MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[realist]

Posted in the strenght of schedule yesterday.
"St Thomas 20-0  owp .494  oowp.524
Pudget Sound 16-0  owp .466  oowp .544"
Neither team has a great number in strenght of schedule, and Calvin is 357.

If Calvin's strenght of schedule is 357 it really isn't a compliment to the rest of the MIAA is it?

[BrainOfJ.]

My Thoughts:
The Refs: I am pretty sure that Tim Donaghy (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2943095 ) was out there last night and had his money on Calvin. The calls were so one-sided it was unbelievable. Hope was getting called for ticky-tack fouls while Calvin was free to have a hack-fest on Bowser. 10-4 fouls in the second half says a lot. It says lop-sided.

Calvin's Mascot: It looks better than the old one..... There should have been a tech. called on the mascot as he/she ran down the floor during play. Ignorance shouldn't be an excuse. Even the "galloping chaplain" knows better.

The Scoreboard: After the highlights reel was played Calvin's student section chanted, "You can't do that!" I don't think I really care. The scoreboard couldn't do much else than that apparently.

The New Arena: Walking into VanNoord Arena I was impressed by the pool, fitness room and climbing wall. The basketball section however was a different story. It is so frickin' boring. The only way I would be able to describe it as "awesome" is if I were describing it as a grain silo or a poll barn. Lots of concrete and cinder blocks. It as if Calvin was acting like our current congress and spent the money extremely poorly. There is no creativity to the basketball stadium. At least it has more seats though, right? Quite a few of which I noticed to be empty. A sellout crowd apparently does not equal a packed house.

[wiz]

Look strictly at stats, and I can make a case against any player in the league not being deserving of MVP status.  Ask any coach which player he would like most not to be on an opposing team, and I'm quite sure Caleb will be the guy.  When the coach of the league leading team says to give the ball to Caleb and put the game in his hands, it is very compelling.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Look strictly at stats, and I can make a case against any player in the league not being deserving of MVP status.  Ask any coach which player he would like most not to be on an opposing team, and I'm quite sure Caleb will be the guy.  When the coach of the league leading team says to give the ball to Caleb and put the game in his hands, it is very compelling.

The problem with your arguement is that the coaches will base that answer on the last 3.5+ years of Caleb's playing ability.  The MVP is a yearly award, and supposed to be based on this years performance.  If you stick to that criteria, Jesse (and probably John) are at the top of that list.

[calvin_grad]

I think this may have been discussed before, so I apologize for breaking out the dead horse, but someone with more basketball coaching experience than I have, please explain the reasoning behind not guarding the inbounds pass with 1.3 seconds left.  If I am coaching, Mantel or Katt is guarding the inbounds pass, trying to force the ball into the backcourt.  Maybe that's why I am not coaching.... 

Hope got off a horrible guarded shot....therefore it is great coaching...it is harder to score 4 on 5 than 4 on 4 in my experience! 

Bunn had more space than I was comfortable seeing.

Me too..a lot more.  Just seems to me like you have to make the guy throwing it inbounds not get such a clear look.  Anyway...

[sac]

Calvin's Mascot: It looks better than the old one..... There should have been a tech. called on the mascot as he/she ran down the floor during play. Ignorance shouldn't be an excuse. Even the "galloping chaplain" knows better.

There aren't really guidelines in the rule book, unless the mascot directly interfers with play.......which he did not.  In the future I'd recommend Krombeen 'accidently' run into he/she/it, that would be a 'T'.     Its up to the discretion of the officials, in this case it seemed to be the prudent call.


The disappointment is that the Mascot could have forever been referred to as 'T'.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I think this may have been discussed before, so I apologize for breaking out the dead horse, but someone with more basketball coaching experience than I have, please explain the reasoning behind not guarding the inbounds pass with 1.3 seconds left.  If I am coaching, Mantel or Katt is guarding the inbounds pass, trying to force the ball into the backcourt.  Maybe that's why I am not coaching.... 

Hope got off a horrible guarded shot....therefore it is great coaching...it is harder to score 4 on 5 than 4 on 4 in my experience! 

Bunn had more space than I was comfortable seeing.

Me too..a lot more.  Just seems to me like you have to make the guy throwing it inbounds not get such a clear look.  Anyway...

I'm willing to admit I was shocked Hope got that good of a look as well.

[section7]

Now if you could just figure out how to use that Kzoo education to quote correctly... 8)

Spell checking might be a good idea for section7 as well.  And I guess, given his name, we should expect some erratic behavior from section7 -  he's awfully close to a section 8 (just ask Klinger)

Looks like FDF's spell check isn't working today .............. "argument"

[section7]

Look strictly at stats, and I can make a case against any player in the league not being deserving of MVP status.  Ask any coach which player he would like most not to be on an opposing team, and I'm quite sure Caleb will be the guy.  When the coach of the league leading team says to give the ball to Caleb and put the game in his hands, it is very compelling.

The problem with your arguement is that the coaches will base that answer on the last 3.5+ years of Caleb's playing ability.  The MVP is a yearly award, and supposed to be based on this years performance.  If you stick to that criteria, Jesse (and probably John) are at the top of that list.

Those who live in glass houses, should not throw stones

[GoKnights68]

My Thoughts:
The Refs: I am pretty sure that Tim Donaghy (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2943095 ) was out there last night and had his money on Calvin. The calls were so one-sided it was unbelievable. Hope was getting called for ticky-tack fouls while Calvin was free to have a hack-fest on Bowser. 10-4 fouls in the second half says a lot. It says lop-sided.

