7 a.m. Nov. 13 vs. NIU

[IndyValpo]

My opinion, this is a winner from any angle.  I love it!

[VU75]

Prime time in Australia.

[setshot]

N.Illinois will become a member of the Horizon League (fan base is Chicago-Milw oriented,not Ohio) so this is great exposure for both schools. A good opening win for  Valpo. With Oakland and N. Illinois set, the third addition to the HL could be: Bradley,IUPUI or W. Il. Hope its Bradley,but probably IUPUI. BOOK IT!

[bbtds]

N.Illinois will become a member of the Horizon League (fan base is Chicago-Milw oriented,not Ohio) so this is great exposure for both schools. A good opening win for  Valpo. With Oakland and N. Illinois set, the third addition to the HL could be: Bradley,IUPUI or W. Il. Hope its Bradley,but probably IUPUI. BOOK IT!

I believe that is the last thing on earth that I will be "booking."  N. Illinois, Oakland and IUPUI. That would be foolish!

[covufan]

No one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.

Paul

Scheduling this game is a bad idea.

This is a gimmick, and gimmicks don't work.

Paul

Given your concerns, I'm left wondering whether you have changed your position and now support the idea of either building a new arena or immediately remodeling the ARC as a venue so that VU can better attract D-I opponents at home without the use of gimmicks that might result in an increase in athletic injury.

I also like the idea of the game being prime time in Australia, and other areas of that timezone. 

[StlVUFan]

First, the game will appear on espn's "family of networks." This is code for "espn u" or "espn 3" for the lesser games, and I will bet the farm a 7 am game is considered a lesser game.

Second, playing at 7 am in front of a couple hundred fans is no way to showcase our signature sport. Vu72 points out only 22 teams are participating, thereby implying this is something special. I think the fact that only 22 teams are participating is evidence that the other 300 D1 teams are using good judgment by not agreeing to play in a time slot that makes the participants appear desperate to move to the adult table.

Paul

I think the reason most of those other 300 teams aren't participating is because ESPN isn't interested, not because they are exercising good judgment.  This is a signature event every year.  I think it sucks that the Valpo game is at 7 in the morning -- decidedly not prime time -- but I bet you would be shocked how many schools would jump at the chance if only they were invited.

This is akin to just missing out on having your bracket buster game televised.

[vuweathernerd]

I think the reason most of those other 300 teams aren't participating is because ESPN isn't interested, not because they are exercising good judgment.  This is a signature event every year.  I think it sucks that the Valpo game is at 7 in the morning -- decidedly not prime time -- but I bet you would be shocked how many schools would jump at the chance if only they were invited.

This is akin to just missing out on having your bracket buster game televised.

i like that espn may be paying more attention to us - means either they're rewarding last season or have expectations for this year. or maybe both. either way, a boost for the program. way to go vu!

[valpotx]

No one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.

Paul

We (baseball) ran in the ARC at 5 am for many workouts when doing our conditioning drills during offseason.  Once you shake off the ridiculousness of the time, you actually feel pretty refreshed the rest of the day.

[crusadermoe]

I read somewhere that Butler practiced daily in the early morning.   I think it was a story about Gordon Hayward and not going to Purdue due to classes/practice schedule conflicts.       Not sure they had more injuries than others.

[FWalum]

Once you shake off the ridiculousness of the time, you actually feel pretty refreshed the rest of the day.

Had to do the same at IT.  Found that kids actually attended classes more faithfully when we had early practices.  No excuse now for missing that 8AM class.  I think most smaller schools have to do this because of facility constraints.  I don't have any hard proof but would say that injuries seemed to happened less often in the morning.

[valpotx]

The only 'injuries' that happened during these workouts were guys that stayed up late the night before drinking  .  Luckily, there were trash cans brought out by Twenge for any of those injuries lol (not me).  Kenny Harris actually joined us for several of these drills, since Bob Brooks ran them for the most part, and they were trying to get him to lose weight.

[vu72]

Went over to see what NIU fans are thinking about the game and, for the most part, are excited. Some have noted that games in this time slot generally are well attended by students and that the University may promote it with different ideas like camping out prior to the game or, as someone suggested, doing "breakfast at the ARC".

