Dave Reynolds recruiting column

[Da Coach]

The way it seems is that some here want to make sure there is no blame to previous coach or the players recruited by that coach...

Wow. Really? We have seen endless blaming of the previous coach and the leftover players. How many times has the phrase "cupboard was bare" been used, and merciless rips of Will, Jake, Jordan, Walt, Dyricus and others as "lacking talent", "lacking leadership", not Division I, selfish, losers, and on and on.
Even today's Kirk Wessler column is 100% about blaming these players, though Kirk also does seem to throw Tyshon Pickett and the other GF recruits under the bus along with Walt.

Who is responsible for the roster? The recruiting? The coaching? Cultivating team leaders? Maybe in year one the excuses can fly, but we are about to enter year 4, and these same excuses are laughable now.
I can't find or even think of many examples where the leftover players on a team under a new coach continue to be the leading scorers and producers for 3 full years as new players come and go, without someone recruited by the new coach stepping up more than we have seen so far. Next year they will have to, because there are no more Jim Les players to blame.

It is ridiculous to only blame the players, IMO.
I can't wait to see what the excuse-makers say next year.

[lefty]

Wow. Really? We have seen endless blaming of the previous coach and the leftover players. How many times has the phrase "cupboard was bare" been used, and merciless rips of Will, Jake, Jordan, Walt, Dyricus and others as "lacking talent", "lacking leadership", not Division I, selfish, losers, and on and on.
Even today's Kirk Wessler column is 100% about blaming these players, though Kirk also does seem to throw Tyshon Pickett and the other GF recruits under the bus along with Walt.

Who is responsible for the roster? The recruiting? The coaching? Cultivating team leaders? Maybe in year one the excuses can fly, but we are about to enter year 4, and these same excuses are laughable now.
I can't find or even think of many examples where the leftover players on a team under a new coach continue to be the leading scorers and producers for 3 full years as new players come and go, without someone recruited by the new coach stepping up more than we have seen so far. Next year they will have to, because there are no more Jim Les players to blame.

It is ridiculous to only blame the players, IMO.
I can't wait to see what the excuse-makers say next year.

This is funny to me.....you are already convinced that there will be excuses for next year. Why put yourself through the aggravation by reading the Star? You will continue to read whatever you want between the lines. Do you just like blasting away at KW and DR?

I guess I'm not sure what you want DC......my point is some here blast away at anyone if they think there is a hint of reference to JL or the players he recruited as any kind of issue.....

He blasted Geno the day before and the players today...like I said before it's on Geno to get the program winning....if he doesn't then someone else will take his place.

[wily coyote]

Wow. Really? We have seen endless blaming of the previous coach and the leftover players. How many times has the phrase "cupboard was bare" been used, and merciless rips of Will, Jake, Jordan, Walt, Dyricus and others as "lacking talent", "lacking leadership", not Division I, selfish, losers, and on and on.
Even today's Kirk Wessler column is 100% about blaming these players, though Kirk also does seem to throw Tyshon Pickett and the other GF recruits under the bus along with Walt.

Who is responsible for the roster? The recruiting? The coaching? Cultivating team leaders? Maybe in year one the excuses can fly, but we are about to enter year 4, and these same excuses are laughable now.
I can't find or even think of many examples where the leftover players on a team under a new coach continue to be the leading scorers and producers for 3 full years as new players come and go, without someone recruited by the new coach stepping up more than we have seen so far. Next year they will have to, because there are no more Jim Les players to blame.

It is ridiculous to only blame the players, IMO.
I can't wait to see what the excuse-makers say next year.

DC how can we not blame the 5 kids you mentioned in your first paragraph. After all they may be better than what we put out on the floor this year but they never got us out of Thur. night either. So I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time bragging them up.
It is becoming apparent that Jim and Geno's recruiting failures are running pretty much equal. We know how that worked out for Jim and I'm sure Geno is aware his ice is thinning.
I think Lefty put it best. There is a lot of blame to go around but if you've enjoyed watching what we put out on the floor the last 5 years than I don't think anything or anyone will change anyone's mind.

[Da Coach]

DC how can we not blame the 5 kids you mentioned in your first paragraph. After all they may be better than what we put out on the floor this year but they never got us out of Thur. night either. So I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time bragging them up.
It is becoming apparent that Jim and Geno's recruiting failures are running pretty much equal. We know how that worked out for Jim and I'm sure Geno is aware his ice is thinning.
I think Lefty put it best. There is a lot of blame to go around but if you've enjoyed watching what we put out on the floor the last 5 years than I don't think anything or anyone will change anyone's mind.

Wily, I am neither bragging them up nor defending them. Notice the quote in my post. I was merely questioning lefty's statement that "some here want to make sure there is no blame to previous coach or the players recruited by that coach..."

On the contrary, those player have been blamed endlessly and an unreasonable amount of the blame continues to go toward the players. I have never felt the need, like some do, to find scapegoats on the team to blame. What kind of fan does that?
When will those in charge ever come under the same standards and take a smidgen of responsibility? (apologies to BO)
I want to see a winning team as much as anyone, but do you think that is the direction we are headed?

[Da Coach]

I guess I'm not sure what you want DC......my point is some here blast away at anyone if they think there is a hint of reference to JL or the players he recruited as any kind of issue.....

