Final UNI 80 - BU 46

[bradleyfan124]

No I don't. I never said it was up. I have absolutely no information regarding revenue streams of Bradley. Tornado said it was down, and I'd like to see the information.

All you need to do is look around. Attendance is down at the games. Just around me 4 groups of people who had season tickets last year did not renew them this year Several others I have talked to are seriously thinking about cancelling their tickets. The overall confidence is way down.

[Bravesfanchicago]

JG created this mess

In looking through all the chatter about responsibility for the BBall mess.....it boils down to the fact that JG is directly responsible for the current state of affairs.

She could not wait to find a window to cut Les loose..injuries be ****ed. But in her haste she mishandled the whole affair..financially legally and personnel wise.

In her rush to find someone to take the job....she overpaid an unproven coach...recruiter and stranger to higher conference play. And GF has never had to recruit to school with traditional admissions standards (KSU has open admissions). GF won conf games with mostly somebody else's recruits and we doubled the bball coaches compensation for a guy who had two NIT wins.

So we shouldn't be that suprised that recruiting is not going well....talent can't be assessed and GF can't seem to figure how to use the players that are in house.

So this is JG's mess all day long ....her choice etc.

[BU-Bball]

Geno had success before with players he got left with. And lot fans thought he should of gotten to the NCAA tourney with those players and couldn't get it done.

I think this was about the season that led to his second straight MAC coach of the year. The part about returning only 3 players is interesting. Its actually the opposite of what you are saying.


In his third season at the helm of the Kent State program, Ford became the first men's basketball coach to lead his team to consecutive, outright MAC regular-season titles in 48 years. After winning the 2009-10 title with a 13-3 league record, Ford welcomed back only three returning players for the title defense, but successfully navigated the season with 10 newcomers to earn the repeat MAC championship in 2010-11 with a 12-4 conference mark. Denied a trip to the NCAA Tournament after losing in the MAC Tournament championship game, Kent State won NIT contests on both coasts - at Saint Mary's (Calif.) and Fairfield -- before dropping an 81-74 decision at No. 1 seed Colorado in the quarterfinals to finish the season with a 25-12 overall record.

[Old Coach]

In looking through all the chatter about responsibility for the BBall mess.....it boils down to the fact that JG is directly responsible for the current state of affairs.

She could not wait to find a window to cut Les loose..injuries be ****ed. But in her haste she mishandled the whole affair..financially legally and personnel wise.

In her rush to find someone to take the job....she overpaid an unproven coach...recruiter and stranger to higher conference play. And GF has never had to recruit to school with traditional admissions standards (KSU has open admissions). GF won conf games with mostly somebody else's recruits and we doubled the bball coaches compensation for a guy who had two NIT wins.

So we shouldn't be that suprised that recruiting is not going well....talent can't be assessed and GF can't seem to figure how to use the players that are in house.

So this is JG's mess all day long ....her choice etc.

Although I can appreciate your frustration, your information regarding Geno Ford's recruiting at Kent State isn't quite accurate. In Geno Ford's first season he went 19-15. Two years later (his final season at KSU) there was only one player who on the roster in 2008-2009. In 2010-2011, Geno's team went 25-12 and finished 1st in the MAC East. As far as quality of play in the MAC, other MAC head coaches have figured out the quality of play disparity so I don't think that's a legitimate concern either. Has Geno Ford been good enough at Bradley? Absolutely not. However, it isn't because he had never recruited or can't deal with the talent level of the MVC. Although he had just the 2 NIT wins, he also had two MAC Division titles, and he was the 2 time MAC coach of the year.

[Bravesfanchicago]

Perhaps I mis described the origin of GF's players....thanks Coach.

But I think the recruiting challenges seem to be more acute for GF at BU.

All that aside.....my main point is that this mess is from the hand of JG.....and while she may try and sacrifice Cross ...this mess is not his creation. JG went through a number of AD's at EKU....so she may redeploy that tactic.

And this notion of the MVC conference all sports cup/championship is just silly. That has never been a key goal at BU.

[Old Coach]

Perhaps I mis described the origin of GF's players....thanks Coach.