Thought I'd fall off my chair laughing when I read this post from one NIU fan:


I may call Valpo and ask what foods the concessions stands will be selling. If it looks good, maybe I'll go to the game. (I would have to leave my house around 5:30 a.m.) I'll wear my red NIU pajamas and robe. My PJs are sort of see-through and have a few holes in them. The terry robe does provide a nice cover-up, however. Think I'll get on national TV?

Here's the link to their site:

http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=577493

[LaPorteAveApostle]

This is the kind of crack investigative journalism worthy of a ONE THOUSANDTH POST!

Congrats, 72!

[crusadermoe]

When you pay too much cable......you get depressed    When you get depressed you get up early in the morning in your red NIU pajamas and drive down the tollroad to Indiana.      When you drive down the tollroad in your pajamas you draw stares from truckers.    When you draw stares from truckers,.....you speed up to get further away from them.     When you speed up to avoid them......you get arrested for 110 mph and end up in a cell by yourself in Lake Station, Indiana..........
.... Don't end up in a cell in Lake Station....get Direct TV.

[bbtds]

When you pay too much cable......you get depressed    When you get depressed you get up early in the morning in your red NIU pajamas and drive down the tollroad to Indiana.      When you drive down the tollroad in your pajamas you draw stares from truckers.    When you draw stares from truckers,.....you speed up to get further away from them.     When you speed up to avoid them......you get arrested for 110 mph and end up in a cell by yourself in Lake Station, Indiana..........
.... Don't end up in a cell in Lake Station....get Direct TV.

You left out one thing.

When you draw stares from truckers they also get on the cb radio and soon you are the guy in the red NIU pajamas known from coast to coast and every trucker in the United States, Canada & Mexico is looking for you. Then you speed at 110 mph to avoid each and every truck driver in three countries.......

[StlVUFan]

Well played, moe

[historyman]

It there ever was an idea that could be spiced up some to draw the fans it's this game.

Just like the way TV networks advertise their tennis coverage at Wimbledon the Athletics Dept could call it "Breakfast at the A.R.C." and spice up the event. They could have some give-aways and other contests that could draw people at that early hour.

Does anyone know exactly what the Valpo athletic dept is doing to promote this game at 7:00 a.m. on Nov.13 against Northern Illinois or will it just fall to the fans to show up. I really think it needs a promotion for the non-student fans to show up too.

[valporun]

Maybe something about "Breakfast at the A.R.C." is waiting for a November 1st posting to start promoting it? We can promote that game here on the board all the time, but due to advertising dollars, maybe Valpo is waiting until November 1st?

[HC]

I imagine breakfast will be served there instead of at the union and that faculty and staff will be encouraged to spend their mornings at the ARC.  Well, that's what would make sense to me.

[valporun]

I would think the Union would still serve breakfast for those who aren't into college basketball, or who have classes that they can't miss at 8AM, not that anyone cares that I still think about those who don't like college basketball as much as we all do. There are many students at Valpo who obviously don't care for basketball, or they have other things they have to do besides a special 7AM basketball game for an ESPN TV event.

[vuweathernerd]

I would think the Union would still serve breakfast for those who aren't into college basketball, or who have classes that they can't miss at 8AM, not that anyone cares that I still think about those who don't like college basketball as much as we all do. There are many students at Valpo who obviously don't care for basketball, or they have other things they have to do besides a special 7AM basketball game for an ESPN TV event.

i'd skip an 8am class for that. hell, i used to skip evening classes when they conflicted with big games.

[valpotx]

I would definitely be at this game if I were in school.  Lack of enthusiasm from the more recent overall student body will probably lead to a sparse crowd.  We would have packed the ARC for a team like this (Valpo's expectations) 'back in my day' lol

[bmlvu97]

I would also bet that there will be a lot of open chairbacks due to people having to go to work...  I would hope that some professors would be sympathetic to those who want to go to that game, knowing that it is a unique time.  Like others who have posted, I would have missed the 8:00 AM class to go to the game...

[valpospartan]

If they are smart, they'll have coffee & donuts for sale -  Hint hint.

[historyman]

Maybe something about "Breakfast at the A.R.C." is waiting for a November 1st posting to start promoting it? We can promote that game here on the board all the time, but due to advertising dollars, maybe Valpo is waiting until November 1st?

Today is Nov.1st. When are they going to promote the Nov.13th 7:00 a.m. game against Northern Illinois? I'll bet more fans will show up for a 7:00 p.m. game than actually show up for a 7 a.m. game.