Final: UNI 71 Bradley 46

[Vent]

Very emotional post game interview. It's a must-hear. Good God. You have to feel terrible for the guy.

I agree. There is no doubt he is a good man and a good family man. He unfortunately hasn't been successful at what he was hired to do. There are some people that wanted him to fail from day one and they got their wish. There were many times during the past season, I would feel bad for his wife and youngest son, when obnoxious and inconsiderate fans would make detrimental comments about her husband and their son's dad. It is not a very pleasant side of this business.

[tornado]

..There are some people that wanted him to fail from day one and they got their wish. ...

I sincerely doubt this - do you know of any such fans?
The guy you cite who hollered insults was likely not even a fan in 2011 and just because they guy was obnoxious hardly proves he was against Geno or wanted him to fail from day-1 - it more likely reflects the frustration of watching so many losses when he WANTED to see Geno win!

By contrast - your description actually fits better what Kirk Wessler himself said of his feeling towards JL...
that from Les' 2nd season, he wanted to see Les fail and get fired - and began the "drop the critical hammer" and "beat the drum " to run him out.
Our biggest problem going back to Molinari is that our Prez & our board have tried way too hard to kiss up to and try to please the press - and in the process we've fired two good coaches who would have done us far better to keep than the guy we have now.
As much as people like Geno and every says he's a nice guy - facts are facts - this has been far worse than the worse imaginable scenario anyone could have come up with in 2011 - for what we'd be seeing four years into the future.

Bottom line - they'd better get it right and get it right soon - there won't be anyone left - Florida is calling and I am nearing retirement age like 1/2 the shrinking - remaining loyal fans

[Vent]

I sincerely doubt this - do you know of any such fans?
The guy you cite who hollered insults was likely not even a fan in 2011 and just because they guy was obnoxious hardly proves he was against Geno or wanted him to fail from day-1 - it more likely reflects the frustration of watching so many losses when he WANTED to see Geno win!

By contrast - your description actually fits better what Kirk Wessler himself said of his feeling towards JL...
that from Les' 2nd season, he wanted to see Les fail and get fired - and began the "drop the critical hammer" and "beat the drum " to run him out.
Our biggest problem going back to Molinari is that our Prez & our board have tried way too hard to kiss up to and try to please the press - and in the process we've fired two good coaches who would have done us far better to keep than the guy we have now.
As much as people like Geno and every says he's a nice guy - facts are facts - this has been far worse than the worse imaginable scenario anyone could have come up with in 2001 - for what we'd be seeing four years into the future.

Bottom line - they'd better get it right and get it right soon - there won't be anyone left - Florida is calling and I am nearing retirement age like 1/2 the shrinking - remaining loyal fans

UC-Davis and Western Illinois are not exactly hot beds for men's head basketball coaching jobs. In fact, I don't think either one is a better job than Bradley. If these two people were that good of coaches, they would not be where they are.

Everyone knows the basketball program at BU is in bad shape. It wasn't in great shape when Geno took over. It is in worse shape now. Changes need to be made.

As for Florida, you may want to go, you may be happier there and the weather is better in the winter.

[Dub]

Post game radio coverage. Wow!
Sounds like Dave and Geno are really good friends and they're gonna miss one another. Dave said straight up that Geno just hasn't had any success at Bradley. Geno said when he goes, nobody will root harder for BU than he. Holding back some tears. It's a tough business, but you've gotta begin to win, and it just didn't happen. Many of our players actually regressed from lack of development by this staff... That's not fair to our players.

Dave and Chad bemoaned the small fan turnout at Carver... Said it goes way beyond just the wins and losses, that we have a culture of defeat. Some very candid and emotional stuff. I actually wish the candor was more present during the season and not just in the post mortem.

I also think that there is one clear and objective difference between our fan base and larger, more energetic, and more youthful fan bases... Those teams are winning games and competing for championships. Winning changes everything. That's the only thing that needs to be fixed from a fan culture standpoint.

[lightsout]

Post game radio coverage. Wow!
Sounds like Dave and Geno are really good friends and they're gonna miss one another. Dave said straight up that Geno just hasn't had any success at Bradley. Geno said when he goes, nobody will root harder for BU than he. Holding back some tears. It's a tough business, but you've gotta begin to win, and it just didn't happen. Many of our players actually regressed from lack of development by this staff... That's not fair to our players.

Dave and Chad bemoaned the small fan turnout at Carver... Said it goes way beyond just the wins and losses, that we have a culture of defeat. Some very candid and emotional stuff. I actually wish the candor was more present during the season and not just in the post mortem.

I also think that there is one clear and objective difference between our fan base and larger, more energetic, and more youthful fan bases... Those teams are winning games and competing for championships. Winning changes everything. That's the only thing that needs to be fixed from a fan culture standpoint.

I did not get a chance to hear the post game coverage as I'm just getting back to the hotel, is there anyway I can listen to the interview now?

[Da Coach]

I don't think the post game show has ever been archived as a listenable file.

[Da Coach]

Dave Reynolds

http://m.pjstar.com/article/20150306/SPORTS/150309422/13406/NEWS

Wessler's column

http://m.pjstar.com/article/20150306/SPORTS/150309383/13406/NEWS

[lefty]

I agree. There is no doubt he is a good man and a good family man. He unfortunately hasn't been successful at what he was hired to do. There are some people that wanted him to fail from day one and they got their wish..

That's true??¦??¦.most won't admit it though??¦??¦

[wily coyote]

Very emotional post game interview. It's a must-hear. Good God. You have to feel terrible for the guy.

I am in total agreement with this post and your prior post. Geno is a CLASS act ,so sorry it hasn't worked out for him and our program.

