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When you elect to participate in an ncaa regulated sport, you're responsible. If you want to partake in doing drugs, you are putting your eligibility and responsibilities as a teammate in jealousy.

Plain and simple. He admitted in the report to smoking weed. Clearly didn't learn from the first offense.

How much worse do things need to get before we do something about it? First, Jubril. Then, Joe. Go ahead and blame them. Fair enough.

Then, more players leave last year. Ok fine Parker and Linssen are meh. So, whatever. Life moves on.

Meanwhile, we post a losing season after a promising start.

First year in the mvc. So, fair enough. We'll get better. Micah makes a mistake and gets arrested. Still play him in the mvc tournament. Lose first game. Season over.

This year. Great start in mvc play. Then ouch. Injuries. Laundry. Blown lead after blown lead. But, we kept hearing about the players being gritty and united. Even heard it from Matt during his speech at senior night. Keep believing - couldn't be prouder of these guys.

Then, we win our first Mvc tournament game. Yaaaayyyy all is well.

Then we get beat down by Loyola. Ok time they went to the final four last year.

It's all good - despite another losing season - look at how many seniors we'll have. This is our moment. Give Matt another year.

And then transfergate. But it's all good cuz those same players he raced about being selfless and so forth are "me-oriented."

Then we sign 3 guys from overseas with zero other scholarship offers. Still have 2 openings.

Now two more arrests. In addition to losing 5 players.

One of whom had his second offense. AND THEY DID IT ON 4/20. How ignorant. Now folks are justifying. Boo hoo. They broke the rules and got caught! It's still illegal here! Quit making excuses. That's a me-mentality.

If they don't want to follow the rules - then don't play. While everyone else pays for their schooling, these guys get full rides.

That comes with responsibility. Go around signing autographs for kids and bringing them in to play at halftime. And set this example for them???

Stand up for what's right, MLB. Do something. Don't enable the problem.

If this doesn't necessitate removal from the team, idk what does. I'm out as a season ticket holder until changes are made. Enough is enough.

This program is in shambles. Shell of what it once was. Matt has to go! Can't manage the team!

That's right. We're right where we want to be! Nothing like having zero expectations! Lol. Been awhile since I went on here since I'm having a hard time justifying my fandom. Then again, we did steal a bunch of dudes who chose us over other schools knocking down their doors.

Oh, wait - none of them had any other offers hahahahhaha.

Again, I truly hope Matt proves us all wrong and turns this thing around. But, I'm far from bought in.

No idea why we wouldn't include everyone ... great points. Not sure who adds them.

I only brought up McDonalds because of Paul Schrage, class of 1957 — Retired Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Corporation. You cant tell me there's not some pull here


Let's start with this list - pretty amazing group of individuals. Obviously, some are notable for reasons that may not correlate with financial success. Amazing group of people!

Valparaiso University alumni excel in a number of fields, and are well-known for their service work and efforts to make the world a better place. Valpo alumni remain engaged with the University and form an extensive network that benefits recent graduates. Here are a few of those alumni:

