Where in the world is/was

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Well, at least YOU were proud enough to say it.  SI didn't mention it, and they DID mention Marquette.  egads.

loved the first comment:

Great article, thanks. This was the kind of story SI the magazine use to run a decade ago and make for great and interesting reading before they started just running generic sports stories like "Secrets of the NFL Scheduling", "Peter King's Love Affair with Brett Favre", etc. You should be running SI. Thanks again for the great story and you now have a regular SI reader.

IN HAPPIER NEWS HE'S A CHAMP!!!

http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/mad_ants_win_title_2014_04_27.html

Potter and Howard have been the constants in a franchise that, prior to last season, had never made the Playoffs. In all, the Mad Ants racked up five consecutive losing seasons prior to 2012-13, and it wasn't until this season that the team won a Playoff series.
...
No player, however, was able to pen his story more so than Howard. Always one of the most respected and well-liked players in the league, Howard's place as the league's predominant figure went from circumstantial to concrete in just a few months. In March, the seven-year vet became the league's all-time leading scorer and this past week he was named 2014 Co-MVP, in large part due to his ability to lead Fort Wayne's to its best season ever.
...
In fact, after the majority of the crowd had cleared out and the arena staff was sweeping away the confetti from the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum floor, only two members of the team -- Howard and Potter -- remained to savor the victory just a few minutes longer.

WATCH RON HOWARD'S CLUTCH SHOT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS VIDEO OR YOU ARE NOT REALLY A FAN
Champions! Ron Howard & Tony Mitchell clinch title for Mad Ants

[LaPorteAveApostle]

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/27300855-556/osipoff-kelly-komara-nets-dream-job.html#.U2tuz15swkE

interesting:

Coincidentally, Komara has taken the last two positions that Christy Smith has vacated. When Smith left Valparaiso for Purdue in 2011 after three seasons, Komara joined the Crusaders; when Smith left Purdue for Arkansas — her alma mater — after three seasons, Komara rejoined the Boilermakers.

[valpopal]

The beginnings in Division I for the Crusaders: "Ken Rochlitz remembers the growing pains when he took over the Valparaiso University men's basketball program. Rochlitz took over for Bill Purden in 1975-76 as the program transitioned from NCAA Division II to Division I...."

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/where-are-they-now-ken-rochlitz-remembers-taking-vu-hoops/article_7fe0d9b8-076e-5f62-b17a-dd5f69b42203.html

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Great article--thanks for posting!

DEAR LORD i did not know this:

Rochlitz still remembers the fate of the Purple Aces basketball team on Dec. 13, 1977, when all but one player from the team perished in a plane crash.

It hit close to home.

"We were supposed to have that charter, but we got switched at the last minute," Rochlitz recalled. "We took another charter to Columbia, Mo., to play Missouri. I remember how bad the weather was that day.

"Everyone thought it was Valpo's plane that went down. What confusion it caused. The pastor actually came to my front door to console my family."

Also:

Rochlitz said the Crusaders did what mid-level football and basketball programs do, and that was get a payday for making trips to big-time programs.

"We never got a return game, but we got some money and our kids played against some top opponents," Rochlitz said.

The more things change...

[Pgmado]

Inside the Valparaiso/Evansville connection...

http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/valparaiso-s-connection-to-evansville-tragedy/article_d3513b52-522f-11e3-b622-0019bb2963f4.html

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Wow/yowsers.  Thanks, Paul--sorry I missed that the first time.

[oklahomamick]

Inside the Valparaiso/Evansville connection... http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/valparaiso-s-connection-to-evansville-tragedy/article_d3513b52-522f-11e3-b622-0019bb2963f4.html

I did some further reading about the accident.  There was only one member of the basketball team who was not on the plane.  However, two weeks later he was killed by a drunk driver. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Seriously?  That's...that's so awful.  Lord have mercy. 

God bless all those that have to board a plane for their team.

[historyman]

UPI story on David Furr
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2245&dat=19771229&id=1RczAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kjIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=2981,6347604

David Furr and his 16 year old brother's, Byron, obituary on the East Richland HS (Olney, IL) alumni page:
http://www.erhsalumni.net/class_profile.cfm?member_id=4489754

http://www.illini-nation.net/forum/index.php?topic=5696.0

David Furr of Olney, IL, had injured his ankle trying out as a walk-on for the Aces. He was still hoping to make the team, but didn't make the Dec. 13 road trip. Dec. 28th 15 days later almost to the hour, he and his 16-year-old brother died in a car wreck between Newton, IL and Effingham, IL driving home from a holiday high school basketball tournament held in Charleston, IL.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

oh my.  if that had happened in a movie, no one would have taken the rest of it seriously.  how awful for his parents.

thinking of austin hatch, the UM b-ball recruit (via FW Canterbury then LA) who has survived 2 plane crashes, the first of which took his mother, and the second of which, his father and stepmother.  ye gods...the odds?

