Horizon League Network

We've Moved!!!

2009-09-16T13:38:00.003-04:00

Everything that you once found on this here little blog, has been moved to the new and improved Horizon League Network!

You can find us at: http://www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv

Enjoy!

Regards-

The HLN Team

Moving Forward

2009-07-21T14:50:00.001-04:00

Originally posted March 27, 2009

No matter which men's basketball team you root for in the Horizon League, the end of the season is always difficult to deal with. Some may joke that the season is "finally over," but what they're really saying is, "I can't wait to see how much better we are next year."

The reason I know this reality is difficult to deal with is two-fold.

1) It's difficult for me, and above anything else I'm a fan...just like each of you.
2) The response we've gotten from you this season on our little blog, makes it very clear just how passionate the fans are here in the Horizon League. Sure, we all might complain about attendance figures in the arena...but I can tell you whole-heartedly that each of our ten schools have a core of fans that want nothing more than success on the basketball court (and on the soccer field, volleyball court, or baseball/softball diamonds as well).

Despite detractors who fill message boards with unfounded claims that what we have here in the Horizon League is sub-par or 2nd-rate, those of us that see the big picture understand the growth that is taking place within all ten of our Horizon League men's basketball programs. We understand that down years happen. Just like the players that go to battle each night, it's more about how the adversity is handled...and what the response is. Looking ahead to next season, I surely like what I see.

An accomplishment such as having four teams earn 20-win seasons for the second-consecutive year (with the past two seasons being the only two times in league history this feat has been achieved) is certainly worth noting. A streak of five-consecutive years with at least 1 NCAA Tournament victory, isn't too shabby either.

What's more important to me, however, is what I see with my own eyes. Understand that the way a team like Cleveland State plays against Milwaukee, for example, is wildly different from the way the Vikings would approach a game with Wright State. Thankfully, I was exposed to many of these situations during the men's basketball season...and it was truly an eye-opening experience. I encourage any of you reading this to do the same next year, or at the very least, watch games on HLN that don't involve the team you typically root for. Really watch it. And if you want to go a step further...watch games from other mid-major leagues, and compare what you see. Trust me, you'll come to appreciate what the Horizon League is able to do in men's basketball even more, when you consider the resources available to them.

I use the word "resources" on purpose...as it brings me to my next point.

Many of you who read here are also readers of The Mid-Majority (and resources are discussed a lot over there). Chances are you've already read this year's edition of The Epilogue, but if you haven't read it, you should. And if you have read it, then you are probably already aware that I'll be joining The Mid-Majority next season as a freelance writer. Essentially, my work there will be in addition to my duties here with the Horizon League Network. No worries, you can't get rid of me that easily. Although, I'm sure many of you have come to realize this season that my cohort Adam Coppinger is a pretty talented fella...and without his help on a lot of this, it simply wouldn't happen. And there's no question this wouldn't happen without the support and forward thinking of the people at Horizon League headquarters.

It's worth noting that I'm not joining Kyle next season so that I can be a mouthpiece for the Horizon League's awesomeness (even though it's clear that I certainly appreciate what this league has to offer). I'm joining Kyle next season because it is an opportunity for me to learn about other mid-major programs that go through the same ups and downs as the programs here in the Horizon League. I will be thoughtful, objective, and as precise as possible...just as I have tried to be here on HLN, and just as I will continue to be both here at the HLN Blog and on HLN. My hope is that this opportunity will allow me to gain an even greater appreciation for what we have here in the Horizon League, and pass that perspective along to you.

For the next few months, we'll be on a quasi-hiatus. The posts will be less frequent, but Adam and I will surely keep you informed of anything that warrants discussion.

Thank you for your support this year. Here's to making next season...a beautiful season.

Visionaries

2009-03-22T17:58:00.006-04:00

I heard a great story in the locker room on Saturday. I'll try and paraphrase it here.

Coach Gary Waters has a notebook that he calls a 'vision book' where he writes down goals, both long term and short term. He showed the book to a potential recruit early last season. The recruit looked at Waters and basically told him that the goals were too lofty. Waters stood by his benchmarks. A week later CSU went out and beat Florida State in OT. The recruit, after finding out the result, explained to his coach that the victory against FSU was in the vision book. The kid must have thought Waters was a basketball prophet.

I liked the story because it shows what kind of a coach and leader Gary Waters is. He believed when very few did. It hit me after the game that this senior class for Cleveland State all bought into coach Waters' vision and built a foundation for future CSU teams. The foundation starts with J'Nathan Bullock. Without #35 there is no HL championship and no NCAA Tournament. George Tandy and Cedric Jackson found CSU after choosing somewhere else first. Chris Moore and his hard word. Renard Fields, the forgotten senior at times, was there through the tough times as well.

When the final buzzer sounded I was already thinking about the emotions that would be spilled out in that tiny little locker room in the corner of American Airlines Arena. I feel like I know the people in that room, even though I don't. I took some video but it's not really worth posting. There were no national writers in the room. All the video cameras and journalists were 20 feet down the hallway in another locker room. When asked about his altercation with Cedric Jackson, Chase Budinger couldn't remember his name or number.

We'll remember the ride that CSU took us on. How they thoroughly pounded a team that was ranked number one in the country. And how they let us hang out with them for the tail end of their incredible journey. Thanks.

(13) Cleveland State vs. (12) Arizona

2009-03-22T11:31:00.000-04:00

(13) Cleveland State vs. (12) Arizona

Razing Arizona

2009-03-21T17:04:00.015-04:00

Tomorrow around 2:40 Cleveland State will once again be underdogs. Unfortunately, the element of surprise is no longer on their side. Arizona was the last team in the field and they aren't about to take anybody lightly. They have three guys that can score in bunches. 6-7 Chase Budinger, 5-10 Nic Wise, and 6-10 Jordan Hill. Stop them and AZ can't win. Budinger is the most dangerous for CSU. He has the size to shoot over Cole and Jackson but is too quick for Bullock. This is specifically the type of guy who D'Aundray Brown would check. Matchup nightmare for the Vikings. They have to feel confident about containing Wise after shutting down Teague but Wise is much more likely to stay aggressive for 40 minutes. Hill is more of an offensive rebound guy. Keep him from getting good position down low and box him out and he won't be a huge factor offensively.

What do the Wildcats think of Cleveland State? Here's Budinger in the locker room on CSU:

The locker room today was a lot more crowded than yesterday or the day before. All the Vikings have taken it in stride. I mentioned yesterday that the smart people go to Norris for a good quote. Well apparently the word is out. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you "media darling" Nooooooooorrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiissss COLE!

After Mr. Cole was done with all the really important people I got him to answer a couple questions about the game with Arizona tomorrow.

What kind of preview would this be without some big guys? I've said it a couple times already but Chris Moore, Renard Fields, and George Tandy were so good defensively last night it got me thinking about many true post threats they've had to play against in the last 6 weeks. Matt Howard (Butler) is the only name that comes to mind and they held him in check as well. They were goofing around, which explains some of the random laughter. Here's Chris Moore then George Tandy:

I got to ask Coach Gee about Chase Budinger and how the Vikings were going to stop another NBA-bound player. He compared Budinger to one of the HLN Blog's favorites...

Thanks coach. I'll do my best to get some video up before tomorrow's game but the NCAA is pretty strict about video in and around the arena. The live blog will start up tomorrow at approximately 2:00 eastern. Stop by and root for the Vikings and follow along with what I'm seeing court side. See ya then!

In the Mean Time, the In-Between Time...

2009-03-21T13:19:00.005-04:00

To quote Ric Flair: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

The Vikings came out so fast and so furious last night I thought I was watching a terrible Vin Diesel movie. Jackson's two 3-pointers had the Wake Forest coaching staff asking about the scouting report that they had that said he couldn't shoot, 32% for the year. Chris Moore's defense inside and his ability to run the floor got CSU easy opportunities at the basket. Norris Cole defended Jeff Teague well all game and J'Nathan Bullock was J'Nathan Bullock. Everybody coach Waters ran out played to their strengths and avoided making costly mistakes. The same can't be said for WF.

Eighteen turnovers, seven by Teague, showed that Cleveland State's ability to play the passing lanes, get deflections, and maintain a physical defensive style without fouling can frustrate even one of the best offensive teams in the country.

The Vikings' toughness was on full display as well. As they were fighting through tough calls (Jackson block/charge anyone?) the Demon Deacons were whining, showing their youth, and drifting in and out of timeouts. During the live blog someone asked about a foul that wasn't called when Bullock was shoved out of bounds and my response: he doesn't budge. They rarely complain about close calls, never expect a foul to be called, and treat reach-ins, holds, and hand checks by the other team as if they're flies that need to be ignored.

Coach Waters and his staff did a remarkable job getting their team prepared and it won't stop now. The business trip may just be getting started.

That Was Fun Wasn't It?

2009-03-21T01:30:00.011-04:00

The title of this post is a quote from Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone. And it was SO much fun. I was seated right in the middle of the Wake Forest section and it was AWESOME.

I was live blogging from right here during the game and I need some more CSU fans to show up during the game Sunday around 2:40.

POST GAME GOODIES:

I thought Chris Moore did a phenomenal job defensively tonight along with Renard Fields. I got a chance to ask Chris about the team's defensive gameplan tonight:

Almost everybody in the room was trying to get quotes from J'Nathan but we all know that's a hard hill to climb. If you want a decent quote you go to the shooter, Norris Cole. As the story goes, he walked into practice on Monday and said "I got Teague". Right here on this very blog we had Cedric Jackson saying that Cole was most likely going to get a a turn on Teague. Here is Norris:

Cedric was getting some 'treatment' at the beginning of the open locker room session but eventually made his way out. I'm guessing he experienced a little cramping during the second half and needed some fluids and an IV. He had a bandage on his arm and he was visibly shaking when he first came in. He was so good tonight I had to post something from him in the post-game soundbytes. Here he is talking about setting the tone at the beginning of the game:

Coach Waters always seems so genuine during all his interviews with the media. I piggybacked on a question that ESPN.com's Pat Forde asked coach about what this win means for the Cleveland State program:

I'll try to post more video tomorrow during the afternoon. CSU has their media session in the early evening and I'll post some video ASAP.

There are about one hundred moments that happened and thoughts I had during the game tonight and I really can't put them all down here or it would be a rambling mess. One thing I will say is that there really is nothing quite like rooting for a hard working group of guys like Cleveland State, knowing how tough of a conference they came out of, and having other people recognize that as well. Tonight was just so much fun. I'll post more thoughts/stories from the game at some point tomorrow because if I try right now it will sound like a bunch of fanboy nonsense. Gary and the boys are on a 'business trip' and as they got on the bus to go back to the hotel I can only imagine they were jammin' to THIS.

(13) Cleveland State vs. (4) Wake Forest

2009-03-20T19:55:00.001-04:00

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=d8e609c772"&amp;gt;(13) Cleveland State vs. (4) Wake Forest&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Pep Rally Time!

2009-03-20T18:35:00.010-04:00

I made my way over to Mambo's for the Cleveland State pep rally. Food, Drink, and Horizon League fans...FAAAAAANTASTIC.

The first gentleman I met was none other than Associate Athletic Director Chris Sedlock!

The next fellow I bumped into was Chad. I don't remember Chad's last name but he was really excited and he drove over 20 hours to get to Miami. He's a CSU student and is going to be loud and proud at the "AAA" tonight. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

And you can't go to a pep rally without talking to some long-time season ticket holders. This group of gentlemen came from far and near to check out their Vikings in the NCAA tournament. They were very cordial and I ended up sitting with them for a few minutes. The blog is going to keep an eye out for these chaps next time we're in Cleveland.

I want to thank all the great people at CSU for making me feel at home during their Mambo takeover. Everyone was kind and I'm grateful for their hospitality.

Every time I opened my camera to shoot some video this happened:

I've seen quite a bit of orange since I've arrived in Miami because Syracuse travels so well. What better icebreaker from an HL'er to a Syracuse fan than THIS. Actually this guy and his buddies were really nice and complimentary of CSU. Unfortunately for him all the chanting above was directed in his general direction.

Coach Waters/D'Aundray Brown

2009-03-19T23:12:00.012-04:00

By popular request I spoke with D'Aundray Brown about his knee. He seemed to be in pretty good spirits. He was sitting next to Cedric Jackson, probably hoping Jackson's positive vibes seep into his knee and magically heal it. It wouldn't be an interview today without some business talk. Anyway, here it is:

As CSU came out of the north-end tunnel in AAA for their practice I was cautiously optimistic that I'd see #32 in green. Here is what I saw:

Lastly, I caught up with Coach Waters before CSU's practice. He introduced me to coach Gee and was very positive. He has his team determined to prove they're supposed to be in Miami to win basketball games and for no other reason. He could be the best interviewee of any coach in the Horizon League. Thanks for giving the blog some time coach!

