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Post by rlh on Jan 17, 2011 9:21:56 GMT -5
Remember guys, it's still college basketball...just about anything can happen and usually does....I don't think we'll run the table from here, but this is fun fun fun.....Been a long time....
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Post by vuweathernerd on Jan 17, 2011 11:06:07 GMT -5
By way of pondering, since Valpo entered the Horizon, has a team ever won both ends of the I-65 trip? i don't believe they have. |
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Post by valpofan56 on Jan 17, 2011 11:19:58 GMT -5
By way of pondering, since Valpo entered the Horizon, has a team ever won both ends of the I-65 trip? i don't believe they have. This is correct, although it really doesn't have much to do with us, unfortunately. Since Valpo has been in the HL, Butler has only lost one regular season conference game at home. That was on February 15, 2009 when they lost to Loyola 71-67. Two days prior, Valpo got only it's 5th win of the year against D1 competition when they drilled Loyola 71-47. |
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Post by valpo84 on Jan 18, 2011 0:20:56 GMT -5
fw, my reaction to your post was that although Horizon League teams may be more prepared coming into the ARC, Butler still is the prize for those teams today. (Although, my theories on the I-65 duo I think still hold, that if you lose to Butler on Thur/Fri, then the match up with Valpo is the only way to salvage the weekend means we have seen a lot of teams trying to play at their best already). Beating VU would be nice, but they have done that recently. Most teams haven't beat Butler in a couple years (except now UWM and WSU, CSU and Loyola). Plus, other than Loyola, who has beat them at Hinkle?
My point is we can't worry about the other team's mental approach to coming to Mayberry. If we do what got us to 6-1, then they have to stop us. Right now, the most damage that we can do to ourselves is from ourselves and thinking we have accomplished something other than a 6-1 record on January 18. The next game is the next big game has to be the motto. As Marvin Lewis would say you dig one shovelful at a time (or something like that, and quit digging when you're in a hole, or that the Bengals were a shoveful of something this year, but I digress). But, as you know from one of our common favorite other teams, just cause you're ranked #1 in the nation one day doesn't mean you aren't a 4th seed the next and being upset in the first rd by a Horizon League team. We were around when being in 1st in the conference was common, we expected we would be back and the prize for moving to the Horizon was the opportunity for better results in the post-season. We all want the same thing. We can do it, but the lunchbox approach still has to apply and the Cheesehead weekend must be the sole focus. And if we are 8-1 and playing Butler with a chance to take a 2 game lead on them, I'll pause and celebrate... for about 15 minutes and then start being concerned about the next game.
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Post by stlvufan on Jan 18, 2011 0:26:27 GMT -5
fw, my reaction to your post was that although Horizon League teams may be more prepared coming into the ARC, Butler still is the prize for those teams today. (Although, my theories on the I-65 duo I think still hold, that if you lose to Butler on Thur/Fri, then the match up with Valpo is the only way to salvage the weekend means we have seen a lot of teams trying to play at their best already). Beating VU would be nice, but they have done that recently. Most teams haven't beat Butler in a couple years (except now UWM and WSU, CSU and Loyola). Plus, other than Loyola, who has beat them at Hinkle? My point is we can't worry about the other team's mental approach to coming to Mayberry. If we do what got us to 6-1, then they have to stop us. Right now, the most damage that we can do to ourselves is from ourselves and thinking we have accomplished something other than a 6-1 record on January 18. The next game is the next big game has to be the motto. As Marvin Lewis would say you dig one shovelful at a time (or something like that, and quit digging when you're in a hole, or that the Bengals were a shoveful of something this year, but I digress). But, as you know from one of our common favorite other teams, just cause you're ranked #1 in the nation one day doesn't mean you aren't a 4th seed the next and being upset in the first rd by a Horizon League team. We were around when being in 1st in the conference was common, we expected we would be back and the prize for moving to the Horizon was the opportunity for better results in the post-season. We all want the same thing. We can do it, but the lunchbox approach still has to apply and the Cheesehead weekend must be the sole focus. And if we are 8-1 and playing Butler with a chance to take a 2 game lead on them, I'll pause and celebrate... for about 15 minutes and then start being concerned about the next game. Post of the Day.  |
