Poignant comments from Bradley players

[bigjimmy]

Face it folks the comparison between JL and Geno will be ongoing all year long. Let's hope we're not comparing similar records.

[srw]

Ho hum same ole same ole.


Blame JL
Blame Mo
Blame Journal Star
Blame TOB (no matter which OB it is)

This is big boy ville. The problem is and was, the players ARENT good enough.

The Bradley teams over the last 5ish years, ARENT good enough. Until our talent improves, our record isn't likely to either.

3 year process.

[amckillip]

I think they already have. This time we didn't lose to a D3 team called Little Sisters of the Poor. Let's hope they continue to produce at a higher level and with a higher level of excitement than the past few years.

We haven't proven anything, let's be clear. Exhibitions are exactly that, not real games. If we want to treat them as such, then its absolutely embarassing that we let a D3 big men handle us in the post for 19 and 11 in 20 minutes or whatever. I don't understand why people pretend like JL's offense was Molinari's, is Geno's more uptempo? Yes. Is it going to work against actual teams? We'll see. Of course the kids are excited, they have a guy who hasn't had to get on them, who hasn't had to endure the struggles of a losing season, and who has a boss who brought him in. Geno hasn't had the pressure that previous coaches have had in the past up to this juncture. And none of that is his fault, and I hope that doesn't occur. But we've had a month of practice and haven't made it to a meaningful game yet. Before we laud GF's approach as new and better, let's see how it does. Let's see how he reacts if DSE and JP are out for the whole season next year, etc.

I really just don't see the need by some people (PJStar included) to compare the two coaches so much, particularly on a non-existent data set, especially when the precious coach is a BU legend and has given back so much to the University.

[Beninator]

But this article was written by Dave Reynolds. We like him, right?

Don't you think that the PJS coverage this year has been a little over the top sugary sweet? I like positive coverage of BU but wow they almost have Geno walking on water....

[mrcoachdude]

Ho hum same ole same ole.


Blame JL
Blame Mo
Blame Journal Star
Blame TOB (no matter which OB it is)

This is big boy ville. The problem is and was, the players ARENT good enough.

The Bradley teams over the last 5ish years, ARENT good enough. Until our talent improves, our record isn't likely to either.

3 year process.

SRW I gotta disagree, or at least put up a small fight...I believe we have had players that were good enough...too many bumps in the road that kept them from playing...I know your no big fan of Taylor, but last years group with a healthy Taylor would have been very very good...and add Sam...come on...that would have been a group talented enough...

ok there is my small fight...

[BradleyJD]

BTW - a large amount of the negatives in that column did NOT come from the players and do not have quotation marks around them -- hmmm....

I don't want to get into a back and forth on this issue, however....

"Not to dwell on the past, but it's night and day," junior Milos Knezevic said. "The way the coaches relate to us on and off the court, I don't think I could have hand-picked a better situation for myself. And it's nice to feel like you have a chance to play."

"The players and the coaches are on the same page with each other and that makes everything a lot easier," junior Dyricus Simms-Edwards said. "We're playing real fast. That's the biggest change from last year, being an up-tempo team. It plays to our advantage because we're not very big, but we have a lot of athleticism and speed."

"They are looking for us a lot more inside," third-year sophomore center Jordan Prosser said.

also by Prosser: "Last year you wouldn't see the floor if you didn't do what you were told," he said. "Now we aren't afraid to make a mistake. If we miss a pass or a shot, Coach will say, 'All right, let's get it next time.'

by Eastman: "I lost my confidence and it showed up in my shooting," he said, noting his poor percentages of 38 from the field and 28 from 3-point range. "Coach Ford has given me a lot of confidence. He's pulled me aside and said, 'If you're open, shoot it. That's what we need from you.' That's really big for me."

Plenty from players.

However, I would point out that I don't necessarily think these comments or the article is meant to SLAM Coach Les at all. I think it is more about discussing the differences in the approaches of the two staffs.

I think everyone needs to just move on with the new regime and see what happens.

