Kirk Wessler

[Drill]

Their record spells "no defense"

Their record spells "no defense"

As I said the other day, they needed to pick up their defense or they would lose. Someone had the gall to disagree with me that defense has been a problem ever since Coach Chuck Buescher retired. I believe the team is better offensively this year than last year, but definitely worse on defense.

 

[ph]

As I said the other day, they needed to pick up their defense or they would lose. Someone had the gall to disagree with me that defense has been a problem ever since Coach Chuck Buescher retired. I believe the team is better offensively this year than last year, but definitely worse on defense.

I'd put the worse D on the loss of some athleticism and talent, before the loss of CB.
We had no JJ replacement. JC or AW could not D up a big as well as JJ. We did not have a WF replacement. Our bigs were never as good overall as Zach..

 

[lefty]

I'd put the worse D on the loss of some athleticism and talent, before the loss of CB.
We had no JJ replacement. JC or AW could not D up a big as well as JJ. We did not have a WF replacement. Our bigs were never as good overall as Zach..

I don't know that it's fair to compare players, this guy to replace this. AW brings more offense than JJ and is getting better defensively. Different payers bring different things to the table

 

[onetuffshot]

Post reply

Post reply

Tough to argue with Wessler's assessment of our defense yesterday, but after the following examples of his salvos re Les, I am beginning to believe he has an agenda.
1)The article where he subtley calls Les a liar for not informing him whether Ruff was going to be healthy enough to play the next game.
2)The column where he, more or less demands that KK force Les to give further discipline to Wilson and Cole-Scott for their drinking/driving episode. He was way out of line on that one.
3)Implying that Bradley is running a "renegade" program because he is "hearing it again and again". Bull manure. Then he trys to lend credence to the inference by quoting some half-baked ESPN writer who obviously has no clue re Bradley basketball.

I've been trying to give KW the benefit of the doubt, and labeling him as just trying to be our local "poor mans Mike Nadel, or for you older folks, Mike Royko. But, Wessler just won't leave it alone. He just keeps coming back to the needle. Nadel and Royko don't do that.

Todays article had a particularly venomous slant to it. I couldn't find many, if any, references to the fact that the Braves got themselves back into a game, where they were one play from winning it. With that huge hole they dug for themselves, they could have very easily have packed it in.

I, for one, would love to see them play some more.

 

[Buesch N Chips]

Tough to argue with Wessler's assessment of our defense yesterday, but after the following examples of his salvos re Les, I am beginning to believe he has an agenda.
1)The article where he subtley calls Les a liar for not informing him whether Ruff was going to be healthy enough to play the next game.
2)The column where he, more or less demands that KK force Les to give further discipline to Wilson and Cole-Scott for their drinking/driving episode. He was way out of line on that one.
3)Implying that Bradley is running a "renegade" program because he is "hearing it again and again". Bull manure. Then he trys to lend credence to the inference by quoting some half-baked ESPN writer who obviously has no clue re Bradley basketball.

I've been trying to give KW the benefit of the doubt, and labeling him as just trying to be our local "poor mans Mike Nadel, or for you older folks, Mike Royko. But, Wessler just won't leave it alone. He just keeps coming back to the needle. Nadel and Royko don't do that.

Todays article had a particularly venomous slant to it. I couldn't find many, if any, references to the fact that the Braves got themselves back into a game, where they were one play from winning it. With that huge hole they dug for themselves, they could have very easily have packed it in.

I, for one, would love to see them play some more.

Right. And now, find me an instance where he has gone to bat for Les with even close to the same enthusiasm that he rips on him for every perceived mis-step. It doesn't exist.

