Arch Madness 2017-18

[VU2014]

Let's get back to basketball talk and the Missouri State game on this thread.

[Pgmado]

I don't pretend to know why decisions get made one way or the other in terms of a lot of things. What I can tell you is this, I'm a Valparaiso basketball reporter, not the police reporter. That said, the police reporter wrote the story yesterday that felonies were the charge, because they were. When the charge was changed, a new story was written. Not a correction, because a mistake wasn't made. Yesterday the charges were felonies and the story from yesterday accurately reflects that. Today the charges were changed to misdemeanors and today's story accurately reflects that.

As for some of the other gripes here, you're preaching to the choir. When I started as a correspondent in 05, we had a newsroom that included five full-timers in the Porter County office and one full-time sports photographer. That was just Porter County; our Lake County office had another brigade of reporters and editors. We've lost plenty of people over the years. In all my time as a correspondent, we brought in one new full-time writer in Porter County (former VU beat reporter David Robb). We've lost positions left and right, as has every newsroom across the country.

Talking to the old hacks that are still in the area, they tell me about cash and space in the paper flowing like a river. We don't live in that world anymore. I don't want to get into too much specifics here, because a) it's probably not the right venue and b) I don't want to give any impression that I'm disgruntled, but correspondent reporters have taken three pay cuts since 2005. Imagine being at a job for 13 years and taking three pay cuts. Now why are we taking pay cuts? Because each month there is a budget for how much a newspaper can spend on correspondents and as revenues go down, that number goes down. The need for stories remain the same. There's still the same amount of high schools to cover, the same amount of games to cover, the same amount of stories that need to be written. There's just less money to do it with, and as mentioned above, less full-time staff in the office to do it with as well.

So what do you do? I've been advocating for game previews all year. Each month I've asked and each month I've been apologized to. My editor doesn't want to not have game previews, but as I said before, there's only so many hours a full-timer can work (hours that are now spread across two people doing the job that five once did) and only so much money in the correspondent budget. I get paid $x per story. In order to write more stories, maybe the answer is getting paid half of x for a game preview and half of x for the gamer. That would be a fourth pay cut.

I want to be clear that I don't just view this as a problem with the paper I freelance for, it's a problem across the board with journalism. Newspapers in general haven't figured out a way to get over the insane loss of revenue that has come with the explosion of the web. When I was a kid I looked for a summer job in the paper. That doesn't happen anymore, those job listings are now on a variety of websites. When I was a kid, my stepfather used to buy automobiles and parts out of classified ads he saw in the paper. That doesn't happen anymore, those posts are now on Craigslist. When I was a kid, my mom used to wait for the Sunday paper to see what was going to be on sale at the grocery store. That doesn't happen anymore, those sales now come in emails, or people are ordering their groceries on Amazon.com. When I was a kid, my dad used to get The Milwaukee Sentinel and The Milwaukee Journal. That doesn't happen anymore, mainly because the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports section looks exactly like the USA Today sports section.

Newspapers lost a ton of revenue when the classifieds and the advertisements went away. The journalism industry couldn't figure out how to charge online. I'm a big part of the problem as well. I really wanted to read an article on the Washington Post website earlier today. The site told me I could pay $1 for unlimited access for the month. I wouldn't do it. About 20 minutes later i went to the vending machine and bought a candy bar for $1.75. Those damn things used to cost 50 cents. Come to think of it, so did newspapers. I wouldn't think anything of paying $1 for a hard copy paper, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to do it online. We're used to getting the information for free online. We don't want to pay. We don't feel we have to pay. 

So we've lost revenue from ads and classifieds, we've lost positions at the paper because of that lost revenue and that has ultimately led to less people doing more work, which science (and common sense) tells us will lead to lower quality. No wonder the President is calling all of us fake news. So now journalism isn't as good as it used to be and people are complaining and cancelling their subscriptions (like my dad) and we're making less revenue which is leading to more cuts which is leading to more cancelled subscriptions which is leading to more cuts which is leading to more cancelled subscriptions which is leading to....you see where this is going. 

