MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[devossed]

fairbanks?

[Civic Minded]

Sac, you're probably right.  For most, the extra walk won't be a big deal.  Because I have asthma that is especially aggravated by cold air, the idea of a several block hike in the winter (if it ever comes this year) has me already reaching for my inhaler.  Now, as you know, most games I'll be there practically before the team shows up, so no big deal.  On Wednesdays though, I have to come late after work, so I'm expecting the worst.  But hey, maybe there will be open spots from some who leave after the JV game or half-time!

And your insights about the city fathers, God love 'em, were accurate, and painfully funny.

[a guy]

I know someone that is working in the Devos everyday, and he says there is NO WAY that they can be done by the 19th.  They want them to have 4 months of work done in these last two weeks (steel order problems that set them back at the very beginning)  He claims that they have been telling Hope they should schedule at the Civ, but Hope if refusing.  Lets just hope they can pull it off.

[True Basketball Fan]

When does this guy think it'll be done, if not by the 19th?

[a guy]

From what I could gather there is no set date.  Hope has not been very nice to the employees of the contractor so there motivation is down to get it done.  The workers are union, so they don't have to work Saturdays in they don't want too, and they haven't been.  He also informed that there is a HUGE scratch on the floor, and they now have to take off the seal, re sand the whole floor and then seal it again, and that is a two week job right there.  Those tours GVW has been taken through there (unathurized tours at that, hence another reason the workers aren't happy) are hurting the progress of the building more than it is helping recruiting.  I will try and get a date on when the contractors think it will be done.

[Civic Minded]

Wow, if all that is true, it will be the first tale I've ever heard about disgruntled union employees.     Not.  Sheesh -- don't buy into everything you hear -- there are always two sides to every story, and when one side is coming from someone being pushed to do what was promised, the story is bound to get long and sad.  We'll just have to wait and see...

[sac]

Devossed--of course Fairbanks, scrambled brain cells at it again.

[hope1]

  has anyone heard  when meet the dutchmen  this week is 

[oldman_crenshaw]

Sac-  If you want to walk about a mile you can park in big lots!  . 

[hope81]

Both meet the Dutch and Dutchmen are scheduled for this Friday.  You can check the Hope website as the day approaches, but the plan was for doors to open at 5:45 and the women would be introduced/play first.

[devossed]

Sac- that's ok, I've made the same mistake before--(I think after visting some friends in Holland after a mid-90s Hope/Calvin matchup, trying to find my way home from Fausti Pazools???)

A Guy: Now of course the administration at Hope could be a bunch of old dutchies with ruffled feathers, but I would be upset too if the job that was promised to be done wasn't done. It shouldn't matter that Hope isn't nice--this is business and the contract is not being performed. In fact, I've worked with the Dan Vos company on multiple occasions, and this situation seems to be becoming an unfortunate pattern for them over the last couple years. Of course, they could have a litany of reasons (the aforementioned steel shortage, lack of contol over unionized subcontractors, rising production costs) but they are losing their monopoly on "name" projects within some West Michigan circles.

Re: the HUGE scratch on the floor -- this is unexcusable. Did it come from the scoreboard? lazy union employee? workplace accident? I'm curious to hear the full story before I make hasty judgments, but another two weeks of delay doesn't endear itself to anyone.

Re: GVW tours -- Are you the construction foreman? Who says they were unauthorized? If you were the head coach at a premeir D-3 institution with that very floor soon to be named after you and you were luring some big-time talent, I'm sure you'd like to get in as much as possible. Again, his visits have nothing to do with the lack of progress on the structure. It's simply a case of a contract not being performed to its initial terms.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

According to the Hope website, Meet the Dutchmen is scheduled for 6pm with the site tbd.

[a guy]

Devossed, I am just telling you what I heard from my friend who works there everyday, he is realiable source and a close friend with no reason to bowl crap.  You can dismiss what I say if you would like, but if you talked to the same people, I think you might get the same answers.  You heard it here first, the first game for Hope WILL NOT be at the DeVos, unless there is a miracle.

[devossed]

A guy--
I'm not at all dismissing what you say as untrue...I very much believe you got the straight source from someone on the inside (subcontractor?) and he presented you a picture of the morale of his fellow union workers. I was simply pointing out a view from the outside. One that logically sees contributing factors in the delay and non-performance of the contract.

And I do agree with you that it would take a miracle to finish the job anytime soon (I went through a week ago with some of the crew and thought to myself it would be a miracle to be done before December). But the word from Hope's administration/senior staff is that they will apply for a temporary occupancy permit (even that was posted in the Holland Sentinel a few weeks back) to play their "Meet the Dutchmen" this Friday night. No word on how the city has ruled, but I'm sure that will become public tomorrow or Thursday.

[SBell]

Michigan small college all-state team:

http://www.bankhoops.com