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Lots of love for MVC VB in the post-season.

UNI with the NCAA auto-bid, Illinois State gets an at-large.

Bradley, Drake, and Valpo all in the NIVC. Lots of respect for the MVC.

Looks fairly similar to an NIT. Second year in operation after a run 1989-1995.

I think it's just the regular season champs that get an auto-bid, at least the tournament was talking about seven auto-bids.

Valpo is labeled a "home" team against Ball State. A bit unfortunate that they'll play the game on the same court where Ball State played their conference tournament. The Valpo-Ball State game is Thursday 5:30 PM eastern (in Oxford, OH - Miami-Ohio hosting). Four teams play three games on that court in two days, the first two rounds.

Was t the land owned by the town or city or whatever?? Seems like that would and should be reported on regardless of who is buying it.

Any real estate transaction is eventually recorded public info, right? (And, because of the arrangement with city owned property, it may wind up in the city council minutes in a month or so.) But, obviously, it doesn't always wind up reported prominently in the newspaper.

I assume he was talking about the land purchase rather than the G league/two-way salary because he said "off the court". But, maybe he considers his salary "off the court". (The salary number was lower than what I had in mind... I thought he'd spent enough days with the Suns to push his number closer to NBA rookie pay, or at least the max two-way pay which I thought was higher. But, still, it was larger than the usual G league number.)

And sort of an odd tweet from Alec. I'm not sure if he's intentionally trying to draw attention to this, or what.

[tweet]1064970291657486338[/tweet]

Presumably it'll be public record soon enough.

Glancing at the Russian front.

Looks like Alec's probably the starting power forward, but playing in what looks like a deep rotation - maybe because of lots of games, and inferior competition?

8-0 in the VTB United League
7-0 in the Euroleague

Peters 19 MPG (6th) in Euroleague, 7.7 PPG (7th), 3.3 RPG
7.2 PPG, 15.3 MPG in VTB

We won a game and we kept both of the losses close vs. an ACC team and the favorite to win the American conference (WKY).

WKY is picked to win CUSA, rather than the American.

I don't know much about these box out rules, etc. but my read on the situation was very similar to what valpotx is saying.

https://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=3277.msg105811#msg105811

On the Fazekas play it didn't seem like a conventional box out at all - the Wake player slid in late, undercutting him. The commentator's analysis of that play seemed off base, almost like they were talking about another Wake player and a conventional box out.

Does anyone have tickets for sale for the Valpo game that Friday night in Myrtle Beach or know how I could get three for a reasonable price? I should have bought tickets when they were released but didn't realize it would sell out and that the stadium only seats just over 3k. I was planning to go Friday night with some friends. The only tickets for that session are $180 each on prime sports. While I would consider paying that to watch Valpo in person because I live in the south and don't see them live often, my friends who didn't go to Valpo wouldn't be interested in spending that much, which I understand. We went last year in savannah and the place was practically empty. I realize this is a better tournament though.

Yeah, the Savannah comparison is striking. I'm really surprised this sold out!

Was Jay participating at the practice? Spotted in a boot and on crutches on campus today. Anyone have the story?

Looking forward to being back for Homecoming this weekend with the UNI volleyball match Saturday.

The VU women looked good against Drake, very confident, and got the 3-0 sweep against an opponent with a decent resume, to clinch the best start in program history.

Saturday against UNI, Valpo dropped the first set, but won the second. It's the first set anyone in the Valley has taken off UNI this season. (Earlier on this road trip UNI went to Loyola, previously undefeated in conference, and swept them.) (Recall that UNI got an at-large bid last season, then swept Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament; UNI got six points off two national #23 votes in the last VB poll this season, so RV.)

Valpo looked good, confident, and was certainly in the game. Lots of long points and hustly digs, which was Valpo's game last year. UNI did much of the same, really, and I don't know that our hitters were out-muscled. Seemed like a pretty tight rotation from Valpo, with an interesting habit of bringing a freshman in just for one rotation to serve. I'm no VB player, but she serves from the opposite side of most players, kind of a knuckleball feel, and gets some aces.

We should definitely make some noise in the Valley this season. Should be fun.

