Arch Madness 2017-18

[VU2014]

How much will losing Bradford impact the game. He was playing a little better of late as the backup PG.

Bradford's production in the previous 2 meetings with MSU this season:

Sun, Dec 31 - L 67-50: 2pts (FG: 1-6), 3pt: 0-4, FT: 0-1, REB: 2, AST: 1, TO: 0, Min: 22

Wed, Jan 17 - L 64-57: 5pts (FG: 2-5), 3pt: 1-3, FT: 0-0, REB: 3, AST: 3, TO: 3, Min: 25

[elephtheria47]

I think the team will suffer more from another tough gut punch, and in crunch time, more so than just losing Bradford and what he could have brought to the tourney.


And to answer a prior question,  your own apartment is private but an apartment complex is public. If you are using the apartment to conduct criminal activity, i.e. smoking pot, then you are maintaining a common nuisance. Any neighbor can call the police and if they smell pot from your apartment they have probable cause. This isn't minor consuming where the typical disposition is pretrial diversion if it's your first offense like sorolla...

[Valpo89]

I guess that the team must have flown to Drake?  Even at that, the timeline is pretty tight.  2PM game ending at 4PM, after game media obligations and post game player trainer activities, and then trip to airport for a 380 mile flight back to Valpo and then going back to the ARC to get vehicles. I think he would be lucky to get to the apartment by 7:30PM. I don't know that we should automatically think that Micah is the guilty party, who knows who was there toking up after the game and could have left before the cops got there???

I heard they got back in town at 6:30.
I thought the same thing. If they had to take a 7 hour bus ride, maybe Micah stays out of trouble.

[bbtds]

I heard they got back in town at 6:30.
I thought the same thing. If they had to take a 7 hour bus ride, maybe Micah stays out of trouble.

Which brings up that famous song by the lisp syncers Smilli Vanilli

Blame it on the Plane.

[agibson]

My guess is that he will plead to some lesser charge, do community service and be suspended for 5 games--if he comes back to Valpo.  Just dumb, really dumb. 

Normally just two games, isn't it? And, as we've seen before, the penalty can potentially be served later.

[VU2014]

I guess that the team must have flown to Drake?  Even at that, the timeline is pretty tight.  2PM game ending at 4PM, after game media obligations and post game player trainer activities, and then trip to airport for a 380 mile flight back to Valpo and then going back to the ARC to get vehicles. I think he would be lucky to get to the apartment by 7:30PM. I don't know that we should automatically think that Micah is the guilty party, who knows who was there toking up after the game and could have left before the cops got there???

I heard they got back in town at 6:30.
I thought the same thing. If they had to take a 7 hour bus ride, maybe Micah stays out of trouble.

Regardless if it was a bus ride or a plane ride, it doesn't matter. He made a poor decision and should face some form of consequences. I think since the felony charges will likely get dropped, it won't lead to getting kicked out of school. I don't think smoking pot should lead to someone getting kicked out of school or even off the team, but he shouldn't be playing in Arch Madness, imo. I don't care if it leads to us having a disadvantage and being a man down. If you do the crime you need to do the time and face the consequences. This suspension shouldn't start next season given the circumstances.

[vu72]

My guess is that he will plead to some lesser charge, do community service and be suspended for 5 games--if he comes back to Valpo.  Just dumb, really dumb. 

Normally just two games, isn't it? And, as we've seen before, the penalty can potentially be served later.

[/b]

Could be.  I suggested five because of the seriousness of the incident.  You know, a couple of underage beers, two games.  A couple of felonies, five games! 

[4throwfan]

This will lead to an interesting shuffle of minutes for the tournament.  Assuming that Valpo would do well, and win some games, then it would mean that Bakari would play 40 minutes per game for 4 games in 4 days.  That's a lot to ask.  It seems that Max (the only other viable point guard) will need to pick up some of that time, which (in my mind) leads to additional minutes by Mileek.  I.e., when Bakari is resting, then Max - 1; Walker - 2; Golder - 3; Mileek/Kiser - 4; Sorrolla/Smits - 5.  Walker and Golder were going to need to play a lot of minutes anyway.  It's just that Max's minutes at the 2/3 has to be reduced (so that he can pick up time at 1), and picked up by someone else (Golder), which means that Golder's time is dedicated to 3, rather than 3/4, which means that Mileek needs more minutes.

[valpopal]

Also, the police activity happened Saturday evening with the arrest time being 9 p.m. Therefore, the university must have known about this either that night or early Sunday morning. I heard rumors about this Monday morning. The news story was released early Monday afternoon. Yet, we are approaching Monday evening and there has been no official statement from the university, the Athletics department, or Coach Lottich. All we have is that the university spokeswoman has declined to comment. I'm surprised. Normally, the advice is to get out ahead of a bad news story as quickly as possible.

Three days later and so far there has been no official statement from the university, which only fuels all sorts of speculation about what happened or what should/will be done as this issue continues to take focus away from the tournament and Valpo's game. Delay in making decisions and declaration of actions often can be more damaging.

[bigmosmithfan1]

Delay in making decisions and declaration of actions often can be more damaging.

I'd rather everyone have all the facts available before making any decisions or declarations. Especially since it seems like there are some unanswered questions in regards to the conduct of law enforcement and how they magically decided to throw the felony book at Micah for something that is a misdemeanor charge at worst for most kids in town.

[valpopal]

Delay in making decisions and declaration of actions often can be more damaging.