[valpopal]

Ryan Broekhoff has been named to the Australian 2014 FIBA World Cup basketball team. It looks to be a good squad. Congrats, Rowdy!

http://www.basketball.net.au/stars-headline-boomers-squad-world-cup-camp/

[VULB#62]

That's awesome.  Ryan will eventually surface as a go-to guy as things progress.  He has always risen to the level that is expected of him. 

BTW, Can we get that 17 year old, Ben Simmons to sign with VU?  Koala -- talk some sense into that young man Simmons! Valpo is a great palce to spend 4 years in the US of A.


And here's the VU link:

http://valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2014-15/13778/broekhoff-called-into-boomers-camp/

[koala]

Thank you for remembering Rowdy, we all still hold Valpo in such high regard and still wear all our Valpo gear around town.   We are excited for him and hope he makes the Aussie team     

I wish I could get Ben Simmons to Valpo he would be a fantastic signing but alas I don't know the young man or family which is a shame

[wh]

Koala, were you at the ARC when Ryan hit the 3 at the gun to beat Green Bay in the tournament semi-final?  I don't think you ever shared how you felt at that moment.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m9x2BFYpOXs&feature=kp

[valpotx]

Hopefully he makes it, so that he can meet several other Valpo alums!

I believe that Antti Nikkila, Shawn Huff, and Samuel Haanpaa have represented Finland over the years since leaving, and are still on the team.  It looks like our Finns have definitely elevated their program, as I can't remember them competing in a world tournament such as this, as they never qualified for past iterations.  Joaquim Gomes is the face of Angola each tournament they play in.  Interesting to note that we always had Kikas at 6'9", but has been shown to be 6'7" since that time.  Ali Berdiel has represented Puerto Rico, but most likely won't be on the roster for a major tournament such as this. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland_national_basketball_team

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angola_national_basketball_team

[koala]

Yes I was at that game wh but I ashamed to say I had my head in my hands praying so hard that the team wouldn't go out like that so I didn't see the shot live    Thank goodness for the large screen and all the youtube clips that I have been able to watch it over and over with such pride not only of Ryan but the whole team for never giving up even though it didn't look good with so few seconds left on the clock.   

Being at Valpo to watch Ryan's last few games as a senior was wonderful but also bittersweet knowing his time at Valpo was coming to an end.   We sure do miss the place and still watch every Valpo game when it's shown live.

[valpopal]

Being at Valpo to watch Ryan's last few games as a senior was wonderful but also bittersweet knowing his time at Valpo was coming to an end.   We sure do miss the place and still watch every Valpo game when it's shown live.

This seems a good place to view again one of the favorite photos I took on senior night, Rowdy with a kiss for Koala:

[valpospartan]

Being at Valpo to watch Ryan's last few games as a senior was wonderful but also bittersweet knowing his time at Valpo was coming to an end.   We sure do miss the place and still watch every Valpo game when it's shown live.

This seems a good place to view again one of the favorite photos I took on senior night, Rowdy with a kiss for Koala:

We miss you too, Koala.

[valpopal]

Interesting message from Paul Oren:


[tweet]489883440154943488[/tweet]

[valpotx]

How funny.  I assume that it is a graduate transfer?  It will be fun to watch him jack up 40 footers and clank them off the backboard again...

[VULB#62]

What goes around comes around?

[valpopal]

I guess in a sense Harris takes the scholarship spot vacated by Pat Birt, who was on the HL All-Freshman team but left UIC at the end of the season. Oddly, Birt had a 3-star Rivals ranking and has just joined the South Plains (JUCO) program rather than transfer to another D-I school.

[a3uge]

I'm assuming this is a graduate school dealio?

[valpotx]

I assume that Huff, Nikkila, and Haanpaa will make the Finland squad based on recent games played.  Antti appears to be the only Center on their roster, so even if he comes off the bench, he should be a lock.  Our former players will get the honor of being the first team in this tournament to get completely spanked by the USA .  DeMarcus Cousins or Andre Drummond vs. Antti anyone? Gordon Hayward vs. Haanpaa or Huff? 

Koala, we are all hoping that Rowdy makes the team, and if he does, make sure that he introduces himself to Joaquim 'Kikas' Gomes from Angola in their group stage!  Kikas is one of the nicest guys you could ever meet, and would be happy to meet other Valpo alums.

How cool is it that we have the potential of 5 former Valpo players in this tournament?  Not many schools can say such a thing!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Interesting message from Paul Oren:

He does have to get a waiver, since it's his third school in a four-year period (cf. the McKnight case).

I love how certain things just SAIL THRU the NCAA and others get hung up.  They're like a Brazilian goalie sometimes.