Final: USF 61 Bradley 57

[Buesch N Chips]

I rarely agree with you, but this is amazing- what has this got to do with Jim Les and his record? Jim Les was criticized and ripped from the first day he was named coach. At what point does the coaching staff begin to bear some responsibility? Even when he had 2 All-MVC starters go down before the season had barely started, leading to his first losing season in 6 years, you and others blamed Jim Les for not recruiting enough depth. Now, according to the PJ Star, the problem is we have a lack of leaders on the court- who's fault is that?

We have one of the weakest non-conference schedules in the country for the 2nd year in a row, we keep losing to inferior teams, and getting blown out by some, we have columnists complaining that we have no leadership, we have thousands of fans bailing out (and more will bail out next year), and we have one of the most predictable and easiest teams in the country to defend.

Despite what KW and others say, this is as much on the coaching and AD as on the players. Just the fact that we have played Walt out of position at point guard for 2 1/2 years, then try to dump on him when he makes mistakes is more of an indictment of coaching decisions, than of the players. Where is the point guard of the future that some here claimed we'd have by year 3?

This entire athletic program has developed a culture of losing, and has completely turned off the great Bradley fan enthusiasm. Maybe you feel the embarrassing 2-19 record the baseball team posted in the MVC in the coach's 5th season is all Dewey's fault somehow?

We have become everybody else's cupcake. I hope Kirk and those who wanted this are happy. It's hard to argue that this team is any better than Geno's first team, and next year we lose our 2 best players and things could get a lot worse.
This fallout surpasses even the worst case scenario I predicted.

By the way, a reminder- when Jim Les left, we were still drawing an average of almost 9,000+ fans. And in all 9 years he was here, we had fewer 20+ point blowouts than we have had in the 2+ seasons since the coaching change. And we played a far more difficult and appealing schedule.

Even Kirk Wessler now has come around to recognize how valuable Will Egolf, Dyricus Simms-Edwards, and Jake Eastman were. And next year, when we are scoring in the 50's with regularity, we will be wishing we still had Walt Lemon.
But somehow we will continue to see a small number of people trying to blame Jim Les.

You two are playing a little bit loose with the facts, but that's ok. Numbers can be spun to say anything. I'm trying to figure out what you guys want. Do you want the PJS to treat GF like they treated JL? If they were so unfair to JL, which they were at times, why are you complaining that they have fixed the problem? Other than making the same point ad nauseum, what do you WANT to see happen regarding PJS coverage of BU?

[wily coyote]

My thoughts from no sun in 3 days Florida. Watched the game on a friends TV and want to report it doesn't look any better from The Villages. Didn't understand his starting lineup and I hope it wasn't because their flight was delayed. Thought Wells play was encouraging but as Lefty posted his lack of quickness on the defensive end leaves a little to be desired. Did think he gave us a spark. One time after a foul he tried to get everyone to assemble in the lane to discuss what they were gonna do. Everyone gathered around him but Walt. Didn't surprise me. Thought the middle 23 minutes were as good as we've played but the last 6 0r 7 minutes lead to our demise. We were up 5 and had the ball 3 times. WL and TP took 5 pitiful shots. That was the ball game. Until we can get WL to understand TEAM has no "I" in it nothing will change. So hard to watch. Isn't the definition of insanity "doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results."

[Buesch N Chips]

I think Nate was ok. He can't play for long stretches, but I believe the only way he will ever contribute is to improve by getting minutes on the floor. I'm not saying he should get more than he got tonight, and he hurt us at times, but he also did some good things. He wasn't the reason we lost and wouldn't have been the reason we had won. I do like how Geno is giving everyone opportunities. Except for Fields. Man that guy must really be in the doghouse.

[MickeyT]

Probably has something to do with comparing 9 years of a mediocre won loss record and below average win loss record in conference play vs a 2 1/2 year timeframe of similar numbers also fans were becoming more and more frustrated and unhappy with the lack of leverage in recruiting and and program expansion after the sweet sixteen run. Proof would be to look how Wichita has taken advantage of their success in post season the last couple of years ( and I am not talking about post season buy in games CBI and CIT etc. which we fulfilled after the run)

If your premise is to compare how well Wichita State took advantage of their Sweet 16 appearance in 2006, compared to Bradley, then your premise is completely wrong. Bradley went on to record 5 winning seasons in a row, and finishes in the upper half of the MVC, while Wichita State dropped to an 11-20 record by 2007-08, and 4-14 in the MVC and a 9th place finish (pretty similar to Jim Les' final season). It wasn't until 4 years after their Sweet 16 that they returned to a winning record and post-season play. It took a coaching change, and a complete overhaul of their program to accomplish this success, and ironically it was in Gregg Marshall's 3rd season as head coach.

[tornado]

riddle - name for me a D-I head coach who did not have control or final say over who was on staff or on the roster

[Da Coach]

You two are playing a little bit loose with the facts, but that's ok. Numbers can be spun to say anything. I'm trying to figure out what you guys want. Do you want the PJS to treat GF like they treated JL? If they were so unfair to JL, which they were at times, why are you complaining that they have fixed the problem? Other than making the same point ad nauseum, what do you WANT to see happen regarding PJS coverage of BU?

