Random Thoughts

[Big Lance]

Just a few meandering thoughts about the Massacre on 74 I just endured:

1. That was pretty ugly, but at least they seemed to try, unlike my impression of the Evansville game Wednesday night, so that was a small plus.

2. That was the best I've been treated while attending a game at ISU, and I've been there probably 15 times at least. Maybe they were just showing mercy on us poor suckers that had the guts to show up.

3. ISU clearly, I mean hands down, blows BU to pieces when it comes to game-night atmosphere. Not trying to be disloyal, and I don't care for the Birds at all, but those jokers really do it up right when it comes to the intros, starting lineups, music selections. And I got to say it, the student section was fantastic. Kudos to you guys. I've said it for years: Redbird Arena is BY FAR a better place to watch a game. Just my opinion.

4. It's time to chuck the gameplan that seems to be in place for every single game. Maybe I'm just delusional, but weren't we told that Geno liked to press some? Well what in the world is there to lose? May as well go straight up Loyola Marymount from the early 1990s at this point. I know I know, we will get blown out. Oh wait how is that any different than what is happening now???? The difference would be that I wouldn't have to give a mock cheer when we finally hit the 20 point mark sometime into the 2nd half...In my world I'd rather see a 140-110 loss than a 90-60 loss or a 78-48 or whatever

5. Please please please let us see what Jalen Crawford can do if he gets 20 minutes or more a game. NEWSFLASH: Only one player has proven to be an offensive threat...we need offense REAL bad...and what is it going to hurt to let Milos, who from all accounts IS a very good shooter, play? What's going to happen? The defense will suffer? Don't make me laugh...

6. Noodles and Co. is delicious. That helped ease the sting of the beatdown

7. Finally a Big Lance shoutout to BUFanatic-just so happened to be sitting right next to him and his posse. Cool guy, funny, and a big, and positive, Bradley fan even in the face of a trainwreck of adversity. Hope you made it back to school safe big dog! Pleasure to have met you

[Cellus]

3. ISU clearly, I mean hands down, blows BU to pieces when it comes to game-night atmosphere. Not trying to be disloyal, and I don't care for the Birds at all, but those jokers really do it up right when it comes to the intros, starting lineups, music selections. And I got to say it, the student section was fantastic. Kudos to you guys. I've said it for years: Redbird Arena is BY FAR a better place to watch a game. Just my opinion.

Folks, it's not just ISU who does game management better than Bradley, it is just about every school. We have the absolute worst, most boring games, with no excitement, no energy. Just loud, and awful piped-in music. Do our people think we want to hear over-amplified crappy music for a hour leading up to the game? Maybe it's time to clean house again, and get people in here who know what they're doing.

[BeBrave]

Just a few meandering thoughts about the Massacre on 74 I just endured:

1. That was pretty ugly, but at least they seemed to try, unlike my impression of the Evansville game Wednesday night, so that was a small plus.

2. That was the best I've been treated while attending a game at ISU, and I've been there probably 15 times at least. Maybe they were just showing mercy on us poor suckers that had the guts to show up.

3. ISU clearly, I mean hands down, blows BU to pieces when it comes to game-night atmosphere. Not trying to be disloyal, and I don't care for the Birds at all, but those jokers really do it up right when it comes to the intros, starting lineups, music selections. And I got to say it, the student section was fantastic. Kudos to you guys. I've said it for years: Redbird Arena is BY FAR a better place to watch a game. Just my opinion.

4. It's time to chuck the gameplan that seems to be in place for every single game. Maybe I'm just delusional, but weren't we told that Geno liked to press some? Well what in the world is there to lose? May as well go straight up Loyola Marymount from the early 1990s at this point. I know I know, we will get blown out. Oh wait how is that any different than what is happening now???? The difference would be that I wouldn't have to give a mock cheer when we finally hit the 20 point mark sometime into the 2nd half...In my world I'd rather see a 140-110 loss than a 90-60 loss or a 78-48 or whatever

5. Please please please let us see what Jalen Crawford can do if he gets 20 minutes or more a game. NEWSFLASH: Only one player has proven to be an offensive threat...we need offense REAL bad...and what is it going to hurt to let Milos, who from all accounts IS a very good shooter, play? What's going to happen? The defense will suffer? Don't make me laugh...

6. Noodles and Co. is delicious. That helped ease the sting of the beatdown

7. Finally a Big Lance shoutout to BUFanatic-just so happened to be sitting right next to him and his posse. Cool guy, funny, and a big, and positive, Bradley fan even in the face of a trainwreck of adversity. Hope you made it back to school safe big dog! Pleasure to have met you

Noodles and Potbelly are the only things B/N has over Peoria.

[45otseoj]

Noodles and Potbelly are the only things B/N has over Peoria.

