Fortress Sports Update: Week 13

Welcome to the Fortress Sports Update for the week of November 28th.  This is where we bring you a glimpse into the week's upcoming Grant County sporting events.  I'm Tim Decker.

On Monday, November 28th -
There are no local high school sporting events taking place on this day. 

On Tuesday, November 29th -
There is one high school wrestling meet to mention.  The Eastbrook Panthers are at Frankton High School for a meet beginning at 6 p.m.

In boys basketball,  Northfield is at Eastbrook for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off

The lone girls high school basketball match-up to mention is Mississinewa at Southern Wells for a game starting at 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, November 30th -
As we wrap up November, one girls high school basketball match-up will put a cap on Grant County High School sports for November. 
Eastbrook at Elwood - 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, December 1st -
There is one local intra-county match-up taking place.  In boys high school wrestling, Madison Grant is hosting Mississinewa for a 6 pm meet.  The Oak Hill Wrestling team is hosting Alexandria for a meet starting at 6:30 pm. 

On Friday, December 2nd -
Girls High School basketball will dominate the evening.  Match-ups include:
Mississinewa at Eastbrook - 7:30 p.m.
Elwood at Oak Hill - 7:30 p.m.
Marion at Huntington North - 7:30 p.m.

There is one boys high school basketball match-up to mention.  Madison-Grant hosts Wes-Del at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, December 3rd -
If you need a break from college football, there's boys high school basketball match-ups you can indulge in.  Games include:
Eastbrook at Eastern - 7:30 p.m.
Lawrence North at Marion - 7:30 p.m.
Oak Hill at Taylor - 7:30 p.m.
Madison-Grant at Lapel - 7:30 p.m.

There is one girls high school basketball match-up to mention.  Madison-Grant is at Blackford for a early afternoon 12:30 p.m. tip-off. 

High School Wrestling returns as all 5 county schools are in action.  Eastbrook is at South Adams for a meet starting at 9 a.m.  The Marion Giants Wrestling team is at the Northwestern Super 6 meet at Northwestern High School starting at 9 am.  Madison-Grant is also participating in the event.  The Mississinewa Indians wrestling team is participating in a meet at Winamac Community High School starting at 8 am.  Finally, Oak Hill is participating in the Huntington Invitational at Huntington North High School starting at 9 am. 

Dates and times of these events are subject to change.  Always contact your local high school or college for more information on specific events. This has been your Fortress Sports Update for the week of November 28th.  I'm Tim Decker wishing you a fun and competitive week!

Week 12 Reflection

Well, I'll be the first to admit that it's nice to have a break this week with no new episode. 

Let me take a second to explain why there won't be any new episodes until next semester at this point.  There are two primary reasons.  The first one deals with this week.  This week is Thanksgiving and I'll be taking a nice little extended weekend off starting Wednesday.  With that, I won't be coming into the station on Friday to do a new episode of "The Windup" or even its sister show "The Call."  That's the first reason but isn't the primary reason.

The second reason deals with why I started "The Windup" this semester.  This entire show is part of my senior project.  What is that you ask?  As an IWU Communication Scholar, I must complete what the division calls a senior project.  Here's what the class syllabus calls a senior project: "Division majors in the seventh or eighth semester are required to produce a major work of communication: produce and write a series of brochures, produce a video promotion, write a play or television script, produce and edit the University Journal or newspaper, conduct an extended advertising project, produce a radio broadcast series, or other approved project."

Obviously, with my work with WIWU-FM over the past 3+ years, I show a radio broadcast series.  I think you could say it has been a success.  That's why I've also been writing this weekly reflections.  I'll be honest...this may be one portion of the website that you won't see in the spring.  This is part of the required things I must do over the semester. 

With all that said, it was a very quiet week for "The Windup."  Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hours Update:
Hours This Week: 2.5 hours
Total Hours This Semester: 126.5 hours (93.7% complete)
Minimum Hours Still Needed: 8.5 hours
I still have Week 13 and 14 before I have to be completely done with the project.  And with plans to actually cover my first local sports game next week, I'll be fine.

Fortress Sports Update: Week 12

Welcome to the Fortress Sports Update for the week of November 21st.  This is where we bring you a glimpse into the week's upcoming Grant County sporting events.  I'm Tim Decker.

