If this is your first visit, feel free to
check out the Frequently Asked Questions by clicking this
LINK.
You are welcome as a guest, but you will have to REGISTER
before you can post messages.
To register, click the link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Welcome to BradleyFans.com! Visitors are welcome, but we encourage you to sign up and register as a member. It's free and takes only a few seconds. Just click on the link to Register at the top right of the page, and follow instructions.
If you have any problems or questions, click on the link at the bottom right of the page to Contact Us.
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Unconfigured Ad Widget 7
Collapse
Bradley's non-conference schedule to be released tomorrow (Thursday 8/16) starting at 10 AM
Yes, it is. Considering the decreased strength of the MVC this year, the overall Strength of Schedule could be the worst it has ever been. since such stats have been kept. The SOS could end up in the 200+ range by the end of the season for the first time.
The non-conference SOS won't be as bad as the record high SOS of 339 (out of 341 D1 teams) that Mike Cross and Geno Ford concocted in 2013-14, but it could end up being 250 or worse.
I have followed Bradley basketball since 1963. This is, without a doubt, the worst home non conference basketball schedule I have Bradley seen have. The university should be ashamed of themselves. I'm sure there will be all kinds of excuses and even blaming of others. That doesn't change the fact this is a horrendous schedule. I am glad I didn't get season tickets this year.
The non-conference SOS won't be as bad as the record high SOS of 339 (out of 341 D1 teams) that Mike Cross and Geno Ford concocted in 2013-14, but it could end up being 250 or worse.
It does look bad, but the possibility still exists that since a lot of those teams
are returning many of their starters - they could still have decent RPIs.
Yeah... that 2013 schedule was really a loser...
but odd as that may seem - the Geno defenders back in 2013 thought that horrid schedule was pretty decent...
Re: the 2013-14 nonconference schedule..
There are still a couple games to be had. Right now Bradley has three top 100 non-conference teams on the schedule for next year and four top 150. Not the best non-conference schedule ever but hardly the worst. Middle of the road--as it should be for this team.
I expect the final non-conference SOS will be in the 150-175 range. Again, not awesome but not bad. Right in line with where BU should be, IMO
*
...and that was even with Mike Cross trying to shoehorn a few of those games into the girls' gym on campus
The 2013-14 schedule was bad. That was then. This is now. That page in Bradley basketball history has turned. I agree with a previous post that said this schedule is a joke. The unfortunate thing is, the joke is on the fans. This schedule is indefensible.
So the fair weather fans are deserting the ship. Coach Wardle and AD Reynolds have a tough job rebuilding the program the University took away from us. Not as easy as the experts seem to think. Many of us complained about the non conference schedules we had to sit through in the Fieldhouse days, (before Dick Versace) but we didn't jump ship.
So the fair weather fans are deserting the ship. Coach Wardle and AD Reynolds have a tough job rebuilding the program the University took away from us. Not as easy as the experts seem to think. Many of us complained about the non conference schedules we had to sit through in the Fieldhouse days, (before Dick Versace) but we didn't jump ship.
Chico, it is not just the "fair weather fans" who are deserting the ship. There are many loyal, long-term season ticket holders and donors who have made substantial gifts to Bradley in past years who are not renewing their season tickets and making donations now. Last season's attendance was easily the lowest average and lowest total attendance in Bradley's history since moving out of the Peoria Armory.
Here were my attendance numbers-
And though I am not privy to the numbers, donations and revenues have to be down substantially. And with a poor home schedule like this, these things are headed to new lows this season. I would not insult the current Bradley fans by suggesting they aren't as loyal and generous as the fans of the 1960's and 1970's. In fact, just a few years ago, attendance and revenues were at all time highs, before the Glasser/Cross administration destroyed the program and squandered tens of millions of dollars. http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showpost.p...62&postcount=6 (unfortunately, those articles are no longer archived anywhere)
I hope that Bradley can do better with scheduling in the future.
