Recruting

[wily coyote]

Ronnie Suggs has more than proved he can play well at this level as a freshman. But now he can barely get off the bench. Why? His last game as a freshman he recorded a double double 15&10 while playing out of position at pg. when he's a natural 2 guard. Surely our coaches can work with that kind of foundation and make him better? If he's the worst player on the team now what happened? How did he decline so much? Is it Ronnie or something bigger?

I have to agree with you. If he is the least useable asset on our team ,we should be a hell of a lot better than we are. I can think of 5 or 6 people I'd play him over but something must be going on we don't see. If it's defense ,I can't believe he's worse than Luke,Nate or Hodson on defense and we know he's a hell of a lot better shooter than Luke and Hodson. Jury out on Kennell. Hopefully he gets a chance more than 1 or 2 minutes at the end of a game.

[lefty]

Ronnie Suggs has more than proved he can play well at this level as a freshman. But now he can barely get off the bench. Why? His last game as a freshman he recorded a double double 15&10 while playing out of position at pg. when he's a natural 2 guard. Surely our coaches can work with that kind of foundation and make him better? If he's the worst player on the team now what happened? How did he decline so much? Is it Ronnie or something bigger?

Not sure why he's not playing....but in all honesty do you think Ronnie would make so much of a difference that any game we have played would have turned out differently? Ronnie can't take over a game by himself. It doesn't look like we have anyone that can do that. I thought Pittman might be able to that at times last year but it sure has not happened

[Da Coach]

That may be true, but the question I've heard from many fans is:
if we are losing big every game and nobody seems to play up to expectations, why doesn't he even get a chance.

I seem to recall that he did seem to help the team play a little better late last season when he played more. And he did lead the team in scoring the last 2 games last year with 15 points in each game.

[Buesch N Chips]

Two things:

1. BU just isn't any good unless they have a future NBA player/lottery pick on the team. Check the recent history.

2. Maybe Suggs isn't playing because of grades, or maybe he dogs it at practice, or maybe he doesn't listen to Coach. We have no idea, nor do we need to. "Coach's Decision" is good enough for me.

[pfcmsh]

There are three phases in the recruiting process and some of these phases have an impact on future recruits. The three phases are: 1) Good evaluation of potential players...2) Selling those potential players on your program...3) Improving those players on a year by year basis.

Getting top tier players to Bradley is just not going to happen on a consistent basis. I am really amazed that there are not players in the city of Chicago or suburbs that we can get to come to Bradley. It is more amazing we can't get players from the state Illinois to come here and we must concentrate so heavily on foreign players. I'm sure the foreign players are nice young men, but from what I've seen, there must be players of equal talent in our own state or country.

I was hopeful that Wardle with his ties to the Chicago suburbs, could make Bradley into a program that was represented by good, solid basketball players from the state of Illinois. Throw in a couple local kids, in addition to Kennel, and turn things around. Wardle has a tough job, as all coaches at that level do. I wonder how long they expect season ticket holders to keep paying the prices we pay for the quality of basketball we are watching. I see effort, but the same mistakes we made a year ago, against a much weaker schedule. I'm sure the coaches are frustrated. So are the fans that pay the tab.

Totally agree. Reconnecting to Chicago kids is what Coach Versace did. It's harder for Coach Wardle because of how far in the hole we are. I remember a line that Stan Albeck used to recruit. "Come to Bradley and lead the nation in scoring!" (Hawkins)

[lefty]

That may be true, but the question I've heard from many fans is:
if we are losing big every game and nobody seems to play up to expectations, why doesn't he even get a chance.

I seem to recall that he did seem to help the team play a little better late last season when he played more. And he did lead the team in scoring the last 2 games last year with 15 points in each game.

yeah....I understand what they are saying there too. Seems like he could be a better option than some that are playing now but if it's been determined he's gone after this season I understand why BW doesn't play him...

So far the way we have played some games there are only 3-4 guys who look like they are somewhat consistent(I use that term loosely) and other than flashes from Brown all seem to be role players more than bonafide quality starters in the MVC. I don't know what the answer is other than getting better players

[tornado]

I think fans have a reasonable right to wonder about the players' playing time....and the coach might to choose to discuss it..BUT...
I also think it is unreasonable to expect or demand that the coach always bow to the demands to always be explaining himself.
Give the guy a chance and let him make his decisions...we can have our talk about the games but I personally wouldn't want the coach to always have to be explaining himself to the fans - that would be unfair..
Oddly, tho I recall the media picks & chooses their times to make those same demands..

[Vent]

The questions and second guessing of fans is nothing new. It has been going on for years. It is just much more magnified now with social media. Coaches have to be very careful how they say things, due to them being misconstrued and then posted all over social media.

As for the situation with Ronnie Suggs, it will work itself out. More than likely, it appears his days with the Braves are limited.

