Coach Les gets a raise

[AZ BU Fan]

Hats off to JL and UCD. Impressive start in year 4...

Starting off 9-1 in his 9th season at BU would have kept him in Peoria..

2007-08 Bradley MVC 38 21 17 .553
2008-09 Bradley MVC 36 21 15 .583
2009-10 Bradley MVC 31 16 15 .516
2010-11 Bradley MVC 32 12 20 .375

Having more success bringing better talent into UCD and keeping them healthy in year 4 than he did in his last 4 years at BU.

Never want to be the one who replaces a legend. Will be interesting to see how the next BU Coach does once GF era at BU has concluded.

[Da Coach]

Nah, it's about time to start looking at the RPIs seriously. Late December. UCD has done a legitimately good job, full credit for their RPI (although I think the bottom half of that conference will be an anchor, and it's headed for the 150 range).

I'm all for giving credit for this year to Les (seriously, he does deserve it). I'm just saying that using the word "consistent" before "winning team" is a bit disingenuous. This is the first year where he's had any success (but it is legitimate).

Also I'm pretty sure I didn't reference any current Bradley factoid when posting my thoughts, so I'm not sure why the BU-related thoughts you had are relevant to my post

OK, so it seems we agree on everything except the interpretation of the word "consistent". UC Davis has won 9 of 10 games, they obviously have not had any losing streaks longer than 1 game, they have won at home, and they have won at about the same pace on the road. They have even won when they had a starter miss a game with an injury, and the coach did not try to make excuses. Even last year, when Jim lost 3 starters with injuries for nearly the entire year, he never once brought up the injuries as an excuse.
On the other hand, I don't believe I have seen an article yet by Dave Reynolds where either he or Coach Ford don't bring up injuries and dwell on them and use them as an excuse.

Anyway, IMO UC Davis has been very consistent this season, but if you prefer to use the term only for winning over multiple years, that's OK.

[Chico]

UC Davis is actually 9-1.

Two more road non cons left. Maybe they can get a split and then one more cupcake before Big West Season.

Thats 11 - 2 with a 16 game confernece season ahead.

Very good chance they are 21 - 8 or 22 - 7 going into the Big West Tourney. Pretty good season for a team thats never had a winning record.

Wouldn't consider Washingtin St or Seattle cupcakes. They would improve our schedule.

[BU212121]

The cupcake is after the 2 road games

[Rick LeHew]

Is it bad that I've been to more UC Davis games vs. Bradley games this season?

[Chico]

The cupcake is after the 2 road games

Sorry. Didn't check the schedule after the Seattle game.

[Chico]

Is it bad that I've been to more UC Davis games vs. Bradley games this season?

No, I consider it lucky. Would be nice to see Jim's and the Hawk's kids playing in a Bradley uniform.

[Buesch N Chips]

And I am sure UCD's schedule is a bit weak because they can't get good teams to play them..

Why?

[Da Coach]

Why?

They have moved past the level of playing nothing but "buy" games, and yet they haven't establish the kind of reputation and stature that Bradley, MVC and other "name" mid-majors have to be able to get better mid-majors to want to schedule them or play home-and home games. But that will come.

If they are smart, schools will always want to work to try to improve their scheduling, not try to intentionally schedule weaker opponents to try to make their record look a little better.

[tornado]

hard to find a point guard?? UC-Davis' starting point guard got one and only one offer...

http://www.sacbee.com/sports/college/article4960332.html

btw - UC-Davis has four players who are among the top 20 in the Big West in assists (3 are in Top 15) and in A/T Ratio (3 are in Top 8 )

[tornado]

other UC-Davis news -
they lead the nation in team 3-pt shooting pct.
(Loyola is 17th)

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/stats/teamsort/NCAAB/SCORING/regularseason?&_1:col_1=13

[Chico]

Nice article on the UCDavis website about Jim's son Tyler. To think he, along with Hawk's son, could be in a Bradley uniform.

[tornado]

I know - we have often discussed what might have been had POB stayed a couple more years, or if Danny Granger & Joah Tucker had stayed,
or if Anthony Parker had not broken bones, or if Dick Versace had been allowed to stay, or if that Hawaii ref Larry Yamashita had just called things fairly,
or if Squeaky had been given the foul he deserved...etc...

Lots of what-ifs - it's the prototypical topic that message boards are meant for - wondering what if...

BUT - Chico - the instant you wonder what if about 2011 and all the massive changes that were crammed down every Bradley fan's throat that didn't have to take place...
then you will be viciously attacked as dragging up old arguments, picking at scabs, beating a dead horse, being a JL-worshipper, opening up old wounds, and longing for the impossible & unreasonable....and turning every discussion back to JL.

For those who don't care and still want to read the story - here's the link

http://www.ucdavisaggies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/010615aab.html

and while you're at it - here's a podcast with Coach Les on a national site..

http://collegeinsider.com/c34/brian-doyle

http://www.ucdavisaggies.com/sports/m-baskbl/ucda-m-baskbl-body.html

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mp3/Jim-Les_05012015114334.mp3

[Chico]

Don't care what others think. If they don't want to follow his career, they don't have to.

[molar50]

Some day, not in the near future, I predict Coach Les will be back to be honored at halftime and will have his number retired.