Dave Reynolds on BU being 4-0

[ser_solace]

Not sure if this has been posted yet:

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x1060501207/Being-4-0-in-MVC-is-a-good-thing

[thefish7]

Belgium is in Gary, Indiana's back yard?

[bigdaddystuck]

despite the fact that our coach is 4-0 and just beat ISU, the people in the know say that it's Jankovich who is the hottest coaching commodity in the Valley.

What is he overall at ISU...39-11? Sounds like a good record! Honestly, I think this may come from the viewpoint that JL is coaching at his alma mater and probably wont leave....while Jank is most asuredly using ISU as a stepping stone and looking to leave at the first offer of something "bigger"

[bigdaddystuck]

That is the question and I believe that we probably wont find out. IMO he will take a serious look at the schools that come calling this spring. I would be very surprised if he is still at ISU in 2 years.

[chitown fanatic]

not to rain on the parade, but Jim Les has not performed anywhere near Jankovich in record or performance in his first two years or even, it could be argued, in year seven. Les has never guided the Braves to anything better than 4th. That doesn't get you many looks. That's not to say the defensive renaissance we're witnessing isn't impressive...it is. In fact, in all my years of watching college bball, I've never seen such a quick transformation mid-year. But someone who's evaluating coaching might ask, why did it take so long(11 games) to get the message across. Top tier schools don't tolerate losses to UMKC's of the world, especially in year 7 of their contract. IMO, Jim is an average coach with outstanding community appeal that puts the University in a good light. That's more than enough for BU's administration. It won't be enough fo largerschools to come knocking down his door like Jankovich. 39-11 in les than two years. It took Les nearly 4 years just to reach .500!

[houstontxbrave]

It will really help Jank bigtime that when there is an opening and he is interested there is a guy by the name of Self who will call and the person who is on the other end of that phone will have to listen.

Jank has a very nice overall record while the coach at ISU, and I think from his even first press conference he has not hidden the desire for "greener" pastures. But that overall record is a bit empty with the number of poor non conference games ISU has played in his time at the school.

I have no absolute knowledge but when you schedule as softly as ISU has its either because you dont really have a lot of confidence in what you have in your roster, or you really have a personal agenda that you want to expose records wise.

Regardless of what others think or believe I think that the soft schedule for ISU last year was the direct reason for their being left out of the NCAA's and if they get to over 5 or 6 losses this season the same exact thing will happen.

[chitown fanatic]

It will really help Jank bigtime that when there is an opening and he is interested there is a guy by the name of Self who will call and the person who is on the other end of that phone will have to listen.

Jank has a very nice overall record while the coach at ISU, and I think from his even first press conference he has not hidden the desire for "greener" pastures. But that overall record is a bit empty with the number of poor non conference games ISU has played in his time at the school.

I have no absolute knowledge but when you schedule as softly as ISU has its either because you dont really have a lot of confidence in what you have in your roster, or you really have a personal agenda that you want to expose records wise.

Regardless of what others think or believe I think that the soft schedule for ISU last year was the direct reason for their being left out of the NCAA's and if they get to over 5 or 6 losses this season the same exact thing will happen.

I agree on their tourney chances unless they win the conference crown. No Valley team since 1990 I believe has ben left out when winning the reg season title. He also had them finish 2nd last year reg season I believe.

[houstontxbrave]

I agree on their tourney chances unless they win the conference crown. No Valley team since 1990 I believe has ben left out when winning the reg season title. He also had them finish 2nd last year reg season I believe.

Chitown, last year was the first time in how long that only one team from the Valley made the NCAA's?

I could see a 6 loss ISU team winning the regular season title but losing the conference title not getting in because of that soft non conference schedule.

[shaunguth]

Once O and the seniors are gone, can Jank win with his recruits?

If they continue to schedule like they did this year.

