MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Will2Win]

Guilford is playing very well at this point in the season....maybe they're peaking at the right time??? EMU is coming to town within the next week though. We'll see if they can keep up. If they get into a run n' gun type of game I think that spells trouble for the quakers but if they can control the tempo it should be a very good game. Should be a good one!! Cant wait....

[2RMCFans]

In our opinion, who among us can say that our fans haven't said things (loudly) during a game we later wished we hadn't?

WE (no exceptions, lol) should all try harder to set the positive example we want our athletes and students to follow in public.

This should be a really exciting final week of the regular season & wow, what's it going to be like in Salem this year?  Thanks, algernon, for setting out all the possible seedings.  Can't wait!

We don't feel all that strongly about individual awards this year, but will have to look hard at Pittman after he got 30 against the vaunted Jackets' defense.

GO JACKETS!!!

[rmc1982]

As someone not even from your part of the country, I can give one:

Rightly or wrongly they have often been termed "the thugs from the beach" on this thread.

Thugs from the beach... hahaha that's a good one.... last season's graduating class of "thugs" has two graduate students, one with a job at one of the top accounting firms in the DC Metropolitan region, another a high school coach..... sounds like some hard core thugs to me

DeWayne-As you know, I have ALWAYS been a great fan of Coach Macedo and a defender of the VWC team , and even some of the antics played out in the heat of battle as young men just well, being 18-21 year olds playing a game and getting caught up in it.I also have seen some of the behavior being described and seemingly(note I said SEEMINGLY)going unpunished and seemingly condoned by aforementioned Coach Macedo.Whether or not it is true I don't know-I'm not in the locker room and neither is anyone else commenting here.I would like the think that he does take some of these kids to the woodshed for their behavior after they have calmed down, and I know that Billy Greer would not condone it, either.Like 2RMCFANS, I agree that people in glass houses shouldn't cast stones and WE ALL could curb our behavior(myself included)and set a better example for these young men.My only problem with Coach Macedo and his program is that he doesen't graduate more of his star players.I know that you're gonna toss around all of the players who did and are very successful(and that's GREAT) but what about the ones who didn't?Case in point, Brandon Adair '(by his own admission in his blog) finished his playing career at VWC a full 12 HOURS(that's one FULL semester)short of his degree, and he on Macedo's STAFF!Ton Ton Balenga also never recieved his degree,or so I was told.VWC  is one of the easiest ODAC schools to get into.I'm not jumping on the anti-VWC bandwagon, I'm actually one of your biggest fans outside of my Jackets and I have the utmost repect for your program for the things that they have done on the court, I just don't think that  you  should make a big deal of the academic aspects of Coach Macedo's program-it's not always the easiest thing to defend.

[hasanova]

Obviously something coach Macedo is doing is working. He has had one of the best teams in the league for the last 7 years!!

Please don't confuse wins and losses with sportsmanship.  No one's saying Coach Macedo and his players haven't been successful on the court.

To be fair, all teams in the league have had their low points, but VWC's seem to be a little more frequent.  Heck, no one's saying Mike Tyson's wasn't a great boxer, but I wouldn't hug him without putting on a helmet!

[algernon]

In response to RMC1982's last post, I've gone back two years, to the 2008-09 Marlin team that won the ODAC championship, to see who was on the team, and to ask VWC fans the current status of those about whom I have no information ....

Donald Vaughn, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 11.4pts & 7.6reb a game
Travis Meyers, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Jason Burns, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 8 minutes a game
Ed Roberts, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 15 minutes a game
Terrell Dixon, a SR then -- ?
Paul Meredith, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Julius Carlton, a SO then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Jamie Richardson, a FY then, is no longer on the team -- ?
Quinton McDuffie, a FY in contention for ODAC FOY, did not play again after that year -- ?
Eric Scipio, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Ricky Grant, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Stephen Fields, a JR then, was an All-ODAC first-teamer last year -- ?
Trevor Watson, a FY then, played 8 MIN/game his SO year but is no longer on the team -- ?
Norman Hassell, a SR then -- ?
Ali Brown, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 10 minutes a game
Quantrell Simmons, a SO then, played 17 games his JR year but is no longer on the team -- ?
Jabez Wallace, a SO then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Chris Baynham, a JR then -- ?

There are another 4 Marlins who got some playing time that season but apparently did not come back after the mid-semester break (Rankin, Reed, Dodson, and Johnson).

Did Dixon, Fields, Hassell, and Baynham get a degree?  What are they doing now?

