Final score: Valparaiso 77 Bradley 64

[tornado]

I understand sharing minutes is what they do to keep the players in prime shape for the long haul-
wily- (I know you're gonna take this personally - but I've done some reffing at the youth level) - remember, the refs aren't working out full tilt the other 5 days per week, they're not banging & jumping for rebounds and they do get to stand fairly still for 12-15 seconds out of each 20 sec possession..

btw- the two shaved head guys blew a whistle on practically every possession for something, it was pretty unwatchable from that angle also.

[Vent]

Player substitution is a result of over coaching. Players today and for the past several years should not be getting tired. They get an automatic timeout (media) every four minutes. Before the creation of media timeouts, players would only get a breather if they were taken out of the game or a free throw. The conditioning ofnpkayerd is much more advanced than it was in the 50s-80s. This player rotation crap is killing the game. Play your best players as much as possible.

[wily coyote]

I understand sharing minutes is what they do to keep the players in prime shape for the long haul-
wily- (I know you're gonna take this personally - but I've done some reffing at the youth level) - remember, the refs aren't working out full tilt the other 5 days per week, they're not banging & jumping for rebounds and they do get to stand fairly still for 12-15 seconds out of each 20 sec possession..

btw- the two shaved head guys blew a whistle on practically every possession for something, it was pretty unwatchable from that angle also.

No T I'm not going to take it personally because what your saying is correct in regards to sharing minutes but all I'm saying is if kids were in better shape they could log more minutes. Especially if
you don't have the talent to share them. At the ISU game I saw DT pulling on his jersey at the 13:35 minute mark. You've go to be kidding me. Please don't take this wrong but working grade school and youth games are not even close to what high school and college officials go thru most every night. I'm 70 plus years old and could still work Jr. High and youth games but not a chance in h-ell I could work a HS game the way it should be worked. I know how much running I did during the summer and fall getting ready for each season, so I guess I just don't understand why these kids are not in good enough shape to play more than 20 -28 minutes.

[PurpleAceFan]

I??™ve been on here all season reading everything that??™s been said and have yet to comment. This season has been a roller coaster of high and lows. Figured I??™d make my first comment after tonight??™s game. I thought for sure if we were going to steal a road game this would be the one. It??™s just so damn disappointing that we can not BUY a win on the road, even against the worst team in the MVC. Yeah I know we won at Ind St but this is ridiculous. I hope there really is something to the whole young teams sturggle on the road thing because I keep telling myself that next year we should be able to win a few. At this point we have no momentum and really think we could be playing on Thursday again this year at Arch madness.

I'm personally tired of the young team comments. The vast majority of this team has played major minutes for 2 or 3 years. From my perspective you do not get to be a young team anymore after that much court time.

On a bright side I've really enjoyed watching Child's progression this year. Kid is a baller.

[wily coyote]

I'm personally tired of the young team comments. The vast majority of this team has played major minutes for 2 or 3 years. From my perspective you do not get to be a young team anymore after that much court time.

On a bright side I've really enjoyed watching Child's progression this year. Kid is a baller.

+1

[patrick_o'brian]

I agree with the frequent substitution comment. However, I??™m not sure it??™s over coaching. It??™s very apparent that players get taken out when they screw up. I??™ve noticed this for years, but I have never seen them sit next to a coach and be coached up nor do I see them counseled by Coach Wardle. They, simply, do something wrong and then they sit until the next guy does something wrong then they go back in. This has really befuddled me. The only thing i can think is the substitutions are made so that when watching tape they can coach it then. If not, I have no clue why it happens, but I really don??™t think it??™s effective.

[tornado]

I think I can speak for the masses - the fans are just frustrated...

I have been going to Bradley games for well over half a decade...been a season ticket holder &/or maintenance payer for over 40 years...and counting home games, road games, tourney games, exhibition games, NCAA & NIT games, etc.....I have gone to over 1000 Bradley games..
There's maybe people who have been to more than I have been but betcha not many...

All I can say is the people have remained remarkably loyal...look at SIU - even tho they are winning and in 2nd place, their fan base, unlike BU's, has completely bailed. They are battling for the LEAGUE TITLE - yet announce only 2100 for some home games and 3200 for the CONFERENCE games - PLUS we all know that number is even bogus because of the massive no-shows. Their season ticket base must be down around 1200-1500!

BUT Bradley fans have been monumentally patient and loyal....
season tickets (especially lower bowl) are not cheap...
Maintenance has been jacked way up - some people are paying upwards of $5,000, $10,000 and more for their seats and level of Braves Club!

And we've been thru 6+ full seasons of horrid play, and bottom of the MVC scoring/shooting/etc...altho a little glimmer this year..

Is it too much to ask that we just play well and play consistently. Nobody's perfect but we step on the endline, drop easy passes, miss dunks & layups, and commit bad fouls & defensive plays more than any team in the MVC.

Nobody has to do what the fans ask, and nobody has to read the comments here. And I still will be coming to Bradley games for the foreseeable future - but a ton of fans won't. Fans at that game last night, some who drove over 3 hours, braved a blizzard, and got stuck with crappy seats way in the corner - just aren't as likely to do it again next time if we don't start to correct the issues that have been so recurring.
Life is very busy and people have a lot of demands for their time - and Bradley's gonna be drawing in the SIU range soon if we don't put it together.

[Braves2006]

I think I can speak for the masses - the fans are just frustrated...

