MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Civic Minded]

What.... the heck... is THAT!?!

Carthage's mascot.  It's a torch.  IIRC, it's the politically correct replacement logo & mascot for the Redmen (insert own conclusions here).

[David Collinge]

I think Torchy^TM has been around longer than the hoo-hah over Carthage's nickname.

[diehardfan]

I think Torchy^TM has been around longer than the hoo-hah over Carthage's nickname.

That thing has been around for a while! I first witnesssed Torchy in 2003... I believe that was long before the Redmen vs Red Men thing. I was walking over to the visitor section over to the Carthage side in attempts to find the restroom... and I was just like... "Oh dear Lord, what is that?   " Why it exists, I'll never really know. Why anyone ever puts it on to wear is an even bigger mystery!

[NW Hope Fan]

April,

Love your non PC P.C. quote... Brilliant!

[Pat Coleman]

As for Heidegger--what does he know about existential thought? He denied the reality of of the statement, "I follow Pat Coleman's website on D3 Hoops, therefore I am." 

Heh -- I appreciate the thought and glad it isn't Nietzsche. Not sure if I got all those consonants in the right order either.

[Pat Coleman]

For what it's worth, I think the CCIW/MIAA challenge is a good thing and should continue. It's far better than playing NAIA opponents.

[Gregory Sager]

Albion Brits: [/b]The Brits taxed my ancestors without representation and if you ever watched Braveheart you know they are not particularly nice people. Result: Offensive to America and Scotland at least!

Scots are Britons, too, DCHopeNut. "Britons" refers to everyone who lives on the island of Britain: Scots, English, Welsh, whomever. In fact, in its older usage it referred to the island's Keltic inhabitants ... in other words, everybody except the English.

[Carl Yastrzemski]

Sorry I haven't been around for a while. I have been caught up in a custody battle for my child. Apparently 5 other men feel it is theirs as well!!!

Sac, I was at that 99 game, it was a heartbreaker as Albion missed a layup to win the game in regulation. It was a shot "He Who Not Be Named" could make 9 of 10 after a hard night at "Relli's.

Bulldogalum, you went up in my book with your newfound inability to fully type out the name for that school out west. With some help I think you can learn to not even use the first letter.

Only once have I seen a person leave a court as fast as the officials did for the Albion Adrian game the other night, that was when Spaman flew off the court at Kresge to beat the halftime rush to the concession stand for buy 1 get 1 free hotdog night.

I got a tour of the Lions practice facility the other day and got to see the inside of their draft "War Room." Looks like they are going to use their pick to draft some QB out of Oregon who had a huge mural plastered on the side of a NYC building. I guess he is a great piano player as well. Book your flights to the Super Bowl, according the the GM, this is a can't miss prospect.

[almcguirejr]

"Can't remember who posted about Calvin not moving the ball much, but I thought they did a good job moving the ball last night.  A lot of nice assists and good movement.  Maybe I've missed too many games, but I thought it was one of their best nights in that regard."...ChelseaMom

I agree with your observations.  Calvin played excellent defense and moved the ball well on offense.  Probably the best they have done all year.  Saw Veldhouse cutting through the defense to find a pick and get a pass for a jumpshot several times, ala Neitzel.  And, a real smooth move by none other than Mantel, when he got the ball at the top of the key took a couple steps toward the basket to draw the double-team and give a nice assist to the waiting Meckes underneath.  Then some beautiful passing to find the open man, like the time the ball moved from man to man about eight times to end up with a wide open Dustin Smith nailing a very smooth three.  A cutting Snoeyink underneath.  The list goes on.

I quickly went through the play by play of the first half against Olivet.  I counted 15 possessions for Calvin of 10 seconds or less.  They scored on 5 of those.  A couple of those five were layups off turnovers. Calvin had 10 possessions where they shot the ball in 10 seconds or less and didn't score.  There was a sequence at around the 6 minute mark where Calvin got 3-4 offensive rebounds and Calvin took 2 3 point shots within 5- 8 seconds.  Olivet was terrible defensively and Calvin was helping them out by taking quick shots.

