BU coaching candidates- where are they now?

[beanocookschins]

I think it is great that fans back a coach and program 100%. That is awesome. It's cool that fans agree with everything, support everything, and will never look critically at everything. If that's how they want to do it, that's great.

However, as the old saying goes there are more than one way to skin a cat. I also think it's great if fans have high expectations for the program they follow. That they, after each year, can step back and take a critical/evaluative look at where the program stands and see what changes can be made.

I can only speak for myself. If I am critical or question a few things it doesn't mean I hate Jim Les, I bash Jim Les, or anything. It makes me no less a fan than someone who supports everything 100% and never questions. I personally feel that you don't get better if you don't step back at certain points and look at things critically. Point out the things you did well, but just as importantly point out the things you didn't do well.

Why is this a bad way for fans to look at things? Fans who want the best for the program and university. It doesn't mean people hate Jim Les or want him fired. Maybe it means they want things to be better than they are in the current state.

I ask, is this a bad way to look at things? It doesn't mean they care less or things are less enjoyable. It just means they have very high expectations for the program and are willing to use some self/program analysis to get there.

Are there people that disagree with this line of fandom? Does a fan have to support everything 100% all the time and never question anything to be considered a fan?

I do disagree with Da Coach some that Jim Les has a near unanimous support of boosters/fans but I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Does he have unanimous support in the circles you keep? Possibly. I know he doesn't in my circles. I wouldn't feel like I know enough about all BU fans to make such a claim one way or another.

It's human nature I guess to surround ourselves with people who think like we do. That's why I try to stay away from blanket statements of fandom.

Bottom line, is it ok for fans to question the direction of the program? Is it unfair of me to expect Jim Les to be better than 49-59 after six years with an average league finish of 5.8? I just want him to turn it around and take accountability for that. Is that ok?

[Da Coach]

If I am critical or question a few things it doesn't mean I hate Jim Les, I bash Jim Les, or anything.

Why is this a bad way for fans to look at things?

I ask, is this a bad way to look at things?

Are there people that disagree with this line of fandom?

Does a fan have to support everything 100% all the time and never question anything to be considered a fan?

is it ok for fans to question the direction of the program?

Is it unfair of me to expect Jim Les to be better?

No, not if that's how you see it. But you are in the minority.

[beanocookschins]

No, not if that's how you see it. But you are in the minority.

Those weren't really the questions I asked. I asked is it ok for fans to question things occasionally and look critically at both the good and bad sides of a program in an effort to get better? Is it not ok for fans of any team to do this or should they support everything 100%?

Regarding the minority, maybe I am and maybe I'm not. As I mentioned I don't know every single Bradley fan. If someone does, I'm amazed. It would be pretty tough for one fan to speak for all Bradley fans.

You tell me I'm in the minority but I would disagree. Would I be in the minority among your group of fans? I would guess so. But I'm not in the minority in the group I talk to on a regular basis. I don't think one group is "higher" or "more important" than the other. So I wouldn't be arrogant enough to think I know one way or the other how the collective fan base feels about things.

Do you really think the majority of fans never question anything or look critically at the program?

[Da Coach]

Those weren't really the questions I asked.

beano, I cut and pasted those questions directly from your post. They were your questions, I just didn't include everything else you keep posting.

Part of my point is that you have made it absolutely clear what your thoughts and opinions are about this. I guarantee there isn't anyone here who reads these threads that doesn't know precisely how you feel.

You asked the same question in your last post at least 7 different ways.

Enough is enough. Why can't anyone else have a differing opinion without you or one of the other couple posters who feel like you, repeatedly coming back, ripping them, and reposting your same points over and over again?

Don't you get it? This is a pro-Bradley fan board. There will be a lot of pro Bradley posts. You don't need to refute every single one of them. You aren't satisfied just posting your opinions and ripping all the kool-aid fans, you want to be sure you pee in every single fan's kool aid. There are other forums that welcome and embrace the pessimism and negatism you have. Please feel free to visit them.

[tornado]

If you think we could be doing better, then who would you like to have seen or like to see as our head coach?
You can't say Bob Huggins or Bruce Pearl, because they were never even realistic options.
Your claims to want better are hollow unless there is any realistic chance we'd have ever gotten better.
And we won't ever land Michael Beasley or Kevin Love, although you can criticize JL for not doing so if you want.

[Scouter]

If you think we could be doing better, then who would you like to have seen or like to see as our head coach?
You can't say Bob Huggins or Bruce Pearl, because they were never even realistic options.
Your claims to want better are hollow unless there is any realistic chance we'd have ever gotten better.

True, but that doesn't mean people have to be satisfied with the job Les has done so far.

And we won't ever land Michael Beasley or Kevin Love, although you can criticize JL for not doing so if you want.

Yet we were apparently among the final choices for 5-star recruit Iman Shumpert?

[tornado]

so, when have we ever, ever done any better than that?

[BradleyBrave]

so, when have we ever, ever done any better than that?
Case closed.