That's it for me tonight, I'll be blogging during the game tomorrow so come right back here. The live blog will be open and I'll be taken your questions/comments and giving some analysis.

We Talkin' Bout Practice

2009-03-19T20:42:00.015-04:00

So each team gets to their NCAA first round site a day early to shoot around and get used to the gym. In other words: Practice.

Wake Forest was still on the court when I got to "AAA" so I decided to do some scouting and took a little video too:

Let's hope they shoot like that tomorrow night.

Before each team practices the media gets to inundate the players with questions. So I strolled into the Cleveland State locker room and...I was the only one asking questions.

A big theme during today's general media session was Wake Forest's size and how much bigger they are than the Vikings. Most of the mainstream media members look way too much at height and not at toughness. I asked J'Nathan Bullock about all the talk, his message was pretty clear:

When I asked J'Nathan about Miami and he called it a business trip, or bid'ness trip, it set off a series of comments about these games being a business trip for the Vikings. Got me a little depressed actually.

The key matchup in tomorrow night's game is going to be Cedric Jackson vs. Wake Forest's Jeff Teague. I asked Jackson about guarding one of the best players in the country.

Once practice started up coach Gee and coach Desimplare worked the bigs at one end and the guards at the other. I was a little surprised by the tone of the practice although I shouldn't have been. It was all bid'ness. They brought out the pads to simulate what could be a very physical game down low. Cedric Jackson was keeping everybody's spirits up with some positive chatter. One player who didn't need any positive chatter was Norris Cole. That dude is a deadeye shooter. I mean he rarely misses. RARELY. I've seen some of his better games this year in person and you can't convince me that he isn't one of the best five players returning next year in the HL.

Here's a little bit from the end of practice when they started hurting the rim. I won't identify the bigs who "layed it in" or missed their dunk entirely. Could be worse I suppose.

I'll be posting an update on D'Aundray Brown and a quick conversation I had with Coach Waters before practice in a bit. Thanks for checking out the blog!

Party in the City Where the Heat is On!

2009-03-19T20:15:00.008-04:00

Damon, it's the beginning...for Cleveland State.

I'm down here in Miami and cannot get THIS song out of my head. And yes I can feel 'dat' Will, thanks for asking!

Because the video starts with freezing cold, which is where I was on Wednesday Morning, and then goes to a view from the plane, here was mine:

So my fourth plane ride of the day was a little delayed and I was a bit tired until the color of my rental car woke me up. Really quickly. That is the exact car. I got to the hotel around 1:40, so it was too late to do anything but sleep. When I woke up, thanks to numerous calls/texts from people that probably knew I was sleeping, I decided to take a look at my view...wow! Thanks Horizon League!

The building I zoom (shaky) to is American Airlines Arena. Home of all the basketball here in town for the next few days.

So I made it safely, got all my stuff together, and headed over "AAA" for some practice.

Is This the End, Or the Beginning?

2009-03-19T19:07:00.004-04:00

I'm not one that's very big on silver linings. Some would call that pessimistic, I would call it realistic.

So what's the reality for Butler following their 75-71 NCAA 1st-Round loss to LSU?

Yes, they fought hard. Yes, their season is over. And yes, this is going to be a fantastic team the next few seasons.

It's impossible to ignore this team's youth, and it would be equally as ignorant to say that there weren't some "young" mistakes made in today's season-ender. Then again, those kind of mistakes come with the territory when Butler's 3 freshmen starters all played 33 minutes or more.

After the game it was evident how disappointed the Bulldogs were to be going home...freshmen, sophomores, and juniors alike.

One thing that Coach Stevens said during his news conference really stuck out to me. He mentioned how there have been very few times in his coaching career at Butler where an opposing player has been able to essentially dominate a game. That's basically what LSU's Marcus Thornton did today in scoring 30 points (10-15 FGs, 3-4 3pt FGs, 7-8 FTs) while pulling down 6 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists, committing just 1 turnover, and notching 4 steals.

Think about that stat-line for a minute. And it's not like he did it without defenders running at him all day.

Anyway, it was a really well-played and well-officiated game in my humble opinion. During the game I couldn't help but think about how disappointed Matt Howard was in his own performance last season following Butler's 2nd-Round NCAA loss to Tennessee. He certainly got a little redemption today, owning the post the entire time he was on the floor.

Of course, last season Howard was a freshman...and many might attribute his "youth" to being a reason why he struggled in the NCAA Tournament. Today, however, Butler had two freshmen score in double-figures (Mack - 18, Hayward - 12).

As an SEC writer sitting next to me during the game put it, "Imagine what this team is going to be like in two years?!?"

We won't have to imagine...we'll be watching it.

Butler vs. LSU - NCAA 1st-Round Game

2009-03-19T11:14:00.002-04:00

*This live-blog was interrupted by a poor Wifi connection within the Greensboro Coliseum. It is far from a complete view inside the Butler vs. LSU game, but we appreciate your patience and hope you enjoy what you read.

-Damon Lewis

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=6f4c1fe49a"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Butler vs. LSU - NCAA 1st-Round Game&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Getting Prepared

2009-03-18T15:10:00.011-04:00

The Butler Bulldogs faced the media and hit the practice floor this afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum. Safe to say, this team is keeping things very loose...but are also very confident in what they're capable of doing tomorrow against LSU.

Practice was light, with just some competitive shooting drills. Pretty standard for a practice open to the public, and constrained to 40 minutes in length.

The Bulldogs arrived at the coliseum around 11:00am, with Coach Stevens, Matt Howard, and Willie Veasley representing Butler at their scheduled news conference, which took place at about 11:20am. While that was going on, however, the rest of the squad was in the locker room...giving soundbytes to many of Indy's local media-types. Heck, even Coach Stevens made it back in time to answer a few more of our burning questions. What a lucky guy.

It didn't take long, though, for the mood to change completely inside Butler's locker room. When we first entered, most of their eyes were glued to a television hanging from the wall. From nowhere, a game of "Catch Phrase" broke out...and it became pretty clear that this group isn't feeling any sort of pressure to live up to anyone's standards but their own. You'll notice in the video that Veasley and Howard had returned to the locker room by this time...and were greeted with more questions to answer. At least all they had to talk about was how this team knows how to stay loose, and have fun.

Eventually the Dawgs made their way to the practice court. Not a lot to see here, unless you like seeing made shot, after made shot. They kept it simple...nothing flashy...no monster dunks for the crowd, although I did see Chase Stigall get rejected by the rim on one occasion. To his credit, I also saw him throw one down with authority...but the rejection brought on some serious "razzing" from a few teammates, and one coach. The session was over in the blink of an eye.

To my surprise, I didn't see a single Butler fan in the stands watching today's public practice (although I was told later there were about five who watched). Not surprising at all that about 98% of the people watching this afternoon's public practice were wearing Tar Heel blue. They're everywhere down here.

Something I hadn't thought about until after today's session was over (and not understanding why I hadn't seen any Butler fans yet) is what the impact of Butler's 1st-round game being on Thursday will be. Last year in Birmingham it seemed like Butler fans were everywhere, but that game was on a Friday and most of the fans rolled into Alabama on Thursday night. This time around, it will be interesting to see how many fans are able to show up on a Wednesday night.

One thing is for sure, I'll be out looking for Butler fans tonight. Also, part of the fun for the fans (and us media folks) at the NCAA Tournament is chatting up people that have a different team they're pulling for. Last year while traveling with Butler, it was nearly impossible to go 50-feet without a Louisville fan coming up and saying something along the lines of, "Ya'll killed us in '03." I think I'm going to have to find a "social setting" and see what this set of fans thinks about the Bulldogs.

P.I.G Party Sets the Tone

2009-03-18T03:10:00.006-04:00

Tonight's NCAA Tournament Opening Round game gave us our first taste of what this so-called "madness" is all about...even if it was a rather unspectacular contest.

What is spectacular about this event year in and year out, is the support that the city of Dayton has shown. The crowds simply keep getting larger and larger...despite the city having zero affiliation with the teams involved. Needless to say, Dayton loves their basketball.

Dayton's South Park Tavern has become somewhat of a flag-bearer for the event...eating up a lot of tickets for the game each year. All this while customers stop in beforehand to eat up all sorts of pizza, and perhaps enjoy a fairly priced bottle of malted hops.

This year, Kyle Whelliston encouraged his readers at The Mid-Majority to make the trip to Dayton and enjoy an afternoon and evening full of talking and watching hoops. It just so happened that my driving directions to Greensboro, NC suggested I drive through Dayton...so I couldn't say no. While I wasn't able to stick around for the game (that whole "driving all night to Greensboro, NC thing" takes a little time), I was able stop by the South Park Tavern to dig a little deeper.

One of the first people I met was SPT's self-proclaimed President/Pizza Maker/Janitor, Bill Daniels. Bill is as friendly as his Hawaiian Pizza is tasty...and he took a few minutes out of his busy evening to talk to me about SPT, the Opening Round game, and how Dayton has come to love the event.

Bill forgot to mention on-camera that he's a Wright State alum. Trust me, he's impressed with how quickly Coach Brownell has brought the Raiders along.

Believe it or not, Bill wasn't the only one in the house with Horizon League ties. I also met Steve Timble, a Loyola Ramblers season ticket-holder. Steve and I talked all-things Horizon League. Current teams, old teams, venues...you name it, we discussed it. I also had to ask him some pointed questions about his Ramblers...and, of course, his interest in the Opening Round game.

Of course, Mr. Whelliston was in attendance as well. Being on camera isn't really his "thing" but it's worth noting that he did say he was happy that the HL ended up with two bids. Kyle says an awful lot of nice things about the HL all season long, so there was really no need to press the issue.

So we're underway with our NCAA Tournament coverage. Tomorrow...err...today (Wednesday), Butler has an open practice and media session which I'll be sure to gather lots of video from, and post later in the day.

Hey Adam, you going to make your flight to Miami??

We're Goin' Dancin'...

2009-03-17T14:40:00.003-04:00

Yes, you read that right!

The HLN Blog will be up and running all week long, getting you ready for both Butler and Cleveland State's NCAA Tournament games!

I'm literally minutes away from beginning a long, tedious drive to Greensboro, NC to cover the Bulldogs...while Adam will be making his way to South Beach tomorrow to track down the Vikings. Trust me when I say, Adam's "journey" to Miami is a pretty comical situation...but I'll let him explain that.

Anyway...we'll be posting videos throughout the week as we go behind the scenes with each team, and also live-blogging courtside for both Butler's and Cleveland State's NCAA Tournament games.

As for my trip...the beginning of my drive will take me through Dayton, OH...and word is, there's a pretty big social gathering that's been put together tonight, celebrating some fellow mid-majors. It's Tuesday...so all you die hards should know what's going on in Dayton tonight. And we aren't talking about St. Patrick's Day.

Get ready for an exciting week...

Crowning A Champion!

2009-03-09T17:59:00.001-04:00

Horizon League Championship - Butler vs. Cleveland State - Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Semifinal Saturday!

2009-03-07T13:34:00.002-05:00

2009 HL Semifinals - BU vs. WSU / GB vs. CSU - Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Tourney Time!

2009-03-04T11:06:00.008-05:00

Easily my favorite time of the year. Last night, while switching back and forth during the first half of the 7:00 games, I couldn't help but notice the balance in the league. The two worst teams record-wise are bringing in serious talent next season and could be contenders. The 3-7 seeds all have similar talent levels and the one team I'm leaving out is the only team this season to beat Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Quarterfinals are set: UIC vs. Cleveland State and Wright State vs. Milwaukee.

Is UIC coming together? The Flames have won 5 in a row and they're getting tough inside play from Rob Eppinger and Tori Boyd. They killed YSU on the glass (+10) and showed a toughness that they haven't had at times this season. If VanderMeer can make a few bunnies, the Vikings could be in for some trouble.

Detroit hung with CSU until a few minutes into the second half when the Vikings defense choked the life out of the Titans. D'Aundray Brown hyperextended his right knee and didn't return. This could be a big development because they are a completely different team without him. The Titans played a tough physical style that stymied J'Nathan Bullock and co. for a while but CSU's superior talent level finally broke through. To quote Dennis Green, the Vikings are who we thought they were. The formula for beating Cleveland State is the same it's always been: limit turnovers, don't give up easy baskets, don't foul.

