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One hell of a good football coach.
Michigan State-Michigan game was a great game to watch today. Best game I've seen this year. State pulled off the upset. Go Green.

https://www.tribstar.com/sports/local_college_sports/isu_sports/mvc-attempts-return-to-normalcy-as-basketball-season-looms/article_5847b0c7-ed21-5d5e-b909-cde05aaa5b6d.html

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/1448669360663449602

Fury on Wilder after the fight inside the ring:

"It was a great fight tonight. It was worthy of any trilogy in the history of the sport. I'm not going to make any excuses. Wilder's a top fighter and he gave me a real run for my money tonight." Tyson Fury said. "I've always said I'm the best in the world and he's the second best. He's go not love for me, Deontay Wilder. You know why? Because I beat him 3 times. I'm a sportsman. I went over to show some love and respect and he didn't want to give it back. So that's fine. That's his problem. I'll pray for him so god will soften his heart."

https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1447776643557122058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1447777398158626820%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fsports%2Fjon-gruden-resigns-raiders-coach-sports-world-reacts

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1440292227364831232

[American Academy of Pediatrics]

American Academy of Pediatrics


https://www.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report/

As of August 19, over 4.59 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. Over 180,000 cases were added the past week, reaching levels of the previous winter surge of 2020-21. After declining in early summer, child cases have increased exponentially, with over a four-fold increase the past month, rising from about 38,000 cases the week ending July 22nd to 180,000 the past week.

The age distribution of reported COVID-19 cases was provided on the health department websites of 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Since the pandemic began, children represented 14.6% of total cumulated cases. For the week ending August 19, children were 22.4% of reported weekly COVID-19 cases.

A smaller subset of states reported on hospitalizations and mortality by age; the available data indicate that COVID-19-associated hospitalization and death is uncommon in children.

At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is uncommon among children. However, there is an urgent need to collect more data on longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children, including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effects.

The variant appears to be much more contagious than the original virus but for children, not as serious.
It would be helpful to know the pre-variant hospitilizations, deaths, and severe illness numbers for children.

https://twitter.com/CBBonFOX/status/1428455919545896963

I haven't been this excited about Valpo basketball since the announcement in 94 when Bryce Drew decided to come here and play for his father. Boy, those were the good old days. That first parings party with free pizza and other food was fantastic with the wild and crazy-good atmosphere of the fans and the players. And of course, that wasn't our first pairings party and we eventually made a run to the sweet 16. I was a Valpo fanatic for many years afterwards until the past few years. I haven't even attended the games the past few years. I listen to Todd or watch some games online, but with passing interest.

Now, we have a class which includes both some promising returnees as well as three Mr. Basketballs. Wow!

I expect great things from this team and hope that it is the beginning of new dominant era for the Crusaders. Hopefully, if we have the kind of success I am anticipating, the adminstration won't pass up that golden opportunity as it did in 1998 by failing to grab the brass ring and to invest in and to grow the program; instead, they should take full advantage of the publicity I am imagining we will (should) get when we make a run in the big dance. This is the right time with the right talent. Don't squander that chance to become a mid-major force again. I'm guessing that once the university decides it will do whatever is necessary to invest in the men's basketball program with the goal of making it a mid-major powerhouse, that the enrollment problems will eventually vanish.

Can't wait for the season to begin!

Has anyone had a chance to observe practices? I'd be interested in your thoughts about this new team and how good you think they are and will be.

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/1420446033818046466

https://deadline.com/2021/07/rodney-alcala-dead-dating-game-killer-was-77-obituary-1234799448/

https://twitter.com/roccomiller8/status/1415751178688765952

Darren Baker, known for infamous 2002 World Series incident, selected in MLB Draft

https://twitter.com/MLBVault/status/1414706829301583875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1414706829301583875%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fsports%2Fdarren-baker-2002-world-series-incident-mlb-draft

https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/oru/max-abmas-withdraws-name-from-nba-draft-board-chooses-to-stay-at-oru/article_4409917e-df94-11eb-bf07-0f6504098f0a.html

What a great player. 


Interesting trivia:

At the Sweet Sixteen level, Arkansas defeated ORU 72-70. As time expired, Abmas barely misfired on a 3-point shot. If that shot had been converted, the Golden Eagles would have been matched with Baylor in an Elite Eight showdown. That game would have been doubly meaningful for [coach] Mills, who in 2003-17 was on coach Scott Drew's Baylor staff.

[GCU commits ranked by star]

There are 1392 transfers according to the latest from Verbal Commits.
Bryce's first year at GCU. Matt's fifth year at Valpo.

