Ray McCallum Jr.

[DCBaller]

Hi Valpo Fans,

Congratulations on a great season. I did not come here to gloat or talk smack. I have read with your interest all of the strong opinions about the actions of Ray Jr and Detroit's fans.

I did not see the dunk at the end.  The old cliche, "Act like you've been here before" comes to mind when it comes to Ray Jr.  But the fact is, he is a 19 year old kid who hasn't been here before.  The Detroit team and program and fans are not as highly evolved as a team that has success year in and year out like a Duke.

I will say that I think part of what has been perceived as Ray Jr mugging for the cameras was actually due to the fact that the end-court camera guy was right in front of the student cheering section at that end of the court. I really believe a lot of that was Ray trying to fire up the far-outnumbered Detroit faithful at that end of the court, but it appeared on screen as if he was doing it for the camera.  Beyond that, he was trying to keep his teammates focused and passionate and energized. And it worked, which is why Drew seemed to call a timeout after almost every McCallum basket in the second half, leaving him with no timeouts down the stretch.  As far as banging his hands on the court while setting up on D - any basketball fa knows that is a time-honored tradition for trying to fire up your teammates and fans and stay focused on playing the suffocating defense that he and his teammates displayed the whole second half.

I did not hear any obscenities by the Detroit fans by watching it on TV, but if that really happened, I would be disappointed that some of those kids did not behave with more class.  19 year olds can act like d-bags sometimes and again, they didn't really know how to act because they've never been there before.  But I think you'll find fans like that at just about any sporting event you go to (you should go to a Lions or Redskins game sometime).

A lot of people have lumped in the whole team together and described them as classless thugs.  But other than your disapproval of some of Ray's antics, who else on the Detroit team did anything classless last night?  Holman, for example, has shown signs of maturity since he came back from his suspension earlier this year.  I don't know if it's the meds they put him on, or he's just starting to bcome more emotonally mature, but it seems to be working.  Even when he had a couple BS fouls called on him, including the first one when he was basically called for being in the vicinity of a Valpo player tripping over his own feet, he didn't lose his composure or complain.

My main concern with all of Ray Jr's flexing and trying to fire up his teammates and the Detroit fans was that he was expending so much energy doing so that he wouldn't have enough left in the tank at the end of the game, when so many Titan games have been lost in recent seasons.  I do think he is a good kid - honor roll student, and everyone who meets him says so.  This game was validation for what was a very difficult decision - passing up on teams like Kansas, Florida, Arizona, and UCLA to play for his Dad in front of 1,500 mostly gray-haired alumni hanging on to past glory from the late 90s and 70s, and seeing a revolving door of players on and off the roster over the past two seasons. Injuries, suspensions, and recruits that never made it on campus, or only lasted long enough for a cup of coffee.  Two of the most talented players on the team - Steve Blake and Nick Minnerath - were gone and injured, leaving Ray relying on people like Donovan Foster (a MAC backup at best) and Chase (generally needs 17 shots to score 13 points) Simon as teammates.  This was the biggest night of his life and he had a ton of raw emotion and passion.  If he's on your team, you love it. If he's not, you hate it. I get that.

While Ray was clearly the MVP of the tourney, LaMarcus Lowe had a HUGE game and showed tremendous toughness and heart despite being gimpy for much of the game himself.

Good luck in the NIT - maybe you can make a run like Detroit did awhile back when they beat Dayton, UConn and others on their way to the semifinals.

[Valpo89]

Nice post DC. Thanks for the input.

[milldew72]

Maybe we need a mccallum like attitude guy on the team.

This.

Imitidated our players along with the fact that his energy boosted his team.  Say what you want about his class, but he was the first one running over to teammates to high-five them for something good or tell them to chill if they did something bad.

Let's all be real to, if Ray McCallum (or player like him) wanted to come to Valpo, we'd take him in a heartbeat regardless of last-second dunking.

Do you think he would act like a classless fool if he played for Valparaiso and Bryce Drew?  Or Butler and Brad Stevens?  Or Wright State and Billy Donlon?  Or any of several other high quality programs and coaches in the Horizon League?  His actions are just more evidence of the systemic problem that is Detroit Mercy basketball, authored by his father and supported by a clueless A.D. and university officials.

A systemic problem that just got them into the NCAA tournament. It was Jr's enthusiasm and yes, douchiness, that both willed his team to win and put our guys in a position that they absolutely could not handle. Jr. willed his team to win, whether you like it or not. He willed them to put their foot on our neck which is a quality I've rarely if ever seen in a Valpo team.
Yes, Jr. is a jackass, but it was that jackassery that beat us last night.

[chef]

Can we put one issue to rest. There's no way McCallum didn't know his dunk came with time left on the clock. I clearly noticed him glance at the clock when he started his drive with about :03 left. When the ball went through there was about 1.2 on the clock. The clock actually should have stopped at that time for the ball to be inbounded, but I think everybody was so shocked at what he just did that they let the clock run out. Of all players to perform such a low class act, it comes from the son of a coach.

