Wardle rumor

[Da Coach]

There was a tweet from Tuesday that reported that Brian Wardle would be hired at Western Kentucky-
https://twitter.com/Bballscoop1/stat...54472139210753

Basketball Scoop
@Bballscoop1
Hearing Bradley's Brian Wardle to Western Kentucky.
11:04 PM · Mar 14, 2023


Comment---
Western Kentucky needs to replace their head coach, Rick Stansbury, who resigned at the end of their season. They finished 17-16, but just 8-12 in the Conference USA. The CUSA was a 1-bid league, and through much of the last couple decades, has been an inferior basketball league to the MVC. This year, they finished as the 10th ranked conference in combined NET, while the MVC, dragged down by several unusually poor teams, finished as the 15th ranked conference.
Stansbury resigned on March 11, 2023 citing needing to focus on his health and family. There may be more to the story, since he still had 3 more years on his contract that was just last October was extended through 2026, and paid him a base salary of $650,000 plus a couple possible bonus clauses. That is essentially the same as what Brian Wardle earns at Bradley.
https://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/w...2030%2C%202026.

Western Kentucky's average attendance this season was 4,026, compared wit Bradley's average of 4,947.

I have some skepticism that he would make this decision this quickly, less than 24 hours after the season ended, but let's see what develops. Western Kentucky does not seem like a step up for Coach Wardle, especially since there will be a number of much higher level programs looking for a new coach..

[Stryker]

Yeah I can't see Wardle taking that job unless I am missing something entirely. Really seems like a lateral move at the very best, no real increase in pay, have to uproot family life, not normally a better conference than the MVC...can't really see it happening.

[ManMythLegend]

I would say if we lost BW to Western Kentucky I would really be shocked and disappointed. On the face it would be a lateral move at best.

[Classof77]

That chart linked in a previous post was enlightening. I didn't know Wardle made $681K and Jim Les about half that.

[houstonbrave]

Stansbury at Western Ky made 505 k in 2021 so not obvious it would be for more money.

[️ Fanatic]

https://twitter.com/brianmwardle/status/1636145566710222848?s=46&t=9XBrvlJ8uD2vhO8QQ5sRdw

This BW post - doesn’t look like a goodbye, rather positioning more to do…️

[Da Coach]

Stansbury at Western Ky made 505 k in 2021 so not obvious it would be for more money.

The article I posted in the top post reported that Stansbury received a boost in pay last October, prior to this season. His salary was increased from $500K to $650K.

https://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/wku/stansbury-collins-receive-extensions/article_6f0875e3-6e2c-5f1a-ab30-0fc07f9b7913.html#:~:text=The%20Western%20Kentucky%20Board%20of,extension%20to%20June%2030%2C%202026

[ManMythLegend]

https://twitter.com/brianmwardle/sta...uD2vhO8QQ5sRdw

This BW post - doesn’t look like a goodbye, rather positioning more to do…️

That's an encouraging post. Thanks for sharing that as I don't check my Twitter feed often. Love it...run through the 309.

[brocks]

Some of us are old enough (and I mean OLD) to remember the rumors that Jim Molinari was offered Western Kentucky and TCU (before the confirmed flirtations with NC State and St. John's). At the time Molinari said something to the effect that a move to WKU or TCU would be an insult. That was true then and it would be true now. A coach's job and legacy involves leaving a program better than he found it. If Wardle winds up eventually at Marquette or some similar program, then that means he did his job and left BU better than he found it. If he were to take a job like WKU, that would mean he bolted because he was scared about the trajectory of BU basketball. He's better than that. I want BW to get a "better job" and will pull for him when he does. WKU ain't it.

[BUfan17]

No way Wardle leaves for Western Kentucky. I don't think he would accept just any job, especially not a lateral move/downgrade.

But if Bradley makes a run in the NCAA tournament I am sure bigger schools will come calling, but I still think he would be selective on where he would go.

[Bradley8792]

I don’t understand a lateral move like WKU. We were walking around St Louis after the Saturday session and we’re approached by a local who was originally from Peoria. He still follows the Braves and was asking how they did. In our conversation he said he heard a rumor about Wardle as a candidate for Notre Dame. I don’t know where he heard that and haven’t heard that from anyone else. Compared to WKU, it would make more sense for a move like that.

[Old Coach]

That chart linked in a previous post was enlightening. I didn't know Wardle made $681K and Jim Les about half that.

Brian makes a lot more than $681K. Per Bradley's Form 990 for period ending May 2020, he made $808K.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/370661494/04_2021_prefixes_36-37%2F370661494_202005_990_2021041917962207

[Old Coach]

I don’t understand a lateral move like WKU. We were walking around St Louis after the Saturday session and we’re approached by a local who was originally from Peoria. He still follows the Braves and was asking how they did. In our conversation he said he heard a rumor about Wardle as a candidate for Notre Dame. I don’t know where he heard that and haven’t heard that from anyone else. Compared to WKU, it would make more sense for a move like that.

I don't think he's quite there for a job like Notre Dame, and he's definitely well about the job at WKU. One that has me curious is the USF opening.

[Da Coach]

I saw the Notre Dame rumor mentioned, but only by people on twitter, and a couple no-name bloggers. Those have no verifiable source, just people speculating.

[algotrader]

This isn’t a rumor. It’s someone who is trying to manifest the rumor into a campaign to hire Wardle to their school. Nothing more than a fan making dreams and starting a rumor to achieve those dreams.

With that said, our school is going to have to decide if they want to step up and invest in our future. Wardle’s contract will eventually come due and he will be worth a good pay raise.

I hope Bradley continues to invest in our basketball program. If they don’t, they’ll get $0 from me in terms of donations. Basketball is the only reason I donate.