[dogsrus]

not to rain on the parade, but Jim Les has not performed anywhere near Jankovich in record or performance in his first two years or even, it could be argued, in year seven. Les has never guided the Braves to anything better than 4th. That doesn't get you many looks. That's not to say the defensive renaissance we're witnessing isn't impressive...it is. In fact, in all my years of watching college bball, I've never seen such a quick transformation mid-year. But someone who's evaluating coaching might ask, why did it take so long(11 games) to get the message across. Top tier schools don't tolerate losses to UMKC's of the world, especially in year 7 of their contract. IMO, Jim is an average coach with outstanding community appeal that puts the University in a good light. That's more than enough for BU's administration. It won't be enough fo largerschools to come knocking down his door like Jankovich. 39-11 in les than two years. It took Les nearly 4 years just to reach .500!

Your gunna get it...your gunna get it.

[Stryker]

Any MVC team with less than 9 losses will get an NCAA bid. If ISU goes 13-5 in conference with an overall record of 24-5 or something like 22-7 there is no way they don't make the tourney even with their week non-con. They barely missed last year and that was because they had 10 losses. If they keep it under double digit losses I think they will be in easily, although with a pretty crappy seed. That's if they don't win it all in St. Louis and we beat them there...!

[BradleyBrave]

John Mullin of the Tribune weighs in on Jank -

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/isu/chi-08-illinois-state-jankovichjan08,0,7913028.story

[Rusty 54]

John Mullin of the Tribune weighs in on Jank -

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,7913028.story

Well, he says he has not thoughts about leaving. FWIW.

Obviously there are schools such as Kansas, UNC, Kentucky, etc that are historic and would be schools any coach would jump at the chance to coach. If what separates the Valley and the BCS schools is just money, does the Valley ever stand a chance to compete? Dana Altman and Jim Les are two coaches I see sticking around for the long haul, but as long as there is a lot of coaching turnover it will be very difficult for the Valley to build consistent powerhouse programs like CU and SIU have been for the past few years.

[Stryker]

This has not been the pattern in recent years...
you seem to have a lot more faith in the NCAA than I do....
In fact no MVC team has gotten an at large bid in the past two years unless they had 6 or fewer losses.
And only three times since the 1990's has the NCAA ever given any team from the MVC an at large bid with more than 8 losses ( 2006, Bradley - 10 losses & UNI - 9 losses, 2005 UNI - 10 losses) - back when the Valley was stronger & yet the press gave the NCAA a lot of heat for doing so and thus it hasn't happened since.

some evidence that the NCAA does as it pleases and that 8 losses or less still doesn't sway the NCAA bias.....

ISU had only 8 regular season losses last year (2008 ) and went to the NIT even though their schedule included a Top 20 ranked team in Indiana, and a 2nd BCS school - Cincinnati.

In 2006, Missouri State ended the regular season with only 7 losses, and then added one more in the MVC tournament for a total of only 8 losses, and did NOT get an NCAA bid and went to the NIT.
In 2006 Creighton also got left out of the NCAA with only 8 regular season losses...and their schedule contained several top schools (DePaul, Nebraska, Xavier).

In 2005, Wichita was left behind by NCAA with only 8 regular season losses.

In 2004, Creighton won their first 12 games (12-0) on their way to a 20-7 regular season record. They were snubbed by the NCAA.

In 2001, Illinois State finished the regular season 21-7!! Guess what -- no NCAA bid.

Yeah, you probably right, I was going off of what would be logical to me...it probably would take less than 8 losses.

[chitown fanatic]

this is a very weak argument....
get back to me when Jank survives to his 7th year, recruits his own players and still wins, and gets to the NCAA, wins a couple games, or accumulates over 100 wins at ISU.

People laughed a few years ago when Les was compared to Lowery, Hinson, McDermott, etc...but in time I feel he has and will outperform them all.

on the contrary, for once in my numerous rants, I think I back up my point very well in my post. weak scheduling or not, the fact remains ISU took 2nd last year and Les has never brought us higher than 4th. What does getting to year 7 have to do with anything except make my point even stronger. Jank has a higher conference finish in one year than Jim has had in 6, both with his own and Mo's players, and he didn't crack .500 til his 4th season. He gets credit and the lifetime pass for the sweet 16, but over 100 wins in 7 seasons isn't outstanding. At Jank's pace, he'll do it in 4. That's outstanding and the reason his stock is much higher than Les's.