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The reality of the situation is that every single coach at a major revenue program has an expiration date.
I'd venture to guess that Jim Les is in the top 15% in all of D1 in tenure. There might be 30-40 coaches that have been at their programs longer, either because of sustained success or apathy. Which category does BU want to be in?
I'm not really sure what to make of this mess. We can criticize Les for being Mr. 2:30 and it's a fair criticism, but one thing it DID do was set a floor for the program. Even if we can't hit the ceiling, we at least know that the floor of the program is 2:30. At least until this year.
I said going into this year that it was no more excuse time. No matter how bad or good the luck it, we had to take this year's results at face value and use them in a strict manner to evaluate the program. This was supposed to be the year of reckoning. Of course, this ends up being the year we're more devastated by injury than any other year. It almost seems deceitful of me to continue that stance when our two best players (yes, TB>AW) ended up gone for the entire year basically.
I guess I'm saying I'm at my own crossroads when trying to evaluate this program. I have no idea if I'm supposed to be saying Les should get a full year with a full strength team one more time or if enough is enough. I don't know if there's a correct answer to that question.
I'm not really sure what to make of this mess. We can criticize Les for being Mr. 2:30 and it's a fair criticism, but one thing it DID do was set a floor for the program. Even if we can't hit the ceiling, we at least know that the floor of the program is 2:30. At least until this year.
I said going into this year that it was no more excuse time. No matter how bad or good the luck it, we had to take this year's results at face value and use them in a strict manner to evaluate the program. This was supposed to be the year of reckoning. Of course, this ends up being the year we're more devastated by injury than any other year. It almost seems deceitful of me to continue that stance when our two best players (yes, TB>AW) ended up gone for the entire year basically.
I guess I'm saying I'm at my own crossroads when trying to evaluate this program. I have no idea if I'm supposed to be saying Les should get a full year with a full strength team one more time or if enough is enough. I don't know if there's a correct answer to that question.
I struggle also in about the same way. If only we lived in the real no-excuse world where we get to "reasonably" ask the question, "why didn't Les have a plan B to Taylor Brown?" The answer, very obviously, is that midmajors almost never have a scrapheap full of mismatch forwards with an excellent mix of skills, shooting, athleticism, and raw talent. I'm not a member of either of the big factions that have developed on our board. I don't at all think anyone who posts on here isn't a fan or something. But I'm as tired of the Les is the Root of All Evil crowd as I am the University Never Does Wrong crowd. Both have an agenda.
Regarding my own opinions on the coach, I can't figure out how to evaluate this season at this point. That was an awful game last night, and I hated watching it. I think some of that was coaching, I think some of it was the players, I think some of it was bad luck. I don't think Jim Les is a great coach and I don't think he's the best recruiter of all time. Coming into this season, I considered him to be average or a bit above. If I combine that with his obvious love and ambition for the alma mater and the fact that he's probably "underpaid" (believe his pay is no better than average for our league) for his performance he hasn't been an awful situation for us.
If I thought Bradley was going to throw up some big money to get a top up and comer or solid mid career guy I would be less predisposed against a change if the season turns out like it looks like it will. Problem is, I don't think we will put up that kind of money, so I don't feel confident that what we get will be better... And I do think that will put the program back a couple of years-- loss of incoming recruiting class (a class I happen to think is a very good one) and incompatibility of current personnel to new system as reasons for setback.
As for this season and my preseason expectations, injuries, for a midmajor like us, are an excuse. TB is the kind of player you just don't replace. SM is maybe a bit more replaceable, from a talent standpoint, but not from an intangibles one. The coach can't use that excuse, for sure, but fans who are unwilling to adjust expectations when you lose 2/3 of your star players are either foolish or have something else in mind (positioning for the end of the Les era). That doesn't mean anyone has to like losing, I sure don't. I don't begrudge anyone who had already decided that they thought Les isn't the man for the job their opinion, I just haven't decided yet... And I can't even figure out how I'm judging that going forward. If our next 16 games are like the one last night, I think that'll be disappointing... One thing I'm sure of, I won't be judging the team's performance by my preseason expectations... But like TAS, I haven't managed to figure out what my criteria actually is.
