Les's comments to reynolds

[Bravesfan]

Turning a blind eye to the problems will accomplish something?

The natives are restless with the product on the floor, and this is a very popular medium to discuss Bradley basketball. When BU basketball is good, people come here to talk about it and find information about it. When BU basketball is struggling, people come here to talk about it and find information about it.

It's still not the coaches' job to have to tell the world who is starting and who's not. NO coach is going to reveal their hand to their opponents!

When it comes to the issue of suspensions, a simple statement one time should be more than enough to suffice people. Gameplay situations, maybe once a week as a "progress report". Otherwise it's not his job to have to spend five hours a day revealing everything.

Honestly, when it comes to the media in particular, they act like they have a God given right to know everything! If you listen to sports talk radio a lot like I do (probably not a good thing!), these people get belligerent if they don't get an instant answer from coaches, and take things personally. Not a good thing to teach kids these days!

 

[longtimelistener]

Give me a break! Where did I say this?

All I am saying is nothing is accomplished by repeating the same gripes a million times.

And all I'm saying is nothing is accomplished by painting everything a Bradley red color.

I'll give you this DC: You've shown a more objective eye lately (last few games), but many times, the posts by you and tornado resemble the radio team's voice that refuses to look at the program with a critical eye.

So while you didn't say, "turning a blind eye to the problems will accomplish something," it's implied in your posts in combination with the statement, "...constant drumbeat of negativity as if that will accomplish anything."

 

[Bravesfan]

**Regardless of what some has said, we all expected to be higher than a 6 this year**

Not the national pundits. EVERYONE of them had Bradley finishing in and around sixth. And this while Yahoo Sports (while picking Bradley sixth as well) had listed Les as a coach on the rise in the Valley!

This tells me one thing. They feel he is a very good coach and recruiter, but the experience and chemistry will take awhile to gel.

So far they are all spot on in their predictions!

 

[BradleyBrave]

Not the national pundits. EVERYONE of them had Bradley finishing in and around sixth. And this while Yahoo Sports (while picking Bradley sixth as well) had listed Les as a coach on the rise in the Valley!

This tells me one thing. They feel he is a very good coach and recruiter, but the experience and chemistry will take awhile to gel.

So far they are all spot on in their predictions!

Let me get this straight - Meeting low expectations (bottom half of our league) means we're on the right path in year 8? So after 8 years, another middle of the road finish (at best) is acceptable? Every other coach this program has had for the last half century has done better, and done it much sooner. You mention in another post that firing the coach and hiring a new one would doom us to Drake or Evansville status for at least 3 years - Are you sure we're not Drake or Evansville already? Our standards of success seem to be in line with theirs.

 

[longtimelistener]

It's still not the coaches' job to have to tell the world who is starting and who's not. NO coach is going to reveal their hand to their opponents!

When it comes to the issue of suspensions, a simple statement one time should be more than enough to suffice people. Gameplay situations, maybe once a week as a "progress report". Otherwise it's not his job to have to spend five hours a day revealing everything.

Honestly, when it comes to the media in particular, they act like they have a God given right to know everything! If you listen to sports talk radio a lot like I do (probably not a good thing!), these people get belligerent if they don't get an instant answer from coaches, and take things personally. Not a good thing to teach kids these days!

I'm with you ... it's Jim's perogative to not speak to the media. He doesn't have to say anything. Even after a game. He's free to walk into the presser, say, "I have nothing to say" and walk out. Now, the university may have an issue with that, but Jim isn't required to speak to the media unless his employer requires it. And no, he doesn't have to give even a simple statement on suspensions or a weekly "progress report."

Interesting you bring up the media and this alleged "God given right" ... no doubt the media asks tough questions and it sometimes comes off as "we MUST know" and "how dare you not answer our question." But have you noticed the threads asking about details on Jim's contract? I guarantee you Reynolds and/or Wessler asked for those details when the extension was announced. They ask those questions because people want to know. Likewise, when JG was hired and introduced before a crowd of Bradley faculty, staff and supporters, members of the media were in attendance. The Journal Star reporter asked Gerry Shaheen for the details of her contract. When Shaheen blew her off with a response of "Um ... NO," the crowd laughed. Of course, now I've seen posts on this board (don't ask me to find them ... I'm not going looking, but I know I've seen them) asking how long she's under contract. That reporter asked because people want to know. The point: It's not just the media with this attitude you claim. That's society today.

