Dave Reynolds' preseason picks

[amckillip]

Great point! And let's not forget how Geno fared at KSU with an entirely new group of players. Geno has always had a winning record (save for one year at a small school where he was one game under .500) and I expect the same thing here at BU.

I think Geno will do great things at BU, but I think it's unfair to place those expectations on him in year 1. At KSU he had a whole new group of players that he recruited and it was a down year in the MAC (DS, NW, and Shayok were JL, even if SS technically signed with Ford, he was JL). And the MVC is far tougher than the MAC - Going from worst to first is much tougher in the MVC. We really haven't upgraded much, if at all from last year, and the players will need time to adjust. I hope we do great, but for Geno's and my sanity's sake, anything above 7th is a bonus for me, because I don't think I can reasonably expect it.

[amckillip]

Here is the disconnect for me. I don't believe these guys are capable of playing "key" roles on a winning team. I don't think Milos and AT would play much at all on a good team, and Jake would likely be an average role player. My expectations of Geno are for him to recruit better players.

I agree with this to a degree, AT and MK were both 'projects' IMO. MK still has some time to develop and could be good. AT may be a lost cause. No, they are not key players on a winning team. But I think every coach is going need to take those risks to get good players. POB was a risk, heck Hersey was a risk, they are calculated, and I hope GF is better at determing those than JL, but I'm not sure that universally GF won't recruit players that are high-risk/high-reward. Its a neccesary evil...

[Chibearsfan10125]

This may just be preseason optimism, but I think we should finish either 6th or 7th this year at worst. Drake looked horrible down the stretch last season, SIU is not going to be very good this year, and I feel like we are much better than ISU. The only question mark in the bottom half of the valley is MSU. I don't feel comfortable saying Bradley will finish ahead of them at this point, but there is no doubt in my mind that they could.

For most of the year last year, it was the AW and DSE, starring a few others from time to time. By the end of the season, though, it started to really look like a good team that was capable of playing with any team in the Valley. This year, the starting lineup looks about as good as what we had down the stretch last year. We might lack some leadership, but all of the "new" starters are very capable players (new in quotes because TB isn't exactly a new starter). TB replaces AW, WL replace DD, and SS replaces WE. When a last place team loses 3 starters, they aren't going to picked very high, but the few games last season, we didn't look like a last place team. I predict a 7th place finish.

Dave knows what he is talking about, though. He is a professional. I agree with most of it, just not where he has Bradley. Then again, that might be because I am a Bradley fan and have high expectations for this group. Once again, this all could just be preseason optimism.

[BuAlum03]

Whether we think BU will finish 5th or 9th this season, we should all have higher expectations than 9th, especially since our new coach is among the top-salary coaches in the league, and is expected to deliver Valley Championships or at least contend in the near future. 9th is unacceptable, and would make me think that next year would be another rebuilding year. Why would we suddenly make a jump to the middle of the pack the year after?

While I agree we should all have higher expectations than 9th, I think you're being a little unreasonable here. Coach Ford deserves time to get some of his own players in and running his own system before expectations are jacked up too high.

Why would we suddenly make a jump to the middle of the pack the year after? Another year in the new system and more of coach ford's own players.

He doesn't get an infinite timeline with which to work, but taking over a last-place team which lost its undeniable star player isn't exactly the recipe for success.

[LittleBrave]

While I agree we should all have higher expectations than 9th, I think you're being a little unreasonable here. Coach Ford deserves time to get some of his own players in and running his own system before expectations are jacked up too high.

Why would we suddenly make a jump to the middle of the pack the year after? Another year in the new system and more of coach ford's own players.

He doesn't get an infinite timeline with which to work, but taking over a last-place team which lost its undeniable star player isn't exactly the recipe for success.

You're right about the jump to the middle of the pack the year after - it could happen with another year of experience.

If I'm being a little unreasonable about finishing better than 9th, then who would you say should finish ahead of us?
If we can't beat out SIU & Drake, we're in trouble. That would mean that Geno probably got outcoached, as the talent level of those teams does not equal ours IMO.

Between MSU, Drake, ISU (red), SIU, and BU, a coach like Geno should take our players (who are just as good as these teams mentioned) and rise above these teams. I know this is his 1st year, but he's had some time with them, knows each of their strengths & weaknesses by now, and with the coaching staff, should at least have time in the non-conf. schedule to find a formula that works with this team to compete...and win some in the Valley. I am very confident we have 2 of the top 10 players in the league, and expect ALL our return players to have better years.