GCU commits ranked by star:

Star
Rank
4.3   SF   Taeshon Cherry   JR   8-Jun   210      Arizona State to   GCU
4   PF   Aidan Igiehon   SO   10-Jun   245      Louisville   to GCU
3   SG   Walter Ellis   JR   5-Jun   190      Bucknell to   GCU
2   PF   Yvan Ouedraogo   SO   9-Jun   260      Nebraska to   GCU


Valpo commits ranked by star:

Star
Rank
2   PG   Trevor Anderson   RS SR   2-Jun   200   Yes   Wisconsin   to Valparaiso
2   SF   Kevion Taylor   SR   5-Jun   220   Yes   Winona State to  Valparaiso
2   PF   Thomas Kithier   JR   8-Jun   230   Yes   Michigan State to  Valparaiso

[What's next for Grand Canyon's men's basketball team after breakthrough season?https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/gcu/2021/03/23/whats-next-gcu-basketball-after-break-through-season/6972811002/]

What's next for Grand Canyon's men's basketball team after breakthrough season?

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/gcu/2021/03/23/whats-next-gcu-basketball-after-break-through-season/6972811002/

"Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State and Stephen F Austin begins play in the WAC next school year."

[YEAR]

Based on Pomeroy's Final Rankings

YEAR
1. B 138...........M 104

2. B 65.............M 150

3. B 163...........M 220

4. B 64.............M 146

5. B 42.............M 193

It's too late this year but perhaps next year, everyone who posts here can join the ESPN bracket challenge using the moniker you have here on this board.
You can also join the Valparaiso Fan Group which keeps track of everyone's bracket in that group and it shows the %tile of your bracket. You could be in 150,000th place but be in the 80th percentile because there are so many ties. (In the Valpo fan board there is a separate calculation of standings relating only to the fan group's total brackets.)  But it's fun to see how you compare to the other roughly 16,000,000 other brackets across the country who submitted a bracket.

https://twitter.com/WinterSportsLaw/status/1377293612069875714

Another good thread:

https://twitter.com/achristovichh/status/1377294396316643330

Has our current coach done an excellent job of furthering the success of our basketball program and has he earned the privilege of continuing to be the head coach?

[3,886]

Per NCAA website:
Comparison to Gonzaga, First number Valpo, second Zags

The Tale Told: When a board, administration, and athletic department make a commitment to invest in a top-notch men's basketball program and another board, administration, and athletic department decides not to make a commitment to a top-notch men's basketball program.

1978  2,500/3,227
1979  923/3,308
1980  1,495/2,075
1981  1,170/3,052
1982  854/2,778
1983  1,836/1,904
1984  1,881/2,884
1985  1,288/2,182
1986  1,061/1,826
1987  1,882/2,116
1988  1,812/2,116
1989  1,817/2,224
1990  1,727/1,960
1991  2,356/2,657
1992  2,031/3,172
1993  2,640/3,055
1994  3,251/3,378
1995  3,446/3,537
1996  3,886/3,193
1997  3,625/3,122
1998  3,861/3,616
1999  4,327/3,723
2000  4,039/4,007
2001  4,327/3,958
2002  4,530/3,997
2003  4,376/4,000
2004  3,945/5,164
2005  4,174/6,422
2006  3,353/6,367
2007  3,520/6,406
2008  3,666/6,000
2009  2,973/6,000
2010  2,739/6,000
2011  3,362/6,000
2012  3,383/6,212
2013  3,173/6,000
2014  2,833/6,000
2015  3,066/6,325
2016  3,572/6,000
2017  3,086/6,000
2018  2,722/6,000
2019  2,611/6,000
2020  2,797/6,000                                 
       

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/03/21/coronavirus-college-students-online-closing-private-liberal-arts/2889546001/

First is the short-term hit: Students are leaving residence halls in droves as colleges ask all but those truly unable to go home to pack up. Colleges are being called on to issue refunds, which could total in the millions of dollars for some larger liberal arts colleges. Schools are facing unexpected costs as they try to switch their entire classroom instruction apparatus to online-only. That's a particular challenge for small liberal arts colleges, whose calling cards are face-to-face relationships between faculty and students.
Then the second wave: What if summer sessions are out? That could remove millions more in tuition revenue and housing money. Small, private liberal arts colleges are extremely tuition-dependent.
Then the third wave will hit. Nobody knows how long the forced disruption will last, how deep a recession will be and how many students won't be on college campuses come fall. On a campus with only 1,400 students — like many scattered across the nation — a loss of even 50 students from projected classes could cause a major dip in revenue.

"I fear that this recession will have a major impact on institutions across the country," said Jeff Abernathy, president of Alma College, which enrolls just under 1,500 students in mid-Michigan.
Many of the nation's small liberal arts colleges and universities are in small, rural towns. Hardship for the schools can extend to the whole town.
"Think of all the ways 1,500 or 2,000 or 4,000 students affect the local economy," Hoogstra said. "Not having those students in town or the events is going to cause issues beyond just the college."
With demographers showing a shrinking number of high schoolers for several years to come, and with rising concerns about tuition costs, these small colleges were already facing tough competition for students. Many presidents already had concerns about the financial future of their schools.

https://twitter.com/TheBabylonBee/status/1239250135802171393

Bryce Drew mentioned as possible replacement. I'm thinking he just might pass on that one. 

