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After the Wake Forest game I posted a critical list of observed coaching weaknesses. This was largely disregarded or passively aggressively referenced because individual players themselves performed decently well . I unfortunately only continued to witness these problems in last nights game. Major ones from tonights game.

Recent Valpo coaching tenets:

1) little investment or success n developing players over multiple years.

2) Defense / rebounding remains subpar.

3) little investment or success in free throw shooting

4) team continues to live or die by the 3

5) Continued inability to learn from previous mistakes.

These are systemic weakneses of the new Valpo program that will only be addressed if fans and the team are honest with themselves. Just because the team played moderately well against Wake Forest but still displayed these  serious coaching problems is a nod to the potential talent of our players.


My concern with us Valpo fans is that we seem to be willing to accept core coaching and team culture problems for the sake of small wins or near misses (e.g. Wake Forest). Im also concerned that we refuse to be critical of our coaching staff (well paid, mature adults) but are more keen to be critical of individual players ( students).

First game I have been able to watch this season. A few observations over these few last seasons.

Lottich coaching style:

1) Make no investment in individual player development

2) Do not use ball movement. Rely on individual circus shots and hope they go in.

3) ignore the concept of team basketball and how every succesful Valpo team in the past share the basketball.

4) Live and die by the 3 ball because why drive to the basket.

5) never learn from previous mistakes.

6) Energized defending and rebounding is optional.

7)  No need to work on free throws, why bother. Obviously too overwhelmed with neglecting other aspects of coaching.

Disclaimer for the Lottich apologists: yes this is critical. Yes it is unfair because I am a fan who is not directly involved in the program. Yes he has had a rough start to his tenure and has had a lot of bad luck. Just observations of how the Valpo program has changed over the past few years.

Cannot tell if my pictures loaded or not. But please look up University Center if you get a chance.

For clarification, my confusion comes about as to why an updated basketball stadium and student athletic facilities are treated as mutually exclusive improvements. Perhaps I am out of the loop on this but I am curious.

As for the 35 million comment. Yes I understand the expense required of any facility. My confusion is why we cannot invest in both our student athletic facilities and the basketball facilities by building a single multi purpose facility as opposed to saying we need to invest in one over / before another.

MU basketball arena.

Attended Mercer Game last night. Was completely blown away by their game day environment. Only 3500 seats, but the entire environment was so well run that it felt like more. Also, the arena was a part of a larger student athletic facility called University Center. Why Valpo is adamant that a new basketball arena has to come at the expense of a new student facility completely baffles me.

Since moving far away from the midwest I have had few chances to watch Valpo this season. As such the only games I have been able to watch have been these blowout games.

While I am overall very disappointed with this seasons level of play and coaching, the one thing I have consistently seen is how much Max Joseph continues to hustle. 

Max has been the only reason I have not turned the tv off in disgust. He is a great leader and represents the type of player I hope to see more of at Valpo in the future.

I honestly do not know what to make of this performance, but I cannot stop warching. I am extremely concerned with the in-game decisions of our coaching staff and players.

I could understand issues like these against Purdue but the combined Northwestern and UCRV games leave me dumbfounded.

Is there anyway Valpo can remain an affiliate member of the HL in mens tennis / swimming ?