For everything said..tonight was the JL era wrapped in a bow!

[TheAsianSensation]

I'm a little bit reminded of the boy who cried wolf.

Each of the 4 previous years to this one, the injury excuse has been used. To some, it's completely warranted. To others, it's unwarranted. Me personally? I fall somewhere in between. Injuries were a part of the problem with the team but not a big enough problem such that it shouldn't have prevented us from getting where we wanted to be.

Now, to this year. Injuries again. Except, this time, REALLY REALLY for sure, the injuries are a legitimate excuse. They truly are. However, since we used the injury excuse the past 4 years as well, we've used up all of our injury excuse reserve, so to speak. No one wants to hear the same excuse every year.

So, when we finally hit the year that the injury excuse is legitimate, every fan is already to the point to where he/she refuses to legitimately apply the injury excuse to this year's expectations of the team.

So you can blame the "pro-Les" supporters for incorrectly applying the injury excuse in years past, causing people not to take this year's injuries fairly into account. And you can also blame the "anti-Les" supporters for not realizing how devastating losing your top two players can be, and not properly adjusting expectations.


Me personally, going into this year, I decided to set a hard ultimatum (my own ultimatum for expectatiosn for this team). Top 3 in conference or else. My argument: there were enough excuses the past few years (some legit, some not so legit). All the mulligans were used up. And then of course, SM and TB happens. So now I have a hard ultimatum against a team that is completely unfair and unattainable. Let's face it - Les was never going to have a top 3 team without SM and TB, and you can easily make the argument that he COULD have a top 3 team this year with them. However, my ultimatum stands (in my world, only, of course). Am I completely being unfair to this year's team? Absolutely. It's unfair to over-punish Les for this season. However, if I welch on my ultimatum, I'm not being fair to the previous seasons.




In other words, if I give a mulligan to Les for this season, then I have to take a mulligan away from the past 3 seasons. There's only so many mulligans you can give. And taking away a mulligan from those seasons makes the job Les did look so much worse. And this is the point I think the "anti-Les" people are ultimately trying to get at.



All of this said...we played the 3rd best team in conference tight at home. Given our situation, and the fact we've still won 3 of 5...aren't we getting a bit harsh? It's not like we're not competitive, and the acknowledgment that this team is playing better in the 2nd half of the MVC season is worth making.

[canadian]

Again, I sorry to have to inject facts, which some prefer to ignore, or forget....The only facet of this game that is a reflection of the Jim Les era is the fact that Bradley was without their point guard, their best inside player, and 2 of their 3 top scorers. That necessitates more minutes for players who are less skilled, less experienced, and who cannot shoot or score, or defend as well as SM and TB.

If there is a legacy for Jim Les these past 5 seasons, it is the extraordinary bad luck of severe injuries, not to just anyone, but always involving his key players. Some will try to blame him for that, too. But reasonable fans won't.

Reasonable fans also know that a coach has 13 scholarships. That is more than enough players to make up for injuries, etc. No doubt there has been a lot of bad luck on the injury front. Good programs make up for that. My biggest problem here is every year we are told how much quality depth there is--yet it doesn't seem to come to fruition when needed.

You are correct. There are facts about the injuries. There also facts about the won/loss record over nine years. It is reasonable for you to give a guy a break for his "extraordinary bad luck of severe injuries". It is also reasonable for others to understand the role of a coach is to stockpile good players and have depth so injuries don't cause you to fall from the sky. Are the injury "facts" the only things that are "facts"? Are you dismissing the entire post because it didn't bring the injury thing up?

The record is the record. The assumptions about what the record would/could be with all the injured players healthy is just that, assumptions. Some fans like the reality, some like the assumptions.

Bottom line, both sides can be reasonable. One doesn't own the market on that.

[Da Coach]

So you think Bradley would have the same record now if there had been no injuries?
If so, then I would be on your side, and would want to blame the coach. But I think that's not the case.

[AZ BU Fan]

Is it unreasonable to think that a team many thought was top 3, or even should have been favored in the MVC this year with SM and TB, with a potential MVC POY still on the roster, should have been able to finish ahead of other teams in the Valley? No one expected them to finish top 3 post SM/TB, but few expected them to be 3-13 right now tied for the bottom.

The lack of effort in some games, the lack of defense in many games, the poor decisions/poor shooting, the poor FT shooting, missed layup epidemic, assignment breakdowns, lack of player leadership is what is driving some BU fans nuts. Leaves them wondering how this happens with the Dean of Coaches in the MVC, rated a good/great recruiter by many, running the show.

The other thing that drives some folks nuts, is a coach, many say is targeted by MVC Officials with short fuses, throws gas on the fire by calling out officials and getting T'd up again. Turns the JL-MVC Official battle into a perpetual technical machine.

How does cussing out officials in a game that many say was a victory anyway for UNI with their unprecedented 3 point shooting vs tight defense, help JL's volatile relationship with MVC Officials in the future?

JL should chew out officials at the start of future games, demonstrate he has his team's back, get the T, and get it out of the way early when the team has time to recover.

Oh well, good luck BU, finish strong, and looking forward to next year!

