Just the facts.....No opinions

[Chico]

How do you quantify that statement? What would constitute a commitment? What is a quality coach? I mean it sounds good and all, but can you be more specific?

I root for Bradley. I don't root for Jim Les or against Jim Les. I just prefer fair discourse. Statements like "after awhile you cannot use injuries as an excuse" make absolutely no sense, and are unfair. Rose-colored glasses are not totally objective, but poop-colored ones are worse.

The same goes for most season ticket holders. We all haven't been fans of certain coaches, but we kept buying our tickets because we are BU basketball fans.

[SaintLouBrave22]

The same goes for most season ticket holders. We all haven't been fans of certain coaches, but we kept buying our tickets because we are BU basketball fans.

You hit it perfectly there....

Look, I wouldn't drive the 7 hr round trip and have season tickets if I wasn't a big Bradley fan...

But thats just it, I am a Bradley Basketball fan more than I am a certain player fan or a certain coach fan...

I mean there have been guys over the years I have gotten to know as individuals that I just absolutely gravitate to like Thirdkill or Deon Jackson or Chris Roberts....

But that doesn't mean I hold them any higher than the university itself...Joah Tucker is a prime example as is Eddren McCain...great kids if you ever got to meet them, but they ended up elsewhere and so be it...


Just like Les...he's an outstanding guy as an individual, but that does not make him a great bball coach....

If we wanted a guy just because he's nice, over half this board should apply...


B4L is right...we need to put a good enough package together to get someone in that brings a vision that not only is different to BU Basketball, but also leaves it's mark on the Valley!

Like I said before, I would love presses, traps, matchup zone, and tough physical teams that rebound the ball...I want to bruise and batter our opponents and make them never ever forget Bradley Braves Basketball!

[BradleyJD]

You hit it perfectly there....

Look, I wouldn't drive the 7 hr round trip and have season tickets if I wasn't a big Bradley fan...

But thats just it, I am a Bradley Basketball fan more than I am a certain player fan or a certain coach fan...

I mean there have been guys over the years I have gotten to know as individuals that I just absolutely gravitate to like Thirdkill or Deon Jackson or Chris Roberts....

But that doesn't mean I hold them any higher than the university itself...Joah Tucker is a prime example as is Eddren McCain...great kids if you ever got to meet them, but they ended up elsewhere and so be it...


Just like Les...he's an outstanding guy as an individual, but that does not make him a great bball coach....

If we wanted a guy just because he's nice, over half this board should apply...


B4L is right...we need to put a good enough package together to get someone in that brings a vision that not only is different to BU Basketball, but also leaves it's mark on the Valley!

Like I said before, I would love presses, traps, matchup zone, and tough physical teams that rebound the ball...I want to bruise and batter our opponents and make them never ever forget Bradley Braves Basketball!

Very well said.

[fansince55]

Well, he has won a game in the MVC tourney in 07, 09, 10. he did reach the finals of the CBI and the CIT. He won a game in the NIT. He beat Illinois. He beat #18 UNI last year. There are times where his teams play at a very high level, the problem has been sustaining that. Last year on January 16 their season was collapsing after being slaughtered. They lost a close one at UNI after that then rattled off three straight wins, and with the exception of the two ISU games, played well the rest of the season. There are things you can call successes, if you choose to look for them.

Thank you BNC for supporting the fact that JL has had no successes since the S16!!!

[Braves4Life]

...I want to bruise and batter our opponents and make them never ever forget Bradley Braves Basketball!

Man! I love that! I've just got to use that line as my signature.

[Da Coach]

Thank you BNC for supporting the fact that JL has had no successes since the S16!!!

Again, those who are not fans of JL- your opinions are welcome and appreciated. But it is reasonable that some fans do not agree that four 20+ win seasons in a row constitutes "no successes" at all. And there were some circumstances beyond the control of the coach that some reasonable fans might consider (injuries). Sorry if you don't agree, but it is not as black and white as you want to portray things..

[LittleBrave]

He also stopped the mighty undefeated redbirds a couple years ago.

Hopefully he WON'T stop the flighty, winless redbirds this year...from their losing streak.
If we get to 0-10 in the Valley, that may be the lowest point we will see.
If that happens, I think apathy will really start to set in.
I still haven't stopped watching the games from home, but I'm thinking about the games about 2 minutes before tip-off instead of 2 days before.
Let's be honest...0-7 in a conference that hasn't been weaker in 15+ years is inexcuseable for a school with such rich basketball tradition as Bradley. Let's hope we can pull out 2 or 3 wins.