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Post by bbtds on Jan 18, 2011 1:06:01 GMT -5
fw, my reaction to your post was that although Horizon League teams may be more prepared coming into the ARC, Butler still is the prize for those teams today. (Although, my theories on the I-65 duo I think still hold, that if you lose to Butler on Thur/Fri, then the match up with Valpo is the only way to salvage the weekend means we have seen a lot of teams trying to play at their best already). Beating VU would be nice, but they have done that recently. Most teams haven't beat Butler in a couple years (except now UWM and WSU, CSU and Loyola). Plus, other than Loyola, who has beat them at Hinkle? My point is we can't worry about the other team's mental approach to coming to Mayberry. If we do what got us to 6-1, then they have to stop us. Right now, the most damage that we can do to ourselves is from ourselves and thinking we have accomplished something other than a 6-1 record on January 18. The next game is the next big game has to be the motto. As Marvin Lewis would say you dig one shovelful at a time (or something like that, and quit digging when you're in a hole, or that the Bengals were a shoveful of something this year, but I digress). But, as you know from one of our common favorite other teams, just cause you're ranked #1 in the nation one day doesn't mean you aren't a 4th seed the next and being upset in the first rd by a Horizon League team. We were around when being in 1st in the conference was common, we expected we would be back and the prize for moving to the Horizon was the opportunity for better results in the post-season. We all want the same thing. We can do it, but the lunchbox approach still has to apply and the Cheesehead weekend must be the sole focus. And if we are 8-1 and playing Butler with a chance to take a 2 game lead on them, I'll pause and celebrate... for about 15 minutes and then start being concerned about the next game. The big question is, and this is a big IF, if Valpo beats Butler on 1/29/11 would your intention be to rush onto the court to celebrate with the players? |
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Post by humbleopinion on Jan 18, 2011 10:58:05 GMT -5
I've been disappointed by the Times coverage. This is the first time Valpo has held the lead by itself in the Horizon, and the only press we have gotten is a below-the-fold, back-page article on Monday about the Detroit game without any pictures.
I know they figure they'd best celebrate the Bears before they lose on Sunday, but the home town team deserves more space.
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Post by milanmiracle on Jan 18, 2011 12:10:22 GMT -5
For the record, I don't think there should be any storming of the court if they beat Butler. While beating the NCAA runner-up is a big deal, they aren't ranked and they are a conference foe. Act like you've been there before. This isn't a game in the Horizon League championship, it's a conference game against a team you are ahead of in the rankings. In order to be a champion you have to act like a champion. That would be a good start.
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Post by fwalum on Jan 18, 2011 12:57:56 GMT -5
fw, my reaction to your post was that although Horizon League teams may be more prepared coming into the ARC, Butler still is the prize for those teams today. (Although, my theories on the I-65 duo I think still hold, that if you lose to Butler on Thur/Fri, then the match up with Valpo is the only way to salvage the weekend means we have seen a lot of teams trying to play at their best already). Beating VU would be nice, but they have done that recently. Most teams haven't beat Butler in a couple years (except now UWM and WSU, CSU and Loyola). Plus, other than Loyola, who has beat them at Hinkle? My point is we can't worry about the other team's mental approach to coming to Mayberry. If we do what got us to 6-1, then they have to stop us. Right now, the most damage that we can do to ourselves is from ourselves and thinking we have accomplished something other than a 6-1 record on January 18. The next game is the next big game has to be the motto. As Marvin Lewis would say you dig one shovelful at a time (or something like that, and quit digging when you're in a hole, or that the Bengals were a shoveful of something this year, but I digress). But, as you know from one of our common favorite other teams, just cause you're ranked #1 in the nation one day doesn't mean you aren't a 4th seed the next and being upset in the first rd by a Horizon League team. We were around when being in 1st in the conference was common, we