How many

[chitown fanatic]

The Fire.....

Just isn't in this bunch this year. Sure they battle when they get down and make things close, but rarely have they proven they can get over the top in close games where they've trailed most of the game. The point is if they would have come out of the locker room with the intensity they play the last 5 minutes, they wouldn't be losing. That loss to the trees on Tuesday still stings and really puts us in a bind to not only stay out of Thursday, but also to advance in the tourney. I want no part of SIU on their home turf in the SLU, and I don't want to play a CU team we just played 6 days earlier. Getting the 3 to play a UNI or IN St team is critical and thanks to EU's heroics last night, still a possibility, but only if we win our next 3 conf games...a very tall order. We'd have all tiebreakers at 10-8 as we'd have the road win at conf. champ Drake, giving us more points than SIU for their home win over them. That, combined with 3 other roadies, would be enough to sustain a road loss at CU in the finale. The Round robin splits are all 2-2, so then they go to points where our 4 roadies would trump both CU's and SIU's awful road marks.
But this is all just wishful thinking unless the seniors decide to take this team on their backs these final 3 weeks and get it done. If this truly is a guard league, then let's prove we can win with substandard bigs and show up at the opening tip, as opposed to when it's too late.

[Beninator]

What frustrates me as well as others is that I truly believe we have the potential to be so much more than what we are. Maybe I am wrong on that, I don't know.

I agree.. I think that we have the potential to do much more. But, lets look at this from the perspective of a recruit. The current facilities are what they are... We can now show them a hole in the ground and the construction along with the blueprints. If we recruit a 4 star player, we can offer the kid a first class education with the promise of state of the art facilities in the very near future. To be bluntly honest, I think that a 4 star kid probably doesnt have the patience to wait for the facilities to be completed and to be even more bluntly honest, how many 4 star kids place education as their primary interest? I would guess not many. I think that JL and staff are excellant recruiters. The new facilities should bring us even better players.

[BradleyBrave]

I agree.. I think that we have the potential to do much more. But, lets look at this from the perspective of a recruit. The current facilities are what they are... We can now show them a hole in the ground and the construction along with the blueprints. If we recruit a 4 star player, we can offer the kid a first class education with the promise of state of the art facilities in the very near future. To be bluntly honest, I think that a 4 star kid probably doesnt have the patience to wait for the facilities to be completed and to be even more bluntly honest, how many 4 star kids place education as their primary interest? I would guess not many. I think that JL and staff are excellant recruiters. The new facilities should bring us even better players.

So you don't think our players are good enough or have been good enough to win the conference? How would they compare with Drake's players? We have a Cousy Award candidate, the nation's leading 3-point shooter, an all-freshman team candidate, and a potential MVC Newcomer of the Year. Players aren't the issue. They never have been!

[Beninator]

So you don't think our players are good enough or have been good enough to win the conference? How would they compare with Drake's players? We have a Cousy Award candidate, the nation's leading 3-point shooter, an all-freshman team candidate, and a potential MVC Newcomer of the Year. Players aren't the issue. They never have been!

I think that our players are good enough to win the MVC but I dont think that we should settle for players who are just good enough to win the conference. One thing that I think that we lack (not even discussing the frontcourt issues) is the over the top go to guy in which we can put the ball in his hands in situations that we need a score. Basically a 4 star type of recruit. Ruffin, Crouch, and Maniscalco are the type of players that I would want on any team, but to put us over the top to win the MVC and to get us into contention for perennial post season tournaments, I think that we need to land the stud recruit. The new facilities give us the shot for that type of talent.

[BradleyBrave]

I think that our players are good enough to win the MVC but I dont think that we should settle for players who are just good enough to win the conference. One thing that I think that we lack (not even discussing the frontcourt issues) is the over the top go to guy in which we can put the ball in his hands in situations that we need a score. Basically a 4 star type of recruit. Ruffin, Crouch, and Maniscalco are the type of players that I would want on any team, but to put us over the top to win the MVC and to get us into contention for perennial post season tournaments, I think that we need to land the stud recruit. The new facilities give us the shot for that type of talent.

I think you're putting the cart before the horse. Success breeds success, and a 4-star recruit isn't going to go to a school with great facilities that consistently finishes in the middle of the pack if there are other schools with great facilities that get the job done. Also, if BU's recruiting focus is going to be 4-star kids, we're going to end up with classes of 0-star leftovers, because 4-star kids aren't going to go to BU when there are BCS powers after them. Let's be realistic here.

