ser_solace
New member
Not sure if this has been posted yet:
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x1060501207/Being-4-0-in-MVC-is-a-good-thing
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x1060501207/Being-4-0-in-MVC-is-a-good-thing
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Dave Reynolds on BU being 4-0
- Thread starter ser_solace
- Start date
bigdaddystuck
New member
What is he overall at ISU...39-11? Sounds like a good record! Honestly, I think this may come from the viewpoint that JL is coaching at his alma mater and probably wont leave....while Jank is most asuredly using ISU as a stepping stone and looking to leave at the first offer of something "bigger"
bigdaddystuck
New member
That is the question and I believe that we probably wont find out. IMO he will take a serious look at the schools that come calling this spring. I would be very surprised if he is still at ISU in 2 years.
chitown fanatic
New member
not to rain on the parade, but Jim Les has not performed anywhere near Jankovich in record or performance in his first two years or even, it could be argued, in year seven. Les has never guided the Braves to anything better than 4th. That doesn't get you many looks. That's not to say the defensive renaissance we're witnessing isn't impressive...it is. In fact, in all my years of watching college bball, I've never seen such a quick transformation mid-year. But someone who's evaluating coaching might ask, why did it take so long(11 games) to get the message across. Top tier schools don't tolerate losses to UMKC's of the world, especially in year 7 of their contract. IMO, Jim is an average coach with outstanding community appeal that puts the University in a good light. That's more than enough for BU's administration. It won't be enough fo largerschools to come knocking down his door like Jankovich. 39-11 in les than two years. It took Les nearly 4 years just to reach .500!
houstontxbrave
New member
It will really help Jank bigtime that when there is an opening and he is interested there is a guy by the name of Self who will call and the person who is on the other end of that phone will have to listen.
Jank has a very nice overall record while the coach at ISU, and I think from his even first press conference he has not hidden the desire for "greener" pastures. But that overall record is a bit empty with the number of poor non conference games ISU has played in his time at the school.
I have no absolute knowledge but when you schedule as softly as ISU has its either because you dont really have a lot of confidence in what you have in your roster, or you really have a personal agenda that you want to expose records wise.
Regardless of what others think or believe I think that the soft schedule for ISU last year was the direct reason for their being left out of the NCAA's and if they get to over 5 or 6 losses this season the same exact thing will happen.
Jank has a very nice overall record while the coach at ISU, and I think from his even first press conference he has not hidden the desire for "greener" pastures. But that overall record is a bit empty with the number of poor non conference games ISU has played in his time at the school.
I have no absolute knowledge but when you schedule as softly as ISU has its either because you dont really have a lot of confidence in what you have in your roster, or you really have a personal agenda that you want to expose records wise.
Regardless of what others think or believe I think that the soft schedule for ISU last year was the direct reason for their being left out of the NCAA's and if they get to over 5 or 6 losses this season the same exact thing will happen.
chitown fanatic
New member
I agree on their tourney chances unless they win the conference crown. No Valley team since 1990 I believe has ben left out when winning the reg season title. He also had them finish 2nd last year reg season I believe.
houstontxbrave
New member
Chitown, last year was the first time in how long that only one team from the Valley made the NCAA's?
I could see a 6 loss ISU team winning the regular season title but losing the conference title not getting in because of that soft non conference schedule.
If they continue to schedule like they did this year.
Your gunna get it...your gunna get it.
Stryker
New member
Any MVC team with less than 9 losses will get an NCAA bid. If ISU goes 13-5 in conference with an overall record of 24-5 or something like 22-7 there is no way they don't make the tourney even with their week non-con. They barely missed last year and that was because they had 10 losses. If they keep it under double digit losses I think they will be in easily, although with a pretty crappy seed. That's if they don't win it all in St. Louis and we beat them there...!
BradleyBrave
New member
John Mullin of the Tribune weighs in on Jank -
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...illinois-state-jankovichjan08,0,7913028.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...illinois-state-jankovichjan08,0,7913028.story
Well, he says he has not thoughts about leaving. FWIW.
Obviously there are schools such as Kansas, UNC, Kentucky, etc that are historic and would be schools any coach would jump at the chance to coach. If what separates the Valley and the BCS schools is just money, does the Valley ever stand a chance to compete? Dana Altman and Jim Les are two coaches I see sticking around for the long haul, but as long as there is a lot of coaching turnover it will be very difficult for the Valley to build consistent powerhouse programs like CU and SIU have been for the past few years.
Stryker
New member
Yeah, you probably right, I was going off of what would be logical to me...it probably would take less than 8 losses.
chitown fanatic
New member
on the contrary, for once in my numerous rants, I think I back up my point very well in my post. weak scheduling or not, the fact remains ISU took 2nd last year and Les has never brought us higher than 4th. What does getting to year 7 have to do with anything except make my point even stronger. Jank has a higher conference finish in one year than Jim has had in 6, both with his own and Mo's players, and he didn't crack .500 til his 4th season. He gets credit and the lifetime pass for the sweet 16, but over 100 wins in 7 seasons isn't outstanding. At Jank's pace, he'll do it in 4. That's outstanding and the reason his stock is much higher than Les's.