Simple...the kind of objectivity and consistency seen among fans. Kirk demanded the coaching change, and talk about making the same point ad nauseum, he has heaped endless praise on the administration and current coaching staff as the saviors of the program. At least I have been consistent. Kirk seems to change with the wind. So now he has to find someone else to blame- gotta be the players' fault. Even as recently as last month's HOOPS section they were praising the senior leadership, and the historically great talent, depth, and "stellar" recruiting.

Do you, or does anyone, think the whole problem now is Walt Lemon and the lack of leadership? There is a reason we see our coaching staff out recruiting more kids for 2014 when we don't have any scholarships left. Even they know they still have a deeply flawed team that is not competitive. We have "difference makers" who now don't even get off the bench, and things will only get worse with the loss of the top 2 players next year.

Will there be any fans left if it continues to take many more years to "rebuild".

[Chico]

Probably has something to do with comparing 9 years of a mediocre won loss record and below average win loss record in conference play vs a 2 1/2 year timeframe of similar numbers also fans were becoming more and more frustrated and unhappy with the lack of leverage in recruiting and and program expansion after the sweet sixteen run. Proof would be to look how Wichita has taken advantage of their success in post season the last couple of years ( and I am not talking about post season buy in games CBI and CIT etc. which we fulfilled after the run)

Bradley kept a coach for 13 years who's MVC record was below .500 but overall record was above .500 thanks to mostly cupcake non-conference schedules.

[tornado]

this isn't about what we want the media to do - this is about what we'd like to see for the money people spend on their tickets..
we want to see good players, good play, good coaching a good team, and winning...no 2 1/2 year span in multiple decades has produced a 30-50 (W-L) pace against such a weak slate of opponents...

[Old Coach]

It looked like Walt was a 3rd or 4th option on that inbounds play. But nobody else seemed to move, so the pass was lobbed long to Walt. But by then, USF knew that was coming and Walt was double-teamed. Someone on the floor needs to tell Walt about the second guy coming from his blind side, but it didn't seem they did. Just overall poor communication and teamwork at a really crucial point in the game, and I agree that has to fall on the coaches as much as the players.

Great point. Walt is supposed the be the safety valve on that play.

[kds]

riddle - name for me a D-I head coach who did not have control or final say over who was on staff or on the roster

I can think of one. Maybe that is why several candidates turned the job down

[Buesch N Chips]

Simple...the kind of objectivity and consistency seen among fans. Kirk demanded the coaching change, and talk about making the same point ad nauseum, he has heaped endless praise on the administration and current coaching staff as the saviors of the program. At least I have been consistent. Kirk seems to change with the wind. So now he has to find someone else to blame- gotta be the players' fault. Even as recently as last month's HOOPS section they were praising the senior leadership, and the historically great talent, depth, and "stellar" recruiting.

Do you, or does anyone, think the whole problem now is Walt Lemon and the lack of leadership? There is a reason we see our coaching staff out recruiting more kids for 2014 when we don't have any scholarships left. Even they know they still have a deeply flawed team that is not competitive. We have "difference makers" who now don't even get off the bench, and things will only get worse with the loss of the top 2 players next year.

Will there be any fans left if it continues to take many more years to "rebuild".

Would you say you have been consistent regarding your post game comments during the Jim Les era and the Geno ford era

[bu fan 9]

Let's just face it Geno can't recruit or coach. He will not get fired because he makes too much money and is a yes man to Glasser just like Cross. So next year will be more of the same lots of cup cakes in the non conf.

[Old Coach]

Let's just face it Geno can't recruit or coach. He will not get fired because he makes too much money and is a yes man to Glasser just like Cross. So next year will be more of the same lots of cup cakes in the non conf.

Ok, I'll accept it.

[bula-bloom]

Moral victories?

What the heck does this mean from the PJStar article today?

"Ford said. "There were a lot of positives today.""

I'm afraid Ford is a good high school coach -- and is showing some fraility at Div I level....I don't think he HATES losing enough -- really at this level it is about W/L. Competitive coaches don't count "moral victories?"

As far as Lemon's performance, he was bottled up on doubles much of the game. Not a lot he can do without teammates and plays from coach.

Regarding him driving wildly in the final minutes, don't you think that is the type of play that Geno has called for the last two years? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't-- there's not a lot of creativity in it. It appears he has a couple different plays though -- lemon to the right, lemon to the left and lemon down the middle.

I was a bit disappointed with 3-4 seconds to go at the end - that Bradley didn't have enough pride to try to make it closer - they dribbled out the clock. Admittedly, wouldn't have made a difference but that's the competitive spirit I'm looking for and that starts at the coach.

[bu fan 9]

Bula-bloom that's what happens when you hire a yes man not a coach they know they don't have to win there job is save. Cross,Ford, and Elvis are all yes men and should be fired but it won't happen.