Wright State got out to a quick lead on Valpo and held on to avenge a tournament loss last year. Cooper Land shot out of his mind and that's all it takes for WSU to get a win. One guy besides Todd Brown gets hot for the next two games and the Raiders have a chance. It really is that simple.

Milwaukee flattened Loyola at the Cell and now returns to Hinkle with something to prove. Their last trip there didn't go too well. Lumber and co. (sounds like a legit business) took care of business all over the Ramblers. Milwaukee used this to get a 22 point advantage and roll into the second round.

Valpo, Younsgstown State, Loyola, and Detroit all saw their seasons end last night.

Coach Jerry Slocum and his mustache have a lot to build on going into next season. DeAndre Mays, Kelvin Bright, Vytas Sulskis, and Sirlester Martin, their top four scorers, all come back next season. Ward, Cooksey, and Parks give them some shooting off the bench, and another season together will certainly help. Expect another home game in the HL tournament next year.

Valpo and Loyola could be considered disappointments this season. Valpo had some tough luck with injuries to Brandon McPherson and some depth issues up front. Loyola...thank goodness for that Butler win.

Detroit: Coach McCallum is building a foundation and the way he's hoarding big guys they'll be a matchup problem for years to come.

NOTE: Damon and I will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse live blogging the semifinal round of the league tournament. If you can't make it to Indianapolis get on the blog and follow the game along with us. As always, we'll be taking questions, comments, and posting plenty of video to get you ready for the semis.

AWARD SEASON

2009-03-02T12:30:00.008-05:00

Fresh off the press:

Player of the year: Matt Howard (Butler)

Newcomer of the Year: Gordon Hayward (Butler)

Defensive Player of the Year: Cedric Jackson (Cleveland State)

Sixth Man of the Year: Ryan Tillema (Green Bay)

Coach of the Year: Brad Stevens (Butler)

ALL-HORIZON FIRST TEAM

Matt Howard, Butler

Gordon Hayward, Butler

Josh Mayo, UIC

Ryan Tillema, Green Bay

J'Nathan Bullock, Cleveland State

ALL-HORIZON SECOND TEAM

Todd Brown, Wright State

Rahmon Fletcher, Green Bay

Tone Boyle, Milwaukee

Urule Igbavboa, Valpo

Cedric Jackson, Cleveland State

ALL-HORIZON DEFENSIVE TEAM

Cedric Jackson, Cleveland State

Scott VanderMeer, UIC

Will Graham, Wright State

Terry Evans, Green Bay

Matt Howard, Butler

ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM

Gordon Hayward, Butler

Tone Boyle, Milwaukee

James Eayrs, Milwaukee

DeAndre Mays, Youngstown State

Shelvin Mack, Butler

Agree? Disagree? Surprised? Leave us a comment and we'll answer any questions.

Finishing What We Started

2009-02-15T10:49:00.006-05:00

Today's trip to the ARC at Valparaiso is stop 4 of 4 in this little jaunt around the Horizon League. With what's happened in the league this week...specifically in northeast Ohio...we've got plenty to talk about leading up to today's Valpo vs. UIC match-up, which tips at 4:00pm ET / 3:00pm CT.

Valparaiso vs. UIC: Athletics-Recreation Center - Valparaiso, IN

Home Sweet Home...If Only For One Night

2009-02-13T14:09:00.001-05:00

Making our way back to HQ in Indianapolis...but this journey isn't over yet!

Butler vs. UIC: Hinkle Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN

LIVE From Downtown Cleveland!

2009-02-12T15:11:00.001-05:00

We're back for more. You ready?

Cleveland State vs. Milwaukee: Wolstein Center - Cleveland, OH

LIVE From Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (...or Park)

2009-02-10T15:50:00.004-05:00

Ahhh...Chicago. Corrupt politics, deep dish pizza, and Ramblers basketball!

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=c26bbd8b83" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loyola vs. Wright State: Chicago, IL - Gentile Center&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Horizon League Road Trip

2009-02-10T09:55:00.004-05:00

Get your motor runnin'... Head out on the highway.

THE Damon Lewis and myself will be leaving in a few hours for Chicago. We are heading to the Wright State-Loyola game. As always we are looking for you to give us things to talk about and keep us going. The live blog will start early in the afternoon so get in there and start telling us what you'd like to hear us discuss or questions you'd like to hear answered. We saw all of you Wright State fans show up on Saturday, now we'd like to see you guys show up for the blog! Look for the live blog to be posted in the next couple of hours. We look forward to hearing from you!

A Look Back...And a Look Ahead

2009-02-09T11:27:00.006-05:00

Saturday

A full slate of games on Saturday produced some exciting results. I'll start with the last game first as Green Bay defended its home court in front of 7,980 Phoenix fans at the Resch Center. First off, a big salute to the Green Bay faithful getting out on a Saturday night in full force. The 72-68 win looked all too familiar to some other Horizon League teams as Green Bay used its veteran grit and a good amount of free throws to win at home. Milwaukee didn't exactly execute to perfection in the last 35 seconds as coach Jeter had to call a timeout with the clock winding down. Jeter drew up a pick and roll with backside action, trying to get Tone Boyle a good look off a screen at the top of the key. Boyle got some contact but didn't get the whistle and the Phoenix 'escaped' and got some breathing room in second place, now two games up on Milwaukee.

Coach Jeter started James "Big Lumber " Eayrs for the first time all season and he didn't disappoint as he went for 22 and 9 but fouled out in the waning moments trying to grab a rebound. Anthony Hill only getting 7 minutes is a head-scratcher as well because Green Bay can be bodied down low.

Road trip note: We (Damon and I) will get another good look at Milwaukee as they face Cleveland State on the road this Thursday. As always, we'll be live blogging so spread the word. Big Lumber vs. J'Nathan Bullock is a heavyweight bout I'd pay to see.

Cleveland State has now won four in a row and they're on a crash course with Milwaukee for the third-place spot in the HL tournament. That is important because it would mean you would avoid the home team, and number 1 seed, in the tournament until the championship game. The Vikings scored 51 points in the second half and 83 total at Loyola while only going 2-7 from the three-point line.

DEEE-TROIT BASKETBAAAALL

Coach McCallum and the Titans picked up their second league victory on Saturday with a 56-55 "W" over Valparaiso. Consider me on the Ray McCallum bandwagon. The Titans play a tough, smart style that I believe is really going to translate to more wins next season when the talent level increases. They're not a good perimeter shooting team, so instead of banging their heads against a wall they shot three 3-pt. FGs Saturday. Chris Hayes has been the guy that has stepped up the past couple of weeks. The 6-9 senior is averaging 14.8 pts. and 6.5 rebs. in his last four games. Perhaps the most encouraging statistic from Saturday's game is that the offensively challenged Titans found a way to win with their leading scorer, junior Thomas Kennedy, going 1-8 from the field.

Penguin Power...?!

Youngstown State is now 5-8 in conference and showing some life. If they can maintain their position in the league standings they would host a first round league game. The Penguins 8 wins, with 6 games to play, gives them a chance to have a double-digit win total for just the second time in the last 8 years.

Butler Flexing its Muscle

Butler walked into a sold-out Nutter Center and dominated from the tip. It was really a sight to see. At one point in the first half, I believe the score was 19-2, Damon and I just looked at each other in disbelief. We both predicted a Raider victory and thought the game was going to be a back-and-forth battle. We couldn't have been more wrong. Driving through New Castle, IN on our way back to Indianapolis I think Zach Hahn (New Castle native) hit four more threes. Troy Tabler, Will Graham, and N'Gai Evans made as many shots as THESE GUYS. Green Bay is going to need some help from Cleveland State or Milwaukee to make up that last game in the league standings. This game could haunt Green Bay for a long time.

Road Trip Note Pt. II

Look out Horizon League, here we come! Damon and myself will be hitting the road this week because we just can't get enough of the Horizon League.

Tuesday: We will be at Loyola for their home game against Wright State (8pm ET / 7pm CT).

Thursday: Traveling to Cleveland for the Milwaukee @ Cleveland State game (7pm ET / 6pm CT).

Friday: Back to Indianapolis for UIC-Butler, Part II (7pm ET / 6pm CT).

Sunday: UIC @ Valpo (4pm ET / 3pm CT), be there or be square. WE WILL.

That's it. Four games in six days. Live blogging the entire time.

*If you live in any of these cities please let us know what we need to do, where we need to eat, and where all of you will be in preparation for all this basketball.

The Beginning of an Exciting Journey

2009-02-06T21:39:00.010-05:00

Wright State vs. Butler: Nutter Center - Dayton, OH

For starters...HLN Live-Blog, this Saturday LIVE from the Nutter Center for Wright State vs. Butler. Raiders fans...show up, be loud, and we'll show the rest of the HL how you support the green and gold. For those of you who can't make it to the Nutt (we're speaking to you, Butler fans...and anyone else around the HL for that matter), join us here throughout the afternoon and evening for HL analysis, pre-game features and interviews from both sides of the Wright State / Butler matchup, in-game commentary from myself and Adam (complete with YOUR thoughts and comments), and some post-game soundbytes as well. I've always enjoyed my experiences at the Nutter Center, and suspect that this trip will be no different.

It's also worth noting that next week's Horizon League men's basketball schedule is a little out of the ordinary, with games being played on Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday. I'm happy to report that Adam and I will be traveling to games, at the very least, on 4 of those 5 nights. The final schedule is still coming together, but get ready Horizon League fans...next week we're coming to Y-O-U.

For now...we'll see you right here on Saturday!

Phoenix Rising

2009-02-04T11:12:00.006-05:00

With roughly seven games to go for each team in league play there is a level of excitement back for the stretch run in the Horizon League. Green Bay's victory over league-leading Butler on Monday night changes everything. The senior-led Phoenix took advantage of all their opportunities and did an excellent job of not giving Butler anything to use as momentum. You can stare at the box score until you're blue in the face and watch the game several times over but the game was decided by turnovers. 16-4. The Phoenix 'out Butlered' Butler. They made almost all of their free throws, Troy Cotton hit a back-breaking jump shot toward the end of the game, and they were the more composed team in the second half when they made their run. Green Bay is now only 1/2 game back in the league standings.

What does this mean to the rest of the league?

Green Bay has given the rest of the league hope. No matter what anyone tells you, people around the league were getting worried about this Bulldog team being head and shoulders above everybody else. The thing is...they're not. It shouldn't have taken this loss, or a below-average effort against Valpo at home, or even a close call against Detroit. The league is deep this year. REALLY deep. There are no fewer than five teams in the Horizon League that I think could win a first round game in the NCAA tournament.

The Green Bay victory also gives Milwaukee and Wright State, and Cleveland State some hope. They all have one game with Butler left on their schedule and two of them, UWM, WSU, are at home. Milwaukee's schedule has five road games left but they are in control of their path for a top two seed in the HL tournament.

Cleveland State's victory over Wright State can't be overlooked either. The Vikings were in desperate need, and still are, of getting some league wins for a potential run in the tournament. Cedric Jackson's up and down play is really making it tough for them to string together some wins but the talent is there and Norris Cole is certainly stepping up his game.

Lastly, Ryan Tillema is in the lead in the clubhouse for player of the year. He's now leading the league in scoring and is coming off the bench! His ability to get to the free throw line on Monday really made the difference for the Phoenix.

It's a Saturday Night...Special!

2009-01-30T18:24:00.006-05:00

HL Saturday Night Extravaganza

Apologies to those of you feasting for Horizon League news as fast as you can get it. This week was a tough one, as I moved into a new pad, and Adam came down with a case of the "I'm sick" early in the week. Personally, I think he's just a little depressed about the outcome of last weekend's WWE Royal Rumble...but I digress.

To try and make it up to you, we're going BIG on Saturday night. 4 games, all evening tip-offs, and all on HLN. And yes, we'll be live-blogging for each one, watching the same video that you are on HLN.

"But Damon...how can you live-blog 4 games at once when it's normally just you and Adam live-blogging?"

Glad you asked, voice in my head.

We've enlisted the help of two more Horizon League experts, to cover each of the 4 games Saturday night. Nate Flannery, the Horizon League's Director of New Media and Technology, will taking care of one game...as well as Josh Rattray, the Horizon League's Assistant Director of Communications. Josh also helps out on a lot of the women's basketball content you see on HLN...and does a fantastic job, if I do say so myself.

So here's your lineup for Saturday night:

6:30 - Live Blog begins.
7:05 - Adam begins exclusively live-blogging Detroit @ Youngstown State game.
7:30 - Damon begins exclusively live-blogging Wright State @ Cleveland State game.
8:00 - Nate begins exclusively live-blogging Loyola @ Green Bay game.
8:00 - Josh begins exclusively live-blogging UIC @ Milwaukee game.

