MBB: Midwest Conference

[JUSTINTYEM]

Tharp expects to be back at Lawrence        http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060411/APC0201/604110603/1892 

[JUSTINTYEM]

I also hear the leading guy for the Norby job is Lakeland Colleges Gary Grzesk, a former standout player at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, became the 14th head men's basketball coach in Lakeland College history in May of 2003.

Although it was the first head coaching position for Grzesk (pronounced Gresh), he wasted little time in having impact on the program, guiding the Muskies to the first NCAA Division III appearance in school history in his debut season.

“I learned so much in that first season about what it takes to build a quality Division III program both on and off the court,” Grzesk said. “Our focus this year will continue to focus on postseason success when it comes to basketball, and supporting the Lakeland mission of preparing our players to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives beyond basketball.”

Grzesk came to Lakeland from UWGB where he served as an assistant men's basketball coach during the 2002-03 season. He worked as an assistant coach for six seasons at Youngstown State from 1996-2002.

Grzesk is still known from his playing days under legendary former UWGB Coach Dick Bennett. His defensive job on now NBA-superstar Jason Kidd helped UW-Green Bay shock the world by upsetting the University of California in the NCAA Tournament.

A prep standout at Wauwatosa East High School, Grzesk has been influenced by some familiar basketball names, including Bennett, current UWGB head coach Tod Kowalczyk, former Youngstown State head coach and current Cincinnati assistant Dan Peters and current Youngstown State head coach John Robic.

Grzesk, who won UWGB’s team defensive award all four years of his playing career, was a sophomore when the Phoenix finished 27-7 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tourney in 1994. He ranks second all-time in UWGB history in games played (120), third all-time in assists (496) and fifth in steals (154).

Grzesk, a co-captain as a junior and senior, also played in the NCAA Tournament his final two seasons, as the Phoenix were 74-19 his final three seasons.

Gary and his wife, Liz, live in Manitowoc with their son, Garrett.

[Dolph Stanley]

Always tough to get recruiting info at this level since kids don't sign anything but I have heard that Lawrence is getting a Very good Guard from a Verona team that made a trip to the state tournament this season.  Anyone else hear anythng about this?

Any other recruiting tidbits? 

[Knightstalker]

We had an extremely corrupt govenor in DC by the name of Marion. The name is still around I guess.

Ah, how could I forget the esteemed former mayor of our nation's capital, Marion "Crack Pipe" Barry?

One summer in Michigan I went canoeing with a guy named Cameron. I though it was a girls name when I met him... it was hard to think of him a being girly since he played LB in college, but still, it was funny.

Cameron's a pretty common name for younger males, actually. And it's got a long history as a boy's name, going at least as far back as '50s and '60s actor Cameron Mitchell. I think that the talent-deprived star of The Mask and There's Something About Mary is the only female Cameron around.

Since we are mentioning girl/guy spellings of the same name, add Loran to the list. I had a friend at wheaton (who also played football... maybe they feel like they have something to prove?) by that name.

I've never heard of that name. I've heard of Loren, which is indeed a boy's name and has the unfortunate coincidence of being a homonym with a completely unrelated girl's name, "Lauren".

And Greg, Rene just reminds me of Star Trek.

Rene Auberjonois may be better known to you as Odo from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or to others as Clayton Endicott III from Benson (and my nieces are definitely more apt to recognize his voice as being that of Chef Louie from The Little Mermaid), but to me he'll always be the original Father Mulcahy from the movie version of M*A*S*H.

"Is this 'The Bickersons'? I love them!"

"Who?"

"'The Battling Bickersons' ... oh .... oh. Uh, I forgot I have to ..."

(Rene Auberjonois is also an alumnus of a D3 school, Carnegie Mellon.)

Love the movie MASH, also love the book.

LORAN- Long Range Navigation, this is what allowed my older brother to be assigned to such garden spot duty stations such as Kodiak Island Alaska (he loved it, they made him go home because it was considered isolated duty) Baffin Island in Baffin Bay, Nantucket.  Actually he got better duty stations in the Coast Guard than I did in the Navy. 

