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Messages - thealmascots

#1
I had an interesting question posed to me yesterday.  Which fan base should be more encouraged by the start to their season...Calvin or Hope? 
Hope played two traditional powers in D3 at DeVos Fieldhouse.  One game was surprisingly close, maybe should have been a Hope win.  The other, not so much.  They sit 0-2, with a brand new coach and the knowledge that they can compete with anyone.

Calvin played two cupcakes and one quality opponent and they are 2-1.  All games were at Van Noord Arena.  The two wins were much closer than they should have been and they were really never in the game they lost.  They have given up an average of 15 three point baskets per game at a percentage of .489.

From my perspective, I'm sure Hope and Coach Mitchell are not into moral victories, but they are sitting in a better spot when it comes to being prepared for the conference season and potentially, the post season.
#2
Quote from: realist on March 03, 2014, 08:25:27 PM
Quote from: AndersDY on March 03, 2014, 07:56:23 PM
Quote from: sethteater on March 03, 2014, 02:06:32 PM
Quote from: realist on March 03, 2014, 01:34:01 PM
Quote from: sac on March 03, 2014, 01:27:38 PM
It has been a long time since Calvin played Wittenberg correct?
My memory says 1995.  Calvin lost at Witt in 1st round.  Same night the "team that shall not be mentioned" beat Hope. :) :)

I don't get it... why is Baldwin-Wallace the "team that shall not be mentioned"?

Ouch, right in the childhood... and might I mention: Booooo!  :'(


Quote from: realist on March 03, 2014, 01:34:01 PM
BW was the 8th seed that beat a #1 seed Hope that had serious National Championship aspirations.  Just when Sac seems to be over it, someone brings it up again and sets him back months in his recovery.

With hindsight after that game, would the consensus have been that BW was much stiffer than a 1 vs 8 kind of game? The geography seemed to trump seeding in the tourney more at the time and it seemed that we learned Hope was an untested undefeated team (pretty down MIAA year, wasn't it?) playing a team with a mediocre record, but coming out of a much more rugged OAC.
The one quote in the center is not from me, but Oldknight I believe.

If memory serves correctly there was quite a kerfuffle in 1995 regarding where that home game in Holland was to be played.  The floor in the Civic center was about 4 feet shy of regulation size, and the NCAA said the floor must be full regulation size.  The game was moved to the Dow center, and meant a much smaller crowd.  This kerfuffle probably caused Hope to lose a bit of concentration. 
I think Hope was like # 1 or #2 going into the game, and won the MIAA 12-0, and won the MIAA tournament.  Calvin had a pretty decent team in 94-95 with Knoester being MVP (lost to Witt in the NCAA), and as I recall Kalamazoo had some very good teams in that era.  I wouldn't say that B-W was mediocre, however, very few people gave them much chance to beat Hope in Holland. 
Hope had very high expectations for the 94-95 team, and rightly so.  They were very, very good.  Hope made it to the finals the following year with most of the players from the 94-95 team.  So much for teams with a low SOS not being competitive. :)

Good post, but one correction...Knoester was a senior and league MVP in 93-94 not 94-95. You are correct that Calvin lost his senior year to Witt.
#3
Quote from: sac on March 03, 2014, 01:26:24 PM
I think the NCAA deserves a hand for seeding.  At least in the Western half these really look like correct seeds (mostly) or at least they match my thoughts.

The IWU bracket is a little strong but only if you believe St. Norbert should have been higher than a #2.

Really my only beef is the NCAA being able to separate Williams/Amherst but not Whitewater/Stevens Point.  Could have easily been done.

Interesting sending 3 Great Lakes Region teams all the way to St. Louis.

We know where, but do we know date and time for Hope's first game yet?
#4
Quote from: MaroonKnighty on February 05, 2014, 09:03:01 PM
Dear Hope,
You are really good at basketball.

They're playing pretty well...Calvin's making them look a lot better.
#5
Quote from: oldknight on January 06, 2014, 07:40:27 PM
New Top 25 is posted on d3hoops and Calvin drops out. Massey Ratings for games through January 5 games rates Hope ahead of Calvin with Hope at 54 and Calvin at 63. I imagine Hope's no. 1 ranking for strength of schedule is the reason (Calvin's SOS is 169).

http://www.masseyratings.com/rate.php?s=cb2014&sub=11620

I saw both teams play once back on Thanksgiving weekend against Aquinas and Cornerstone and neither team looked very good that night.  That being said, based on Calvin's size, experience and talent I expected them to be a heavy favorite Saturday.  However, those SOS numbers are making me re-think it.  I knew Calvin's schedule was pathetic, but those numbers are stunningly bad for Calvin and make me think that I might lean towards Hope on Saturday just because they have been challenged nearly every game.
#6
Quote from: sac on December 09, 2013, 05:59:00 PM
Quote from: knightvision on December 09, 2013, 05:49:39 PM
Quote from: Happy Calvin Guy on December 09, 2013, 04:05:35 PM

Rather, I think that moment was the small straw that broke the camel's back.  While I'm not entirely sure that Coach Schauer ever actually speaks to his own players, he had plenty of words all afternoon for the refs and they were getting visibly sick of it.  They finally T'd him up but it didn't really slow him down much.  I haven't seen a coach spend that much time on the court of play in the refs' ears since a certain MIAA coach retired.

