Wessler:Impatience for BU Fans honed to razor edge...

[Da Coach]

...Wessler might have said the same thing when Les replaced Mo, or when Mo replaced Albeck, or when Versace replaced Stowell....

But he didn't. There was nothing but biting criticism from day 1. That is the hypocrisy of Kirk Wessler. We are all Geno Ford fans here, but Kirk has really gone overboard with his glowing, over the top praise for what was the worst season in 108 years. But then he and others have a lot invested, so it's understandable why they are so unrealistically giddy.

[Biff]

I agree coach. Why doesn't KW call a moratorium on his praise for everything happening now, and his blaming of everything on Jim Les until Bradley actually posts a winning record. Its embarrassing for him, and its just not realistic or intelligent. Even with the poor results of 2010-2011, caused mainly by injuries, the previous coach won 114 games over the past 6 years, an average of 19 games per year. That was never good enough, and all he could write was hate filled attack pieces. Yet despite a 7-25 season, Kirk has already written a dozen or more kiss-up puff pieces this past year. He lost all credibility long ago. Now he is just a joke. And fans don't need the almighty KW to lecture them to be patient. Those are the same fans that nearly pack the house every game every year even during losing seasons. The same fans that feel betrayed by an administration with a single minded agenda.

[tornado]

we didn't have anywhere near as many positive pieces even after we made it to the Sweet Sixteen - despite masses of positive fans and an adoring public that swarmed the team upon return from Auburn, Michigan....
in fact the only articles that were positive in any way - were actually more than 75% negative recapping the negatives, and demanding that the PJS editorial staff isn't going to give JL any credit until until he has such success several years in a row.
Thus we see the bar set incredibly high for JL to get anything positive written -
but we have such a LOW bar to get praise and fluff now - calling 1 ppg game players difference makers and still blaming all the bad stuff on the predecessor...

[Chico]

I see the quote but I still didn't take that as a personal criticism of Les. KW is just stating the obvious, IMO. Coaches get fired and replaced for a reason... usually because of "mistakes". The new coach can choose to live with those mistakes or do what Larry Brown and SMU did. I prefer the course that Geno and Bradley have taken.

What mistakes were obvious? If that wasn't personal criticism of the previous coach, what was kw referring to?

[Bravesfan]

I'm honestly NOT trying to pick a fight here Bravesfan. There is no doubt that this was a criticism of Les. I just don't see it as personal or any big deal. Wessler might have said the same thing when Les replaced Mo, or when Mo replaced Albeck, or when Versace replaced Stowell....

I know you're not, but it sounded like you were saying Wessler was being not being critical of Les when he was. Maybe it wasn't personal (at least this time) but I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

And even one of the earlier posters in this thread who wanted Les gone stated that Wessler has to knock this off. Les is gone. Time for him to stop writing the "huge mess Geno's predecessor left him" articles once and for all.

[bradleybraves1]

And even one of the earlier posters in this thread who wanted Les gone stated that Wessler has to knock this off. Les is gone. Time for him to stop writing the "huge mess Geno's predecessor left him" articles once and for all.

I can definitely agree with this Bravesfan. Les is gone so it's time to move on... even for the columnists. However, we've been begging for positive BU coverage for years and now we've got it. Take Les out of the equation and we've got what we all asked for -- more BU coverage... and more positive BU stories. Thank you PJS!

[tornado]

every new coach picks up "messes" -- it happens all the time --
Jank is kinda leaving a mess with Blue, Clark & Clarke, , Johnson, Thornton, all being dismissed in the past year or so some with arrests and other issues...
..not to mention the Redbirds are 33-34 since that previous 21-pt NIT loss ended 2010....
Jank played his cards right and turned a .500 record over the past 2+ seasons plus an average 7th place finish since then - into a million dollar Big East job...and now leaves ISU in his wake with likely defections...

[bradleybraves1]

What mistakes were obvious?

The most obvious mistake was not winning Chico. The program was in decline for Les' final 3 years. Regardless of why that was happening (injuries, administration meddling, etc) the buck had to stop with the head coach. If Geno is still losing after 4-5 years the pressure and heat will be on his head... and he (and all head coaches) know this when they accept the big bucks that come with college coaching.

[bradleybraves1]

every new coach picks up "messes" -- it happens all the time --

Yes! Exactly! Thank you tornado. "Messes", "mistakes". The words can be interchangeable.

[Buesch N Chips]

For as much as I would applaud Kirk Wessler for his optimism with Coach Ford, I would criticize him for his stupid personal thing against Jim Les. Grow up.

[Chico]

I can definitely agree with this Bravesfan. Les is gone so it's time to move on... even for the columnists. However, we've been begging for positive BU coverage for years and now we've got it. Take Les out of the equation and we've got what we all asked for -- more BU coverage... and more positive BU stories. Thank you PJS!

If coach Les is gone why even put him in the equation? I agree, move on kw, your pick for coach several years ago wasn't the one BU chose, get over it.

[Bravesfan]

I agree coach. Why doesn't KW call a moratorium on his praise for everything happening now, and his blaming of everything on Jim Les until Bradley actually posts a winning record. Its embarrassing for him, and its just not realistic or intelligent. Even with the poor results of 2010-2011, caused mainly by injuries, the previous coach won 114 games over the past 6 years, an average of 19 games per year. That was never good enough, and all he could write was hate filled attack pieces. Yet despite a 7-25 season, Kirk has already written a dozen or more kiss-up puff pieces this past year. He lost all credibility long ago. Now he is just a joke. And fans don't need the almighty KW to lecture them to be patient. Those are the same fans that nearly pack the house every game every year even during losing seasons. The same fans that feel betrayed by an administration with a single minded agenda.

Excellent! That sums KW up perfectly!

[Bravesfan]

we didn't have anywhere near as many positive pieces even after we made it to the Sweet Sixteen - despite masses of positive fans and an adoring public that swarmed the team upon return from Auburn, Michigan....
in fact the only articles that were positive in any way - were actually more than 75% negative recapping the negatives, and demanding that the PJS editorial staff isn't going to give JL any credit until until he has such success several years in a row.
Thus we see the bar set incredibly high for JL to get anything positive written -
but we have such a LOW bar to get praise and fluff now - calling 1 ppg game players difference makers and still blaming all the bad stuff on the predecessor...

Agreed 100%!

[Bravesfan]

I can definitely agree with this Bravesfan. Les is gone so it's time to move on... even for the columnists. However, we've been begging for positive BU coverage for years and now we've got it. Take Les out of the equation and we've got what we all asked for -- more BU coverage... and more positive BU stories. Thank you PJS!

I can understand a "honeymoon" period for a year or two (which Les did not get, but that's a different post for another time), but if Geno's third year fails to produce more than 10 wins again, KW and the rest of the PJ Star staff better put up and shut up and admit they were wrong!

[lefty]

I can understand a "honeymoon" period for a year or two (which Les did not get, but that's a different post for another time), but if Geno's third year fails to produce more than 10 wins again, KW and the rest of the PJ Star staff better put up and shut up and admit they were wrong!

Admit they were wrong? What would they be wrong about? The fact they wrote positive articles?.....