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4 braves suspended- update (2/18)- Ja'Shon Henry reinstated

I had hoped I was done posting on this subject, but it is clear now something very serious is wrong with this program, and the fans and donors are being treated like dopes. This was said to be a suspension for "this weekend's series against Missouri State".
Now we are told the suspensions are still in place and apparently could be indefinite.
There is some serious damage being done to this program and to Bradley's "brand".
We have become a laughingstock among the other teams in the conference, and have gone from being picked 3rd in the conference, to headed toward last place. And yet I am sure fans will be getting their yearly letter in a couple months asking for more donations.
I have already heard from several long-time fans and big-money donors who tell me they are fed up with this situation, and fed up with being treated like fools, and they are done with their blind loyalties to Bradley. This latest development is likely to drive more fans to that point. And who could blame them. Is that what Bradley wants?
 
“As of today they are not playing Thursday.”

.....So you're telling me there's a chance.

Sounds like whatever they did wrong has a requirement for penance, apology, or etc.
Like maybe they'll play if they complete whatever is required.
My money is on them playing by Thursday.
 
I agree with everything that Tommy and DaCoach have said here. Should have been competing for a title this year and instead the air has been sucked out of this season and I think the fans if nothing else deserve to a know a little about what is going on with this program now. As for you Dub you seem to always lighten things up a bit! My money is on them playing too on Thursday. Time is definitely running out and I think if we can get these 4 guy’s back and possibly Boya we can still make a run in StLouis! Go Braves!
 
The plot thickens on an already murky mess. This again leads to more possibilities of speculation as to what is going on here. But, since that's all they want to let us do, here we go down that path again. A punitive punishment for whatever their violation of team standards seems relatively cut and dry in terms of "doing the time" so to speak for a mistake, whether it is justified or not. But, regardless of having to sit out, the guys were visibly supporting their teammates during both of the games in Missouri. So, what's the deal? Unless they did something new wrong, why wasn't the reinstatement immediate?

Not to beat the same drum, but it is worth bringing up in light of this new cryptic statement. Who is deciding that they aren't playing as of now? Is it the coach or someone else making this call? I mean, it just doesn't jive with me that Wardle himself is just bringing down the hammer on these guys just himself, especially in a time where its so difficult to be in college with all the restrictions and rules. We already had one player leave the team for a personal issue for a while this season. He knows that while his players are adults, they are still young adults trying to figure out who they are as people, especially in such trying times.

I guess where I fall with it until I have more information is if it were one guy, it seems like it might be a "me" (player) problem, but if its four guys, it's more of a "you" problem (coaching/others).
 
BUBraves2006 said:
The plot thickens on an already murky mess. This again leads to more possibilities of speculation as to what is going on here. But, since that's all they want to let us do, here we go down that path again. A punitive punishment for whatever their violation of team standards seems relatively cut and dry in terms of "doing the time" so to speak for a mistake, whether it is justified or not. But, regardless of having to sit out, the guys were visibly supporting their teammates during both of the games in Missouri. So, what's the deal? Unless they did something new wrong, why wasn't the reinstatement immediate?

Not to beat the same drum, but it is worth bringing up in light of this new cryptic statement. Who is deciding that they aren't playing as of now? Is it the coach or someone else making this call? I mean, it just doesn't jive with me that Wardle himself is just bringing down the hammer on these guys just himself, especially in a time where its so difficult to be in college with all the restrictions and rules. We already had one player leave the team for a personal issue for a while this season. He knows that while his players are adults, they are still young adults trying to figure out who they are as people, especially in such trying times.

I guess where I fall with it until I have more information is if it were one guy, it seems like it might be a "me" (player) problem, but if its four guys, it's more of a "you" problem (coaching/others).
Click to expand...

Hope Bradley can clarify for all of us fans and finally put this behind us and move on.
 
Are you serious???
Oh my gosh - I thought we were behind this and ready to stick it to ISU-red tomorrow!!!
Very sad.
 
Da Coach said:
I had hoped I was done posting on this subject, but it is clear now something very serious is wrong with this program, and the fans and donors are being treated like dopes. This was said to be a suspension for "this weekend's series against Missouri State".
Now we are told the suspensions are still in place and apparently could be indefinite.
There is some serious damage being done to this program and to Bradley's "brand".
We have become a laughingstock among the other teams in the conference, and have gone from being picked 3rd in the conference, to headed toward last place. And yet I am sure fans will be getting their yearly letter in a couple months asking for more donations.
I have already heard from several long-time fans and big-money donors who tell me they are fed up with this situation, and fed up with being treated like fools, and they are done with their blind loyalties to Bradley. This latest development is likely to drive more fans to that point. And who could blame them. Is that what Bradley wants?
Click to expand...

