Thank you Braves

[lefty]

Pickle ball? Sure you aren't old enough already? Getting big out here also, but I'll stick to golf, tough enough on the old knees.

yeah...I know but my wife and I are now addicted....I'm just glad that Morton has official courts.....

[mrcoachdude]

Great point! This is the reason why I hardly ever post anymore because of all the bickering.

quite frankly that is why I rarely post anymore and don't even read much of what is on the message boards...

the back and forth...baiting and flaming is getting old...I would offer my federal mediation talent...but not sure that would work

I don't think either end of the spectrum want it to stop....some enjoy it....???

[Bravesfan]

the losses, the blowouts, the strikingly small and disappointing crowds, etc...
this is NOT what Bradley basketball is historically all about -- we all want to see better...
but we should not ignore what got us here.........and it wasn't the fans - so it stumps me that we see fans blaming other fans for supporting the team!

Couldn't agree more with this tornado! There were some fans that were rooting for Les to lose. These were mostly not the same people that were chanting "fire Les" at the games. Many who did that were not rooting for the team to lose. They just wanted a coaching change. Obviously we both disagree that that should have happened, but most who were chanting this at the games were aiming it at Les while not rooting for the team to lose. Yes, they may have inadvertantly hurt the players on the court while hearing this, and maybe put more stress on the players than they thought they were. But I don't think most of these people in their hearts wanted to see the team lose.

However, we also had the smaller but just as vocal group that did want the team to lose and did go after the fans that were supporting the team through thick and thin. Now I haven't attended any games where this was happening since I live in the Chicago area. So, how would I know this would be going on without any proof of hearing it? Simple. Because EVERY sports team on the planet has so-called "fans" like these that actively root for a team to lose when they want to see a coaching change. If people don't believe that occurs, then they should have listened to the Score radio station in Chicago for the past two or three years where callers would call in almost every day hoping the Bears would purposely lose games in order to see Lovie Smith fired! It happens. Every fan base contains losers like this claiming to be helping the team move into a different direction when they do this. Thankfully, even some of the most ardent critics of Lovie on the Score would not tolerate callers like this. But the fact remains that there are people like this within every fan base.

So basically my point is that most Bradley fans are stand up people that have nothing but the best interests of the team in mind, even the pro "coaching change" ones. We have lost some fans in recent years, but that has more to do with our team losing, along with some economic factors that may have played into this as Valley attendence has been down as a whole. But most of the fans here want to see this team win more consistently, and I can't believe the fans are responsible for this team's recent failures. The important thing is that Bradley appears to be on its way back, and the fans will return as soon as it becomes more apparent that the Bradley program is on the verge of becoming a consistent winner.

[tornado]

.... and the fans will return as soon as it becomes more apparent that the Bradley program is on the verge of becoming a consistent winner.

and I hope that happens soon - but all the most winnable Valley games are behind us - now comes the hard part - but if Indiana State can win at Wichita and Boise State can win at Creighton - then I think we can still be the surprise team come March...

[Bravesfan]

Neither side of the argument can say they are "letting it go." Both sides bring up JL constantly, one to praise, the other to rip.

Half the people bring JL up, but the other half are trying to defend their positions. It's called debate, discussion and/or argument, and what better place for that than on a message board.

[Bravesfan]

and I hope that happens soon - but all the most winnable Valley games are behind us - now comes the hard part - but if Indiana State can win at Wichita and Boise State can win at Creighton - then I think we can still be the surprise team come March...

Yes, why can't it be us for a change. I hope it happens, but for the moment I will settle for a win over Creighton, Evansville or Indiana State at home.

[SFP]

Half the people bring JL up, but the other half are trying to defend their positions. It's called debate, discussion and/or argument, and what better place for that than on a message board.

That horse has been beaten to a pulp is why and rehashing the past is getting very very old at this point in time. We have plenty to argue over this team now and the direction without every other thread getting hijacked with JL this and JL that! He's moved on and so have I!

[Da Coach]

OK, the fans have spoken. Maybe this will make everyone happy-
from now on, anyone who tries to bring up the previous coach, or tries to dump blame for some perceived problem on the previous coach, the coaching change, or most of all, makes a ridiculous claim that some other fans are to blame for whatever they perceive is wrong, will have their post deleted, and risk banishment.

This site was started back in 2005 for this exact reason- as most might recall, other forums available then were rife with disgruntled people who were constantly bickering, calling each other names, and verbally attacking other fans. There was also a lot of attacking of coaches and players, and calling for a coaching change when 1 year later we would have one of the greatest seasons in the last 50 years of Bradley's history. It made those sites an unpleasant place to go, and created a need for this forum, which has been a tremendous success and which has enjoyed an unbelievable amount of fan traffic now averaging nearly 10 million page hits a month. We appreciate the loyal Bradley fans.

