MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

A little elaboration so people don't get the wrong idea that I know way more than anyone else.

Like anyone else I am curious about what happened and through the last month have had a few conversations with people who might know a thing or two.  I can say that no one has spoken in specifics or pointed to one single cause or incident, but spoke in generalities.  Even the most specific conversation was really a "this is probably what it was, but I don't really know" conversation.  Truthfully a month on and really no one seems to know anything.  But many of my conversations have alluded to the same theme or themes and thus its easy to draw the same conclusion, which is probably mostly my own.  I hope that conclusion is accurate and its not worse but I have no real way of knowing, only my good sense and intuition.

With any situation where the "no comment" strategy is employed peoples imaginations are allowed to run wild.  The Dutch by nature seem to be very imaginative and talkative and its why I've frequently referred to the world famous Holland Grapevine (sometimes in jest).  I marvel at the speed in which it operates and its ferocity, but also its inherent inaccuracy.  There has never been a shortage of interesting and entertaining rumors about Hope basketball.  Some very, very entertaining and very, very wrong.

I view this as an employer/employee relationship and both are entitled to some level of privacy and until one of these parties decides silence isn't the best strategy anymore, we are left with nothing but hints, allegations and rumors.  Because humans seem to be unable to handle the boring truth of things they tend to embellish or over dramatize elements to make them more exciting.  The next person takes their nugget of new found information and does the same, and so on and so on, eventually you get Matt Neil had an alien love child and committed 37 NCAA violations while doing donuts on the Albion Presidents lawn in a car full of inebriated Calvin co-eds. (that didn't happen by the way, but I might pay to see it happen).  These are the things that make this annoying to me.

Hacking my way through the thicket of rumors is aggravating at times, but having lived in Holland for 18 years I feel like I became quite good at filtering out the nonsense from the things that make sense.  I've reached a clearing and its pouring rain with an obvious bit of thunder and lightning on the horizon.  Its probably going to storm for awhile, but this clearing doesn't look so bad.  I'm not sure how much of my party has made it this far, some seem to have set fire to the forest (allegedly) but they'll join me eventually.


The gist of this essay is that I don't really know anything.  I have a pretty good idea of what happened and how it went down in my head and its probably best it remains there. (it would not make a good movie)

I'll probably file it under:   annoying things/things that make you shake your head/wtf were you thinking man/this is why I need a new hobby/things you can't do anything about/Holland  LOL!/things maybe someday I'll know and understand.

[HOPEful]

Hacking my way through the thicket of rumors is aggravating at times, but having lived in Holland for 18 years I feel like I became quite good at filtering out the nonsense from the things that make sense.  I've reached a clearing and its pouring rain with an obvious bit of thunder and lightning on the horizon.  Its probably going to storm for awhile, but this clearing doesn't look so bad.  I'm not sure how much of my party has made it this far, some seem to have set fire to the forest (allegedly) but they'll join me eventually.

And how!

Silver lining to these clouds? Maybe if enough people set fire to the forest, and their season tickets while they're at it, I'll get to upgrade my season tickets and finally get out of the corner? (fingers crossed)

[arena]

A little elaboration so people don't get the wrong idea that I know way more than anyone else.

Like anyone else I am curious about what happened and through the last month have had a few conversations with people who might know a thing or two.  I can say that no one has spoken in specifics or pointed to one single cause or incident, but spoke in generalities.  Even the most specific conversation was really a "this is probably what it was, but I don't really know" conversation.  Truthfully a month on and really no one seems to know anything.  But many of my conversations have alluded to the same theme or themes and thus its easy to draw the same conclusion, which is probably mostly my own.  I hope that conclusion is accurate and its not worse but I have no real way of knowing, only my good sense and intuition.

With any situation where the "no comment" strategy is employed peoples imaginations are allowed to run wild.  The Dutch by nature seem to be very imaginative and talkative and its why I've frequently referred to the world famous Holland Grapevine (sometimes in jest).  I marvel at the speed in which it operates and its ferocity, but also its inherent inaccuracy.  There has never been a shortage of interesting and entertaining rumors about Hope basketball.  Some very, very entertaining and very, very wrong.

I view this as an employer/employee relationship and both are entitled to some level of privacy and until one of these parties decides silence isn't the best strategy anymore, we are left with nothing but hints, allegations and rumors.  Because humans seem to be unable to handle the boring truth of things they tend to embellish or over dramatize elements to make them more exciting.  The next person takes their nugget of new found information and does the same, and so on and so on, eventually you get Matt Neil had an alien love child and committed 37 NCAA violations while doing donuts on the Albion Presidents lawn in a car full of inebriated Calvin co-eds. (that didn't happen by the way, but I might pay to see it happen).  These are the things that make this annoying to me.

Hacking my way through the thicket of rumors is aggravating at times, but having lived in Holland for 18 years I feel like I became quite good at filtering out the nonsense from the things that make sense.  I've reached a clearing and its pouring rain with an obvious bit of thunder and lightning on the horizon.  Its probably going to storm for awhile, but this clearing doesn't look so bad.  I'm not sure how much of my party has made it this far, some seem to have set fire to the forest (allegedly) but they'll join me eventually.


