Today is a very sad day in VU history. I can't say I didn't know this was coming. Here on the board I was asked to keep things mum/positive, but those of us in the know knew this was coming weeks ago. I wish I could have said something sooner, but you know how that goes. I like being IN the loop, don't want to be cut out of it lol
That said, this thread is for your nice thoughts about Keith. Please do not merge this with the Freeman Resigns thread...that thread is for reaction to that. This is kind of a Freeman memorial service.
I have always enjoyed Keith. He is a hard-nosed guy and he took Valpo to the peak at one point during his career. Despite his single-minded focus and harsh nature on the court, he was quite a great guy off it. He always had a pun to share or a kind word about the family. That will be missed around the ARC...I'm hopeful that Bryce sees what this guy is about and brings him in as an associate head coach. If not, rest assured a power 6 conference will come a-knockin to snatch him up as a key assistant.
Please feel free to share any good memories you have about Keith...save the criticisms or speculation on the future head coach for another thread. May I request that we have a banner made featuring Keith's likeness, much like the rlh banner? It wouldn't have to stay forever, but let's give this guy the respect he has earned.
Keith used to come to Minneapolis every year for our Valpo Athletics fund raiser golf tourney. He didn't even play golf as I recall but was a great representative of the University. I'll always remember one speak he made concerning his faith and how it impacted his players and himself. Always had a great story about one of his players, their academic accomplishments etc. I fine role model to be sure. Good luck Keith!!
Quote from: vu72 on March 15, 2012, 06:29:03 PM
Keith used to come to Minneapolis every year for our Valpo Athletics fund raiser golf tourney. He didn't even play golf as I recall but was a great representative of the University. I'll always remember one speak he made concerning his faith and how it impacted his players and himself. Always had a great story about one of his players, their academic accomplishments etc. I fine role model to be sure. Good luck Keith!!
Classic Keith...not everyone got to see that side of him. Glad you did. Thanks for sharing, friend.
I wish Keith only good luck in his future endeavors.
It seems to me maybe Keith would make a better men's basketball coach.
Quote from: historyman on March 15, 2012, 06:33:24 PM
I wish Keith only good luck in his future endeavors.
It seems to me maybe Keith would make a better men's basketball coach.
Bryce is doing a fine job...let's not get this debate going.
Quote from: Crusader03 on March 15, 2012, 06:34:06 PM
Quote from: historyman on March 15, 2012, 06:33:24 PM
I wish Keith only good luck in his future endeavors.
It seems to me maybe Keith would make a better men's basketball coach.
Bryce is doing a fine job...let's not get this debate going.
Not at Valpo. Maybe a lower Division men's basketball program and start working his way back up quickly.
Quote from: Crusader03 on March 15, 2012, 06:34:06 PM
Quote from: historyman on March 15, 2012, 06:33:24 PM
I wish Keith only good luck in his future endeavors.
It seems to me maybe Keith would make a better men's basketball coach.
Bryce is doing a fine job...let's not get this debate going.
Who in their right minds would think he was referring to replacing Bryce with Keith? :crazy:
Quote from: okinawatyphoon on March 15, 2012, 07:18:59 PM
Quote from: Crusader03 on March 15, 2012, 06:34:06 PM
Quote from: historyman on March 15, 2012, 06:33:24 PM
I wish Keith only good luck in his future endeavors.
It seems to me maybe Keith would make a better men's basketball coach.
Bryce is doing a fine job...let's not get this debate going.
Who in their right minds would think he was referring to replacing Bryce with Keith? :crazy:
The insults are not needed here...
Good luck Keith. He will find life, as I mentioned on the other thread.
Quote from: okinawatyphoon on March 15, 2012, 07:18:59 PM
Quote from: Crusader03 on March 15, 2012, 06:34:06 PM
Quote from: historyman on March 15, 2012, 06:33:24 PM
I wish Keith only good luck in his future endeavors.
It seems to me maybe Keith would make a better men's basketball coach.
Bryce is doing a fine job...let's not get this debate going.
Who in their right minds would think he was referring to replacing Bryce with Keith? :crazy:
No problem. You have to remember this is Crusader03's thread. He likes to read things into poster's words and get defensive. I should have explained exactly what I meant. This is why I sometimes can get wordy.
historyman, Crusader03 definitely read into your comment a little too much. While you did say "men's basketball coach", you didn't refer to a specific school.
I've always been and always will be a big Keith Freeman fan. He was a breath of fresh air after the last women's coach left campus.
Keith has a great basketball mind, and I have also thought that he would be a good men's coach. Not saying at Valpo, just saying he could be a good men's coach and maybe he wouldn't have the added drama that goes along with coaching women.
