Bradley ranked as 11th out of 263 midmajors over past 6 years

[chitown fanatic]

There are only conference championships and NCAA berths. These are the only stats that matter as they are the mark of true winners, the elite, the pinnacle,etc. everything else is 2nd rate and deep down, the defenders of the mediocre know this but wont admit it. 1 tourney berth in past 6 years, albeit a great run to the sweet 16, does not put us above SIU and Creighton. Creighton is the class of this conference and is who we should aspire to emulate. Yay, we havent been woeful lately...do we get some sort of participation award like they give out in grade school these days??? When someone thinks about who the perrenial powers are from the MVC, I assure you, Bradley is not one of those teams mentioned. Let's start to change that this season. We have the talent to do it, let's hope Les finds ways to maximize the on court potential and minimize the off court distractions that have plagued him recently.

[saluki762]

If Bulter can be one shot away from winning it all, what's to stop Bradley?

The same thing that is stopping all MVC teams, no Gordon Hayward. Many MVC teams are full of the complementary players that Butler had but lack the superstar that it takes to get to the next level. Even in Bradley or SIU's Sweet 16 runs, POB and Tatum were great players but not the level thet Hayward is. When an upper tier MVC team lands a player of his caliber we will see a MVC team with a legitimate shot for a Final Four, maybe even title (though that takes some luck).

[Da Coach]

There are only conference championships and NCAA berths. These are the only stats that matter as they are the mark of true winners, the elite, the pinnacle,etc....

...Creighton is the class of this conference and is who we should aspire to emulate.

That sounds like a "what have you done for me lately" fan, which I didn't think you were. Nobody has the right to define why a fan follows a team, or what fans consider success.
So everyone who is a Cubs fan is a loser and is wasting their time?

We should aspire to be Creighton? How many NCAA wins has Creighton had recently?
None in the last 8 years, only 1 since 1999, and only 3 since 1974! And in that time, they have never won more than a 1st round game and have never advanced to the Sweet 16.

[amckillip]

The same thing that is stopping all MVC teams, no Gordon Hayward. Many MVC teams are full of the complementary players that Butler had but lack the superstar that it takes to get to the next level. Even in Bradley or SIU's Sweet 16 runs, POB and Tatum were great players but not the level thet Hayward is. When an upper tier MVC team lands a player of his caliber we will see a MVC team with a legitimate shot for a Final Four, maybe even title (though that takes some luck).

Jordan Prosser?

[Dallas Brave]

The Mid-Majority study states, ???one of our summer projects is ranking all the 263 teams of the Other 25 conferences*, based on their performance over the course of the six-year Mid-Majority era.???
Ranked at 11th on the criteria used in the study, Bradley has been consistently better than most mid-major programs over this period. Regardless of how each of us regards the current state of the program, the results of this study are positive and should be useful for recruiting.

[amckillip]

well...it's not likely we'll see another non-BCS in the Final Four for a while, but actually Bradley has been there -- in fact in one of those games,
we actually did win it all, but were cheated when Squeaky was hammered and the New York refs who were also likely on the take in the scandal era, let it play out...

Haha, many could argue squeaky had it coming. You play with fire...

[Dallas Brave]

I agree its VERY easy to call the program mediocre.....I see alot of BU fans like you do JD and the VAST majority rate BU that way. THATS a fact Jack....so why this poll is fun the REAL scientists or the true scientific facts come from those who see, hear and live BU hoops on a daily basis.

IMO, the only mediocre season Bradley has had during this time was last year with a W/L of 16-15. The program hasn't had the results that the fan base would like, but the teams have not been mediocre.

[tornado]

... Regardless...the results of this study are positive and should be useful for recruiting.

bingo

[Buesch N Chips]

Go do whatever you do???

Amen!

[saluki762]

Jordan Prosser?

For the MVC's sake, I hope so. For SIU's sake, I hope he is a bum.

[TheAsianSensation]

I think different people have different definitions of "mediocre".

[Buesch N Chips]

I think different people have different definitions of "mediocre".

I agree.

[chitown fanatic]

That sounds like a "what have you done for me lately" fan, which I didn't think you were. Nobody has the right to define why a fan follows a team, or what fans consider success.
So everyone who is a Cubs fan is a loser and is wasting their time?

We should aspire to be Creighton? How many NCAA wins has Creighton had recently?
None in the last 8 years, only 1 since 1999, and only 3 since 1974! And in that time, they have never won more than a 1st round game and have never advanced to the Sweet 16.

I never said anything about what defines a fan. But yes, cubs fans are losers

Again, I'll use your points against your argument. How many times during the same time span has Creighton made an appearance in the tournament? To the non-mvc fan, if you asked who is the more successful program over the past 6 years, the answer is still creighton. getting one more win in the tourney over them doesnt equal seeing your name on a million bracket sheets consistently each March. This is what SIU and CU have had over BU and from a recruiting and financial perspective to the university, those appearances are worth far more than the lack of success once in the tourney. Any knowledgable fan would take NCAA berths over 2nd rate tourney success. I dont even consider that an opinion, that's a fact Jack.

[amckillip]

Any knowledgable fan would take NCAA berths over 2nd rate tourney success. I dont even consider that an opinion, that's a fact Jack.

And any knowledgeable (spelled correctly) fan, would take a Sweet 16 over not winning a game in the NCAA's. THAT is a fact.

[Lakeview Brave]

bingo

Im sure after the coaches take the players to the new facilities they are going to bring them to the office and point out that we are number 11 out of 263 in a poll that doesnt include the best 6 conferences on a website no one knows about. WOW that sounds like and overwhelming selling point! I know if i was in highschool and i heard that it would be Bradley all the way.

A better analogy is we are the 11th tallest midget.