The gist of this essay is that I don't really know anything.  I have a pretty good idea of what happened and how it went down in my head and its probably best it remains there. (it would not make a good movie)

I'll probably file it under:   annoying things/things that make you shake your head/wtf were you thinking man/this is why I need a new hobby/things you can't do anything about/Holland  LOL!/things maybe someday I'll know and understand.

I really can't help myself, and after reading your post, I think you proved you don't know anything.   

[sac]

I really can't help myself either

[sac]

Hacking my way through the thicket of rumors is aggravating at times, but having lived in Holland for 18 years I feel like I became quite good at filtering out the nonsense from the things that make sense.  I've reached a clearing and its pouring rain with an obvious bit of thunder and lightning on the horizon.  Its probably going to storm for awhile, but this clearing doesn't look so bad.  I'm not sure how much of my party has made it this far, some seem to have set fire to the forest (allegedly) but they'll join me eventually.

And how!

Silver lining to these clouds? Maybe if enough people set fire to the forest, and their season tickets while they're at it, I'll get to upgrade my season tickets and finally get out of the corner? (fingers crossed)

My favorite seat has always been one of the FT lines about 7 or 8 rows up, but as time has passed and gravity destroyed my spine I find sitting in the corner I don't bend my neck as much. 

Maybe one of those small things you notice when the odometer starts getting past the warranty.

[northb]

mostly by phone

Sac, have you ever thought about running for office? Nice dodge.

[oldknight]

mostly by phone

Sac, have you ever thought about running for office? Nice dodge.

He doesn't have to now that another Hope grad, Dave Brat ('86) shocked the political world tonight taking out House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia's 7th congressional district Republican primary. Brat is a professor of economics at Randolph–Macon College. What next? HopeConvert taking down Justin Amash?

[sac]

mostly by phone

Sac, have you ever thought about running for office? Nice dodge.

I don't really like tea.

[sac]

Jim Chapman 6-4 G, Warren DeLaSalle will attend Albion

[northb]

mostly by phone

Sac, have you ever thought about running for office? Nice dodge.

I don't really like tea.

Apparently, Hope grads have had some success in that arena...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/06/10/eric-cantor-majority-leader-defeated/10304543/

[kzoo99]

Name	Height	HS	College	Note
Frank DeVos	6'6"	L'Anse Cruese North	Aquinas
Jeff Cain	5'10"	Sexton	Aquinas	Transfer
Luke Diekevers	6'5"	Jenison	Concordia
Kyle Steigenga	6'6"	Holland Christian	Cornerstone
Bernard Smith	6'5"	W Mich Christian	Grace Bible
Ken Henry	6'3"	Romulus	Adrian
Joe Lesniak	6'3"	Imlay City	Adrian
Jared Ocampo	5'7"	Clawson	Adrian
Gordie Post	6'6"	Grosse Pointe South	Albion
Chase Salmon	6'4"	Seymour	Albion
Adam Davis	6'3"	Romeo	Albion
Enis Becirevic	6'3"	Ft. Wayne Northrup	Albion
Steve Westbrooks	6'1"	Birmingham Brother Rice	Albion
Robert Ryan	5'7"	Lake Central	Albion
Doug Bradfield	6'7"	Mason	Alma
JR James	6'5"		Alma	Transfer
Nick Lomonaco	6'3"	Caledonia	Alma
Kevin Scheibert	6'3"	Sanford Meridian	Alma
Ethan Apsey	6'1"	Hemlock	Alma
Jason Beckman	5'10"	Shelby	Alma
Connor VanderBrug	6'6"	Timothy Christian	Calvin
Luke VanBoxel	6'3"	Montague	Calvin
Tony Canonie	5'11"	South Haven	Calvin
Jake Kozlowski	6'4"	Badger	Hope
Luke Dreyer	6'3"	Zeeland West	Hope
Jason Hugan	6'8"	Milford	Kalamazoo
Roger Hood	6'3"	Orchard Lake St. Mary's	Kalamazoo
Sean Brennan	6'1"	Paw Paw	Kalamazoo
Alex Bialik	6'1"	Mainstee	Olivet
Evan Schultz	6'0"	Jenison	Olivet
Max Meehan	6'7"	Noblesville	Trine

So Luke Diekevers is not going to Hope?

Kalamazoo Incoming Class

http://hornets.kzoo.edu/sports/mbkb/2013-14/releases/20140523isoi7a

[Stinger]

mostly by phone

Sac, have you ever thought about running for office? Nice dodge.

He doesn't have to now that another Hope grad, Dave Brat ('86) shocked the political world tonight taking out House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia's 7th congressional district Republican primary. Brat is a professor of economics at Randolph–Macon College.

Probably the least surprising part of the story.

[sac]

Kalamazoo Incoming Class

http://hornets.kzoo.edu/sports/mbkb/2013-14/releases/20140523isoi7a

I will definitely root for the kid from Homer.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Kalamazoo Incoming Class

http://hornets.kzoo.edu/sports/mbkb/2013-14/releases/20140523isoi7a

I will definitely root for the kid from Homer.

What a homer!!

[ziggy]

With Finlandia preparing for their football debut, the school is seeking membership in the UMAC for all sports: http://dailypeninsula.com/2014/06/10/finlandia-university-football/

While the article focuses on conference affiliation and scheduling downstate d3s in football, it wouldn't be surprising if the sentiments are the same or equal in terms of basketball.