MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[hoopdreams]

Thank you for the update CM-

My wish for this upcoming season and the future for Hope basketball is that there is a willingness to be flexible, or adapt to situations/gameplans by changing lineups and rotations.  Hope has had, and will have enough depth and talent to do some pretty special things if they are given the opportunity.

I am really excited to watch Josh and Snuggs play.  They have taken this off season seriously from what I hear (as have others) and should become one heck of a frontcourt duo for the next 3 years.  The preconceived notion that Vennema will start at the 5 is false.  True to form, he is not doing the necessary work to improve and be the force that he can/should be.  I have not heard his name bantering around at all, by anyone, which means that it will take until February for him to get into shape again. Yes, he may have a  summer job limiting his chances to play but just ask the players.... This may sound harsh, but this is what his coaches have been complaining about for years- Elders and Keeler too.  Maybe andy's role is meant to be that instant O off the bench for a couple minutes at a time, take advantage of other teams backup posts and get out. I TRULY HOPE I AM WAY OFF ON THIS. If Coach Neil wants to extend the floor on both sides of the ball, that doesn't bode well for Andy either.

FDF- thank you for your insight on the "Tourney" it is what i assumed, just wanted to make sure.

[Happy Calvin Guy]

If Coach Neil wants to extend the floor on both sides of the ball, that doesn't bode well for Andy either.

I think that Venema already has a great inside/outside game, including perimeter range shooting.  With a bit of work on quickness he would be a big impact player in the MIAA.  Regardless, I think he's poised for some big games against Calvin this year given that a lot of the Knights' bulk down low has graduated (Mantel/Campbell).  Venema will be a load for Schuster to handle, so if Neil chooses to squeeze his minutes as you suggest, that's ok with me.

[hoopdreams]

I suppose I should have been a little more specific earlier.  When Coach Neil was hired, he eluded to the possibility of a more up-tempo style (extend the floor), which would limit a big, lumbering post players effectiveness.

  It's not a quickness issue.  It's a conditioning issue, its a passion issue, its a "am I willing to do what ever it takes for my team to be successful" issue.  Most of the players have had that approach all spring and summer from what I hear and it is paying off already.

  I wish that all Hope "posts" would assert themselves in the paint, thus opening the floor for their shooters and slashers .  With Andy, Nate, and Josh you have a nice mixture of low post (nate), mid range(josh)and perimeter scoring (unfortunately the second biggest player in the league).  Andy can do it all, if he chooses to.

If Andy and others decide to control the paint and the glass, Hope will be very, very good. Their backcourt is going to be really strong and deep, if the new coaching staff decides to utilize them.

Andy can dominate a game and the MIAA if he chooses to do so.... now, not come January.  If not, he may have a couple great games, but not on a consistent enough basis for them to make a DEEP run.

[trinethunder]

I spoke to the head coach at Trine recently and he told me that the RDV tourney in Orlando was a tourney with the possiblity of a Hope Trine Final.  He said that Coach V and he were not happy about it but the organizers down at RDV wanted it that way.

[hoopdreams]

That would mean Trine would have to beat Dominican, which based on what I know of both teams from a year ago, is doubtful. DU finished with a flourish, has most of their team coming back and one heck of a cover at the 2 guard.  Best of luck to you, I hope you represent the MIAA well.

[sac]

Dominican went 4-4 to finish the season last winter.

They lost to Trine by 2 in triple overtime in December.

[hoopdreams]

 Thank you for correcting me on that, however I was referring to being the first 8th seed in conference history to beat a 1 seed, and becoming the first 8th to play in the finals. Maybe I read that incorrectly on their site. They have most of their team returning, including a player who was named to the D3 national team of the week (or whatever they call it) twice. A player that should graduate with more than a few points,  you can do the math for me( I would consider that a tough cover or would you that to discount that as well?),  A player I might add that Hope thought might do well in their JV program for a year or two.


I always forget that when I'm not giving away secrets, I have to be incredibly specific and careful with each word as to not have everything ripped apart.  Do I get Karma points for ending my post  to TThunder with a compliment?  Thank you again for correcting my incorrect and thus invalid statement.

Any word on JM according to your inner circle, SAC? 

[KnightSlappy]

Thank you for correcting me on that, however I was referring to being the first 8th seed in conference history to beat a 1 seed, and becoming the first 8th to play in the finals. Maybe I read that incorrectly on their site. They have most of their team returning, including a player who was named to the D3 national team of the week (or whatever they call it) twice. A player that should graduate with more than a few points,  you can do the math for me( I would consider that a tough cover or would you that to discount that as well?),  A player I might add that Hope thought might do well in their JV program for a year or two.


I always forget that when I'm not giving away secrets, I have to be incredibly specific and careful with each word as to not have everything ripped apart.  Do I get Karma points for ending my post  to TThunder with a compliment?  Thank you again for correcting my incorrect and thus invalid statement.

Any word on JM according to your inner circle, SAC? 

It's true. #8 Dominican (7-9) beat #1 Concordia-Wisconsin (9-6). It's hard to call any of those games in that tournament upsets; the league was poor, but balanced.

Returning everyone on a bad team doesn't necessarily make you a good team.