Other schools are winning the conference and getting ranked nationally with similar, if not lesser, recruits as ours. The quality of players over the last 6 years is not what is keeping us from winning. If it is, then our staff isn't as good at recruiting as we think, and the people picking the all-conference teams don't know what they're talking about.

[Beninator]

I think you're putting the cart before the horse. Success breeds success, and a 4-star recruit isn't going to go to a school with great facilities that consistently finishes in the middle of the pack if there are other schools with great facilities that get the job done. Also, if BU's recruiting focus is going to be 4-star kids, we're going to end up with classes of 0-star leftovers, because 4-star kids aren't going to go to BU when there are BCS powers after them. Let's be realistic here.

Other schools are winning the conference and getting ranked nationally with similar, if not lesser, recruits as ours. The quality of players over the last 6 years is not what is keeping us from winning. If it is, then our staff isn't as good at recruiting as we think, and the people picking the all-conference teams don't know what they're talking about.

I am not saying that we should go entirely after 4 star recruits after the new facilities are completed. Just like a good stock portfolio, we need to diversify. Ok so we dont get the four star guy, but with the new facilites we can land the three star guys whom we may have missed out on previously. Take a look at who we recruited last year. Schumpert et al.. I can see the recruiting tour now. Ok Mr Schumpert, check out our fieldhouse. It was state of the art in 1949-1950 and was built from a couple of World War II aircraft hangers and it is packed with history and ambience. Oh and let me show you Haussler Hall... That place was almost outdated when it was constructed in the late 1970s.
Bradleybrave, all things considered, I think that this staff has done a good job on the recruiting front and evaluating talent.

[BradleyBrave]

Bradleybrave, all things considered, I think that this staff has done a good job on the recruiting front and evaluating talent.

I agree. We have done a good job recruiting, which lends itself to my point that the players have rarely been the problem. If we have the personnel to win the league, why aren't we winning the league?

[Beninator]

I agree. We have done a good job recruiting, which lends itself to my point that the players have rarely been the problem. If we have the personnel to win the league, why aren't we winning the league?

For starters, I believe that aside from this year, the MVC is much more competitive than in years past.

[ER3]

Bradleybrave, all things considered, I think that this staff has done a good job on the recruiting front and evaluating talent.

I wouldn't fully agree with this statement regarding the last two years of recruiting.
I think the coaching staff completely overestimated the level of talent that they brought in this year...and, as a result, we are left with questionable depth this year and an even more glaring weakness of depth heading into next year.
And two years ago they deperately needed to bring in quality big men and they wound up wasting their time with Xavier Crawford and then ended up with #22 after a dozen other big guys turned us down and went elsewhere.

Les has brought in some nice players and gotten great contributions from a lot of guys that were not heavily recruited...but he also seems to have completely missed on an alarming number of guys over the past 2 or 3 years...

[Beninator]

I wouldn't fully agree with this statement regarding the last two years of recruiting.
I think the coaching staff completely overestimated the level of talent that they brought in this year...and, as a result, we are left with questionable depth this year and an even more glaring weakness of depth heading into next year.
And two years ago they deperately needed to bring in quality big men and they wound up wasting their time with Xavier Crawford and then ended up with #22 after a dozen other big guys turned us down and went elsewhere.

Les has brought in some nice players and gotten great contributions from a lot of guys that were not heavily recruited...but he also seems to have completely missed on an alarming number of guys over the past 2 or 3 years...

ER3, I know where you are coming from, but to a degree and to be fair, I think that the jury is still out as to how well or poorly JL and staff have recruited over the last 2 years. We have a good foundation of young talent on this team which gives me hope for the future. Obvioulsy Egolf and AT are the big question marks.

You are very right that the staff vastly overestimated the talent on this squad, but I would say that the talent overestimation is with some of the new JUCO players and we clearly overestimated the contributions that the new JUCO players were expected to make this year.

You are also very right as to the inability of the staff to recruit a big man who can make significant contributions. I think that type of recruit is the toughest recruit to land for a school of BU's size and dare I say again current facilities.

[mrcoachdude]

suspect recruiting or over estimating talent?

Theron
Warren
SamM
Egolf
Thompson
Austin (he will bust out soon)

That is a pretty good recruiting group. yeh I wanna win more and wish a couple of guys would have developed sooner....

If Thorton gets stronger....he should do fine as well

[Lakeview Brave]

suspect recruiting or over estimating talent?