But I think the recruiting challenges seem to be more acute for GF at BU.

All that aside.....my main point is that this mess is from the hand of JG.....and while she may try and sacrifice Cross ...this mess is not his creation. JG went through a number of AD's at EKU....so she may redeploy that tactic.

And this notion of the MVC conference all sports cup/championship is just silly. That has never been a key goal at BU.

I agree. Geno's recruiting misses at Bradley are his to own.

[bu fan 9]

How many NCAA games did Geno coach in at Kent State? How many NCAA games has he won as a coach? College basketball is all about getting to the Big Dance and being part of March Madness.

[Rhino65]

All you need to do is look around. Attendance is down at the games. Just around me 4 groups of people who had season tickets last year did not renew them this year Several others I have talked to are seriously thinking about cancelling their tickets. The overall confidence is way down.

That doesn't necessarily mean revenue dollars are down though. I'd like to see some actual information showing this and not people just saying it's down. If no numbers exist to the public I'll understand, but don't go spouting off opinions that you play off as facts.

[bradleyfan124]

I dont think a non Bradley person can get those figures unless maybe off their balance sheet. But my seeing empty seats around me that last year were filled with season ticket holders is fact. Half the section I am in is now empty..fact..The number of disgruntled Bradley fans threatening to give up their season tickets has become the worse I have seen it...fact...

[Chico]

I dont think a non Bradley person can get those figures unless maybe off their balance sheet. But my seeing empty seats around me that last year were filled with season ticket holders is fact. Half the section I am in is now empty..fact..The number of disgruntled Bradley fans threatening to give up their season tickets has become the worse I have seen it...fact...

Number of real Bradley fans, win or lose, diminishing. Fact.

[stevebu91]

I'm a LT fan and alum that got spoiled by '87-88 as a freshman coming in...then watched the later Albeck years ruin the fun.

Our family usually takes 1 or 2 trips up to Peoria to watch the mens and ladies hoops team. We won't be making any trips anytime soon.

We will continue to support and donate to BU's athletic squads that have performing coaches and student athletes that are winning/doing well in the classroom. So, right now its DeRose's and Marc Burns' squads that we follow.

If coaches make statements that we will see a winner and we don't, well, there should be consequences....

[tornado]

every coach deserves time and should not be fired based on just one or two down years especially if additional circumstances like injuries played a part...
but there's far more at play here than anyone at PJS is willing to report - altho they have hinted at it..
Geno is in a tough position but has a couple good players coming in so we'll see...

[bravetime33]

every coach deserves time and should not be fired based on just one or two down years especially if additional circumstances like injuries played a part...
but there's far more at play here than anyone at PJS is willing to report - altho they have hinted at it..
Geno is in a tough position but has a couple good players coming in so we'll see...

Geno was hired with a proven track record of recruiting success, post season success and conference championship success. Les did not
In fact Les walked into a much better situation than Geno
Fact: Les comes into sophomores Gilbert 14 points, Gillingham 11points, Granger 11 points, true point guard Robinson 6 points, freshmen Tisby 5 points , and Tucker 5 Pts also Granger and Tucker were run off after year 1 and we all know about their later success
Geno on the other hand inherits Egolf 8 points, Lemon 6 points, Prosser 5 points, Edwards 10 points, and Brown 13 points ( who sat out the previous year)
No big man and no point guard
I do not like the current situation and better than anybody else
I do feel the honeymoon period is coming to an end for Geno
However I will not jump on the current band wagon by some to change until he gets ALL his guys in place as trying to fit 2 different cultures in place does not work I have gone through that in the business world.
IN comparing Jim's first 2 1/2 years and Geno's first 2 1/2 years here there is not that much of a difference especially given to what each coach inherited

[Chico]

Don't have a press guide in front of me to verify this, but I think Les had a much tough non-conference schedule than Geno. Also, I didn't mind "running off" a player who missed a team bus and has to sit out at the start of the game and deserts his teammates in the middle of the season. Also can't respect his country's flag. Good riddance. The Indiana Pacers are showing they don't need him either.

[bradleyfan124]

Plus he played the race card. Cheap shot!