As I said in this post-
When was the last really quality home game for fans to get excited about? Nevada and Texas Arlington last year were the only teams inside the top 70 in RPI that Bradley has faced at home in the last 5 seasons. And the Michigan game on 12/1/12 was the only other team inside the top 70 Bradley has faced at home in the last 8 years. There have been only 5 top 100 RPI opponents in these last 8 seasons at home.
The one team that might turn out to be a good RPI team, though Bradley's RPI will not be good enough to worry about at-large bids anywhere, is Georgia Southern. Of the teams on this year's home schedule, they were the best RPI at 144. And they have virtually all their players returning this season. They should contend for the Sun Belt title and may be a top 100 RPI team. Having them at home gives Bradley a shot at beating them. The rest of the teams are just opportunities to be embarrassed.
the small loss in attendance between 2015 and 2017 can be accounted for by people moving, people dying or people retiring and being less mobile or leaving the area
the major, massive loss of attendance from the 10,000 range down to the 5,000 range occurred between 2010 and 2015 under Geno, Mike Cross & Joanne Glasser...facts are facts
We are just now seeing how deep & horrible and how permanent the damage was that they caused, but we have the right people in place now and the light at the end of the tunnel is visible.
the small loss in attendance between 2015 and 2017 can be accounted for by people moving, people dying or people retiring and being less mobile or leaving the area
the major, massive loss of attendance from the 10,000 range down to the 5,000 range occurred between 2010 and 2015 under Geno, Mike Cross & Joanne Glasser...facts are facts
We are just now seeing how deep & horrible and how permanent the damage was that they caused, but we have the right people in place now and the light at the end of the tunnel is visible.
Agree T. The experts seem to think it's easy for someone like Bradley to schedule powerhouses into Carver. Like I said before, the University brought it on their self when they fired Coach Les.
So the fair weather fans are deserting the ship. Coach Wardle and AD Reynolds have a tough job rebuilding the program the University took away from us. Not as easy as the experts seem to think. Many of us complained about the non conference schedules we had to sit through in the Fieldhouse days, (before Dick Versace) but we didn't jump ship.
If you are referring to me as a fair weather fan, you can and it doesn't hurt my feelings. Just to set the record straight, I've been going to Bradley games for over 50 years. That doesn't qualify me for any medal or special recognition. In all of my years, even going to the Fieldhouse, I have never seen a weaker home schedule. I didn't say I am no longer a fan. I simply stated I am glad I did not get season tickets for this season.
It is unfortunate that people who complain about a very poor schedule are considered as fair weather fans. When the university's administration look around the home crowds and see all the empty seats, look at the dwindling number of Scholarship Society members, look at financial contributions shrink, it will be difficult to blame the fair weather fans.
One thing I will not ever do is call a Bradley fan a fair weather fan.
I don't call fans who complain about the schedule fair weather fans. I call the ones who won't go fair weather.fans. Don't you think the Coach and AD are trying to build up the schedule? Why do you think it took so long to announce the schedule?
...Don't you think the Coach and AD are trying to build up the schedule?
Yes, and Chris Reynolds has as many connections at IU, Notre Dame, Northwestern, and many other places - as any AD at any mid-major..
BUT it is just hard - more than ever before - those big guys won't get close enough to let us touch them with a 10-foot pole.
Coach Wardle says Georgia Southern told us that nobody wanted to play them cuz they are projected to be a lot better this year. They return two really good players
If the fans wanna bitch about solid competition NOT coming to Carver then fill the freaking seats - and when we are drawing 9,000-10,000 then they will come so they can get the payday. It's a chicken & egg situation - the bad schedules mean bad crowds & bad crowds mean the big boys can do better elsewhere.
Why do you think it took so long to announce the schedule?
cuz people underestimate how long it takes sometimes to get all the deals made, contracts signed, get the logistics in place and get the Civic Center to give us the desirable dates. I have been up there at Ren-Col and I guarantee you Chris Reynolds isn't sitting in his office playing video games or eating fudge....he's as hard at work on the phone and trying to get the deals done as he can be. Remember - the crappy relationship Bradley has with the Civic Center didn't just start today - it dates to the former administration as well.
Probably half the DI schools still haven't announced their full non-conference schedules including several MVC teams.
Tweet
Comment