[crusaderjoe]

IMO, it is not appropriate to call out the UDM basketball program in its entirety, their A.D., or any other school official associated with UDM as a "systematic problem"  because of what happened last night.

[chef]

The A.D. hired a coach that left his last three stops after recruiting improprieties (Houston, Oklahoma, and Indiana). Does anybody believe a coach with this track record would have been hired by the Valpo A.D.?

[FWalum]

I did not hear any obscenities by the Detroit fans by watching it on TV, but if that really happened, I would be disappointed that some of those kids did not behave with more class.  19 year olds can act like d-bags sometimes and again, they didn't really know how to act because they've never been there before.  But I think you'll find fans like that at just about any sporting event you go to (you should go to a Lions or Redskins game sometime).

I give credit to Detroit and will back them in the tourney.  I am not dumb enough to cut off my nose to spite my face.  Despite what we all think they are representing our conference and we should wish for them to do well and hope they behave appropriately.  Ray Sr. gave his team some very good advice at the beginning of the game, I just hope that they follow it in the tournament. It needs to be made clear to the team and their fans that they are representing not just their school but many other HL institutions.

I also watched on TV and you could definitely hear the chant with the f@*% word in it, there is no excuse for this behavior no matter what your age. If I was made aware of that kind of language coming from VU students I would be on the phone with Mark Labarbera letting him know my displeasure at having our Lutheran university represented in such a manner. 

I commend Ray Jr. for wanting to play for his father and making that "tough" decision, but also understand that he chose this path and should have known that it would not be the easy road.  Bryce and his father did the same thing and while I certainly remember passion and excitement, I don't remember the frustration that you say Ray Jr. is acting out on. Earlier this year Richie Edwards was ejected from a game, as many have posted here, for far less of an emotional outburst then was displayed by Ray Jr. last night, and many of the posters on this board agreed with the ejection some even calling for his dismissal from the team. Detroit fans need to have higher expectations for their team and fan behavior on and off the court and then perhaps you would not have to come up with conjecture as to why action occurred.

Please go and represent the HL win or lose (I sincerely hope it is with a couple of wins) with integrity.

[KL31NY]

I did not hear any obscenities by the Detroit fans by watching it on TV, but if that really happened, I would be disappointed that some of those kids did not behave with more class.  19 year olds can act like d-bags sometimes and again, they didn't really know how to act because they've never been there before.  But I think you'll find fans like that at just about any sporting event you go to (you should go to a Lions or Redskins game sometime).

I give credit to Detroit and will back them in the tourney.  I am not dumb enough to cut off my nose to spite my face.  Despite what we all think they are representing our conference and we should wish for them to do well and hope they behave appropriately.  Ray Sr. gave his team some very good advice at the beginning of the game, I just hope that they follow it in the tournament. It needs to be made clear to the team and their fans that they are representing not just their school but many other HL institutions.

I also watched on TV and you could definitely hear the chant with the f@*% word in it, there is no excuse for this behavior no matter what your age. If I was made aware of that kind of language coming from VU students I would be on the phone with Mark Labarbera letting him know my displeasure at having our Lutheran university represented in such a manner. 

I commend Ray Jr. for wanting to play for his father and making that "tough" decision, but also understand that he chose this path and should have known that it would not be the easy road.  Bryce and his father did the same thing and while I certainly remember passion and excitement, I don't remember the frustration that you say Ray Jr. is acting out on. Earlier this year Richie Edwards was ejected from a game, as many have posted here, for far less of an emotional outburst then was displayed by Ray Jr. last night, and many of the posters on this board agreed with the ejection some even calling for his dismissal from the team. Detroit fans need to have higher expectations for their team and fan behavior on and off the court and then perhaps you would not have to come up with conjecture as to why action occurred.

Please go and represent the HL win or lose (I sincerely hope it is with a couple of wins) with integrity.

[valpotx]

Though still aggravated at Ray's actions, I don't harbor ill will towards Detroit as a university.  There is no way that I would support Ray if he was on our team and acted that same way throughout games, I don't care how much talent he has.  Then again, as someone else mentioned, he would not be allowed to act as such at our school...

[FWalum]

The A.D. hired a coach that left his last three stops after recruiting improprieties (Houston, Oklahoma, and Indiana). Does anybody believe a coach with this track record would have been hired by the Valpo A.D.?

I certainly don't.

[DCBaller]

Chef

Please post links to stories that directly tie McCallum to recruiting improprieties.  Not Kelvin Sampson, but McCallum.  Thanks.

