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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 2, 2013 13:44:14 GMT -5
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Post by motorcitysam on Sept 7, 2014 12:41:08 GMT -5
Former fellow HL member Loyola - Chicago is picked to finish 9th in the MVC by Lindy's Sports College Basketball Preview. Guard Milton Doyle is picked as second team all conference.
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Post by motorcitysam on Sept 24, 2014 11:40:08 GMT -5
Loyola got a verbal commitment today that their fans hope is the start of that recruiting bump some expect as a result of joining the MVC. Roosevelt Smart, a 2015 Rivals top 150 recruit, committed to the Ramblers. He's a three star on Rivals and Scout, and ESPN actually currently rates him a four star. Smart is a Chicago area kid who is attending Sunrise Christian in Kansas for his senior year. It's a very solid pick up for Loyola, but I wonder if his rating is inflated a bit. I don't see any high major offers for him. The most common offers I see are Creighton and Wright State. collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/24/loyola-il-lands-commitment-from-three-star-guard-roosevelt-smart/
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 18, 2014 13:42:32 GMT -5
I feel kind of bad for our longtime rival and fellow Catholic school Loyola. Last season was their first in the MVC, and they struggled, finishing last with a 4-14 record. This year might be worse. Milton Doyle, who was their best player last year and one of the best players in the MVC, has suffered a torn labrum. Doyle is a reshirt sophomore who averaged 15 ppg last season for the Ramblers and became the first player in school history to lead the team in scoring, assists, blocked shots, and steals in the same season. The plan is for him to undergo an extensive rehab for five to six weeks and then be re-evaluated. If he has surgery, he would be out 7-9 months. Loyola was expected to finish near the bottom of the MVC standings again, and a bleak season outlook just got worse. www.loyolaramblers.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/101714aaa.htmlOn another note, Loyola has a relatively active message board. www.ramblermania.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=12
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 19, 2014 16:30:26 GMT -5
But do they miss the Horizon?
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 19, 2014 22:47:05 GMT -5
But do they miss the Horizon? Good question. I wish I knew some Rambler fans to ask. Maybe I'll create an account on their message board and see what they are saying. My thought is that given the fact that last year was their seventh year in a row finishing 7th or lower in whatever conference they've been in, most people don't care one way or the other. If the reports we heard about a 30% plus attendance drop are true, even fewer people care now than they did when they were in the HL. I miss Loyola being in the HL. I always thought it would be good for the conference if they got good again.
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 19, 2014 23:30:22 GMT -5
Titans and Loyola should be playing each other in non-con games. Titans have played Loyola 121 times, more than any other school. Next most is Xavier 94 and Marquette 88. We won't be playing them regularly any time soon, but a regular H&H with our old Jesuit rival from Chicago makes sense, if not a game every year perhaps @ Loyola, @ Detroit, off; @ Loyola, @ Detroit, off, etc.
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 20, 2014 9:06:03 GMT -5
Titans and Loyola should be playing each other in non-con games. Titans have played Loyola 121 times, more than any other school. Next most is Xavier 94 and Marquette 88. We won't be playing them regularly any time soon, but a regular H&H with our old Jesuit rival from Chicago makes sense, if not a game every year perhaps @ Loyola, @ Detroit, off; @ Loyola, @ Detroit, off, etc. That's one of those ideas that makes so much sense, you wonder why it hasn't happened. The schools are a short travel distance apart, the tradition is there, both fan bases are familiar with the other school. The Jesuit connection is there. Both schools would probably like to have a strong recruiting presence in the other city. It's a natural extension of the pro sports rivalry between the Motor City and the Windy City. It should happen. It's another of those arrangements that seems like a natural fit, like Detroit versus Eastern Michigan.
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 21, 2014 13:43:45 GMT -5
I saw some interesting things as I glanced at the Loyola message board.
They've had some other bad luck besides the injury to Doyle. Last spring they landed a very good player, probably the exact type of guy that they see as a best case type recruit. His name is Marlon Jones, and he was rated as a three star recruit who had early high major interest and offers, with St. John's being heavily involved in him. In the Spring he surprised many by signing with Loyola. It was a big deal for the Ramblers; Jones was a star on one of the best Chicago public high school teams, and is a 6-10 forward with size and skill. Unfortunately in August it was announced that Jones was not academically eligible and would be going to the JUCO route. Sounds a lot like the Titans situation with DeBerry.
Per the comments on the message board, the fans are happy to be in the MVC. They don't miss the Horizon. I did notice however, that some of the fans believe that the team they have, which was picked to finish in the bottom even with Doyle and Jones, could compete for the title in the Horizon League. I don't agree with that. The MVC is a good conference, but it's not the Big East. That roster is only a season away from the team that finished 7th in the conference at 5-11. I don't think they've improved that much.
