Report of Jim Les firing

[Tulsa Brave]

As a relative newcomer to BU Basketball, I genuinely believe we have seen the glory years since about the '50s. We had a great regular season one year with a team built by a coach who was fired because he cheated, and 'we were who they thought we were' when we were quickly bounced in the tourney. At least JL led us to do something people said we weren't capable of and got a couple of solid victories. I'm not saying JL was a model on continued greatness, but pretending that BU has been and should be a top basketball school and has tons of history is like saying Harvard should be destination for football coaches.

Complacency is not a good thing, but neither are delusions of grandeur. BU is an average mid-major program with a good fan-base. Nothing more nothing less.

I'm assuming you were talking about the '86 season in regards to being "quickly bounced in the tourney"???? Let me enlighten you a bit on that. We were given a ridiculous #7 seed, which meant a potential 2nd round matchup with #2 seed Louisville, who was regarded as the hottest team in the country at that point in the season, and many people's favorite to win it all. We destroyed UTEP by 20 in the 1st round, then played toe to toe with Louisville for over 33 minutes...the game was tied with about 6:45 left. We then ran out of gas, and Louisville moved on, and eventually did indeed win the National Championship. I'll take that kind of getting "quickly bounced in the tourney" anytime!

[Future Walk-On]

I'm assuming you were talking about the '86 season in regards to being "quickly bounced in the tourney"???? Let me enlighten you a bit on that. We were given a ridiculous #7 seed, which meant a potential 2nd round matchup with #2 seed Louisville, who was regarded as the hottest team in the country at that point in the season, and many people's favorite to win it all. We destroyed UTEP by 20 in the 1st round, then played toe to toe with Louisville for over 33 minutes...the game was tied with about 6:45 left. We then ran out of gas, and Louisville moved on, and eventually did indeed win the National Championship. I'll take that kind of getting "quickly bounced in the tourney" anytime!

IIRC Louisville waltzed to the title. We gave them the best game by far.

[ser_solace]

He signed a LOI to play at BU so I would hope we do not grant a waiver so quick. I'd give the new coach a chance. Some say we should wait until the Final Four and I'm hoping there was a plan in place and the national recruiting service has been working on this contingency for awhile. The sooner we announce the new coach the sooner we can shore up our roster.

I think if we find someone now and it's announced before the Final Four, it means we weren't looking at a hot assistant coach from (insert big name school) here. I don't think they would be able to announce anyone out of respect until that school was done in the tourney.

Otherwise, if we find and announce someone early, it probably means we got a coach from one of the schools that is not participating in a post season tourney (not good), or one of the few quality coaches available who is not employed.

[OrangeandBlack74]

jrish, you are right. But what he is pointing out is significant. There are a lot of donors who Jim Les helped get to give big bucks to help build the new facilities, and this is considered a slap in the face of some of the largest donors.

Sorry you feel this way. I would have thought these donors would give their money to the University because they were alums or they hold the institution in high regard (or both), not because they want to have input into the day to day activities of the administration/athletic department, including who should be the head coach of the MBB program.

[Braves4Life]

Sorry you feel this way. I would have thought these donors would give their money to the University because they were alums or they hold the institution in high regard (or both), not because they want to have input into the day to day activities of the administration/athletic department, including who should be the head coach of the MBB program.

I agree completely O&B. As a donor you need to look in the mirror and ask if Bradley helped to make you who you are today. If you like what you see then you should give generously to the University. If you're not an alumni but live for Bradley Basketball then you can give to the Basketball Program when and if you see fit.

[BradleyJD]

Sorry you feel this way. I would have thought these donors would give their money to the University because they were alums or they hold the institution in high regard (or both), not because they want to have input into the day to day activities of the administration/athletic department, including who should be the head coach of the MBB program.

That is a nice thought, but in today's world it is probably wishful thinking.

[Da Coach]

Every donor to every cause does it for their own reasons, and I would never question anyone's generosity and philanthropism.
But I doubt anyone here would donate 1 cent of their own money if they did not like what it was being used for.

[Braveman]

i have read through most of these posts, on jl's firing, this evening and have a few thoughts as the parent of an athlete. My first thought is (and i say this with humor), do you people have a life outside of speculating every move made by bu, it's athletic dept., president g, the players and each other? I understand being passionate about your alma mater, and the money that alumni and the community bring in with their support, but you cross the line when you question the maturity of the current players and recruits, should they decide to go else where.

Those few of you who post on here, who have actually been recruited and played a college sport, understand the commitment a coach makes to you, and visa versa. This is a business, they are the employees and this affects them more so than any of you. They are young men, some still teenagers, and at this moment, they are more worried about their future at bu than your opinions! If you are worried about them leaving, how about showing them some encouragement and support?

amen!

[tornado]

Will Egolf too, huh? ...

by end of summer Will Egolf will also have his degree and be a post-grad student and can transfer without penalty.
I don't know that's what he'd want -- and I am sure he'll want to see who gets hired....but there clearly is a chance he may want to leave and play elsewhere.


I have been a season ticket holder through the last five head coach firings.....and none were as lacking in dignity and civility as this one, and I doubt anyone who knows the facts can disagree. I am still a Bradley fan but have a bad feel for the direction all BU sports programs are headed...
If we lose Jim DeRose, then even soccer will be headed down the same path...

[shaunguth]

I can say that I went through coaching changes when I played...and let me tell you, if I had told my father I wanted to leave a school to go elsewhere for any reason, he wouldve told me:

You committed to this program, you suck it up, and you stick it out...it will benefit you somewhere down the road.

Really? I would not have told my son that, especially if he had already given four years to the school.

[shaunguth]

I understand that the players and recruits have a certain loyalty to the coach who recruited them, but it would be in their best interest to wait and see who the new coach is before deciding to bolt or to rule out coming to Bradley,

Coach Les is gone. At this point the players need to do what they think is best for them. See who the new coach is first, then make that decsion. BU is still BU regardless of who is coaching.

At least you understand the concept of loyalty to the coach who recruited them. I happen to agree they should wait (assuming it doesn't take too long), but I still would not have any problem with kids making choices concerning their futures, especially the three players that have already been at Bradley four years!

[lake Camelot]

I would say if you are a new recruit or Freshman I can see maybe going elswhere. But Junior or Senior I say stick it out.

But to each his own.

[shaunguth]

I think that whenever a coaching change is made at the end of a season, there is always concern that most or all of the recruits will want to back out of their commitments. In reality, after they have had a chance to meet with the incoming coach, most of them will decide to stick with their original decision.

If these situations led to mass defections, there would be a lot fewer coaching changes.

I hope you're right, but I just don't see more than half of this recruiting class showing up this summer.

[BradleyJD]

I hope you're right, but I just don't see more than half of this recruiting class showing up this summer.

That's fine. Just as JL did, you play with who shows up healthy. If they don't want to be here, move forward.

[shaunguth]

This will cost the school a large sum of money, and many people are not comfortable that we will get a better coach out of it.

+1