I tried to post a link to an espn.com story from 2/23/2008 on the deal between Kelvin Sampson and IU but this site says I can't "post external links."  You can find it if you search for McCallum recruiting improprieties

So I'll quote it for you:  "Neither Dakich nor McCallum were implicated in the latest NCAA allegations, and McCallum also was cleared of any wrongdoing while assisting Sampson at Oklahoma."

Let's be fair.

[wh]

The A.D. hired a coach that left his last three stops after recruiting improprieties (Houston, Oklahoma, and Indiana). Does anybody believe a coach with this track record would have been hired by the Valpo A.D.?

My point exactly.  If you hire sleaze, you share responsibility for the negative shadow that individual casts on your university and it's athletic programs. 

[DCBaller]

wh - Since we are on the topic of "class,"  do you really think it's fair and classy to refer to another man as "sleaze" without a single fact to back up that opinion?  And for what cause? I think your comments say more about you than they do Ray McCallum.

[hoopfan22]

wh - Since we are on the topic of "class,"  do you really think it's fair and classy to refer to another man as "sleaze" without a single fact to back up that opinion?  And for what cause? I think your comments say more about you than they do Ray McCallum.

DC you're not going to win this battle in here. Not today. It's everyone else's fault for a minimum of 24 hours. Guarantee if VU won, none of this would be talked about. Great game to UD and good luck in the tourney.

[Valpo10]

Detroit's Student Section was classier /sarcasm.

[crusaderboy]

Can we put one issue to rest. There's no way McCallum didn't know his dunk came with time left on the clock. I clearly noticed him glance at the clock when he started his drive with about :03 left. When the ball went through there was about 1.2 on the clock. The clock actually should have stopped at that time for the ball to be inbounded, but I think everybody was so shocked at what he just did that they let the clock run out. Of all players to perform such a low class act, it comes from the son of a coach.

this.
mccallum had the ball and looked up at the clock, saw there was plenty of time left, THEN swooped in from the wing for the dunk.
Calculated move.

[crusaderjoe]

The A.D. hired a coach that left his last three stops after recruiting improprieties (Houston, Oklahoma, and Indiana). Does anybody believe a coach with this track record would have been hired by the Valpo A.D.?

What difference does it make whether he would have been hired at Valpo?  How does the question of whether Valpo would have hired the guy relate to the alleged "systematic problem" that is UDM basketball? 

What information is their A.D. and other school officials privity to that is creating this "systematic problem"?  Pell Grant scandal?  Deep pocket boosters making payments to players?  Bounty system for injuries?  Free shoes?  What is it?  Surely it just can't be the fact that the kid wanted to show up VU last night, right?

[nymike]

I'm not a Valpo fan, but I do like the program, and always wish it well, The game on ESPN last night was great and did alot for the league, Valpo and Detroit nationally, since many of us out there in basketball land are Butler-ed out, it's nice to have two teams like Valpo and Detroit represent the league. As for JR's dunk, he's a kid, and a pretty good kid at that, he went to a outstanding HS (Detroit Country Day) got Dean's List grades, and comes from a wonderful normal family. If there were more kids like him in the counrty maybe we'd be in better shape. The Univ of Detroit has been and is a outstanding school, one that Valpo should model itself after. For Valpo fans to blast the school and team because it's in Detroit is like blasting Valpo because it's near Gary. You people need to grow up, the truth is if you had the chance you'd take JR on your team in a heartbeat, and he'd do for Valpo what he's is doing for Detroit. You people need to listen to him speak, he is a bright, class young man, and the league should be proud that he will be the face of the league the next 2 years. I for one enjoyed seeing him work so hard and win the game for his school, his efforts against you, CSU and YSU are classic, would you people be happier if he flipped the crowd like the Super Bowl half time show? Why is Detroit any worst then other inner city schools, have you visited USC lately.

Enjoy your NIT run, I hope to see your team in the Garden, it's something your players will remember for ever, they say Detroit may play Michigan State the first round, you need to root for Detroit to "pay back MSU for taking your ticket to the big dance this year, player Wood.

[setshot]

I like McCallum Jr. and his "stick it in you ear" approach to the game. We need a guy like this on "our" team. On the other hand we do have some tough guys,particularly those that play in the paint. I respect them and wish the rest of the team played "hard nosed" basketball as well. Perhaps,being on a small campus, our athletes intermingle too much with the "softies" on the football team. If so,its catching. Anyhow, let's win a game or two or more in the NIT. A visit to MSG would be a great capstone to a truly great season. GO VALPO!

