Question

[DannyCooksey]

Did Kavanaugh hire Les originally or was it a higher bu authority? I was curious to know whether it might be a problem for Les and his new AD that said AD didn't hire the coach. This has been a problem in the past at other Universities including the one I support. Sometimes there can be a conflict of interest and the new AD might want to get his/her own coach in place. I know most of this board loves the coach but I was just curious if you forsee any issues between he and whoever gets the AD job. Legit question I think.

[tornado]

Jim Les was hired as the top choice of the committee that interviewed the candidates, but also Les was the top choice of both Kavanagh and the president, Dr. Broski.
JL enjoys high level of popularity and a decent level of success in both athletics and the other issues such as helping with fundraising that I doubt any current issue causes a threat to his job. As long as he does ok and wants the job he will be at BU.
I think it more likely he might have enough success to get some other offers & will leave for greener pastures, than any other possibility.

[SFP]

Did Kavanaugh hire Les originally or was it a higher bu authority? I was curious to know whether it might be a problem for Les and his new AD that said AD didn't hire the coach. This has been a problem in the past at other Universities including the one I support. Sometimes there can be a conflict of interest and the new AD might want to get his/her own coach in place. I know most of this board loves the coach but I was just curious if you forsee any issues between he and whoever gets the AD job. Legit question I think.

This is a very good question. Beyond the AD because let's face it the new AD will have to be in sync with the Prez, I'm curious to know what the relationship is between Les and JG? I'd suspect that JL is an untouchable for now.

[wizard1]

Question

I agree with SFP that JL is untouchable at the present time. Any new AD, or for that matter JG, would be very hard pressed and unwise to take him on now and would probably lose the battle. However, BB results in the next two or three years will very likely clarify his situation one way or the other.

[shaunguth]

I think it's somewhat humorous what some isu fans are saying about Les and the long leash he seems to have, as if he's already done enough to lose his job.....

"The first people I can see on the hot seat are Les and Marshall, but I just don't see Bradley firing Les for a while unless things really go down the tubes."

What? He's the first one on the hotseat, but they probably won't fire him for awhile? That's not my idea of being on the hotseat.

"...maybe not a short leash but he (Lowery) and Les may be in the most trouble in the conference."

"The folks at bu seem pleased with the annual 4th-6th place finishes and entries into whatever new tourney the NCAA comes up with. Being a former player doesn't hurt his status. Many remember him that way and because of that he has leniency in his W-L record and Valley standings. Clearly his sub .500 Valley record isn't as important in Caterpillarville as it is in some other places in the Valley."

Can someone tell me what place finish we had when we went to the Sweet 16? I guess that season should have only added to the fire under the hotseat?

[SFP]

I honestly like the patience BU shows and not the knee jerk reactions of other institutions. There is something honorable about loyalty that some places could never understand. That said about loyalty there is not an infinite amount of patience but but as long as you go about your business with class you deserve a longer leach then most. I also believe good things take time.

[Lakeview Brave]

I think it's somewhat humorous what some isu fans are saying about Les and the long leash he seems to have, as if he's already done enough to lose his job.....

"The first people I can see on the hot seat are Les and Marshall, but I just don't see Bradley firing Les for a while unless things really go down the tubes."

What? He's the first one on the hotseat, but they probably won't fire him for awhile? That's not my idea of being on the hotseat.

"...maybe not a short leash but he (Lowery) and Les may be in the most trouble in the conference."

"The folks at bu seem pleased with the annual 4th-6th place finishes and entries into whatever new tourney the NCAA comes up with. Being a former player doesn't hurt his status. Many remember him that way and because of that he has leniency in his W-L record and Valley standings. Clearly his sub .500 Valley record isn't as important in Caterpillarville as it is in some other places in the Valley."

Can someone tell me what place finish we had when we went to the Sweet 16? I guess that season should have only added to the fire under the hotseat?