Bradley is under no obligation to talk about contracts or ANYTHING for that matter. I get that. I agree with that. But transparency isn't a bad thing to teach kids either.

 

[Buesch N Chips]

Isn't the head coach responsible for knowing if his players are going to play and alerting the media?

He's responsible for knowing who is going to play, but has no responsibility whatsoever to make it public. JL is a secretive guy when it comes to game planning. Always has been. Nothing new here.

 

[Samd2]

I agree with coach, enough is enough !!!
I have been a BU fan my whole life,
I will continue to be, Win or lose.

You support a team with positives, regardless of wins or losses, support is
POSITIVE !!!

You Cub fans should know that !!!

The Glass is half full,

 

[versace4pres]

Not the national pundits. EVERYONE of them had Bradley finishing in and around sixth. And this while Yahoo Sports (while picking Bradley sixth as well) had listed Les as a coach on the rise in the Valley!

This tells me one thing. They feel he is a very good coach and recruiter, but the experience and chemistry will take awhile to gel.

So far they are all spot on in their predictions!

The way things are going I'll take sixth right now, anything to stay out of Thursday night. After EIGHT years he is a coach on the rise. Well he has had EIGHT years to work out the kinks, maybe now he'll start getting it.

Some coaches simply are not good bench coaches. JL is one of them. He has proven to be a great recruiter and face of the program but he needs someone to help him during the game. CB and SM provided that role for him. What is our record since SM departed? Not very impressive is it?

After the Sweet 16 run how many offers did he receive? How many short lists or long lists was he rumored to be on?

The program is getting solid talent, but we can't crack the top 3 in the Valley after EIGHT years!! Someone needs to be held accountable here and it should start with the HC. I want more for BU. I desire more for BU and after EIGHT years I believe we should be entitled to more.

 

[flipper]

i thought coach les got paid by the media(WMBD) and has a weekly TV show. he doesn't get compensated by that? i am surprised.

 

[Da Coach]

And all I'm saying is nothing is accomplished by painting everything a Bradley red color.

I'll give you this DC: You've shown a more objective eye lately (last few games), but many times, the posts by you and tornado resemble the radio team's voice that refuses to look at the program with a critical eye.

So while you didn't say, "turning a blind eye to the problems will accomplish something," it's implied in your posts in combination with the statement, "...constant drumbeat of negativity as if that will accomplish anything."

Nobody here is a paid employee of Bradley, and this site is not affiliated with BU.
So please stop with this kind of guilt by association kind of comment.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and people who don't think that the sky is falling have every right to their opinion as do the those who do.

By the way- am I the only person who thinks all this negative hysteria is exactly like it was in January and early February of 2006, just before Bradley went on to the Sweet 16?
There were threads and posts saying the exact same things as now, and others calling for Jim Les to be fired, and discussing who we should replace him with.
I even recall some here (I won't mention names) who were at least man enough after the 2006 season, to admit they were wrong and congratulate the staff for their success. Others never have.

 

[flipper]

the sky isnt falling but we have lost 5 out of the last 6 including three at home.i dont think we should be below .500. just because a fan states he wants better or doesn't like what is going on doesn't mean he is not fan. if i dont like obama and his policys that doesn't make me unamerican.

 

[longtimelistener]

Nobody here is a paid employee of Bradley, and this site is not affiliated with BU.
So please stop with this kind of guilt by association kind of comment.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and people who don't think that the sky is falling have every right to their opinion as do the those who do.

By the way- am I the only person who thinks all this negative hysteria is exactly like it was in January and early February of 2006, just before Bradley went on to the Sweet 16?
There were threads and posts saying the exact same things as now, and others calling for Jim Les to be fired, and discussing who we should replace him with.
I even recall some here (I won't mention names) who were at least man enough after the 2006 season, to admit they were wrong and congratulate the staff for their success. Others never have.

