Final- Wichita State 73 Bradley 39

[Da Coach]

Not trying to start the same argument, but like I've been saying, IMO we were never as much improved as some believed and some reported. The fallout from the coaching change set the team and the recruiting back substantially. I have been mocked for saying this, but it will take several more years to get back to where we were. Now even some who mocked my predictions are agreeing with me, and others eventually will.

[lefty]

Not trying to start the same argument, but like I've been saying, IMO we were never as much improved as some believed and some reported. The fallout from the coaching change set the team and the recruiting back substantially. I have been mocked for saying this, but it will take several more years to get back to where we were. Now even some who mocked my predictions are agreeing with me, and others eventually will.

I take several to be 4-5 more years then....is that right?

[Da Coach]

I think 4-5 years is more than anyone can forsee. I think I am being as objective as possible. If you disagree, tell me what you think.
It's only possible to project into the future when we know what the personnel and talent will be. I think we lose as much next year as we gain. So I don't see us gaining much ground for the next couple years. After that, the recruiting will need to improve significantly if we hope to make a move.

[Beninator]

Not trying to start the same argument, but like I've been saying, IMO we were never as much improved as some believed and some reported. The fallout from the coaching change set the team and the recruiting back substantially. I have been mocked for saying this, but it will take several more years to get back to where we were. Now even some who mocked my predictions are agreeing with me, and others eventually will.

What players whom we lost during the coaching change would have made us a much better team? Remy Abell, who is the player I wanted to see on the Hilltop is currently averaging 5.2 ppg at Indiana. At least with the Molinari firing, we could point to specific players whom would have made a difference. --and for the record I was for the firing of Molinari who I like--

[lefty]

I think 4-5 years is more than anyone can forsee. I think I am being as objective as possible. If you disagree, tell me what you think.
It's only possible to project into the future when we know what the personnel and talent will be. I think we lose as much next year as we gain. So I don't see us gaining much ground for the next couple years. After that, the recruiting will need to improve significantly if we hope to make a move.

It's hard to say we lose more than what we gain IMO......Grier and Field are suppose to fill immediate holes as a shooter and a PG....two areas where everyone agrees we are deficient.....Interior is still going to be problem, like everyone I hope we get another big(juco hopefully) then go from there....But I would think we should be much much better off in year 4 of Geno's tenure. We will have to see...

[Da Coach]

OK. But I'd ask fans to look at the standings in men's basketball, then check women's basketball. Then look at the records and standings for all the other sports. What is apparent is that the same teams seem consistently at the top in most sports, and likewise the same teams seem usually toward the bottom. Why?
Yes, it could be fan support, facilities, and funding that account for this, but Bradley is right near the top in all those areas, but we have trouble competing with the other leaders. Fans should wonder why? What do the fans here think we're doing wrong?

[Bravesfan]

I still stand behind a post I made in some thread not to long ago where B4L said he's with me.

OK we need a big to go with the good chance that our back court should be balanced and improved.

Last evening was a game where GF tried to use our limited bench because what I believe he was resting the starters as much as possible for the ISU game. Now on JP. He needs to stop taking the ball to the rim in traffic and take that jump shot! He is not a 5 guys. He has a decent jump shot. Do you guys remember his first shot last evening? It was a swish from the FT line.

I'm also hoping someone gets NW to the weight room and has him doing agility drills this summer. His foot work and strength need to improve big time. I'd have him live in the cafeteria that is closest to the weight room and give him an all you can drink protein shake coupon. I'd also get him a jump rope to help him with his agility.

Well I hope any coach doesn't rest their guys in anticpation of an upcoming game unless they are borderline hurt. I'm guessing he rested players when it became evident we had no chance of beating WSU, which in my guess was really early in the second half.

[78Brave]

I don't think it will take 4-5 more years just to get back where we were before 2010-2011. If it does there will probably be another coaching change. The goal is to be better than we were. It does take time to do it right.

[Da Coach]

I don't think it will take 4-5 more years just to get back where we were before 2010-2011. If it does there will probably be another coaching change. The goal is to be better than we were. It does take time to do it right.

So are you OK with all the 30+ point embarrassments? Should fans just expect that before we can be competitive? I can't. Maybe in the first rebuilding year, but now in the second too?
And recall that by the 3rd recruiting class in the last coach's tenure, all the pieces were already brought in that would lead to a Sweet 16 run. Who are those pieces now?
Who are the starters next year? And since the same people who have been telling us how much better this current team is are the ones hyping the incoming players, does that worry anyone?

[78Brave]

Well I don't really want to get into a Jim Les vs Geno Ford debate. I think Geno is doing a good job and will get Bradley much closer to where we all want to be sooner than you predict. Since DC raised the issue of other sports I am interested in what you think Bradley needs to do to become more competitive in those sports.

[bu fan 9]

Last in the Valley last year and could be 9th this year and that's doing a good job?

[Da Coach]

I am always the one giving the most opinions here. I'd like to see what others think first. Some fans like to sit back and criticize everything others say. Suffice to say that pretty much everything I predicted has happened so far.

7 losses by 30 points or more in the last 2 seasons. Yet experts keep saying we are better. The only such 30 point loss in the previous 10+ years was at Duke. A year ago, just before all the 30 point losses started, the PJS sports expert told us we were already "light years" better.

Btw, the BU women's team lost again today to fall into dead last place. We had most of our talent returning from last year, after back to back winning seasons for the first time in many years. I just didn't think there was any way we'd be this bad.

[78Brave]

I'm not an expert on all of the Bradley sports but I think it is difficult for a school like Bradley to consistently compete against larger public schools in all sports. It does seem like Bradley should do better though. And yes I do think Geno is doing a good job and don't intend to trash Jim Les to support Geno tonight.

[Bravesfan]

So are you OK with all the 30+ point embarrassments? Should fans just expect that before we can be competitive? I can't. Maybe in the first rebuilding year, but now in the second too?
And recall that by the 3rd recruiting class in the last coach's tenure, all the pieces were already brought in that would lead to a Sweet 16 run. Who are those pieces now?
Who are the starters next year? And since the same people who have been telling us how much better this current team is are the ones hyping the incoming players, does that worry anyone?

Other than a few posters who seemed to shrug their shoulders after yesterday's debacle, I don't think most here are OK with this. But I will wait and see how we respond on Tuesday against a talented but still beatable ISU red team. We have come back from road duds like this before, and so did Duke yesterday, so even the best teams sometimes have bad days like this. We may not have the depth that many teams in the Valley have, but we certainly have shown we are capable of competiting with anyone as we did against Michigan and Wichita St. at home. So hopefully this is just one, albeit bad loss that we can leave behind.

[Bravesfan]

I'm not an expert on all of the Bradley sports but I think it is difficult for a school like Bradley to consistently compete against larger public schools in all sports. It does seem like Bradley should do better though. And yes I do think Geno is doing a good job and don't intend to trash Jim Les to support Geno tonight.

They should do better. Creighton and Butler are two great examples of this.