Come one, come all! It's sure to be a great night of not only watching great basketball on HLN, but also another chance for you to talk back with fans all across the Horizon League landscape.

Hope to see you HERE Saturday Night!

Questions Answered

2009-01-22T14:15:00.004-05:00

First and foremost, a big THANK YOU to those that sent in questions for our man, Rob Demovsky, to answer. We sorted through the virtual pile, and passed along the following queries to give fans a little more perspective heading into tonight's game between Green Bay and Butler.

Thanks again to the Green Bay Press-Gazette for letting us borrow Rob for this monumental HLN Blog event. Alright, so maybe not "monumental," but you get the idea.

Q: Is this the most talented team Coach Kowalczyk has had while at Green Bay?

Rob Demovsky: I don't think there's any question this is his most talented team. However, I thought the 2004-05 team that had Benito Flores, Javier Mendiburu, Brandon Morris and Matt Rohde was close. That's the last UWGB group to beat Butler. This team has better athletes and therefore plays better defense and rebounds better. This team has more pieces as well. They have good shooters (Cotton, Tillema, Schachtner), good defenders (Evans, Fletcher, Berry, Nelson) and a ton of experience.

Q: In your opinion, is there something specific that has made Butler so successful in the Horizon League year after year?

Rob Demovsky: I asked a couple of Horizon League coaches that very question this week and no one had a specific answer other than to say they've got a great system and do a great job finding players who fit that system. That style certainly isn't for everyone, but if you find players who buy into it and believe in it, it obviously works. Some believe this Butler team is actually better than last year's 30-4 team. I'm not sure about that simply because I thought Mike Green was one of the toughest college basketball players I've seen, and guys like A.J. Graves and Pete Campbell just made big shots when it mattered. I've always respected the way Butler players and have enjoyed watching them.

Q: Who do you think Terry Evans will guard in Thursday night's game?

Rob Demovsky: My guess is Evans will guard either Mack or Hayward, but the Phoenix often switches on lot of screens so you might see him on different guys. However, there are times when they try not to switch. When they played at UWM, Evans almost never left Avery Smith.

Q: Coach Kowalczyk seems to be a "target" on many Horizon League message boards and fan sites. Being Green Bay's beat writer, you're around him about as much as anybody...so what's he really like?

Rob Demovsky: I've never really understood why Kowalczyk was so disliked. Early in his career, he may have made some comments that came off as arrogant or cocky, but what Division I coach isn't that way. They all have egos. But I think he's learned from those mistakes like any good coach would. I've covered three different Division I coaches at two different schools in my 15 years of covering college basketball, and I will say that Tod is by far the most media-friendly coach I've covered. He lets me watch as much practice as I want, gives me as much as access to players and assistants as I want and takes time to explain his philosophies. And it's not just with me. He's pretty much the same way with all the local TV and radio stations. Off the court, he's a regular guy -- he likes to play golf, drink a few beers and relax with his family. He has two young children, and they've mellowed him a little bit. Like most coach's wives, his wife Julie is a saint. You might recognize Julie from her maiden name -- Nordgaard. That's right, she's the sister of former UWGB star Jeff Nordgaard.

Q: Since we're midway through the season, who's your All-Horizon League 1st Team?

Rob Demovsky: I won't have seen every team in person until after this weekend, but I do believe I've seen all the teams at some point or another if not in person then on the Horizon League Network.

So I'd probably say the first team would be: Matt Howard, Ryan Tillema, Avery Smith, J'Nathan Bullock and either Josh Mayo or Gordon Hayward.

Too soon to say on Player of the Year although I would think Howard is the leading candidate. Hayward probably has the Newcomer of the Year already locked up. Terry Evans should repeat as Defensive Player of the Year, and Tillema is probably the Sixth Man of the Year, but he's really a starter, so maybe James Eayrs of UWM.

SPEAKING OF JAMES EAYRS...

Bonus Question: I know you cover UWGB and the Packers, but who wins in a fight: Ditka or Big Lumber?

Rob Demovsky: Well I am originally from Chicago, so I'd have to say Da Coach, but ...

Actually someone told me Eayrs' mom wouldn't let him play football because she was afraid he'd get hurt (my guess is he would have done the hurting), but I don't know if that's true. I'll say this, for a big guy, he's kind of a gentle giant. He's got soft hands and a great touch. The first time I saw him play, I thought no way can this guy play. I certainly don't think that now.

Thanks for all the questions. If anyone ever has a question about UWGB or the Horizon League feel free to contact me at rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com, and please read the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Lets Press (Gazette) the Issue...

2009-01-20T19:37:00.005-05:00

It doesn't take a whole lot of research to figure out the most significant game in the Horizon League Thursday night.

(7-0) Butler vs. (6-1) Green Bay.

I could go on and on about the importance of Butler holding serve on its home court, or how ironic it would be if Green Bay were to end the Bulldogs' 18-game HL winning streak...a record currently belonging to the Phoenix (21 straight from 1995-1997).

Fans know the names. Tillema, Evans, Howard, and Mack. Schachtner and Hayward too.

But maybe what those interested in this contest don't know, are the more intricate details of the teams involved.

What's the pregame routine? Is Terry Evans REALLY that exciting to watch? Why does Matt Howard only cut his hair once per season?

Alright, so maybe your questions are a bit more hard-hitting than those examples. The point is, we've enlisted the help of someone a little more "in the know" than I could ever be.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette's Rob Demovsky wants to hear from YOU.

Rob has graciously accepted our invitation to answer your questions, leading up to Thursday's game between the Green Bay Phoenix and Butler Bulldogs.

Want his predicted outcome? Want to know if he thinks the Bulldogs are legit? Ask away...just keep the questions about the Packers for another day (and another blog).

Either ask your question in the comment section below this post, or e-mail us at:

horizonleaguenetwork@gmail.com

We'll forward a handful of the best questions (well thought out, or incredibly ridiculous) to Rob, and post his answers right here, on Thursday, before the big showdown.

Leave your name, or be anonymous...doesn't matter to us. Just take advantage of the opportunity to pick the brain of a true-blue...or in this case, true-green...sports journalist.

*We also asked Butler beat-writer, David Woods of the "Un-named Indianapolis Newspaper," to participate in this Q & A. Despite Mr. Woods' interest in participating, he wasn't given permission to do so by his employer. It's unfortunate too, look at all of those words I cleverly linked to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Breakfast and Basketball

2009-01-16T15:18:00.002-05:00

As Adam alluded to earlier in the week, we're once again rollin' up I-65 for some Horizon League hoops action. This time we'll be at the UIC Pavillion in Chicago, IL for the Flames' Saturday matinée with the Butler Bulldogs. Our departure time from Indianapolis is scheduled for 7:00am (so long as I don't over-sleep). We'll be checking in throughout the drive, and be with you courtside throughout the contest. If you're planning to watch the game from the comfort of your own home on ESPN2, stop on by. We promise not to poke fun...even if you do show up in your pajamas.

On the Road Again

2009-01-13T14:33:00.005-05:00

We're at it again, after seeing two Horizon League games last weekend we're going through withdrawal. Solution: LIVE BLOG from Chicago for the UIC-Butler game on Saturday. Call us Road Warriors, call us Trail Blazers or simply call us your connection to the big showdown on Saturday.

We'll be doing the same live blog that we did the day of the Green Bay-Milwaukee game. With any luck the Flames and Bulldogs will treat us to the same type of game the Phoenix and Panthers did. Hey, Coach Kowalczyk called it one of the best games he's ever been associated with.

So here we come Chicago! This is our first chance to see pre-season Horizon League player of the year Josh Mayo in person. He leads the league in scoring and has range for days. I've been on the UIC bandwagon for most of the season and this could be the biggest game of the year for the Flames momentum-wise. A win against Butler could give them the confidence they need to make a run.

Of course we all know that Butler is on quite a roll in league play and has to play Loyola on Thursday night. Last year the Flames used a 2-3 zone and forced Butler into 13 turnovers and let the #10 team in the country (at the time) bomb away, to the tune of 37 3-pt. field goal attempts. Expect a more balanced attack from Butler this Saturday.

So there it is, we'll be driving up EARLY Saturday morning and start the blog a few hours before the game so get up early and have questions/comments ready. Check back to this very blog for more details about our trip. We want to hear from you about what you want to discuss and maybe we can squeeze in another interview or two before the 2:00 ET tip.

OFF TOPIC:

The legend of Big Lumber continues to grow. And apparently, so does his game. The big man went dub-dub last night and is getting more and more national attention. All Milwaukee road games are now officially "must see." So look up your team's schedule and as T.O. would say, "get your popcorn ready," or probably more appropriately "get your pork rinds ready." BIG LUMBER is coming to a city near you!

Just found another BL shoutout, this time by Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis. LINK

Weekend Wrap-up

2009-01-11T12:39:00.004-05:00

Another big weekend of basketball in the Horizon League and another weekend of surprises and near misses. Damon and I made the trip to Milwaukee for the big Wisconsin showdown on Friday night then woke up early to get back to Indianapolis for a look at Detroit as they played Butler at 2:00 ET. We barely survived the drive down. There was the large number of plows on the road (over 30), there were the flares that we had to drive over, the half dozen cars that slid off the road, and the accident we saw literally right in front of us on the south side of Chicago. All in a Horizon League blogger day's work.

The Milwaukee-Green Bay game was a classic. Both teams REALLY wanted that game. And for good reason, it was a match-up of two teams that are playing well at the top of the league's standings.

A few things that stood out during the game:

- BIG LUMBER, aka James Eayrs. The JUCO transfer is just a fun guy to watch. The origin of the "Big Lumber" moniker is a mystery to Damon and myself so if any of you HL fans know please share. BL hit a late-game three pointer to get the Panthers into overtime. He is obviously a big body but he has good footwork and can space the floor because other 'bigs' have to respect his range. We weren't the only ones who noticed.

-Green Bay's ability to space the floor. When coach Kowalczyk brings Ryan Tillema off the bench and pairs him with Mike Schachtner in the frontcourt it makes keeping Rahmon Fletcher out of the paint nearly impossible. Fletcher got in the paint all night for the Phoenix and has mastered the floater.

-I'll reserve judgement on both team's shooting guards. Both Tone Boyle and Troy Cotton have played well this year but both had an off-night Friday.

-Oh and Terry Evans' pass to Tillema for the dunk...WOW (if you have the video please post)

UIC Flames Out in Ohio

The Flames went 0-2 on their trip to Ohio this week and are now reeling at 1-4 in league play. I haven't had the chance to watch the archive of the game but I'll be interested to see how Cleveland State held Josh Mayo to 2-10 shooting. I know Viking fans don't want to hear it but they're one play away from sitting atop the league standings.

side note: If you haven't watched the highlights of the UIC-YSU game on HLN you need to. Josh Mayo can shoot from anywhere inside of 30 feet. Great win for the Penguins.

Bold Prediction: If Cleveland State shoots like they did against the Flames they WILL win the conference tournament AT Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Detroit so close yet so far...

I was really impressed with the Detroit Titans on Saturday. They played better than Butler for most of the game. If they could have gotten any semblance of an outside game (0-6 on 3 pt. FG) they would have left Indianapolis with their first conference victory. Coach McCallum can 'coach em up' as the Ole Ball Coach would say. Thomas Kennedy is a player. Both he and Eulis Stephens can make some tough shots and they'll be a tough team to beat the rest of the way.

Bold Prediction #2: Detroit will defeat one of the current top three teams in the conference at some point this season.

Ready or Not...

2009-01-08T00:00:00.005-05:00

An Open Challenge To Milwaukee...

2009-01-05T23:54:00.003-05:00

REMEMBER THIS?

It wasn't all that long ago that U.S. Cellular Arena was possibly the most intimidating place to play in the Horizon League. See that sea of yellow in the upper-right corner of that picture? Yeah, they were loud. In fact this is an image from the 2006 Horizon League Tournament Championship Game between Milwaukee and Butler. I was at this game...and I remember being scared of the sheer number of kids packed into the Milwaukee student section.

Since that game, times have been tough for the Panthers. The last two seasons have both ended with overall records below the .500-mark. Needless to say, there have been several factors that have contributed to the struggles, factors that we won't get into right now. That's not the point of this message.

Milwaukee, after Monday's win over Valparaiso, matched their win total from the entire 2006-2007 season. Not to mention, they're halfway to their Horizon League win total from last season (9-9). That's a long-winded way of saying the Panthers are (9-5) overall, (5-0) in the Horizon League. See how we media-types work?

