>Is this the best time for a volleyball change?

In the past five years, IPFW has experienced many changes including an influx of young coaches. Since the fall of 2002, when the program became fully Division I certified, only four coaches have left the school.

That low number leaves me expectant that will change in coming years. The biggest and most important change that could come in that area is the retirement of Arnie Ball, whenever that may occur.

When it comes to coaches at IPFW, mens volleyball coaches nationwide and pretty much coaching in general, Arnie Ball is in a certain class of his own.

When you have been at a school for almost 30 years and are one of the winningest coaches in your sport, there is never a “right time” to walk away. But the fact is that eventually, Arnie will choose to do so. And when he does, I pray that it is the right way because Arnie Ball is the epitome of IPFW athletics and should always be remembered that way.

There has always been talk of who would replace Arnie when he retires from the sport he has helped define. Will it be son Lloy when he retires from professional and Olympic play? How about assistant Ryan Perrotte, who seems like he has been groomed well for the replacement?

But most importantly, when is the best time? As I said before, there is no right time. So when would it be best to hand over the reigns?

And as much as I respect and like Coach Ball (and as much as he’ll adimently disagree with my next assessment), I believe that this is the best time to leave IPFW in the capable hands of either replacment. Though, I am all for Ryan Perrotte.

Coach and I have had some disagreements over the years, so I expect him to yell at me for this, I really do. But it is nothing personal. Hell, if I had what I considered a family in IPFW athletics after covering them for six years, Arnie would easily be the dad.

Coach and I have had some disagreements over the years, so I expect him to yell at me for this, I really do. But it is nothing personal. Hell, if I had what I considered a family in IPFW athletics after covering them for six years, Arnie would easily be the dad.

But think about this:

Coach Ball is fresh off of back-to-back Final Four appearances, the school’s first National Runner-Up finish, a 2007 AVCA Coach of the Year honor and saying goodbye to seven seniors (the most for IPFW in quite sometime).

As it stands now, there will be just two seniors in 2009. The team is quite young with only two starters returning. And those who are still around have quite the relationship with Perrotte. The next couple of years will be a rebuilding time for the mens volleyball program. I think it could be best to let someone else rebuild. No, Arnie would not be going out on top, and I know he wants to win a National title pretty damn bad. But this may be the closest to going out on top that he may ever get.

I’m not saying I want Arnie to leave. On the contrary, I would love for him to stay forever. And coach, if I still have you reading my articles all these years later, let me say that I have truly enjoyed every second of covering you, talking to and interviewing you. I really do hope that you continue to coach at IPFW forever. Because as long as you coach, I will definantly be in the stands watching you do it.

Since I won’t be here when he does hang up the clipboard, I do truly hope that IPFW gives Arnie the caring and emotional parting that he deserves. Because when it does happen, Mastodon athletics will never be the same again.

(this column originally appeared in the IPFW Communicator on April 30, 2008)

>This is your Legacy

IPFW volleyball’s season and hopeful run for a third straight Final Four came crashing down with a 3-2 loss on Friday night. After two straight trips to the nation’s top stage with many of the same players, this IPFW team finished 12-15, losers of their last four.

And for seven very special seniors, that is how your college careers ended. That is not your legacy. That is not how you will be remembered.

This group will go down as one of the best teams, of any kind, in the history of this institution. Josh Stewart, Brock Ullrich, Dan McNerney and Steve Rogers have shown that there are kids who buy into programs will be true team players for all four years. Graydon Ainsworth has filled the most important role in the program by moving in at setter in 2008. And C.J. Macias and Jason Yhost have transferred in, hit hard and restored faith in a program that had its share of struggles in years before.

These seven seniors have left an amazing mark on this school, their sport, each other and every fan who has watched them over the past two, three or four years.

Going to matches at Gates, and in some ways life, will not be the same now that they must move on. And that is a legacy.

On the court, who is going to hit from the outsides? Who is going to be a permanent ball stopper in the middle? Hell, who am I going to have to cringe at regarding ball control?

On the sidelines, who is going to always be smiling? Who is going to be the clapping-nazi? And what will it be like without errant yells of “Yyhhooooosst!” before a serve?

Overall, what will life be like without seven guys who have done amazing things for IPFW and always done so with a smile, a laugh and without taking it all too seriously?

Yes, they faltered when the pressure was actually on them. I don’t think that any of them will argue with that. But why in the world would that be their legacy?

Anybody who has seen them play, anybody who knows them personally will carry their own distinct, and I’m betting, positive memories of these guys. And that is what we should remember them for.

From the first time I watched any of them play, on January 28, 2005 in a loss to Lewis, you always had a feeling that the original core group of five (then including Mike Morici) was going to be something special. Later that year I cheered against Macias as IPFW bounced him and Findlay from the postseason. The next year, I did the same to Ainsworth as the Mastodons dumped Rutgers during a big final weekend at Gates. And last year, I remember very vividly wondering “who the hell is Jason Yhost” when he appeared from nowhere as service specialist and was in the starting lineup a few aces later.

