JL the recruiter

[TNMSUFAN]

It's extremely hard to stay competitive with 4 smaller players and a bigger player on the floor...3-4 of which are usually placed out of position.

I disagree a little but at the same time it depends on your 4 plus the size of your guards...Zo has said you can never have too many players between 6'3" and 6'6" who can play multiple positions. Our 4 (Weems) is really a WF type and that will always be the case because Zo likes our 4 to pick and pop. Next year we have 3 more guard types coming in who can all stroke it...2 of them are 6'5" kids. Our roster will have the 3 - 6'9"-6'11" centers and then everyone else 6'6" and under. There are a lot of good teams that play 3-4 guards...

[Bravesfan]

At this point (7 years in, 10-8 last year), 9-9 isn't respectable. It's a major disappointment and a step back. 9-9 usually has you playing in or on the cusp of playing in. If it was the first time in the regime I can give it a pass, but it might be the 3rd time in 8 years.

I got it. I completely understand that a 9-9 record is not acceptable considering we finished 10-8 last year. But what I am trying to say is that when I say respectable in this sense, I mean respectable in relation to how this season has gone so far. I believe, and most will agree, that 9-9 will be respectable in terms of how disasterous this season has gone versus, say 3-15.

But yes, I agree with you 100% BradleyBrave that 9-9 is not at all respectable within the context of our long term goal of competing for the NCAA Tournament year in and year out, especially considering where this team was at the end of last season. It's just that I have to keep explaining this everytime I post something like this!

[Bravesfan]

Part of JL's recruiting philosophy seems to be to recruit freak athletes who are very raw, and hope they can learn to play basketball. It worked with Zach Andrews, Chris Roberts is doing OK, Saihou Jassey did not. Taylor Brown has made tremendous strides, but it is clear he is not buying in.

Well this was exactly the same philosophy Jim Molinari used. And like Les, it worked some of the time, but not all of the time. The big difference here is that Les makes more attempts to recruit in the state of Illinois, something Molinari did not do much of since he did not believe he could compete for the same recruits U of I went after. Maybe not the best theory, but that's what he did.

I still think Les is a good recruiter, but the longer it takes his players to gel, the more questions will be asked. I'm still hoping this season can at least make a turn for the better.

[BUFAN]

I have ALWAYS said he gets WAY to much credit for his recruiting. I see NO better players on our team then most any other MVC team. And thats not just this year.To me he is an average recruiter and an average to below average coach.

Thats a recipe for disaster.

I realize some will disagree and claim he is a good recruiter and IF thats the case then its REALLY a shot at his coaching.

We are spiralling downhill......

We have ONE recruit for next year that couldn't even crack the lineup over AT....who doesn't even play anymore.

Ouch......

Dogs you have made a good observation here, however I pointed out way before this season that Jim doesnt recruit defenders, rebounders or shooters. I think it is just now starting to soakin to a lot of the posters here.

[massivemike3]

Eh...we're too far into 2010 for it to be a resolution. Maybe I am just running out of things to pile on with. I think everyone knows by now that in 7 years we haven't contended for a league title, finished in the top 3 of the MVC, and that he has a losing record in league play. I think everyone knows this '20 wins' thing is a fraud. I think everyone knows we stink at defense and rebounding, and that we have the least experienced staff top to bottom in the league. I think most people think we have some talent that doesn't appear to get maximized. I dunno, we have 13 league games left plus a BracketBuster and a league tournament, so it will probably be hard to keep from going back to my 'broken record' matra, but I am going to try. I like Jim Les and really wanted this to work, but I think it has run its course.

well said....