size.   It would be so nice if we got a legitimate 6'9" or 6'10" banger to help Vuk, Kevin and Cam play the five spot so the others can play in their rightful positions.   It was a waste with Cory in the 5 and Rowdy in the 4 last year and it looks like it's going to be the same this year?   Just my two cents worth but can we now say goodbye to Brandon and say hello to the new team of next year please......   

[dcvalpo]

cory johnson? are you serious? have we had a softer big man? he even finessed his dunks. and i also remember him trying to throw down a one-handed tomahawk when he was flying down the lane against loyola (which we got killed in that game). he missed it badly...and we needed to score on that possession. ANYWAY. not to be a downer on cory. but i have to say, i think i prefer van wijk, because he is a little bigger, definitely stronger, and won't shoot threes. i will admit that there is a gap in skill between them, of course. but i will be honest and say that i won't be missing cory too much. a nice player, but overmatched on most nights.

You are spot on with your assessment.  You are not saying that you don't appreciate what Cory did.  You are not saying that he was a bad player, but he was definitely soft.  That is fact.  Van Wijk is a different type of post player.  He is not gonna dance out on the perimeter or tip-toe around his defender for a weak flat-footed layup attempt. Can we at least agree that both were hallmarks of Cory's game?  Cory made the best of his style of play, however, post players who will move some bodies and take the ball up strong to the basket.

I agree with you both...Cory was a good scorer, but his lack of strength in the post made us a a soft, finesse team.  Kevin can help change that.

Now, I have to run before the board police come and beat me down.

[DMvalpo18]

cory johnson? are you serious? have we had a softer big man? he even finessed his dunks. and i also remember him trying to throw down a one-handed tomahawk when he was flying down the lane against loyola (which we got killed in that game). he missed it badly...and we needed to score on that possession. ANYWAY. not to be a downer on cory. but i have to say, i think i prefer van wijk, because he is a little bigger, definitely stronger, and won't shoot threes. i will admit that there is a gap in skill between them, of course. but i will be honest and say that i won't be missing cory too much. a nice player, but overmatched on most nights.

You are spot on with your assessment.  You are not saying that you don't appreciate what Cory did.  You are not saying that he was a bad player, but he was definitely soft.  That is fact.  Van Wijk is a different type of post player.  He is not gonna dance out on the perimeter or tip-toe around his defender for a weak flat-footed layup attempt. Can we at least agree that both were hallmarks of Cory's game?  Cory made the best of his style of play, however, post players who will move some bodies and take the ball up strong to the basket.

I agree with you both...Cory was a good scorer, but his lack of strength in the post made us a a soft, finesse team.  Kevin can help change that.

Now, I have to run before the board police come and beat me down.

again we are on the same page. and thank you cmack for understanding where i was coming from on my earlier comments. to adress what rlh said earlier, i VERY much appreciate the effort that cory put in to playing for us, and he played hard for us everytime he was out. not to kill this point here, but just so we are clear i will reiterate that i loved cory's effort. but let's face it. when you are matched up with eli holman, it's kind of hard to do much against him. if you finesse it, he will swat you. if you bang with him, he will knock you over. so cory was unfortunate to have to be out of position so often.

[vu72]

cory johnson? are you serious? have we had a softer big man? he even finessed his dunks. and i also remember him trying to throw down a one-handed tomahawk when he was flying down the lane against loyola (which we got killed in that game). he missed it badly...and we needed to score on that possession. ANYWAY. not to be a downer on cory. but i have to say, i think i prefer van wijk, because he is a little bigger, definitely stronger, and won't shoot threes. i will admit that there is a gap in skill between them, of course. but i will be honest and say that i won't be missing cory too much. a nice player, but overmatched on most nights.

You are spot on with your assessment.  You are not saying that you don't appreciate what Cory did.  You are not saying that he was a bad player, but he was definitely soft.  That is fact.  Van Wijk is a different type of post player.  He is not gonna dance out on the perimeter or tip-toe around his defender for a weak flat-footed layup attempt. Can we at least agree that both were hallmarks of Cory's game?  Cory made the best of his style of play, however, post players who will move some bodies and take the ball up strong to the basket.

I agree with you both...Cory was a good scorer, but his lack of strength in the post made us a a soft, finesse team.  Kevin can help change that.

Now, I have to run before the board police come and beat me down.

again we are on the same page. and thank you cmack for understanding where i was coming from on my earlier comments. to adress what rlh said earlier, i VERY much appreciate the effort that cory put in to playing for us, and he played hard for us everytime he was out. not to kill this point here, but just so we are clear i will reiterate that i loved cory's effort. have to be out of position so oftenbut let's face it. when you are matched up with eli holman, it's kind of hard to do much against him. if you finesse it, he will swat you. if you bang with him, he will knock you over. so cory was unfortunate to .

-

Not sure if you actually saw Cory play against Holman based on your comments.  So, Cory was either banged or blocked?  Let's look at the record.  Cory played against Detroit 6 times in his 2 years at Valpo.  He averaged 17 points and 5 boards over those six games. On one occasion he scored 31 and on another scored 24.  Yep, Holman kicked his butt.
Now let's look at how he did against an NBA sure thing in Keith Benson at Oakland:  Cory got killed, only had 33 points and 6 boards.  Pathetic.
Look, Cory was "undersized" for a 5 but that wasn't all bad.  Because of his outside shooting and ability to move, he could draw a guy like Holman away from the basket.  Does anybody remember Cory ever making a pass for a layup to a guy like Brandon or Ryan?? It was because he was away from the basket.  His 3 point shooting was off last year because of bad ankles.  Nonetheless, team had to respect his outside shot and that opened things up.
Was he a "banger"?  Nope and if there was a deficency it was in rebounding.  Was he an effective 5?  Absolutely and we won't get the same production from the 5 this coming year.  Cory was a stud for Valpo.

[rlh]

Obviously some people's definition of soft and mine at different.....