I will remember these seven seniors for those things.

I will remember the first time I interviewed any of them. Brock Ullrich sure was cool and collected the first time I stuck a recorder in his face when he was a freshman. Goofy? Yeah. Serious? Never. He was Brock. The same Brock that ripped Pepperdine in the 2007 National Semis, the same Brock that adorns a towel on his head on the sidelines when we are down and spikes his hair in crazy ways when the momentum is going our way.

I’ll know that C.J. was always willing to swing by for a quick interview anytime I needed just one more quote for a story and I’ll always know that he made having the mens volleyball beat during their first Final Four run the easiest thing in the world.

And I’ll always know that two of these guys, while never playing as much as their peers, spent four great years at IPFW filling two of the most crucial roles, as I see it, on this mens volleyball team. In the form of Mike Daiga (Class of 2006), Steve Rogers was a true team player who was always smiling and always happy to be part of this program.

And Dan McNerney? What really would a match be like if he was not there? Loud, vocal, leading and the life of the party in the Gates Center, it will be awfully quiet (and not in a good way) without him.

We all have our memories of the seven of you. You all have your memories of each other and your time at IPFW. Good, bad, funny and even sad, that is your legacy. And it is worth remembering.

>And the exile begins...

Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, : good riddance.

The NCAA exile has already begun and I can't wait until the list is complete. You guys might as well take OJ Mayo and Derrick Rose with you, because it's coming and I don't want them anymore. If you are a freshman and going to the NBA, then you and that league full of jackasses deserve each other. If you are 19 and your family is not living in poverty, then keep your butt in school.

If you are a junior and you feel it's your best time to go, then more power to you. Some of you will get your degrees in three years, others have enough discipline to still get that degree (Stanford's Lopez twins) and very few of you will be big-headed jerks that think you are above the sport.

Kids who think they are too good for college basketball ruin the purity of the most pure level of the sport that still exists. And as a big-time college basketball fan, I say that the NCAA is better off without you. So, goodbye.

(This will be the one and only time that I admire Tyler Hansbrough. He could have gone to the league as a lottery pick at any point, but chose to try and lead his school to a national title.)

Oh and good luck five years into your NBA career when your knee gives out and you have nothing to fall back on. Or, when the league passes you by and you are forced to work at a hardware store to try to make ends meet and fail to pay child support for your 10 kids by 8 moms (yes, a Jason Caffey shoutout).

>Dakich's parting shot

Last week, Indiana University guards Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis skipped a mandatory team meeting. The next morning, they opted out of a disciplinary 6 a.m. run. Tuesday, they were promptly booted from the team by Interim coach Dan Dakich. Wednesday, the school named Tom Crean as the new head coach. ESPN even went as far as to note that Dakich was already cleaning out his office.

So just who in the hell does Dan Dakich think he is?

The disobeyed you, I get that. But considering that in 24 hours, they weren't going to be your players anymore, is it your place to dismiss them?

Grow up Dan Dakich. You couldn't get the job done at IU, the team was miserable (at best) under you and you fire a last shot by eliminating Tom Crean's best returning players- real mature.

You've said you do not know where you will end up next year. With bush-league antics like that, my guess is coaching parks and recreation ball in Idaho.

What a punk.

>Mayweather crosses barrier

“It’s not easy.”

That was Floyd Mayweather’s first thought he passed on to the media after his pro wrestling debut on Sunday’s WWE Wrestlemania show.

Easy or not, Mayweather made it look pretty good and mildly entertaining. And in such, boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter took a step and crossed a barrier that no man really has before. He has made the transition from fan favorite athlete to legit bad guy in the male soap opera world of the WWE.

Other celebrities and athletes have attempted to make crossovers, usually at Wrestlemania, several times over the last decade. But none could be considered as widely publicized or successful as Floyd Mayweather’s appearance last Sunday.

Not only did Mayweather get the win (the WWE wasn’t paying him to come and lose), but he was entertaining in the process. And he was entertaining booked as the bad guy in the match. And if anyone has ever watched Mayweather’s personality, they know that he is far from the bad guy.

Mayweather showed that he can be a character. And let’s face it, that is what pro wrestling is about, right? And while he was obviously out of his element, he put on a good showing for a guy who’s never been in that kind of ring before.

From his faux-fur shorts to his “Philthy Rich” medallion, Mayweather found an amazing new medium to showcase his over the top personality.

Will he pass on boxing, retire at 39-0 and become the WWE’s next evil intruder? Doubtful. But it was fun to watch for one night.

The bottom line is that Mayweather is the first athlete to cross this shaky barrier and be successful.

Do I think more athletes should do this? Absolutely not (said with a smile). Honestly, I don’t really think that anybody else could pull this off quite like “Money” Mayweather did.

It was a once in a lifetime kind of thing and the WWE and Mayweather both did their best. It was worth the watch anyway and that says a lot about the appeal of Mayweather in general as his real sport continues its’ decline.

>Column appeared originally in 4/2 Communicator