I'm not really sure what to make of this mess. We can criticize Les for being Mr. 2:30 and it's a fair criticism, but one thing it DID do was set a floor for the program. Even if we can't hit the ceiling, we at least know that the floor of the program is 2:30. At least until this year.
I said going into this year that it was no more excuse time. No matter how bad or good the luck it, we had to take this year's results at face value and use them in a strict manner to evaluate the program. This was supposed to be the year of reckoning. Of course, this ends up being the year we're more devastated by injury than any other year. It almost seems deceitful of me to continue that stance when our two best players (yes, TB>AW) ended up gone for the entire year basically.
I guess I'm saying I'm at my own crossroads when trying to evaluate this program. I have no idea if I'm supposed to be saying Les should get a full year with a full strength team one more time or if enough is enough. I don't know if there's a correct answer to that question.
This is the best post I've read in weeks. Sums up my opinion completely.
I really debated on posting about BU and the state of the program. In fact, I have stayed away completely from posting for quite a while because I did not want to dwell on the negatives.
I found it interesting reading Dave's article in the paper today, which basically showed his own struggle with reporting and discussing the negative state of things at Bradley.
My thoughts, for what they are worth:
I have a really difficult time watching the product that Bradley is putting on the floor.
I do not know how I could be any more of a "Bradley" guy. I grew with a parent who worked at Bradley. I am one of 7 children who attended Bradley. I worked at Bradley before I was in college, while I was in college, and even after I graduated from college. I've gone to 95% of the home games since I was old enough to remember them. I have gone to the Valley tournament almost every year it's been in St. Louis. I even went several times before it was in St. Louis.
That said, I am absolutely, 100%, concerned about where this program is headed. To me, we are beyond the crossroad and headed downhill, without breaks.
I realize we have had injuries. I know we didn't have the best facilities for many years. I realize that being a smaller, private school with "limited" resources plays some part in limiting our capabilities.
However, I also believe in accountability. I believe that, at some point, you have to WIN games. I believe there has to be considerable, noticeable, concrete signs of improvement and development.
I have struggled to find any signs of growth. Any signs of hope.
Where is the development of players? Why do we seemingly have no offense? Why do Bradley players not know how to set screens? Seriously, watch BU's screens for an entire game...they never set a quality screen to open a teammate.
To me, we are way past the crossroads. This is closer to an end-game, IMO.
I wish and hope that I am wrong, but it's not looking good.
I really debated on posting about BU and the state of the program. In fact, I have stayed away completely from posting for quite a while because I did not want to dwell on the negatives.
I found it interesting reading Dave's article in the paper today, which basically showed his own struggle with reporting and discussing the negative state of things at Bradley.
My thoughts, for what they are worth:
I have a really difficult time watching the product that Bradley is putting on the floor.
I do not know how I could be any more of a "Bradley" guy. I grew with a parent who worked at Bradley. I am one of 7 children who attended Bradley. I worked at Bradley before I was in college, while I was in college, and even after I graduated from college. I've gone to 95% of the home games since I was old enough to remember them. I have gone to the Valley tournament almost every year it's been in St. Louis. I even went several times before it was in St. Louis.
That said, I am absolutely, 100%, concerned about where this program is headed. To me, we are beyond the crossroad and headed downhill, without breaks.
I realize we have had injuries. I know we didn't have the best facilities for many years. I realize that being a smaller, private school with "limited" resources plays some part in limiting our capabilities.
However, I also believe in accountability. I believe that, at some point, you have to WIN games. I believe there has to be considerable, noticeable, concrete signs of improvement and development.
I have struggled to find any signs of growth. Any signs of hope.