I wish I had the answers for everyone who is disgruntled at "The Northwest Indiana Behind The Times" as someone so eloquently put it earlier today. I'm just a freelance reporter and I genuinely feel bad for those of you who still do pay, those of you who still do contribute to journalism. It's because of you that we're able to keep going, to keep writing stories, to keep checking power.

Thank you for reading and sorry for preaching. So much for not going into specifics. 

I'd prefer not to have this thread hijacked by this conversation, but I needed to get this out there. Should you want to discuss this further, please email me at pgmado@gmail.com.

We'll have a tourney preview in the paper on Thursday and a new episode of Union Street Hoops coming tomorrow featuring an interview with Missouri State beat report Wyatt Wheeler. I'll be in St. Louis all weekend. Come say hi if you're in town.         

[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.

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.

I'm sure Mr. Bradford is glad to hear that you believe he is more believable than the NWI Times. I will stop reading the Times now including Paul Oren...........NOT!

[covufan]

Let's get back to basketball talk and the Missouri State game on this thread.

Game 3 against Mizz St.  The off court distractions may make the team more focused.

Valpo  71
Mizz St  67

Book it!

[justducky]

Nobody has had the courage to open a game thread so lets just buck tradition and not do it. This group needs to go out on a high note to properly set the stage for the 2018-19 season. I am expecting us to win or to die trying.

In honor of setshot, I will quote covufan with

Book it!

[VULB#62]

Let's change this to the tourney game thread. 2014, if you go to your intital post to start this thread, you can modify it to be a game thread icon.

[NativeCheesehead]

All BS aside Paul, I wish there was another outlet for you for your Valpo stories.  You're too good a writer for that place.

[valpopal]

Pleased to see the official statement by Lottich and LaBarbera. Best guess is Micah will appeal his two-game suspension and play in the tournament.

[VULB#62]

Where?  Link?

Edit. Never mind saw Oren tweets

[VU2014]

I hope the guys are focused. This was a huge distraction and Coach Lottich even admitted it took time away from game prep.

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/968669441176285189

[SanityLost17]

My official prediction for Valpo @ their first Arch Madness. 

Missouri State beats us by double digits.  12-13 point loss.  The get up early and it is never really a game.     

That said.  I think if we would have drawn Evansville we would have beaten both Evansville and Southern Illinois before running out of gas and getting blown out on Saturday.   I realize Evansville beat us twice during the season, but I think we would have gotten them this time around. And as I stated before, we match up really well with SIU and if not for some really questionable calls putting our bigs in foul trouble early I think we would have swept them this year. 

[wh]

I don't pretend to know why decisions get made one way or the other in terms of a lot of things. What I can tell you is this, I'm a Valparaiso basketball reporter, not the police reporter. That said, the police reporter wrote the story yesterday that felonies were the charge, because they were. When the charge was changed, a new story was written. Not a correction, because a mistake wasn't made. Yesterday the charges were felonies and the story from yesterday accurately reflects that. Today the charges were changed to misdemeanors and today's story accurately reflects that.

As for some of the other gripes here, you're preaching to the choir. When I started as a correspondent in 05, we had a newsroom that included five full-timers in the Porter County office and one full-time sports photographer. That was just Porter County; our Lake County office had another brigade of reporters and editors. We've lost plenty of people over the years. In all my time as a correspondent, we brought in one new full-time writer in Porter County (former VU beat reporter David Robb). We've lost positions left and right, as has every newsroom across the country.

Talking to the old hacks that are still in the area, they tell me about cash and space in the paper flowing like a river. We don't live in that world anymore. I don't want to get into too much specifics here, because a) it's probably not the right venue and b) I don't want to give any impression that I'm disgruntled, but correspondent reporters have taken three pay cuts since 2005. Imagine being at a job for 13 years and taking three pay cuts. Now why are we taking pay cuts? Because each month there is a budget for how much a newspaper can spend on correspondents and as revenues go down, that number goes down. The need for stories remain the same. There's still the same amount of high schools to cover, the same amount of games to cover, the same amount of stories that need to be written. There's just less money to do it with, and as mentioned above, less full-time staff in the office to do it with as well.

