MVC to visit Milwaukee

[Jimmy Lemke]

Link: MVC visiting campuses of potential new members (http://www.pjstar.com/sports/20170425/mvc-visiting-campuses-of-potential-new-members)

[Jimmy Lemke]

Link: MVC is done with visits; choosing new members from the four (http://bit.ly/mvcvisits)

Valparaiso, Murray State, Omaha and Milwaukee. Those are the four schools that are up for three spots in the MVC.

All the visits are done. MSU was Monday, VU Tuesday, Omaha Wednesday and Milwaukee on Thursday. They checked out Panther Arena at 9 am yesterday.

MVC meeting is set for next weekend.

[BBF]

All this tells me is that the MVC is a pathetic shadow of the league it was. In all seriousness, could you even imagine the MVC of five years ago considering an Omaha or a KC or -- take any blinders you have and throw them away -- a Milwaukee in its current state? The idea is absurd. We are a sinking low major program right now. Attendance (and interest) have collapsed. Administrative incompetence and neglect -- both benign and malign -- hang like dark shadows over the entire athletic program and especially over men's basketball.

Yet even as diluted as the MoVal is now it would be much more beneficial for Milwaukee than Milwaukee would be for it. So how does that make sense for the conference? If they are doing their due diligence the conference Presidents should be asking whether they really trust that the Milwaukee administration won't drop the program into D3 if real attendance doesn't triple or quadruple within a few years. (Anyone want to bet it will under our current mismanagement and the continuing alienation of so much of the fan base?) This is a one bid league MoVal that cannot contribute any significant dollars to new members' coffers, and the league knows it. With the departures of multiple marquee programs in the last ten years they are left to cast for life preservers. But as one reporter put it, it's "a sea of bad options, [where] Valparaiso is the best." Yikes. Remember, that's a POST-Drew Valpo. Their best option! And yet it's hard to disagree. Given the desperate condition of our basketball program, the fund-raising and management incompetence of our current administration and the ever tightening noose that the Regents and the Governor are applying to Milwaukee, compared even to a small religious University with no TV market in a town about the size of West Bend an hour from the nearest commercial airport, we look more like an anchor than a float.

It all fell apart so fast.

[Jimmy Lemke]

I can trace our problems back to early 2009, when Rob Jeter convinced David Nicholas and myself that George Koonce was the right man for the job.

It makes me wonder where we'd be if we'd instead hired Vince Sweeney or Paul Schlickmann.

[TheDarkHawkReturns]

The problems go back to Zimpher leaving, honestly. That was the end.

[BBF]

The current problems. This Athletics program has at least a half century history of being unable to get out of its own way. And in this incompetence and misbehavior it was often aided by the myopic indifference and/or disdain of many in the University administration and on the faculty, the purposeful neglect of the powers that be in Madison and the outright enmity of our local competitor. At least the latter two accomplices had rational bases for their positions; they legitimately feared sharing resources or fan interest with us. It's the first group that has truly hamstrung our potential -- for generations.

[TheDarkHawkReturns]

Funny story. Back in the early 70's my dad was on the Athletic Board when they voted to discontinue football. He was one of those that voted against that. Some things never change.

[TheDarkHawkReturns]

956


Interesting perspective on the perception of Milwaukee from outsiders not part of the program or fan base. Not all that unexpected, sadly.

[BBF]

Your riposte on the other board was classic, Nate.

[dylanrocks]

Because of our university "leadership," we have had an aggregate 74 wins over the last five years. If it had just stayed out of our way, how many would we have had? One hundred? Even more?

[Jimmy Lemke]

Because of our university "leadership," we have had an aggregate 74 wins over the last five years. If it had just stayed out of our way, how many would we have had? One hundred? Even more?

I would say, at minimum, 90.

[dylanrocks]

So the "future of intercollegiate athletics" is one team sports title in four freaking years?!?! As I've said before, count me out!!!!

[Jimmy Lemke]

So the "future of intercollegiate athletics" is one team sports title in four freaking years?!?! As I've said before, count me out!!!!

Yeah, four championships total in the past three school years is absolutely depressing.

[dylanrocks]

Jimmy, wouldn't it be four sports seasons? 2013-'14, '14-15, '15-16 and '16-17? Right?

[DKelly28]

From 2013-14 school year through the 2016-17 school year -

2013-14 - McCafferty Trophy
Regular Season Titles - Men's Track (Indoor), Women's Soccer, Volleyball
Tournament Titles - Men's Basketball, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Volleyball

2014-15 -
Regular Season Titles - Men's Track (Indoor and Outdoor)
Tournament Titles - None.

2015-16 -
Regular Season Titles - Women's Soccer
Tournament Titles - None.

2016-17 -
Regular Season Titles - Women's Soccer
Tournament Titles - None.

Since the Men's Basketball Tournament Championship on March 8th, 2014, Milwaukee Panther Athletics is 0-6 in Horizon League Tournament Championships (0-2 in all three school years since).

.....

[BBF]

I'm tired of all the winning!

[Skrapheap]

From 2013-14 school year through the 2016-17 school year -

2013-14 - McCafferty Trophy
Regular Season Titles - Men's Track (Indoor), Women's Soccer, Volleyball
Tournament Titles - Men's Basketball, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Volleyball

2014-15 -
Regular Season Titles - Men's Track (Indoor and Outdoor)
Tournament Titles - None.

2015-16 -
Regular Season Titles - Women's Soccer
Tournament Titles - None.

2016-17 -
Regular Season Titles - Women's Soccer
Tournament Titles - None.

Since the Men's Basketball Tournament Championship on March 8th, 2014, Milwaukee Panther Athletics is 0-6 in Horizon League Tournament Championships (0-2 in all three school years since).

.....

Sounds like the Athletics Department is not performing up to standard. Who should be accountable?