MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[oldknight]

Covenant Christian's beefy 6'4", Derrick De Vries, headed to Calvin per the April 10 issue of the GR Press. A big time scorer at 24 ppg, plus 11 rebounds. Led the Chargers to a 15-6 record this season and was named first team Class C All-State.

[sac]

"GoHope"


I don't remember the exact year, it was some time ago, 2005 or earlier, there was really only one person who knew my identity on this board.  The circumstances are fuzzier now but it involved a Calvin ticket and I had to go to the Dow Center and answer some really weird questions to prove who I was.  Eva Dean-Folkert Hope's ticket manager at the time seemed satisfied and I ended up with a ticket to the Hope-Calvin game at the Civic Center.  Back then a pretty rare treat for me since I was not a season ticket holder and the game itself was always sold out.   It was probably only the 2nd or 3rd regular season game between Hope and Calvin I had been able to see since I graduated many years earlier.

A game or two later I took my customary seat at the Civic Center, 4 or 5 rows up, free-throw line across from the visitors bench.  I don't even remember who Hope was playing but both teams were out warming up and the usual mess of a crowd in front of the bleachers was milling about.  Among them, clipboard in hand was Eva looking through the crowd.  When she made eye contact with me she waved me down.  She politely asked if she could introduce me to someone who wanted to meet me.  I said sure, kind of pensively probably.

Eva turned and waved up this curly haired women with the widest damn smile.  Besides my childhood dog, I do not think I have ever met someone so excited to meet me.   We talked for a few moments and it was then that I learned she posted here under the name "GoHope".    It was "GoHope" who actually kind of encouraged me to be more open to meeting other posters and it wasn't long after that I met FlyingDutchFan and CivicMinded who oddly enough usually sat in the last row directly behind me without any of us knowing it.

I'm not sure exactly how it happened or when but we became a group and it started to become our thing to sit next to each other at away games and meet for food, drinks and laughs afterwards.  So many damn laughs.  For me I remember Hope's 2007 trip to Steven Point, Wisconsin as being the moment where things became kind of "official", and we've really been fans joined at the hip ever since.  Gradually our group expanded with other posters like HopeTix, ErmSchmigget, Veragrace, monsoon and a coach or two joining in the fun. 

In recent years changes in work and life circumstances have meant our full group haven't been together much.  There's always been a chair or three or four empty at our table lately.  But a couple years ago we met as near to a full group as we've been able to after a game at a restaurant in Holland.  I was struck by the fact that surrounding the table were over 45 years separation of Hope graduates.  Some had known each other in school, others years overlapped but didn't meet, a couple of us missed each other by only a year or two and others still the offspring and soon to be graduates.  Its likely none of us would know each other if not for this board and most importantly if not for "GoHope".  I know its been a while since "GoHope" regularly posted here, but the impact she's made on most of the Hope posters has lasted for quite a long time.

Its with a very heavy heart and great sadness that I tell you our friend Jenni,  "GoHope" passed away peacefully Saturday after a brief and sudden illness.  I think I speak for all of us when I say we will miss her infectious smile, kind heart and sense of humor that kept us all laughing so much.   I will especially miss our after game gathering at the best seats in DeVos where more often than not we would devise our post game plans of revelry and friendship.

Dear friend you will be deeply missed.

[Titan Q]

Very sorry to hear that, Scott.  Great post and tribute to Jenni.

[Hopetix]

Thank you SAC for capturing the special person GoHope has been to so many of us. There was no bigger Hope fan than her, and no one who loved our Hope athletes and students as much as she did. It is a sad time for the Orange and Blue family. I will miss her so much.

[gordonmann]

Thanks for posting that, Sac.

It's a great tribute to Jenni and a nice reminder about the community that exists through these boards.

[Gregory Sager]

Very sorry to hear that, Scott.  Great post and tribute to Jenni.

Thanks for posting that, Sac.

It's a great tribute to Jenni and a nice reminder about the community that exists through these boards.

My thoughts, too, Scott.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Sac - thanks for sharing so well about our friend Jenni.   Going to be hard to look across the DeVos and not see her there. She was truly a great example of what it means to be a fan - and I can only Hope to be such a joy-filled person in my own life.  Love you JL!!

[Pat Coleman]

Scott -- I'm sorry I'm a couple of days late in reading this but thanks for posting about Jenni and my condolences to the Hope basketball family on its loss.

[HopeKnight]

Thanks for the update on the MIAA recruits - always interesting to see what next year may bring.

An additional recruit to be added to the list for HOPE should include 6'2'' 180 pound PG/SG: Matthew Zandstra from Illiana Christian (Illinois). He will be playing both Basketball and Golf at HOPE next year - Go Dutchman!

[Gregory Sager]

Welcome to the board, HopeKnight! And, please, feel free to invite your friends DukeTarheel, AmherstEph, MichiganBuckeye, and DePauwLittleGiant to post here as well.

[oldknight]

Welcome to the board, HopeKnight! And, please, feel free to invite your friends DukeTarheel, AmherstEph, MichiganBuckeye, and DePauwLittleGiant to post here as well.

Don't forget TigerScot, the grand-daddy of all oxymoronic board names. David Collinge once told me that the Witt/Woo rivalry was Calvin/Hope without any of the respect.

[Gregory Sager]

David Collinge once told me that the Witt/Woo rivalry was Calvin/Hope without any of the respect.

Yes, I can certainly see how it would exacerbate a rivalry when the short-hand version of one school's name rhymes with a common but highly impolite Anglo-Saxon term for excrement.

[Mr. Ypsi]

David Collinge once told me that the Witt/Woo rivalry was Calvin/Hope without any of the respect.

Yes, I can certainly see how it would exacerbate a rivalry when the short-hand version of one school's name rhymes with a common but highly impolite Anglo-Saxon term for excrement.

I doubt that 'Poo' goes back to the Anglo-Saxon, but BOTH schools in short hand rhyme with terms for excrement!

Is there something here the other NCAC schools can pounce on?  Without being evicted?

[Gregory Sager]

David Collinge once told me that the Witt/Woo rivalry was Calvin/Hope without any of the respect.

Yes, I can certainly see how it would exacerbate a rivalry when the short-hand version of one school's name rhymes with a common but highly impolite Anglo-Saxon term for excrement.

I doubt that 'Poo' goes back to the Anglo-Saxon, but BOTH schools in short hand rhyme with terms for excrement!

No, they don't, Chuck.

[Mr. Ypsi]

David Collinge once told me that the Witt/Woo rivalry was Calvin/Hope without any of the respect.

Yes, I can certainly see how it would exacerbate a rivalry when the short-hand version of one school's name rhymes with a common but highly impolite Anglo-Saxon term for excrement.

I doubt that 'Poo' goes back to the Anglo-Saxon, but BOTH schools in short hand rhyme with terms for excrement!

No, they don't, Chuck.

Sorry, Greg, but while I know the full name is 'Wuster', find me ANYONE who says the shortened name as 'WUH" rather than 'WOO'.  I've been there several times and everyone called the college 'Woo'.  FINALLY, you lose again.

Full names and shortened names do not necessarily make sense.  How in the world did Richard become Dick, Theodore become Ted, or for that matter, Charles become Chuck?  Some mysteries may be best left unexplored!