Some good Bradley numbers

[tornado]

a lot of people think they just go home at night and eat fudge...
but in reality, almost every single night, they are either at the offices viewing tape, and planning and scouting opponents, or when time allows, they are on the road scouting high schoolers, watching games, and making contacts with recruits, not to mention on the phone endlessly WHEN ALLOWED BY NCAA RULES.
It really is a 14-16 hour a day job, and even when there's a tiny break, the coaches still have to get together with the other members of the athletic dept. staff and go over other things like scheduling, setting up out-of-town fan trips, and lining up speaking stops, clinics, camps, and other on-and-off campus functions.

I dare you to find even one 45 year old college basketball coach whose hair isn't already gray and who isn't already taking medicine for high blood pressure and ulcers.


these photos were taken a few years apart, in the 1990's, in 2005-2006, then in 2008.





Likewise...these pics show Jim Molinari when he started at Bradley and when he took over at WIU

[Chico]

Sorry, but the subject was wins. It was stated that Bradley does not win often enough.

You can post all the negative statistics you want to dig up, like is done in virtually every thread whether it's relevant or not, but that does not change the fact that Bradley has more wins, and more post-season wins, and as many NCAA wins as any other MVC school in the past 3 years.

Coach, you know these days you aren't supposed to tell it like it is.

[amettrick]

I find it easy to come up with lots of things for BU fans to be proud of and thankful for...
We also have better looking cheerleaders, more ex-players in the NBA, more ex-players in the pros around the world, and a more loyal fan base as proven by how many of our folks travel to support the team, than any other Valley team.
We even have more of our ex-coaches who are coaching elsewhere at the DI level, and BU has produced the best play by play guys over the years...even the guys who do the broadcasting for other teams' games.
We will soon have state of the art facilities, and our head coach is as loyal to this school as any coach can be.

well, i can't disagree with you there sir. those are all good things that we can be thankful for.

[BradleyBrave]

Sorry, but the subject was wins. It was stated that Bradley does not win often enough.

You can post all the negative statistics you want to dig up, like is done in virtually every thread whether it's relevant or not, but that does not change the fact that Bradley has more wins, and more post-season wins, and as many NCAA wins as any other MVC school in the past 3 years.

And zero conference or conference tournament titles. Every team in the MVC with the exception of Missouri St has won or shared at least 1 conference title since our last one in 1996. So, factually speaking, we haven't won enough conference games in the last 12 years.

[chitown fanatic]

exactly. 7 seasons as our head coach and 4th place is the best he's done. Maybe there's a reason he was called Mr. Thursday night for his first 3 seasons.

[georgethedog]

And zero conference or conference tournament titles. Every team in the MVC with the exception of Missouri St has won or shared at least 1 conference title since our last one in 1996. So, factually speaking, we haven't won enough conference games in the last 12 years.

You are right on BradleyBrave. Thanks. I want to see some conference titles every once in a while. Also, I think including the CBI as post season wins is just silly.

Can't get to the NCAA, then NIT (the tourney of leftovers and a couple schools that got ripped off by the NCAA selection committee). Can't make it to the NIT, then go to the CBI (a tourney of leftover - leftovers). Counting that tourney as post-season wins is laughable. How do we stand for postseason wins taking that silly tourney out?

[Rusty 54]

You are right on BradleyBrave. Thanks. I want to see some conference titles every once in a while. Also, I think including the CBI as post season wins is just silly.

Can't get to the NCAA, then NIT (the tourney of leftovers and a couple schools that got ripped off by the NCAA selection committee). Can't make it to the NIT, then go to the CBI (a tourney of leftover - leftovers). Counting that tourney as post-season wins is laughable. How do we stand for postseason wins taking that silly tourney out?

Cincinnati, Ohio, Virginia, and Tusla. So 4 wins from the CBI.

Regardless if people want to count those four as legitimate post season wins, I for one am glad BU played in the CBI. Anytime Bradley gets to play more basketball games (and get more wins) I am for it. If people want the season to end earlier then that's up to them.

[BUBraves2006]

And zero conference or conference tournament titles. Every team in the MVC with the exception of Missouri St has won or shared at least 1 conference title since our last one in 1996. So, factually speaking, we haven't won enough conference games in the last 12 years.

Well said as usual, BB.

I can't believe how this argument is still being so fervently defended when it's so flawed...

I think it's just so convenient that the test sample of data involves only the GOOD Bradley seasons. I mean honestly, it's like we have to see everything around here with rose colored glasses.

Take the original stats and you will also see that Bradley has the fifth MOST losses ... why? Because Bradley played more games in that span than any other team in the Valley. If two equally matched guys get in a fight and one guy is allowed five more punches than the other, isn't it obvious that he's probably going to do more damage (aka WINS)?