That's right Panthers fans...you're currently rooting for the top-dog (err...cat?) in the Horizon League. Feels good to say that, doesn't it?

Maybe you've already seen this week's Horizon League Network Update (January 5th edition), and yes, it's true. We're coming to Milwaukee. And by "we," I'm referring to myself and fellow Horizon League fanatic, Adam Coppinger. He's only a little nuts...but I question his HLN viewing tendencies, which are extreme to say the least.

Anyway, Adam and I will be at "The Cell" this Friday, January 9th, for Milwaukee's match-up with league-rival, Green Bay. Throughout the day, Adam and I will be debuting the "live-video-blog" portion of this here site. Think of the experimental Butler vs. Bradley game last month as the soft opening. But Friday, Milwaukee vs. Green Bay...THIS is our grand opening. We're still working on the free appetizers and drink specials.

So what's the challenge? It's simple...

SHOW UP.

I'd be asking too much if I asked for the atmosphere I witnessed back in March 2006, but it's not asking too much to want to see the Milwaukee faithful support the team atop the Horizon League standings...especially against Green Bay. This means you, students, as well. I've already been hearing excuses about the student body being on winter break...but some are hopeful that they'll show up.

Adam and I will have plenty of spare time when we arrive early Friday afternoon in Milwaukee...so we want to hear from you, about where the true fans hang out before the game. Maybe you're a season-ticket holder, maybe you're one of the tens-of-thousands of students that attend UWM, or maybe you're someone that just loves the Black 'n Gold...tell us where the "place to be" is at.

You can comment below, reach us on the Horizon League Facebook page...or...oh, why not...you can reach me, personally, on my Facebook page. "Friend" me/us...tell us where to be, and we'll do our best to be there. Communicating with us may go a long way toward us at least tracking you down before or during the game, if you so choose. We'll bring along some Horizon League gear...so bring along your Panthers (or Phoenix) gear and we'll make a trade. Our intent is to do anything we can to try and make this fun for everyone, while covering the game as well. Can't forget about the game, right?

And don't feel left out Green Bay fans...if you've got a crew coming down from Titletown, let us know! The same rules apply to you, as well.

So there it is...your fair warning. Just know, if Adam and I are left unimpressed, uninspired, or un-anything, we won't hesitate to make it known here on the 'ol HLN Blog.

You don't want that kind of embarrassment, do you?

2009 Has Arrived...So Has the Horizon League

2009-01-02T22:49:00.002-05:00

With the holidays, and 2008 for that matter, now in the rear-view mirror...it's time to once again focus our attention on what is shaping up to be a highly-competitive regular season race in the Horizon League.

The information from our end will be coming fast and furious from here on out...whether it be here, or throughout the week on HLN. Highlights, top plays, interviews with coaches, blogging (live, with video), and perhaps even some live chat sessions (with guests) are all on tap over the next few months.

With all of that fresh in our minds, and league play upon us, there's no better time than now to take a look at what's at stake in the Horizon League over the next couple months. And trust me, there's plenty at stake.

Entering Saturday's slate of league contests, the Horizon League carries a rank of #10 in the country, when looking at conference RPIs. This number, as much as almost anything, puts the Horizon League on an inside track toward multiple bids in the NCAA Tournament when March rolls around. I'm not talking about the type of multiple bids the Horizon League has seen in the past, where there's an upset in the HL Tournament title game and two teams make the field of 65...I'm talking about two legit "locks" (or at least 1 lock and 1 bubble team) regardless of how the league tournament shakes out. Now, RPI isn't everything, but it certainly helps. A stronger league, with individual teams holding stronger RPIs, keeps the damage to a minimum when going through two rounds of league play. You already know all of this though. Right?

How about raw numbers...as in an actual win-loss record. After all, it's the only tangible number that can be used to evaluate teams (or conferences)...and frankly, if you don't win games you aren't going anywhere. The Horizon League is looking pretty strong thus far, boasting a (47-42) record in non-league games against D1 competition. To put this in context, conferences like the Missouri Valley, Atlantic 10, and Conference USA also have winning records out-of-conference, while the West Coast Conference is under .500, and the Colonial is exactly .500 at (63-63). Each of these leagues are either just above or just below the Horizon League in the current conference RPI rankings, and has a similar profile of teams. What's also impressive about the HL's non-league slate, is that they have a winning record against some of these similar conferences. (3-2) vs. the Atlantic 10, (5-3) vs. the Missouri Valley, and (11-9) vs. the Mid-American could go a long way come March...and wins against the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC only bolster the Horizon League's chances for two bids. I'm not the only one who feels this way. Take, for example, this recent excerpt from a post on Tuesday at The Mid-Majority:

Horizon League: Life in this year's top mid-major conference just got more complicated. In last night's G!O!T!N!, Wright State clamped down on Syracuse-beating preseason favorite Cleveland State 72-61 to send the Vikings into a 1-2 hole. The three remaining undefeateds are 2-0 Butler (off beating UAB in a minor Red Line Upset) and Green Bay. Your surprise conference leader is 3-0 Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which posted an impressive 71-66 win over Illinois-Chicago last night.

While this type of praise is certainly a step in the right direction, it also sheds some light on which "type" of league-race could end up resulting in just one NCAA Tournament bid, or multiple bids.

If you look at last season's race in the Atlantic 10, just 4 games separated 2nd place Temple (11-5) from the (7-9) 11th place trio of Rhode Island, Duquesne, and St. Louis. Seven teams won 20+ games through the A-10 Tournament, but only 3 made the Big Dance. Why, you ask? Several teams had high-profile wins to their name but aside from Xavier, no one else separated themselves from the rest of the pack in league play.

On the flip side, look at what happened last season in the Sun Belt...a much lower rated league when it comes to RPI rankings. Western Kentucky and South Alabama made statements during league play by both finishing (16-2), five games ahead of their closest competitors. And when South Alabama stubbed it's toe in the Sun Belt semis against Middle Tennessee...the Jaguars still secured an at-large bid, despite having a mere (1-3) record against non-conference RPI top-100 teams. Two wins against Western Kentucky (2008 RPI: 39) during the regular season proved to carry a lot of weight for South Alabama...although, we all know what happened to them in the NCAA Tournament. Rick Pitino, you...of all people...should be ashamed.

So what does this all mean for the 2008-2009 version of the Horizon League? Well, at this point, it appears that Butler, Cleveland State, and UIC (possibly) have had success that seems to be at-large worthy. Sorry Green Bay, but the non-league schedule just isn't strong enough. The Bulldogs and Vikings each have at least one signature win...while UIC could benefit from wins over Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech if they can both move toward respectability in the SEC and ACC. For these purposes, lets focus on Butler and Cleveland State. If these two teams can take care of business the next couple of months and finish, say, 3-to-5 games ahead of the rest of the field...while winning their BracketBuster games...they could have NCAA Tournament bids already wrapped up before Horizon League Tournament play begins. The schedule sets up nice as well, as Butler and Cleveland State won't face off again until February 28th...the last day of the regular season.

Let the games begin (again)!

Christmas Wish Lists

2008-12-19T11:19:00.008-05:00

With another six days until Christmas I thought I would beat the crowd and get out my list of what I would give to a few teams in the Horizon League. No re-gifting allowed.

Youngstown State: A "W" over a Division I or II team.

It's been a tough year so far for the Penguins but there is one Bright spot. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Kelvin Bright has shown that when he gets hot he is a force to be reckoned with. His per game averages do mask a pretty pedestrian 40% field goal percentage.

Wright State: A do over.

Remember when you were a kid and nothing seems to go right at the beginning of a game? You call for a do over, right? Coach Brownell needs to petition the NCAA for a do over after the Raiders 0-6 start. Can someone please tell me what has happened to Todd Brown? PLEASE?!?

Milwaukee: A victory over a team with a winning record.

The Panthers are 5-5.

Record of teams the Panthers beat: 10-39

That's bad. Like really bad. Did I mention one of those victories was against DIII Upper Iowa University? I really like the depth of this team and they are 2-0 in league play. But show up for a game against a team you shouldn't destroy.

Green Bay: Some rebounding.

Green Bay can shoot. Evans. Tillema. Cotton. They are a GREAT free throw shooting team. But they rebound by committee, and they don't do it particularly well. Their aggregate rebound margin for the season is -40, and -30 in the team's four losses. Losing 6-6 Chop Tang won't help.

UIC: ...

If you're like me you have a friend or family member that is really hard to shop for. That would be UIC this season. They have the leading scorer in the Horizon League, Josh Mayo. The Flames have the leading rebounder in the Horizon League in big man Scott VanderMeer. And they have the second best assist man in the HL, Spencer Stewart. Even the team defense has been impressive as the Flames have only allowed one team to score over 70 points against them this season, 77 in a victory against Northern Iowa. Consistency remains the only obstacle for UIC this season.

Love it.

2008-12-16T15:09:00.001-05:00

By now you've probably seen this...but I can't watch it enough.

Nice work, Vikings.

The Day After...

2008-12-11T20:53:00.004-05:00

If you're anything at all like me, then you've had mornings where you've woken up and said to yourself, "I wish I'd done that differently." Well, I had one of those this morning...but thankfully it wasn't due to a poor decision made within the previous 24-hours. Instead, it was due to what appears to be a good decision...one that can be expanded on to make this "video blogging" concept more enjoyable for everyone once league play begins in January.

Adam and I ran into some of the expected hurdles, like spotty wireless internet signals. This was a fear of ours out on the road (it worked out better than we expected), but not within the arena. At first we suspected it was because I was running a Mac computer...but we found out later (from Bradley's SID) that Carver Arena's wireless system has its issues. Luckily we found away around the problem, and we don't expect to run into that issue again, as all Horizon League arenas have great Internet systems because of what's required to webcast games on HLN.

Aside from technical problems, last night's dress rehearsal gave Adam and I an idea of what we "should" and "shouldn't" do during these video updates on location. We now know that it will be a priority for us to arrive at our selected arenas several hours before tip-off, in order to get you ready for whatever game is on tap. After that, we can begin finding students/fans that enter the arena as soon as the gates open to give you an idea of the atmosphere. While the game is going on, Adam and I will likely be relegated to providing text updates to the blog with thoughts and insights. Even though we can essentially turn around our video updates in a matter of 5 minutes...5 minutes in a basketball game is an eternity, and anything we say would likely be outdated by the time it makes it up to this blog. Besides, once we start traveling to league games, you'll already be watching whatever contest we're at on HLN, right? This way, we can point out a few things from our perspective, without distracting you while you're watching the game action on HLN. Perhaps we'll provide one video update at halftime...and we'll certainly continue to provide post-game soundbytes from players and coaches. We'll also have a day in between our scheduled Thursday/Saturday trips...so we'll have to figure out what to bring to the blog on those days.

We certainly appreciate the comments posted here last night...and there were other places where we noticed some "discussion" on what we were doing. All in all, we'd like to hear more from you to know if you like our plan, or if we're completely missing something with this idea. Let us know, and we'll do what we can. Once we start this back up again in January, it's sure to be much smoother and easier to follow. We'll keep things relegated to one "entry" for each game, and only update that entry throughout the game (placing the newest updates at the TOP...not the bottom).

Now, I swear we'll get back to basketball-related discussion next time I write. There's already one comment we received last night that I was planning to address anyway. I guess great minds think alike.

-DL

Post Game Goodies

2008-12-10T22:47:00.005-05:00

Brad Stevens

On tonight's win over Bradley...

On Avery Jukes' performance tonight...

On the growth of the freshmen starters...

That's it for tonight, look for more of this from the blog once league play starts. But better.

More From Peoria...

2008-12-10T20:44:00.007-05:00

Under 4:00 Timeout

Butler up 15 at 36-21. Bradley cut the lead to ten at 31-21 and a quick basket by Avery Jukes and another three pointer by Gordon Hayward got it back up to 15. Jukes looks strong with the basketball and has two easy buckets off of screen and rolls.
Coach Stevens was VERY animated about a possible missed defensive assignment by Butler freshman Garrett Butcher. I can't remember him ever being that animated. Bradley guard Sam Maniscalco keeping the Braves in it with his outside shooting.

Hey guys, we found a Butler fan here in Peoria!

Someone asked about the size of the crowd. You ask and you shall receive...

Update: Butler now only up 5 w/8:00 to go, good run by Bradley. And Damon's computer hates him.

6:37 mark 2nd Half

Shout out to the Valpo women's basketball team who defeated #23 Purdue tonight 71-60.