 

[tornado]

It goes beyond just JL, he was overboard with his anti-BU stuff and conspiracy theories claiming BU was hiding their agenda and were plotting secretly to destroy the whole neighborhood, when BU was buying up nearby land to expand, all the while the actual plans had been presented openly and were on display in the hall outside JL's office in the Fieldhouse. Apparently since the plans weren't e mailed to him, he considered it a secret conspiracy, and built his attack thereupon.
Then of course the allegations of BU tampering with Cellus while he was still at Iowa, were totally unfounded and even refuted by none other than Cellus' own father, the very source and ONLY SOURCE "some" claimed proved their allegations were supposed to be correct.
Of course we all recall the slam
"Jim Les has surrounded himself with people who prefer to take the expedient route rather than the principled one"
...openly libeling Les' credibility without a single fact or bit of evidence.
It goes on and on......but, even though we have seen nice article after nice article recently about Cole, Randle, Pruitt, and even a couple nice ones a few days ago about Tony Wysinger, as noted we have a dearth of anything but negatives about BU.
You can decide for yourself....fair and balanced? Or constantly negative by design?

 

[ER3]

Right. And now, find me an instance where he has gone to bat for Les with even close to the same enthusiasm that he rips on him for every perceived mis-step. It doesn't exist.

Why is this such a big deal to any of you? I guess I just dont get it.
Where does it state in Wessler's job description that he has to write one favorable article about Les or BU basketball for every one that is less than positive?
This team underacheived mightily this year, this team had legal issues that resulted in multiple suspensions, the recruits did not live up to the hype that surrounded them, the coaching staff never found a way to get this team to play effective defense or rebound the basketball, and the program doesn't appear to be trending in any particular direction at this point...so what exactly do you expect Wessler's opinion to be of Les and the job he is doing with this program?

 

[Scouter]

"Jim Les has surrounded himself with people who prefer to take the expedient route rather than the principled one"
...openly libeling Les' credibility without a single fact or bit of evidence.

Good luck getting a judge to say that's libel.

 

[bu fan 9]

BU shot 44.6 percent from the feild
Cu shot 42 percent from the feild

Sounds like to me CU should play better defense.CU won the game at the line.

 

[tornado]

scouter, I don't need a judge to tell when someone else says something libelous.
...and stop trying to think in a narrow judicial way....see the word for what it actually means....

libel, definition
1. a. A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/libel
http://www.answers.com/topic/libel?cat=biz-fin

I can see for myself that the statement was libel.



Strangely KW staunchly defends a guy he likes, Barry Hinson, even though most of Missouri State fandom wants the guy fired.
Wonder what he'd say if the fans rallied against JL?
http://www2.pjstar.com/index.php?/wessler/article/this_is_a_bad_business/

"And the movers and shakers of southwest Missouri are......out of their Ozarkland mind"

 

[BradleyBrave]

I really don't see what's wrong with that article. It's 100% spot-on. Our defense has been awful all season, and our defense is why we lost on Friday. If we played any defense whatsoever, even with all of the injuries, we'd have 20+ wins and some sort of significant postseason coming. We have gotten what we deserved all season, and we did yesterday. We have no one to blame but ourselves.

 

[Scouter]

scouter, I don't need a judge to tell when someone else says something libelous.
...and stop trying to think in a narrow judicial way....see the word for what it actually means....

libel, definition
1. a. A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/libel
http://www.answers.com/topic/libel?cat=biz-fin

I can see for myself that the statement was libel.

You may see it as libel, but a judge most certainly wouldn't. The defendant (in this fictional case, Les) must PROVE the statement to be false.

 

[tornado]

that's only if you want a judgement...
it's like saying a tree doesn't fall in the woods unless it is filmed while doing so and then is certified by a judge.

 

[Buesch N Chips]

I really don't see what's wrong with that article. It's 100% spot-on. Our defense has been awful all season, and our defense is why we lost on Friday. If we played any defense whatsoever, even with all of the injuries, we'd have 20+ wins and some sort of significant postseason coming. We have gotten what we deserved all season, and we did yesterday. We have no one to blame but ourselves.

Judging by your sarcastic signature, I'd say you are certainly in the Wessler camp.

 

[BradleyBrave]

Judging by your sarcastic signature, I'd say you are certainly in the Wessler camp.

