2 Months ago vs Now....

[tornado]

my point is we, as a basketball program, can do better. sometimes when i read this board i feel no matter what happens someone comes on and posts that it is good. to the point where it is not real. i agree, few programs have zero problems or make zero mistakes. just seems to me that we try to color everything good when we know that is not the case.

i hope for great things for bu basketball, which would include winning the regular season conference championship and/or conference tournament, and/or going to the ncca tourney on a consistent basis.

let's hope we start doing those things next season. we are better than a middle-of-the pack valley program that goes to the ncaa tourney once every ten years.

I respectfully disagee, people are allowed to post about what they see as bad, but you suggest if someone sees something as good or tries to "posts that it is good" (your words) that it is somehow silly or improper.

I doubt we will be able to restrict the "good posting" if that's what you are suggesting.

DeAaron and Jeremy were GOOD players. The posters wanted to see their GOOD talent and their GOOD contributions.
But if they don't pan out and if they become a real problem for the program then it is GOOD that they are gone, wouldn't you say?

[dogsrus]

Personally I just like to accenuate the positive. Now I DID veer from that the other day (and will from time to time) just to get reactions and express some frustrations.

Upon further review and when looking at the overall direction of this program I see ALOT of positives.

As I stated in another post....Les, like ALL coaches, learns everyday. If you "ain't" learning your going backwards. I look for him to take less chances like he did with JF and DW. I give him a flyer for that because of the GREAT backup plan.

Name me ONE program off the top of your head that you have seen that lose's TWO key recruits and BAM within days you almost forget about them because of late additions.

We appear to have some quality guys in place. NOW the real work begins....

[georgethedog]

Flip, why does it bother you that some people always try to find the positive? Who cares? Why should anyone care? Why am I writing this? Why are we here? What is the meaning of it all? Why did someone assasinate my penguin? What is the color of green? Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Da Coach]

In addition to losing their top 2 incoming recruits, I am reminded that Bradley lost their #1 scorer (Will Franklin), their #1 rebounder (Zach Andrews), their #1 defensive player (JJ Tauai), and their #1 player off the bench (Danny Adams). They also lost 1/2 of their freshman class from last season (Jassey). Couple that with the losses of such key players from the Sweet 16 team like Cellus, POB, Boogie, Tony Bennett and any team would expect to be headed for a down year or 2.

You can't replace all that talent with just freshmen recruits, unless you are Duke, North Carolina, Ohio State or the like.

I think Bradley has a great freshman class coming, and some top notch kids on the recruiting list for 2008. But IMO, Coach Les has done the right thing with the group of jucos this year that will give of immediate help in those areas we've lost talent.

[MacabreMob]

Flipper... where is the positive Flipper that stated about this time last year that BU was gonna kick SIU's A$$?

We did beat them 1 time at home... but it wasn't an a$$ whooping. No matter...

I just want the old Flipper back. (so post often and keep rotating your wonderful avatars)

[it's boogie time]

Do you think this last month will change the recruiting philosophy of the coaching staff? While Williams and Buycks were replaced very quickly, it sure would have been nice to have had another rebounder around last year. The scholarships that Fears, Xavier and Jassey claimed could have been used on somebody else. Possibly that missing ingredient that makes a 22 win team into a 24 win NCAA team.

I guess what I am getting at is do you think that BU still goes after the guys with the big upside, but also the big red flags?

[Stryker]

I think they will go for whoever is best that they can realisticly recruit. They may be a little more hesitant going after a guy with as much baggage as Fears, but that won't stop them from recruiting who they think is best.

[shaunguth]

let's get more players to be at bu for 4 or 5 years.

A post from another thread:

The scholarships for 2007-08 will most likely be 8 four-year players and 4-5 juco's. The following season will probably look very similar. Last season was 8 four-year players and 4 juco's. I don't have the numbers for the Sweet 16 season, but we are at the very least in the middle of three very similar seasons when it comes to the ratio of four-year players to juco players. Considering the recruiting job JL and staff has done as well as getting the guys to play together....I don't see any problem with this.

edited to add: I would not be as comfortable if the number of four-year scholarships dropped below eight. I think that number is just fine though.

[real fan]

I see no problem in taking a chance on williams and fears as you would have thought that they would have changed their ways by now; it has worked out as we will have 2 players that want to be here ; sometimes you have to take gambles as we are not Duke or Kansas but we did beat Kansas the last time we played them.