[bigjimmy]

I really just don't see the need by some people (PJStar included) to compare the two coaches so much, particularly on a non-existent data set, especially when the precious coach is a BU legend and has given back so much to the University.

Comparing the new coaching staff with the old coaching staff goes on at every new job. I know that the PJStar enjoys the increased cooperation from Geno, his staff and the players and that at the end there was no relationship with JL. What will be interesting to see is how the PJStar treats Geno and the team if we have a similar record to last year.

[srw]

SRW I gotta disagree, or at least put up a small fight...I believe we have had players that were good enough...too many bumps in the road that kept them from playing...I know your no big fan of Taylor, but last years group with a healthy Taylor would have been very very good...and add Sam...come on...that would have been a group talented enough...

ok there is my small fight...

I completely disagree.

I don't like the Taylor, the "jay walking" one. I want Taylor to grow up and be a key cog this year in the transition. I want him to make a Reggie Hall like switch (yea I know the talent level between the two is vast...for Reggie it was production and leadership, for TB its decorum and leadership)

But there is a reason, BU was constantly picked where it was preseason. Many fans overestimate their teams talent.

Once again, just my opinion...

With TB this team would have finished......4th

[Beninator]

I completely disagree.

I don't like the Taylor, the "jay walking" one. I want Taylor to grow up and be a key cog this year in the transition. I want him to make a Reggie Hall like switch (yea I know the talent level between the two is vast...for Reggie it was production and leadership, for TB its decorum and leadership)

But there is a reason, BU was constantly picked where it was preseason. Many fans overestimate their teams talent.

Once again, just my opinion...

With TB this team would have finished......4th

If think that there was some talent on those teams, however one of critical over estimations occurred with the depth of the team which was virtually nonexistent.

[Beninator]

....Plenty from players.

However, I would point out that I don't necessarily think these comments or the article is meant to SLAM Coach Les at all. I think it is more about discussing the differences in the approaches of the two staffs.

I think everyone needs to just move on with the new regime and see what happens.

Maybe not a complete in your face slam, but this is not what I would say would be a fond recollection of the approaches of the past....

[Da Coach]

The old "injuries are no excuses" philosophy. Maybe that works for high-level BCS teams with a bench full of McDonald's All Americans to come off the bench and replace injured starters, but it's silly to suggest that losing 2 potential All-MVC players for the full year wasn't a factor. These major injuries have hampered this team for the last few years. Blame the coach if you want, and plenty of people do, but things would have been much different without the injuries.
If BU has major injury issues in the upcoming years (and it's already started this year with WE), it'll be interesting to see if the same people have a different standard regarding injuries to key players.

[amckillip]

If think that there was some talent on those teams, however one of critical over estimations occurred with the depth of the team which was virtually nonexistent.

Last years team, you add in TB and Sam, JP moves to the bench, as does either Dodie or DSE. That's decent depth... Walt, Dodie, JP, JE... No worse than next years team would be without DSE and JP.

[lefty]

Really the players are kind of put in the middle of all this. If you ask current players how they like playing under Ford it's automatically going to bring out comparisons to JL

We'll see how it is over the next few years as coaches and players become more familiar with each other.

[BradleyJD]

Maybe not a complete in your face slam, but this is not what I would say would be a fond recollection of the approaches of the past....

Maybe not.

I think many of the players liked JL. I am sure some did not.

Regardless, I think everyone likes the idea of starting fresh.

Heck, the first line in one of articles of the HOOPS sections tells it all...

"It's been a long time - 11 years, in fact - since the Bradley men's team contended for the MVC title beyond the first month on the league season."

That's just mind-boggling.

We are starting fresh and laying down the foundation. Onward and upward.

[shaunguth]

I've noticed this during game situations in the 2 exhibition games. Seems like Geno's style is more grounded in positive reinforcement.

I noticed this too, and I remember wondering to myself which game will be the one when he enters the postgame presser and states "The honeymoon is over". To me it's just a natural progression for a new coach and just one more thing to watch as this season moves along.