Good crowds both nights (listed around 600 Saturday? probably more Friday, but some fraction were students there apparently more socially than for the VB; that's OK too). Nice to hear the ARC get loud for VB.

It is very hard to disprove a negative or "false" review (as we are being reminded every day recently) that is posted on the myriad of sites that offer the chance for "patrons" to voice their opinions.

One customers (not your customer, wrong market) perspective. On Yelp, I do take it into account (and mostly appreciate) when the owner replies to comments. You don't want to come across as overly defensive. But, if it's an owner who apologizes for bad experiences, or appreciates compliments, etc. and then occasionally comments on a negative review "This is hogwash... this person tried to blackmail us." I'd be inclined to ignore that negative review. Not that it helps your numerical average, necessarily. And, who knows, maybe this would just pick an internet battle with the blackmailer.

*shrug* Not an easy business!

Great start but, against teams that are a combined 0-9 in conference.  It will get a lot harder Friday against Drake who is 12-4 on the year.  Looking forward to seeing my first volleyball game in person and hope to see the streak continue!

This sounds about right. It gets tougher with Drake: the first MVC opponent we'll face this season with a winning record, and decent place in the pre-season poll. And then a lot tougher with UNI (NCAA at-large last year, undefeated in MVC play this year, etc.) on Saturday.

But, a fantastic start! Hopes are high.

Last year it felt like we lacked the thunderous hitters that the top MVC teams, and had to make up for it by leading the nation in digs to finish middle of the pack. We return a lot of talent, but will our offensive game have changed fundamentally? I'll be curious to see the freshmen. Hopefully I'll make it out Friday or Saturday, or both. Or, maybe we can find a winning recipe building on our existing strengths. Clearly it's been working so far this season, if against less-than-stellar opposition.

Mentzignen and Garcia, who played together at FC Detroit this summer, both named all-Valley pre-season (just 11 players I think).

The men got thumped pretty good by Western Michigan (ranked #14 nationally or something, 10th seed in the NCAA tournament last season and went to the Sweet Sixteen) on the grass at Eastgate Thursday afternoon. But, hopefully things look up from there.

With so many international students and kids from other parts of the country, how hard would it be for VU itself to charter a few buses for students to get to the airport? Charge the students a fee to cover costs.

It could be a thing, but I bet demand wouldn't be _huge_, and might make it hard to offer an attractive service.

At the ends of semesters, people tend to leave at various times during finals week, when their exams are finished.

If you offer a bus (or multiple) after all the finals are done, will anybody still be around to take it? Otherwise... do you offer one a day? Early in the morning?

Alternative transportation exists (get a ride to the airport, get a ride to the South Shore, or to the Portage bus stop; maybe a few taxi/limo/uber) so if any VU-sponsored service isn't convenient (wrong day, wrong time, price not attractive) then customers will look to other options.

I think the university had some role in starting up the local Valparaiso bus service (maybe the Student Senate even kicked in an initial, or even ongoing, contribution?) which does include some options to the South Shore.

"If there is a chipotle in Moscow, life will work out here"

I'm not sure I've ever had decent Mexican, or Tex-Mex, or Cali-Mex, or any kind of decent tacos or burritos at a restaurant in Europe. (Admittedly, I probably gave up after a while.) There was one place in Geneva that looked decent for tacos, but I never managed to get there.

It is an excellent program.

Agreed.

And it's been good fun to experience an air conditioned chapel. Maybe only made practical by the window replacements of a few years ago?

To summarize briefly, the service may have improved a little in the last months. I did manage one trip Valpo <--> Midway without any significant problems. But, problems with the service did continue.

A week or two ago they announced that they would end the Valparaiso service as of about August 20. The rest of the service will continue.

So, for Valpo, it's back to the Portage stop being the closest. If they can use this change to get back to a similar level of reliability to what they've had over the years, this may be for the best.

It would be nice to have a reliable, affordable, airport service from Valpo. But, Coach USA under the current management didn't seem able to provide that. (And has suggested that the ridership numbers may not have warranted it.)

Jason Hawkins just named head coach at Trinity Christian.