[tornado]

Like I said - I have never seen nor heard anyone ever indicate they wanted Geno to fail from day one as was claimed...
If you have any comments or posts that even remotely support that - lmk...

I am easily able to produce - and have -those kinds of message board comments about JL - so if they exist regarding Geno, then why has nobody ever seen them?

Dave and Chad bemoaned the small fan turnout at Carver... ....

...what???
Classic case of you don't know what you have 'til it's gone....
I like Dave as much as anyone but this kind of talk is downright Twilight Zone...
Where were they when we saw all the warning signs and saw all the horrible moves & bad turns that many warned would lead to tremendous plummeting of attendance?
Dave is employed IN THE ATHLETIC DEPT of Bradley University - so he is part of the administration and management team that drove the bus down the wrong road for 4-5 years ignoring countless warnings and roadblocks - and only now they notice we're lost and ran out of road miles ago?

[wily coyote]

Class Act

If you didn't hear the post game interview with Chad and Dave you missed some good stuff. Geno may or may not survive but in my mind he will be remembered as a CLASS act. He said and I'll come as close to it as I can," if I get fired in two weeks or 20 years nobody will be a bigger Bradley fan than me.." I know I may be an old softie but I've know Geno since the 1st yr. he got here and last night's post game was a tough one. I wish the best for him and his family whether it's at BU or somewhere else.
Dave and Chad also made some comments that were so true. They both stated that there were many problems to overcome to get the program back to where we all want it but one of the main things that has to happen is for the program to become undivided. THAT IS SO TRUE. It was divided from the get go and Geno really NEVER had much of a chance. I am not saying the division was the whole reason this has not worked out but I do believe it was a big reason. Here's hoping for the best no matter what that maybe.

[tornado]

and Geno really NEVER had much of a chance...

every program and every fan base has divisions - I seriously doubt anyone would claim the divisions during Geno's era even come close to the divisions of the former era...
But regardless.....Geno had the FULL, over-the-top, support of his administration, of his AD, of the VAST majority of fans, of the media, the local sports editors, and more....
He had all the new facilities and never had to work for any of it or the fundraising..
He had an Athletic Dept. budget & recruiting budget that was THREE times what his predecessor had
He was allowed to pay double what any previous coach could spend in hiring assistants..
He had a salary that was double what he previously earned and which was better than half the head coaches a BCS programs!
He had tremendous support from the local high school coaches - one of which practically lived on campus as a supporter of the program.
He had everything compared to what some coaches have and compared to what the former coach had..

So...
I am left wondering just how and why you would say
"he never had a chance" - I disagree - I think he had everything any head coach could have possibly asked for.

[Braves2006]

every program and every fan base has divisions - I seriously doubt anyone would claim the divisions during Geno's era even come close to the divisions of the former era...
But regardless.....Geno had the FULL, over-the-top, support of his administration, of his AD, of the VAST majority of fans, of the media, the local sports editors, and more....
He had all the new facilities and never had to work for any of it or the fundraising..
He had an Athletic Dept. budget & recruiting budget that was THREE times what his predecessor had
He was allowed to pay double what any previous coach could spend in hiring assistants..
He had a salary that was double what he previously earned and which was better than half the head coaches a BCS programs!
He had tremendous support from the local high school coaches - one of which practically lived on campus as a supporter of the program.
He had everything compared to what some coaches have and compared to what the former coach had..

So...
I am left wondering just how and why you would say
"he never had a chance" - I disagree - I think he had everything any head coach could have possibly asked for.

Well said.

[Da Coach]

I agree that Geno is a great guy and I have never heard anyone say otherwise.
But the best thing for Geno, as well as for Bradley and BU fans is for him to go.

Last night was a good example. There is simply no reason for a school like UNI to be able to beat the snot out of Bradley and embarrass them year, after year, after year. And although they may have some better tallent, I do not buy the fact that their talent is 25 points better than Bradley's. Many of UNI's players are lightly recruited and come ot UNI as walkons. They dont land high school All Americans, and they dont rely every year on multiple jucos. Adam Koch turned from a walkon with no offers above D2, into a Player of the Year. Nate Buss, who is better than any Bradley big man and had his way against Bradley last night is another kid who nobody else seemed to want, and redshirted his first year.
Another Player of the Year, Seth Tuttle developed tremendously each year at UNI, while none of Bradley's players ever seem to get any better, and many are run off before they complete their eligibility.

Everyone including the experts at the PJS kept lecturing fans that it takes time to rebuild and we needed 4 years for Geno to have his own roster. Well we've seen how wrong that was. This roster is only good for 10th place, and none of them ever get better. The only improved player, and Player of the Game the last couple wins was Nate Wells. That says it all.

I wish Geno well, but time for a change. For everyone.

[tornado]

and I know it isn't easy to recruit nor win at every institution - but almost all the shortcomings like facilities, budget, and getting Chicago connections & players supposedly have been fixed..
...so if this is the best this staff can do - and we saw during the 32-game season that we never got any better - if anything, we got WORSE the more the players were coached by this staff...
Their scoring production went down, Omari Grier-Warren Jones-Auston Barnes-Mike Shaw - all went from starter & go-to-guy to sub to almost useless for long stretches late in the season.
The only bright spots were the discovery of a 4th year player on the end of the bench that got more cheers than everyone else combined - and a single "fortunate" 52-50 OT win in the play-in round vs. a team that played its worst game of the year.



"a tale of two halves"

http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/arch-madness-day-2-uni-sends-cellar-dweller-bradley-home

...that's about it ... how many time have we seen it - we play ok for a while proving we have the talent and the ability...
then the other team makes the needed adjustments and blows us out in the 2nd half when we make no changes, adjustments or coaching moves at all...