MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ziggy]

sac, I just saw the news (you beat me to posting by 2 minutes).

Injury foreclosed what might have been a HOF career - AND he was more fun than just about any other MLB player ever.

Aided by the incompetent managing of Ralph Houk. If I recall correctly "The Bird" threw 24 complete games his rookie season, some of them in extra innings. Unthinkable nowadays. To a young Michigander watching Fidrych in what was otherwise a poor Tigers' season, he seemed to embody our boyish enthusiasm for the game. I lost my love for the game back in '94, but hearing of Fidrych's passing made me briefly remember why I used to love the game so much, and the purity of a summer day when you're young and still dreaming.

Remind me,  who won the World Series in 1994? 

The Montreal Expos!

[Mr. Ypsi]

A piece of trivia I might have once known, but had forgotten.  Jack Morris was roundly booed by a huge crowd at Tiger Stadium in his first major-league start.  Why?  He was the replacement for an injured Mark Fidrych!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Another bit of trivia I did not know, but am not surprised about.  EVERY other AL team gained more revenue from The Bird than Fidrych himself earned in 1976.  Minnesota, for example, had over 30,000 in attendance when Mark pitched; they had less than 8,000 in the immediate games before and after (and never drew even 25,000 any other game all season).

[ScotsFan]

Another bit of trivia I did not know, but am not surprised about.  EVERY other AL team gained more revenue from The Bird than Fidrych himself earned in 1976.  Minnesota, for example, had over 30,000 in attendance when Mark pitched; they had less than 8,000 in the immediate games before and after (and never drew even 25,000 any other game all season).

Yeah.  I heard on the radio yesterday that owners of other clubs would ask the Tigers to move Fidrych up or down in the rotation so that he could pitch in their ball parks to increase ticket sales!  I don't think MLB will ever see anyone like the Bird again...

[FiredUp]

Adrian interview or hire a coach yet?

[sac]

This is way off-topic but the headline struck me as a little funny

Youngstown, Ohio mayor to bring ideas for smaller city to Flint
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/04/youngstown_ohio_mayor_to_bring.html


How bad are things when you start seeking advice from Youngstown, Ohio?

[goodknight]

Mlive/Advance Newspapers confirm the previously reported commitment of Matt DeBoer to Calvin, and also note the commitment of another top KVS target, guard Steve Harrison from Kent City.  Here's the published blurbs on those two future Knights.

MATT DeBOER
Covenant Christian, Forward

One of the highest-scoring players in all of West Michigan, DeBoer racked up 20.8 points per game playing in the loaded River Valley Conference against the likes of Class D state champion Western Michigan Christian. The senior standout also had 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1 block per game, and shot 61 percent from the floor. He will play for Calvin College next year.

"Matt's work ethic is what stands out the most about him," said Chargers coach James Haveman. "He's a very good defensive player, a good shooter from 15 feet in, and just a great all-around offensive player."

STEVE HARRISON
Kent City, Guard

Harrison was named Class C all-state honorable mention, after putting up 17.9 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game during his senior season. A two-year captain and 50-percent overall shooter, he scored 972 points during his high school career.

"He's just a superb ball-handler and shooter," said Eagles coach Ross Willick of Harrison, who like DeBoer will become a Calvin Knight. "He has good vision and he takes the ball to the hole very well."

[Happy Calvin Guy]

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/04/calvins_veldhouse_takes_flight.html

[sac]

Here's one for Alma

Tyler DeLap,  from Carson City-Crystal..........don't know anything about him except the paper says he made 56 three pointers this year.

[RFMichigan]

Well, I had a chance to stop in at Calvin's new fieldhouse complex on Saturday when I was heading through Grand Rapids, and . . . my goodness, what a place. Really cool. Unbelieveable. Fabulaous. I could keep gushing, but my guess is that there are even more "behind the scenes" components of the facility (training rooms, etc.) which only add to its overall, headshaking quality.

I wonder how many DI or DII fieldhouses are not up to the standards of the Spoelhof (sp?) Center. I was at Valparaiso's gym a few years back and while their gym might be a little larger (I'm not sure that it is), I don't remember the ARC matching up to Calvin's overall quality. This might just be a place where you take prospective students first when they visit the campus before they take the regular tour and just let them be awed.