When I look across the Valley, there is no dominant team this year - we virtually have a fighting chance to beat every team that comes into Carver...not saying we will, but we should still have a winning home record, as Geno has put much emphasis on home-court success.

I guess it's good not to be overly optimistic. The 2 seasons prior, I was less optimistic than most posters, so I'm pretty sure I'm not being overly optimistic toward this season - just confident in what we have right now, AND in the future.

I would assess right now that there are 5 teams better than we are. I just don't think we should finish in the bottom half among teams that are about equal strength with a coach that is expected to lead us to a Valley contender in a few years.

[real fan]

While I agree we should all have higher expectations than 9th, I think you're being a little unreasonable here. Coach Ford deserves time to get some of his own players in and running his own system before expectations are jacked up too high.

Why would we suddenly make a jump to the middle of the pack the year after? Another year in the new system and more of coach ford's own players.

He doesn't get an infinite timeline with which to work, but taking over a last-place team which lost its undeniable star player isn't exactly the recipe for success.

Those that expect to finish 7,8,9 or 10 will finish that way, we should have higher expectations if we ever expect to move up in this conf, as long as we do not have any major injuries I believe we have a chance at 3 thru 6 , I like are starting 5 and believe with better coaching we are a much better team then a play in one. Last years team finished tied for last because they blew numerous games in the last 5 minutes of a game which I will blame on bad coaching , we also played onlt 2 big men at a time in Prosser and Egolf and one of them was in foul trouble most of the time and really did little rebounding, Prosser, Brown and Shayok will get us rebounds , what we lack in 3 point shooting can be made up in better 2 point shooting and offensive rebounding which has been lacking for a long time.

[amckillip]

Those that expect to finish 7,8,9 or 10 will finish that way, we should have higher expectations if we ever expect to move up in this conf, as long as we do not have any major injuries I believe we have a chance at 3 thru 6 , I like are starting 5 and believe with better coaching we are a much better team then a play in one. Last years team finished tied for last because they blew numerous games in the last 5 minutes of a game which I will blame on bad coaching , we also played onlt 2 big men at a time in Prosser and Egolf and one of them was in foul trouble most of the time and really did little rebounding, Prosser, Brown and Shayok will get us rebounds , what we lack in 3 point shooting can be made up in better 2 point shooting and offensive rebounding which has been lacking for a long time.

I do not think that our expectations for the season have any impact whatsoever on the actual outcome...

[real fan]

I do not think that our expectations for the season have any impact whatsoever on the actual outcome...

I would have never figured that out without your help.

[Future Walk-On]

I do not think that our expectations for the season have any impact whatsoever on the actual outcome...

check ya facts:

http://www.norcalblogs.com/outsidebo...-thoughts.html

its true. For instance, I was just watching Mike Napoli batting against Rzep and I turned the TV to the football game......because I knew something bad would happen. It is my fault.

[Da Coach]

check ya facts:

http://www.norcalblogs.com/outsidebox/2010/10/is-there-power-in-our-thoughts.html

its true. For instance, I was just watching Mike Napoli batting against Rzep and I turned the TV to the football game......because I knew something bad would happen. It is my fault.

Thanks for proving what I suspected....that all the bad luck Bradley has had the past few years is solely because of the negative nellies we have!

[Old Coach]

If this is all true, then put put me down for 30 wins.

[amckillip]

I would have never figured that out without your help.

Then why does what we expect as fans have anything to do with the performance on the court? If anything always supporting your team and generating revenue during down years reduces the need to win because revenue is coming in either way. (i.e. the Chicago Cubs) I am generally quite the optimist in regards to BU Basketball, but this year I will be shocked if we avoid Thursday. And I don't think my opinon on that either helps or hurts the team.

[LittleBrave]

Then why does what we expect as fans have anything to do with the performance on the court? If anything always supporting your team and generating revenue during down years reduces the need to win because revenue is coming in either way. (i.e. the Chicago Cubs) I am generally quite the optimist in regards to BU Basketball, but this year I will be shocked if we avoid Thursday. And I don't think my opinon on that either helps or hurts the team.

I guess one thing's gonna' happen...
Most of us will either be shocked (if we avoid Thursday) or some of us will be shocked (if we finish 9th or 10th).
I doubt if we finish 7th or 8th because that would be too normal and nobody will be in for a surprise.

[Old Coach]

It looks like Dave was being generous in contrast to his peers who picked Bradley 10th.

[Da Coach]

Not much- Dave picked BU 9th, ahead of only SIU-

http://blogs.pjstar.com/pressrow/2011/10/20/bluejays-team-to-beat/

But this is understandable. It does seem like a little bit of a slap at our new coach by his collegues.