Just My Opinion

[dogsrus]

Right now we are playing well......we are back to what JL's tenure is or has been all about. Mediocre to just above mediocre with stretches of BAD play followed by a mkt correction with some good play getting us back to that mediocre level as far as conference finishes of 4th,5th, 6th place.

IF we don't win the Valley we are headed for EIEIO tourney again. If some are happy with that, more power to you. I'm not. I'll accept the NIT but its time for the NCAA again.

We are ONE game over .500. We can finsih strong, stay around .500 or collapse.....NO one knows.

I'm excited but cautiously optomistic about the last few games and where we COULD be headed.

BU is alot like following your stocks.....you react to the ups and downs as the year progresses and make your final judgements at years end.

After 8 years I want MORE return on my (emotional) investments than the average returns we have been getting.


Top 3 finish in the Valley, finals of the MVC giving us a shot at the NCAA and a MINIMUM NIT bid or this season is and will be no different then most any other in the last 8 years.

I hope we can get it done.

 

[Braves4Life]

Top 3 finish in the Valley, finals of the MVC giving us a shot at the NCAA and a MINIMUM NIT bid or this season is and will be no different then most any other in the last 8 years.

I hope we can get it done.

Are you saying that you wouldn't be happy with this dogs? Because this is much better than Les' teams have been finishing each year. I know I would be happy if this team achieved this level of success..... especially since next year was suppose to be our year. (Of course, I AM hoping for even more than an NIT bid )

 

[dogsrus]

Are you saying that you wouldn't be happy with this dogs? Because this is much better than Les' teams have been finishing each year. I know I would be happy if this team achieved this level of success..... especially since next year was suppose to be our year. (Of course, I AM hoping for even more than an NIT bid )

No, this is my MINIMUM expectation.

Another meaningless 20 win season with an invitation to the EIEIO tourney along with 4th or worse in the Valley and this season is a failure IMO.

 

[Grassman]

Winning in the MVC is tough. People who expect an easy time winning, even at home, simply don't know what they are talking about.
Only 2 teams in the MVC have currently won more than 1 game in a row- Drake has won 5 in a row, and Bradley has won 3 in a row. The team is clearly playing better. I suspect everyone sees that, if not, make your case. But I see improvement in shooting, rebounding, defense, passing, fewer turnovers, and overall better effort. I also see better game preparation and coaching.
Most people look at a winning streak and can appeciate the team for it, others bemoan why we couldn't have won every game. Like we've always seen, some see a glass half full, some see half empty.

As I said in another thread- after tomorrow, every team will have 9 conference games left. Of the teams tied or equal with Bradley, Bradley appears to have the most favorable remaining schedule. They have 5 more home games (CU, DU, IlSU, UNI, and WSU). They also have 4 more road games (IlSU, UE, InSU, and CU). If they can continue the better play we've seen the last couple weeks and avoid injury, I don't see any of those remaining games they can't win. I am not predicting they'll win them all, but they are tied for 3rd place, and things do not look as hopeless as some writers have portrayed, or as some fans constantly fret about.
Standings and RPI info-
http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2010/conference/Missouri Valley



Why does this poll have us 0-3 in games against the top 50.
Illinois was #20 when we beat them.?

 

[thefish7]

No, this is my MINIMUM expectation.

Another meaningless 20 win season with an invitation to the EIEIO tourney along with 4th or worse in the Valley and this season is a failure IMO.

Honestly, I don't think a 20 win season this year is an empty acheivement. We're only playing 29 games in the regular season. The reason the last couple of years have been suspect is because of how many games we played in the EIEIO tournaments that allowed us to win 20. A 20-win season this year, at this point, means we won out... 20-9 is not a meaningless acheivement. Nor would a 20-11 (or 21-11) season be (suggesting we lost a game in the remainder of the season and went 1-1 or 2-1 in the MVC tourney) an meaningless acheivement.

 

[dogsrus]

Honestly, I don't think a 20 win season this year is an empty acheivement. We're only playing 29 games in the regular season. The reason the last couple of years have been suspect is because of how many games we played in the EIEIO tournaments that allowed us to win 20. A 20-win season this year, at this point, means we won out... 20-9 is not a meaningless acheivement. Nor would a 20-11 (or 21-11) season be (suggesting we lost a game in the remainder of the season and went 1-1 or 2-1 in the MVC tourney) an meaningless acheivement.