Really? I guess you didn't see my posts that said I thought we should contend for a top 3 finish next year. Whatever.

If you're happy with 17-15, good for you. I'm not. Our defense was terrible for a majority of the season, and the numbers bear this out. I agree with KW on that. If you want to brand me some sort of 'hater' because of that, fine. You'll sound ignorant.

 

[braves12]

I think some want to think that Wessler is the problem, when in fact he is just the columnist for the local paper. He doesn't recruit, he doesn't teach the game, he doesn't schedule, in fact he does absolutely nothing that directly affects the basketball program. I think some want to point the finger at Wessler because it takes the attention off of the other issues that really matter. I say forget Wessler and concentrate more on do you want:
1. Players to stay out of the local police report?
2. BU teams that play defense that will allow them to finish 1-3 in the conference?
3. BU to outrecruit other programs in the Valley?
4. BU to make it to the NCAA more than once in 6 years?
5. BU to regularly win conference and/or tourney championship?
etc., etc, etc.

I hear all kinds of excuses, but most of us are measured on results. I think BU's athletics programs will be measured on success. To date so far the program has not been successful for a long time. I think the clock is ticking.

Back to the topic.....Wessler is meaningless in this bigger picture. I doubt the people who are responsible for BU could give 2 hoots about what he writes. But we seem to make it the big issue as opposed to what is really happening on the floor.

 

[Lakeview Brave]

I think some want to think that Wessler is the problem, when in fact he is just the columnist for the local paper. He doesn't recruit, he doesn't teach the game, he doesn't schedule, in fact he does absolutely nothing that directly affects the basketball program. I think some want to point the finger at Wessler because it takes the attention off of the other issues that really matter. I say forget Wessler and concentrate more on do you want:
1. Players to stay out of the local police report?
2. BU teams that play defense that will allow them to finish 1-3 in the conference?
3. BU to outrecruit other programs in the Valley?
4. BU to make it to the NCAA more than once in 6 years?
5. BU to regularly win conference and/or tourney championship?
etc., etc, etc.

I hear all kinds of excuses, but most of us are measured on results. I think BU's athletics programs will be measured on success. To date so far the program has not been successful for a long time. I think the clock is ticking.

Back to the topic.....Wessler is meaningless in this bigger picture. I doubt the people who are responsible for BU could give 2 hoots about what he writes. But we seem to make it the big issue as opposed to what is really happening on the floor.

Great post and exactly right.

 

[lefty]

I really don't see what's wrong with that article. It's 100% spot-on. Our defense has been awful all season, and our defense is why we lost on Friday. If we played any defense whatsoever, even with all of the injuries, we'd have 20+ wins and some sort of significant postseason coming. We have gotten what we deserved all season, and we did yesterday. We have no one to blame but ourselves.

I agree.

 

[Buesch N Chips]

Really? I guess you didn't see my posts that said I thought we should contend for a top 3 finish next year. Whatever.

If you're happy with 17-15, good for you. I'm not. Our defense was terrible for a majority of the season, and the numbers bear this out. I agree with KW on that. If you want to brand me sort of 'hater' because of that, fine. You'll sound ignorant.

Completely missing my point. My post had nothing to do with Bradley's season, players, whatever. My post is about the local beat writer who frustrates me because, like I said, he accentuates the negative and ignores the positive. Write all the hit pieces you want, but at least make an attempt at some balance. Wessler is a hater.

I don't think you are a hater. Your sig is just something I would not expect to see from a fan.

 

[OrangeandBlack74]

I had dinner with braves12 tonight, and encouraged him to write the post re: KW.

I agree that the problems with the BU program do not originate on KW's doorstep. Some may disagree with his opinions or even his approach, but he's just a writer for the local newspaper.....not a representative of the University. I think the people that should be held accountable for the disappointing results this season are the coaches and players themselves, not somebody who writes op ed sports articles for the Journal Star.