Marjorie Albohm, class of 1972 — Director of Research and Business Development, Ortho Indy; the first woman certified as an athletic trainer in Indiana (Indianapolis)
Linda Allen, class of 1978 — Director, C-130J International Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (Retired)
G. Allen Andreas, Jr., class of 1965 and Law 1968 — Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Archer-Daniels-Midland
Kathryn Baerwald, class of 1972 — Assistant University Counsel, Georgetown University
Jacqueline Baker, class of 1984 — Registered nurse and founder of health clinic in Vancouver, WA, which treats individuals unable to afford medical care
Richard Bimler, class of 1963 — Former Director, Wheat Ridge Ministries; Valparaiso University Ambassador
N. Cornell Boggs III, class of 1982, J.D. 1985 — Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary; Toys R Us Inc.
Stephen Buyer, Law 1984 — U.S. Congressional Representative for the 4th District of Indiana
Denise Casalino, class of 1986 — Won national recognition for her work as project manager for the $200 million+ reconstruction of Chicago's historic Wacker Drive
JoBe Cerny, class of 1970 — Actor, producer and author; voice of Pillsbury Dough Boy and silent actor in Cheers detergent commercials; appeared in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) and Road to Perdition (2002)
Jay Christopher, class of 1967 — Chairman of the Thatcher Corp., a software developer and reseller in Addison, IL; co-founder of The Pampered Chef
Jeffrey Dippold, class of 1974 — Vice President-Global Markets Finance, Bank of America
Bryce Drew, class of 1998 — Former NBA player (Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Hornets); former Men's Basketball Coach, Valparaiso University
Richard Duesenberg, class of 1951 — Retired General Counsel, Monsanto Co.
Robert Duesenberg, class of 1951 — Retired Senior Vice President, General Dynamics
Arthur Fabsits, class of 1962 — Consultant, Hansen Information Technology
Carolyn Femovich, class of 1971 — Executive Director of the Division I Patriot League
Donald Fites, class of 1956 — Former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Caterpillar, Inc.
Richard Gozon, class of 1960 — Retired Executive Vice President and CEO, Weyerhaueser Co.
Lowell P. Hager, class of 1947 — Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois; National Academy of Sciences inductee
Catherine Jenny, class of 1957 — Retired Director, Addiction Recovery Programs at N Street Village, Washington, D.C.
Heather (Mitchell) Johnson, class of 1974 — Obstetrician and gynecologist, Reiter Hill & Johnson, LLP, Washington, D.C.
Mary Junck, class of 1969 — Chairman, President & CEO, Lee Enterprises, Inc.
Richard Kauzlarich, class of 1966 — Former U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tiiu Kera, class of 1967 — Major General, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
Robert Kirtland, class of 1991 — Soldiers' MEB Counsel/JAG, Department of Defense-Medical Command
Paul Landahl, class of 1961 — Bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA
Jacki Lyden, class of 1975 — Host and senior correspondent, National Public Radio; author of The Queen of Sheba (1997)
Paul Manske, class of 1960 — Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine
Lloyd McClendon, class of 1981 — Nearly 20 years in Major League Baseball; Hitting Coach for Detroit Tigers
Holly Messick, class of 1999, Vice President-Corporate Relations, American Heart Association
Julie Meyer, class of 1988 — Founder and CEO of Ariadne Capital Ltd., United Kingdom.
Robert Moellering Jr., class of 1958, 1974 LLD — Chair, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital; Former professor at Harvard Law
Deborah Neymark, class of 1979 — Vice President of Regulator Affairs, Vascular Solutions
Carole Nuechterlein, class of 1983 — Chief Corporate Counsel, Sangstatt Medical Corporation in Switzerland
Rebecca Pallmeyer, class of 1976 — Judge, U.S. District Court
Robert Palumbo, class of 1980 — Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Valparaiso University; research scientist at Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland
Eugene Parker, Law 1982 — Attorney and Sports Agent; clients include Deion Sanders, Aeneas Williams, Ray Lewis, Derrick Brooks, and Emmitt Smith
Michael Rickman, class of 1984 — Corporate Counsel, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
T. Marshall Rousseau, class of 1955 — Retired Executive Director of the Salvador Dali Museum, Sarasota, Florida
Robert Rucker, Law 1976 — Justice, Indiana Supreme Court
Ben Schnakenberg, class of 2000 — Associate, High Road Capital Partners
Paul Schrage, class of 1957 — Retired Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Corporation
Al Seib, class of 1978 — Pulitzer-winning photojournalist, Los Angeles Times
Kathi P. Seifert, class of 1971 — Retired Executive Vice President, Kimberly-Clark Foundation; Fortune magazine's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2002 and Forbes.com's annual "America's Top Businesswomen"
Paul Sieving, class of 1970 — Director of the National Eye Institute
Nick Skytland, class of 2002 — Open Government Initiative Director, NASA
Rene Steinke, class of 1986 — 2005 National Book Award finalist
Jill Long Thompson, class of 1974 — Former Undersecretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture; former member of U.S. Congress; CEO/Sr. Fellow for National Center for Food & Agriculture
Charles R. Vaughan, Law 1957 — Attorney, defended Ryan White, AIDS victim
Amy Vie, class of 1989 — Vice President, U.S. Institutional Sales, Shire
Marc Voth, class of 1965 — Nuclear Reactor Inspector for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Richard Wamhoff, class of 1967 — Retired Vice-President, Asia/Pacific & Global Manufacturing/Supply Chain, H.J. Heinz Company; Retired President/CEO, Ore-Ida Foods
Julie Winkler, class of 1996 — Managing Director of Research and Product Development, CME Group
Ron Zech, class of 1965 — Chairman and CEO, GATX Corporation
Ginger Zuidgeest (Zee), class of 2002 — Meteorologist, ABC News
Jennifer Lake Zigmund, class of 2004 — Vice President, Zapwater Communications

To me, in the era we live in with so many transfers ... why not play everybody? I wouldn't worry about redshirting any player. Let them all play and see who can serve us well down the stretch. No way am I worrying about redshirting one of these newbies unless they're totally incapable of adding something to the equation. Who is to say they'll be graduating from here anyhow? Might as well get minutes out of them or at least bodies out on the court as long as we're paying for their college tuition, room & board, and food. Play em, play em, play em.

Two Takeaways

1. The infamous hook shot will live on, post-Smarolla
2. Am I the only one who thinks the ball they use in the Euro League makes for a prettier looking rotation than the US ball?

I know it's a private institution; however, where does one go to see released tax statements or whatever it is from 3+ years ago? I've heard people say they can tell what these folks made (ballpark at least) once it's been 3 years.