On Monday, November 21st -
There are no high school sporting events happening on this day.

On Tuesday, November 22nd -
Girls High School Basketball will highlight the evening.  Match-ups include:
Eastbrook at Muncie Burris - 7:30 p.m.
Jay County at Mississinewa - 7:30 p.m.
Southwood at Oak Hill - 7:30 p.m.
Wabash at Madison-Grant - 7:30 p.m.
Marion at Homestead - 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, November 23rd -
The 2011-2012 Boys High School Basketball season gets underway!  Match-ups include:
Bluffton at Eastbrook - 7:30 p.m.
Mississinewa at Manchester - 7:30 p.m.
Wabash at Oak Hill - 7:30 p.m.
Madison-Grant at Northwestern - 7:30 p.m.
Irvington Prep at Marion - 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, November 24th -
There are no Grant County Sporting Events due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Happy Thanksgiving!

On Friday, November 25th -
High school sports get back underway after the Thanksgiving Break.  One Girls Basketball Match-up to mention - Marion at Jay County starting at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday, November 26th -
There's another busy Saturday lineup for Grant County Sports.  Boys High School basketball match-ups include:
Oak Hill at Manchester - 4:30 p.m.
Huntington North at Mississinewa - 7:30 p.m.
Madison-Grant at Wabash - 7:30 p.m.

Girls High School Basketball Match-ups:
Oak Hill at Manchester - 3:00 p.m.

High School Wrestling has one match-up on this day also.  The Marion Giants are at the Homestead Super Duel at Homestead High School at 9 a.m.

Dates and times of these events are subject to change.  Always contact your local high school or college for more information on specific events. This has been your Fortress Sports Update for the week of November 21st.  I'm Tim Decker wishing you a fun and competitive week!

Week 11 Reflection

It's hard to believe...but we've done it!  The first season of "The Windup" on 94.3 the Fortress is complete!

11 episodes.  7 different guests.  Tons of hours spent trying to make the best sports radio talk show Grant County has ever seen. 

As I look back on this adventure, I really believe I dominated the goals I set for this project.  I completed 11 episodes, 11 promos, 11 Fortress Sports Updates, started this headquarters page, started a Facebook page, started a Twitter page, and so much more. Through Dr. Perry's approval, we will be doing a 2nd season of "The Windup!"  That season is scheduled to start in January.  We'll do at least 11 episodes...if not more.  We will have plenty of basketball to cover and we'll even get into the baseball/softball season as well.

This last episode wasn't too difficult.  I did have to wait until Thursday afternoon for my guest interview so that added a little bit of stress to life.  Jim Brunner is a great man to talk to when it comes to high school sports and the sports culture of Grant County.  We'll bring him back on the show a couple of times next semester for more basketball coverage and see if his predictions came true for the basketball season. 

At this point, it's time for me to catch up on all the blog posts, start making my presentation, start gathering paperwork from the entire semester to put into a portfolio, and honestly, take a little bit of a break as well. 

Thanks so much to everyone who made this first season of "The Windup" a great success.  Be watching throughout now and January to keep in the know of Grant County High School Sports.  I'm going out to cover some games as well.  Be ready for that!

Hours Update:
Hours This Week: 11 hours
Total Hours This Semester: 124 hours (91.8% complete)
Minimum Hours Still Needed: 11 hours
With still a couple of weeks to finish things up, I think I'm good for hours.  It was a concern at first...but through some hard work in this last push of the semester...I'll make it.  Let's just hope my presentation and portfolio are just as awesome as making the hours total.

Week 11 Podcast Now Live!

On this season 1 finale of "The Windup," we turn our attention to the upcoming high school basketball season.

In our "Opening Drive" segment, Host Tim Decker highlights two local volleyball teams and their part in an upcoming national tournament.

In our "Interview Spotlight" segment, Tim chats with Grant County Sports Broadcaster Jim Brunner.  They discuss each of the boys high school basketball teams and what to expect this season.  Brunner also takes a look back at how Bill Green impacted not only the Marion Giants but the Grant County community.