It is absurd DC.
I think about where we were 2 months ago at 9-4 and looking like contenders. Whether it's Coach Wardle's fault or the players, this is unacceptable to be in this situation as a bottom feeder in the conference and ALL 5 or our upperclassmen OFF the court, leaving a depleted bunch of guys with very little experience playing together to have little chance at success.
 
This sounds to me (without divulging even a smidge of info to fans) like a serious riff between the coach and the top players.
It makes us lose confidence in Coach Wardle - not just a little, but a LOT.

You are not going to get too many guys with such great work ethic, attitude, and leadership than the ones that have been suspended. Ja'Shon Henry is my favorite Brave in the past 2 decades, and more for his character/mentality than his play. It doesn't add up right now.

Right now, I'm feeling bad for the players and without anything else to go on, blame Coach Wardle for this mess.
If something is going on with the way Coach is treating the student-athletes, I pray that one of the guys is bold and speaks up.

I seriously hope I eat my words in a few days from now.
 
LittleBrave said:
This sounds to me (without divulging even a smidge of info to fans) like a serious riff between the coach and the top players.
It makes us lose confidence in Coach Wardle - not just a little, but a LOT.
Click to expand...

They really need to say what this is because speculation like that is not a good look for Bradley or Coach Wardle given what allegedly occurred during his time at Green Bay, which Bradley was aware of when he was hired: https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...-wardle-abuse-allegations-ryan-bross/2123569/

What could they have possibly done to keep it this mysterious? If they committed some serious crime, I would expect we'd know about it by now. I cannot think of what else would result in such a harsh, potentially season-killing punishment. If this was just some COVID protocol stuff, that's not worth a multi-game suspension. If this was really some motivational tool to try to get everyone back on track for the tournament, it has certainly gone off the rails if it dooms us to a Thursday game.

At the end of the day, there are only three possibilities for keeping it covered up: they did it to protect the players, to protect the program, or to protect the coach. I doubt it's to protect the program, since we've had no problem kicking players out of school before.
 
Is that the team hotel or not? Either way, I'm confused. If it's not, how are they AWOL at 2:00AM the night before a game. If it is, how did this happen in the first place?
 
egib52 said:
Well this isn't good:

Wyatt Wheeler

@WyattWheeler_NL
The four Bradley men's basketball players who were suspended appeared in a Springfield Police report obtained by the News-Leader. Report classifies it as a "sex offense" that was not rape. No one arrested or charged. Investigation is active.

https://t.co/lconv92wrt?amp=1
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how I feel now. Most of me feels good that Wardle did the right thing, but I never would have suspected those 4 guys to be involved in something like that at this point in the season, and being leaders of a team that won b2b MVC championships - the NIGHT BEFORE a big 2-game series that we needed to get at least 1 win.

If this turns out worst case, I really don't know how I can whole-heartedly support BU with these 4 guys on the court together the rest of the year.
I'd almost rather have the guys who played their hearts out in Missouri to finish the season with best case scenario to win 1 game on Thursday.
Then time to move on.

Geez!
 
Chris said:
Is that the team hotel or not? Either way, I'm confused. If it's not, how are they AWOL at 2:00AM the night before a game. If it is, how did this happen in the first place?
Click to expand...

At least we have something to go on now - whether it's 100% valid or not. Not something you'd be worried about in this time of Covid either. Let's hope this gets resolved quickly.
 
I'll reserve judgment until we have the details.
This could literally range anywhere from zero to horrible.
I'm not going to speculate any further, and there's no point to.
 
Very disappointing news. It does explain why no information was released and why the players may not play tomorrow.
I have to wonder how this happens when you are supposed to be in a bubble.
I thought someone from the university was supposed to be on watch at all times.. including the middle of the night.
 
Coach Wardle's statement:
On Wednesday afternoon, Bradley head coach Brian Wardle gave the following statement during a press conference:

“We are aware that four of our men’s basketball players were named in a Springfield, Missouri police report. An investigation is underway to determine if a crime or violation of student code of conduct occurred. The players in question are suspended from basketball related activities, pending the investigation and we are continuing to gather information. Our program has always set high standards, and violations of any type are not tolerated. We have and will continue to hold ourselves and our players to those standards.”
 
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