BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[D3Vike11]

Is that interview archived anywhere on the NPU website?

We've been having some trouble with the archiving of basketball games thus far, so last night's interview is not yet available. I'm going to stay on top of NPU's marketing department to see that that gets done.

Either way, I'd be curious of your impression on Johnson's take on the strength of his team going into a very rough non-con schedule.

He's very upbeat on his newcomers. He actually talked about them more than he talked about the returnees, although I suspect that this might have as much to do with his familiarity with the returnees, and with what he might've believed was the viewership's familiarity with them, as anything else. (We did discuss Nick Soldano at length and the expectations with which he'll have to deal, scouts with radar guns included, and we also touched upon projected starters Alex Silverthorne and Wes Mleziva as well as the Coduto/Sousanes keystone combo, the health of Jeff Paulson, and the emergence in last season's CCIW tourney of Joe Belmonte as a middle-of-the-lineup bat.)

The newbies whom Luke talked about at length included:

* Junior RHP Nick Vidas from Taft, via Oakton CC. Luke called him "a battler" and compared him to Pete Sparacino. I know that Luke doesn't make Pete Sparacino comparisons lightly, nor should he. All I needed to hear was that comparison to have a good idea as to Vidas' makeup ... and to feel good about what he can contribute to NPU. (As you can tell, I have a very high opinion of Pete Sparacino both in terms of his skill and his internal makeup.)

* Freshman 3B/RHP Jason Meger from Niles West. Luke's very excited about this kid. It sounds as though he's going to step into a big role right away. He's a possibility as the successor to Ryan Javech as the starting 3B, and it sounds as though he's also going to see some mound time at the varsity level in spite of NPU already having a pretty crowded and experienced staff.

* Senior IF/OF Rick DeVito from Crest Hill, via LSU-Alexandria. He's a versatile speed-and-glove guy whom Luke likened to Trevor Popp. Again, a comparison that I don't think he made lightly and one that tells me a good deal about what he's expecting from DeVito. Sounds like he and Meger are the two guys duking it out for the starting 3B slot.

* Junior 1B/OF Dan Anderson and sophomore C/1B/DH Nick Burger, both juco players from Minnesota. They sound like pretty accomplished hitters who should be able to immediately contribute.

* RHP Josiah Carlson from Glenview South.

* Sophomore RHP Kenny Blanchard from Niles West, via Knox.

The NPU season prospectus was just put online this afternoon. There's a lot more detail in it than in what I've shared here, of course. Luke and I really only had a chance to skim the surface in terms of talking about the roster during our 17-minute interview.

So in terms of the Trevor Popp comparison, does that mean he'll be mouthy with opponents and try to start fights like Trevor did?

...Said no one who's ever played with or against Trevor Popp before

[blue_jays]

Is that interview archived anywhere on the NPU website?

We've been having some trouble with the archiving of basketball games thus far, so last night's interview is not yet available. I'm going to stay on top of NPU's marketing department to see that that gets done.

Either way, I'd be curious of your impression on Johnson's take on the strength of his team going into a very rough non-con schedule.

He's very upbeat on his newcomers. He actually talked about them more than he talked about the returnees, although I suspect that this might have as much to do with his familiarity with the returnees, and with what he might've believed was the viewership's familiarity with them, as anything else. (We did discuss Nick Soldano at length and the expectations with which he'll have to deal, scouts with radar guns included, and we also touched upon projected starters Alex Silverthorne and Wes Mleziva as well as the Coduto/Sousanes keystone combo, the health of Jeff Paulson, and the emergence in last season's CCIW tourney of Joe Belmonte as a middle-of-the-lineup bat.)

The newbies whom Luke talked about at length included:

* Junior RHP Nick Vidas from Taft, via Oakton CC. Luke called him "a battler" and compared him to Pete Sparacino. I know that Luke doesn't make Pete Sparacino comparisons lightly, nor should he. All I needed to hear was that comparison to have a good idea as to Vidas' makeup ... and to feel good about what he can contribute to NPU. (As you can tell, I have a very high opinion of Pete Sparacino both in terms of his skill and his internal makeup.)