Calvin's Mascot: It looks better than the old one..... There should have been a tech. called on the mascot as he/she ran down the floor during play. Ignorance shouldn't be an excuse. Even the "galloping chaplain" knows better.

The Scoreboard: After the highlights reel was played Calvin's student section chanted, "You can't do that!" I don't think I really care. The scoreboard couldn't do much else than that apparently.

The New Arena: Walking into VanNoord Arena I was impressed by the pool, fitness room and climbing wall. The basketball section however was a different story. It is so frickin' boring. The only way I would be able to describe it as "awesome" is if I were describing it as a grain silo or a poll barn. Lots of concrete and cinder blocks. It as if Calvin was acting like our current congress and spent the money extremely poorly. There is no creativity to the basketball stadium. At least it has more seats though, right? Quite a few of which I noticed to be empty. A sellout crowd apparently does not equal a packed house.

[realist]

Food for thought: 
Jesse Reimink had played 38+ minutes when his shot missed.
Caleb had played 28 minutes when his shot went in.
Hope's bench played a total of 32 minutes.  Granted it was a TV game, but fatigue is still a factor.   

[oldknight]

I think this may have been discussed before, so I apologize for breaking out the dead horse, but someone with more basketball coaching experience than I have, please explain the reasoning behind not guarding the inbounds pass with 1.3 seconds left.  If I am coaching, Mantel or Katt is guarding the inbounds pass, trying to force the ball into the backcourt.  Maybe that's why I am not coaching.... 

Hope got off a horrible guarded shot....therefore it is great coaching...it is harder to score 4 on 5 than 4 on 4 in my experience! 

Bunn had more space than I was comfortable seeing.

Me too..a lot more.  Just seems to me like you have to make the guy throwing it inbounds not get such a clear look.  Anyway...

There's no question that the first entry pass from the far end baseline was unguarded but if my memory serves me correctly (admittedly a debatable proposition) the second pass from half court--after the foul committed by Dustin Smith--was contested. If anyone taped the game take a look and tell me if I'm right about that.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's pretty clear that the MVP race is now down to two players--Mantel and Reimink. Good arguments can be lodged on behalf of either one. Reimink scores more while Mantel has the edge in rebounding. I also happen to think that John's defensive presence is a major factor in his favor. He stops a lot of things from happening without anyone really noticing. The fact that Mantel is the most important player on the likely regular season champ counts for a lot as well. On the other hand, if the two squads had played the entire regular season without these two participating, I think Hope would have suffered more from the loss of Reimink. If the MIAA gave me the final decision on the award, at this point I would make them co-MVPs. That would be a just outcome based on what's happened to date. It would also be sort of a "feel-good" thing because in addition to being terrific players, both are excellent students from great families and they represent themselves and their schools well.

Caleb has been an important player and made some big contributions this year in the two rivalry games, but he hasn't been consistent enough this year to be MVP. It's not a life time achievement award. In addition to inconsistency, he missed two games entirely and only played 14 minutes in a third and Calvin won all of them.

[section7]

Anyone know why Michael McClary did not start for Olivet last night, appears he played 21 minutes.

Post on mlive (very unreliable forum), says he sustained an injury on Saturday to the mouth.  Poster stated that he lost or had knocked loose several teeth.

Any truth to this?

[sac]

Anyone know why Michael McClary did not start for Olivet last night, appears he played 21 minutes.

Post on mlive (very unreliable forum), says he sustained an injury on Saturday to the mouth.  Poster stated that he lost or had knocked loose several teeth.

Any truth to this?

Yes he got struck in the mouth at Albion early in the second half and sat out the rest of the game.  I can't answer that he lost any teeth or not but it was a pretty good pop.

[section7]

I think this may have been discussed before, so I apologize for breaking out the dead horse, but someone with more basketball coaching experience than I have, please explain the reasoning behind not guarding the inbounds pass with 1.3 seconds left.  If I am coaching, Mantel or Katt is guarding the inbounds pass, trying to force the ball into the backcourt.  Maybe that's why I am not coaching.... 

Hope got off a horrible guarded shot....therefore it is great coaching...it is harder to score 4 on 5 than 4 on 4 in my experience! 

Bunn had more space than I was comfortable seeing.

Me too..a lot more.  Just seems to me like you have to make the guy throwing it inbounds not get such a clear look.  Anyway...

There's no question that the first entry pass from the far end baseline was unguarded but if my memory serves me correctly (admittedly a debatable proposition) the second pass from half court--after the foul committed by Dustin Smith--was contested. If anyone taped the game take a look and tell me if I'm right about that.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's pretty clear that the MVP race is now down to two players--Mantel and Reimink. Good arguments can be lodged on behalf of either one. Reimink scores more while Mantel has the edge in rebounding. I also happen to think that John's defensive presence is a major factor in his favor. He stops a lot of things from happening without anyone really noticing. The fact that Mantel is the most important player on the likely regular season champ counts for a lot as well. On the other hand, if the two squads had played the entire regular season without these two particapating, I think Hope would have suffered more from the loss of Reimink. If the MIAA gave me the final decision on the award, at this point I would make them co-MVPs. That would be a just outcome based on what's happened to date. It would also be sort of a "feel-good" thing because in addition to being terrific players, both are excellent students from great families and they represent themselves and their schools well.

Caleb has been an important player and made some big contributions this year in the two rivalry games, but he hasn't been consistent enough this year to be MVP. It's not a life time achievement award. In addition to inconsistency, he missed two games entirely and only played 14 minutes in a third and Calvin won all of them.

Well said!