Final UNI 80 - BU 46

[Bravesfanchicago]

Revenues are down.....BSS is way off from JL days....and down year over year since Geno arrived.

Plus the BU financials have suffered from broader issues .....three years of declining entering classes and much lower cash position. That's why the self inflicted wounds of JG on contracts....litigation etc are more painful for BU.

[tornado]

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

most of the players recruited by Molinari did not want to stay and play for Les...
of course those with the most talent left & transferred - and for anyone who was not around - the rest chose NOT to play within JL's system - literally causing a little bit of chaos but once they all graduated - then Jim Les made it to the Sweet Sixteen.
but the exact, 180 degree opposite scenario is unfolding here - as JL's recruits are graduating - year by year, the team looks totally lost.

Even Kirk Wessler described this in this message board post of his saying how he "soured on Jim Les" during JL's 2nd year and was essentially hostile and against him thereafter -
(thus explaining his unfair, unobjective, and illogical hate and bias towards JL)

...but he clearly describes the players' refusal to play in Jim Les' offense or defense and essentially mutinied:

http://www.pjstarforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=88481&p=1186602#p1186602

funny how when JL had team chemistry issues Kirk Wessler turned on JL and blamed him for all the problems & a 15-16 record - even tho a Sweet Sixteen year was only a year away....
- but now we have far more serious chemistry issues - headed for a way worse than 15-16 season, yet KW blames the players left over by JL and wouldn't think of using the same logic that it is the coach's job to create the chemistry!!
What incredible hypocrisy!

[Da Coach]

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

Everything you claim as fact, in actually your opinion only, and many of them are flat out wrong.
Les took over a 20-loss team, and it lost 20 games under Mo with everyone healthy.
Geno took over a 20-loss team, that had 2 All-MVC starters out all year and who would be returning, which would have assured a much better season in 2011-12.
Tucker and Tisby were already gone before Les got here. Neither were "run off" (Tucker did not leave after year 1 like you claim, he left before Les got here after being tampered with by Bruce Pearl), that is a fact. Granger was leaving, too, but Les talked him into staying. Les even bent a lot of rules to try to keep Granger happy, but he was a prima donna, and wanted to be above the team rules. He left on his own after he was disciplined for missing the team bus to Evansville. He was enticed to transfer to New Mexico by Ritchie McKay and Duane Broussard, and had all the arrangements made before even before informing anyone at Bradley. He was not "run off" by Les. Les did everything he could, including bending the rules, to keep him happy.

Funny that you admit Geno inherited Egolf, Lemon, Prosser, Edwards, and Brown. That is a pretty good group to inherit- Egolf is the best center this program has had since POB and Bayo, Edwards was a Defensive POY and a double-digit scorer, and Brown and Lemon were All-MVC and candidates for POY- between them their combined scoring average dwarfs every player that Geno has recruited combined. And maybe he wasn't All-MVC, but I think most people can admit that Jake Eastman was a pretty good and important player, too. He would sure help this current team.
No big man? Again, He inherited Will, who turned out to be a double-digit scorer, and the team's best 3-point shooter. Name the last BU centers to average 10+ points? (p.s. the only 2 in the last 20 years were POB & Bayo) He also inherited Taylor Brown, who was All-MVC, and one of the most skilled big men and one of the top rebounders in the MVC! When can we expect one of Geno's centers to emerge as a consistent player?

No Point guard? He also would have inherited Sam Maniscalco if the administration had not lied to him and betrayed him. Geno also would have inherited Donivine Stewart and Remy Abell, who both would have been able to play PG better than anyone else he's recruited in the past 3 years.
When will the excuses end? You sound like you are auditioning to be a sportswriter for the PJ Star!
Geno has had 3 years to get the players he wants, and he still has Jim Les' player out of position at point guard and leading the team in scoring. Let's stop trying to blame the previous coach.

And I will also point out that the big difference between year three of Geno and year three of JL is that most fans could see the pieces were here for the NCAA/Sweet 16 team in 2005-06. Do you or does anyone feel we have such a future with the current team?

[bu fan 9]

Great post Da Coach!!!

[bigjimmy]

Great and accurate posts by Tornado and Da Coach! Here's another fact for you. We have gone from an average of about 9,300 in the 09-10 season to currently averaging just 5,700. That's a lot of disgruntled fans to lose in a few years.

[tornado]

we have a long way to go but winning like we did and not trying to flaunt our pseudo-depth - just using the guys who produce (Walt, JP, Tyshon, and Barnes mainly then throw Grier in there and KB is he can come back...)
Bell injured his ankle late in the game and did not return.