How surprised?

[Da Coach]

Here are another couple questions I'll ask to put things in perspective-

What was the best game Bradley has played so far?
and
What was Bradley's best win?

Here are the wins so far-
Team..............D1 Record..RPI
Eastern IL..........4-15.......298
Texas Pan-Am....7-10.......290
IUPUI................4-16.......281
Tenn. Martin......2-15.......314
Cent. Michigan....8-8........158
Geo. Washington..8-9.......157
Georgia Southern..6-11.....254
Miss. Valley St.....2-14......326
Drake.................7-10......166
So. Illinois...........7-10......197
So. Illinois...........7-10......197
Missouri St..........3-14......245

No team we've beaten has a winning record vs. D1, and none have RPI's better than 157.
According to record it might be Central Michigan, since that was on the road and against a team that has the best record (8-8 vs. D1). GWU has the best RPI.

[Gary the Gargoyle]

From my persepctive I think we have a pretty good shot at staying out of Thursday this year though much of that will rely on how we play vs. Evansville and vs. UNI at home.

I agree. In my opinion, these are the tipping-point games.

Before the season started, I had Bradley for 12 regular season wins. At this point, I think 15 would be a real nice number.

As far as SOS, RPI, etc... all go, who cares. This year was strictly about getting better at basketball, and that has happened.

[lefty]

I just wish some could have supported our coaches in the past. That includes the rag that goes out of their way to sugar coat things now. I guess I'm just amazed that some didnt think firing such a beloved figure would cause fallout and that some still dont see it. I just hope those people are having fun with their therapy sessions.

so your agenda isn't about Bradley but more about what others think on the other board. It's kind of hard to take you seriously on a bradley fan board with your name the way it is. You are a Les fan and not a Bradley fan. We get it...
Maybe you should go over to the other board and argue with them...

No doubt Les was beloved as a player pretty much everyone. He was beloved by a coach by many but certainly not all, and many thought it was time to make a change after not contending for conference championships.

And there are some who now don't seem to think much of JL's coaching because of other's opinions who didn't think he could do no wrong...

[Buesch N Chips]

Just don't take anything I post personally, or, critically.... just screwing around here on BF.com.... Got to fill my retiree time in somehow...

I really liked JL, thought he had some tough breaks with injuries, crappy facilities, and a lot of recruits who didn't pan out.

At the end of the day, I was willing to take a chance with someone else at the BU helm, knowing there could be real tough times ahead wth a change. I just got tired of being over the top optimistic at the start of post NCAA BU seasons under JL, then bitterly disappointed at the end of each of them.

BU was losing to teams it never should, couldn't recruit a big man who could play, relied totally on the 3 ball.... Having to listen to JL hang his hat over and over again, with no one on the team hanging their cap on anything...

Having JL have to take responsibility over and over again for his team's losses and bad play on behalf of his players most who never improved much during a season or their careers... seeming unable to learn what JL was trying to teach or ask of them... Animosity with every MVC Official each year..

He energized a fan base and program from another lull in the BU MBB program, and also caused fall out with player/recruit defections and took over many of the players Mo recruited...

Nothing personal about JL, a former neighbor before I retired and moved to AZ. I hope he gets UC-D to the NCAA's and has a great career.... Not many NCAA head coaches make a career at one school or turn them totally around over a whole career....just a handful....

Best post in the thread.

It is possible to genuinely like and respect both Jim Les and Geno Ford. I don't need to choose a side and repeat the same talking points over and over to people that will never change their mind anyway.

Les was here, and he gave everything he had, and I appreciate his time. They probably should have fired him a year earlier, because his last season did not have results based on a true roster, which was not his fault. The program was stagnating, however.

I hope he does well out in California.

[tornado]

I pull for all Bradley players and coaches, past and present....
- can't think of any I wouldn't pull for except maybe the one or two who became traitors and lied or ratted to NCAA to get the investigators trying to penalize Bradley..
If anyone wants to know those people by name - either check it out on your own or PM Me..

[Buesch N Chips]

I just wish some could have supported our coaches in the past. That includes the rag that goes out of their way to sugar coat things now. I guess I'm just amazed that some didnt think firing such a beloved figure would cause fallout and that some still dont see it. I just hope those people are having fun with their therapy sessions.

I agree the paper and Coach Les seemed to not get along. That is probably Coach Les' fault, but the paper could have been a little less schadenfreudish in its coverage, especially in opinion pieces.

With Ford coming in, I think it would be very natural for the paper to be re-energized with its coverage. When you get a new car, you want to drive it. I'm glad they are back on the team's side.

And I agree, to say there was no fallout to the firing is pure fantasy, but it's also a little disingenuous to imply that we can never return and surpass where we were.

[Braves4Life]

I just wish some could have supported our coaches in the past. That includes the rag that goes out of their way to sugar coat things now. I guess I'm just amazed that some didnt think firing such a beloved figure would cause fallout and that some still dont see it. I just hope those people are having fun with their therapy sessions.

Haven't we met before aggieman? You sound vaguely familiar...

[Da Coach]

Haven't we met before aggieman? You sound vaguely familiar...

I you are suggesting that aggieman is someone who has posted previously under another name, as I have always noticed that some do to try to discredit opinions- we do check those things out before we validate new members.
aggieman is a unique new poster- not someone who has ever posted here before.