Whatever happened to Travis Meyers, Paul Meredith, Julius Carlton, Jamie Richardson, Quinton McDuffie, Eric Scipio, Ricky Grant, Trevor Watson, Quantrell Simmons, and Jabez Wallace?  Are they still at Virginia Wesleyan and just not playing?  Did they transfer?

[rmc1982]

To further back up my statement I would refer you to the VWC website where it says that Brandon Adair  is currently working at the YMCA while he is attempting to finish and get his degree from VWC......(under the coaches heading)....Oh and Algernon I can answer one-Paul Meredith left VWC and is a starting guard for CNU-I saw him playing against the Jackets 10 days ago.....He unsuccessfully tried to make ODU's team as a walk on last year.

[baselinejam]

The Gennies are  a conundrum wrapped in an enigma . I'm goin' into hibernation until I see something positive to contribute.

I'll still be reading; so be nice to each other.

[FISHTANKFAN]

 For the record, Brandon Adair is finishing up his degree at VWC, his education interrupted because he wanted to continue playing Basketball overseas. Coach Macedo has benched players for academic reasons in the past and has done everything he can possibly do to see that his players graduate.  Why must only Coach Macedo and VWC be put on trial for every player, every word and action of every game ? Shall we disect every team and coach in the ODAC also?  I am certain that their was no concerted effort by VWC to antagonize  HSC fans or players without any provocation.  Their first meeting at VWC had no incidents.  We do not know the whole story, and our biases for and against any school are very evident in the postings.  Each person will see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe, regardless of the facts.  It was an ugly game yesterday, one to put behind both teams and fans alike.  You can argue until doomsday about who was to blame and how it started but no one will ever agree, even if the all saw the same thing.  VWC's success will always be questioned by those who are intolerant or predjudiced in favor of their home school.  Maybe we should all learn more tolerance, players, fans and posters alike.

[rmc1982]

Fishtankfan-I am neither predjuduced or intolerant of the VWC Team AND Coach Macedo.If you actually read my posts you find that this is so.I have repeatedly defended your school when I thought that they were unjustly attacked.I asked a simple question-nothing more, nothing less.It is a  question which has very easy answers.Algernon also asked one-I don't think he was being malicious-I certainly didn't take it that way.I never said Coach Macedo DIDN'T WANT his kids to graduate, but it appears a large number who enroll either leave the team and stay in school or leave the team AND school.If this is not the case so be it but it appears this way.Basketball(or any sport or extracurricular activity)at a DIII school is something you do IN ADDITION to going to school and getting a degree and furthering yourself to go out into the "real world"-not vice-versa.If we are remiss in asking these questions we feel are legit-sorry.....but do any of you know the answers to them?

[DeWayneCarter]

In response to RMC1982's last post, I've gone back two years, to the 2008-09 Marlin team that won the ODAC championship, to see who was on the team, and to ask VWC fans the current status of those about whom I have no information ....

Donald Vaughn, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 11.4pts & 7.6reb a game
Travis Meyers, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Jason Burns, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 8 minutes a game
Ed Roberts, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 15 minutes a game
Terrell Dixon, a SR then -- ?
Paul Meredith, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Julius Carlton, a SO then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Jamie Richardson, a FY then, is no longer on the team -- ?
Quinton McDuffie, a FY in contention for ODAC FOY, did not play again after that year -- ?
Eric Scipio, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Ricky Grant, a FY then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Stephen Fields, a JR then, was an All-ODAC first-teamer last year -- ?
Trevor Watson, a FY then, played 8 MIN/game his SO year but is no longer on the team -- ?
Norman Hassell, a SR then -- ?
Ali Brown, a FY then, is now a JR and getting 10 minutes a game
Quantrell Simmons, a SO then, played 17 games his JR year but is no longer on the team -- ?
Jabez Wallace, a SO then, did not play again after that year -- ?
Chris Baynham, a JR then -- ?

There are another 4 Marlins who got some playing time that season but apparently did not come back after the mid-semester break (Rankin, Reed, Dodson, and Johnson).

Did Dixon, Fields, Hassell, and Baynham get a degree?  What are they doing now?

Whatever happened to Travis Meyers, Paul Meredith, Julius Carlton, Jamie Richardson, Quinton McDuffie, Eric Scipio, Ricky Grant, Trevor Watson, Quantrell Simmons, and Jabez Wallace?  Are they still at Virginia Wesleyan and just not playing?  Did they transfer?

