MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[realist]

If GVW wants to play his best players so be it.  That is why he makes the big bucks.  I think every coach wants to, and needs to over recruit.  Take KVS at Calvin this year.  Did he tell all those FR last year they would get playing time this year?  I sort of doubt that.  He tells them the competiton will be tough, and they will have to fit in, and earn some playing time (practice hard, and be ready/perform when the chance comes).  Some coaches have avoided transfers for just the problem GVW has at this time.  It works for a quick one-time fix, but may cause other problems.  Look at all the MIAA schools, and compare the # of Srs playing versus the size of the Fr class they came in with.  Turnover happens.  How many of the Fr that came in with J Veenstra played with him as a SR?

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I think you guys are letting your personal feelings for some of these players get in the way.  GVW will play the kid that is the best player.  I don't think that you can blame him for playing Vansmoke if he is clearly the better player.  People were saying the same thing about Rick Carlilse when the stones canned him for Larry Flint Brown.

I think these comments miss the point. The question is not whether VanSolkema is a more capable player than anyone else on the roster. The question, in my judgment,  is whether as a matter of coaching integrity (as well as concern for team chemistry) GVW should allow a mid season transfer play any minutes at all on this year's team. Before making any further comments on that issue I am most interested in hearing more from the Hope posters.

And my take would be this - I suspect (knowing GVW) that DVS wouldn't be playing if the rest of the team (or the captains for sure) weren't fully in support of it.  Glenn has too much respect for his team, and too much at stake to just do this without their buy-in.  

[sac]

  He then said he would practice only.  He then allowed him to start suiting up for games. And now he is getting PT. 

I guess its too much to think DVS has practiced his way into some playing time?

GVW stated he didn't want to disrupt chemistry.  I guess a 1 point, last second shot loss, to your archrival, throws chemistry out the window.  GVW has basically thrown Partridge under the bus. 

First point.........the fact that VanSolkema didn't play before the Albion/Calvin games suggests GVW didn't want to disrupt chemistry.  If he wasn't worried about chemistry DVS would have played day 1.

Second point........Partridge can now play his more natural position of the 2 gaurd.  Partridge was thrown under the bus when he was asked to play a position he'd never played at the beginning of the season.

  He's told him and a lot of his teamates that even though you've been practicing since Oct. 15 at Hope, step aside because I've brought in somebody better.  Chemistry, forget it about it.  Its all about a champiohship because GVW is running out of time and this could be his last best shot.

First point.........The way I understand it VanSolkema literally fell in GVW's lap.  There was no "bringing in" a transfer at the halfway point.  DVS left EMU and enrolled at Hope which was a surprise to everyone, and as I understand it another MIAA coach.

Second point........your last sentence........well duh!

[hope1]

i agree on 100  percent what the flying dutchmen said to the way i know glenn it is true   and go albion  beat calvin

[sac]

Mike Dyson was a midseason transfer to Olivet.......no one was crying then.

[NW Hope Fan]

 DVS wouldn't be playing if the rest of the team (or the captains for sure) weren't fully in support of it. Glenn has too much respect for his team, and too much at stake to just do this without their buy-in.  

This is my hope as well, but I know for a fact that there have been some integrity/respect issues that have come up w/ GVW and other Hope Athletic department/coaching staff. Maybe he has more respect for his team??? I don't know.

Mike Dyson was a midseason transfer to Olivet.......no one was crying then.

According to Ziggy... No one at Olivet cares one way or another! 

[almcguirejr]

In Response to Kreskge Krazy, This just In!!!


Hope Athletic Director Ray Smith has just announced that Chuck Daly will take over as Head Basketball Coach immediately.  He said " I think Chuck's a better coach and I don't think anyone will blame me for taking Chuck over Glen.

Smith thanked GVW for his years of service and told him he could accept his new role as assistant coach or become a cancer and possibly ruin a championship season.

[kcrest]

Mike Dyson was a midseason transfer to Olivet.......no one was crying then.

I'm not sure anyone is crying now Sac.  It's completely legit for DVS to play for Hope and it really doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me as a Calvin fan.  However, if the situation was reversed, and Calvn had a player come in mid-season from another school, I'd be interested in how Calvin's coaching staff would handle it.  And I'm sure the players, and perhaps prospective recruits, would be interested too.  I think that's the issue that's been raised by other posters. 

Actually I have a pretty fair idea of how Calvin's coaching staff would handle it based on Dustin Smith's move to Calvin mid-season last year. 

The bottom line is it's a very interesting scenario for Hope to have someone come in an play the last three regular season games of the year - probably an unprecedented situation for them.  How it plays out remains to be seen.

[NW Hope Fan]

Top 25 out.
Hope 5 from 4
Albion 8 from 10
Calvin 19 from 25

We (Hope fans) would love to see Albion beat Calvin, but if Calvin wins, does the MIAA end up with three teams in the top 15? Or would that drive Albion out?

Congrats to all three teams!

[sac]

Probably drive them out, unless it were another buzzer beater.

My guess is Calvin is poised on most peoples ballots to make a big jump if they beat Albion.


Kcrest----Dustin Smith transfering to Calvin is a very poor example.  Smith wasn't playing basketball for Hope, VanSolkema was playing for D1 Eastern Michigan.


I think its funny how this has blown WAY out of proportion today.............he played 8 minutes!


