suggestions?

[BradleyJD]

guys - send in your resumes.....I am sure they'd hire the best qualified...

Check the last search......I don't think that is true.

[Bradleyguy10]

Who exactly is saying they'd do better? I'm unbelievably tired of that remark. It's completely different than what they are actually saying; that someone else could do better. Make sense?

[thefish7]

For me it's hire assistant, secure solid recruiting class, and make one more run playing at least 8 deep. If he can't get it done next year I'll be ready for a change.

[That Guy]

guys - send in your resumes.....I am sure they'd hire the best qualified...

Haha, actaully T, that's not a bad idea. I think a fair number of "resumes" from fans sent to our AD applying for head coach of the men's basketball team might send a message to him. I like where your head's at.

[Buesch N Chips]

So one might say the days of success are an outlier, and nothing has really changed. And to a good (and growing) number of people, that is precisely the problem.

I agree with this. People say "accepting mediocrity" or whatever. Why wouldn't a BU fan at this point be somewhat accustomed to it? Has JL actually "under-achieved" during his time here, or has he pretty much done what one would expect from this university in this conference, based on the past?

I'll hang up and listen to your answer.

[MacabreMob]

False. They didn't last time, I can tell you that firsthand.

Check the last search......I don't think that is true.

Ahhhh.... the WM Crybabies.

And to think - we coulda had a direct pipe-line for all the academically ineligible players in the Peoria area.

[BradleyJD]

Ahhhh.... the WM Crybabies.

And to think - we coulda had a direct pipe-line for all the academically ineligible players in the Peoria area.

HUH? I have stated publicly that I would seriously consider giving up my season tickets if Wayne was ever hired.

I never wanted him.

[squirrelgotdead]

Wow! Crybaby? I never once endorsed Wayne McClain. He was NEVER my candidate for the job. I didn't necessarily think it would have been a bad hire, especially given the other option at the end, but you need to get over your mis-remembering of truth.

Furthermore, my comments were RE: Assistant Coaches, not a change of Head Coach.

I wasn't really all that excited about any of the finalists in 2002.

[MacabreMob]

HUH? I have stated publicly that I would seriously consider giving up my season tickets if Wayne was ever hired.

I never wanted him.

Wow! Crybaby? I never once endorsed Wayne McClain. He was NEVER my candidate for the job. I didn't necessarily think it would have been a bad hire, especially given the other option at the end, but you need to get over your mis-remembering of truth.

Furthermore, my comments were RE: Assistant Coaches, not a change of Head Coach.

I wasn't really all that excited about any of the finalists in 2002.

My apologies fellas. Whenever I hear someone say we didn't make the right hire, I figure they musta wanted WM.

But in this case - the last search didn't hire the best candidate? So I guess the best candidate didn't apply.

Why didn't Bobby Knight put his app in?

[DannyCooksey]

I have a serious question. I'm not trying to flame or poke a stick in someone's eye. I've always been curious of this. Here goes:

I don't know who the other finalists were in '02 other than Wayne McClain. So I won't pretend to know who the other candidates were or their qualifications. I can only presume a job as prestigious as Bradley would attract many talented and qualified candidates. My question is two-fold:

1) Was Jim Les truly the most qualified candidate for this job? i.e. did his resume seperate him clearly from the other choices? I ask because if I'm not mistaken he had next to zero previous coaching experience, yes?

2) If Jim Les were a star player at Eastern Illinois or some school other than Bradley would he have been given the job of Head Basketball Coach at Bradley?

[Buesch N Chips]

1) Was Jim Les truly the most qualified candidate for this job? i.e. did his resume seperate him clearly from the other choices? I ask because if I'm not mistaken he had next to zero previous coaching experience, yes?

2) If Jim Les were a star player at Eastern Illinois or some school other than Bradley would he have been given the job of Head Basketball Coach at Bradley?

I am sure that Jim Les had a tremendous interview, sold himself well, and I am sure his reputation as a player here was of great help. The "rock star" candidate is hard to turn down. Heck, it's how we have our current president. Also, I'm sure he understands basketball well enough to be a D1 coach. I would guess that his only weakness coming in would be an inexperience in dealing with college kids and trying to get them to do what he wants. And also maybe the realization that he needs help making decisions. That comes with experience (and probably a Sports Psych class).

[ph]

I think the other 2 finalists (including Brian Gregory, Izzo asst, now at Dayton) withdrew, so unfortunately the committee was left with JL and WM.

I think JL was actually persuaded to enter the race, and had support from insiders like CB and university board member Hersey Hawkins.. so, yes, if JL was from another school, he would not of had insider support and not been selected.

Knowing how the university needed money for facilities, they needed the best "bang for he buck" canidate, and JL fit the bill perfectly. I do not think JL was the absolutely wrong choice.
He did not hinder establishing facities which gives the future program a much stronger foundation.

[BradleyJD]

I think the other 2 finalists (including Brian Gregory, Izzo asst, now at Dayton) withdrew

The question is.....Why did they withdraw?

[ER3]

The question is.....Why did they withdraw?

$$$$ being offered, sub-standard facilities....that would be my best guess.

[squirrelgotdead]

My take on how the coaching change took place in 2002. . .

There was some money that was bound together for a twofold purpose: Remove Jim Molinari as coach and replace his him with Jim Les. I believe this was known before the 2001-02 season.

Jim Molinari was led to believe by David Broski that he was perfectly safe, and therefore took some scheduling risks his final year that he otherwise would not have in order to put forth a better record.

The completely nonsensical rumor about Jim Les, a stockbroker, being the next head coach was floating around by December.

The selection process was delegated to a committee. Judge Joe Billy McDade, a member of the Board of Trustees, was approached about joining the committee, and refused because he said he would not have supported any candidate other than Wayne McClain, and therefore felt he was not qualified to serve on the committee, however Broski pretty much made him serve on the committee to make it appear credible and then made him and the University to later look a fool after McDade made comments talking about how the process was that of railroading a particular candidate through. . .something he did not want to do, and did his best to refrain from.

The finalists:

Jim Les
Wayne McClain
Brian Gregory (Dayton)
James Jones (Yale)

There may have been a fifth, but I don't remember for sure.

IMO, McClain was also only in the mix because of his Bradley ties and for potential recruiting advantages in Peoria, not necessarily because he belonged there.

Jones advanced mostly to appear publicly to give a minority outsider a chance, and Gregory was the only finalist that belonged there.

The group of finalists was carefully crafted so that it would appear that JL was "head and shoulders" above the rest.

Of the group, only Gregory was there on merit, and I find it hard to believe there weren't dozens of equally or more qualified than those 4 that weren't even given proper consideration.

I have enough empirical evidence to believe the fix was in on the hire and I was more disappointed by the process than anything, and it wasn't with the best intentions for Bradley Basketball in mind.

Just my two cents.