There is none.

https://twitter.com/ESPNLunardi/status/1237738064056922113/photo/1

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/bracketology-bubble-watch-texas-vs-oklahoma-and-mississippi-state-vs-south-carolina-are-tuesdays-key-games/

https://www.betfirm.com/odds-to-win-the-ncaa-tournament/

https://twitter.com/hardwiredsports/status/1234308257390432261

From TeamRankings:

N. Iowa 38.7%
Loyola 18.2%
Bradley 13.7%
Ind. St. 9.8%
So. Ill. 4.0%
Valpo 5.9%
Miz. St. 6.0%
Drake 3.1%
Ill. St. 0.6%
Evansville 0.1%

https://twitter.com/JRoseWXYZ/status/1233114670233530370

https://twitter.com/ewieberg/status/1233426873767649280

https://twitter.com/jppalmCBS/status/1233348218144071681

https://twitter.com/NJ_Joel/status/1231567911241666562

https://twitter.com/andrewdieckhoff/status/1231272691350425600

https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1231028152459239425

https://twitter.com/HeatCheckCBB/status/1230961274172739584

   

Season   3P%   Distance
   1987   38.40   19' 9"
   1988   38.30   19' 9"
   1989   37.80   19' 9"
   1990   36.80   19' 9"
   1991   36.20   19' 9"
   1992   35.60   19' 9"
   1993   35.40   19' 9"
   1994   34.50   19' 9"
   1995   34.40   19' 9"
   1996   34.20   19' 9"
   1997   33.90   19' 9"
   1998   34.30   19' 9"
   1999   34.10   19' 9"
   2000   34.30   19' 9"
   2001   34.50   19' 9"
   2002   34.50   19' 9"
   2003   34.70   19' 9"
   2004   34.40   19' 9"
   2005   34.60   19' 9"
   2006   34.80   19' 9"
   2007   34.90   19' 9"
   2008   35.10   19' 9"
   2009   34.20   20' 9"
   2010   34.20   20' 9"
   2011   34.40   20' 9"
   2012   34.30   20' 9"
   2013   33.90   20' 9"
   2014   34.40   20' 9"
   2015   34.30   20' 9"
   2016   34.70   20' 9"
   2017   35.00   20' 9"
   2018   35.10   20' 9"
   2019   34.40   20' 9"
   2020   33.30   22' 1.75"

[January 2 Rank/Current rank/+Increase(-Decrease)]

January 2 Rank/Current rank/+Increase(-Decrease)


No. Iowa 81/35/+46
So. Illinois  198/153/+45
Indiana St. 115/98/+17
Loyola  106/95/+11
Drake  150/143/+7
Valpo  167/165/+2
Bradley  113/112/+1
Illinois St.  201/220/(-19)
Mizz. St.  140/168/(-28)
Evansville  204/287/(-83)

[Offensive Efficiency Conference-Only Rank]

Offensive Efficiency Conference-Only Rank
1. No. Iowa
2. Bradley
3. Drake
4. Ind. St.
5. Loyola
6. Mizz. St.
7. Valpo
8. So. Ill.
9. Ill. St.
10. Evansville
Defensive Efficiency Conference-Only Rank
1. Loyola
2. So. Ill.
3. Ind. St.
4. No. Iowa
5. Bradley
6. Valpo
7. Ill. St.
8. Drake
9. Mizz. St.
10. Evansville
Current Record/Expected Record for the remaining games:
                                           Final Expected Record
                                                  in Conference
1. No. Iowa          10-2/6-0                  16-2
2. Bradley             7-5/4-2                    11-7
3. Drake               6-6/3-3                     9-9
4. Indiana St.        7-5/4-2                    11-7
5. Loyola               8-4/4-2                    12-6
6. Mizz. St.            5-7/2-4                    7-11
7. Valpo                 5-7/4-2                    9-9
8. So. Ill.               9-3/2-4                    11-7
9. Ill. St                 3-9/1-5                    4-14
10. Evansville         0-12/0-6                  0-18

If this goes as expected, Valpo will be straddling positions 6th and 7th place, the tie-breaker to be determined by the MVC's tie-breaking rules.

EDIT: The cumulative probabilities place Valpo at 8-10, a solid tie for 7th and 8th with Mizz. St.

Northern Iowa predicted to be a 10-seed.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2020/02/10/ncaa-tournament-bracketology-march-madness-bubble-watch-acc-duke-louisville/4711426002/

[outstanding sophomore guard (Valparaiso's Javon Freeman-Liberty]

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2020/1/22/21076934/northern-iowa-a-j-green-is-the-best-guard-that-no-one-is-talking-about

Rising to the Occasion
During a recent showdown with the Valley's other outstanding sophomore guard (Valparaiso's Javon Freeman-Liberty), Green responded by scoring 29 points in a back-and-forth contest. Coach Jacobson said there was something different about Green's approach.

Butler at Villanova, 6pm CST CBS Sports.

San Diego State

Who have they beat?

BYU
Creighton
Iowa
Utah
Utah St.
Nevada
Boise St.

Northern Iowa @ Bradley

Top two dogs fighting it out.

I say Bradley wins in a white-knuckler battle.

So far, they are 0-3 and it doesn't look like they will win another conference game.

It was a good thing they replaced Bryce.

Brought the homie in.