Where is the development of players? Why do we seemingly have no offense? Why do Bradley players not know how to set screens? Seriously, watch BU's screens for an entire game...they never set a quality screen to open a teammate.
To me, we are way past the crossroads. This is closer to an end-game, IMO.
I wish and hope that I am wrong, but it's not looking good.
I supported Les for years but I really don"t think if he even gets better talent that he can win championships, our fundamentals stink , I really believed that we had a chance to win 23 games this season but when we lost Taylor and then Sam I thought we could still finish at least 5th or 6th, J.D. is correct in everything he has said and in order for BU to improve a change needs to be made.
I was and am not expecting a good win and loss record this year after TB and SM went down but what I want to see is how this team competes and improves throughout the season into St. Louis. That to me will be my determination on JL's season. He has zero control over the injuries but a coach does have control on how his team competes and if not well something has to change.
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people...they are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
??” Thomas Jefferson
sigpic
I struggle also in about the same way. If only we lived in the real no-excuse world where we get to "reasonably" ask the question, "why didn't Les have a plan B to Taylor Brown?" The answer, very obviously, is that midmajors almost never have a scrapheap full of mismatch forwards with an excellent mix of skills, shooting, athleticism, and raw talent. I'm not a member of either of the big factions that have developed on our board. I don't at all think anyone who posts on here isn't a fan or something. But I'm as tired of the Les is the Root of All Evil crowd as I am the University Never Does Wrong crowd. Both have an agenda.
Regarding my own opinions on the coach, I can't figure out how to evaluate this season at this point. That was an awful game last night, and I hated watching it. I think some of that was coaching, I think some of it was the players, I think some of it was bad luck. I don't think Jim Les is a great coach and I don't think he's the best recruiter of all time. Coming into this season, I considered him to be average or a bit above. If I combine that with his obvious love and ambition for the alma mater and the fact that he's probably "underpaid" (believe his pay is no better than average for our league) for his performance he hasn't been an awful situation for us.
If I thought Bradley was going to throw up some big money to get a top up and comer or solid mid career guy I would be less predisposed against a change if the season turns out like it looks like it will. Problem is, I don't think we will put up that kind of money, so I don't feel confident that what we get will be better... And I do think that will put the program back a couple of years-- loss of incoming recruiting class (a class I happen to think is a very good one) and incompatibility of current personnel to new system as reasons for setback.
As for this season and my preseason expectations, injuries, for a midmajor like us, are an excuse. TB is the kind of player you just don't replace. SM is maybe a bit more replaceable, from a talent standpoint, but not from an intangibles one. The coach can't use that excuse, for sure, but fans who are unwilling to adjust expectations when you lose 2/3 of your star players are either foolish or have something else in mind (positioning for the end of the Les era). That doesn't mean anyone has to like losing, I sure don't. I don't begrudge anyone who had already decided that they thought Les isn't the man for the job their opinion, I just haven't decided yet... And I can't even figure out how I'm judging that going forward. If our next 16 games are like the one last night, I think that'll be disappointing... One thing I'm sure of, I won't be judging the team's performance by my preseason expectations... But like TAS, I haven't managed to figure out what my criteria actually is.
One of the best posts I have read in a long time! But my one point of disagreement stems around how many wins is acceptable. Losing home games to mediocre teams like SIU and EIU are games we should not be losing no matter how shorthanded we are. And the fact that our fundamentals are so poor does not reflect well on Les.
Sure we lose some games we should win without TB and SM. But a well coached team well versed on fundamentals such as setting screens, making short shots and simply holding onto the ball should be able to overcome at least a few of those losses even without the best players available. This is one attribute Les seems to lack, and this an attribute that will go a long way towards whatever decision the administration makes regarding his future at the end of the season.
and it's a fair criticism, but one thing it DID do was set a floor for the program. Even if we can't hit the ceiling, we at least know that the floor of the program is 2:30. At least until this year.
It almost seems deceitful of me to continue that stance when our two best players (yes, TB>AW) ended up gone for the entire year basically.
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