Well ... I know there are paid university employees on this site. You may not be, but there are university employees who post on this site. And I understand the site isn't affiliated with BU. I never said it was. I merely said your comments often have the same tone as those by the radio staff. I don't understand how that's "guilt by association" but ...

Hey ... I hope the end result is just like 2006. I'd be very happy with another Sweet 16 run, but I haven't suggested Jim should be fired. Do I question if he's on the hot seat? Of course. Do I think we have Sweet 16 run in us? Quite frankly, no. If I'm wrong, I'll be the first to start on thread on here to admit I was wrong.

 

[ph]

By the way- am I the only person who thinks all this negative hysteria is exactly like it was in January and early February of 2006, just before Bradley went on to the Sweet 16?
There were threads and posts saying the exact same things as now, and others calling for Jim Les to be fired, and discussing who we should replace him with.
I even recall some here (I won't mention names) who were at least man enough after the 2006 season, to admit they were wrong and congratulate the staff for their success. Others never have.

I think the "others" have been on a campaign to re-write history, disparging JL and shaping the S16 year as only a "flash in the pan run" orchastrated by CB - if enough fans start believing that then we can get rid of JL. It still drives me crazy hearing people talking about the S16 as less-important than conference standings. In the big picture NCAA wins are always > than conference standings. (Of course, in today's weaker MVC, the only way to get to the NCAA is a conference championship)

The problem I have with the 2006 comparison: I actually believed (and talked but not posted) pre-season 2005-2006 that we actually had the talent and team that with a little luck we were a S16 team, we had guards and bigs that could match with most anyone in the nation. We would hear comments from other coaches and fans (and they were mocking us) because our talent was so obvious, yet we did not win anything. I'm not hearing those "overtalented" comments anymore. There had been a few "blackhorse" type labels on us this year, but I think that is more because we can be suprisingly good in streaks, but overall we are not a team others in the valley fear.

 

[Future Walk-On]

I personally feel that the coach can atleast tell us that "Taylor brown is not playing in said game due to a violation of team rules"

I feel that the entire BU nation that is the back bone of support for the program needs to know when arguably the best player on the team is not playing thus hurting our chances....


I personally would rather be a valley contender top 1-2-3 team, a team feared by the rest of the valley every year, than have ever made it to the sweet 16.....and then been mediocre

 

[Bravesfan]

Let me get this straight - Meeting low expectations (bottom half of our league) means we're on the right path in year 8? So after 8 years, another middle of the road finish (at best) is acceptable? Every other coach this program has had for the last half century has done better, and done it much sooner. You mention in another post that firing the coach and hiring a new one would doom us to Drake or Evansville status for at least 3 years - Are you sure we're not Drake or Evansville already? Our standards of success seem to be in line with theirs.

Where did I say any of this is acceptable? I'm just stating what was expected this year only. Next year I fully expect the team to be competing for a Valley title, nothing less.

And I certainly don't think we are Drake or Evansville when we finish at or above .500 most years. Again, not saying this is acceptable, just stating where we are in comparison to those two programs.

 

[Bravesfan]

I'm with you ... it's Jim's perogative to not speak to the media. He doesn't have to say anything. Even after a game. He's free to walk into the presser, say, "I have nothing to say" and walk out. Now, the university may have an issue with that, but Jim isn't required to speak to the media unless his employer requires it. And no, he doesn't have to give even a simple statement on suspensions or a weekly "progress report."

Interesting you bring up the media and this alleged "God given right" ... no doubt the media asks tough questions and it sometimes comes off as "we MUST know" and "how dare you not answer our question." But have you noticed the threads asking about details on Jim's contract? I guarantee you Reynolds and/or Wessler asked for those details when the extension was announced. They ask those questions because people want to know. Likewise, when JG was hired and introduced before a crowd of Bradley faculty, staff and supporters, members of the media were in attendance. The Journal Star reporter asked Gerry Shaheen for the details of her contract. When Shaheen blew her off with a response of "Um ... NO," the crowd laughed. Of course, now I've seen posts on this board (don't ask me to find them ... I'm not going looking, but I know I've seen them) asking how long she's under contract. That reporter asked because people want to know. The point: It's not just the media with this attitude you claim. That's society today.