Question to a knowing Calvin fan about the Meckes brothers; I know that Nate was a DIII champion in the shot and has been (and maybe still is) nationally ranked, but only played maybe a year or two of basketball(?) Did he ever play varsity? Then Josh was recruited as a decathlete, and I think played varsity basktball for a year or two. I believe he may have even started on the team that was national runner-up a few years back, but did he play four years of basketball? It seems to me that he did not, but I'm not sure that is the case.

Aaron will be a very nice addition to the Calvin family, and while it's hard to predict what his (or any freshman's) contribution will be to the basketball program, can he ever throw the shot and discus.

[RFMichigan]

And sorry for all the underlining. I guess that's why they have the "preview" button.

[doc]

Question to a knowing Calvin fan about the Meckes brothers; I know that Nate was a DIII champion in the shot and has been (and maybe still is) nationally ranked, but only played maybe a year or two of basketball(?) Did he ever play varsity? Then Josh was recruited as a decathlete, and I think played varsity basktball for a year or two. I believe he may have even started on the team that was national runner-up a few years back, but did he play four years of basketball? It seems to me that he did not, but I'm not sure that is the case.

Josh was a four year player for Calvin, from 2003-4 to 2006-7, and was a regular starter his soph. to senior season.  Check his stats here: http://www.calvin.edu/sports/mens/basketball/results/.  He was never a huge offensive force, but was a great athelete, loved to defend, block, and rebound, and could jump out of his shoes.

[mrknight]

Nice to hear that Calvin has received a few more commitments, now the question is will Snikkers and Snuggerud end up at Calvin

[Knight81]

Mlive/Advance Newspapers confirm the previously reported commitment of Matt DeBoer to Calvin, and also note the commitment of another top KVS target, guard Steve Harrison from Kent City.  Here's the published blurbs on those two future Knights.

MATT DeBOER
Covenant Christian, Forward

One of the highest-scoring players in all of West Michigan, DeBoer racked up 20.8 points per game playing in the loaded River Valley Conference against the likes of Class D state champion Western Michigan Christian. The senior standout also had 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1 block per game, and shot 61 percent from the floor. He will play for Calvin College next year.

"Matt's work ethic is what stands out the most about him," said Chargers coach James Haveman. "He's a very good defensive player, a good shooter from 15 feet in, and just a great all-around offensive player."

STEVE HARRISON
Kent City, Guard

Harrison was named Class C all-state honorable mention, after putting up 17.9 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game during his senior season. A two-year captain and 50-percent overall shooter, he scored 972 points during his high school career.

"He's just a superb ball-handler and shooter," said Eagles coach Ross Willick of Harrison, who like DeBoer will become a Calvin Knight. "He has good vision and he takes the ball to the hole very well."

Do you have a link for this story?

Sounds like KVS is really stepping up the recruiting this year. The new facility has to help.

[Galahad]

Mlive/Advance Newspapers confirm the previously reported commitment of Matt DeBoer to Calvin, and also note the commitment of another top KVS target, guard Steve Harrison from Kent City.  Here's the published blurbs on those two future Knights.

MATT DeBOER
Covenant Christian, Forward

One of the highest-scoring players in all of West Michigan, DeBoer racked up 20.8 points per game playing in the loaded River Valley Conference against the likes of Class D state champion Western Michigan Christian. The senior standout also had 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1 block per game, and shot 61 percent from the floor. He will play for Calvin College next year.

"Matt's work ethic is what stands out the most about him," said Chargers coach James Haveman. "He's a very good defensive player, a good shooter from 15 feet in, and just a great all-around offensive player."

STEVE HARRISON
Kent City, Guard

Harrison was named Class C all-state honorable mention, after putting up 17.9 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game during his senior season. A two-year captain and 50-percent overall shooter, he scored 972 points during his high school career.

"He's just a superb ball-handler and shooter," said Eagles coach Ross Willick of Harrison, who like DeBoer will become a Calvin Knight. "He has good vision and he takes the ball to the hole very well."

Do you have a link for this story?

Sounds like KVS is really stepping up the recruiting this year. The new facility has to help.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/region/grandrapids/news/article/-8149809606803385310/five-teams-in-all-area-north-region-won-14-or-more-games/