On The Road

2008-12-10T15:13:00.012-05:00

We're on our way! In an effort to give YOU the fans a more full Horizon League experience we're on the road and video blogging along the way. Here's a quick look at the beginning of our trip:

6:55pm: We've arrived...but we're having a few technical issues at our destination. Stick with us...

7:03pm: OK...now for the reveal...

7:10pm: "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." Or...in this case...pay little attention to the time frame in the video. Read the timestamp I'm including in these posts.

8:35pm: Alright...this is why we do "test runs" with this sort of thing. Having some issues with the wireless connection in the arena. We're not giving up, but unfortunately, it'd be a little pointless to show you our "Pre-game Interview" with Butler Radio Analyst, Nick Gardner. Sorry Nick.

Anyway...Butler leading 31-17 with 6:30 to play. Bradley went to a zone defensively for a few possessions, but Gordon Hayward shot 'em out of it pretty quick. He's having a solid 1st half with multiple 3-point field goals. Defensively, Butler has held their own against a pair of trees in the post.

A Road Test...For Us!

2008-12-09T19:31:00.006-05:00

If you've been following along here on the HLN Blog, you may remember a couple weeks ago when we mentioned that this season we'd be trying something new with a gameday "video blog" of sorts. We're still in the planning stage, as far as figuring out which league games we'll be hitting once the calendar flips from 2008 to 2009...but there has been some progress to report.

The progress, essentially, is that our video camera arrived! It's about the size of an iPhone and fits in the palm of your hand. What makes it so useful for us, is the built-in USB Port...which will allow us to shoot a couple minutes of video, plug it into our computer(s), edit if necessary, compress the file for use on this blog (or HLN, or the HLN Facebook page, etc), and post it for you to see. I know, it sounds complicated...but the whole process when I tested it out today, took about 2-4 minutes. And the video is incredibly sharp for the camera's size...identical to what you see content-wise on HLN.

So, with that in mind...we're going for a test drive tomorrow (Wednesday) night. There are a few games on the Horizon League schedule (men's and women's)...and we'll wait to tell you which game we're planning to report from. We want you to check it out, and tell us what you think. All content tomorrow night will be posted right here, on the HLN Blog.

Two things will make this fun for everyone. 1) Your participation. 2) Strong wireless internet signals. Inside an arena, this shouldn't be an issue...but the whole point of this idea for gameday video blogs, is to be able to bring you thoughts/opinions/strange happenings...while we're on the road. In turn, we'll respond to your comments/thoughts/questions along the way. We'll be using a wireless internet card while we're traveling from site to site...so hopefully Bill Kurtis isn't a liar.

See you tomorrow!

First Full (Kind of) Night of League Action

2008-12-05T11:44:00.007-05:00

If Thursday night is any indication of how good league play is going to be this year, then we're in for a great season. The ending of the Butler-Cleveland State game overshadowed what I'd like to talk about here first.

UIC's dismantling of Vanderbilt AT Vanderbilt.

With Wright State's current free fall, UIC is looking like the team that might step up and make some noise. It's probably the biggest win for the league out of conference so far this season. Very talented SEC schools are made to look foolish at Memorial Gym because of its uniqueness. The Flames seemed right at home shooting 63% on three-point field goals and withstanding the inevitable second-half Commodore run. Saturday's showdown with in-city rival Loyola will tell us a little more about the consistency of the Flames. Games against Georgia Tech and Illinois State will also tell us what kind of team the rest of the league is going to have to deal with this season.

Green Bay and Milwaukee both took care of business at home in their league openers and are probably asking themselves 'why not us?' The Panthers look balanced and deep. Newcomers Tone Boyle and Tony Meier look like a good inside-outside combination. (sidenote- can we please petition coach Jeter to find someone named Toni and get the band back together.) They have a good balance of youth and experience but I'm going to hold back any excitement until they beat a team with a winning record. Their first chance might not be until Dec. 20 in Milwaukee against Bradley.

Green Bay beat the hapless Raiders Thursday night and have now won four in a row. Glancing at their schedule, the Phoenix have a chance to put together a nice little run in the coming weeks. The only game in the December where they'll be the underdog is in Madison. We might not learn too much about Green Bay during this part of their schedule (unless they leave Madison victorious) but they'll have a nice record next to their name come the first week of January.

The Main Event

I could only watch portions of the Butler-Cleveland State game due to some other work, but here were a few observations:

- Neither team played close to their best game but the visitors came out winners. This is important because in games like this the team with the best player, in this case CSU with J'Nathan Bullock, normally win. Not Thursday.

-Teams are learning how to defend Matt Howard. It has been rare this season to see him carve out good position on the block and have the ball delivered to him in a position where he can make a play.

-Both of these teams can defend. Cleveland State's ability to seemingly always get their hands on the ball and play the passing lanes is effective. Butlers constant switching and solid positioning on defense will frustrate teams as it always has.

-Zach Hahn wants the ball at the end of the game. He's just that type of player. He struggled at times in the NCAA tournament last year and many had him buried behind a recruiting class of good guards at Butler, but none of that seems to matter to Hahn. The scary thought: He's only a sophomore.

2008 HL Championship Re-Match...TONIGHT!

2008-12-04T13:24:00.008-05:00

Since Adam is "on assignment" today...I'll try to answer this.

Anonymous writes:

With such a young Butler team going against a more experience Cleveland State team that made it to the tournament finals last year, I'm wondering how important you guys think the regular season is this year? I mean, home court in the tourney could be huge, but even if the very young Bulldogs win the conference regular season, I wonder how they'll hold up in the tourney against a CSU team knowing that this is their last shot? Assuming no Horizon team gets an at large this year, as big as this early season BU-CSU clash is, I suspect it will all come down to the tournament and who is playing best then. Thoughts?

I think the regular season is EXTREMELY important in the Horizon League every year, because of the HL Tournament format. Ask any coach if they'd rather have to win 2 games 4 days to go to the NCAA tournament...or would they rather have to win 3 games in 5 days, or even 4 games in 7 days to get to the Big Dance? Finishing in the top 2 of the HL in the regular season is crucial, and a huge advantage.

As it relates to this year...well, tonight's game between CSU and Butler may give us a clue as to who's really ready for prime time. CSU had chances to make statements against Washington or Kansas State, but couldn't. Butler, whom many thought would slide back a little this year, has mowed down everyone in front of them...while starting 3 freshmen and not having a single senior on the roster.

The scenario you posed with the "young Bulldogs" winning the regular season and potentially having to face the "back-against-the-wall Vikings" once again in the Horizon League Tournament is an interesting one. I'd argue, though, but by the time March rolls around...the Bulldogs won't be quite so young. They'll have an entire season's worth of experience under their belts. I'd suspect that Cleveland State would certainly have a sense of urgency, however, about breaking through and making it to the NCAA Tournament.

While thinking about at-large NCAA births are still way down the road...I can see scenarios where Cleveland State or Butler (if they run away with the HL regular season crown) may have an argument. CSU still has to play West Virginia and Syracuse. Butler still has games against Ohio State, Xavier, and UAB...so it's possible.

As for tonight, the Vikings are on their home floor. CSU was tabbed as the team to beat in the Horizon League this year. CSU is more experienced than the "young" Butler squad they'll face tonight. If the Vikings can't win this one...I'll have some serious reservations about thinking of them as the favorite in the Horizon League.

EDIT: 2:53PM - From today's edition of "Good Morning Hoops Nation" on The Mid-Majority. Way to go Flames!

Illinois-Chicago 74, at Vanderbilt 55 -- The Flames have a bonafide star in Josh Mayo, a rotation of bruising bigs (many with long names), a strong defense and a head coach in Jimmy Collins that is three parts wizened sage and one part Dolemite. So why aren't they taken seriously in the Horizon League this year? Probably their propensity to run themselves into dumb possessions. Last night in Nashville, Mayo got his 30, freshman Robert Kreps stepped forward for a career high 23, and UIC showed laser-sharp focus, dumping the SEC Commodores with a combination of muscle, ball control and skill. With a lost season in progress at Wright State and disappointments at Valpo, it may be time to put the Flames into that NCAA contender conversation with Cleveland State and Butler.

-DL

Oops!

2008-12-04T11:26:00.002-05:00

Looks like we had a "setting" turned on, which required me to moderate all of the comments which were being posted.

It's OFF now, and your comments are up! Keep 'em coming...

-DL

How Dare You...?

2008-12-03T23:31:00.006-05:00

While perusing the Jay Bilas Blog over at The Worldwide Leader (It's an "Insider" article, if you're interested in following the link to his blog)...I came across a little nugget that all of you fellow Horizon League fans may enjoy.

In the interest of full disclosure, the blog entry is titled "Thoughts, trends and treats from November" and dated November 30, 2008.

In the midst of several observations about numerous college basketball teams, and their performance thus far...the following bullet point was tossed into the mix:

"What possible justification do we have for having over 340 Division I basketball teams? It is silly."

Silly?

Really.

Is this silly? What about this? Sometimes it happens simultaneously.

Yes (in the last video)...those are 2 of college basketball's super-powers, UCLA and North Carolina, being dispatched in the NCAA Tournament -- at the same time -- by 2 randoms in this world of 340-some-odd Divsion I basketball teams. 1999 was a good year.

I'll never deny the fact that teams from power conferences overwhelmingly outperform the teams considered mid-majors or low-majors. However, for every powerhouse like Duke...there's a Rutgers perpetually drowning in the bottom of the Big East. Similarly for every upstart program (lacking historical tradition) like Tennessee...there's a storied program like Indiana which is in shambles. You'll find similar situations in all of the Division I Men's Basketball conferences...it's relative.

Take a Horizon League member like Loyola (Chicago). They've only won 20 games once in the last 15 years. Should they not have the opportunity to play Division I basketball? Or does their 1963 National Championship carry any weight?

Writing in a blog about "Thoughts, trends and treats from November," that having over 340 Division I basketball teams can't be justified...is where the real silliness begins.

Just my opinion...not necessarily the Horizon League or HLN's view.

Who knows...maybe I'm reading too much into Mr. Bilas' comment. Or maybe I'm not...at all.

-DL

Cleveland State vs. Valpo - "Quasi-Live" Blog

2008-12-02T18:12:00.020-05:00

Alright...so maybe you're like me and you're planning to watch tonight's league-opener between Cleveland State and Valparaiso.

If so, keep an eye on the blog tonight, as I'll be blogging while I watch. I call it "quasi-live" since I'm not actually at the game...but I'll be updating throughout the contest.

We're not set up to live-blog on this page, so you'll have to refresh the page every now and then to see my entries as they file in.

Send me your comments/questions...and I'll try to address as much as I can.

Now...as for tonight's game...our good friend Kyle Whelliston at The Mid-Majority has tabbed tonight's game as his "Game! Of! The! Night!" You can read his preview here. We love The Mid-Majority here at HLN...and I'm pretty sure all you Valpo fans are pretty familiar with his work as well.

6:50pm - 10 minutes to game time...stream is up on HLN!

7:02pm - Just looking over the numbers for both teams thus far...Valpo needs a little more production from Urule Igbavboa, especially in a game tonight where he'll be challenged every trip down the court by J'Nathan Bullock. For CSU...there's a reason Mr. Bullock's "Player of the Week" award has coincided with more victories for the Vikings. This is a match-up to watch.

7:12pm - Under 16:00 Timeout - 6-2 CSU
Didn't take long for Coach Drew to yank Igbavboa. Fumey, his replacement, has been logging almost as many minutes...and has been a tad more productive. We'll see what he can do against Chris Moore.

7:22pm - Under 12:00 Timeout - 8-4 CSU
Just plain ugly so far. CSU doesn't seem to have found a shooter that can stretch defenses and force opponents from double-teaming Bullock, or sagging off of Cedric Jackson. Valpo...is SORELY missing their floor leader, Brandon McPherson.

7:25pm - 13-4 CSU Nice quick run by the Vikings...Bullock playing with 2 fouls. Bold move by Coach Waters.

7:31pm - Under 8:00 Timeout - 20-6 CSU
Now this is the Cleveland State team I remember seeing last season. Scrappy defense, and turning that defensive pressure into offense. Bullock burying 3-pointers is never a good sign for their opponents. Valpo looks as out-of-sync as I've seen them in awhile. Every shot appears to be a good shot for the Crusaders. The veterans need to show the youngsters the way...

7:35pm - 20-12 CSU Amazing what a little intensity can do.

7:42pm - Under 4:00 Timeout - 25-12 CSU
Like I said...amazing what a little intensity can do...this time for CSU, extending the lead back to 13. J'Nathan Bullock is such a match-up problem. Kid can just about do it all..