Tobin's > Aggi's

[BeBrave]

Tobin's > Aggi's

Stop it. From a Peoria native none the less.....

[45otseoj]

Stop it. From a Peoria native none the less.....

Have you had Tobin's pizza?

[BeBrave]

That's not important right now.

[45otseoj]

That's not important right now.

That would be a no.

[BUFanatic]

7. Finally a Big Lance shoutout to BUFanatic-just so happened to be sitting right next to him and his posse. Cool guy, funny, and a big, and positive, Bradley fan even in the face of a trainwreck of adversity. Hope you made it back to school safe big dog! Pleasure to have met you

Thanks for the shout out! My family has been going to that game for six years now, wasn't going to miss it because I was going to some HORIZON LEAGUE school haha. Great to sit next to you and your posse. You did Noodles too? That's been our haunt for about five of the six years! Just about back now, one more train. Good to meet you to.

Hopefully next year we'll be hot and the section will fill up, but hey who can tell? I've got to go back to listening to the games in my little cell of a dorm room, best wishes and respect to those who still plan on going to BU games this year!

It's true about the atmosphere, the video was miles better, and the students were really good (unlike the first year I went, those who went in '06 will remember the disgrace). Bradley has GOT to work on that.

And finally.... GO BRAVES! YNWA! (Anyone want to join me in following Notre Dame for the rest of the year? )

[Big Lance]

Folks, it's not just ISU who does game management better than Bradley, it is just about every school. We have the absolute worst, most boring games, with no excitement, no energy.

I would mostly agree with this. For a guy in his early 30s I've been to a ton of road games. Here are the road games that I've attended that had better game management and/or overall atmosphere than Carver Arena: Wichita State (best ever, even more intimidating than Duke), Duke (2nd best), and in no particular order, Illinois, Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Missouri State. (And may I add the home game in the Coliseum. That was actually much more fun than a normal home game) Here are places that are/were on par with the Carver experience that I've seen: Indiana State, Northern Iowa. Less fans, but about the same type of experience. The only places that I've been that I'd give BU an edge is Loyola, Western Illinois, Drake when they were atrocious, and Butler 15 years ago when they probably drew about 800 people for games. There isn't a strong student section; the reasons for this can be debated. We all know that having a winning team helps. Also having many more enrolled students in your school helps too. But-here's a novel concept-having FUN at a game, win or lose, doesn't hurt. And I know, I know, we have to keep the big money happy. It's what drives the program. I won't deny that. But if you think a loud, fun, intimidating atmosphere doesn't help, then I invite you to go to a game at Wichita or at Duke, and just see how the crowd can turn a snowball of momentum into an avalanche. (and for the record, BU obviously got destroyed at Duke, but they also got completely massacred at Wichita for my one trip there. And the crowd was fantastic...it made for an awesome and entertaining experience even in defeat)

[Chico]

Did all those places have the exciting cactus race and all the other goofy promotions when their fans wanted to be up and cheering? Did they have all the useless PA announcements? Doubt it.

[SFP]

Big Lance I'd have to believe you would have fun just about anywhere with beer and co-eds.

[Old Coach]

Did all those places have the exciting cactus race and all the other goofy promotions when their fans wanted to be up and cheering? Did they have all the useless PA announcements? Doubt it.

FWIW, Creighton had a lot of in-game promotions.

[Chico]

FWIW, Creighton had a lot of in-game promotions.

I agree, as do most programs, but they let the fans make noise when it's appropriate.

[Bravesfan]

Folks, it's not just ISU who does game management better than Bradley, it is just about every school. We have the absolute worst, most boring games, with no excitement, no energy. Just loud, and awful piped-in music. Do our people think we want to hear over-amplified crappy music for a hour leading up to the game? Maybe it's time to clean house again, and get people in here who know what they're doing.

I agree our fans can be very passive at times at Carver Arena. And they tend to be passive, waiting for the team to make something happen instead of being more proactive and trying to spur the team on when they are losing (though down 20 or worse is usually a lost cause anyway). That said, the crowd does get into games when they win as happened against UNI. And credit to the Carver Arena staff for spurring the crowd on during the game with their "make noise" signs rather than during a t-shirt toss at a timeout! Also credit to the Bradley cheerleaders and the Red Sea for doing what they can to get the crowd going. Even down 30 points they were still trying to get something going.

The simple fact is if Bradley starts playing better, the crowd will get into it. I've heard many opposing team's announcers and others this year saying that Carver Arena is one of the loudest places to play in the Valley. And I believe because I experienced it during the time I went to school in the early years of Coach Mo's run. But the crowd also needs a reason to be into the game. And being down 30 points at halftime is NOT one of them. That needs to change before the crowd can even think of giving their energy to this team. We need to be more competitive first, and then the crowd can put the team over the top.