James Cameron wanted Chuck Norris to play the Terminator. However, upon reflection, he realized that would have turned his movie into a documentary, so he went with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[oldknight]

Actually I have a pretty fair idea of how Calvin's coaching staff would handle it based on Dustin Smith's move to Calvin mid-season last year.

Bingo kcrest.

[kcrest]

Kcrest----Dustin Smith transfering to Calvin is a very poor example.  Smith wasn't playing basketball for Hope, VanSolkema was playing for D1 Eastern Michigan.

I'm not sure it's *very* poor example.     I mean Smith is playing hoops this year for Calvin and was a known quantity in hoops last year having graduated high school as Hamilton High's all-time leading scorer.  And I think Calvin could have used him last year at point guard, perhaps more than DVS is needed at Hope?

[kakaty]

With regard to VanSolkema, I've got a couple of thoughts (which are solely my opinion and based on exactly zero inside information):

1.  Neither GVW's earlier comments that DVS would not play this season, nor GVW's decision to let DVS play this season, were made with any consideration for the "chemistry" of the Hope team.  

The earlier comments were made when GVW didn't think that DVS would have a role to play on the team, and when GVW thought that his team was deep and talented enough to reach its goals as the team was constituted at the time.  Now, with losses to Albion and Calvin on the ledger, and having seen DVS practice with the team, GVW believes that DVS will be able to make a difference, in the MIAA tourney and the NCAA tourney (most likely), and has changed his mind.

2.  Probably no coach in the MIAA, if an All-State high school player and DI transfer enrolled at his school following the Christmas break, would refuse to let the player suit up and play that season.  So I don't think it's fair to criticize GVW for doing the same thing.  Perhaps the only difference for many is that they wouldn't wait as long as GVW did to play him.

3.  I don't actually believe that DVS enrolled at Hope completely unbeknownst to GVW.  I am not accusing GVW, or any on his staff, of recruiting DVS away from EMU or anything of the like.  I just find it beyond belief that DVS would enroll at Hope, intending and hoping to play basketball, without running it by someone on the staff first.  Don't get me wrong, I understand completely that the "utter surprise" angle helps soothe the feelings of any kids that are upset by the developments - but, see #1 above, at the end of the day I don't think GVW cares too particularly much.  I think he probably had some contact (direct or indirect) with DVS and let him know that he would be welcome in the program.

4.  I have no idea how the salary structure in the MIAA looks - but I would bet that if you asked GVW, he would be at least a bit surprised to learn that he is getting "the big bucks".

[sac]

With regard to VanSolkema, I've got a couple of thoughts (which are solely my opinion and based on exactly zero inside information):

1.  Neither GVW's earlier comments that DVS would not play this season, nor GVW's decision to let DVS play this season, were made with any consideration for the "chemistry" of the Hope team. 

The earlier comments were made when GVW didn't think that DVS would have a role to play on the team, and when GVW thought that his team was deep and talented enough to reach its goals as the team was constituted at the time.  Now, with losses to Albion and Calvin on the ledger, and having seen DVS practice with the team, GVW believes that DVS will be able to make a difference, in the MIAA tourney and the NCAA tourney (most likely), and has changed his mind.

2.  Probably no coach in the MIAA, if an All-State high school player and DI transfer enrolled at his school following the Christmas break, would refuse to let the player suit up and play that season.  So I don't think it's fair to criticize GVW for doing the same thing.  Perhaps the only difference for many is that they wouldn't wait as long as GVW did to play him.

3.  I don't actually believe that DVS enrolled at Hope completely unbeknownst to GVW.  I am not accusing GVW, or any on his staff, of recruiting DVS away from EMU or anything of the like.  I just find it beyond belief that DVS would enroll at Hope, intending and hoping to play basketball, without running it by someone on the staff first.  Don't get me wrong, I understand completely that the "utter surprise" angle helps soothe the feelings of any kids that are upset by the developments - but, see #1 above, at the end of the day I don't think GVW cares too particularly much. I think he probably had some contact (direct or indirect) with DVS and let him know that he would be welcome in the program.

4.  I have no idea how the salary structure in the MIAA looks - but I would bet that if you asked GVW, he would be at least a bit surprised to learn that he is getting "the big bucks".

All good points.........plus none of us know what guidelines GVW laid out to DVS 6 weeks ago.   Perhaps he's met them?

We're also forgetting that Evan Hare's status as a player is uncertain with his injury.

Also going back to the debacle in the last 4 mins. at Alma the bench has gotten very short anyway.


I don't believe Hope was persuing DVS as a transfer..........and I've heard the phone wrang on another MIAA coaches desk before it did in Holland.

Hey, I could be wrong.......but thats how its been explained to me and I like my sources..........but I'm no insider.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Kcrest----Dustin Smith transfering to Calvin is a very poor example.  Smith wasn't playing basketball for Hope, VanSolkema was playing for D1 Eastern Michigan.

I'm not sure it's *very* poor example.     I mean Smith is playing hoops this year for Calvin and was a known quantity in hoops last year having graduated high school as Hamilton High's all-time leading scorer.  And I think Calvin could have used him last year at point guard, perhaps more than DVS is needed at Hope?

The reason it's a poor example is that Smith not playing last year left him with 4 years of eligibility in basketball.  DVS has 2 years after this year, whether he plays this year or not - so not playing him would give up this year's elgibility (as far as Hope is concerned).  If you look to the future, getting him involved this year just helps next year.

And I'm curious why you are all so bothered by this???