[canadian]

So you think Bradley would have the same record now if there had been no injuries?
If so, then I would be on your side, and would want to blame the coach. But I think that's not the case.

I'm not "blaming" the coach for anything. However I understand the world of sports. Coaches at this level are paid a lot of money. An insane amount really. As a result of that the expectation is to win games and compete for championships.

If there is a clause in the contract that states "injuries, etc." will be taken into account when evaluating the performance then I would take that into consideration. However, I highly doubt it is in this case.

You know this. In all sports the coaches shoulder the blame for losses and get the credit for the wins. That's how it works. You take that on when you accept the job and make the big money.

It's a results driven profession. Bottom line. IMO, the results aren't there. You can argue until we are blue in the face the causes, reasons, and why they are what they are but that's an exercise in futility.

To answer your question I need more info. Are we talking about all injuries or just the ones this season? Do I look at Bradley in a vacuum or do I get to consider injuries and other factors for the BU opponents? Because remember if not for injuries Dodie and Andrew would not be on the roster this year.

[Tulsa Brave]

The Green Bay Packers had many injuries to key players this season. They went on to win the Super Bowl, not contend for the basement.

The Bradley Braves have had many injuries to key players the past few seasons. I'm still waiting for them to simply win the MVC regular season or conference tourney, and not contend for the basement.

[Da Coach]

Wow, the comprisons like this are really starting to amaze me. How is the GB Packers' situation relevant? I could find plenty of examples of teams losing star players and dropping way back, but I would be accused of making excuses, and being a kool-aid drinker.
Would the GB Packers have won the Super Bowl if they had lost Aaron Rodgers? Gimme a break.

[canadian]

Wow, the comprisons like this are really starting to amaze me. How is the GB Packers' situation relevant? I could find plenty of examples of teams losing star players and dropping way back, but I would be accused of making excuses, and being a kool-aid drinker.
Would the GB Packers have won the Super Bowl if they had lost Aaron Rodgers? Gimme a break.

How is it not relevant? They had 14 starters lost for the season on IR. That's 14 of 22 starters. All-Pro's among them.

Some teams lose star players and drop back. You are correct. Some lose star players and still win. It's not an automatic. Why resign yourself to that?

[BradleyJD]

Some additional thoughts.....

Last night's game did not change much for Bradley. We are still at/near the bottom and will remain there as well. A win would not have moved us up the ladder enough to change anything. Morale-wise, a win would have been great, but otherwise it would not have done much.

I do not believe the Administration's decision on Jim Les' future hinged on last night's result either.

The facts are still all the same.

BU has injuries...

BU does not finish top 3 in conference...

BU is just above .500 during Jim Les' tenure as coach...

BU has won about 45% of its conference games under Les....

I will bet, most posters still believe what they believed before yesterday's game.

[SaintLouBrave22]

How is it not relevant? They had 14 starters lost for the season on IR. That's 14 of 22 starters. All-Pro's among them.

Some teams lose star players and drop back. You are correct. Some lose star players and still win. It's not an automatic. Why resign yourself to that?

Yet some only manage the 2:35 game Friday in STL and excuses continue to be made for their underachieving program

[SaintLouBrave22]

Some additional thoughts.....

Last night's game did not change much for Bradley. We are still at/near the bottom and will remain there as well. A win would not have moved us up the ladder enough to change anything. Morale-wise, a win would have been great, but otherwise it would not have done much.

I do not believe the Administration's decision on Jim Les' future hinged on last night's result either.

The facts are still all the same.

BU has injuries...

BU does not finish top 3 in conference...

BU is just above .500 during Jim Les' tenure as coach...

BU has won about 45% of its conference games under Les....

I will bet, most posters still believe what they believed before yesterday's game.

Add dwindling attendance and poor home marks to that list...

BU is 7-8 at home this year...

[Chucky T's]

Danny Adams said as much on the radio last night. He said our D was not good at all, especially on giving UNI wide open 3's.

We continually give teams WIDE OPEN looks at three pointers. This has been a trait of the JL era since day one. An average shooter becomes a good shooter and a good shooter becomes a great shooter when you have no defensive pressure on you. Going into a game with UNI you know they have good shooters....you know #52 is their best shooter....yet we continue to sag our defense in the middle and let these guys roam free around the arc for shooting practice....and then after they have made more than their share of 3's BU doesn't make any defensive adjustments....

[Tulsa Brave]

Yet some only manage the 2:35 game Friday in STL and excuses continue to be made for their underachieving program

Hey we're changing things up this year...6:05 pm on Thursday if we win next Tuesday and 8:35 pm Thursday if we lose Tuesday!

[TheAsianSensation]

Wow, the comprisons like this are really starting to amaze me. How is the GB Packers' situation relevant? I could find plenty of examples of teams losing star players and dropping way back, but I would be accused of making excuses, and being a kool-aid drinker.
Would the GB Packers have won the Super Bowl if they had lost Aaron Rodgers? Gimme a break.

I do side with this part - to me, Maniscalco is our Rodgers.

[Buesch N Chips]

I think it's real hard to fire a guy in a year like this, because of the hand he was dealt, but it is acceptable to expect improvement. I guess the question is, could someone else have done better in the same situation? Impossible to know.