To say this is insulting would be an understatement. Hopefully this is all the reason Valpo needs to seriously kick some butt. Think about it, Indiana State and Drake lost their coach and most of their rosters and were picked ahead of us. Weird!
Think about a guy like Darius not even given third team honors. The guy was 2nd in the league in assists, 7th in Turnover to assists ratio. 12th in steals and shot 41% from the 3 in conference play. No respect.
I am neither surprised or upset. Let them sleep.
Our first four Valley games are vs Drake, at Bradley, at Missouri St and vs UNI. Could we strongly compete in all and win maybe 3 of those 4? I'd think it is possible and even 2 wins should help get the MVC woken up.
The past speaks for itself. Although Valpo did not loose as much as the other Valley schools, the uncertainty of Stafford, and the historic failures in Valley play cast doubt the team will perform. I expect these rankings to be plastered on the locker room wall as motivation to be a dark horse.
Like Ducky pointed out Grit Squad's first 4 are some pretty decent teams, take 3-4 and the consensus shifts.
I’m optimistic. Let the games begin!
Well, Stafford or Darius maybe deserved consideration for 3rd team, but we won 7 games last year. Lets be real. Who the hell knows if we got an upgrade in talent from last year. It appears so, but lets see how the first 5 or 6 games go. Cooper will be good, but every team knows that and will force others to score. The kid from Joliet might be better than Cooper as a Freshman. Who knows.
Only question I have. Will it be Bradley or the field to cut down the Nets in St. Louis ?
To say this is insulting would be an understatement. Hopefully this is all the reason Valpo needs to seriously kick some butt. Think about it, Indiana State and Drake lost their coach and most of their rosters and were picked ahead of us. Weird!
Think about a guy like Darius not even given third team honors. The guy was 2nd in the league in assists, 7th in Turnover to assists ratio. 12th in steals and shot 41% from the 3 in conference play. No respect.
Valpo basketball has no leg to stand on from an insulted point of view.
Accomplish something first and then be insulted.
I have no problem with the predictions. Valpo finished in last place with a 3-17 record and Stafford is doubtful. There is a great opportunity to move up in standings this year more than others, since just about every other conference team was decimated by graduations and transfers, as well as a couple of coach departures. The league nearly became a blank slate. I hope VU takes advantage of this opportunity.
Nevertheless, as I said when the final new player to the roster was announced, Valpo's offseason additions were underwhelming, at least on paper, which is just about all we and the outside observers have to go on at this point. The honeymoon is over. The benefit of the doubt I'd given to VU and Coach Powell in his first year ended at the closing buzzer of the last game. This year the wisdom of recruiting and coaching decisions will be determined solely by results. I look forward to seeing the product placed on the court this season.
https://www.thevictorybell.com/p/column-valparaiso-reminded-of-place
If you have TVB this is an excellent read
If you are not a Victory Bell subscriber then I will show you no respect by telling you nothing. 
Nevertheless, as I said when the final new player to the roster was announced, Valpo's offseason additions were underwhelming, at least on paper,
I suppose you expected a couple of four stars, former starters on BIG teams or maybe a couple of guys with size and talent who just weren't happy at Butler, right?
Let me help! (I know you wanted to hear from me!)
Last year we had two basic problems. First, four of our top 10 players were skinny freshman. Second, we were outrebounded by at least 5 per game. So youth and lack of size.
We bring in a Junior who has size (6'3" 205#) who started 61 0f 65 games he played in at a MAC school.
We bring in a Junior who started 23 of 25 games he played in who is 6'7"225#
We bring in a 6'9" 240 # center who started 11 games at Holy Cross.
We bring in a 6'4" 5th year, two time NAIA All-American who shot the 3 at over 41%
We get Scroggins eligible at 6'9" and have also add 2 guys 6'8" and one at 6'7" .
So, will we be better? Who knows. Have addressed the need of experience and size? Yep.
Underwhelmed? Might it be you simply trying to not see anything positive? No, that surly couldn't be the case!
Nevertheless, as I said when the final new player to the roster was announced, Valpo's offseason additions were underwhelming, at least on paper,
I suppose you expected a couple of four stars, former starters on BIG teams or maybe a couple of guys with size and talent who just weren't happy at Butler, right?
Let me help! (I know you wanted to hear from me!)
Last year we had two basic problems. First, four of our top 10 players were skinny freshman. Second, we were outrebounded by at least 5 per game. So youth and lack of size.
We bring in a Junior who has size (6'3" 205#) who started 61 0f 65 games he played in at a MAC school.
We bring in a Junior who started 23 of 25 games he played in who is 6'7"225#
We bring in a 6'9" 240 # center who started 11 games at Holy Cross.
We bring in a 6'4" 5th year, two time NAIA All-American who shot the 3 at over 41%
We get Scroggins eligible at 6'9" and have also add 2 guys 6'8" and one at 6'7" .
So, will we be better? Who knows. Have addressed the need of experience and size? Yep.
Underwhelmed? Might it be you simply trying to not see anything positive? No, that surly couldn't be the case!
I already acknowledged along with others in a previous thread that the team might be larger, but only marginally. As for greater experience: this is debatable since most of those who you cite were in conferences or divisions lower than the MVC, and all the players who have left had at least one year of MVC experience. My estimate of an underwhelming list of roster additions is based upon appearances, what we view on paper—which is almost all we have to go on, other than hopes and wishes.
I gave VU and Coach Powell the benefit of the doubt all of last year. As Powell repeatedly said himself, that attitude ended with the end of the season. I am now only going to base my evaluations upon results. I am not trying to see anything in a positive or negative light, just being objective, as I am in all my observations. Apparently, even those more knowledgable than I who voted for the pre-season predictions see the same as I do.
Check out Paul’s latest TVB (Paul pasted the link above without comment). He plays the Rodney Dangerfield card masterfully. Great analysis and makes a low key but major point: Could the MVC in general just have a thing about Valpo? Ya gotta read it.
And speaking to the thing above. If, indeed, there is a general bias against Valpo across the conference, we have only ourselves to blame. VU was given a wonderful opportunity in being extended the invitation. It came with certain provisos (i.e., upgrading a whole bunch of stuff like BB budgets, ARC renovation/replacement, etc.). But the previous administration, back when the economy and the higher education environment was more conducive to investment, chose to try to just squeak by or maybe ignore the promises. ——————-> BTW, that was the same approach that was taken by VU after the Sweet 16 and the NIT final. Can you blame fellow MVC members for having a foul taste in their mouths after seven years of unmet expectations and broken promises?
As Mr. Rogers would say “Can you say squander boys and girls?”
Suffice to say, Valpo has a deep and enormous pit to claw its way out of both in terms of performance and perception.
So, will we be better? Who knows.
You seem to be answering your own indignant-cy with a differently worded response though more spelled out than others
Most are stating the same in different ways. We don't know anything much about the players brought in thus we don't know if the team is any better or worse...something I can't fathom. Once thing I hope is that the team is tougher. I found the collective unit weak at times last year.
The ranking/rating/prognostication of ValpoMBB is well earned.