* Freshman 3B/RHP Jason Meger from Niles West. Luke's very excited about this kid. It sounds as though he's going to step into a big role right away. He's a possibility as the successor to Ryan Javech as the starting 3B, and it sounds as though he's also going to see some mound time at the varsity level in spite of NPU already having a pretty crowded and experienced staff.

* Senior IF/OF Rick DeVito from Crest Hill, via LSU-Alexandria. He's a versatile speed-and-glove guy whom Luke likened to Trevor Popp. Again, a comparison that I don't think he made lightly and one that tells me a good deal about what he's expecting from DeVito. Sounds like he and Meger are the two guys duking it out for the starting 3B slot.

* Junior 1B/OF Dan Anderson and sophomore C/1B/DH Nick Burger, both juco players from Minnesota. They sound like pretty accomplished hitters who should be able to immediately contribute.

* RHP Josiah Carlson from Glenview South.

* Sophomore RHP Kenny Blanchard from Niles West, via Knox.

The NPU season prospectus was just put online this afternoon. There's a lot more detail in it than in what I've shared here, of course. Luke and I really only had a chance to skim the surface in terms of talking about the roster during our 17-minute interview.

So in terms of the Trevor Popp comparison, does that mean he'll be mouthy with opponents and try to start fights like Trevor did?

...Said no one who's ever played with or against Trevor Popp before

... says the guy who watched Trevor Popp try to pick a fight with both Ryan Miller and Tim Urbanowicz and helped cause benches clear, yes.

[blue_jays]

Now I know all the Parkers will run to Popp's defense, as you should. I'm sure he was a great teammate, etc. in your experiences with him. He was also a pest to opponents, and that's how I view him.

[D3Vike11]

Is that interview archived anywhere on the NPU website?

We've been having some trouble with the archiving of basketball games thus far, so last night's interview is not yet available. I'm going to stay on top of NPU's marketing department to see that that gets done.

Either way, I'd be curious of your impression on Johnson's take on the strength of his team going into a very rough non-con schedule.

He's very upbeat on his newcomers. He actually talked about them more than he talked about the returnees, although I suspect that this might have as much to do with his familiarity with the returnees, and with what he might've believed was the viewership's familiarity with them, as anything else. (We did discuss Nick Soldano at length and the expectations with which he'll have to deal, scouts with radar guns included, and we also touched upon projected starters Alex Silverthorne and Wes Mleziva as well as the Coduto/Sousanes keystone combo, the health of Jeff Paulson, and the emergence in last season's CCIW tourney of Joe Belmonte as a middle-of-the-lineup bat.)

The newbies whom Luke talked about at length included:

* Junior RHP Nick Vidas from Taft, via Oakton CC. Luke called him "a battler" and compared him to Pete Sparacino. I know that Luke doesn't make Pete Sparacino comparisons lightly, nor should he. All I needed to hear was that comparison to have a good idea as to Vidas' makeup ... and to feel good about what he can contribute to NPU. (As you can tell, I have a very high opinion of Pete Sparacino both in terms of his skill and his internal makeup.)

* Freshman 3B/RHP Jason Meger from Niles West. Luke's very excited about this kid. It sounds as though he's going to step into a big role right away. He's a possibility as the successor to Ryan Javech as the starting 3B, and it sounds as though he's also going to see some mound time at the varsity level in spite of NPU already having a pretty crowded and experienced staff.

* Senior IF/OF Rick DeVito from Crest Hill, via LSU-Alexandria. He's a versatile speed-and-glove guy whom Luke likened to Trevor Popp. Again, a comparison that I don't think he made lightly and one that tells me a good deal about what he's expecting from DeVito. Sounds like he and Meger are the two guys duking it out for the starting 3B slot.

* Junior 1B/OF Dan Anderson and sophomore C/1B/DH Nick Burger, both juco players from Minnesota. They sound like pretty accomplished hitters who should be able to immediately contribute.

* RHP Josiah Carlson from Glenview South.

* Sophomore RHP Kenny Blanchard from Niles West, via Knox.

The NPU season prospectus was just put online this afternoon. There's a lot more detail in it than in what I've shared here, of course. Luke and I really only had a chance to skim the surface in terms of talking about the roster during our 17-minute interview.

So in terms of the Trevor Popp comparison, does that mean he'll be mouthy with opponents and try to start fights like Trevor did?

