MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[oldknight]

Has anyone been going to the summer league games this year?  I'm curious to know who is playing well and what recruits are participating (if any) for Hope/Calvin in the Holland Rec League.

I don't normally attend summer rec league games but I did take in Monday's Calvin/Hope clash. That's not a lot of information to go on when making assessments but if a Harvard Law grad can opine without knowing all the facts, I'm just as capable of judging who played "stupidly."

Let me first mention that Hope's squad was missing its entire starting backcourt (no Bunn, no Krombeen) so any grade given that team would really have to be an incomplete. But Jungling and Tanis did play along with Bowser and Nelis. Venema was a no-show but Hope did recruit VanderHeide to play the post. Hope had three or four bench players, none of whom I really know other than freshmen, Nate Snuggerud. Calvin started Salo, Rodts, Veltema, Schnyders, and Campbell, with Schuster, Sytsma, Capel and freshmen Bryan Powell as reserves. I understand that Tom Snikkers normally plays too but he was missing this week.

Hope took an early lead but about six minutes in, Powell made his first entry and had an immediate impact. On his first four possessions Bryan scored an eye-popping 11 consecutive points by nailing three deep triples and a driving layup to give the Knights a lead they would never relinquish. Calvin pulled out to a 51-34 lead at half and never looked back. Hope never really challenged in the second half when the Flying Dutchmen looking increasingly more tired and/or disinterested in the proceedings. The game ended one minute early by mutual consent with the Knights holding an 88-59 lead.  

Of the Hope players, I thought only Nelis played well and I was impressed with his play. He looks ready to step in to a role of importance which would be welcome news for Glenn since I'm judging his team to be a little top-heavy in guards and a little light on frontline talent. Snuggerud will be a good player in time and will probably be a varsity player next year but I don't see him making immediate major contributions. He's likely a role player next year. Bowser displayed his athleticism but shot poorly and does not have the rugged interior type of body that we've seen from some of Hope's recent teams.

I was disappointed that Venema didn't make a showing. I would like to have seen if the gap in his well known defensive deficiencies was closing. GVW may catch some coaching criticism from time to time but I've never faulted his teams on the defensive side of the ball. Hope typically plays good interior defense and covers the passing lanes well which accounts for much of Hope's recent success. I sense that next season's team may be more of a challenge for Van Wieren.

As for Calvin, its too early to get excited about a team's posssibilities but I saw nothing to give me great concern. Some teams are the type that requires a coach to encourage the players to shoot the ball. This squad is not one of them. Even without Mantel, Calvin seems to have many scoring options. I suspect that next season's team will be more high octane than those we've seen at Knollcrest in recent years. Salo looked very good and seems more than ready to take over the leadership role on this team while Rodts was solid and Veltema was Veltema. I thought Schnyders played quite well and Powell has all the talent necessary to make an immediate impact. Like any talented freshmen, how much Bryan plays depends primarily on how quickly he adjusts to the demands of defensive play at the college level. He certainly seems more than ready to score and he plays with confidence.  

[sac]

Excellent midsummer recap OK  +k


Even though it doesn't feel like summer, we're in the dogdays and I have to tell you things must be really boring for the AP reporters in the Detroit area.

Here's one of today's riveting stories. 
Macomb man jailed for assault after woman refuses to sell Park Place, Boardwalk in Monopoly   http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/07/macomb_man_jailed_for_assault.html   Its not worth getting an account just to read this fine piece of reporting.

......this follows yesterday's headline  "Jawbone found in Oakland County not Hoffa's, still cool though"   

Makes summer basketball league reports feel like pulitzer material.  Thanks OK.

[Mr. Ypsi]

OUCH!!!  With ONE out in the first inning, Verlander (Verlander!) has already yielded 6 hits and 5 runs!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Now, that's why Verlander is the ace, and may yet win the Cy Young!

Since that horrendous first inning, he's only given up 3 harmless singles, and we're tied at 5 after 5.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Verlander went three more perfect innings, but the Tigers never got the winner 'til the bottom of the 9th, so Rodney got the win: Tigers 6-5.

[sac]

Dog days indeed.........

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/08/man_arrested_for_barking_at_do.html

[sac]

miaa.org has undergone a facelift, check it out.  No doubt our sid from Olivet had a hand in this.

[ziggy]

miaa.org has undergone a facelift, check it out.  No doubt our sid from Olivet had a hand in this.

It looks great!

[ziggy]

Dog days indeed.........

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/08/man_arrested_for_barking_at_do.html

And the Cat days....
http://freep.com/article/20090807/NEWS07/90807081/Kitty-porn--Man-blames-cat-for-child-sex-downloads

[OC_SID]

miaa.org has undergone a facelift, check it out.  No doubt our sid from Olivet had a hand in this.

I had nothing to do with it.

[northb]

Dog days indeed.........

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/08/man_arrested_for_barking_at_do.html

And the Cat days....
http://freep.com/article/20090807/NEWS07/90807081/Kitty-porn--Man-blames-cat-for-child-sex-downloads

Ever find yourself somewhere you didn't expect?

[sac]

Another fantastic headline from today's tour of mlive......

Udder chaos as pregnant cow bolts to freedom at the Kalamazoo County Fair

The headline itself, says it all........ they have a real photo of the udder chaos...

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/08/pregnant_cow_bolts_county_fair.html

[ziggy]

Another fantastic headline from today's tour of mlive......

Udder chaos as pregnant cow bolts to freedom at the Kalamazoo County Fair

The headline itself, says it all........ they have a real photo of the udder chaos...

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/08/pregnant_cow_bolts_county_fair.html

Only in kalamaZOO...

[sac]

Another fantastic headline from today's tour of mlive......

Udder chaos as pregnant cow bolts to freedom at the Kalamazoo County Fair

The headline itself, says it all........ they have a real photo of the udder chaos...

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/08/pregnant_cow_bolts_county_fair.html

Only in kalamaZOO...

It appears Kzoo is not the exclusive home of escaped cows.........

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-105613131.html

http://davidmquintana.blogspot.com/2009/05/no-bull-cow-escapes-slaughterhouse-and.html


Speaking of escapes.......one of my favorite displays with language that just makes you shake your head comes from Michigan State University's Beal Botanical Garden (a fine place for a summers stroll ).  In it is a display of a weed whose dried out seed was used  near the turn of the previous century to comb wool.  Its a dasturdly looking weed, which looks something like a grenade with  spikes in it.  Its quite common along roadsides.

It was actually grown as a cash crop for a period and as the sign at the MSU garden  states........"it escaped cultivation".   Which makes one believe there was some kind of plot by the plants to ensure freedom.  I can't help but laugh a little when I see these weeds enjoying their freedom along the River Trail in Lansing.

This sign ranks right up there with my all time favorite at Tawas Point which describes the migratory patterns of birds along Saginaw Bay...........which states in two  sentences "its here that birds must choose to fly over the Bay or take the longer route following the Bay's shoreline."  "Many birds do not make the trip succesfully due to weather, age, fatigue.......and incidents of cats"

[calvin_grad]

My all time favorite sign was from a restaurant / gas station / bait store somewhere near Niles, Michigan.  Trying to advertise all those things in one sign is not a good idea when the sign ends up reading...

Eat here.
Get gas and worms.

Nah, I think I'll pass.