[Bravesfan]

Hey we WON we beat the dead birds, let's all be happy for once. This, he said she said stuff is getting (f)ing old! If it continues I may have to take a break from here. We have what we have and nothing from the past is going to help us going forward. This is worse then the arguments I have with my fiance about things I did 5 years ago.

Now on to the subject of this thread. Thank you team! Go Braves!

Couldn't agree more! Geno had to play the cards he was dealt with when he got here, whether it was from injuries, player defections, lack of depth, recruits that did not pan out, good coaching, bad coaching, karma, the moon and stars lined up....whatever the reasons. That's all done and over with. Yes I defend my position from time to time, and I admit I'm just as guilty as the next person, but right now I see a coach that is doing a great job building a foundation for this team and beginning to turn things around. Geno, the other coaches, the players and the rest of the university deserve our full support. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, then we can revisit the debates. But right now while we are not were we want to be, I am encouraged with what I am seeing. Hopefully we can keep focused on the growth of this team and get more people to support them.

[Bravesfan]

and I hope that happens soon - but all the most winnable Valley games are behind us - now comes the hard part - but if Indiana State can win at Wichita and Boise State can win at Creighton - then I think we can still be the surprise team come March...

That's why I said as soon as it becomes apparent. If the program stalls, then some of the fans will continue to stay away. But I'm really hoping that will not happen.

[Future Walk-On]

OK, the fans have spoken. Maybe this will make everyone happy-
from now on, anyone who tries to bring up the previous coach, or tries to dump blame for some perceived problem on the previous coach, the coaching change, or most of all, makes a ridiculous claim that some other fans are to blame for whatever they perceive is wrong, will have their post deleted, and risk banishment.

This site was started back in 2005 for this exact reason- as most might recall, other forums available then were rife with disgruntled people who were constantly bickering, calling each other names, and verbally attacking other fans. There was also a lot of attacking of coaches and players, and calling for a coaching change when 1 year later we would have one of the greatest seasons in the last 50 years of Bradley's history. It made those sites an unpleasant place to go, and created a need for this forum, which has been a tremendous success and which has enjoyed an unbelievable amount of fan traffic now averaging nearly 10 million page hits a month. We appreciate the loyal Bradley fans.

EDIT: NVM

all I am saying is it is my opinion that the S16 run is WAY overvalued by many fans.

[Bravesfan]

That horse has been beaten to a pulp is why and rehashing the past is getting very very old at this point in time. We have plenty to argue over this team now and the direction without every other thread getting hijacked with JL this and JL that! He's moved on and so have I!

No, I agree with you on this. I was just saying it's great that we have message boards for debates like this, and I think some posters are sincere when they want to defend their positions without getting painted the wrong way. So sometimes these topics go on for a lot longer than people want them to. That said though, you are 100% right SFP that sooner or later people will grow tired of this and eventually drop the topic, which is also anyone's right to do and just as important as allowing the argument in the first place.

I do agree though that this topic has gone WAY beyond its shelf life and as much as I defend my positions here, I have also posted many times that I would like to move on as well. There are more important things to discuss, though like I said above, I am just as guilty as others in keeping these threads alive. But there are other more current issues I would like to discuss, so I do take some blame on harping on older issues, which I would like to try to refrain from doing.

[Buesch N Chips]

OK, the fans have spoken. Maybe this will make everyone happy-from now on, anyone who tries to bring up the previous coach, or tries to dump blame for some perceived problem on the previous coach, the coaching change, or most of all, makes a ridiculous claim that some other fans are to blame for whatever they perceive is wrong, will have their post deleted, and risk banishment.

I second the motion.

[Bravesfan]

EDIT: NVM

all I am saying is it is my opinion that the S16 run is WAY overvalued by many fans.

WOAH! I would NEVER call a Sweet 16 run WAY overvalued! Yes, it failed to bring the type of elite success that many wanted, though our program was far from being in the complete dumps either. But you can never take away the fun and excitement that that Sweet 16 run brought to the team, all of the loyal Bradley supporters, and the community that year. If we only have one Sweet 16 run every 50 years (and no, I would not be satisfied with that), it will be as special for the fans associated with the team at that time as it was for us back in 2006.

Not trying to change opinions here, just trying to put this in its proper perspective by saying NO Sweet 16 run is overvalued, even if it does not lead to the type of success that we all want.

[LittleBrave]

I second the motion.

So it's only fair that nobody on here makes a comment against PJ Star journalism that the current regime is moving in the right direction...or indirectly mentioning that we are transitioning well since the last regime.
Should go both ways, as from what I've observed, both sides are guilty of fueling the fire.