PATRICK O'BRIEN Thank You Again!

[tlotrains]

Bradley did a great job this year. Probably beyond expectations. I congratulate the team for sticking together. It only proves that if they had their post man the sweet sixteen position might have been theirs again! Can't wait till next year................ Hopefully with a true Post player!

[MacabreMob]

Whatever.

You can't even spell his name right. It's Patrick O'Bryant.

[Da Coach]

We can only speculate what things would have been like with POB. I happen to think he would have had a breakout season and dominated the league if he had returned, as he would have been our main inside scoring option. Other players' scoring would have suffered a little, but I think Bradley would have been a better team. Instead of 4th place, I think BU would have been at least a 2nd place team, and maybe could have contended for the league title. And IMO we would still be playing in the NCAA, as we have seen how important a good big man is.

[abesimpson]

"Probably beyond expectations" - for sure beyond expectations. No doubt about that.

As for a true post player, Zack and Matt did just fine this year. Big Pat wasn't the only big guy we lost. Wright, Sommerville, and Heemskerk also graduated. And Pat wasn't the deciding factor in every game last year either. Remember, he missed the entire non-conference slate and wasn't that effective in some games he did play in. Not to say he wouldn't have made a big difference this year, but ya can't blame or credit Pat for everything, this year or last.

[MikeCash]

I for one don't mind playing the "what if" game every once in awhile. I think it's a huge factor that Patrick only played half of his sophomore year. His performance against WSU in St. Louis and then against Pitt in the NCAAs were two of the best of his short BU career. I think there was no doubt he was getting better and better. I think he would have had one of the better seasons for a Valley big man in many years if he had stayed.

Like Da Coach said, he would have been really the primary option down low this year. His numbers would have automatically gone up even if he wasn't improving (which it was obvious he was). Add in that the factor that the Valley lost a couple big men (namely Paul Miller) and I think Patrick would have feasted on this league.

His shot blocking ability would have only helped the pressure defense, and his ability to exhibit true offensive post moves would have complicated things for defenses.

There's no way that Coach Les and company could have anticipated him leaving early too far out in advance. I think that it only serves to speak to the outstanding job the staff did this year.

[thefish7]

What if is a fun game. I think with POB Bradley may have been a top 25 team... With Zach playing PF which, in my opinion, is a much more natural position for him, and MS playing as the key sub for both, I think Bradley would have been just about unstoppable (also think Ruffin would've had another half an assist per game) because even the 3 shooters would've had better opportunities than even this year.

All that being said, the tone of the original post is not cool. POB is not to "thank" for Bradley not playing in the NCAA or not winning the NIT or whatever the poster was trying to intimate. He made the right decision for him, and it's probably helped the program in terms of recruiting and prestige. For all we know he could've destroyed a knee in the first preseason game if you want to play some what if. I'd've loved to have had Patrick back with the Braves until he graduated, but I support him in his decision to get the payday that sets him up for the rest of his life if he makes good decisions.

[tornado]

There's no way that Coach Les and company could have anticipated him leaving early ....

Patrick O'Bryant is the very first MVC player to ever leave and enter the draft after his sophomore year, so of course it couldn't have been predicted--- it was complately unprecedented.

I cannot recall any team in the Valley that ever had to deal with the sudden, unexpected departure to the NBA of their best player or a player of O'Bryant's caliber.
The closest thing I might be able to recall would be the partial loss of Anthony Parker by injury that Molinari had to endure or the sudden booting of Lorenzo Gordon off the team before his senior year because of academics at ISU.
We all know how well ISU did that year, so it's a testament to Jim Les that BU won 22 games, played in the postseason, AND set all time attendance records!

[Majik45]

Technically, Rico Hill left a year early to enter the NBA draft, and then didn't get drafted.

[Da Coach]

Actually, Rico Hill was drafted early in the second round of the 1999 NBA draft, #31 overall, by the LA Clippers.

He left ISU after his junior year, but never played a game for the Clippers or for any team in the NBA.

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft99/players/profiles/hill_rico.html

[Dallas Brave]

IF POB had stayed, I think BU is still playing in this year's tournament. He left early for his set of reasons - can't fault a guy for deciding what is best for him and going with it.

[BI_Brave_alum]

What if is a fun game. I think with POB Bradley may have been a top 25 team... With Zach playing PF which, in my opinion, is a much more natural position for him, and MS playing as the key sub for both, I think Bradley would have been just about unstoppable (also think Ruffin would've had another half an assist per game) because even the 3 shooters would've had better opportunities than even this year.

All that being said, the tone of the original post is not cool. POB is not to "thank" for Bradley not playing in the NCAA or not winning the NIT or whatever the poster was trying to intimate. He made the right decision for him, and it's probably helped the program in terms of recruiting and prestige. For all we know he could've destroyed a knee in the first preseason game if you want to play some what if. I'd've loved to have had Patrick back with the Braves until he graduated, but I support him in his decision to get the payday that sets him up for the rest of his life if he makes good decisions.

Big men are always at a premium in the NBA. If O'Bryant had stayed and continued to improve(which I think most of us could agree on happening), and decided to leave after this year, wouldn't he get drafted still? Sure there would be more out there, as in possible Oden, Gray, and smaller guys, I'm hard pressed to believe that another year of footwork and refinement of skills would not help Patrick earn a good contract and perhaps impact the NBA quicker than in the D league.

[That Guy]

If Pat would've stayed until this year, he would've been drafted, but no way he would've been a lottery pick. Instead of looking at it as what might have been for us, think of what could come of the future of Bradley basketball for years to come because of Pat.

Coach Les get some major recruiting pull when trying to get players here. Not only can he say that we are a big time program that plays big time basketball (as evident by our Sweet Sixteen run), but also he can say that if you come to play for BU, you can definitely play at the next level (with some hard work and commitment). When recruits see what we're doing to improve the program and the school, and when they hear that magical phrase "NBA LOTTERY", I would have to argue that Pat actually did what's best for him, and, in the long run, BU...

Thank you Patrick O'Bryant, sincerely.

[dogsrus]

What if is a fun game. I think with POB Bradley may have been a top 25 team... With Zach playing PF which, in my opinion, is a much more natural position for him, and MS playing as the key sub for both, I think Bradley would have been just about unstoppable (also think Ruffin would've had another half an assist per game) because even the 3 shooters would've had better opportunities than even this year.

All that being said, the tone of the original post is not cool. POB is not to "thank" for Bradley not playing in the NCAA or not winning the NIT or whatever the poster was trying to intimate. He made the right decision for him, and it's probably helped the program in terms of recruiting and prestige. For all we know he could've destroyed a knee in the first preseason game if you want to play some what if. I'd've loved to have had Patrick back with the Braves until he graduated, but I support him in his decision to get the payday that sets him up for the rest of his life if he makes good decisions.

Well put.....

[Justaguy]

Didtn Ben Coupet leave early for the Draft

[chitownBUB]

No- he just left early, but I don't know anyone who actually thought he would get drafted.