7:53pm - Halftime - 31-14 CSU
I can't say I'm surprised that Valpo has went with a zone defense, as CSU has had it's troubles shooting from the perimeter. And honestly, the Vikings haven't been outstanding in the half-court...other than Bullock. Regardless of what Valpo does on the defensive end in the 2nd half, they're going to have to figure out a way to get better shots themselves. Valpo shot 5-25 from the field in the first half...not gonna cut it...ever. I hate to say it again...but it's really showing how badly they miss Brandon McPherson.

8:09pm - 37-14 CSU
Valpo fans...please tell me...have you ever seen anything like this before? Coach Drew pulling his starters less than a minute into the 2nd half? This is bad...but it looks like the 5 Crusader starters are returning to the floor.

8:14pm - Under 16:00 Timeout - 39-18 CSU
Valpo has gotta try something to get back in it...now going man-to-man and employing a full court press. I'm not sure those things can do much about the Crusaders poor shooting.

8:20pm - 48-25 CSU
I'd like to see someone other than Bullock consistently make a shot. It would benefit them in the long run.

8:24pm - Under 12:00 Timeout - 52-29 CSU
I can hear a rather large woman warming up her voice in the hallways of the Wolstein Center...

8:35pm - Under 8:00 Timeout - 53-37 CSU
It appears that Valpo's Michael Rogers and Howard Little have awoken from their slumber. Unfortunately, you can't spot your opponents a 27-point 2nd half lead and expect to win many games.

8:38pm - Homer Drew...ejected?!? I never thought I'd see the day. I'd love to know how many times that has happened in his career. Valpo fans...any idea?

8:43pm - Under 4:00 Timeout - 59-38 CSU
Still a little stunned by the Homer Drew ejection...and starting to think about Thursday's showdown between CSU and Butler...

FINAL SCORE: CSU - 66 VALPO - 42
Not too much to say about this one...it all sort of speaks for itself. One of those games where I feel like the losing team isn't as bad as they played tonight, and the winning team may not be as good as the margin of victory indicates. You can't argue with what Bullock did tonight, 29 points and 6 rebounds in 32 minutes, but I still contend that SOMEONE is going to need to be able to consistently hit a jumper come Thursday against Butler. As we all know...Butler won't turn the ball over as much as Valpo did tonight...and I'd expect those lanes to the bucket to be a little smaller for CSU on Thursday as well.

Hopefully the Wolstein Center is PACKED on Thursday...should be very entertaining!

That's all for now...

-DL

Allow Myself to Introduce...Myself

2008-12-02T10:44:00.000-05:00

Hey all Horizon League fanatics!

I'm Adam Coppinger and I'll be sharing my thoughts on the league and other musings here on the blog. I'm excited to share my opinion on certain happenings in the league but I'm even more excited to hear and read about YOUR thoughts and suggestions for discussion and content. So never be afraid to share what you think or disagree with what we say, even if you're wrong.

Here are a couple things I'm looking forward to this week.

Cleveland State's big week

The Vikings seem to have rounded into form for the start of league play. Just in time. They start the week out tonight (Dec. 2) against Valparaiso. The Crusaders are struggling a bit now but this one should be a well contested game.

The game of the week in the league is Thursday night when Butler travels to Cleveland. This is a big game for both teams. Such a big game so early in the season can mean a lot. For the Vikings it's a chance to show the rest of the league that all the pre-season accolades they received were warranted. A loss at home to the up-and-coming Bulldogs could make for another long season of looking up at Butler in the standings. I just can't see J'Nathan Bullock and Co. letting this happen in Cleveland. I'm sure there will be more about this game on the HLN later in the week.

Wright State Reeling

The Raiders are now 0-4 and standing at a crossroads. They just lost their leading scorer for at least a month and their schedule doesn't get any easier. Duggins was the only Raider averaging in double figures and the team just hasn't been able to score consistently (see: 37 points against Miami OH). This week they make the Wisconsin double dip, and as if that weren't enough, WSU still has to make a trip to Wake Forest and has games against undefeated Arkansas-Little Rock and in-league foe Cleveland State. Games thought to be 'gimmes' in the preseason are looking tough as even Murray State is playing well with a 28 point win over Western Kentucky on their resume'. Tough sledding for the Raiders but they've started slowly before and rebounded. If any coach in the league can do it it's coach Brownell.

I'm just glad I didn't pick them to win the league. Right, Damon?

So Much More To Come...

2008-11-28T02:34:00.000-05:00

Hi HLN'ers -

Damon Lewis here...and let me just say...trying to digest a plate of left-overs from Thanksgiving is awfully tough when there is so much to talk about regarding the Horizon League Network. It's really an exciting time in our development, and I'd like to try to bring you up to speed on what's happening currently, and what's to come.

So here goes...

1) First of all, you may be visiting this HLN Blog for the very first time...and if so...welcome! This blog was originally designed, more or less, as a "nuts and bolts" way to update viewers of HLN on what was being discussed, developed, and implemented in the evolution of the Horizon League Network (as you can probably see by some of the early posts). While some of that will still make its way to this blog, the majority of the posts are going to now focus on what's going on around the Horizon League.

Myself and Adam Coppinger (whom you'll be seeing/hearing/reading a lot more from across all HLN platforms in the weeks ahead) will be posting here regularly to help get the conversation started among all fans of the Horizon League. I can't speak for Adam, but you'll likely find my entries to be bold and opinionated...and don't worry, I can take the heat. In fact, I want the heat...I want to hear your opinion...whether you agree or disagree with whatever it is I may discuss on a given day.

2) If you're a "Facebook-er" or a "MySpace-er" you may have noticed our increased presence on those sites...specifically Facebook. We've put together a formidable group of "friends" on Facebook and we're starting to see an increase in the amount of conversation among the people who are watching the videos we post...which are some of the same pieces of content you can find on HLN. For example, when we start to see people communicating to each other on Facebook, thanks to a video or event we posted regarding the Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship...we start to get excited.

HLN also uses Twitter...which is my personal favorite. You can learn the basics here. It's free...but if you choose to receive text message updates, you're cell phone provider's rates do apply.

3) With basketball season upon us, our regular viewers will surely notice some re-working that has taken place, or will be taking place, regarding our basketball content. First and foremost, I'm sure many of you have noticed the larger viewing window for games...and hopefully a more reliable stream with less interruptions.

You may have already noticed that "Player of the Week" content has been included in the weekly HLN Update...which will be the case all season. Last season we also produced a "Plays of the Week" video...and while we will still feature the best basketball plays of the week, it will be presented in a much different form. We're still ironing out the details...so all I'll say at this point, is that we're hoping to get YOU involved in the process. Stay tuned.

Another change from last basketball season will be the availability of game highlights. The majority of our schools (hopefully all of them) will be cutting game highlights from their home games, to be posted on HLN the morning after each league game. Our people at each school are already working to master the process, and it's looking good.

Lastly, we've got something very special in the works this basketball season...and it includes bringing HLN to you, the fan. Myself and Adam (whom I mentioned earlier) will be traveling around the league to various basketball games and bringing you a video-blog, of sorts, showing you what a game-day/night is like from start to finish. We'll be posting video from the moment we hop in the car, until the lights are turned off in the arena. Technology is an amazing thing. Some of it may be silly, it may be important pre-game updates, or it may include interviews with athletes. Regardless, it will certainly be worth checking out throughout the day on our travel days. We'll be promoting it heavily, so if you have ideas, or want to make a case for us to visit your school for a specific game...let us know!

All in all...we're doing everything we can to try and make HLN feel like an online community where fans can come EVERYDAY to watch, discuss, and debate all things Horizon League. We hope you'll join us!

Until next time...

-DL

A new year… a new Horizon League Network

2008-10-16T15:31:00.000-04:00

The Horizon League Network is beginning its second year at www.HorizonLeagueNetwork.tv. The site was a complete success during year one, more than tripling our registered user base. I wanted to thank everyone who watched last year and if you didn’t, sign up today… it’s free!

Year two brings some change to HLN. The live viewing window has been increased substantially to provide a better experience for HLN users. Also, the picture quality is clearer, allowing for full-screen viewing with less pixilation.

We continue to explore the use of Microsoft Silverlight and provide a beta version for all of our on-demand content. It’s our goal to continuously explore new technologies and implement them when appropriate. We are also exploring the use of Flash Video to deliver both our live and on-demand content.

Some more exciting additions have come in the way of on-demand content. Damon Lewis and the crew at WebStream Productions is ramping it up. The HLN Update debuted a month ago now and has been a resounding success. Essentially a look at the week that was and the week that will be, the HLN Update gives the network the ability to have its own SportsCenter-type show. This is a great promotional tool for our student-athletes as all sports are now included.

We’re also making a push in the social media world. We want to bring our content to the masses and get it in front of as many interested people as possible. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and many other social networking sites will carry HLN content this year. This will also allow fans to connect with HLN and get any questions they might have answered.

That’s all for now… check back soon for the next big thing!

The Email that Makes it All Worthwhile

2008-05-13T11:38:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I got the best piece of feedback yet on HLN. It was a letter from a graduating student expressing her appreciation for the live streaming of the commencement ceremony at Loyola University Chicago. It's emails like this that tell me what I'm doing is really worthwhile. With the Horizon League Network we were able to bring this graduating student closer to her family and was able to make the occasion even more special.

--

"As if I wasn't grateful to this institution already, Loyola University does something that makes me appreciate it even more. Last Friday, as I walked down the stage to receive my Master in Social Work, my extended family was able to joing in this celebration thanks to Loyola's initiative to broadcast commencement ceremonies in real-time online video. Several members of my family gathered that evening at my father's home and cheered every time they saw me and, particularly, when my name was called to receive my diploma.

I honestly say that my achievement has greater significance now after knowing that my father, back in my natal Puerto Rico, joyfully watched my graduation ceremony. His health has been greatly compromised due to cancer treatment. So I promised pictures and did not dare to suggest any traveling. Then I received the information about Loyola's online video. Hopeful I told my brothers but still did not know if in fact was going to work for them.

Knowing that same Friday night that my father was, in a sense, among those attending my graduation ceremony was and still is a great gift to me. I spoke to him the next morning and he was still overjoyed, amazed by the technology, and impressed with how well Dr. James Marley pronounced my name. I know that my father was already glad for my accomplishment. However, this broadcast added to our celebration. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Student X"

To Flash or Not to Flash

2008-05-12T10:25:00.000-04:00

When thinking about content delivery the one thing that always comes up is compatibility. Streaming in Windows Media the past three seasons has given us a good amount of compatibility, but it still lacks the overall reach of Flash. The penetration of Flash is somewhere in the 98% range and also allows for some really exciting possibilities around and within the player.

With that said, Microsoft's Silverlight platform (my last post) is attempting to bridge the gap between WM and Flash. Another area where Flash isn't as advantageous is on the CDN side, where bandwidth charges are still higher for Flash delivery. I truly enjoy the experience that MLBAM has created with the new MLB player. It combines Flash and Silverlight. A good move by MLBAM as it has the functionality of Flash, yet the consistent streaming of Windows Media through the Silverlight plug-in.

As things develop for HLN v2.0, this is one of the major items on the table. We will also be exploring social community, increasing non-sports related content, developing a linking strategy and much more.

HLN Fact: Last weekend, the Horizon League Network webcast its first official non-sports related event with resounding success. Loyola University Chicago had live streaming video available for its 138th annual commencement, and it was watched by over a thousand unique viewers.

Silverlight Beta Launches

2008-04-11T08:53:00.000-04:00

The Horizon League Network is already working on the second version of the HLN platform and the first part of that transition has been launched with a beta version of an all-new player. Running off of Microsoft’s Silverlight streaming technology, the upgrade significantly enhances the viewing experience on HLN (the window is twice as big). The new player also gives us the chance to overlay graphics, commercials and other advertisements, which will hopefully be utilized in our sponsorship sales packages next year.

Since we are just in a beta testing phase with this product, it is not nearly finished. The site will most likely be redesigned to better integrate the new player and take advantage of some of the additional functionality available through Silverlight.

If you’ve read this much about the new beta player, please check it out. We’re really looking for some solid feedback on the new system, especially on how it compares to the original player.

Link to Beta Player

-NF-

The Survey… Feedback from HLN Viewers

2008-02-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

The most important part of the Horizon League Network is the user experience. This has been the driving force behind the development of the website and everything else that the Network has to offer. By creating a site that is as user-friendly as possible, I feel that HLN differentiates itself from many other online video sites. Also, the constant tweaking of the product as I receive feedback has significantly improved our product’s efficiency.