expected we would be back and the prize for moving to the Horizon was the opportunity for better results in the post-season. We all want the same thing. We can do it, but the lunchbox approach still has to apply and the Cheesehead weekend must be the sole focus. And if we are 8-1 and playing Butler with a chance to take a 2 game lead on them, I'll pause and celebrate... for about 15 minutes and then start being concerned about the next game. You are reading my mind. I agree with everything you said. We DO need to be only concerned with who WE are playing in OUR game. I am a firm believer that many coaches spend too much time on what the other team is going to do and not enough time on what their team is doing. Know the other teams tendencies but don't game plan for too many specifics. If we play OUR game not very many teams will be able to beat us. In my previous posts I was looking at this from the opponents point of view. STRATEGICALLY it has now become just as important to beat Butler's travel partner as it is to beat Butler. Is anyone going to storm the court if they beat Valpo? Probably not, but opposing coaches may have to alter some of their game approach strategy. |
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Post by valpo84 on Jan 18, 2011 23:18:27 GMT -5
And if we are 8-1 and playing Butler with a chance to take a 2 game lead on them, I'll pause and celebrate... for about 15 minutes and then start being concerned about the next game. The big question is, and this is a big IF, if Valpo beats Butler on 1/29/11 would your intention be to rush onto the court to celebrate with the players? If Valpo beats Butler, I won't rush the court, but I may take down from the wall my piece of the old court floor and jump and down and do a little dance on it.  But only for about a 2 minutes. |
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Post by valpo84 on Jan 18, 2011 23:29:51 GMT -5
fw. I agree with you generally, but pause on the part that it was just as important for them to beat Valpo as Butler. Wasn't it always as important to beat Valpo knowing it was their best shot to avoid an I-65 sweep? I'm still very intrigued by how strategically, psychologically and physically the Valpo/Butler pairing affects other Horizon teams, especially as Valpo regains its strength. Is there a tougher road trip in mid-major land?
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Post by fwalum on Jan 19, 2011 2:35:25 GMT -5
fw. I agree with you generally, but pause on the part that it was just as important for them to beat Valpo as Butler. Wasn't it always as important to beat Valpo knowing it was their best shot to avoid an I-65 sweep? I'm still very intrigued by how strategically, psychologically and physically the Valpo/Butler pairing affects other Horizon teams, especially as Valpo regains its strength. Is there a tougher road trip in mid-major land? Probably a bad choice of words on my part. Yes it was important, but it was also probably perceived as being a much easier game, hence my bad choice of words calling it less important. I think most HL coaches are also finding the Valpo Butler pairing very intriguing. |
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Post by agibson on Jan 19, 2011 6:38:08 GMT -5
I've been disappointed by the Times coverage. This is the first time Valpo has held the lead by itself in the Horizon, and the only press we have gotten is a below-the-fold, back-page article on Monday about the Detroit game without any pictures. Maybe it's more disappointing in the print edition?  The Times piece I saw was at least acceptable - the usual sort of post-game piece www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/article_d1668cdb-c71a-5182-8073-160e92a170bd.htmlIt would have been more fun if it was written after the Butler game, but presumably Paul Jankowski was on deadline. But, what about the Post Tribune? Was there _any_ coverage? All I can find, looking again quickly, is www.post-trib.com/sports/3023292,sptsbrfs-ptb-0117.article a "Around the region" piece Monday. The first of the five blurbs was about the _Butler_ game, but does conclude with, "With the loss, Butler falls out of first place in the Horizon League, leaving Valparaiso University alone at the top for the first time in its four years in the league." Am I just overlooking the piece on the Detroit game? I hope the Post Tribune comes out with a two story spread in their Thursday edition... And, indeed, in the run-up to the Milwaukee game I assume we'll get more reflection in both papers on Valpo's place in the conference race, etc. |
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Post by agibson on Jan 19, 2011 6:43:21 GMT -5
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Post by browntown on Jan 19, 2011 10:30:04 GMT -5
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But only for about a 2 minutes.