I think it goes without saying that it depends on what those 20 games got us. Obviously 20-9 means we finished at the top of the valley and that would be ONE part of what we need to accomplish.

MY point was if we finsh 17-12, 4th in the Valley with 3 wins coming at EIEIO then the 20 wins means very little....at least to me.

 

[OrangeandBlack74]

Why does this poll have us 0-3 in games against the top 50.
Illinois was #20 when we beat them.?

Just guessing here...but perhaps Illinois is no longer a top 50 team? We lost to BYU, OSU and UNI (0-3). This would likely change if Illinois enters the top 50 again.

 

[Da Coach]

Why does this poll have us 0-3 in games against the top 50.

Illinois was #20 when we beat them.?

They are not a top 50 RPI team now. That's how the NCAA looks at it. A team can beat a top RPI team early in the season, but if that team drops to RPI 200 by the end of the season, the win doesn't mean much.

 

[BRADLEY FAN 49]

Merf was the bigs coach, and I believe EB is now the bigs coach. WE is now playing better. Although most of that may be natural injury recovery vs learned skills, it does not seem we have lost bigs coaching ability...

I agree.
The reason I originated this post, is I don't feel Merf. had any thing with this team winning or losing.
I feel like it has just taken a while for this team to buy in to what they need to do to win.
If Merf. was indeed the big's coach I feel like W.E. has vastly improved since Merf. has left.
We are playing much better now and I feel we will keep improving just at the right time.
GO B.U.

 

[Da Coach]

Dead on LC.......when we are not playing well some just like to call it like it is. I am one of those people. BUT, I can also recognize, appreciate and acknowledge GOOD play which we all have seen for the last few games.

You are SO correct though and its not 1,2 or 3 games it 25 or so over the season that tells us what we have and its 7-8 years that tell us even more.

HONEST polls would have shown that 75% of the fanbase was upset/disappointed with the Braves play and with JL. NOTHING over the last few games has changed why we were upset weeks ago. infact, it stregthens what we were saying because you can see, this team was probably underperforming.

Again though, like bbrave pointed out....home wins against UE aren't the best litmus test for this program.

And some need to stop all the "where are the fire jim les threads now." The VAST majority of fans that were upset had very FEW that were calling for JL's head. The VAST majority were simply calling for this team and coach to perform at a level we thought they could. PERIOD.

Hopefully thats the case. The next few weeks will certainly tell us more.

All I'm saying is that if fans want to be unhappy, that's their right.

But it's OK if fans want to enjoy and be optimistic about a clear-cut improvement in this team, and the 3 game win streak. Bradley is in a great position for a strong finish, barring a key injury. I think the vast portion of Bradley fans see and are enjoying this. I predict we'll see the biggest crowd of the season Wednesday night for Bradley's dismantling of Creighton.

 

[dogsrus]

All I'm saying is that if fans want to be unhappy, that's their right.

But it's OK if fans want to enjoy and be optimistic about a clear-cut improvement in this team, and the 3 game win streak. Bradley is in a great position for a strong finish, barring a key injury. I think the vast portion of Bradley fans see and are enjoying this. I predict we'll see the biggest crowd of the season Wednesday night for Bradley's dismantling of Creighton.

I get the impression most ARE happy with the improvement. I know I am.

I also agree...the crowd should be great.

 

[Bravesfan]

I think you are right BF49- After reading posts from all the fans who said Merfeld was so essential, and his departure was obviously the reason Bradley was losing games, Jim Les must have worked out some kind of reconciliation to bring him back.
How else can this winning streak be explained?

And Chuck B. must be also feeding him some pointers during timeouts as well!

 

[Bravesfan]

We have played 2 games at home we SHOULD have won and did and we had a nice road win against a struggling team at SIU.

While thats all wonderful MY question is why did we need a turn around in the first place.

Oh yeah, becuase we lost three games at home we should NEVER had lost in the first place.

So the Kool aid drinkers can get on the realists all they want but, as far as I'm concerned, we are back to "mediocre." We were trending downwards but APPEAR to be turning a corner.....