So what do you do? I've been advocating for game previews all year. Each month I've asked and each month I've been apologized to. My editor doesn't want to not have game previews, but as I said before, there's only so many hours a full-timer can work (hours that are now spread across two people doing the job that five once did) and only so much money in the correspondent budget. I get paid $x per story. In order to write more stories, maybe the answer is getting paid half of x for a game preview and half of x for the gamer. That would be a fourth pay cut.

I want to be clear that I don't just view this as a problem with the paper I freelance for, it's a problem across the board with journalism. Newspapers in general haven't figured out a way to get over the insane loss of revenue that has come with the explosion of the web. When I was a kid I looked for a summer job in the paper. That doesn't happen anymore, those job listings are now on a variety of websites. When I was a kid, my stepfather used to buy automobiles and parts out of classified ads he saw in the paper. That doesn't happen anymore, those posts are now on Craigslist. When I was a kid, my mom used to wait for the Sunday paper to see what was going to be on sale at the grocery store. That doesn't happen anymore, those sales now come in emails, or people are ordering their groceries on Amazon.com. When I was a kid, my dad used to get The Milwaukee Sentinel and The Milwaukee Journal. That doesn't happen anymore, mainly because the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports section looks exactly like the USA Today sports section.

Newspapers lost a ton of revenue when the classifieds and the advertisements went away. The journalism industry couldn't figure out how to charge online. I'm a big part of the problem as well. I really wanted to read an article on the Washington Post website earlier today. The site told me I could pay $1 for unlimited access for the month. I wouldn't do it. About 20 minutes later i went to the vending machine and bought a candy bar for $1.75. Those damn things used to cost 50 cents. Come to think of it, so did newspapers. I wouldn't think anything of paying $1 for a hard copy paper, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to do it online. We're used to getting the information for free online. We don't want to pay. We don't feel we have to pay. 

So we've lost revenue from ads and classifieds, we've lost positions at the paper because of that lost revenue and that has ultimately led to less people doing more work, which science (and common sense) tells us will lead to lower quality. No wonder the President is calling all of us fake news. So now journalism isn't as good as it used to be and people are complaining and cancelling their subscriptions (like my dad) and we're making less revenue which is leading to more cuts which is leading to more cancelled subscriptions which is leading to more cuts which is leading to more cancelled subscriptions which is leading to....you see where this is going. 

I wish I had the answers for everyone who is disgruntled at "The Northwest Indiana Behind The Times" as someone so eloquently put it earlier today. I'm just a freelance reporter and I genuinely feel bad for those of you who still do pay, those of you who still do contribute to journalism. It's because of you that we're able to keep going, to keep writing stories, to keep checking power.

Thank you for reading and sorry for preaching. So much for not going into specifics. 

I'd prefer not to have this thread hijacked by this conversation, but I needed to get this out there. Should you want to discuss this further, please email me at pgmado@gmail.com.

We'll have a tourney preview in the paper on Thursday and a new episode of Union Street Hoops coming tomorrow featuring an interview with Missouri State beat report Wyatt Wheeler. I'll be in St. Louis all weekend. Come say hi if you're in town.         

New York Times CEO: Print journalism has maybe another 10 years

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/12/print-journalism-may-last-another-10-years-new-york-times-ceo.html

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'
Bob Dylan

[VU2014]

We're going to need to step up our game at least defensively against Alize Johnson at the 4. We're going to need Mileek and Markus to rise to the occasion in defending him. Mileek actually did a solid job at points during the first matchup. Alize had a quiet game. The second game at there place he absolutely erupted in the 2nd half and finished the game with 24 points and 17 rebounds.

