FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[AlmaFan27]

I realize other MIAA players have had their cup of coffee in the NFL, I was focusing on the draft itself.  45 years is long time for no player to get drafted.

Not to mention a 5th round pick.  Very impressive.  I wish him well!

[formerd3db]

Interesting and surprising news from Hope College today (although perhaps not so surprising given the recent sequence of events involved  ).  President James Bultman and his wife have been asked and graciously accepted the offer from the College's Board of Trustees to stay on for one more year.  Dr. Bultman (a former Hope standout athlete himself and former Head Baseball Coach/Assist. Football Coach and former Dean of the Education/Social Sciences Department at Hope; and also former President of Northwestern College in Iowa), who has been president of the college since 1999, announced his retirement a year ago, which was to have taken place at the end of next month i.e. June 2012.  However, due to a "glitch" in the search process for a new president for the College, the Board of Trustees were unable to come up with a replacement and, thus, the Bultman's have answered the call once more to help their alma mater out. His wife Martie, also a Hope grad, has been extremely active in many of the College's programs, providing extraordinary service also and she received an honorary degree from the College this weekend at graduation.  Anyway, not exactly what he and his wife planned, I'm sure, but...more than unselfish and noble I would say in their service to their alma mater and its students and the community.   Hope is so very fortunate in such a situation to say the least. 

[sac]

Just long enough to see them rename the football stadium Bultman Field? 

[Raider 68]

Interesting and surprising news from Hope College today (although perhaps not so surprising given the recent sequence of events involved  ).  President James Bultman and his wife have been asked and graciously accepted the offer from the College's Board of Trustees to stay on for one more year.  Dr. Bultman (a former Hope standout athlete himself and former Head Baseball Coach/Assist. Football Coach and former Dean of the Education/Social Sciences Department at Hope; and also former President of Northwestern College in Iowa), who has been president of the college since 1999, announced his retirement a year ago, which was to have taken place at the end of next month i.e. June 2012.  However, due to a "glitch" in the search process for a new president for the College, the Board of Trustees were unable to come up with a replacement and, thus, the Bultman's have answered the call once more to help their alma mater out. His wife Martie, also a Hope grad, has been extremely active in many of the College's programs, providing extraordinary service also and she received an honorary degree from the College this weekend at graduation.  Anyway, not exactly what he and his wife planned, I'm sure, but...more than unselfish and noble I would say in their service to their alma mater and its students and the community.   Hope is so very fortunate in such a situation to say the least. 

formerd3db,

When a school has benefited from a great leader, trying to find his replacement is a tall order! Fortunately President Bultman is willing to stay on .

[formerd3db]

Raider68:

You have said it all and I couldn't agree with you more.  No disrespect to whoever eventually is chosen to replace President Bultman, however, it is going to be extremely difficult to find someone that will be of his calibur.  Obviously, each individual has their own way of making contributions in such a leadership position and that is all good.  Yet, I think it will be a tough challenge to follow and continue in the direction that Bultman and his wife have guided the College - they have set "the bar high" unselfishly.  I hope (pun not intended) that the Board of Trustees gets it right this time.  Perhaps having the extra time for this now will be of some benefit to them in the process.  But yes, we are fortunate the Bultmans have graciously agreed to delay their retirement and guide the College for one more year. 

sac:

That certainly could have been a consideration, although as you know, the new Student Center is named for the Bultman's.  I do, however, think a new name for the stadium needs to be chosen once Hope completes the deal in buying it from the City of Holland.  The question then becomes which Hope coaching greats do you honor? There are so many...Smith, Hinga, DeVette, Schouten.  Perhaps a hyphenated i.e. combo name would be best (like Wittenberg has), but then again who?  For sure, Schouten is one of my favorites from the traditional historic point and I wouldn't mind seeing that, however, Smith would be a logical one two.  How about Hinga-DeVette Field at Smith-Schouten Stadium?

[Mr. Ypsi]

I confess that I had forgotten that baseball HoFer Barry Larkin was a UM football player (defensive back).  Implied (not said outright) in the article is that just about the scariest thing he ever did was tell Bo he was dropping football to concentrate on baseball :

http://annarbor.com/sports/um-football/quitting-on-bo-schembechler-was-no-easy-task-for-baseball-hall-of-fame-bound-barry-larkin/

While Bo had a real soft spot for 'Rudy-type' players who stuck it out and really fought hard, for him to frequently 'heckle' (tongue-in-cheek, I'm assuming) a 'quitter' like Larkin suggests to me that Barry had 'All-American' written all over him - anyone recall seeing him play?  (I love the line: 'come out and hit a man who can hit back, not some sissy baseball!' )

[sac]

Despite the tone of that article Bo was an avid baseball supporter at UM games and could frequently be found a few rows right behind the plate with his wife, and many times with former UM players. 

It's how I got his wife Millie's, Bo's and Rick Leach's autograph on a single scorecard that I still have somewhere.

Larkin's left side of the infield teammate was Chris Sabo his first season.  And in his time there were 6 or 7 of his other teammates that eventually made the major leagues and many others who never quite made it.  Those were some good teams.


I saw those Michigan teams several times, Larkin was one of several very good players and was easily the best.  It was pretty clear he was destined for a pro-career though I doubt anyone thought it would be a HOF career.  Larkin comes from big family of athletes with a brother/cousins or two who played Division 1 sports.  No one was to surprised when he left Michigan a year early to go to the pros.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

The work has begun on the football field in Holland:



So long, sod!!


Here's a link to a webpage that will track the progress in pictures

http://www.hope.edu/pr/campusdev/fbstadiumone.html

[sac]

There's something funny about the photo where they put the benches back on the dirt.

[formerd3db]

There's something funny about the photo where they put the benches back on the dirt.

Thanks for the update photo, sac.  It is exciting.  Also, fortunately for Hope, the project is not quite so involved as compared to some small colleges that have to do a much more extensive renovation of their acutal stadiums in addition to the fields.

[Raider 68]

There's something funny about the photo where they put the benches back on the dirt.

sac, formerd3db,

Nice Pics for progress! It will be great when completed!

[formerd3db]

Raider68:

Indeed.  It will be a very different look.  I can't wait until stepping on the field for the first time in Sept (if not before!).

[sac]

Right behind the football stadium Hope's putting in some new pools, looks like they're up to painting in the water.



Actually its the new outdoor tennis facility, lots going on over there.
http://www.hope.edu/pr/campusdev/tennissix.html

[hope52]

yes all they need now is new locker rooms

[formerd3db]

yes all they need now is new locker rooms

Agreed.  There are many who want to see that happen -that would be a plan for a future phase.  Some of us, including the coaches can envision a football complex building at the open end of the stadium (north) with locker rooms (one for Hope and a double one i.e. one for Holland High School with a partion that can be for the visiting teams, both college and high school), with football offices, a concourse upper level with large windows overlooking the field, athletic training room and an office and equipment room and storage.  That would be great.  The exisiting locker room can be then soley used for soccer and lacrosse, still keeping the athletic training room that is there in place as well and...letting the city keep sole use of its own swimming pool and locker rooms that are currently used for football games in the fall.   All of this is on the "wish list", however, I don't see why it couldn't eventually happen.