Just curious. If MLB, for instance, is making around $100k, then it's a different conversation than if he's making a lot more than that. Why? Because I don't know that you could find a good replacement without forking over some cash.

Also interested in knowing what Bryce made his last year at Valpo... or even Matt as an assistant or first year head coach.

Let's hope it works out and this is the new start we desperately need. It's a matter of constants and variables. If Matt is the constant and the players are the variables, one of two things can happen.
1. The players who left are the problem. Whether it be attitude, effort, skill, or a combo of any of these.
2. The players who left are not the problem as much as the smart ones who got out while they could and we're left with the same issues resulting in underperformance.

Now, I predict what this *does* do in a lot of ways is provide Matt with a safety net.

1. If things go well, he can say - told you so. It was the darn players and their attitudes. Me-mentalities.

2. If it doesn't go well and we get more of the same, he can say - well, you've gotta trust the process. They're new. They're young. They haven't played b-ball in the U.S.

It's a win-win for him more so than a gamble on his behalf. Likely secures him a contract extension either way given the remakes we've heard from administration.

Hopefully - worst case scenario - he learns how to become a head coach over these years of Valpo fans struggling to stay optimistic. And maybe it'll pay off down the road.

Best case scenario - ironically - he matures into a really good coach someday OR strings together some injury-free seasons full of all the right breaks that lands him an opportunity to move up in the ranks lol. Shoot, he's only in his mid-30's.

In that event, we are the only losers in the deal. If we could get Bryce to stay at Valpo and afford him, why would we be able to coerce another winning coach whose last name isn't Drew to stay?

Remember Samuel Haanpaa? Loved him. Came from Finland before playing at a prep school in San Antonio. 6'7" rangy shooter. Only stayed 2 years but had some big moments. Averaged 11 a game. Some fun players on that team. Bouchie (who sadly passed away I believe), Diebler, Huff, Urule, Little, Lloyd, Calum, McPherson, and Rogers. Fun group. 

Here's what I said:

"I'd say this along with what was said if I'm MLB: You do one of the following in order to keep your job: 1. Win the regular season 2. Win the MVC tournament 3. Get into the NCAA tournament 4. Get an NIT birth. 5. Win 25+ games"

I'm still trying to make sense of this comment:

"There probably isn't a coach in the country who could meet any of these requirements. You really think any of these is a reasonable expectation for next season?"

Seriously???

No coach in the country could do ONE of the following?

1. Win the regular season
2. Win the MVC tournament
3. Get into the NCAA tournament
4. Get an NIT birth.
5. Win 25+ games

Are you implying no coach in the country could come into Valpo and do ONE of these things???

How is that possible?

I'd say this along with what was said if I'm MLB:

You do one of the following in order to keep your job:

1. Win the regular season
2. Win the MVC tournament
3. Get into the NCAA tournament
4. Get an NIT birth.
5. Win 25+ games

BP? Family Express? McDonalds? Luke Oil? Urshel Labs?

I'd be hard pressed to believe we have a shell of a team left overall but have 2 point guards on the roster returning - in Micah and Sackey. And, yet we bring in a third. I guess you could say it's a replacement of Lavender. Even then, I'd like to see Micah move on at this point. Unless he plays more like a 2? Idk.

Thank you for sharing the letter. I get that he's gotta be professional and can't engage in emotions via email and such. But I still commend you for sending the letter.

Touché

Comical to listen to... they're not the ones getting paid. They're kids. Kids on scholarship - yes. But, the buck isn't supposed to stop with unpaid college athletes. It's gotta stop with those who are well-paid employees hired to find, develop, and retain talented young athletes. And when they do that - sure you'll lose some games. Sure, you're not guaranteed a winning record. Sure, you'll still lose some guys here and there. I didn't see people upset after Parker and Marten transferred. At this point, many are starting to raise their eyebrows and ask: what's going on? Especially when you tag on the back-to-back losing seasons filled with blown leads and all sorts of ups and downs but mostly question marks.

Washing machines ..... how could I forget???

You'd think if a lot of his buds who graduated with him from Merrillville are on Drake's team and Drake saw potential in him, he'd go. I see potential. Just don't know if it'll blossom in time or not.

Any of you who are still holding out hope ... God bless you for your optimism. Sorry - I can't be with you. I jumped off this wagon many months ago. Wish I had a reason to come back on.

Look at the bright side ....

There's plenty of room in the locker room right now for everybody (left) to stretch out and enjoy. Could probably give them each a hammock right about now. End tables. Lamps. Maybe even put in a kitchenette.

And another one bites the dust. Sarolla ... out. Bet he was wishing he'd of given Mileek more of an opportunity right about now .... cuz he's gonna need him!

I'd actually listen. Especially if he was honest. Paul, have you reached out to Golder, Freeman, Smits, and/or Bakari about doing a cast? Or .... any of the others from the past couple years?