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/968672306120806400
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/968683526026653697

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/968910532957954048

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIdBTfssCYw&feature=youtu.be

[agibson]

New York Times CEO: Print journalism has maybe another 10 years

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/12/print-journalism-may-last-another-10-years-new-york-times-ceo.html

Just to be clear, the NYT CEO is saying that the _Times_ may last another 10 years in print. They've been one of the most successful, in the world as far as I can tell, at selling digital subscriptions.

I'd be nostalgically sad to see the print edition go. I remember reading it in the library (filling out the crossword! originally with guilt...) in high school. And subscribing in print for years.

I've now subscribed digitally for years (even if I don't love their app), and haven't bought a print copy of that paper in maybe a decade. There was a time when the print subscription would have been cheaper, and even have included the digital, but I decided to pass in order to save paper.

I am concerned that my kids are missing out - that they'd be a lot more likely to read stray articles if the physical paper was laying around. I think it was formative for me as a kid (although the NYT doesn't have the hook of comics...).

I did subscribe to one of the local Valpo papers (probably the NWI Times? not 100% sure) for a couple of years. But, didn't read it all that regularly. I absolutely value it from to time. I've considered subscribing digitally, even if I'm not a regular reader, just as a show of support. But, I've never quite pulled the trigger (shame on me?). I obviously value Paul's coverage - and there's other good local stuff besides.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/969018026090778624

Crusaders aim to salvage disappointing season
Paul Oren Times Correspondent 
Feb 28, 2018

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/crusaders-aim-to-salvage-disappointing-season/article_8e10b2b4-3cc4-50d9-9891-02c234b4ff23.html

[truth219]

I wonder if Marty will be dressing?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[vu72]

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/969018026090778624

Crusaders aim to salvage disappointing season
Paul Oren Times Correspondent 
Feb 28, 2018

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/crusaders-aim-to-salvage-disappointing-season/article_8e10b2b4-3cc4-50d9-9891-02c234b4ff23.html

As to the likely rival, I voted for Evansville.  It goes back to the days of Jerry Sloane.  Paul picked this game from 1974:

Notable game: Evansville 74, Valparaiso 73, Feb. 2, 1974

Valparaiso entered the game with a 6-0 record in the Indiana Collegiate Conference and a chance to knock off the highly-touted Purple Aces who were nationally ranked at the time. Valparaiso's loss started a streak of five losses over the next seven games, including a pair of defeats to Evansville. Valparaiso failed in its quest to win back-to-back ICC titles, leaving 1972-73 as the only year the Crusaders won the conference.

It could be this game as an example of the rivalry or perhaps others from that era.  I'm sure I am not the only one who remembers a Evansville player hitting a turn-a-round jumper from well beyond the current three point line to beat us at the buzzer.  Hilltop was rockin.  Not sure when it exactly happened but could have been either Feb 27, 1969, losing 83-82 (pretty sure this is the game I had in mind) or  perhaps Feb 9, 1972 losing 74-71 in OT. 

Obviously this rivalry goes back a long time with many close games against an often National Champion.

[VU2014]

I wonder if Marty will be dressing?

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/968672921001525248

[M]

78-60 Valpo Victory....
Johnson gets tackled on a screen by Mileek and takes exception to it, winds up getting ejected, and Valpo rolls to the W 🤷‍♂️

[crusadermoe]

Missouri State has been such an enigma.    Early in the year, they looked like the best team by far.   

As late as a couple weeks ago, there was a Vegas prediction sheet that had them a clear 2nd choice behind Loyola 2nd to win the tournament.

But boy have they dropped off.  Typically teams like that either roar back when the get in the spotlight or they melt down even faster when things start wrong.   Attack them by pressing mercilessly with our short line up and maybe we run out to a lead?

[oklahomamick]

I only hope for near even free throw attempts by both teams.  Then we have a game....