...Said no one who's ever played with or against Trevor Popp before

... says the guy who watched Trevor Popp try to pick a fight with both Ryan Miller and Tim Urbanowicz and helped cause benches clear, yes.

I remember that game and I believe that started with Desmond Cato going into 2b spikes up and then Angel came in and sent Cato to the ground.

[D3Vike11]

And then the following week Miller tried to start a fight against Elmhurst on a play at the plate...

[Gregory Sager]

Trevor Popp is 5'6 and weighs maybe 140 pounds soaking wet. He looks like a tagalong kid brother right out of Hollywood central casting. I've seen more threatening-looking boys than Trevor knocking on doors trying to sell popcorn to earn a Boy Scout merit badge.

Tim Urbanowicz was 6'4, 190, and Ryan Miller was 6'0, 180. The only action that Trevor Popp should've been able to provoke in either one is gales of laughter. When it comes to mixing it up with Trev, it's all on them.

And if this is related to the WC @ NPU fiasco of two years ago, D3Vike11 is exactly right: Desmond Cato of Wheaton started it by coming in spikes up.

And then the following week Miller tried to start a fight against Elmhurst on a play at the plate...

Oh, but he can't possibly be guilty of any sort of misbehavior, because he plays for Wheaton, right?

[Gregory Sager]

Very interesting the way Coach Johnson is getting a large number of transfers.  Getting guys with collegiate experience will definitely help North Park get immediate production from their newcomers.

Is Coach Johnson targeting these players or are they seeking out North Park?

Luke's a terrific recruiter with a lot of area connections, as D3Vike11 said, but some of it is the nature of North Park itself. NPU is an urban school, and urban schools tend to draw high numbers of transfer students. DePaul, Loyola, UIC, Roosevelt, etc., have high percentages of transfers as well.

[Gregory Sager]

Speaking of North Park and Wheaton, one of NPU's new D1 transfers is a junior RHP from Hartford named Charlie Moran. His hometown is Williamsville, NY (a suburb of Buffalo), and he was home-schooled. Wheaton has a freshman RHP this year named Peter Moran. He, too, is from Williamsville, NY, where he went to Christian Central Academy.

Here is Charlie:



Here is Peter:



Related, or coincidence?

[izzy stradlin]

Speaking of North Park and Wheaton, one of NPU's new D1 transfers is a junior RHP from Hartford named Charlie Moran. His hometown is Williamsville, NY (a suburb of Buffalo), and he was home-schooled. Wheaton has a freshman RHP this year named Peter Moran. He, too, is from Williamsville, NY, where he went to Christian Central Academy.

Here is Charlie:



Here is Peter:



Related, or coincidence?

Gotta be related.  Bigger issue I have from your post is why are Wheaton's new hats so ugly!?   Who designed that?     

[Gregory Sager]

Speaking of North Park and Wheaton, one of NPU's new D1 transfers is a junior RHP from Hartford named Charlie Moran. His hometown is Williamsville, NY (a suburb of Buffalo), and he was home-schooled. Wheaton has a freshman RHP this year named Peter Moran. He, too, is from Williamsville, NY, where he went to Christian Central Academy.

Here is Charlie:



Here is Peter:



Related, or coincidence?

Gotta be related.  Bigger issue I have from your post is why are Wheaton's new hats so ugly!?   Who designed that?     

I wasn't going to mention that, izzy, but you're right -- that is one wildebeest-ugly cap design.

Wheaton's old cap design was simple, basic ... a classic baseball look:

[BigPoppa]

Much like politics, when it come to a "fight" we will always support the side we like best, regardless of facts and evidence. Now... a Carthage guy would never do anything like that. We would have gone in looking to keep the peace:)

[D3Vike11]

North Park loses Game 1 to Translyvannia 5-1.
They are down 3-1 vs Birmingham-Southern in the bottom of the 5th.

[Gregory Sager]

Doesn't look like the Vikings are fielding very well today.

This is BSC's seventh game of the year already.

[Gregory Sager]

Vikes lose on a sac fly in the bottom of the ninth, 4-3.

Not a good way to start the season.

[jester13]

I noticed Eric Sousanes didn't play in the game vs Transylvania. Is he hurt?