As the game starts in a but more than an hour, I figure it's time to start the thread.
I'll be in the stands with somewhat higher expectations than last Saturday. We will see if the team is ready to gut through the season. My expectation that they will have the pride to put out a a good effort.
Alright folks , my most optimistic post of the season. New MVC member Belmont wont be able to handle the ARC. Hopefully a good environment. We get off the Schneid , and win !
74 Po
70 Bruins
Couldn't make it and can't listen. Hope for the best! :thumbsup:
Looks like the university actually has some students!
I think we have made 1 basket in the last 10 minutes. Belmont on a 24-4 run
Ok ok ok , we win vs Evansville then go on big time MVC winning streak to beat UIC n the Redbirds then lose all the rest of our MVC games...then win a Thursday game in the tourney. Lottich , by the grace of his god , resigns between the Thursday n Friday game...
This team has a real good shot at going 0-20 in conference play this year
My issue is Valpo will face the MVC ham and eggers and this board will praised the coach and team for such great improvement. This has happened before.
If Sheldon Edwards didn't leave , we'd be at worst 2-5 in the league. He had that offensive moxy we've needed in droughts despite his boneheaded plays...
Injury bug.....Kithier, Frazekas and now Palese, D'Avario, Preston in one season. Lotta production/ball handling lost. That's pretty bad luck in one season. By no means am I making excuses or saying the results would be drastically better.
Where is Palm?
Quote from: VUSWIM08-12 on January 10, 2023, 08:37:50 PM
If Sheldon Edwards didn't leave , we'd be at worst 2-5 in the league. He had that offensive moxy we've needed in droughts despite his boneheaded plays...
Maybe, maybe not. I think Sheldon may be regretting the move to Loyola. They are now 6-10 and 0-4 in conference. In their last game at home (attendance 2200), Sheldon played 5 minutes and scored 2 points. In the previous game he was DNP and the game before that he played 3 minutes and didn't score. For the season he has zero starts, is playing an average of 9.9 minutes (which seems to be declining) and is shooting 17% from the 3.
Did anybody notice Matt's reaction to a question at the press conference? I couldn't make out the question but his reaction indicated being not happy. The question is at 5:52
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIrHi9yDGIk
Clay over at Missouri State is having a decent season. 9 points a game. 3.6 assists. Decent shooting percentages and rebounds. Good defender (even though I remember him abandoning he post from time to time that was frustrating but overall he is a good defender). He is the "little bit of everything" guy on an 8-8 team that I say is underperforming.
Clay and Edwards with the right coach I think would have played very well together. Unfortunately both are gone, but neither are "star players". Both, playing within their means in the right system could help sustain a winning program.
Unfortunately both left and they both left because the system at Valpo sucks.
I used to defend Lottich because the team played aggressive hard defense for 40 minutes, used to fight back to win or be in close games, and we had some decent early player development where you saw guys get better each year, at least the ones who stayed anyway.
But I don't see that anymore and I think it's because the offensive system is so bad that player moral is at an all time low. Hard to play 40 minutes of hard defense when the offensive system sucks so bad you know you are not going to score enough points to stay in the game.
With the loss to Belmont, Valpo falls to #326 in both the NET and RPI rankings. I think it is safe to assume this is the lowest rating for VU in the 21st century and likely the last 30 years. The NET has Valpo slightly ahead of Evansville at #331, but the RPI has Evansville in front at #316.
Quote from: vu72 on January 11, 2023, 08:21:33 AM
Did anybody notice Matt's reaction to a question at the press conference? I couldn't make out the question but his reaction indicated being not happy. The question is at 5:52
As near as I can tell, Kobe was asked about reaching the 1000 point milestone in career scoring. As he started to respond, Matt turned his way, clapped, and commented, "I didn't know that."
Quote from: wh on January 11, 2023, 10:04:28 AM
Quote from: vu72 on January 11, 2023, 08:21:33 AM
Did anybody notice Matt's reaction to a question at the press conference? I couldn't make out the question but his reaction indicated being not happy. The question is at 5:52
As near as I can tell, Kobe was asked about reaching the 1000 point milestone in career scoring. As he started to respond, Matt turned his way, clapped, and commented, "I didn't know that."
Thanks wh. I guess i was thrown off a little by Matt hanging his head after the clap. Great for Kobe. And welcome back! You were missed.
Did Palm dress?
that press conference was too damn positive. we need a Ditka tirade.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIbNb1RZzlU
Thanks again Valpopal for the facts of our current ranking after seven years.
Quote from: VULB#62 on January 11, 2023, 10:45:42 AM
Did Palm dress?
He was dressed and on the bench. He seems to be in the doghouse. He made a very ill-advised shot a couple games ago, but I wonder if there is more to it.
Quote from: humbleopinion on January 11, 2023, 11:22:59 AM
Quote from: VULB#62 on January 11, 2023, 10:45:42 AM
Did Palm dress?
He was dressed and on the bench. He seems to be in the doghouse. He made a very ill-advised shot a couple games ago, but I wonder if there is more to it.
The ill-advised shot would seem to be a "coaching opportunity" not the basis for punishment. You may be onto something more.
Quote from: AB on January 10, 2023, 08:54:08 PMInjury bug.....Kithier, Frazekas and now Palese, D'Avario, Preston in one season. Lotta production/ball handling lost. That's pretty bad luck in one season. By no means am I making excuses or saying the results would be drastically better.
For the most part, these three were contributing minutes and not much more.
Quote from: SanityLost17 on January 11, 2023, 08:45:54 AM
Clay over at Missouri State is having a decent season. 9 points a game. 3.6 assists. Decent shooting percentages and rebounds. Good defender (even though I remember him abandoning he post from time to time that was frustrating but overall he is a good defender). He is the "little bit of everything" guy on an 8-8 team that I say is underperforming.
Clay and Edwards with the right coach I think would have played very well together. Unfortunately both are gone, but neither are "star players". Both, playing within their means in the right system could help sustain a winning program.
Unfortunately both left and they both left because the system at Valpo sucks.
I used to defend Lottich because the team played aggressive hard defense for 40 minutes, used to fight back to win or be in close games, and we had some decent early player development where you saw guys get better each year, at least the ones who stayed anyway.
But I don't see that anymore and I think it's because the offensive system is so bad that player moral is at an all time low. Hard to play 40 minutes of hard defense when the offensive system sucks so bad you know you are not going to score enough points to stay in the game.
Clay left because he is selfish, and didn't want to play his best position near the rim or within the 3-point line, as he saw himself as a 3-point shooter at the time. He then showed his pettiness when he made his 3's against Valpo last season (clapping each time towards our bench/Lottich), though his shooting % was/is still crap from behind the line. Sheldon I respect, and have no ill-feelings.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/4592730/donovan-clay
If one wants to get specific on an item for debate, start with "point guards". We have not had a consistently good one for years. DeAv is too small, can't go inside or finish at the rim, cannot shoot or score. Any team is done if they do not have a decent point guard. Lottich has not been able to get a good point guard or two, neither has he been able to recruit good shooters/scorers. Even if he had them I's not sure he would know how to use them.
Personally, the continual excuses and concessions offered for why this team is mediocre (at best) are a bit exhaustive. Anyone and everyone can offer reasons why x, y, and z. Every program deals with transfers, injuries, and "fit" problems. It is what it is. All programs deal with a changed landscape - NIL, transfer portal changes, etc.
It is what it is. I'm reminded of two potentially applicable quotes that embody my sentiments on the topic:
"We have forty million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse." ―Rudyard Kipling
"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else." —John Burroughs