We wish Keith nothing but the best. Winningest Women's Coach, couple NCAAs (and a great game against was it Minnesota?), first Horizon League tourney win, etc. He was a good guy and a friend to alumni and the University. He worked through lots of the same issues Homer did during the 90s and 00s -- facilities, practice space, locker rooms, etc. His success will pave the way for the next coach to build on from a much higher starting point than what Keith had to do. Sometimes though a change is needed to push the process to the next level. I think that was the case with the baseball team -- Twenge did a great job, but couldn't get over the last hurdles, Woodson is ready to break through. Hopefully, that's the case here, the next coach has big shoes to fill. good luck and Godspeed Keith.
Thanks to everyone who is trying to keep this positive and focused on Keith! Lot's of great comments and stories and I will be sure to let him know that he should check this thread out.
For those of you causing problems by making this thread about me instead of KEITH (the typical bunch, no one is surprised, I'm sure), I hope you're proud of yourselves. We're here to honor a legend and you are....well, you know what...I'll hold my tongue (as usual) :-X
Quote from: valpo84 on March 16, 2012, 11:07:34 AM
We wish Keith nothing but the best. Winningest Women's Coach, couple NCAAs (and a great game against was it Minnesota?),
Kansas State. I think it was played at Minnesota.
valpo84, our two NCAA trips were against Purdue in 03, and Kansas St. at Minnesota in 04. Both were fun games, we were overmatched and first timers in 03, in 04, we knew what we were getting into, and had the same team back, for the most part.
Quote from: valporun on March 16, 2012, 11:49:54 PM
valpo84, our two NCAA trips were against Purdue in 03, and Kansas St. at Minnesota in 04. Both were fun games, we were overmatched and first timers in 03, in 04, we knew what we were getting into, and had the same team back, for the most part.
I want to say Jennifer Grey was the only Senior on the 03 team?
That's Jeanette Gray, and I think you're right about that? If I remember right, Gray came in when we still had a strong upperclass in 1999-2000 with Campbell, Newcomer, Stricklett, Lentschow(sp?), and the like, then the 7-win season in 2000-2001, Jeanette's sophomore year with Hammel, Knoester, Schober, and all that. After that, she took the leadership and built the team up to be a WNIT qualifier in 2002, then back-to-back NCAA appearances in 03 and 04, even if she graduated in 03, her leadership was still there with Bechtold, Gutowski, Knoester, Baugher, Stangler, and Boone.
Quote from: valporun on March 17, 2012, 12:05:00 AM
That's Jeanette Gray, and I think you're right about that? If I remember right, Gray came in when we still had a strong upperclass in 1999-2000 with Campbell, Newcomer, Stricklett, Lentschow(sp?), and the like, then the 7-win season in 2000-2001, Jeanette's sophomore year with Hammel, Knoester, Schober, and all that. After that, she took the leadership and built the team up to be a WNIT qualifier in 2002, then back-to-back NCAA appearances in 03 and 04, even if she graduated in 03, her leadership was still there with Bechtold, Gutowski, Knoester, Baugher, Stangler, and Boone.
Jeanette. Duh ;) Who the hell was I thinking of when I said Jennifer? :crazy:
Knoester - seems like I saw her at the ARC once this year. I still remember her in 03 and/or 04 having a whale of a tournament, hitting a 3 against UMKC I wanna say and pumping her fist big time as she came back down the court because it was such a crucial one. I know one of the two years, ORU dispatched the WIU Zane Teilanes, did we beat them the other year (in the semis both times, I think)?
Ferris Bueller's sister.
I believe you are correct about WIU and Fightin' Zane Teilanes beating out ORU those two years. So many games in so little time with both tourneys going on simultaneously. In terms of what you were thinking about Gray, were you just watching Dirty Dancing?
....or Dancing with the Stars
Crusader03, what basis do you have for saying the athletic department made a last ditch effort to try to get him to stay?
I think 03 got rid of his name on this forum, as it doesn't look like he has stats anymore.
Well, I guess if you can't make up any more lies, then it's time to leave.
03 was clearly just here on some Keith Freeman love tour, but it's over now.
I don't think we've seen the last of sader'03
Quote from: sectionee on March 17, 2012, 06:28:02 PM
I don't think we've seen the last of sader'03
Probably not, considering that he's done this act before...
I know that Crusader 03 has left pretty abruptly. He often referenced me in his posts, usually in a positive manner. Not sure what to make of his praise, but it is what it is. Do you guys happen to remember dcvalpo at all? I may be wrong about this, but there were certain times when his posts seemed similar to what that guy used to say. It was almost uncanny. I could be a little off base on that, but it's just a thought.
Quote from: ValpoHoops on March 17, 2012, 06:43:16 PM
Quote from: sectionee on March 17, 2012, 06:28:02 PM
I don't think we've seen the last of sader'03
Probably not, considering that he's done this act before...
Quote from: DMvalpo18 on March 18, 2012, 12:07:45 AM
I know that Crusader 03 has left pretty abruptly. He often referenced me in his posts, usually in a positive manner. Not sure what to make of his praise, but it is what it is. Do you guys happen to remember dcvalpo at all? I may be wrong about this, but there were certain times when his posts seemed similar to what that guy used to say. It was almost uncanny. I could be a little off base on that, but it's just a thought.
