I know some hate the "What if" game but ...

[BUBraves2006]

What if ... Patrick O'Bryant would have stayed? He'd be a senior this year along with Crouch and Ruffin. I'm not knocking him for taking his money, but as he will be a free agent after this year now, one might think how good he may have become at Bradley.

I'd say not only would we be picked to win the conference but we'd probably be ranked in the Top 25.

This has nothing to do with this year's team, of which I'm very excited about, but man how could have we really been?

[SFP]

I'm sure POB would of had a better experience staying but he is $4 million richer. Who knows the recruits JL could have snagged because we would have been an NCAA team again last year. Zach would have played the 4 position!

[flipper]

as much as i would have liked pob to stay for selfish reasons.he made the right decision. tme to look forward not backward and play not the "if" game. this year's team is going to be exciting to watch.

[bert notorius]

as much as i would have liked pob to stay for selfish reasons.he made the right decision. tme to look forward not backward and play not the "if" game. this year's team is going to be exciting to watch.

Man, where have you been?

[mrcoachdude]

Man, where have you been?

yeh really...who said you could take time off?

[BradleyBrave]

If POB would have stayed, we wouldn't be playing Iowa St, Michigan St, or Iowa this year. We also wouldn't have played Illinois, Iowa St, or Michigan St last year. We wouldn't have David Collins, and probably not Anthony Thompson (he cited POB going to the NBA as a primary reason he signed with BU). We would have gone to the NCAA's last year, and probably won a game or 2. We'd be preseason top 20, and likely conference favorites. So, there are pro's and con's to him leaving. Obviously, I would have liked to have him for 4 years, but he certainly left the place in good shape when he left.

[georgethedog]

What if ... Patrick O'Bryant would have stayed? He'd be a senior this year along with Crouch and Ruffin. I'm not knocking him for taking his money, but as he will be a free agent after this year now, one might think how good he may have become at Bradley.

I'd say not only would we be picked to win the conference but we'd probably be ranked in the Top 25.

This has nothing to do with this year's team, of which I'm very excited about, but man how could have we really been?

What if The USSR did launch back in the early 80's?

[Braves4Life]

.......................

[Dallas Brave]

What if ... Patrick O'Bryant would have stayed? He'd be a senior this year along with Crouch and Ruffin. I'm not knocking him for taking his money, but as he will be a free agent after this year now, one might think how good he may have become at Bradley.

I'd say not only would we be picked to win the conference but we'd probably be ranked in the Top 25.

This has nothing to do with this year's team, of which I'm very excited about, but man how could have we really been?

All right ... I'll play what if:

Bradley would be a pre-season top 15
POB would be a top 5 pick at the end of the season and in better postion to spend several years in the pros
BU would have gotten some kicka*s recruits because of their hype and in a better position to be a top 25 annually

Bottom line impact ... JL will get us there. POB's premature and unwise departure delayed the landing 2-3 years, but we'll get there all the same.

[Guinness]

Pat made millions. Would you turn down millions? I sure as hell wouldnt. And you're lying if you say you wouldnt either.

[Chico]

Dallas Brave, I have to agree with you, POB's dparture was premature and unwise. My opinion always has been that he should have known he wasn't ready for the NBA yet. If he played every game like he did against Pitt I wouldn't have blamed him for going, but he had several mediocre games. I know it's easy to say unless we were in his shoes, but I don't think I would call you or me a liar if we said we wouldn't have went and I don't think another poster should say you would be. But now that he is in the NBA for his second season, I hope he has a break through year.

[Chico]

Bradley Brave, wondering why you stated we wouldn't be playing the teams you mentioned if POB had stayed?

[bert notorius]

I have heard that a lot about players leaving early and how great a decision it was because of the 3 millions they got. They then end up crappin out because they were not ready. So they take their 3 millions and end up in a third (or at least second) world country making "great money" when staying 1 more year they could have actually had a career in the NBA, making 6 millions or more.

[MacabreMob]

Bradley Brave, wondering why you stated we wouldn't be playing the teams you mentioned if POB had stayed?

I heard UIUC was holding off entering the Chicago Tourney last year until OB had made his decision... OB back at BU, UIUC out of tourney.... OB not back, UIUC in the tourney.

I am sure DblB can elaborate.

[BradleyBrave]

Bradley Brave, wondering why you stated we wouldn't be playing the teams you mentioned if POB had stayed?

Weber said publicly he wouldn't play BU if POB was there. McDermott said the same when they signed the Iowa St contract. Izzo never said anything publicly, but I would bet good money that once POB declared, BU looked like a very nice 'name' mid-major addition with a supposedly 'depleted' roster. That's what they all thought. Obviously, Weber and McDermott found out that wasn't the case. Izzo caught us on a good day, and said as much in his postgame presser. Word was going around the MVC and even in some national circles that POB was NBA-caliber, and that was leaking out across the country. The Sweet 16 run cemented that, and basically ensured us ZERO quality BCS non-cons with POB on the roster. Heck, Dave Leitoa started saying that BU was a no-win situation after we waxed them in Peoria POB's freshman year, and we weren't even .500 that season. Believe me, no quality BCS program (or even one that's rebuilding like Iowa St) wanted anything to do with BU while POB was still a Brave.