Please be more specific--are we talking barking with a not so subtle sarcastic bite that made some us think Mike Turner was a not so distant relative of Ed Douma, or are we referring to GVW and what for Calvin fans reminded some of us of the 3 year-old  in the check out line at the grocery store whose mom just told him she wasn't buying him the candy he wanted?

I can't recall a specific Mike Turner tech, but two techs from long ago are burned into my memory.  The first was Douma's after a stoppage in play when a player trying to save a ball from going out of bounds threw the ball back in play off the backboard.  With the crowd quiet after the refs conferred and made the wrong call, Eddie pointed out in his shrill cackle that if the ball had in fact gone off the back of the backboard, it would have gone out of bounds instead of straight down--which everyone at Knollcrest thought was rather funny, except for the ref, who promptly teed him up.  The smirk on his face as he walked back to the bench was classic Douma.

My unforgettable GVW tech was when he was somewhat anxiously pacing the Hope sideline at Knollcrest and literally reached out and touched/grabbed a Calvin player who was in front of the Hope bench while a play was unfolding.  It was nothing malicious--and I've often wondered what was going through his head at the time.  For me those capture a good bit of my impression of their respective personalities--Douma the smarty-pants who always wanted the last word, and GVW the nervous roamer. 

And lest you Hope fans think I'm picking on GVW, the KVS foot stomp reminds of the 3 year old at the grocery store check out line. ;)

Nothing will ever match Hacklin's snow angel in Knollcrest during a Hope/K game.

Long live Coach Hacklin!!!
#7
I read what the GR Press had to say about St. Thomas.  Just curious if anyone has seen them play or has any insights into their team beyond what that article tells us.
#8
Quote from: arena on February 18, 2013, 05:35:13 AM
Quote from: calvin_grad on February 17, 2013, 11:54:23 PM
Quote from: oldknight on February 17, 2013, 08:38:03 PM
That's correct. The year prior, the NCAA mandated the shot clock--originally 45 seconds and changed to 35 seconds in 1993--so the scoring defense shown by Calvin this year is the best in the conference in the shot-clock, three point line era.
I'm confused.  Aren't we supposed to hate the KVS scheme???    ::) :D
I don't mind the defense, it's the offensive scheme that drives me nuts.

Calvin has a great combination of size, athletic ability and experience this year but having watched them a handful of times, I don't come away with an overwhelming sense of being impressed with either their offense or defense. Could these numbers on either end be a byproduct of a league that just was not very good this year?
#9
Quote from: MaroonKnighty on February 13, 2013, 09:32:57 PM
Calvin just about blew this game.  Calvin 61   Trine 59

Wow, watched most of this one online.  Why, why, why doesn't Calvin plant Kruis on the block.  He should be able average 15 points and get 5 or 6 assists per game by kicking out after forcing the other team to double down.  Sure reminds me of watching Calvin misuse Mantel for 4 years.  They make the game harder than it needs to be.
#10
Quote from: OC_SID on February 11, 2013, 08:20:22 PM
Quote from: sac on February 11, 2013, 08:09:28 PM
Fantastic trivia question I do not know the answer to.

When was the last time Kalamazoo won both games in the season series with Albion?

I took a look on the MIAA website to see if I could find anything on the archives. Found it. During the 2001-02 season, so 2002 was the last time:

http://miaa.org/mbb/stats/0102/CONFSKED.HTM

My guess would be back to the mid 90's with the Jeremy Cole teams.  Otherwise, maybe 1991 with Ron Barczack and Brian Witkowski.  Not sure about either of these, but those were awfully good Kazoo teams.
#11
Pick-ems, fantasy leagues, etc. / Re: MIAA pick 'em
February 06, 2013, 09:21:05 PM
Saturday, February 9

Calvin over Hope - 4
Albion over Kalamazoo - 3
Trine over Olivet -1
Adrian over Alma -2
#12
Pick-ems, fantasy leagues, etc. / Re: MIAA pick 'em
February 03, 2013, 04:30:36 PM
February 6

Trine over Albion 2
Olivet over Adrian 1
Hope over Kalamazoo 4
Calvin over Alma 3
#13
Pick-ems, fantasy leagues, etc. / Re: MIAA pick 'em
January 31, 2013, 11:30:53 AM
Saturday, February 2

Calvin over Kalamazoo - 4
Hope over Albion - 3
Trine over Adrian - 1
Olivet over Alma - 2
#14
Pick-ems, fantasy leagues, etc. / Re: MIAA pick 'em
January 28, 2013, 12:00:20 PM
Wednesday, January 30
Calvin over Albion - 4
Adrian over Hope - 3
Alma over Trine - 1
Olivet over Kalamazoo - 2
#15
Pick-ems, fantasy leagues, etc. / Re: MIAA pick 'em
January 25, 2013, 11:39:56 AM
January 26

Hope over Alma - 3
Trine over Kalamazoo - 2
Olivet over Albion - 1
Adrian over Calvin - 4