[sac]

Thank you for correcting me on that, however I was referring to being the first 8th seed in conference history to beat a 1 seed, and becoming the first 8th to play in the finals. Maybe I read that incorrectly on their site. They have most of their team returning, including a player who was named to the D3 national team of the week (or whatever they call it) twice. A player that should graduate with more than a few points,  you can do the math for me( I would consider that a tough cover or would you that to discount that as well?),  A player I might add that Hope thought might do well in their JV program for a year or two.


I always forget that when I'm not giving away secrets, I have to be incredibly specific and careful with each word as to not have everything ripped apart.  Do I get Karma points for ending my post  to TThunder with a compliment?  Thank you again for correcting my incorrect and thus invalid statement.

give it a rest

[Civic Minded]

Thank you for correcting me on that, however I was referring to being the first 8th seed in conference history to beat a 1 seed, and becoming the first 8th to play in the finals. Maybe I read that incorrectly on their site. They have most of their team returning, including a player who was named to the D3 national team of the week (or whatever they call it) twice. A player that should graduate with more than a few points,  you can do the math for me( I would consider that a tough cover or would you that to discount that as well?),  A player I might add that Hope thought might do well in their JV program for a year or two.


I always forget that when I'm not giving away secrets, I have to be incredibly specific and careful with each word as to not have everything ripped apart.  Do I get Karma points for ending my post  to TThunder with a compliment?  Thank you again for correcting my incorrect and thus invalid statement.

Any word on JM according to your inner circle, SAC? 

And you wonder why folks around here hesitate to post anything anymore.  Got a book for you to read.  "How to Win Friends and Influence People."  It will blow your mind.

[Pat Coleman]

And you wonder why folks around here hesitate to post anything anymore.

Actually, this is another one of those that goes both ways. At least, that's what people tell me.

[sac]

Dominican went 4-4 to finish the season last winter.

They lost to Trine by 2 in triple overtime in December.

This post wasn't meant to dispute or support hoopdreams claims of "finished with a flurry" or that Trine beating Dominican is "doubtful".   

I'm sorry I have a natural curiosity of things like random knowledge of D3 teams most people have never heard of, but I had looked at Domincan's site earlier this summer when it was announced they might be a Hope opponent.  I had noted they made their conference tournament final (which I failed to add in my post) and that they had played Trine.......but couldn't remember who had won.

I guess I left it up to reader to decide whether 4-4 is a flurry of a finish.   For a team that was 7-13 going in, maybe to some, maybe not to others.   And the reader can also decide if Trine (who also returns much of its team) has a chance against Dominican.........maybe someone doesn't think so.


Back to sipping ice tea's on the porch.

[Gregory Sager]

Thank you for correcting me on that, however I was referring to being the first 8th seed in conference history to beat a 1 seed, and becoming the first 8th to play in the finals. Maybe I read that incorrectly on their site. They have most of their team returning, including a player who was named to the D3 national team of the week (or whatever they call it) twice. A player that should graduate with more than a few points,  you can do the math for me( I would consider that a tough cover or would you that to discount that as well?),  A player I might add that Hope thought might do well in their JV program for a year or two.


I always forget that when I'm not giving away secrets, I have to be incredibly specific and careful with each word as to not have everything ripped apart.  Do I get Karma points for ending my post  to TThunder with a compliment?  Thank you again for correcting my incorrect and thus invalid statement.

Any word on JM according to your inner circle, SAC? 

It's true. #8 Dominican (7-9) beat #1 Concordia-Wisconsin (9-6). It's hard to call any of those games in that tournament upsets; the league was poor, but balanced.

Returning everyone on a bad team doesn't necessarily make you a good team.

Also, the NAthCon has been in existence for only four years, so "being the first 8th seed in conference history to beat a 1 seed, and becoming the first 8th to play in the finals" isn't nearly as big an accomplishment as it may appear at first blush.

I saw Dominican several times last season (including the triple-overtime game against Trine), and I wouldn't characterize the Stars as a bad team. In the greater scheme of D3 I'd say that "mediocre" is the word that best suited them. The final Massey ratings of 2009-10 had the Stars as the 206th-ranked team out of 412 D3 teams, which is as close to a picture-perfect definition of mediocrity as one can get.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Cheli's coming home:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/hockey/nhl/08/07/chelios.retires.ap/index.html?eref=sihp

And the Tigers are toast - and have probably destroyed Cabrera's chance at a well-deserved MVP:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/gameflash/2010/08/07/29745_recap.html?eref=sihp

Since the Lions will be fortunate to even reach 6-10, and the Wolverines seem destined for a third-tier bowl at best, we can now focus full attention on the MIAA!

Since Hope opens against my Titans, I hope their non-con losing streak goes one more game, but I'm fairly sure they will finally break it this year.  Any thoughts on whether they can return to their earlier status as perennial contenders?  Or will the Trine/Adrian game be for all the marbles yet again?

[Edit: I just realized I'm on the basketball board - sorry for the intrusion! :-[]

[northb]

Also, the NAthCon has been in existence for only four years, so "being the first 8th seed in conference history to beat a 1 seed, and becoming the first 8th to play in the finals" isn't nearly as big an accomplishment as it may appear at first blush.

Actually your argument goes both ways.  Perhaps it is the most amazing event that will ever occur in that league or any other.  The youth of the league makes it too early to tell, or to use it as much of a barometer of the likely outcome of the RDV tournament.  But I get your drift.