[valpo tundra]

     For those who are not daunted by the difficult task of ending this season on a high note and claiming a few victories in person in St. Louis, here are a few tips to enjoy Arch Madness.  Downtown St. louis is pretty compact and walkable.  Ballpark Village is a good option to hang out with other sports fans when not in Scottrade Center. For a more local scene a few steps away from the arena, try Maggie O'Briens. Or try Missouri Bar and Grille a few blocks away.  To avoid any parking issues or costs, find a Metrolink station a few stops away from downtown, park for free, then take Metrolink and get dropped off at the front door of Scottrade Center.  Things to do in downtown when not at the game: National Blues Museum-showcasing one of the best genres music has to offer.  City Museum-not going to try and explain it but will be one of the most interesting places you will visit anywhere in the world.  Union Station-when rails were king, not too many places more elegant than here to house the trains and travel from. Citygarden-outdoor garden and art. Keiner Plaza-in the middle of everything and the kids can play outside. Flamingo Bowl-yes, bowling can be fun again here. Washington Avenue-a good street for walking with a wide variety of things to see.  The Arch-locals don't go too often but an obvious choice for visitors.  Part of the Arch grounds would be the very compelling Old Courthouse(Dred Scott Decision) and the Old Cathedral. Also, good views can be had of the Mississippi River from the foot of the Arch. The cobblestone streets of The Landing are on the north side of the Arch.  Let's say Alize fouls out and Valpo plays on Friday, then what? Go a mile south and go to the Soulard neighborhood.  It is there that you can go into any corner bar and get reasonably priced food and local beer plus many of these places have some of the best live Blues and Jazz. During decent weather, the Soulard Market is as good as it gets for an outdoor food market experience. I'd go for Mike and Min's if you're not adventurous enough to walk around and explore and just want to get in somewhere quickly. And if you thought City Museum was unique and want to continue the same vibe for an intimate place for music, food, and drink, you'd better go to The Venice Cafe. A new,small, local brewery trying to get their name out to the world, ha!, Anhueser-Busch is close by to Soulard.  If Southern Illinois forfeits and you find yourself still there on Saturday, get out of the Downtown area and explore some cool neighborhoods. I'd go to Layfayette Square for vintage architecture, South Grand for ethnic restaurants and one of the best city parks around-Tower Grove Park. Can't go wrong with the Central West End-walk around Maryland Plaza, yes, but DO NOT miss The New Cathedral. Also in the Central West End is possibly the most beautiful city neighborhood in the country-Portland Place/Westmoreland Place. I'm not kidding on that one. If you married for money and are lodging at the incredible Chase Park Plaza Hotel, you are within a few blocks of this unbelievable neighborhood. Midtown might satisfy the Arts Lover in you as well as getting to see St. Louis University (according to many dreamers on this forum, the future Missouri Valley addition). The Grove would be a good bet for those of you who want a hip area while the Delmar Loop is the more established cool spot. The Hill is one of the most authentic Italian areas this side of Florence-try Zia's if pasta is the solution.  If Illinois State is banished from the tourney for trying to steal the iconic sports name of the local MLB baseball team and you are still there on Sunday, try these world class destinations(many are free). Forest Park-home to the 1904 World's Fair and the second modern day Olympics. It is there that you will go to the St. Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, the Science Center, or the St. Louis Zoo. It is also there that you will have the best outdoor Ice Skating experience of your life.  If Loyola picks up a food virus from Imo's Pizza and you celebrate a conference championship with too much Busch or Schlafly beer and you still find yourself in St. Louis on Monday, please do not tell your significant other that is not with you there that you read this post and are now moving to St. Louis permanently.  If you get a hall pass and they allow you to stay for just one more thing without changing back to their maiden name or changing the front door lock, you should go get a concrete frozen custard at Ted Drewes on Chippewa. It is only then that you can tell people you visited St. Louis.  Go Valpo!

[valpo84]

As I often state, every good Lutheran should spend 3 years in STL.  Have a strawberry concrete at Drews for me, which was a Friday night staple when we were there.  Good luck in STL and Go Crusaders! 

[VU2014]

I thought it was impossible to get anything more then a 30 minute shootaround at these things. 
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/969233755385815041