Les's comments to reynolds

[flipper]

the sky isnt falling but we have lost 5 out of the last 6 including three at home.i dont think we should be below .500. just because a fan states he wants better or doesn't like what is going on doesn't mean he is not fan. if i dont like obama and his policys that doesn't make me unamerican.

[longtimelistener]

Nobody here is a paid employee of Bradley, and this site is not affiliated with BU.
So please stop with this kind of guilt by association kind of comment.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and people who don't think that the sky is falling have every right to their opinion as do the those who do.

By the way- am I the only person who thinks all this negative hysteria is exactly like it was in January and early February of 2006, just before Bradley went on to the Sweet 16?
There were threads and posts saying the exact same things as now, and others calling for Jim Les to be fired, and discussing who we should replace him with.
I even recall some here (I won't mention names) who were at least man enough after the 2006 season, to admit they were wrong and congratulate the staff for their success. Others never have.

Well ... I know there are paid university employees on this site. You may not be, but there are university employees who post on this site. And I understand the site isn't affiliated with BU. I never said it was. I merely said your comments often have the same tone as those by the radio staff. I don't understand how that's "guilt by association" but ...

Hey ... I hope the end result is just like 2006. I'd be very happy with another Sweet 16 run, but I haven't suggested Jim should be fired. Do I question if he's on the hot seat? Of course. Do I think we have Sweet 16 run in us? Quite frankly, no. If I'm wrong, I'll be the first to start on thread on here to admit I was wrong.

[ph]

By the way- am I the only person who thinks all this negative hysteria is exactly like it was in January and early February of 2006, just before Bradley went on to the Sweet 16?
There were threads and posts saying the exact same things as now, and others calling for Jim Les to be fired, and discussing who we should replace him with.
I even recall some here (I won't mention names) who were at least man enough after the 2006 season, to admit they were wrong and congratulate the staff for their success. Others never have.

I think the "others" have been on a campaign to re-write history, disparging JL and shaping the S16 year as only a "flash in the pan run" orchastrated by CB - if enough fans start believing that then we can get rid of JL. It still drives me crazy hearing people talking about the S16 as less-important than conference standings. In the big picture NCAA wins are always > than conference standings. (Of course, in today's weaker MVC, the only way to get to the NCAA is a conference championship)

The problem I have with the 2006 comparison: I actually believed (and talked but not posted) pre-season 2005-2006 that we actually had the talent and team that with a little luck we were a S16 team, we had guards and bigs that could match with most anyone in the nation. We would hear comments from other coaches and fans (and they were mocking us) because our talent was so obvious, yet we did not win anything. I'm not hearing those "overtalented" comments anymore. There had been a few "blackhorse" type labels on us this year, but I think that is more because we can be suprisingly good in streaks, but overall we are not a team others in the valley fear.

[Future Walk-On]

I personally feel that the coach can atleast tell us that "Taylor brown is not playing in said game due to a violation of team rules"

I feel that the entire BU nation that is the back bone of support for the program needs to know when arguably the best player on the team is not playing thus hurting our chances....


I personally would rather be a valley contender top 1-2-3 team, a team feared by the rest of the valley every year, than have ever made it to the sweet 16.....and then been mediocre

[Bravesfan]

Let me get this straight - Meeting low expectations (bottom half of our league) means we're on the right path in year 8? So after 8 years, another middle of the road finish (at best) is acceptable? Every other coach this program has had for the last half century has done better, and done it much sooner. You mention in another post that firing the coach and hiring a new one would doom us to Drake or Evansville status for at least 3 years - Are you sure we're not Drake or Evansville already? Our standards of success seem to be in line with theirs.

Where did I say any of this is acceptable? I'm just stating what was expected this year only. Next year I fully expect the team to be competing for a Valley title, nothing less.

And I certainly don't think we are Drake or Evansville when we finish at or above .500 most years. Again, not saying this is acceptable, just stating where we are in comparison to those two programs.

[Bravesfan]

I'm with you ... it's Jim's perogative to not speak to the media. He doesn't have to say anything. Even after a game. He's free to walk into the presser, say, "I have nothing to say" and walk out. Now, the university may have an issue with that, but Jim isn't required to speak to the media unless his employer requires it. And no, he doesn't have to give even a simple statement on suspensions or a weekly "progress report."

Interesting you bring up the media and this alleged "God given right" ... no doubt the media asks tough questions and it sometimes comes off as "we MUST know" and "how dare you not answer our question." But have you noticed the threads asking about details on Jim's contract? I guarantee you Reynolds and/or Wessler asked for those details when the extension was announced. They ask those questions because people want to know. Likewise, when JG was hired and introduced before a crowd of Bradley faculty, staff and supporters, members of the media were in attendance. The Journal Star reporter asked Gerry Shaheen for the details of her contract. When Shaheen blew her off with a response of "Um ... NO," the crowd laughed. Of course, now I've seen posts on this board (don't ask me to find them ... I'm not going looking, but I know I've seen them) asking how long she's under contract. That reporter asked because people want to know. The point: It's not just the media with this attitude you claim. That's society today.

Bradley is under no obligation to talk about contracts or ANYTHING for that matter. I get that. I agree with that. But transparency isn't a bad thing to teach kids either.

I don't mind that the media asks the tough questions that the people want to hear. In a democracy, that is a good thing. But at least they should act professional toward a person if, as is also allowed in a free society, they choose not to speak, instead of making it personal. I hear too many in the media come off as if when people choose not to answer their questions that it is a personal vendetta against them. That's not the case in most instances (maybe Bob Knight being an exception).

