Coach Les's Comments After the Game

[SFP]

I'll be quite honest, I don't have the energy to complain for two weeks in a row. I hope the Valley season goes better than the non-con.

This is something I can 100% agree on!

[Bravesfan]

Coach was very direct and angry in his post game comments with Dave Snell. I've never heard him so frustrated. Paraphrasing, Coach Les said that he needed players who would compete....that he'd start 2 Frosh. and Ryan Phillips if that's what it takes. He also said that the University treats them (the players) too well for "this kind of performance". Words like embarrassed and humiliated were used.

As the Valley season begins we may very well see either new energy from the regular starters, or new starters altogether.

That's a good thing. Maybe some of these players need a good kick in the behind to get going. And because of this it would not shock me to see this team win 12 or 13 conference games this year.

However, they still were predicted to finish sixth by most "experts", so we'll see where they end up finishing compared to the predictions.

I know some are going to blame the coaching style for not getting this team ready to play, but sometimes players think they are just too talented for their own good. This "dressing down" of the players by Les is nothing personal, and not a sign that Les is going "Bobby Knight" on the team. Sometimes a little yelling and screaming is most effective when players get lulled into a false sense of "friendship" with the coach. And then when the coach shows a side of himself that they don't normally see, that sometimes lights a fuse into the team.

For the sake of this season, let's hope it did just that!

[Bravesfan]

Careful.....don't question every little move he makes. Just sit back, be quiet and let the season unfold. At seasons end THEN you have a small window of opportunity to go over what went wrong.....but then its on to the new recruits and all the potential.

Dogsrus, are we going to post snide remarks everytime the poor guy (Les) loses a game? It's profoundly unfair to evualuate a team this early in the season! If we are 3-6 halfway through the Valley schedule, then by all means have at it. Better yet, use the whole summer to gripe if we take two steps back this year. But we're NOT THERE yet!

Many teams have had mediocre non-conference records only to go on and do some significant damage in the conference. Let's wait at least through 5 to 10 games in the Valley, then we can make a better call on whether things are progressing in the right direction or not.

[Bravesfan]

Last time he tried that, a future NBA all-star left and called him a racist.

Well, tough. If the race card is all someone has left to use, then they are probably not a team player, no matter how talented they may be.

[jeffsu]

Sending it out there, who is it who took away the teams jerseys and they had to earn them....it very well could be a movie, haha

Actually, I think something along those lines is happening. Taylor Brown tweeted a bit ago: "On the floor ready to go at 6:30 AM tomorrow at Haussler. No BU gear.!!!! NOOOOOOOO!! **** we gotta start winning again"

So.. good call, Connor!

[BradleyBrave]

Actually, I think something along those lines is happening. Taylor Brown tweeted a bit ago: "On the floor ready to go at 6:30 AM tomorrow at Haussler. No BU gear.!!!! NOOOOOOOO!! **** we gotta start winning again"

So.. good call, Connor!

They should also ban Twittering and Facebooking.

Ever notice every year when JL talks about how great it's going to be for the next 5 weeks for the kids to 'be a pro' and 'not have to worry about classes' and 'can just focus on basketball', that this team usually goes completely in the tank?

[Braves2011]

Actually, I think something along those lines is happening. Taylor Brown tweeted a bit ago: "On the floor ready to go at 6:30 AM tomorrow at Haussler. No BU gear.!!!! NOOOOOOOO!! **** we gotta start winning again"

So.. good call, Connor!

The NO BU gear was what I was trying to think of the other day and after he came out with that statement last year we started the MVC 4-0

[Bravesfan]

Actually, I think something along those lines is happening. Taylor Brown tweeted a bit ago: "On the floor ready to go at 6:30 AM tomorrow at Haussler. No BU gear.!!!! NOOOOOOOO!! **** we gotta start winning again"

So.. good call, Connor!

Well how about that? Good for him! Maybe he'll realize that the goal here is to win games, not just show up!

I know Les makes mistakes like everyone else, but much of the time coaching is not the sole problem here. These are players that have to learn how to play together, and they are still young as a whole where they don't know how to play with the same intensity night in and night out. I think some of our players are very immature and think just by showing up on the floor we have a God given right to win. It doesn't work like that!

This team needs to learn that they have to show up with a 110% effort against EVERY team they play, EVERYWHERE, EVERY night!

It may take 20 of these 6:30 AM practices with them doing windsprints without the uniforms to get it through their heads, but if it finally sinks in, they'll be all the better for it.

[BUFAN]

I dont know why all the disapointment we all knew going in we did not have anyone who could make a jump shot rebound or play defence. Not certain exactly what jl looks for when he is on the recruiting trail but ever bufan has suggestions mine is get some players, guys who can rebound shoot and most importantly play DDDDDDD...

[SFP]

I dont know why all the disapointment we all knew going in we did not have anyone who could make a jump shot rebound or play defence. Not certain exactly what jl looks for when he is on the recruiting trail but ever bufan has suggestions mine is get some players, guys who can rebound shoot and most importantly play DDDDDDD...

These guys can play IMO. It's just that they are playing out of position and lack a true 5 along with a mean attitude. We saw a bit of that with EM though today.

[BUFAN]

These guys can play IMO. It's just that they are playing out of position and lack a true 5 along with a mean attitude. We saw a bit of that with EM though today.

Your post validates mine, but I like edge he is really all we have.

[chitown fanatic]

Dogsrus, are we going to post snide remarks everytime the poor guy (Les) loses a game? It's profoundly unfair to evualuate a team this early in the season! If we are 3-6 halfway through the Valley schedule, then by all means have at it. Better yet, use the whole summer to gripe if we take two steps back this year. But we're NOT THERE yet!

Many teams have had mediocre non-conference records only to go on and do some significant damage in the conference. Let's wait at least through 5 to 10 games in the Valley, then we can make a better call on whether things are progressing in the right direction or not.

Snide remarks? I agree with dogsrus on every post he's made. He's just spaking the truth and not aboard the fantasy train like some others appear to be. The team that played yesterday will beat exactly two teams in Valley play, Evansville, and maybe Drake. The team that beat Illinois is MIA.

[BradleyBrave]

The team that beat Illinois is MIA.

So is the most experienced Bradley coach from that game.

[Chico]

Well, tough. If the race card is all someone has left to use, then they are probably not a team player, no matter how talented they may be.

That sounds just like the poor mis-treated DG.

[shaunguth]

These are players that have to learn how to play together, and they are still young as a whole where they don't know how to play with the same intensity night in and night out.

Great point! It seems like many people have forgotten that only a couple of these players have actually played two full seasons together......SS/SM and SS/AW. The rest are just ten games into their second season playing together.