[Braves4Life]

I you are suggesting that aggieman is someone who has posted previously under another name, as I have always noticed that some do to try to discredit opinions- we do check those things out before we validate new members.
aggieman is a unique new poster- not someone who has ever posted here before.

Thanks DC. His thoughts, syntax and writing style just seems so familiar... I really thought he was a friend of mine... Back from the dead, if you will.

[Mikovio]

I'm very surprised with where we are right now. Coming off back to back last place finishes, and losing our only all-MVC player Taylor Brown, who was our leading scorer and 2nd leading rebounder, I was just hoping we'd avoid last again. That's not a knock on the players-- it's a logical conclusion. We lose our all-league guy, and add a JUCO and freshman (and two transfers who have to sit out a year) to a group that finished in the cellar back to back. To be tied for 4th almost halfway through the race is astounding.

Yes, there aren't any wins over great teams, but BU went toe-to-toe with ranked Michigan and Wichita State, and probably beats the Shockers if it has Egolf. There have been a couple bad showings (S FL, UNI), but you're really straining yourself if you see the glass half empty with these guys. The glass is 12/19 full.

Credit needs to go to the coaches and the players who are putting in the extra time and effort. This team doesn't have a stud Larry Bird trophy contender like McDermott or Carmichael, but they have displayed the effort and grit needed to compete with any team in this league. (Well, we'll see with Creighton shortly.)

I feel sorry for anybody who isn't enjoying this. Some of you need to get over this coaching change. Few people wanted Les to succeed more than me, but what's done is done. Registering an account on Bradleyfans.com calling yourself aggiefan is ridiculous, and not supporting the team and coaching staff because you have an issue with the administration or want to say "I told you so" is also ridiculous. Reminds me of Republicans or Democrats who root for the economy to tank when the other party is in power. Take your partisan blinders off and look at the big picture.

[shaunguth]

As it stands now I believe next year we will start three gaurds. Anthony Fields at point, Walt at the two and Omari Grier at three. It is my understanding that Fields is a lightning quick natural point gaurd who should cut down on our point gaurd turnovers. Grier shot 40.8% from three his freshman year and 88.9% from the line. He also has more steals than turnovers though not many of either. Of course WL will be a senior.

I suspect TP will start at the 4 spot and JP at the 5. Both will be seniors.

My guess is that team will be better than our current one.

Not sure if you're only talking about starters or not with this last statement. If so, then I don't know if we'll be better than this year or not. Guess I'll have to see the 2 transfers in game situations.

Replacing Jake and DSE with Fields and Grier is probably a draw at this point and only a draw because of moving Walt out of the point guard spot. Prosser does not even come close to giving us what Egolf does!

[tornado]

Good to see you again Miko...

Credit needs to go to the coaches and the players
This team doesn't have a stud Larry Bird trophy contender like McDermott ..

and I agree it takes a very good coaching job to take unheralded players and make consistent winners

let me propose a tough question -- just for the sake of argument - not to take anything away from the Valley's most heralded team thus far....
but how good would Creighton be if not for a series of quirks that plopped McDermott into their laps?
Dad doesn't recruit Doug to Iowa State --> Doug gets little other interest and settles for UNI --> then Dana gets hired away to Oregon --> then dad gets canned/pressured out at Iowa State after a series of bad years--> dad gets hired at Creighton --> and UNI lets him out of his verbal to go play with dad...the rest is history.


..some good teams (like Wichita) can lose a key player or two and still be very good teams.
Some good teams depend so strongly on just one star that they are mere mortals if they should lose that star.

How good would Creighton be without McDermott?

I actually don't know - I think they'd still be good but....
-McDermott is averaging 24ppg, and only a few of their games against decent teams were blowouts sufficient to convince me they'd have won even without McDermott.
-there are some close games where Doug McDermott carried the team (Cal, UNI, Wisconsin..) that had they lost those games their RPI could be borderline for an at-large bid!

[shaunguth]

None of our guards or forwards for that matter can really shoot the three.

In conference play, Lemon and DSE are both shooting 33% and Eastman is 46%. Our starting center is 58%.....don't forget about him! I'd say those 4 players all matter and are not shooting terribly bad.

[Bravesfan]

so your agenda isn't about Bradley but more about what others think on the other board. It's kind of hard to take you seriously on a bradley fan board with your name the way it is. You are a Les fan and not a Bradley fan. We get it...
Maybe you should go over to the other board and argue with them...

No doubt Les was beloved as a player pretty much everyone. He was beloved by a coach by many but certainly not all, and many thought it was time to make a change after not contending for conference championships.

And there are some who now don't seem to think much of JL's coaching because of other's opinions who didn't think he could do no wrong...

Now he has his right to his opinion lefty. We can agree or disagree with it, but I don't find him an "anti-Bradley" fan. Just a Bradley fan who didn't agree with the coaching change. It's better not to respond to someone if you want the thread to end.

[Buesch N Chips]

Now he has his right to his opinion lefty. We can agree or disagree with it, but I don't find him an "anti-Bradley" fan. Just a Bradley fan who didn't agree with the coaching change. It's better not to respond to someone if you want the thread to end.

I agree. Aggie fan seems new and his opinion is valid. Fringe (in my opinion), but valid. As long as he respects other people's opinions and stays consistent with his, I have no problem with him.