[BradleyBrave]

I have no problem JL not disclosing the inner details of what's going on with the program regarding these matters. If it's a police issue, we'll all find out about it. If it's internal, we'll find out what we need to find out. Some things are better left dealt with in-house. It's nitpicking if you ask me. It might p-ss off people immediately (media and fans), and I was a bit perturbed when at first we got no answers. However, I think when you step back and take a look at what really needs fixing with this program, Jim Les not giving every detail of everything done from a discipline perspective hardly makes the list.

[Bravesfan]

I think the "others" have been on a campaign to re-write history, disparging JL and shaping the S16 year as only a "flash in the pan run" orchastrated by CB - if enough fans start believing that then we can get rid of JL. It still drives me crazy hearing people talking about the S16 as less-important than conference standings. In the big picture NCAA wins are always > than conference standings. (Of course, in today's weaker MVC, the only way to get to the NCAA is a conference championship)

The problem I have with the 2006 comparison: I actually believed (and talked but not posted) pre-season 2005-2006 that we actually had the talent and team that with a little luck we were a S16 team, we had guards and bigs that could match with most anyone in the nation. We would hear comments from other coaches and fans (and they were mocking us) because our talent was so obvious, yet we did not win anything. I'm not hearing those "overtalented" comments anymore. There had been a few "blackhorse" type labels on us this year, but I think that is more because we can be suprisingly good in streaks, but overall we are not a team others in the valley fear.

I couldn't agree with you more. That disgusts me when I hear that! So he hasn't won a Valley championship. He made the Sweet 16 for crying out loud! How many times has the "great" Dana Altman made the Sweet 16? That's right. ZERO!

Yes, we need to win Valley championships most years to get into the tournament, and I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for that every year. But in 2006 we did not need to win the Valley, and we made the most of our NCAA run. Let's give Les some credit for that!

[BradleyBrave]

I couldn't agree with you more. That disgusts me when I hear that! So he hasn't won a Valley championship. He made the Sweet 16 for crying out loud! How many times has the "great" Dana Altman made the Sweet 16? That's right. ZERO!

Yes, we need to win Valley championships most years to get into the tournament, and I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for that every year. But in 2006 we did not need to win the Valley, and we made the most of our NCAA run. Let's give Les some credit for that!

Les gets all the credit in the world for 2006. But one year doesn't make a career, nor does it mean what we're watching right now is OK. Dana has won 6 MVC Tournament titles and 3 MVC regular season titles. They've dance 8 times in his tenure, and been in the NIT 4 other times. I would trade 1 Sweet 16 for 8 NCAA Tournaments in a heartbeat, and take an NIT in a down year over the CBI or CIT. Dana has a .654 winning percentage overall at CU, and a .631 conference winning percentage...so please...enough with the Dana comparisons. They're flat-out ignorant.

We're near the bottom of the league in coaching experience (talking about assistants here), and it's showing every game. Heck, fix that in the offseason and we just might get back to where we can and should be.

[wily coyote]

I don't mind that the media asks the tough questions that the people want to hear. In a democracy, that is a good thing. But at least they should act professional toward a person if, as is also allowed in a free society, they choose not to speak, instead of making it personal. I hear too many in the media come off as if when people choose not to answer their questions that it is a personal vendetta against them. That's not the case in most instances (maybe Bob Knight being an exception).

Bravesfan you might be closer to the problem then you think. I will not elaborate any farther just you might rethink your vendetta quote.

[patrick_o'brian]

where are these posts and threads talking about "how great things are at bu"?
I see nothing but innumerable posts and threads criticizing the team, the coach, the program, the players, and everything else, including when timeouts are called, the substitution pattern, the resumes of the coaches, and what comments the coach says to reporters. It is all a little repetetive.
When is enough, enough???
And please don't reply to me with another list of what's wrong, or another list of how many wins/losses jim les has, and how we haven't been to a real postseason tournament since 2006.
Everyone wants to see the team win. But not everyone is as miserabkle as some people are here who think they have to keep up the constant drumbeat of negativity as if that will accomplish anything.

new post of the year!

[patrick_o'brian]

Nobody here is a paid employee of Bradley, and this site is not affiliated with BU.
So please stop with this kind of guilt by association kind of comment.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and people who don't think that the sky is falling have every right to their opinion as do the those who do.

By the way- am I the only person who thinks all this negative hysteria is exactly like it was in January and early February of 2006, just before Bradley went on to the Sweet 16?
There were threads and posts saying the exact same things as now, and others calling for Jim Les to be fired, and discussing who we should replace him with.
I even recall some here (I won't mention names) who were at least man enough after the 2006 season, to admit they were wrong and congratulate the staff for their success. Others never have.

I was just telling another guy who frequents the board this the other day DC! It's a little deja vu. The thing is that this team is very talented and it will find its way. I believe that 100%

[Braves4Life]

Well ... I know there are paid university employees on this site. You may not be, but there are university employees who post on this site.

SO WHAT! What's that got to do with anything?! That has got to be the poorest validation of a point I think I have ever heard.

Come on man! You're better than that.

[Da Coach]

I am in a better position to say, since I have had to validate every one of the 1700+ registered users. I am sure that some do visit as unregistered guests but I do not believe any paid university official posts here.
One former employee did for a short time, but he did so only announce or to promote events.

[longtimelistener]

SO WHAT! What's that got to do with anything?! That has got to be the poorest validation of a point I think I have ever heard.

Come on man! You're better than that.

DC thought it a valid point to mention it, but ... whatever floats yer boat.

And say what you will DC.