Terrell Dixon graduated and is working on his masters, Baynham graduated, working on his master's at VCU and is also a high school basketball coach, Quinton McDuffie now plays for Chowan University, Paul Meredith now plays for CNU, Ricky Grant transferred, Scipio transferred, Trevor Watson had financial problems, Jabez Wallace now plays for a D2 school in West Virginia, Eric Johnson now plays for Salisbury, Jonathan Reed now plays for St. Pauls College, Weston Dodson transferred, Sean Rankin joined the Army and most of the other guys had to withdraw because of financial reasons. Every player at VWC couldn't afford to attend some of the more "prestigous" ODAC schools, not even VWC when it came down to it. I can assure you that no former VWC Marlins are out flipping burgers, homeless, or are out behaving the way "thugs" do. Ton Ton also graduated, and where is it written that VWC dropped their SAT requirement to get into that school? That's a new one and I know I don't live under a rock.. that's something I really think I would have known.....

[DeWayneCarter]

Another former VWC marlin, Tim Weyant, who was injured that season, graduated, working on his master's at George Mason, and already has a job from one of the DC area's top accounting firms in his pocket. He's a real, go-hard, thug-nasty gangsta. Norman Hassell is also on the staff at Kellam High School, which is currently the only undefeated AAA school in the state of Virginia.

[algernon]

Terrell Dixon graduated and is working on his masters, Baynham graduated, working on his master's at VCU and is also a high school basketball coach, Quinton McDuffie now plays for Chowan University, Paul Meredith now plays for CNU, Ricky Grant transferred, Scipio transferred, Trevor Watson had financial problems, Jabez Wallace now plays for a D2 school in West Virginia, Eric Johnson now plays for Salisbury, Jonathan Reed now plays for St. Pauls College, Weston Dodson transferred, Sean Rankin joined the Army and most of the other guys had to withdraw because of financial reasons. Every player at VWC couldn't afford to attend some of the more "prestigous" ODAC schools, not even VWC when it came down to it. I can assure you that no former VWC Marlins are out flipping burgers, homeless, or are out behaving the way "thugs" do. Ton Ton also graduated, and where is it written that VWC dropped their SAT requirement to get into that school? That's a new one and I know I don't live under a rock.. that's something I really think I would have known.....

Good information, DeWayneCarter.  Thanks.

I've gone back two years, to the 2008-09 Tiger team ....

Jonathan Mudd, a JR then, used up his eligibility last year and is a highly respected senior student leader at HSC.
Matt Partsch, a SO then, is no longer on the team.
Hakeem Croom, a JR then, graduated in May 2010.
Byron Lawton, a SR then, graduated in May 2009.
Fitz Robertson, a SR then, graduated in May 2009.
Larry Henshaw, a JR then, graduated in May 2010.
Brent Dillard, a SO then, is no longer on the team.
Cale Phillips, a SR then, graduated in May 2009.
John Barker, a SR then, graduated in May 2009.
Ben Jessee, a FR then, is a Junior and a Team Captain this year.
Karlis Trops, a JR then, graduated in May 2010.
Lane Medlin, a JR then, graduated in May 2010.
Shane Payne, a SO then, transferred after that year.
Turner King, a JR then, graduated in May 2010.
Jyri Laakso, a SR then, graduated in May 2009.
Josh Johnson, a FR then, is no longer on the team.
Colin O'Neill, a SO then, is a Senior and a Team Captain this year.

[algernon]

HSC hot streak as of late, especially towards the end of the season, should strengthen George's case for POY. The only player I could think of above him would be Josh Pittman.

But don't you think as good a case could be made for George Johnson as POY as for Josh Pittman?

Check out these comparative stats:

JOHNSON   29.8 min/game, .423 FG%, .400 3PT%, .926 FT%, 1.8 REB/game, 61 assists, 34 TO, 37 steals, 15.2 PTS/game
PITTMAN   31.4 min/game, .414 FG%, .374 3PT%, .851 FT%, 4.0 REB/game, 52 assists, 64 TO, 38 steals, 17.5 PTS/game

[DeWayneCarter]

He's definitely in the conversation but I'd probably still pick Pittman over him simply because EMU hasn't lived up to their lofty expectations this sesaon. They were an elite 8 team with everyone returning... they still have a chance to do that but I don't think anyone expected them to lose the games they did. Pittman however has stepped up as a go-to threat for a team in which no one knew who would be the one to step up after the losses of Henson and Sanborn.

[rmc1982]

DeWayne-I stand corrected.One of my friends who has a son applying to VWC told me the SAT was not a requirement and i took it as gospel-I looked on your website and it says either the sat or the act is required ,the same as it is at R-MC.... I stand corrected, and I should have checked it first....I will amend my post....