You talk about ball movement.  Calvin had 16 assists for the game.  The starting 3 guards combined for 4 of those assists.  Veldhouse and Griffin were a combined 5-15 from the floor.  I don't like the way Calvin plays offense.  I don't think Calvin is very smart at times.  I like the Bobby Knight rule of at least 4 passes before a shot. 

Josh Meckes was 1- 2 on 3 pointers Wed. night.  He was 6-21 in the league.  He is not a good 3 point shooter.  KVS described him as the fifth option on the floor (for shooting the 3) after the Hope loss.  Mantel is 4-26 on 3's.  Why is he shooting a 3?  These guys need to get inside and get the ball where they are effective.  Just because you're open from the 3 point line doesnt mean it is a good shot.  You may be open because the defense want you to shoot that shot.

Calvin almost lost at Hope because they weren't very smart at times on offense in the second half.  You have to credit Hope's defense for some of that.  But Calvin has to think better and move the ball.

[realist]

Essentially I think the MIAA/CCIW challenge is a good idea, but it doesn't really benefit Calvin, and the to a degree either Carthage or Wheaton.  Calvin has a history of playing Wheaton.  I would much prefer to see a MIAA/OAC, and a MIAA/NCAC challenge blind draw, 8 teams each.

[oldknight]

For what it's worth, I think the CCIW/MIAA challenge is a good thing and should continue. It's far better than playing NAIA opponents.

I agree completely. I really don't care that much about the 200 mile rule issue because I think the best way for a D3 school to prepare for their conference season (and to support D3 basketball of which they are a part) is to play as many fellow institutions as they can. If you win enough of those games your chances of going to the big dance is enhanced and if you don't--well you shouldn't be there.  There are many good challenges for MIAA institutions in the CCIW, OAC and NCAC, they're not that far away, and if you play them every year that means you're only traveling every other year any way. These schools offer good competition and are good measuring sticks for your own team.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Between the anticipation of tongiht, and the nearly deafening silence around here today, I'm gonna go nuts.  No trash talk, no predictions, no idol threats, nuttin. 

I think there is the potential for two good games tonight, and the atmosphere should be great.  I really do love this week, although, as much as I love them, even I am starting to get tired of DeVos dogs for supper.  Tonight will be the 4th in a row - but I really am HOPEing for a 5th.  OF course if we're not playing tomorrow night, it'll be a different kind of 5th.   

[northb]

Wow.  A touchy subject.  I hope when I wake up I have at least one karma left.

You have nothing to worry about.  Your KPP (Karma per post) is actually way higher than most anyone else's at .61

Tough to smite a mom...

[oldknight]

Wow.  A touchy subject.  I hope when I wake up I have at least one karma left.

You have nothing to worry about.  Your KPP (Karma per post) is actually way higher than most anyone else's at .61

Tough to smite a mom...

Seems to me that any poster over .5 is pouring it on and should be putting the subs in earlier.

[KnightSlappy]

I quickly went through the play by play of the first half against Olivet.  I counted 15 possessions for Calvin of 10 seconds or less.  They scored on 5 of those.  A couple of those five were layups off turnovers. We had 10 possessions where we shot the ball in 10 seconds or less where we didn't score.  There was a sequence at around the 6 minute mark where we got 3-4 offensive rebounds and we took 2 3 point shots within 5- 8 seconds.  Olivet was terrible defensively and we were helping them out by taking quick shots.

You talk about ball movement.  We had 16 assists for the game.  The starting 3 guards combined for 4 of those assists.  Veldhouse and Griffin were a combined 5-15 from the floor.  I don't like the way we play offense.  I don't think we are very smart at times.  I like the Bobby Knight rule of at least 4 passes before a shot. 

Josh Meckes was 1- 2 on 3 pointers Wed. night.  He was 6-21 in the league.  He is not a good 3 point shooter.  KVS described him as the fifth option on the floor after the Hope loss.  Mantel is 4-26 on 3's.  Why is he shooting a 3?  These guys need to get inside and get the ball where they are effective.  Just because you're open from the 3 point line doesnt mean it is a good shot.  You may be open because the defense want you to shoot that shot.

We almost lost at Hope because we wern't very smart at times on offense in the second half.  You have to credit Hope's defense for some of that.  But we also have think better and move the ball.

Bring that up in the huddle tonight.