Chitown, did Les ever schedule a season that competes with ISU's this year (or even last year), in terms of absolute weakness? I actually don't know the answer, my suspicion is no, he never did. There was a reason that ISU finished 2nd in the MVC last season, but did not get invited to the NCAA. I do think Jank is maybe a good coach, but I think his record is irrelevant, when it comes to non-con wins.
This is ridiculous. Jank will get a lot of wins because he plays a lot of patsies. That's something Bradley doesn't do, and we are all happy they don't. If they did, you and others would assail Bradley for doing it.
Furthermore- you would have to be blind not to see that Bradley's future is far better than ISU's. Jank better get out of town soon, because the future doesn't look so good after his stars Champ and Oguchi are gone. The high school players he has recruited look pretty mediocre to me. The 4 freshmen they had this year never see the floor (Modupe is gone, Smith ineligible, and Thornton and Robinson benchwarmers), and I'll bet the ones coming next year don't either. Watch for some heavy juco recruiting to fill the gaps in the next couple years if Jank stays, while Bradley will be perennial contenders for the forseable future.
There will always be a tiny portion of "fans" who are deluded into thinking that they are somehow superior to the rest of the fans and they can see things others can't see. Or maybe they just like to find anything they can to complain about. That's not what sports is about to most fans, who are realistic in their expectations, and are able to see that Jim Les has done a great job, recruited outstanding young men, and talented players, they have been good students and have graduated, and the future looks very bright. Coach Les is highly ethical, is repected by his peers, and Bradley is very fortunate to have him. Amazing that there are still some who can find things to bi*ch about with Bradley 4-0, and playing better than anyone in the MVC with 2 starters on the shelf.
chitown fanatic
New member
Who's bi*ching? Someone pops off about a comparison between the two coaches and I listed both positive and negative things about Les. There is always room for improvement, no matter what you do in life. as soon as you think you're the best, you're on your way to failure. Do you think 4-0 is the top of the mountain or just a base camp for the climb that still lies ahead? if you read my posts, you'd see that I compliment Les.(now taht I'm writing this, I realize one of my similar posts may be on another board, if so, I'll copy it to this one if that's the case.)
chitown fanatic
New member
An example of the good and the bad(it was on the other board)
I think that in all my years of watching college ball, I've never seen a team go from giving up 87 and 84 points to approx-25-30 points less 4 straight games within a month span. I mean, there's lightswitch going on, and then there's the spotlight from the top of Luxor in Vegas...that's about the magnitude of difference in this BU team so far. Will it last? I don't know. we start a lot of freshman, but everyone seems to be contributing. When Wilson gets in foul trouble, Taylor Brown is more than capable to replace those lost minutes. Same with Singh for Collins. Teams taht are deep tend to last longer as the season goes on. That is why Dana's teams are always so good. they don't wear down, and he does the best job at adapting to what he has to work with. My biggest knock on Les is that it took 11 games for us to learn how to play D and not just chuck 3's and run the weave. We now run some semblance of an organized offense and defend better than anyone in confeence. I hope the guys continue to believe in the new philosophy. I, for one, am tired of the 2:35 matinee. If I can't play at noon, I better be playing in session 3!!!
To quote Mr. Miyagi..."Balance is the key to everything"
I think that in all my years of watching college ball, I've never seen a team go from giving up 87 and 84 points to approx-25-30 points less 4 straight games within a month span. I mean, there's lightswitch going on, and then there's the spotlight from the top of Luxor in Vegas...that's about the magnitude of difference in this BU team so far. Will it last? I don't know. we start a lot of freshman, but everyone seems to be contributing. When Wilson gets in foul trouble, Taylor Brown is more than capable to replace those lost minutes. Same with Singh for Collins. Teams taht are deep tend to last longer as the season goes on. That is why Dana's teams are always so good. they don't wear down, and he does the best job at adapting to what he has to work with. My biggest knock on Les is that it took 11 games for us to learn how to play D and not just chuck 3's and run the weave. We now run some semblance of an organized offense and defend better than anyone in confeence. I hope the guys continue to believe in the new philosophy. I, for one, am tired of the 2:35 matinee. If I can't play at noon, I better be playing in session 3!!!
To quote Mr. Miyagi..."Balance is the key to everything"
bluedevils1
New member
From day one, Les emphasized defense. Sure, it was his idea to let everyone shoot threes, but the players themselves had to figure out how to guard as a team. Their struggles had nothing to do with Les and shooting threes.