Theron
Warren
SamM
Egolf
Thompson
Austin (he will bust out soon)

That is a pretty good recruiting group. yeh I wanna win more and wish a couple of guys would have developed sooner....

If Thorton gets stronger....he should do fine as well

How many of these guys had OFFERS from other schools? Not intrest, not teams looking at them OFFERS. Add JC, Ruff to that question as well. How good has the recruting really been? Are any of the guards on our team much better then Phil Gilbet? Maybe Ruff thats it. Our any of our bigs as good as Danny Granger or Bayo? Have we had a guard yet as good as AP? I mean has Les really done a better job recruiting then MO or does he play a system that allows them to score and shoot more so it appears they are better?

Realize that two of ISU's starters were recruited very heavily by BU and we lost on both of them to Porter Moser! This team would be alot better with OE and Anthony Slack IMO.

[Braves4Life]

How many of these guys had OFFERS from other schools? Not intrest, not teams looking at them OFFERS. Add JC, Ruff to that question as well. How good has the recruting really been? Are any of the guards on our team much better then Phil Gilbet? Maybe Ruff thats it. Our any of our bigs as good as Danny Granger or Bayo? Have we had a guard yet as good as AP? I mean has Les really done a better job recruiting then MO or does he play a system that allows them to score and shoot more so it appears they are better?

Realize that two of ISU's starters were recruited very heavily by BU and we lost on both of them to Porter Moser! This team would be alot better with OE and Anthony Slack IMO.

This comparison is absolute garbage Lakeview!? Of course you can take one or two great players we've had every five years or so and make this ludicrous argument. I remember Gilbert and Bayo and yes they were good players but neither impressed me enough to agree with your statement.

Were any of these guys as good as Hawkins and Les? Have we ever had a center as good as POB? Please do me a favor and post a link to one positive post you've ever made?! I'd really like to think you're just a disillusioned and depressed BU fan who needs cheering up. Because you really come across as a bitter bandwagon fan.

[Lakeview Brave]

This comparison is absolute garbage Lakeview!? Of course you can take one or two great players we've had every five years or so and make this ludicrous argument. I remember Gilbert and Bayo and yes they were good players but neither impressed me enough to agree with your statement.

Were any of these guys as good as Hawkins and Les? Have we ever had a center as good as POB? Please do me a favor and post a link to one positive post you've ever made?! I'd really like to think you're just a disillusioned and depressed BU fan who needs cheering up. Because you really come across as a bitter bandwagon fan.

To the first part of your post, please tell me what specific recruits make Les a better recruiter then MO.

TO the second part Bitter Bandwagon?? Last year I lived in Chicago and went to every single home game, including exhibtions. Did you? This year I live in St. Louis and have gone tons of games at home and the road. I have helped orgainize 3 seperate groups of alumni of over 25 including one over 50 go to games this year? How many groups have you orgainized? I am not a rich man and I have donated thousands of dollars to the school since I graduated. I have done more to promote Bradley basketball to Alumni then the Alumni association. You dont know me and have no idea what your talking about. If I was a bandwagon fan, I wouldnt be rooting for this team anymore. Just cause you used to be a ball boy and have kool aid visions of the glory days dont lable me. Next time I see you we can talk about this in person.

[Braves4Life]

To the first part of your post, please tell me what specific recruits make Les a better recruiter then MO.

TO the second part Bitter Bandwagon?? I last year I lived in Chicago and went to every single home game, including exhibtions. Did you? This year I live in St. Louis and have gone tons of games at home and the road. I have helped orgainize 3 seperate groups of alumni of over 25 including one over 50 go to games this year? How many groups have you orgainized? I am not a rich man and I have donated thousands of dollars to the school since I graduated. I have done more to promote Bradley basketball to Alumni then the Alumni association. You dont know me and have no idea what your talking about. If I was a bandwagon fan, I wouldnt be rooting for this team anymore. Just cause you used to be a ball boy and have kool aid visions of the glory days dont lable me. Next time I see you we can talk about this in person.

I stand by my first comment, but apologize for the "bitter bandwagon comment. Please accept my apologies regarding this and thank you for supporting the team and university. I hope you can understand my offense to the negative BU comments as I view it nearly the same as insulting me or my family.

I loved Mo and hated to see him go (though his style of play was BORING). I would put Les' recruits up against Mo's any day -- POB, Cellus, Ruff, Franklin, Bennett, Heemskerk ( ) . That was not my point, however.

Maybe some day we'll meet and share a drink. For now, I apologize.