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 21, 2014 15:00:54 GMT -5
I saw some interesting things as I glanced at the Loyola message board. Per the comments on the message board, the fans are happy to be in the MVC. They don't miss the Horizon. I did notice however, that some of the fans believe that the team they have, which was picked to finish in the bottom even with Doyle and Jones, could compete for the title in the Horizon League. I don't agree with that. The MVC is a good conference, but it's not the Big East. That roster is only a season away from the team that finished 7th in the conference at 5-11. I don't think they've improved that much. They would still be a doormat in the Horizon, and I say that not from animus or sour grapes (Loyola's a favorite, I'd like to see them thrive), but a cold hard look at the talent they have. Last year's Loyola team did beat the Horizon cellar dweller, UIC, by three points, and Milwaukee by 4. Both games were at home. While Milwaukee did win the Horizon League tournament, during conference play they were 7-9, losing conference games by 28, 24, 19 (to Detroit), 16, 15, 13. And in addition they lost at home to UIC by 22 points, UIC's only conference win of the year. As I've documented elsewhere (http://udtitanbasketball.freeforums.net/post/3054), Milwaukee was really a fluke last year - a team that by rights should have lost more games than it won. That it didn't is a tribute to Milwaukee, but not a lot of evidence that Loyola, because it beat Milwaukee, would be anything but a second division team in the Horizon. Loyola lost last year to 7-22 UC-Davis, and to 10-21 Fordham by double digits. They went 5-7 against one of the worst non-conference schedules in the country - much worse competition than they would have played in the Horizon. They were then 4-14 in the MVC. Nothing suggests to me that this year's team is any better. But we'll let them have their fantasy. I think it was a good move for them and will pay off eventually, and I am jealous. But no, they would not be a first division team in the Horizon, at least not last year or this.
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Post by motorcitysam on Dec 2, 2014 23:54:57 GMT -5
Loyola got a verbal commitment today that their fans hope is the start of that recruiting bump some expect as a result of joining the MVC. Roosevelt Smart, a 2015 Rivals top 150 recruit, committed to the Ramblers. He's a three star on Rivals and Scout, and ESPN actually currently rates him a four star. Smart is a Chicago area kid who is attending Sunrise Christian in Kansas for his senior year. It's a very solid pick up for Loyola, but I wonder if his rating is inflated a bit. I don't see any high major offers for him. The most common offers I see are Creighton and Wright State. collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/24/loyola-il-lands-commitment-from-three-star-guard-roosevelt-smart/Ouch. Looks like Loyola is losing out on their top recruit. From Twitter: Corey Evans @coreyevans_10 13h13 hours ago Should be noted that Roosevelt Smart has opened up recruitment after originally committed to Loyola. Standout this past wknd in Lexington
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Post by motorcitysam on Jan 14, 2016 15:26:47 GMT -5
While Loyola is no longer in our conference, they are still a school with which we share a great tradition. I'd love to see us getting back to a home and home with them. At any rate, I checked in on their board for the first time in months to see how their fans were reacting to the current season. The post copied below was one of the first ones I noticed. Two interesting things here: Porter Moser is catching some heat and this fan thinks Loyola should be dominating the MVC along with Wichita State. Some of the criticisms remind me of the Titan board. www.ramblermania.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1407As you are aware, I have turned against PORTER MOSER as Coach of our RAMBLERS-Following are just SOME of the reasons --LOSSES --Losses against teams we should beat and beat handily --A return to OXEN BALL--1950s style --Poor recruiting (He has fooled most of us on this.) --No speed and a lack of quickness--Game after game our opponents have the quicker individual player --Valley Coaches are defeating him at bench level, game after game -----His teams are NOT being flexible--Valley knows this--same play over and over --FEW BIG MEN and those we have just are not good enough --No improvement in our Bigs--Those we have sit. --In his tenure there have been FEW upsets--Last year's Indy St tourney game is but the only one I recall plus perhaps the roadie at Kent --When he WON (last year) he received my support--That is what he and his teams are supposed to do--WIN !! -----His team has regressed after securing a positive stepping stone to bringing us back to the top. --He must go--A Coach who can bring us to the level of X, GTN. MARQ , Gonzaga et al must be brought in--No excuses at any level of the Admin is acceptable-- LUC is in a fine Conference , but one we should outright OWN along with WSU-- In my opinion. PORTER MOSER is failing and failing badly I am nearing the end of my journey--I have seen it all from 1947 onward. ----Nothing is working now--poor team, little student support, fewer fans both outsiders and Alumni at games. Media support non-existent . ----RAMBLERS are losing me --no great loss--BUT I am truly sorry for you younger ones, especially those who have NOT seen LUC's greatness on the Hoops Court. ----We are stuck losing to bad teams when we used to play and beat occasionally UCLA, Cincy, Marq X St John's Villanova Ill Purdue et al --Now we are just cannon fodder for them IF we can even play them. WE MUST WIN and WIN BIG, but with what PM has wrought, winning is getting non viable ! --Our AD MUST replace PORTER MOSER--The Administration MUST assist or get out of the way-- ---God BLESS ALL OF YOU. !!
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 15, 2018 17:40:30 GMT -5
Funny what a difference two years makes. There were quite a few fans of Loyola ready to fire Coach Porter Moser but today they are sitting at 29-5 with a fresh win over Miami - Florida in the NCAA tournament. Loyola, seeded 11, moves on to face Tennessee. I'm actually happy for Loyola. Not sure how their improvement has translated into attendance improvement and other areas, but their on the court performance is looking good. www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401025815
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 24, 2018 17:32:16 GMT -5
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