[matblake]

Another name that men and women seem to share is Kelly.  Who could forget the quintessential motor bike riding bad boy Kelly Leek from the Bad News Bears, back in the day when Little Leaguers still used wooden bats. 

[The Roop]

No name stories to share so my karma will be stuck on 0 for a while. It's appropriate for me as I'm Rh neutral anyway.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

No name stories to share so my karma will be stuck on 0 for a while. It's appropriate for me as I'm Rh neutral anyway.

I've always thought it would be inappropriate for The Roop to have anything other than a perfect balance of positive and negative karma.

[Gregory Sager]

I also hear the leading guy for the Norby job is Lakeland Colleges Gary Grzesk, a former standout player at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, became the 14th head men's basketball coach in Lakeland College history in May of 2003.

I think Grzesk would be a great choice for St. Norbert. I was really impressed by his Lakeland team this past season. I saw his Muskies face a bigger and more athletic Dominican team, and they trounced the Stars on their home floor. Lakeland ran the best motion offense that I've seen in several years.

I'm not sure I've ever heard a straight male say anything negative about Cameron Diaz; it's quite astounding.

I don't think that Cameron Diaz is all that attractive. (And if this was fark.com I'd be following up that comment with an explanation about how her knees are too sharp for my taste.  )

[hjmphelp]

Just heard that Grinnell's John Grotberg was named to the NCAA DIII All Freshman team yesterday. Congrats to John for a great 1st year at Grinnell!

Also heard that Grinnell's tenative non-com schedule will be its toughest in years with games against Whitewater, Oshkosh, Kalamazoo, Carthage (home opener on Nov. 21), Elmherst, and Simpson and one other Iowa Conference team all possible-some deteremined by tourney results. No NAIA teams this year, and many of these games are on the road. Looks like a good year recruiting as well!

Is it close to November yet?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Is it close to November yet?

Well its all relative.

[Ralph Turner]

Is it close to November yet?

Well its all relative.

Only 188 days to the start of practice!

[proudofLU]

Just heard that Grinnell's John Grotberg was named to the NCAA DIII All Freshman team yesterday. Congrats to John for a great 1st year at Grinnell!

Also heard that Grinnell's tenative non-com schedule will be its toughest in years with games against Whitewater, Oshkosh, Kalamazoo, Carthage (home opener on Nov. 21), Elmherst, and Simpson and one other Iowa Conference team all possible-some deteremined by tourney results. No NAIA teams this year, and many of these games are on the road. Looks like a good year recruiting as well!

Is it close to November yet?

Why would Oshkosh play Grinnell ??  They couldn't handle the Lawrence defense, how will they run and gun with Grinnell??

I think this is a mistake for Oshkosh.  They make quite a few of them so maybe we shouldn't be suprised.

[proudofLU]

I thought Grotberg was going to Iowa State next year?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I thought Grotberg was going to Iowa State next year?

I think we've gone over this.  It was Iowa, but only if Alford went somewhere else; Grotberg was close to the candidate they were looking into as a replacement.

[systemfan86]

I thought Grotberg was going to Iowa State next year?

I think we've gone over this. It was Iowa, but only if Alford went somewhere else; Grotberg was close to the candidate they were looking into as a replacement.

And neither Iowa or ISU have enough of an endowment... 

Just heard that Grinnell's John Grotberg was named to the NCAA DIII All Freshman team yesterday. Congrats to John for a great 1st year at Grinnell!

Also heard that Grinnell's tenative non-com schedule will be its toughest in years with games against Whitewater, Oshkosh, Kalamazoo, Carthage (home opener on Nov. 21), Elmherst, and Simpson and one other Iowa Conference team all possible-some deteremined by tourney results. No NAIA teams this year, and many of these games are on the road. Looks like a good year recruiting as well!

Is it close to November yet?

The article on the Grinnell web site says it was the DIII News (newsletter) All Freshman team. Congrats on the recognition.

I'm surprised that GC was able to get that kind of non-conf schedule. Don't they usually have a hard time getting quality teams to schedule them?