So look at this "wins" argument further and we'll see how much it is used to just to make us look as good as possible.

Factor in a four year period, and here's what the standings are (based on wins):

CU 87-42
SIU 85-39
UNI 80-47
MSU 79-48
BU 78-56
WSU 74-52
DU 70-56
IlSU 66-58
InSU 52-71
UE 44-74

Factor in a five-year period, which is a pretty round number than people generally use to look at trends and the standings are this:

SIU 110-43
CU 107-50
UNI 101-56
MSU 98-62
WSU 95-62
BU 93-72
DU 82-72
IlSU 76-77
InSU 61-90
UE 51-96

So let's just stop it with the "BU has been one of very best teams in the Valley in recent years." We've had some success. Everyone likes us to win, so nobody's looking for failure. But those are the actual facts.

Basically if you want to ignore: a. average conference finish (regular season) b. number of regular season championships c. number of conference tournament championships ... as well as use a very small test sample just to try and prove a point ... then we are certainly the BEST!

Kudos to Scouter for pulling out the percentages originally.

[Da Coach]

So let's just stop it with the "BU has been one of very best teams in the Valley in recent years."

Where did anyone ever say this? Please point it out.

This thread was clearly announced as being about the number of wins, and that's all. It was to refute those who say Bradley has not had enough wins. So just as I expected, there has been a deluge of negative posts trying to denigrate Bradley's record over the past 3 years. But the fact remains that Bradley has more wins than any other MVC team.

I chose the last 3 years, because Jim Les did not have teams adequately comprised of his own recruits for the first 3 seasons he coached, but of course, like I said, the detractors can parse things they way they want.

[bluedevils1]

Cincinnati, Ohio, Virginia, and Tusla. So 4 wins from the CBI.

Regardless if people want to count those four as legitimate post season wins, I for one am glad BU played in the CBI. Anytime Bradley gets to play more basketball games (and get more wins) I am for it. If people want the season to end earlier then that's up to them.

I don't think they should count as postseason wins, but I was also very excited just to see our team play more. It would be depressing to be watching the NCAA tourney and to not have some sort of Bradley basketball. And the Tulsa "series" was actually pretty cool.

[georgethedog]

a lot of people think they just go home at night and eat fudge...
but in reality, almost every single night, they are either at the offices viewing tape, and planning and scouting opponents, or when time allows, they are on the road scouting high schoolers, watching games, and making contacts with recruits, not to mention on the phone endlessly WHEN ALLOWED BY NCAA RULES.
It really is a 14-16 hour a day job, and even when there's a tiny break, the coaches still have to get together with the other members of the athletic dept. staff and go over other things like scheduling, setting up out-of-town fan trips, and lining up speaking stops, clinics, camps, and other on-and-off campus functions.

I dare you to find even one 45 year old college basketball coach whose hair isn't already gray and who isn't already taking medicine for high blood pressure and ulcers.


these photos were taken a few years apart, in the 1990's, in 2005-2006, then in 2008.





Likewise...these pics show Jim Molinari when he started at Bradley and when he took over at WIU

Big deal... They CHOOSE to take on this profession, which by the way is one that is HIGHLY compensated for the amount of college education most of them have (with the exception of Mo). If it is too much for them and their bodies then they should get out, period. I don't feel sorry for one grey hair just like there is no sympathy from anyone for the grey hairs I have developed the last couple years after adopting two toddlers. My choice. The difference is I am stuck, Les and the other coaches can get out if they choose. Coach Les' hair are probably there because he has never finished higher than tied for 4th in the league after 6 (and now 7) years.

There is a bright spot. This years recruiting class plus the guys coming in next year (along with a couple guys we have left over like AW) should give Les the opportunity to get an MVC crown within the next few years as long as he gives up on playing 3 guys under 6 feet tall at the same time.

[cpacmel]

I dare you to find even one 45 year old college basketball coach whose hair isn't already gray and who isn't already taking medicine for high blood pressure and ulcers.

Jank will be 50 this summer:



Gregg Marshall will be 46 in Feb:







Rich Barnes is in his early 50's:



Jay Wright 46:

[bluedevils1]

Jank will be 50 this summer:



Gregg Marshall will be 46 in Feb:







Rich Barnes is in his early 50's:



Jay Wright 46:

Nice, but I wonder if any of them use Just for Men. Haha

[Scouter]

Nice, but I wonder if any of them use Just for Men. Haha

"Reeeeeeejected!"

[cpacmel]

Nice, but I wonder if any of them use Just for Men. Haha

Probably.

Plus we don't know if they are on any meds for high blood pressure or are treating ulcers either. Those darn HIPAA laws.