[valpotx]

I'm not a Valpo fan, but I do like the program, and always wish it well, The game on ESPN last night was great and did alot for the league, Valpo and Detroit nationally, since many of us out there in basketball land are Butler-ed out, it's nice to have two teams like Valpo and Detroit represent the league. As for JR's dunk, he's a kid, and a pretty good kid at that, he went to a outstanding HS (Detroit Country Day) got Dean's List grades, and comes from a wonderful normal family. If there were more kids like him in the counrty maybe we'd be in better shape. The Univ of Detroit has been and is a outstanding school, one that Valpo should model itself after. For Valpo fans to blast the school and team because it's in Detroit is like blasting Valpo because it's near Gary. You people need to grow up, the truth is if you had the chance you'd take JR on your team in a heartbeat, and he'd do for Valpo what he's is doing for Detroit. You people need to listen to him speak, he is a bright, class young man, and the league should be proud that he will be the face of the league the next 2 years. I for one enjoyed seeing him work so hard and win the game for his school, his efforts against you, CSU and YSU are classic, would you people be happier if he flipped the crowd like the Super Bowl half time show? Why is Detroit any worst then other inner city schools, have you visited USC lately.

Enjoy your NIT run, I hope to see your team in the Garden, it's something your players will remember for ever, they say Detroit may play Michigan State the first round, you need to root for Detroit to "pay back MSU for taking your ticket to the big dance this year, player Wood.

I agree that Detroit provides a good education, but don't say that we should MODEL ourselves after the school.  We are consistently ranked higher than UDM in the various rankings out there, with UDM being 23 to our 4 in the most recent US News & World Report for the Midwest.  That means both schools are good, but not that we have to model ourselves after the school.  No one is bashing UDM's educational merits, so please don't take it that way.

[TC28]

I like McCallum Jr. and his "stick it in you ear" approach to the game. We need a guy like this on "our" team. On the other hand we do have some tough guys,particularly those that play in the paint. I respect them and wish the rest of the team played "hard nosed" basketball as well. Perhaps,being on a small campus, our athletes intermingle too much with the "softies" on the football team. If so,its catching. Anyhow, let's win a game or two or more in the NIT. A visit to MSG would be a great capstone to a truly great season. GO VALPO!

Setshot, why don't you put some pads on and see exactly how "soft" our football team is? Nice school spirit you got there.

[nymike]

Sorry I didn't mean to sound like Valpo is not a fine school, it is, so is Detroit, some people on this blog pile all of the city's problems on the school and the players, which is so unfair. Go to the Univ of Penn, outside the school it's a war zone, Columbia, etc. there are tons of schools in inner cities, each has a mission. Take a player like Holman, he had problems in HS, at IU yet somehow he got through Detroit, and there is no doubt he is better for the experience, and is that not a schools mission? As for the game, Detroit came out and had a plan that Valpo would not beat them by the 3, they had 20 3's the first 2 games, so Valpo took it to the paint, and it was working, Detroit adjusted at half time and that adjustment worked for them second half. people say more games are won in the locker room at half time, than anyother place,  well clearly Detroit won the half time, maybe instead of taking it out on a 19 year kid who let his joy turn into a ill advised dunk, maybe Valpo fans should look to it's young coach, this game will help him learn faster. JR's dunk didn't change a thing, it may have hunt Valpo fan's feelings, so be it, the game was lost on the court, last night the better team one.

[valpotx]

Well yes, the better team on 3/6/12 won.  Everyone has always said Detroit is more athletic than us, which they always showed each time out.  They finally put it together in a game against us (had lost 5 in a row), and got good coaching against us.  Honestly, Sr's adjustments won the game for Detroit, which really surprises us/me.  We won 2 of 3 to be the better team on the year, but lost the one that counts, and that is all that matters.  We played very poorly in the second half, and I think our timeouts were mismanaged as well.  Bryce is usually good with this aspect, so I was surprised in how we wasted a few, that left us with no timeouts the last 5 minutes of the game. 

[valpopal]

Let's not get carried away and start suggesting Coach McCallum was a halftime genius. The transition in the game happened before halftime when KVW was injured.

When he left the court, Valpo had a 9 point lead, but within minutes the lead was down to 3 at the half. Kevin couldn't run or rebound in the second half the way he did in the first because of his injury. That had more to do with the shift in the second half than Detroit's adjustments. If anything, the Titans were inspired by the loss of Kevin's inside strength (as well as Ryan's weakness due to illness that seemed to put him off his game some), which gave them confidence in the second half.

Of course, credit goes to them for taking advantage of the situation, but McCallum did not suddenly turn into a great coach during the 15 minutes of halftime, and I will take Drew over McCallum as coach anytime.

[govalpogo]

It was not hard to hear derogatory cheers and chants from the UDM student section.  Most fouls garnered a Bullsh*t chant for starters.  This lovely article seems to speak even more highly of the representatives of UDM at Valpo last night:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valparaiso/police-detroit-fans-suspected-in-vu-area-vandalism/article_bd6179b2-86f7-5c85-9d6d-adab4f9c2c7a.html
is it fair to judge the whole university and sports program based on the actions of one player, and a handful of students?  No.  But it's the loud minority that often ruin things for everyone.