MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Calvin54]

For hoopdreams, I watched Hope and CU on Monday night.  Just like you, I don't put much stock in summer ball.  Hope was missing Bowser, but everybody else was there.  Holwerda impressed me the most.  The kid has bulked up.  CU had 7 guys, 2 of which are kids that will be on JV.  Kelvin DeVries and Brian Pasciak didn't play for CU. 

[ChicagoHopeNut]

Link to Hope's press release http://www.hope.edu/pr/pressreleases/content/view/full/27438

Based on reading the press release it is implied but not clear that Neil will be joining Hope as a full time faculty member with teaching responsibilities (as opposed to a coach with an "academic rank"). Anyone have more information?

[sac]

From one coach search to another....sort of.

Man are the natives nervous here in Lansing/East Lansing, rally tonight for the legend.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2010/06/michigan_state_basketball_fans.html

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Link to Hope's press release http://www.hope.edu/pr/pressreleases/content/view/full/27438

Based on reading the press release it is implied but not clear that Neil will be joining Hope as a full time faculty member with teaching responsibilities (as opposed to a coach with an "academic rank"). Anyone have more information?

He is teaching

[northb]

From the press release (bold is mine)
"Matt is passionate about HopeCollege and fully committed to its mission, is an effective recruiter and game strategist, and is known throughout the extended Hope community.  Matt is very well prepared to lead the HopeCollege men's basketball program into this new era," said Dr. Mark Northuis, chair of the department of kinesiology who led the search committee."

Is Hope College all one word now?

[thealmascots]

When Scott Trost left IWU for Lewis 4 years ago, that hiring process seemed - to me, at least - to take a long time.  I just found the actual dates - Trost was hired at Lewis 4/11/06, and Ron Rose was hired at IWU 5/12/06.  So about 4 weeks.  In retrospect, that really isn't that long.  I guess it just felt like it at the time as an IWU fan.

How long has this process at Hope been going on now?  We're well past a month, right?

When Illinois Wesleyan conducted its national search 4 years ago, and had head coaches at the D2, D3, and NAIA levels apply - and that group included some really successul, highly-regarded D3 coaches - I think many questioned the hiring of Bloomington (IL) High School coach Ron Rose (an IWU grad and former player).  I remember someone saying, "They conducted a national search and ended up hiring the high school coach across town?!" 

I guess that criticism was fair, but with the kids from his first 2 recruiting classes as juniors and sophs last season, Rose took IWU to the Elite 8.  And with those kids as seniors/juniors in 2010-11, IWU might end up being a preseason Top 5 team.  I guess what I am saying is that 4 years later, I can tell you that absolutely no one associated with IWU basketball feels Rose is the wrong choice now among those candidates from 2006.

I think in some situations it is every bit about "fit" as it is about X's and O's (coaching experience).  Ron Rose walked in the door and understood Illinois Wesleyan, his alma mater, and was able to sell kids on the value of coming to Bloomington.  He also undersood all of the quirky behind-the-scenes stuff about IWU (some good, some bad).  Matt Neil will probably start with a similar "fit" at Hope.   

Congratulations to Coach Neil and best of luck at one of the nation's premier programs.

... and, in other Illinois Wesleyan-related news, a school located two states away from Illinois Wesleyan's campus in Bloomington, Illinois -- a school which, like Illinois Wesleyan, is a member of NCAA Division III -- has hired a new head coach for men's basketball, a sport in which Illinois Wesleyan could possibly be ranked in the preseason top five next fall.

This school, which, unlike Illinois Wesleyan, is not a member of the CCIW and is not scheduled to play Illinois Wesleyan next season (Illinois Wesleyan's non-conference schedule can be found here), plays in a gym that, like Illinois Wesleyan's Shirk Center, is very large by D3 standards. This school wears orange uniforms, as does one of Illinois Wesleyan's rivals in the CCIW. Orange, like the green worn by Illinois Wesleyan (where many outstanding basketball coaches have applied to work), is one of the three secondary colors. Finally, this school is located in a city that has an annual festival devoted to a type of flower, the tulip. The surname of Illinois Wesleyan head men's basketball coach Ron Rose, who took Illinois Wesleyan to the Elite Eight last season, is also a type of flower.

For more Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball updates, please check in regularly here on the MIAA board.

That was fantastic!!