[Buesch N Chips]

Thank you BNC for supporting the fact that JL has had no successes since the S16!!!

I look for successes wherever I can find them, some look for the alternative. Some rejoice because thorns have roses, other complain because roses have thorns.

[Dallas Brave]

BU has not and did not achieve high levels quickly under Les. His 4th season(sweet 16) was a 5th place conf finish. I think its factual to state that this isnt a high level of success.

While I think BU has underperformed in general in conference play under JL, the 5th place finish the S16 year is hard for me to be to decide one way or the other as to if that was a good or bad finish. I've never seen a stronger set of teams in the MVC than that year. Four MVC teams went to the NCAA and a fifth team should have. Then 2 of the 4 make the S16. Not just BU, but the MVC has also been struggling since that high water mark.

[real fan]

Amen! It would never happen but I'd love to see an official survey done of the season ticket holders and the mighty BSS members to see what their thoughts would be to a coaching change. I'd be willing to bet that over 50% would accept change if BU made the committment to attract a quality coach.

If a survey was done it would be a landslide for change as I talk to a lot of fans that attend , do not know how many of the big boosters want change but I do know that everybody not only wants but expects a winner because of all the resources BU basketball has, the attendance last night for a team that has yet to win in the conference was amazing but the unfortunate thing was when BU rallied to being only 6 down and usually everybody would have been standing like I was yet only 10% of the people actually got up so it says people attended but apathy has set in, if the admin. decides to give him 1 more year I think they should be telling their fan base why and what he needs to do in order to continue coaching Bradley.

[shaunguth]

BU has not and did not achieve high levels quickly under Les. His 4th season(sweet 16) was a 5th place conf finish. I think its factual to state that this isnt a high level of success.

Those statements tell me all I need to know about the thought process of someone that wants the administration to make a change ASAP. The sweet 16 isn't even considered a "high level of success" when four teams from the conference were NCAA tournament teams? I guess not......when Jim Les is the coach.

[Braves4Life]

BU has not and did not achieve high levels quickly under Les. His 4th season(sweet 16) was a 5th place conf finish. I think its factual to state that this isnt a high level of success.

I disagree here. I think the Sweet 16 season was the ultimate in successful seasons. A good win-loss record is important, don't get me wrong, but the ultimate goal is how and where a team finishes the season. That team was BU's most successful team in 50 years.

Unfortunately, things have progressively gone backward each year since, and the team and coaching staff have seen little or no real growth. That's why many have problems with Les as coach.

[real fan]

I disagree here. I think the Sweet 16 season was the ultimate in successful seasons. A good win-loss record is important, don't get me wrong, but the ultimate goal is how and where a team finishes the season. That team was BU's most successful team in 50 years.

Unfortunately, things have progressively gone backward each year since, and the team and coaching staff have seen little or no real growth. That's why many have problems with Les as coach.

I will never forget our Sweet 16 team and how much fun that was , the thing that is most disappointing is it is like our coach forgot what type of players it took for us to that point, a 7-0 center that could score, defend and rebound plus a 6-7 power forward that could play inside or outside to go along with 3 excellent guards that were good defenders and tough competitors that also could shoot the basketball, are we ever going to get a true center that can block multiple shots and capable of scoring 20 points in a game?

[Lakeview Brave]

I disagree here. I think the Sweet 16 season was the ultimate in successful seasons. A good win-loss record is important, don't get me wrong, but the ultimate goal is how and where a team finishes the season. That team was BU's most successful team in 50 years.

The most successfull team in 50 years???? I dont even think Jim Les would agree with that. You can make an argument that the 95 team was more succesfull but really how was that team more successfull than any of the great teams from the 80's? We went 32-4 with two NBA players and lost to the eventual national champs in the second round.

[45otseoj]

I will never forget our Sweet 16 team and how much fun that was , the thing that is most disappointing is it is like our coach forgot what type of players it took for us to that point, a 7-0 center that could score, defend and rebound plus a 6-7 power forward that could play inside or outside to go along with 3 excellent guards that were good defenders and tough competitors that also could shoot the basketball, are we ever going to get a true center that can block multiple shots and capable of scoring 20 points in a game?

I think about every single coach in America is looking for a 7 foot center who can score, defend, and rebound.