If you care to put two and two together here, I'm pretty sure most of you will come up with four :)
Great to see that this thread has gone from the "positives" of Keith Freeman's coaching ability to the "positives" of Crusader03 putting his tail between his legs or taking his ball and leave the board. I'm sure my comments about the progressive "flip-flopping" of support for the women's team this year had more to add to it then I believe it should have, as I was stating a simple fact that from game-to-game, we'd see 03 or jack being so supportive of the team, then when the next game ends, if it was a loss, they were jumping all over Freeman's coaching decisions. It was difficult to agree/disagree with any of their support because it was a mess of "hot garbage" they were throwing around here about how they loved the fight the 6 healthy girls were putting out there, then ripping Freeman for not using what available bench he had for whatever reasons he chose. I'm sure Crusader03 was glad to see Freeman go, but if you want him gone, fine...but don't start a new thread thanking him for his time at VU and wanting a "memorial"/nice posts about a guy you wanted to fire back in December or January.
For the record, I have always supported the ladies and their effort, have frequently disagreed with Freeman's choice of game plans, and substitutions, and have, from time to time questioned our skill sets at a given possition on the floor. I've always voiced these concerns, and don't see that changing if improvements at all levels aren't apparent. This is a D1 program, and we need to be able to compete as one. I felt Freeman did a decent job with the hand he was delt, but, to be honest, I saw 14 W's that we should have achieved, with the same hand. It's time for change, and the university see's that, as do the players, and fans. I will continue to support the players no matter what hand they are dealt next season.
Sader has never even seen a women's game, getting you guys riled up with his obvious sarcasm was fun for him for some reason! I can guarantee you any comment IU made towrds him had no effect on him at all.
Quote from: sectionee on March 18, 2012, 04:44:32 PM
Sader has never even seen a women's game, getting you guys riled up with his obvious sarcasm was fun for him for some reason! I can guarantee you any comment IU made towrds him had no effect on him at all.
IU? Aren't they busy getting ready for the Sweet Sixteen?
My guess is we'll see a new poster at some point that seems to have the same attitude.
To tell the truth, I'm not terribly impressed with trolls (the technical internet definition of what you are talking about). Taken as such, they're harmless, but they aren't the least bit impressive.
don't feed them and they starve and die, aka go away.
It was supposed to say you not IU, what's the technical Internet expression for someone correcting others grammatical errors?
Quote from: sectionee on March 18, 2012, 06:15:13 PM
It was supposed to say you not IU, what's the technical Internet expression for someone correcting others grammatical errors?
I had no idea what you meant. IndyValpo was another plausible correction (IV?).
Eh it's all good. I'm tired and a bit cranky right now!
Quote from: sectionee on March 18, 2012, 07:22:09 PM
Eh it's all good. I'm tired and a bit cranky right now!
Me too on both accounts, though Lehigh is reviving my spirits right now ;)
Quote from: valporun on March 18, 2012, 02:22:45 PM
Great to see that this thread has gone from the "positives" of Keith Freeman's coaching ability to the "positives" of Crusader03 putting his tail between his legs or taking his ball and leave the board. I'm sure my comments about the progressive "flip-flopping" of support for the women's team this year had more to add to it then I believe it should have, as I was stating a simple fact that from game-to-game, we'd see 03 or jack being so supportive of the team, then when the next game ends, if it was a loss, they were jumping all over Freeman's coaching decisions. It was difficult to agree/disagree with any of their support because it was a mess of "hot garbage" they were throwing around here about how they loved the fight the 6 healthy girls were putting out there, then ripping Freeman for not using what available bench he had for whatever reasons he chose. I'm sure Crusader03 was glad to see Freeman go, but if you want him gone, fine...but don't start a new thread thanking him for his time at VU and wanting a "memorial"/nice posts about a guy you wanted to fire back in December or January.
Although I can remember numerous occasions on which 03 was being melodramatic about a loss that didn't really matter (basically every time), I don't think you can say he was ever calling for Freeman to be ousted, or suggesting he leave of his own will. That guy was a Freeman fanatic. As far as the sincerity involved in that fanaticism, that is for each of you to decide. I know where I'm at though.
Quote from: DMvalpo18 on March 18, 2012, 10:26:56 PMAlthough I can remember numerous occasions on which 03 was being melodramatic about a loss that didn't really matter (basically every time), I don't think you can say he was ever calling for Freeman to be ousted, or suggesting he leave of his own will. That guy was a Freeman fanatic. As far as the sincerity involved in that fanaticism, that is for each of you to decide. I know where I'm at though.
Yeah, it seemed 03 was really for a wholesale change to the women's team: get rid of the whole staff except Freeman, and get all new players. If Freeman had a problem with Kirby or the recruiting, why didn't Freeman take care of it prior to this season?
Kirby was like a mentor/best friend in the coaching circle to Freeman. He obviously didn't want to get rid of his mentor.