[wiz]

Wow, I'm really surprised.  I can't wait to see who'll take his place.

And as that conjecture begins, as a Calvin fan I can only HOPE it is Matt Neil.

My wish came true!  Congratulations to Hope College on this very satisfying choice.

[northb]

Pat, you have gone too far!  Now I know you have no love lost for SAC*, but this is too much!  The announcement for the previous head coach annointing was on your front page for about three weeks.  Now HopeCollege finally picks their man** and you leave it up there for a measly 22 hours.  Now, I don't mind teasing SAC as much as the next guy***, but to disrespect his team, school and new coach by dropping them off the front page so qucikly.  Too far, too far.

*or do you???
**or second picks their man, or so I have heard
***that would be hoopdreams

[Mr. Ypsi]

Tigers score 3 in the bottom of the 4th, and lead 3-1 with Verlander looking very good.

Therefore it hopefully won't matter (the opposition is, after all, the Pirates ), but just in case it does, remember the bottom of the third.  The Tiges had men on 2nd and 3rd with NO outs, against a journeyman pitcher (Ohlendorf), and scored NO runs.

[northb]

Tigers score 3 in the bottom of the 4th, and lead 3-1 with Verlander looking very good.

Therefore it hopefully won't matter (the opposition is, after all, the Pirates ), but just in case it does, remember the bottom of the third.  The Tiges had men on 2nd and 3rd with NO outs, against a journeyman pitcher (Ohlendorf), and scored NO runs.

Yips, you must remember that the value of a non-run in the third inning is the same as the value of a non-run in any other inning.  Bud light will not change the score.  Beat the dead horse.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Tigers score 3 in the bottom of the 4th, and lead 3-1 with Verlander looking very good.

Therefore it hopefully won't matter (the opposition is, after all, the Pirates ), but just in case it does, remember the bottom of the third.  The Tiges had men on 2nd and 3rd with NO outs, against a journeyman pitcher (Ohlendorf), and scored NO runs.

Yips, you must remember that the value of a non-run in the third inning is the same as the value of a non-run matters the same as in any other inning.  Bud light will not change the score.  Beat the dead horse.

+k

But with all due respect to Gregory, the 27th out of a perfect game IS very different from any other situation!

And since this involves a very imperfect game, non-runs in any inning may make a difference.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Tigers score 3 in the bottom of the 4th, and lead 3-1 with Verlander looking very good.

Therefore it hopefully won't matter (the opposition is, after all, the Pirates ), but just in case it does, remember the bottom of the third.  The Tiges had men on 2nd and 3rd with NO outs, against a journeyman pitcher (Ohlendorf), and scored NO runs.

Yips, you must remember that the value of a non-run in the third inning is the same as the value of a non-run matters the same as in any other inning.  Bud light will not change the score.  Beat the dead horse.

+k

But with all due respect to Gregory, the 27th out of a perfect game IS very different from any other situation!

And since this involves a very imperfect game, non-runs in any inning may make a difference.

Hopefully now irrelevant, as the Tiges are up 6-1 after 6.

Interestingly, the top four in the order are 1-13.  The bottom five are 9-15 with all six RBIs.

Revenge of the nerds?!

[wiz]

Wow, I'm really surprised.  I can't wait to see who'll take his place.

And as that conjecture begins, as a Calvin fan I can only HOPE it is Matt Neil.

My wish came true!  Congratulations to Hope College on this very satisfying choice.

You're going to eat those words when Hope wins it all in 2011, under the direction of Coach Neil!

Are you just trying to get enough posts in so you can start giving karma?

[ziggy]

Hopefully now irrelevant, as the Tiges are up 6-1 after 6.

Interestingly, the top four in the order are 1-13.  The bottom five are 9-15 with all six RBIs.

Revenge of the nerds?!

Not only did all six RBI come from the bottom five of the order, they also all came with 2 out. http://motorcitybengals.com/2010/06/11/bottom-of-the-order-propels-detroit-tigers-to-win-with-2-out-runs/

[wiz]

And for my 174th post... How will Hope's National Championship banner in 2011 blend in with all of their other significant men's basketball banners?  Will the attendance, runner up, etc.  stuff come down? Or will the big one be hung somewhere else?  Maybe erected from center court, or displayed as labels on the condiments in the food court?  This next season is going to be exciting, that for sure!

Well, how many posts do you need to be able to "give" karma?