Customer service is a vital part of creating an optimal user experience. If users feel they are being listened to and that HLN will help them through their issues, they are more likely to develop an affinity to the website. I personally answer all feedback on our website in an attempt to help people access our content and better understand the product.

Recently, HLN has finished its most comprehensive user feedback tactic by sending a seven-question survey to all of its registered users. The results of the survey will shape the future of the Network and I thought publishing the results in this blog would be very interesting to some readers.

1. How did you become aware of the website?
a. Google / Search – 7.0%
b. Friend / Family – 17.6%
c. Alumni – 17.6%
d. Student – 7.1%
e. Athlete / Coach – 10.2%
f. Facebook – 0.3%
g. MySpace – 0.1%
h. Print Ad – 1.8%
i. Radio Ad – 2.3%
j. Online Ad – 10.1%
k. Other – 26.0 %
i. Most from university websites

2. What was the purpose of your first visit?
a. Live Sporting Event – 80.8%
b. Archived Footage – 2.2%
c. School Spirit – 5.4%
d. Curiosity – 8.9%
e. Other – 2.7%

3. What other content would you like to see?
a. User Generated Content – 9.4%
b. Stills of fans in game-day garb – 16.3%
c. Campus / Lifestyle – 20.2%
d. Episodic content / shows – 10.4%
e. Sports commentary – 51.7%
f. Student Life – 11.5%
g. Former Athletes (Where are they now?) – 42.9%
h. News Videos – 25%
i. Forums / chat – 16.9%
j. Vlogs and Blogs – 9.8%

4. Would you purchase DVDs of past games?
a. Yes – 33.9%
b. No – 66.1%

5. If yes to question 4, how much would you be willing to pay?
a. $15 – 58.5%
b. $20 – 10.1%
c. $25 – 2.1%
d. Other – 29.4%
i. Most $10

6. Would you be interested in being on a user panel to help us continually improve the Network?
a. Yes – 36.4%
b. No – 63.6%

7. How would you like to find out what’s new at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv?
a. E-mail – 61.4%
b. Text – 0.2%
c. League website – 19.0%
d. School website – 15.0%
e. Facebook – 1.7%
f. MySpace – 0.4%
g. Other – 2.3%

Over 2,300 people completed this survey, which gives us a pretty good idea of the user sentiment (at the time 17,000 were registered for the site, so about 13.5%). We will be acting on some items immediately, but others will be implemented in year two. I found it very interesting that the majority of people wanted to see sports commentary though. It shows that people are looking for online video to mirror its over-the-air counterpart.

HLN Fact: As of 2/28/08, people from 87 different countries have visited the Network. The U.S. is far and away the leader with Canada, Finland, Germany and Mexico rounding out the top 5.

Online Strategies…

2008-02-25T10:44:00.000-05:00

I want to pick up right where I left off in my last blog entry, our online strategies behind capturing the casual fan. This has been one of the most difficult areas of the entire project. Since there is no true TV guide to the Internet, it is very tricky to target individuals that might be interested in our content.

To combat this, I’ve decided to couple together ordinary online marketing techniques with some other more obscure methods. As most online entities do, we take full advantage of e-mail marketing and online ad placement. We’ve sent numerous e-mail blasts and have had ads placed on several newspapers’ websites in our markets during the first few months since our product’s launch.

The e-mail blasts have been sent to our existing list of registrants and our current registrants, so their true intent is not to find fans. They serve more as a tool to let our user base know when specific events are happening. The online advertisements have all been placed within the sports sections of newspapers’ websites. These are truly meant to capture the casual fan as they peruse the local news.

The most exciting online tactic (well, at least in my opinion) we are using right now would have to be Facebook. Most companies utilizing Facebook are simply creating applications, which I feel do not capture the true essence of the platform. Creating an application and throwing it on the platform is limiting and does not always support social interaction between the company and its supporters. According to O’Reilly, “87% of the usage goes to only 84 applications!" Taking a different approach, I have created a Horizon League Network Facebook account as if it were a living and breathing being. More than 100 people have friended this profile, with more than half being student-athletes that have starred in HLN videos. This also provides a great service to our athletes because all of their friends can see the videos they’ve starred in.

This is an area that there is no real precedent. As our product grows, so will its online presence and the tactics we use. Upstart FindInternetTV is a new website that is helping online video sites by setting up a directory and schedule (almost an online TV guide). I see sites of this nature taking off in the near future as Internet video “comes of age.”

Finally, this is another way we are increasing our online presence. Blogging. I have to admit at first I didn’t know about the whole concept. I was apprehensive to start a blog as I didn’t think people would care about my ramblings. Obviously, some people do. This blog has brought in hundreds of users to the site in the last month. So, you are reading and using it as an entry point to our site… thank you.

HLN Fact: Wednesday night’s Butler at UIC game set a single-game high for viewers with 3,248. If you watched, thank you. If you didn’t, you should go watch the archive!!

Why HLN? -- Advantages of the Horizon League Network

2008-02-15T12:08:00.000-05:00

The other day someone posed an interesting question to me… “Why HLN?” My first thought was, ‘why not?’ But, as I started to think about the question a little more, I came to the conclusion that I needed to be able to answer it with facts that supported and proved broadband distribution is the best model for the Horizon League.

I went to work on some preliminary research and started with three major categories: Cost, Control and Exposure. I felt that these were the major advantages that broadband distribution had over the television model.

The financial aspects of the model are by far the easiest to prove. Instead of having 10-15 games on regional sports networks, the League is able to produce hundreds of events each year at the same cost.

Control is a little harder to substantiate, but I see three distinct advantages of the broadband model.

1. Games can be played at desired times
2. All commercial time and additional online inventory available to sell
3. Ability for Horizon League to brand games

In the TV model, these items are for the most part out of the League’s control. The games will be played when TV dictates, commercial time will be split (with the vast majority going to the network producing the game) and the brand will be consistent with the other telecasts.

What does having control mean in the end? Essentially, more money, or the opportunity for more money.

Finally, the toughest item to prove would be exposure. I would say in the world of sports the ultimate exposure is primetime on ESPN or a weekend afternoon game on a major national network (i.e. CBS). It’s tough to argue against that, but when looking at the overall “potential” audience, these networks are limited compared to broadband.

CBS reaches 112.8 million homes (Nielson), while ESPN and ESPN2 are in about 96 million homes (ESPN). By the end of 2007, broadband reached approximately 300 million homes worldwide (eMarketer). This is where the reach of broadband gets scary. According to my math, the Horizon League Network is available in at least 187 million more homes than CBS.

To counter my own argument, which yes, I am allowed to do since this is my blog… the area that broadband distribution still falls short compared to television is the acquisition of the casual fan. In the TV world, people click through channels in an attempt to find something on. This gives the consumer a chance to accidentally stumble upon a show or event that they did not know about. Contrarily, the Internet does not give the user the ability to “click-through” channels. The Internet’s answer to this is search. With companies like Google and Yahoo!, you can be very specific and never come across a topic that deviates from the general topic your search. In the next post or two, I will breakdown our strategy behind finding the casual fan through search and other online tactics.

Obviously, this is only the starting point for an answer to the question “Why HLN?”

The Design

2008-01-25T10:21:00.000-05:00

When I first began this project, the amount of content (ever-changing content at that) was a bit overwhelming. My initial instinct was to go simple, concise, and clear to mimic similar sites (news, sports, etc). This somewhat restricted my design, and Nate could tell. He wanted to see more of me in it; something a lot more custom and unique to other sites with similar content.

So I went to my sketchbook and got busy. I ended up doing a couple finished drawings that I was able to incorporate into the interface to give it more of a “high-action” feel. I thought that by creating a lot of movement, I could capture the essence of the site; live content constantly being updated.

It was a challenge to do something that was dynamic and interesting enough to pull people in, but still made sense for the amount of content that needed to be displayed. It was definitely fun to work on, though. Design is always most fun for me when I get to incorporate some other fine art, like drawing, into my digital work.

Nate had a vision to set HLN apart, and he saw it through. I enjoyed the process, and I’m glad to have been a big part of it.

-Ben Long

Tech. Stuff and Design

2008-01-22T14:19:00.000-05:00

What Derek has done with our website is truly amazing. While I don’t try to understand all of the technical details, I can tell you that our site is compatible with just about every single type of browser / computer. Our biggest complaint from a year ago was that we were not Macintosh compatible. This was a grave mistake on our part, but was due to the platform setup by CSTV.

Compatibility is not the only area in which Derek’s setup has allowed us to grow. The ability to edit the different parts of the website was essential to HLN’s vision. Everyday, usually multiple times, I enter the administrative portion of the site to alter its content. This assures the HLN viewership of fresh content and something new nearly everyday.

Also, the way he created the different aspects of the site as widgets allows for a lot of possibilities as the product evolves. We plan on taking these items outside of HLN and place them on other sites that will help drive more interested viewers to HLN. A Facebook widget is one of many potential areas where fans of HLN can expect to see content in the near future.

Another area of the website that I saw as vital to setting apart HLN was the design. After looking at several different sports-based streaming offerings, I came to the conclusion that we would have to go outside of the box to develop our design.

This is an area that Mediasauce helped greatly. Ben Long, the company’s senior graphic designer, came to the rescue here with his unique style. While I don’t know many details about Ben’s artwork, I can tell you one thing, it’s awesome!

So, with a description of the design, its concept and inspiration, is Ben…

-NF-

HLN Tech. Stuff

2008-01-17T08:51:00.000-05:00

Greetings and salutations to the users of the Horizon League Network! Let me start by stating that even though I have followed blogging from its inception to what it is today, I have not really put forth much effort into blogging myself.

I typically spend most of my time actually coding something instead of talking about what I do or how I do it. I am really excited to be blogging with some top notch individuals who really care about the user experience and who pay attention to not only new technologies, but to the people who use their website. Every day I speak to Nate Flannery who runs the website and discuss ways to make the website better in terms of functionality and usability. It is a privilege to be able to work with people who listens to the user community and quickly acts on their needs.

With regard to the HLN technology, I guess I can really start at the beginning. First, I must give credit to MediaSauce who created a really engaging design for the website. It’s been a blast working with them and they are very good at website designs, 3D, and also interactive motion via Flash.

For the technology side, as always, I try to do something a little new that I have never done in the past. With HLN, the website is really just a collection of pieces of information that are basically widgets. So instead of taking the route of developing a dynamic database driven website of a typical CMS, I broke up each information section into its own class that can be run independently by itself or dependant on information being passed into a widget.

If you take the live events section for example, this widget could really be run outside of the website if needed or when embedded into the website, it takes the page’s properties and will display the relevant upcoming live event information pertaining to a school.

What this means is that each widget has great flexibility in how it is used or where it can be placed within the website. A widget can be duplicated multiple times on a page such as the advertisements and each widget will still be unique.

I would say the difference between a typical CMS and this approach is that the widgets are not dependent on a fixed layout, but rather the position of the X and Y coordinates. That means when the HLN website needs a new design, we can change out the design and re-position each widget very easy so the current content does not have to be re-written. The design can then be anything that is imagined - hopefully.

My feeling is that a few years ago this would not have been possible due to non-standard browsers, but as browsers adopt unified standards, this type of flexibility is now possible.

My passion is usability for a website and I believe that this underlying core of code will allow me to continue to easily modify the website to really suit its users based on their needs and how they interact with it.

I think that is it for now. I can continue to ramble on with my thoughts on other aspects of the technology, but I think I’ll save that for another day. If anyone has questions on the technology, I would be more than happy to answer them in my next blog. Just use the feedback link in the website to ask those questions.

Cheers,
Derek Swanson

Horizon League Network launches… a while ago

2008-01-15T11:48:00.000-05:00

Now that the new HLN has launched and we’re nearly three months into the product, I’ve finally found a little time to tell the world about some of the details of our product. This isn’t something that 99.999% of the world will care about, but for you 0.001%, this is for you.

The Horizon League Network, in short, is an online version of the Big Ten Network. Since the conference doesn’t have similar resources it was forced to look beyond television to publicize its product. Three years ago, the Horizon League decided to take its TV budget and reallocate it for webstreaming. Doing this has allowed the League to broadcast hundreds of games each year worldwide, rather than a select few games on a regional TV network.

After two fairly successful years, the League made a substantial step by partnering with Mediasauce (a company in Indianapolis) for its webstreaming platform. The partnership has allowed HLN to grow into a completely unique product in collegiate sports streaming.

As we progress through the remainder of this academic year, this blog will serve as the place that the people most involved in the Horizon League Network discuss the product. With that said, I introduce to you Derek Swanson… The man behind the code that makes it all work.

-NF-