I have been going to Bradley games for well over half a decade...been a season ticket holder &/or maintenance payer for over 40 years...and counting home games, road games, tourney games, exhibition games, NCAA & NIT games, etc.....I have gone to over 1000 Bradley games..
There's maybe people who have been to more than I have been but betcha not many...

All I can say is the people have remained remarkably loyal...look at SIU - even tho they are winning and in 2nd place, their fan base, unlike BU's, has completely bailed. They are battling for the LEAGUE TITLE - yet announce only 2100 for some home games and 3200 for the CONFERENCE games - PLUS we all know that number is even bogus because of the massive no-shows. Their season ticket base must be down around 1200-1500!

BUT Bradley fans have been monumentally patient and loyal....
season tickets (especially lower bowl) are not cheap...
Maintenance has been jacked way up - some people are paying upwards of $5,000, $10,000 and more for their seats and level of Braves Club!

And we've been thru 6+ full seasons of horrid play, and bottom of the MVC scoring/shooting/etc...altho a little glimmer this year..

Is it too much to ask that we just play well and play consistently. Nobody's perfect but we step on the endline, drop easy passes, miss dunks & layups, and commit bad fouls & defensive plays more than any team in the MVC.

Nobody has to do what the fans ask, and nobody has to read the comments here. And I still will be coming to Bradley games for the foreseeable future - but a ton of fans won't. Fans at that game last night, some who drove over 3 hours, braved a blizzard, and got stuck with crappy seats way in the corner - just aren't as likely to do it again next time if we don't start to correct the issues that have been so recurring.
Life is very busy and people have a lot of demands for their time - and Bradley's gonna be drawing in the SIU range soon if we don't put it together.

Great post T. I agree (although I would change that to 8+ years of horrid basketball). Personally, I have been a fan since I was born. My parents were season ticket holders since the last year at the Fieldhouse and I have been going to games since they moved to the PCC. We have sat in the same seats for all those years. It??™s very frustrating to see where this program is. There is a glimmer.... this will be the first off season where I don??™t think about whether or not to re-new our season tickets in a few years (so that??™s a plus!). But at some point the Braves are going to have to put a championship caliber team on the floor. I am finding it hard these days to justify investing my time (and money) into this program. I love college basketball. It??™s my number one sport. And I love Bradley basketball. That being said, if they cannot finish above .500 in the conference next year, I may have to bail.

[BRADLEY FAN 49]

AWFUL!!.... Another second half collapse and our coaches are not able to really understand the problem let alone, solve it.
The Valpo coach set things up beautifully.....His offense spread our defense and opened up driving lanes. Our confidence went South and our defense was useless....Our guys looked beat and they were. The Bradley program is really in the tank.
Wiz

Wow! I never thought we would win as much as we have this year we are still in just the 3rd year of a total rebuild. The pieces he has recruited each year have gotten better. Give it a chance.

[bradleyfan124]

Some of you people need to be patient. They are still a relatively young team ( you folks who are tired of seeing that phrase close your eyes for a few seconds) they will get better with maturity and experience. I personally think they are a year away. Next year they will fighting at the top..

[Dub]

I personally tend to avoid the board after a really dissaponinting loss bc it??™s simply too painful.

So now having had time to detox (both mentally and physically) from Saturday night. ...at the beginnng of this season we all listed out what number of wins would represent a meaningful and positive step forward on the season. The concensus was 17 to 18 wins.

And by the way, the season??™s not over.

[BU212121]

I personally tend to avoid the board after a really dissaponinting loss bc it??™s simply too painful.

So now having had time to detox (both mentally and physically) from Saturday night. ...at the beginnng of this season we all listed out what number of wins would represent a meaningful and positive step forward on the season. The concensus was 17 to 18 wins.

And by the way, the season??™s not over.

We are over 100 slots higher in rpi as well. That??™s a far better way of looking at substantial improvement than wins. We are moving forward and upward.

[pfcmsh]

Well Said

I personally tend to avoid the board after a really dissaponinting loss bc it??™s simply too painful.

So now having had time to detox (both mentally and physically) from Saturday night. ...at the beginnng of this season we all listed out what number of wins would represent a meaningful and positive step forward on the season. The concensus was 17 to 18 wins.

And by the way, the season??™s not over.

This explains how I feel and act also. It is soo disappointing to see them lose.

18 wins is good. We have a shot at 21. First year, 5 wins, 2nd year, 13 wins, at least 18 this year. This is progress.

[tornado]

heck if Glasser & Cross were still here- 18 wins (in 2013 when we bought those extra wins in the CBI for an actual 16-16 season) was once hailed as groundbreaking, near-record achievement.. and hammered with the propaganda that it was one of the most impressive improvements in the nation....
In response, JG & Cross gave Geno two years' extension- making it all the more costly when we did buy him out!!!

[Da Coach]

heck if Glasser & Cross were still here- 18 wins (in 2013 when we bought those extra wins in the CBI for an actual 16-16 season) was once hailed as groundbreaking, near-record achievement.. and hammered with the propaganda that it was one of the most impressive improvements in the nation....
In response, JG & Cross gave Geno two years' extension- making it all the more costly when we did buy him out!!!

And to refresh the memories of anyone who still thought that was a good idea, that contract extension occurred after the 2012-13 season with a non-conference SOS of 349 out of 351, the worst overall SOS in the MVC (177), an RPI of 191, and a conference record of 7-11 which was 1 game out of last place.
Plus an embarrassing blowout loss in the Thursday play-in round in St. Louis to a horrible Drake team. Yeah, sounds like that deserved extending the coach's contract a couple more years at $800K/yr, which by the way, Bradley is still paying for!