We finished 5th that season

[Braves4Life]

We finished 5th that season

I thought we were 16th in the Nation

[tornado]

2006 was a great year for the Valley, and nobody can deny that...
but here's one thing that helped it become a great year...

every single team (all ten) in the Valley had Strengths of Schedule that ranked inside the top 100!!
And those tough schedules prepared all the Valley teams well for the post-season and NCAA Tourney.
That helped place six Valley teams inside the Top 50 in RPI as well!
Even in 2007, all the Valley teams were around or under the Top 100 SOS's, but then a few Valley teams, notably Evansville, Drake, Wichita State, and ISU all started scheduling weaker...
This past season, in 2008-2009, the Valley had SIX teams outside the TOP 100 in SOS!!
(the Valley had only had six such SOS's in all the previous FOUR seasons combined!)

so, lesson to the MVC members...if you schedule and play like a weak mid-major, then you will be viewed as a weak mid-major by the NCAA Selection commitee, and the Valley has now, sadly, returned to a one-bid league, with very little post-season success.
I wish the fans of the upper tier of the Valley (this means you, ISU) would stop pointing at the teams in the middle of the pack and picking out flaws, when the biggest flaws of all in the entire Valley are the guys who not only schedule like an Alabama State or Central Michigan, but also play like one..

[OrangeandBlack74]

I wish the fans of the upper tier of the Valley (this means you, ISU) would stop pointing at the teams in the middle of the pack and picking out flaws, when the biggest flaws of all in the entire Valley are the guys who not only schedule like an Alabama State or Central Michigan, but also play like one..

I think most (if not all) ISU fans would agree that their schedule last year was weak, and many of them complained about it on here and on other message boards.

Let's hope 2009-10 is a better year for the MVC and its non-con schedule. Also, we need Valley teams to win some of those BCS matchups...BU included.

[BuB]

I honestly like the patience BU shows and not the knee jerk reactions of other institutions. There is something honorable about loyalty that some places could never understand. That said about loyalty there is not an infinite amount of patience but but as long as you go about your business with class you deserve a longer leach then most. I also believe good things take time.

I would like to see more of this patience. I agree that JL should be untouchable right now. But several other people also earned the right to be shown some patience by the university. They were replaced or forced out. Others left because they could see the writing on the wall. These were good people who were fiercely loyal to Bradley, brought credibility, and were very good at their job. These people made sacrifices for Bradley because they were loyal to Bradley. They did things that were above and beyond their job description and was not reported on by the media. Nothing classy about the way they were treated. Bradley did not show them any loyalty.

[BU RICK]

I think the JL questions will be mute after next season. It takes awhile to build. I've followed the Braves for a long time and on paper this looks like one of our best teams. AT has the potential to be one big surprise for us, TB, WE coming back healthy, SS, the free steak provider skywalker, AW coming back healthy, all our good guards, and the freshman look to be good too. Looking forward to it and this time next year we will be saying what a great job JL, the coaches and the players did

[SFP]

I'm with you and as hopeful as you BURick.

I'm big on loyalty as long as it is about the whole program not about individual loyalty. I hope that the board recognizes the difference and sees to it that BU welcomes discussions and views that may differ with the top echelons but in no way threatens loyal hardworking employees. What is done is done and it is time to move on but with a watchful eye from those that can make a difference.

[Out of Bounce]

I would like to see more of this patience. I agree that JL should be untouchable right now. But several other people also earned the right to be shown some patience by the university. They were replaced or forced out. Others left because they could see the writing on the wall. These were good people who were fiercely loyal to Bradley, brought credibility, and were very good at their job. These people made sacrifices for Bradley because they were loyal to Bradley. They did things that were above and beyond their job description and was not reported on by the media. Nothing classy about the way they were treated. Bradley did not show them any loyalty.

Something/Someone wrong here Go ahead and ax me again But I don't think I am off course or alone on my thinking here Thanks BuB

[shaunguth]

I think most (if not all) ISU fans would agree that their schedule last year was weak, and many of them complained about it on here and on other message boards.

Let's hope 2009-10 is a better year for the MVC and its non-con schedule. Also, we need Valley teams to win some of those BCS matchups...BU included.

We've beaten Iowa State, Iowa, DePaul, Rutgers, Providence, Cincinnati, Kansas, and Pitt over the last four seasons.