Horizon League Fan Sites

Butler
Detroit
Cleveland State
Illinois-Chicago
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Wisconsin-Green Bay
Wright State
Youngstown State
Youngstown State 2
Horizon Blog

Horizon League Message Boards

The Future Is Upon Us

On the wall of my office is a piece of old yellow newspaper from the Chicago Tribune.  It’s held to wall with scotch tape and someone taped a penny over John Planek’s head in the picture.  The date of the article is April 15, 2004 and the headline reads “Whitesell’s point: Time to rebuild.”  Pictured are Planek, head coach Jim Whitesell and former vice-president of student affairs Richard Salmi.  The article is hopeful and reminiscent of others that I have read in the past introducing new coaches looking to turn the fortunes of Ramblers’ basketball and return to the glory days.

 

It’s a lot to ask of a coach at any institution.  It’s especially a lot to ask for at Loyola where apathy runs deep and more than a generation of potential fans have come and gone without seeing any measurable success on a regional stage, much less a national stage.  It’s a lot ask for at a university that twice was on the brink of national prominence only to pass on opportunities for continued growth.  It’s a lot to ask for of a coach to try and bring a basketball team to a point where the university isn’t even sure it wants to go.

 

Everything that has gone wrong for Loyola has been the fault of Loyola.  There is no one in a position of power right now who has to willingness and/or support to do what it takes to be consistent winners.  The path the Ramblers are currently on isn't leading to the sustained success that any of us few fans and alumni want, but rather a one and done shot in the NCAA's and then another 20 years waiting.  And that’s if we are lucky.

College basketball is in a transitional period right now where mid-major teams are getting the opportunity to land five-star recruits, play the big teams on neutral courts and make deep runs in the NCAA tournament.  The NBA’s age-limit has been a factor.  The ability to get recognized anywhere in this modern age also plays a role.  And, for a chosen few, the opportunity to be part of something special is a factor.  For one reason or another the Ramblers have not taken advantage of this opportunity and may find themselves being forced into deeper obscurity on the national college basketball stage.  As several mid-majors make their play the Ramblers have been passed by, passed over or just passed up.

What's worse about this is the Horizon League is on the brink of becoming dominated by one team.  One team that has taken advantage and continues to take advantage of the new opportunities the college basketball world offers.

 

If you thought the success of the Butler Bulldogs over the last decade was something wait until you see the next ten years.  The Bulldogs have had decent talent in the past, and with solid coaching excelled in certain areas that helped them be competitive day in and day out.  But they were always the underdog.  Not anymore.  The Bulldogs have consistently added more and more talent to their roster and in the next few years are preparing to make the leap to being a legitimate player on the national stage.  And when I say national stage, I mean national championship.

 

Outside of Indianapolis and especially on Ramblermania you may think I’m crazy, but here are the facts.

 

Matt Howard, as a sophomore, is arguably the best player in the league.  The Bulldogs top notch recruiting class last season is already paying dividends highlighted by four players who are already further along than any of Loyola's freshman.  Shelvin Mack and Gordon Hayward are 2nd and 3rd on the team in scoring as freshman and have unlimited potential. 

 

Hayward is a 6'8" guard in the mold of Blake Schilb, but he’s already light years ahead in his progress.  Mack was sought after by some serious high majors.  Ronald Nored is another rock steady PG and Garrett Butcher is chipping in.  That's four guys for the next four years, three of which are with Howard.

But wait, there's more.  Next season the Bulldogs bring in the top recruit in the Horizon League when 6'10 C/PF Andrew Smith joins the squad.  Smith isn't a project at 6'10" and 230.  He's the #6 recruit in Indiana and the 28th best center in the country according to EPSN. 

So as good as Butler has been in the early going this year they are going to get better not just as the season goes along, but as the decade goes along.  Look at this line-up for the 2010-2011 season and tell me what team in the Horizon League can compete with this?  Tell me what Big Ten team will be this experienced and talented?  Tell me this isn’t a team that can play with any squad in the country.

C Andrew Smith 6'10 sophomore
F Matt Howard 6'8" senior
F Gordon Hayward 6'8" junior
G Shelvin Mack 6'3" junior
G Ronald Nored 6'0" junior

And let us not forget that the bench will be loaded with talent including the aforementioned Butcher, seniors Zach Hahn, Grant Leiendecker, Shawn Vanzant and junior Chase Stigall.  This isn't even mentioning the fact that there will be another recruiting class in the mix when the 10-11 season rolls around. 

 

Right now you are looking at a line-up that has three potential NBA players on it and a second team that would probably finish second in the league.  This is the Horizon League and Butler has been great until this point.  Now?  They are knocking on the door of dominance. 

And they did it while every other school in the league just sat there watching.  Some other teams had a few good years here and there, some teams put guys in the NBA and some teams sat back and relished the glory years while Butler kept doing what they do right in front of everyone.  There isn't a secret to it, they didn't get this good behind closed doors, they just wanted it bad enough to go after it and put the right people in place to do it.

 

Now don’t get me wrong I can’t stand Butler and find it hard to even root for them in the NCAA tournament when I know Loyola gets a piece of the money.  But they did it and they did it right in front of our faces and Loyola has no one to blame but themselves for the situation they are in. 

 

Unless Loyola and the rest of the league start acting accordingly and begin making up for ten year’s lost time, or even more in the Ramblers case, get ready to hear and see even more about the Bulldogs.  For if the scenario above plays out in 2010-11 the rest of league won’t just be seeing All-Americans and taking 40-point beatings in Puerto Rico in November they’ll be seeing them and getting them on their home courts in January and February and wondering what went wrong.

E-MAIL JOE