Mitchell Anderson

[tornado]

Mitchell Anderson was a nationally rated Top 25/5 Star?
Not even close.....

[BradleyBrave]

Mitchell Anderson was a nationally rated Top 25/5 Star?
Not even close.....

According to Dick Versace and several others, Mitchell Anderson was one of the top rated high school prospects in the country. I don't think they had the elaborate ranking systems that they have today, but Anderson was a nationally rated recruit.

[squirrelgotdead]

Fran McCaffery--
Fran McCaffery was the head coach at the University of North Carolina-Greenboro and was another "hot" name for consideration of coaching vacancies in 2002. He was one of the original 10 candidates schedulked for interviews in Atlanta, but was not included in the group that was invited back to a second interview at Bradley.
He stayed at North Carolina-Greensboro through the 2004-2005 season and then was hired as the head coach at Siena where he remain. At UNC-G he lead them to a 19-12 record in 2001 and an NCAA appearance as the SoCon tournament winner in just his 2nd year there. In 2002 UNC-G went 20-11 and finished in a tie for the SoCon's North Division title before losing in the conference tournament. They went to the NIT that year. In 2002-2003 they finished a woeful 7-22 and an RPI of 287. In 2003-2004 he finished 11-17 with an RPI of 255. In 2004-2005 he finished 18-12 with an RPI of 140. His only 2 post-season appearances were the NCAA in 2001 and the NIT in 2002.
He was hired by Siena in 2005, and in his first season with Siena he went 15-13 and an RPI of 125, not bad for a team that had finished 6-24 with an RPI of 297 in 2005 (the season before he got there). So far this season, Siena is 20-11 and an RPI of 128. McCaffery's overall coaching record since 2002 is 71-75 with no postseason appearances.

Just updating this thread a little bit...

McCaffery actually withdrew his name from consideration for the Bradley job before 2nd interviews were arranged.

In 2008 McCaffery reached the NCAA 2nd Round with Siena.
In 2009 McCaffery reached the NCAA 2nd Round with Siena.
In 2010 McCaffery reached the NCAA with Siena, and landed the Iowa job.

[tornado]

Just updating this thread a little bit...

McCaffery actually withdrew his name from consideration for the Bradley job before 2nd interviews were arranged.

In 2008 McCaffery reached the NCAA 2nd Round with Siena.
In 2009 McCaffery reached the NCAA 2nd Round with Siena.
In 2010 McCaffery reached the NCAA with Siena, and landed the Iowa job.

so Siena didn't keep him long and had to go looking again...in the end - he won the same number of NCAA games as Jim Les did, right?

and -- so they change coaches and within ONE SINGLE YEAR of an NCAA season -- they are well under .500 and bottom dwellers again!
I bet they wish they could have stayed with their guy a few more years...

[LG281]

so Siena didn't keep him long and had to go looking again...in the end - he won the same number of NCAA games as Jim Les did, right?

and -- so they change coaches and within ONE SINGLE YEAR of an NCAA season -- they are well under .500 and bottom dwellers again!
I bet they wish they could have stayed with their guy a few more years...

T- usually I'm with you on most things but I have to disagree with your insinuation here that just because Sienna tanked after losing their WINNING coach that BU would tank.

NEWSFLASH

BU is already in the gutter.

In a few years are you going to eat crow when someone says, "bet they wish they hadn't stayed with their guy for a few more years"

[JMM28]

so Siena didn't keep him long and had to go looking again...in the end - he won the same number of NCAA games as Jim Les did, right?

and -- so they change coaches and within ONE SINGLE YEAR of an NCAA season -- they are well under .500 and bottom dwellers again!
I bet they wish they could have stayed with their guy a few more years...

I think any fan would agree that they'd rather have Siena's last 3 years than ours.

I would love it if BU could become a 3 year revolving door of coaches. Same thing has happened to Xavier. They seem to be ok with it as well.

[Da Coach]

Bottom line:
McCaffery is a good coach. Bradley recognized that back in 2002 and included him on their list of candidates. He had several good years at Siena and his success translated into a higher paying job at Iowa, where he hasn't accomplished anything yet. Iowa is 10-17 this season, and McCaffery is playing with a reduced roster because a number of Iowa players and recruits bolted.

At Iowa, McCaffery replaced a proven winning coach with NCAA success Todd Lickliter, who was hailed by some here as a great hire back in 2007. He went 13-19, 15-17, and 10-22 in his 3 years there. He was hired to replace Steve Alford, who had a winning record every year he was at Iowa. But Lickliter immediately turned Iowa into a losing team and was bought out and run out of town before he could rebuild by fans who had run out of patience. Iowa is still paying Lickliter.

And Siena hired Mitch Buonaguro who is now rebuilding and having a losing season (Siena is 11-16). Siena fans aren't happy with a losing record after several good years under McCaffery.
Just like we have been saying, coaching changes sometimes work (McCaffery at Siena), and sometimes don't (Lickliter at Iowa, McCaffery at Iowa so far, and Buonagoro at Siena so far).