It's simple. It's the same thing all Bradley fans want- a winning team. Something we had, and now don't have. And this is not about Jim Les any more. Even Kirk seems to finally be getting that, even though his memory is a bit deficient judging by his complete omission of Sammy as our recent point guard. I am not the one who keeps bringing JL into the current situation.
Do you feel good about the direction we are headed?

[lefty]

It's simple. It's the same thing all Bradley fans want- a winning team. Something we had, and now don't have. And this is not about Jim Les any more. Even Kirk seems to finally be getting that, even though his memory is a bit deficient judging by his complete omission of Sammy as our recent point guard. I am not the one who keeps bringing JL into the current situation.
Do you feel good about the direction we are headed?

Nope....and I think I have stated as such.........I thought it might be after last year but this year was a huge setback....next year is it IMO.

[BU Bill]

Requiem for Bradley basketball

I don't think any Bradley fan is happy with where we are, and not many who can say they are happy with where we appear to be headed. What I see is that some here have predicted this failure pretty accurately. OTOH, those who keep saying we are fine and headed in the right direction have their heads buried in the sand. This program, this administration, and this coaching staff have serious problems. They aren't getting the job done, and they are running out of time. I know a lot of people who already gave up their seats, and more who aren't planning on renewing next year. Maybe it's too late, but I still think it is possible to turn things around, and it happens all the time. But I don't see it happening here with the same people driving the bus who already drove almost every BU program into the ditch. RIP BU basketball.

[wily coyote]

Wily, I am neither bragging them up nor defending them. Notice the quote in my post. I was merely questioning lefty's statement that "some here want to make sure there is no blame to previous coach or the players recruited by that coach..."

On the contrary, those players have been blamed endlessly and an unreasonable amount of the blame continues to go toward the players. I have never felt the need, like some do, to find scapegoats on the team to blame. What kind of fan does that?
When will those in charge ever come under the same standards and take a smidgen of responsibility? (apologies to BO)
I want to see a winning team as much as anyone, but do you think that is the direction we are headed?

Here's the difference between what you see and I see. You say Kirk has thrown WL, TP and others under the bus. I call it telling it like it is.
I saw absolutely nothing wrong with his column yesterday or today. Maybe you just want the blame to be placed elsewhere, don't know. In my eyes blame needs to be shared by past and present staffs for their recruiting of kids unable to challenge in the MV. Just can't figure out where you want the blame placed if not by the performers.

[Da Coach]

Here's the difference between what you see and I see. You say Kirk has thrown WL, TP and others under the bus. I call it telling it like it is.
I saw absolutely nothing wrong with his column yesterday or today. Maybe you just want the blame to be placed elsewhere, don't know. In my eyes blame needs to be shared by past and present staffs for their recruiting of kids unable to challenge in the MV. Just can't figure out where you want the blame placed if not by the performers.

How about this....he never once even hinted that part of the problem with the team's performance, the personnel, or this "leadership" BS was the fault of the people who truly lead this team, the coaches. That would be "telling it like it is".

[mrcoachdude]

I think your being a little hard on KW...he has broad shoulders and can handle it, I am sure...

"Ford also knows this: He was hired to fix a program that had spent most of the previous decade re-defining success as mediocrity, and three years later he??™s failing."

I think that quote pretty much puts the blame on the coach...

I know there are plenty of other things in the article about what needs to be done differently...mainly leadership and chemistry...better talent...

all coaching responsibilities...the product on the floor comes down to the coach...

[Da Coach]

Like many other of KW's articles, he also keeps blaming Jim Les. Even in that quote he can't bring himself to blame the current coach without casting the blame back onto the previous coach.
Like he forgot Sammy, does he also forget Jim had seasons with 22, 22, 21, 21 wins in succession. And he went to the NCAA, NIT, and the Sweet 16, and had multiple years with RPI under 40, and MVC finishes in the upper half of the league for 5 years in a row. And did all that without ever playing anywhere near as weak a schedule as we have these last 2 years.
I think most Bradley fans would love to get back anywhere close to that level of "mediocrity".
If that was mediocre, what will sportswriters in the future call this era? Nevermind. I already know. I have predicted everything to this point already, and the answer to that question is easy.

[tornado]

Missouri-West Plains shooting guard Devaugntah Williams, who was once linked to BU, has verballed to Texas Tech (18 ppg, 4 apg)

http://texastech.scout.com/a.z?s=188&p=2&c=1382479&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2ftexastech.scout.com%2f2%2f1382479.html

[LongTimeFan]

All I want to say is that I wish Ford the best success in the spring recruiting season. Ford's coaching ability consists of recruiting and 'X and O' coaching. I hope he can get the players he wants and then we can accurately judge his on-the-floor coaching ability.

I will admit that Loyola came to play and appeared to have a good game plan. In their first MVC year they managed to get out of the Thursday night game.

[tornado]

watched a bunch of the Horizon, Summitt, NEC, and other conference championship games and the ability to hit the three when it mattered played a key part in determining who won each game..
We got to land some shooters.

[tornado]

Roderick Lawrence, a 6'4", 185 pound guard from South Plains College

Kendahl Amerson, a 6'3", 205 pound guard from College of Eastern Utah

Jaleni Neely, a 6' point guard (closer to 5'10") also at College of Eastern Utah

Dinjiyl Walker, a 6'2" sophomore guard at Iowa Western ..

getting back to the original thought - of the four guys named by in that column by DR - only one is left playing as USUE & Iowa Western did not advance to the NJCAA Nationals...
but South Plains did as they got an at large bid, so there'll be the opportunity to see how Lawrence does at Nationals.