Finally, in our "Final Countdown" segment, Jeremy Sharp joins the show and we look at the shakeup happening in the MLB for the 2012 season.

"The Windup" on 94.3 the Fortress airs Fridays at Noon on WIWU-FM.  WIWU-FM is located on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana.


Click the link for the full episode: "The Windup: Season 1, Episode 11: Jim Brunner Previews Basketball"

Host Tim Decker is a senior media communications major pursuing a career in radio broadcasting.  You can contact him at tim.decker@student.indwes.edu with any comments, questions, or concerns.

The Opening Drive: Week 11

Welcome to “The Opening Drive!” This is where we take a look at some of the big Grant County sports stories from the past week.  I’m Tim Decker.

After a couple of crazy weeks for the IWU and Taylor volleyball teams, both the Trojans and the Wildcats will be representing the Mid-Central College Conference and Grant County in the N-A-I-A National Volleyball Championship Tournament.  Better yet, each team is hosting an opening round match-up tomorrow.  The Taylor Trojans will host Lindsey Wilson out of Kentucky Saturday at 6:30 pm in Upland.  Taylor is making its 7^th appearance in the national tournament and is 29-and-7 on the year.  The 2011 M-C-C Tournament Champion Wildcats are hosting Montreat out of North Carolina at 7 pm in Luckey Arena.  IWU is making only its 2^nd appearance in the tournament after an impressive 34-and-4 year.  If IWU or Taylor wins, then they would make an official trip to Sioux City, Iowa for the full National Tournament which starts November 29^th.

In women’s college basketball, the Taylor Trojans put together one of its most complete games in recent year when the team defeated Midway, 92 to 45.  Defense stood at the top as the Trojans forced 35 turnovers, racked up 23 steals and held Midway to just 35 percent shooting for the game.  The offense couldn’t be stopped as Taylor shot 60 percent from 3-point range in the first half to accumulate a 53 to 17 halftime lead.  The Chronicle-Tribune is reporting that all but one Taylor Trojan scored in the team’s blowout victory.  Coach Tina Krause’s team will host Purdue-Calumet at 7 pm tonight in Odle Arena as Taylor looks to start the season 5-0.

The high school boys basketball season is right around the corner and the Marion Giants are looking to reclaim some of its glory days after a disappointing 8-and-12 season last year.  First year coach Billy Shepherd got a good idea of what the team can and can’t do at the team’s open scrimmage against Tindley held at the Grant County YMCA on Wednesday.  The biggest area of concern may be the offense as the Giants only scored 53 points in 60 minutes of play.  The Giants regular season opens at home November 23^rd … which is this coming Wednesday…when the team plays Irvington Prep.

That does it for our opening drive segment this week.  Remember to listen for the “Fortress Sports Update” each week to keep you updated on the local sporting events happening in Grant County. 

Interview Questions for Grant County Broadcaster Jim Brunner Round 2

It's our season finale and we will end it with a bang as Grant County Sports Broadcaster Jim Brunner joins the show again.  In our interview spotlight segment, Jim and Tim will preview each of the men's high school basketball teams, briefly look over the girls' side, and talk a little bit about Grant County's own version of college basketball with Indiana Wesleyan and Taylor. 

Make sure you check out the show airing Friday, November 18th at Noon on 94.3 the Fortress!  Remember, you can listen to it on 94.3 FM in the Grant County area or worldwide at www.indwes.edu/thefortress. 

Below are the questions that we'll focus on for the interview spotlight:

The Windup: Week 11 Interview Questions: Local Sports Broadcaster Jim Brunner

I.                    Boys Basketball

a.       Oak Hill Golden Eagles – finished 14-6 last year and won the Central Indiana Conference.  What must the Golden Eagles do to maintain their supremacy in the CIC?

b.      Madison-Grant – finished 13-8 last year…just one game out in the CIC…what kind of impact will new head coach John Irwin have on the Argyles?

c.       Eastbrook – 9-13 last year for the Panthers…which was 3 more wins than the previous 3 years for Coach Matt Hinds.  If the Panthers aren’t competitive this year, do you believe Matt Hinds is on the hot seat?  Why or why not?