[lefty]

I think fans have a reasonable right to wonder about the players' playing time....and the coach might to choose to discuss it..BUT...
I also think it is unreasonable to expect or demand that the coach always bow to the demands to always be explaining himself.
Give the guy a chance and let him make his decisions...we can have our talk about the games but I personally wouldn't want the coach to always have to be explaining himself to the fans - that would be unfair..
Oddly, tho I recall the media picks & chooses their times to make those same demands..

I agree

[midstateknowitall]

There was nothing here when Wardle got the job. Cleaned house & had 10 freshman last year- which all signed in late period. 5-27 last year, 5-8 so far this year, so how do people think there isn't an improvement. In a rebuild, a culture has to be 1st thing built. Players have to Understand Expectations like Work Ethic, System, Consistency, and Accountability for actions or lack of actions. Once that is established then Winning comes into play (Especially since this group is so young and inexperienced overall).

I have stated this before: Bradley is a hard spot to recruit too especially when team isn't good & hasn't been good for a while. Think about this Bradley's NCAA tournament appearances 2006, 1996, 1988, 1986, 1980, 1955, 1954,1950. So its not like BU has been a National Power for long periods of time. Last 27 years, BU has made the NCAA tournament 2 times.

What is the draw to BU for recruits? What do you pitch to recruits? What makes BU a better place than other schools that have offered?

This isn't a knock to BU, this is the truth right now. The current culture is being built & there hasn't been one for a while before that. Most recruits right now on Bradley were between 8-10 years old the last time BU made it to NCAA. Most probably didn't even know where or who Bradley was at that age.

Consistent Culture Creates Wins- (Butler, Northern Iowa, Wichita State to name a few). Wins create National Appearances, National Appearances Create Recruiting Momentum. Recruiting momentum creates better players at younger age. Better players create steady competition and tradition of winning. Tradition doesn't graduate. Winning is contagious if expected, but so is losing and changing that mindset doesn't happen over night or in one recruiting class. Its built and changed over time.

Year 2 of Wardle and already has matched wins from last season. Trending Meter is pointing up. Fan base just has to let it happen-rebuild takes time but its working so far whether people see it or not!

[Da Coach]

I don't see anyone saying there hasn't been some improvement, just not very much. But the better W-L record is just as much a product of an easier schedule as it is from improved play.
Again, many of us loyal fans can continue to be patient, but a large portion of fans have already disappeared (attendance & season ticket sales ?? what they were 6 years ago) , and a big chunk of those left aren't going to keep plunking down their money for a poor product that underperforms and that keeps ending up playing on Thursdays.
I believe this team is capable of much better play. We need to see progressive improvement to keep this program from fading into oblivion.

Does anyone think the team is playing up to their full capability? Is this as good as it will get this year?

[midstateknowitall]

https://twitter.com/CoachFernandez1/status/810617156224290818

[Da Coach]

Not sure what your point is, but my opinion that they have under-performed and are not played up to their capability is consistent with the opinion of Coach Wardle himself.

Do you believe this team is playing fully up to their ability?

[Vent]

I don't see anyone saying there hasn't been some improvement, just not very much. But the better W-L record is just as much a product of an easier schedule as it is from improved play.
Again, many of us loyal fans can continue to be patient, but a large portion of fans have already disappeared (attendance & season ticket sales ?? what they were 6 years ago) , and a big chunk of those left aren't going to keep plunking down their money for a poor product that underperforms and that keeps ending up playing on Thursdays.
I believe this team is capable of much better play. We need to see progressive improvement to keep this program from fading into oblivion.

Does anyone think the team is playing up to their full capability? Is this as good as it will get this year?

I believe this is as good as it gets this year. We are quickly approaching the halfway point of the season. We still have the same shortfalls and are making the same mistakes as a year ago. Bradley fans don't expect miracles. They do expect fundamentally sound basketball. We don't have that and this is why, what you see is what you'll get with this year's team. This team will improve, but if anybody thinks we are the only team that will improve and our opponents won't, well....you're incorrect. I wish it wasn't so, but I really believe it is. To get fans back, we need to win against good competition and get a few local kids to play for us. I don't know if there are any local kids that can help us. Maybe some of you do.

[lefty]

I believe this is as good as it gets this year. We are quickly approaching the halfway point of the season. We still have the same shortfalls and are making the same mistakes as a year ago. Bradley fans don't expect miracles. They do expect fundamentally sound basketball. We don't have that and this is why, what you see is what you'll get with this year's team. This team will improve, but if anybody thinks we are the only team that will improve and our opponents won't, well....you're incorrect. I wish it wasn't so, but I really believe it is. To get fans back, we need to win against good competition and get a few local kids to play for us. I don't know if there are any local kids that can help us. Maybe some of you do.

Most all recruiting is going to be a gamble for schools like BU.....it's even more so when you recruit locally. Build a winner and it doesn't make any difference where they come from....