You can almost guarantee we will be hosting Trinity Christian sometime within the next 2 seasons. Congrats to Jason Hawkins! A great coach.

They've seemed like a fixture already. At least twice in recent seasons.

[But, the road at the bottom of the image surprises me.]

I guess the paved circle is a version of the VUCA turnaround, for dropping of patrons for concerts and such. Not crazy. But, the road at the bottom of the image surprises me. I don't know what it's for. It seems to go maybe even further than the current road, which ends at the current turnaround, I near as I can tell exists only to serve the turnaround.

Pretty sure that is not a road but a walking path.  My understanding is the only road is the one leading to the drop off for the VUCA.

Yeah, I think you're right (particularly after getting eyeballs on it today). But I have no idea why they decided that one of the walking paths should be black.

I guess the paved circle is a version of the VUCA turnaround, for dropping of patrons for concerts and such. Not crazy. But, the road at the bottom of the image surprises me. I don't know what it's for. It seems to go maybe even further than the current road, which ends at the current turnaround, I near as I can tell exists only to serve the turnaround.

The road at the bottom appears to go all the way through??

Right? Almost like they want to reconnect Chapel Drive. Which would be very strange.

I walked over there at lunch time, and they do seem to have around 50 feet of that path, the Chapel end of it, maybe just at the edge of the illustration, freshly paved with black top. A little bit wider than the existing pathway/walking path/bike path that it butts up against. It doesn't look like a road. No idea why the want to make some of the paths blacktop. Very strange.

They've torn up part of the road on the Chapel side also, right where the road dead ends there between the Chapel and the Union. Not sure what's going on there.

Very cool, it looks like dogs will be allowed!

Heh. I don't actually know the campus policy there. I do see one on campus every once in a while.

(And, periodically, maybe every finals week, Prof. Maugans does bring a therapy dog to campus for petting opportunities in the Chapel.)

I guess the paved circle is a version of the VUCA turnaround, for dropping of patrons for concerts and such. Not crazy. But, the road at the bottom of the image surprises me. I don't know what it's for. It seems to go maybe even further than the current road, which ends at the current turnaround, I near as I can tell exists only to serve the turnaround.

Wikipedia claims he supports FC Zenit in soccer; from St. Petersburg, evidently his home city. He does also play ice hockey
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/10/vladimir-putin-ice-hockey-exhibition-game

I'm no Euroleague expert but I have heard of CSKA Moscow. The team has a very strong tradition and is well-respected. It's a very good landing spot.

I think my familiarity with CSKA Moscow also comes from FC Moscow and the brand that comes with the parent organization.  They have a ton of sports team under their umbrella and are sort of an All Sports organization.

Yeah, for me too they're (only) a known name for their soccer. CSKA Moscow has been in Champions League each of the last five years.

But, I don't follow pro basketball, home or abroad, to speak of.

I've grown to assume that multi-sport clubs are the norm in Europe, but I don't know how often that's actually the case.

Ah yes, many late nights at the Denny's, since it was really the only place open

I'm not sure I remember this at all. I remember Taco Bell and Steak and Shake.

It looks like Denny's was located where Kelsey's is now (near Steak and Shake). I wonder what years Denny's operated?

It looks like campus is undergoing quite the landscaping job right now. Can't wait to see how it turns out at Homecoming.

Pretty big changes. If memory serves, ripping out all or most of the parking lot between the VUCA and Gellersen. And the lot between Neils and the Union as well. Continuing the move to "parking on the perimeter, pedestrian campus".

I think they're hoping to have all of the heavy equipment out before students return. But, it's hard to imagine that the landscaping will all be finished - I expect grass may still be closed off, etc.

(Sorry, I missed page 4 when writing this. But, I guess I'll leave it here.)

As for his comments on the $, I didn't find his comments too crass. It's a business and I hope Alec makes as much money for himself and his family as possible. These guys have a short window to make money. I appreciate the blunt honesty.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm cheering for him. Cash in, baby! I may have problems with professional athletes in general making million dollar salaries, but I don't expect Alec to somehow fix that on his own at this point.

I was just surprised by his candor. And then a little surprised that Paul left it out of the Twitter summary.