d.      Mississinewa – After a great season a couple of years ago, they had the worst record in Grant County last year at 2-19.  With new coach Mark McFarland at the helm, what do the Indians need to do to pull themselves out of the cellar?

e.      Marion Giants – only finished 8-12 last year and was kicked out of the first round of sectionals – not a typical Marion Giants year.  What is it going to take for the Marion Giants to turn the program around and be a force in Indiana high school basketball?

f.        You’ve seen it all with the Marion Giants Basketball program.  How does the passing of Bill Green impact the Giants program and the Marion community? 

g.       It’s time to look into the crystal ball a bit.  What team do you believe will stand above the rest for Grant County boys basketball?  Pretenders?  Bold predictions?

II.                  Girls Basketball

a.       The Oak Hill Golden Eagles finished with the best record in Grant County Girls basketball last year.  What are the chances that Oak Hill will be the dominant team again this year?

b.      Madison-Grant held the second best record at 14-9 but they have a new head coach – Kyle Douglas.  What will it take for Madison-Grant to overthrow Oak Hill as Grant County’s best women’s basketball team?

c.       We aren’t going to have time to get to Marion, Mississinewa or Eastbrook.  Of the 5 county teams, which team may be the surprise of the season and why?

III.                Grant County College Basketball

a.       Both IWU teams on the men and women’s sides are ranked in the top 3 in the NAIA.  Both are undefeated still in the young season.  You’ve covered some IWU basketball teams over the years.  What kind of outlook do you see for IWU basketball?

b.      The Taylor Trojans are ready to compete in the MCC also.  IWU and Taylor are great friends when it comes to sports….arguably Grant County’s best rivalry.  What makes the IWU/Taylor rivalry one to watch in Grant County?

IV.                NBA Lockout

a.       Games are now cancelled through December 15^th in the NBA Lockout.  Each side has proposed multiple agreements with no luck.  In your opinion, what’s it going to take to get a deal done?

b.      Do you see the NBA playing any games for the 2011-2012 season?

Fortress Sports Update: Week 11

Welcome to the Fortress Sports Update for the week of November 14th.  This is where we bring you a glimpse into the week's upcoming Grant County sporting events.  I'm Tim Decker.

On Monday, November 14th -
In men's college soccer, the IWU Wildcats are hosting Spring Arbor Univeristy in the NCCAA Midwest Regional Tournament.  The game is set to start at 7 pm.

On Tuesday, November 15th -
Girls High School basketball will dominate your evening.  Match-ups include:
Mississinewa at Bluffton - 7:30 pm
Oak Hill at Taylor - 7:30 pm

In men's college basketball, the Taylor Trojans are on the road to play Indiana Tech starting at 7:30 pm

On Wednesday, November 16th and Thursday, November 17th - 

There are no local sporting events taking place.

On Friday, November 18th -
All 5 Grant County Girls High School Basketball Teams are in action on this day.  Match-ups include:
South Adams at Eastbrook - 7:30 pm
Manchester at Mississinewa - 7:30 pm
Fort Wayne Wayne at Marion - 7:45 pm
Madison-Grant at Tiptom - 7:30 pm
North Miami at Oak Hill - 7:30 pm

In men's college basketball, the Taylor Trojans are hosting Columbia in a game set to start at 5 pm.

On Saturday, November 19th -

 The 2011-2012 High School Boys Basketball season is getting revved up and it all starts with the Boys' Varsity Basketball Jamboree.  The event is being held at Madison-Grant high school starting at 6 pm.  Mississinewa, Eastbrook, Oak Hill, and Madison-Grant are participating.

In college volleyball, the IWU Wildcats are hosting Montreat from North Carolina in the N-A-I-A Volleyball National Championship Opening Round.  The match is scheduled to start at 7 pm.

The High School Wrestling season begins as Mississinewa is at Taylor High School for a match starting at 8 am.  The Eastbrook Panthers Wrestling Team opens its season with a match on the road against Elwood starting at 9 am.

Dates and times of these events are subject to change.  Always contact your local high school or college for more information on specific events. This has been your Fortress Sports Update for the week of November 14th.  I'm Tim Decker wishing you a fun and competitive week!