Bradley is under no obligation to talk about contracts or ANYTHING for that matter. I get that. I agree with that. But transparency isn't a bad thing to teach kids either.

I don't mind that the media asks the tough questions that the people want to hear. In a democracy, that is a good thing. But at least they should act professional toward a person if, as is also allowed in a free society, they choose not to speak, instead of making it personal. I hear too many in the media come off as if when people choose not to answer their questions that it is a personal vendetta against them. That's not the case in most instances (maybe Bob Knight being an exception).

 

[BradleyBrave]

I have no problem JL not disclosing the inner details of what's going on with the program regarding these matters. If it's a police issue, we'll all find out about it. If it's internal, we'll find out what we need to find out. Some things are better left dealt with in-house. It's nitpicking if you ask me. It might p-ss off people immediately (media and fans), and I was a bit perturbed when at first we got no answers. However, I think when you step back and take a look at what really needs fixing with this program, Jim Les not giving every detail of everything done from a discipline perspective hardly makes the list.

 

[Bravesfan]

I think the "others" have been on a campaign to re-write history, disparging JL and shaping the S16 year as only a "flash in the pan run" orchastrated by CB - if enough fans start believing that then we can get rid of JL. It still drives me crazy hearing people talking about the S16 as less-important than conference standings. In the big picture NCAA wins are always > than conference standings. (Of course, in today's weaker MVC, the only way to get to the NCAA is a conference championship)

The problem I have with the 2006 comparison: I actually believed (and talked but not posted) pre-season 2005-2006 that we actually had the talent and team that with a little luck we were a S16 team, we had guards and bigs that could match with most anyone in the nation. We would hear comments from other coaches and fans (and they were mocking us) because our talent was so obvious, yet we did not win anything. I'm not hearing those "overtalented" comments anymore. There had been a few "blackhorse" type labels on us this year, but I think that is more because we can be suprisingly good in streaks, but overall we are not a team others in the valley fear.

I couldn't agree with you more. That disgusts me when I hear that! So he hasn't won a Valley championship. He made the Sweet 16 for crying out loud! How many times has the "great" Dana Altman made the Sweet 16? That's right. ZERO!

Yes, we need to win Valley championships most years to get into the tournament, and I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for that every year. But in 2006 we did not need to win the Valley, and we made the most of our NCAA run. Let's give Les some credit for that!

 

[BradleyBrave]

I couldn't agree with you more. That disgusts me when I hear that! So he hasn't won a Valley championship. He made the Sweet 16 for crying out loud! How many times has the "great" Dana Altman made the Sweet 16? That's right. ZERO!

Yes, we need to win Valley championships most years to get into the tournament, and I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for that every year. But in 2006 we did not need to win the Valley, and we made the most of our NCAA run. Let's give Les some credit for that!

Les gets all the credit in the world for 2006. But one year doesn't make a career, nor does it mean what we're watching right now is OK. Dana has won 6 MVC Tournament titles and 3 MVC regular season titles. They've dance 8 times in his tenure, and been in the NIT 4 other times. I would trade 1 Sweet 16 for 8 NCAA Tournaments in a heartbeat, and take an NIT in a down year over the CBI or CIT. Dana has a .654 winning percentage overall at CU, and a .631 conference winning percentage...so please...enough with the Dana comparisons. They're flat-out ignorant.

We're near the bottom of the league in coaching experience (talking about assistants here), and it's showing every game. Heck, fix that in the offseason and we just might get back to where we can and should be.

 

[wily coyote]

I don't mind that the media asks the tough questions that the people want to hear. In a democracy, that is a good thing. But at least they should act professional toward a person if, as is also allowed in a free society, they choose not to speak, instead of making it personal. I hear too many in the media come off as if when people choose not to answer their questions that it is a personal vendetta against them. That's not the case in most instances (maybe Bob Knight being an exception).

Bravesfan you might be closer to the problem then you think. I will not elaborate any farther just you might rethink your vendetta quote.