UNI @ the ARC January 4, 6 pm

[VULB#62]

I'm sure the players, like most of us, respect the person who Matt is.  Good person, no doubt. But at the same time, they are smart enough to see what's happening and may not thoroughly believe in his system, his decisions, his coaching skills.

I read the players' post game comments. To me they try to parrot a lot of what Matt is trying to sell —almost as if they feel they are protecting him.

>> Would they like to first concentrate on lock-down defense for the first 8 minutes of every game instead of giving up double figures while opponents shut down what little of an inside game we have  and force a bunch of hurried jumpers because we don't seem to want to play in the paint?  Of course. But that doesn't seem to be part of "the process." 

>> Would they want to learn how to collectively defend the 3pt. arc?  Of course.  But that doesn't seem to be part of "the process."

Ya know, it actually might be a weight lifted off the kids' shoulders to have Matt sidelined and someone else take the reins and, for the sake of change, just freakin change things up. What are ya gonna lose?  Games?  Heck, we're losing them already.

....... And we're also losing fans by the boat load.

[David81]

Just to consider all the angles...is it possible that a mid-season firing sends out the wrong message to the collegiate sports community, i.e., that the program is in such substantive disrepair that a coach whose problem was W-L and not anything character-related was let go during the season?

Even Bryce was given the courtesy of staying until season's end despite a disastrous finish at Vanderbilt. I think character should count for something.

[JD24]

The only issue firing the coach mid season is eliminating, hopefully, the chants on this board to fire the coach after every loss.

Firing him now or after the season isn't going to matter.

[usc4valpo]

David81 - I respect what you are saying, but this is his seventh year and staying in a funk for this prolonged period isn't good for the program and probably not good for the coach. When you watch this team and the atmosphere at the ARC and Valpo, is feels very defeated.

Again, Matt Lottich will certainly be fine. Great guy and not incompetent. He needs a change and retune. My take is getting a head start to search for a new coach. It doesn't help dragging this forward if the change is evident.

[JD24]

There's absolutely nothing preventing a coaching search from moving forward while the season plays out. An interim coach isn't going to energize any fanbase so a change currently doesn't do anything that an end of season change won't accomplish other than to give posters on the board an opportunity to repeat fire the coach after every loss.

I don't care when the change is made as long as its made.

[valporun]

Anyone checked on the dead horse to see if he's tired of being beaten on here? We get it...YOU WANT LOTTICH SENT PACKING NOW!! Look at our interim options...Gore, Bowen, Townsend....MORE OF THE SAME!!! Might as well deal with Lottich until the season ends, because none of the three assistant coaches are going to be a breath of fresh air.

[David81]

David81 - I respect what you are saying, but this is his seventh year and staying in a funk for this prolonged period isn't good for the program and probably not good for the coach. When you watch this team and the atmosphere at the ARC and Valpo, is feels very defeated.

Again, Matt Lottich will certainly be fine. Great guy and not incompetent. He needs a change and retune. My take is getting a head start to search for a new coach. It doesn't help dragging this forward if the change is evident.

usc4valpo, all good points. The Bradley game only underscores them. Sad situation that I dearly hope will show signs of turning around soon.

[Valpo89]

Anyone checked on the dead horse to see if he's tired of being beaten on here? We get it...YOU WANT LOTTICH SENT PACKING NOW!! Look at our interim options...Gore, Bowen, Townsend....MORE OF THE SAME!!! Might as well deal with Lottich until the season ends, because none of the three assistant coaches are going to be a breath of fresh air.

Hey, Jeff Saturday will be available after tomorrow.

[valpolaw]

I respectfully disagree on waiting until the end of the season. It needs to be looked at from a business perspective, and if you're CEO of a company, you don't let an underperforming employee who is doing irreparable harm to the company and it's product stick around, you handle the situation and remedy it immediately. You wouldn't let the employee stick around to keep damaging the company and product, especially one of its most important and well-known products. That's exactly what has been going on with the basketball team for several years now.

[historyman]

Maybe the best interim coach for this team would be the only guy on the bench who has played for a P5 successful coach in Tom Izzo. Thomas Kithier not only played for Izzo and handles his duties of showing his erasable board to the players as they come out of a time out with game info he hands out advise to all the players as they go back out to play. He knows how to win on the big level and I think he could possibly inject some positives into this team as it finishes this miserable season. Just a thought.

[oklahomamick]

Call Alec Peters little brother.  Guarantee he would be better.