Week 10 Reflection

Well, the football season is over...for high school sports anyways.  I won't mention the Indianapolis Colts...things just aren't that bright in Indy right now.

I now move my focus to basketball...and with a twist.  Since I've spent 9 weeks focusing particularly on high school sports, there are some colleges who might want some love too.  I focused this week on Taylor University over in Upland.  Gasp.  Yes, as an Indiana Wesleyan student, I gave some love to Taylor...believe it or not, it is possible.

This week highlighted the first major technical difficulty I've had all semester.  You see, the talk studio inside Elder Hall is where I record everything.  Interviews, segments, promos, etc.  I have had very little technical issues in recording things.  I give that to my 3+ years experience with the equipment in there.  But, I ran into something new this week.  Want to know what happened?  I thought so.

As I was recording my interview with Taylor Trojans Men's Basketball Coach Paul Patterson, it recorded in a way that has static going through the entire interview.  Oops.  According to Dr. Perry, I've overworked the sound board in the talk studio by over-peaking the system.  This is not cool.  What do I do?  I could call coach and do the interview again.  Not a good idea.  I could just play the interview and hope for the best.  Ok idea.  I could try to cover it with music.  Bad idea.  So, what did I do?  I previewed each segment with an apology to the listener regarding the quality and just played it as is.  It isn't the perfect idea but, it worked.  What did I learn?  It always help to know your equipment from the inside out...every little detail needs to be known.  I hope that doesn't happen much anymore.

Hours Update:
Hours This Week: 12 hours
Total Hours This Semester: 113 hours (83.7% complete)
Minimum Hours Needed Still: 22 hours
I have one full week left plus the other 2 weeks or so.  I suddenly feel like I'm good.

Week 10 Podcast Now Live!

On this week 10 edition of "The Windup," we start looking at the main sport for the winter season...basketball.

In our "Opening Drive" segment, we highlight IWU vs. Taylor round 3 in MCC Volleyball action. Our interview spotlight segment falls on Taylor University Men's Basketball Coach Paul Patterson. We talk about his 30+ year career at Taylor University, the first few games of the season, and what to expect in the coming weeks for Taylor University basketball.

In our "Final Countdown" segment, Jeremy Sharp and Tim Decker give an update on the Penn State scandal and what's next for the now troubled university.

 "The Windup" on 94.3 the Fortress airs on WIWU-FM broadcasting out of Marion, Indiana on the Indiana Wesleyan University campus.  Host Tim Decker is a senior media communications major student pursuing a career in radio broadcasting.

Click the link here for the full episode: "The Windup:" Season 1, Episode 10: Taylor University Basketball

Have comments or questions about the show?  Then comment on this post or send Tim an e-mail at tim.decker@student.indwes.edu.  We'd love to hear from you! 

The Opening Drive: Week 10

Welcome to “The Opening Drive!”  This is where we take a look at some of the sport stories making news in the Grant County area this past week.  I’m Tim Decker.

The World Series may have finished up a couple of weeks ago but Grant County High School baseball is making noise this week.  Numerous NCAA Division one baseball teams like Michigan State, Louisville, and Cincinnati were doing all they could to get Oak Hill Senior Ryan Spaulding to join their team.  In the end, Spaulding chose a more local college to play baseball for – the Ball State Cardinals in Muncie.  Spaulding becomes the 2^nd player in Golden Eagles baseball history to sign a NCAA Division I scholarship.  Nick Millspaugh signed with IPFW in 2004.  Spaulding has a career .463 batting average, 12 home runs, and 78 RBIs in his career.  Those stats have helped Oak Hill to win 2 consecutive Central Indiana Conference Championships as well.  Spaulding hasn’t decided a major at Ball State but he knows he’ll be playing baseball for the Cardinals.

In women’s college basketball, the #3 Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats played an exhibition game against NCAA Division I school Northern Illinois on Tuesday.  Coach Steve Brooks’ team stunned the Huskies to win, 61-52.  IWU’s hot shooting kept them out front as the Wildcats shot 64% from 3-point land while holding Northern Illinois to just 18% from 3-point land.  Junior Guard Claire Freeman and Senior Center Krystal Stoneking led the way for IWU scoring 15 points each.  The Wildcats are in Kentucky this weekend to play in the Elswick Classic hosted by Georgetown College.