I'd rather everyone have all the facts available before making any decisions or declarations. Especially since it seems like there are some unanswered questions in regards to the conduct of law enforcement and how they magically decided to throw the felony book at Micah for something that is a misdemeanor charge at worst for most kids in town.

Then simply decide that Micah will not be participating in the tournament and declaration of further actions will be dependent upon the legal process moving forward.

[elephtheria47]

Now you have to play to win and also keep in mind that if you do win, you have another game within 24 hours with a shorter bench. I'd be getting the starters (bakari especially) some rest early in the first half so he's fresher at the end. Take him out at 13 min so he can rest until the under 12 timeout and again around 5 min so he can rest until under the 4 min timeout. Only a min or two of game action (4 possessions) but more like 5 actual minutes of rest.

[NativeCheesehead]

Nope. Can't be thinking of game 2 in the middle of game 1. Do whatever you have to to win thursday night, worry about friday afterwards.

[FWalum]

Since his Dad tweeted that Micah tested negative and that this was not his residence, then perhaps this whole thing has been blown out of proportion by the cops and media.  If he did test negative then I see no reason why he should not be with the team.

This has been a HUGE distraction and probably has taken the focus of the team away from what should be a winnable game.

[NativeCheesehead]

Can't get The Times to print a game preview story but they'll splash this all over the website without asking questions.......

[VU2014]

Can't get The Times to print a game preview story but they'll splash this all over the website without asking questions.......

It's the era journalism we live in. It's all about clicks. NWI Times is probably aware the charges were down graded to a misdemeanor but they'll leave up that headline to get as many clicks as possible. They probably won't even issue a edit.

NWI Times would probably rather have the University pay them for advertising then issue a game preview for the only D1 Men's Basketball program in the area...

[bbtds]

Ok, some of us were premature to assume that Micah is guilty before getting due process but aren't the rest of you presuming innocence based on one statement from a relative of an aledged perpetrator? We still need to wait for all the facts or at least all the facts that are revealed.

[Pgmado]

Can't get The Times to print a game preview story but they'll splash this all over the website without asking questions.......

Bradford is a sophomore at the school and plays guard on the basketball team.

Valparaiso University spokeswoman Nicole Niemi declined comment on Bradford's arrest.

Sure sounds like the paper tried to ask questions.

[valpo64]

The Northwest Indiana Times should probably be known as "Northwest Indiana Behind The Times".  I would think that the University would let Paul and some others have an earfull about the total lack of, or lousy at best, coverage they give VU atjhletics. It is nlo wonder that we have trouble getting our message out to our fans and potential fans even when we have region  athletes involved.

[VU2014]

Can't get The Times to print a game preview story but they'll splash this all over the website without asking questions.......

Bradford is a sophomore at the school and plays guard on the basketball team.

Valparaiso University spokeswoman Nicole Niemi declined comment on Bradford's arrest.

Sure sounds like the paper tried to ask questions.

Paul tell your people at the NWI Times to update the article and the headline... it's a misdemeanor now.

[VU2014]

The Northwest Indiana Times should probably be known as "Northwest Indiana Behind The Times".  I would think that the University would let Paul and some others have an earfull about the total lack of, or lousy at best, coverage they give VU atjhletics. It is nlo wonder that we have trouble getting our message out to our fans and potential fans even when we have region  athletes involved.

I think Paul does a great job covering Valpo Basketball but I think the days of getting game previews in the paper for Valpo Basketball are over. I wish they weren't but it seems the paper doesn't want to do that anymore. Valpo would probably need to pay to get advertising in the paper to let the community know when the games are, which is unfortunate.

[FieldGoodie05]

The Northwest Indiana Times should probably be known as "Northwest Indiana Behind The Times".  I would think that the University would let Paul and some others have an earfull about the total lack of, or lousy at best, coverage they give VU atjhletics. It is nlo wonder that we have trouble getting our message out to our fans and potential fans even when we have region  athletes involved.

I think Paul does a great job covering Valpo Basketball but I think the days of getting game previews in the paper for Valpo Basketball are over. I wish they weren't but it seems the paper doesn't want to do that anymore. Valpo would probably need to pay to get advertising in the paper to let the community know when the games are, which is unfortunate.

You guys are right, it's 1990 and the newspapers are flush with cash and staff to write stories.  I forgot the time warp we live in...

Paul, when you started with the times how many people staffed the sports desk vs currently?

[FWalum]

Ok, some of us were premature to assume that Micah is guilty before getting due process but aren't the rest of you presuming innocence based on one statement from a relative of an aledged perpetrator? We still need to wait for all the facts or at least all the facts that are revealed.

I don't know that anyone has declared him innocent.  I have always used wording that indicated it would require a negative drug test to make me believe he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  His father seems more believable than the paper, right now, because the NWI Times certainly made it seem as if the scene of the "crime" was his residence.  The tenor of the article would have been different if it were disclosed that this was not his apartment.

[crusadermoe]

If some facts were wrong in the paper, there is this thing called, "libel."    From my rapid reading of these posts it seems more likely that the paper just insinuated a lot of things to serve as "click bait."   

So many have pointed out how few live photos we see of VU games in the paper and website.  Yet, as some have said, they lost no time putting his face right out there and attaching the word, "felony."   Pretty pathetic work by the Times, especially given the troubled racial history of the Valparaiso area.  Many in the community have worked long and hard to ensure people don't jump to conclusions. 

[VU2014]

They just changed it.  Thank you to Paul and the NWI Times for the correction.

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/968613246122053632