Weds will tell us MUCH more.

Go BU.

Okay dogsrus, you've only made this point about 500 times since the SIU game!

We get it that BU lost some games they shouldn't have. Understood! But be happy they are at least now winning the games they should be winning. Every win counts toward a better post season tourney than we have had the last two years. And I think this team has quite a few more wins in them, some against some good teams.

And personally I'm not that worried about the CU game this Wednesday. They are not that good on the road at all, and even though it won't be an easy game, it's a game I'm confident we should win.

If we lose against CU on Wednesday then I will join you in saying that we still have a lot of work to do. But for now I don't think rehashing the same points over and over again are a benefit to anybody since we are all well aware of Bradley's early season shortcomings.

 

[Bravesfan]

Well this has been a bad year for me. I have been disappointed in our play and results. Now I have to sound negative at a time when we should be happy after a couple wins. Come on !!! All the people gloating about how great the team is. We beat Evansville. We should have. We should have won some other games earlier in the year that we lost also. This team has some talent. Just because we win a few games in a row or lose a few games in a row does not make either viewpoint right. You need to look at results over a long time. I don't like what I am seeing on that trend. It doesn't make me right, but I have no choice but to say something because people on here are acting like they have been proven correct.They say people who think Les is doing a poor job are wrong. I don't think our play recently proves any point one way or another. If people think a win over Evansville is the measuring stick for the program then we really disagree.

Okay, you're entitled to your opinion. But based on your points we may just as well cancel the rest of the season now since it won't make a difference toward the long term direction of this program.

 

[Grassman]

Just guessing here...but perhaps Illinois is no longer a top 50 team? We lost to BYU, OSU and UNI (0-3). This would likely change if Illinois enters the top 50 again.

.OK, I thought it was where they were when we beat them that matters, not where they end up. However you are probably correct.
**** ILLINI!

 

[dogsrus]

Okay dogsrus, you've only made this point about 500 times since the SIU game!

Have I made my point anymore then the type of stuff that started this thread.....I'm just reacting and responding to another type of "point" that is being made over and over.

I offer its only annoying or repetitious depending on your bias.....

 

[AZ BU Fan]

Lets all hope BU can match Drake's 5 game Valley winning streak!

Drake has to be the surprise team of the season so far in the FH of the Valley. With less talent and fan support than the preseason favorites in the Valley, they are in a tie for third. The rematch in Peoria could be a big game for BU this year.

 

[Chico]

But many people did call for Jim Les to be fired after the home loss to SIU. Now they are in hiding, but I guarantee they will be back in force the next time Bradley loses a game they were expected to win, or even if they win, but don't win by a large enough margin to suit them.

After reading posts where people are telling us we should temper or optimism because we have only won 3 games in a row, and yesterday's win was over "D2" Evansville, I have to conclude the following-
It is apparently OK to jump to conclusions, and make assessments about Jim Les, and this team, and call for JLs firing, based on any single game that we lose, play poorly, or don't win convincingly enough.
However, if we win, put together a winning streak, play well, or win games we weren't expected to win, we can't get excited about that, it doesn't prove anything, and we must still hold JL on the hot seat.

Most of us are on the board no matter how the team is playing. I have to say that there are also posters who go into hiding when, after being critical of those who have an opinion that the team is not playing well, the team does have a bad game. Myself, I haven't critizied the team or the coaching staff, but I do defend the posters right to voice their opinion without being condemned.

 

[Da Coach]

I actually agree. I haven't condemned anyone. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, positive or negative. I'm merely pointing out fact. Critical posters seem only to need one bad game to jump all over the team and coaches. But when BU goes on an impressive winning streak, positive posters are told they should temper their optimism.
Also, I notice that if anyone expresses any satifaction for the way Bradley is playing, or grades players higher than average, they are asked to justify their low expectations.

 

[Bravesfan]

Okay dogsrus, you've only made this point about 500 times since the SIU game!

Have I made my point anymore then the type of stuff that started this thread.....I'm just reacting and responding to another type of "point" that is being made over and over.

I offer its only annoying or repetitious depending on your bias.....

I thought the original intent of this thread was a tongue-in-cheek reaction to our first winning streak without Merfeld. How was your original post reacting to that other than restating the obvious?