We finish the drive this afternoon with a high-stakes rematch in college volleyball.  The IWU Wildcats and Taylor Trojans will be playing in the Mid-Central College Conference Championship game tomorrow night.  The second seeded Wildcats advanced to the championship round after defeating Grace College,  3 games to none.  The top seeded Trojans defeated Spring Arbor, 3 games to 0, in Upland last night as well.  This will set the stage for a rematch in Upland tomorrow night starting at 7 pm.  IWU defeated Taylor just over a week ago to snap the Trojans 53-game winning streak in the MCC. 

That does it for “The Opening Drive” this week!  Make sure you catch the Fortress Sports Update airing throughout the week that updates you on the local sporting events in Grant County. 

Interview Questions for Taylor Trojans Coach Paul Patterson

Now with high school football complete for Grant County, it's time to move on to winter sports!  The main sport that "The Windup" will focus now is high school and college basketball.  In our 10th episode airing Friday, November 11th at 12 pm, we will be chatting with Taylor University Men's Basketball Coach Paul Patterson.  Below you will see some of the questions that coach and I discussed today.

Make sure you catch the episode at 12 pm on WIWU-FM 94.3 tomorrow or listen online at www.indwes.edu/thefortress!  You won't want to miss it!

“The Windup:”  Week 10 Interview Questions: Taylor Basketball Coach Paul Patterson

I.                    Personal Career

a.       33 years at Taylor University. 40+ years in coaching.  What has kept you in coaching for so long?  Also, why have you decided to stay at one university for 30+ years? 

b.      What has changed in college basketball over this incredible career that you’ve had?

c.       I was reading your bio on the Taylor website and noticed that you were a court coach for the USA Basketball under 21 team back in 2005.  What was it like to represent your country in the sport you passionately love?

II.                  Last 2 Games

a.       Your team defeated the University of Michigan-Dearborn in the team’s opener, 75-56.  With the Taylor Trojans, your team is an unbelievable 29-4 in season openers.  How important is getting a W in that first game of the season?

b.      The Trojans traveled to Muncie on Monday to play an exhibition game with the Ball State Cardinals.  Even though your team lost 72-47, there can still be some positives to pull out from the game.  What benefit does your team get from playing a NCAA Division I basketball team?

c.       On Wednesday of this week, your team defeated Cincinnati Christian University, 95-91.  In that game, Junior Casey Coons passed the 1,000 point mark for his Trojan career.  What kind of impact has Coons made on the Taylor basketball program?

III.                Next Game

a.       The season may be young but your team has been together for a while now.  Who is starting to stand out as the leaders of this team?  What makes them a leader for this year’s Trojan’s squad?

b.      Saturday – the Trojans are on the road again…this time playing Concordia out of Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The team is receiving votes in the NAIA Division II Men’s basketball poll.  How is your team going to attack this match-up?

c.       Tuesday your team plays #18 Indiana Tech.  Basketball is quite different than football with multiple games happening throughout the week.  As a coach, how do you handle weeks where you might have 2,3 or even 4 games in one week?

IV.                Other Grant County/MCC Teams

a.       The big team in the MCC this year arguably the #2 ranked Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats.  They just came off a big win over #4 Bellevue over the weekend and just beat Union College last night.  What’s your thoughts on the team Coach Tonagel has put together?

b.      IWU isn’t the only top 10 ranked team in the MCC.  Grace received the #9 preseason ranking and projected to finish 2^nd in the MCC behind IWU.  How tough do you believe the Mid-Central College Conference is?  And then, why is that?

c.       Mount Vernon is a new addition to the MCC.  We have heard over the past couple of weeks how conference realignment has dominated college football.  Should the NCAA go through the same thing in basketball?  Why or why not?

V.                  NCAA/NBA News and Notes

a.       Along with the NAIA, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball season is getting into high gear.  We saw Butler, Notre Dame, and Purdue make the national tournament back in March.  Which one of those teams do you see being a national contender again this year?

b.      The NBA lockout continues to drag on as it passed the 130 day mark this week.  What’s your thoughts on the lockout at this point when it seems neither side wants to agree on anything?