Next year? Might as well begin the message board discussions...

[tornado]

Is it too soon to start talking about next year?
Obviously nobody knows what all is going to happen but that never stops us from starting up a little discourse.....

Lots to talk about...
by next fall we WILL HAVE a new University President & a new AD..
here are the questions I see for next year, 2015-16

#1- will our New University President give the Athletic Dept. the freedom to be run by those who know best in the department?

#2- will those people who are great at their jobs there be retained - Rick Gaa, Craig Dahlquist, Dave Snell, BP, Cody, Jen, Jackie etc...

#3- Who will be our new AD - gotta be someone who is capable of getting Bradley back to where we were-
A SOLID mid-major (non-FB school) - with HUGE, loyal fan base, and get us back to the Top 40-50 in attendance and winning!

#4- who will be the head coach? If not Geno, then what names will we hear?
If they choose to give Geno another year - then how will the fan base react?

#5- The players - who will we have?..this is the nitty-gritty..

-Leaving: the only guy leaving for sure is one of our best players Auston Barnes

-Returning for almost sure or almost for sure
(by virtue of not having any redshirt year or having just one year left & returning as seniors):
Bell, Jones, Sutherland, Grier, Shaw, Morgan, Amerson

-Probably returning- although less than 100% - a couple of these may just graduate & finish up:
Taylor, Thomas, Wells, Fields

Then there's one that I believe kinda depends totally on who the coach is-
Josh Cunningham

-New guys coming in: that's the real stumper....
we have nobody signed, nobody committed, verbaled, or even leaning to BU (first time in all of my memory that has happened at this point in the spring)
...Will we get any of the late-deciding Chicago kids like we did last year?
Anyone hearing anything? Even the few recruits & visitors we've had this past 6 months who have visited campus - are now likely out of the picture...

And even maybe one or more of the scholarships we thought would be open (like Nate Wells') might not be since he is now our most productive big man.

[wizard1]

Next year...

T...I think you forgot Brett Burchette in your list of good guys who should stay.
Wiz

[tornado]

I know you really like him, wiz - but I have admit that I have never gotten much chance - so do not really know him...
Hope he does a great job for BU and would love for him to stay on if that's so

[Old Coach]

T...I think you forgot Brett Burchette in your list of good guys who should stay.
Wiz

Brett is a shining star in the athletic department.

[LongTimeFan]

t, some of those mentioned in your first grouping have also been in college for four years and could be graduating. If a new coach is hired, he could clear up some room but probably not that much as recruiting is usually very limited for a new coach hired at this time of the year.

I would like at least three new players: a big man, a wing shooter, and a point guard.

[CubbieBear]

I would like at least three new players: a big man, a wing shooter, and a point guard.

Wouldn't we all??? We would also like it to be 80 degrees here tomorrow--but neither of those things will happen

[pfcmsh]

Will Coach Ford's Tenure End Soon?

Can we assume that Coach Ford will be gone soon after the end of this season. The coach is the real key to bringing basketball talent in and then effectively using that talent.

How can Bradley possibly return to the status of solid mid major by keeping Coach Ford here? Four years of progressive retardation of results? I can see a bad year happening here and there over the long run, but this team, on and off the court, has serious discipline and performance issues.

I am sick and tired of all the talk from the Coach when the results are not there!

Please tell me for sure that Coach Ford goes elsewhere and that we will bring in a coach like Versace or Albeck that knows how to win. Please.

[Da Coach]

Nothing is certain yet, but the likelihood is high that there will be a coaching change.

But Albeck was only a winner with Dick Versace's players in 1986-87 and 1987-88. 1988-89 was mediocre (13-14) and the last 2 seasons were really bad (10-20 in 1989-90 and 8-20 in 1990-91). So I am not sure I'd include Albeck in my list of good coaches to compare with.

[tornado]

... bring in a coach like Versace or Albeck that knows how to win. Please.

you brighten up my day...

[basketball nut]

Brett is a shining star in the athletic department.

Although I have never met Brett I have heard from people that have served on committees w/ him that he is high energy and really wants BU to succeed in all sports. He is always looking for ideas, so I hope he reads some of the ideas that have been presented on this board.
T, you might want to forward some of your ideas directly to him also.

[Vent]

Nothing is certain yet, but the likelihood is high that there will be a coaching change.

But Albeck was only a winner with Dick Versace's players in 1986-87 and 1987-88. 1988-89 was mediocre (13-14) and the last 2 seasons were really bad (10-20 in 1989-90 and 8-20 in 1990-91). So I am not sure I'd include Albeck in my list of good coaches to compare with.

I sure hope you're right.

As for Albeck....he did exactly what he was hired to do. He was hired to keep kids from transferring. Players such as Hawkins, who was all set to go to Villanova, as well as Donald Powell. Everyone that was involved with the hiring of Stan, knew it wasn't a long term situation. Stan's big problem was his assistant coaches were lazy and he himself had little interest in being around 18-21 year old kids. His heart was always in the NBA, after he left Northern Michigan. I guess the one thing we can thank Stan for, is keeping a couple players here and giving us at two good years. That's more than we can say about the clown car operating this program now.

[pfcmsh]

Nothing is certain yet, but the likelihood is high that there will be a coaching change.

But Albeck was only a winner with Dick Versace's players in 1986-87 and 1987-88. 1988-89 was mediocre (13-14) and the last 2 seasons were really bad (10-20 in 1989-90 and 8-20 in 1990-91). So I am not sure I'd include Albeck in my list of good coaches to compare with.

You are right about Albeck. I remember some good performances, but it was with Versace's players. You certainly know your Bradley BB history. My hat is off to you.

I don't care who they bring in. What could possibly be worse than what we have? I listened to the post game comments last night and it is so annoying to listen to Coach Ford talk fast and get nothing done. I thought Dave Snell was really down as he bid us all goodnight. He seemed beaten down and his tone to me was... "lets just get the heck out of here for the night" for a generally very positive person and a great announcer who we are lucky to have, he seemed so down!

[pfcmsh]

you brighten up my day...

I am glad to do that. I am new to this forum and I already have a lot of respect for the members here. Lots of Bradley BB knowledge and lots of understanding about college BB in general. I hope we are all brightened by a coaching change. Even when Bradley had losing seasons in the past, at least the games were exciting and the players wanted to win. They were focused.

[Da Coach]

I heard another name today as Bradley's next head coach while talking to someone who is a friend of a former PJ Star sports writer who has a lot of connections with former college coaches.
For what it's worth, this name is getting serious consideration, and was suggested and is being pushed by outgoing President Glasser.

Since there were some people who blew a gasket the last time I correctly predicted a firing a week before anyone else reported it, I will not post this name right now.

But if anyone is interested in this development, I am happy to share what I know.
Send me a Private Message.

[BU FAMILY]

For what it's worth, this name is getting serious consideration, and was suggested and is being pushed by outgoing President Glasser.

Why in the hell would anybody want to give serious consideration to a candidate being "pushed" by JG? Does anybody recall that's she is the reason we are in this mess in the first place?