MacabreMob
New member
Ahhhh.... the WM Crybabies.
And to think - we coulda had a direct pipe-line for all the academically ineligible players in the Peoria area. :roll:
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Ahhhh.... the WM Crybabies.
And to think - we coulda had a direct pipe-line for all the academically ineligible players in the Peoria area. :roll:
HUH? I have stated publicly that I would seriously consider giving up my season tickets if Wayne was ever hired.
I never wanted him.
squirrelgotdead
New member
Wow! Crybaby? I never once endorsed Wayne McClain. He was NEVER my candidate for the job. I didn't necessarily think it would have been a bad hire, especially given the other option at the end, but you need to get over your mis-remembering of truth.
Furthermore, my comments were RE: Assistant Coaches, not a change of Head Coach.
I wasn't really all that excited about any of the finalists in 2002.
Furthermore, my comments were RE: Assistant Coaches, not a change of Head Coach.
I wasn't really all that excited about any of the finalists in 2002.
MacabreMob
New member
My apologies fellas. Whenever I hear someone say we didn't make the right hire, I figure they musta wanted WM.
But in this case - the last search didn't hire the best candidate? So I guess the best candidate didn't apply.
Why didn't Bobby Knight put his app in? ;-)
DannyCooksey
New member
I have a serious question. I'm not trying to flame or poke a stick in someone's eye. I've always been curious of this. Here goes:
I don't know who the other finalists were in '02 other than Wayne McClain. So I won't pretend to know who the other candidates were or their qualifications. I can only presume a job as prestigious as Bradley would attract many talented and qualified candidates. My question is two-fold:
1) Was Jim Les truly the most qualified candidate for this job? i.e. did his resume seperate him clearly from the other choices? I ask because if I'm not mistaken he had next to zero previous coaching experience, yes?
2) If Jim Les were a star player at Eastern Illinois or some school other than Bradley would he have been given the job of Head Basketball Coach at Bradley?
I don't know who the other finalists were in '02 other than Wayne McClain. So I won't pretend to know who the other candidates were or their qualifications. I can only presume a job as prestigious as Bradley would attract many talented and qualified candidates. My question is two-fold:
1) Was Jim Les truly the most qualified candidate for this job? i.e. did his resume seperate him clearly from the other choices? I ask because if I'm not mistaken he had next to zero previous coaching experience, yes?
2) If Jim Les were a star player at Eastern Illinois or some school other than Bradley would he have been given the job of Head Basketball Coach at Bradley?
Buesch N Chips
New member
I am sure that Jim Les had a tremendous interview, sold himself well, and I am sure his reputation as a player here was of great help. The "rock star" candidate is hard to turn down. Heck, it's how we have our current president. Also, I'm sure he understands basketball well enough to be a D1 coach. I would guess that his only weakness coming in would be an inexperience in dealing with college kids and trying to get them to do what he wants. And also maybe the realization that he needs help making decisions. That comes with experience (and probably a Sports Psych class).
I think the other 2 finalists (including Brian Gregory, Izzo asst, now at Dayton) withdrew, so unfortunately the committee was left with JL and WM.
I think JL was actually persuaded to enter the race, and had support from insiders like CB and university board member Hersey Hawkins.. so, yes, if JL was from another school, he would not of had insider support and not been selected.
Knowing how the university needed money for facilities, they needed the best "bang for he buck" canidate, and JL fit the bill perfectly. I do not think JL was the absolutely wrong choice.
He did not hinder establishing facities which gives the future program a much stronger foundation.
I think JL was actually persuaded to enter the race, and had support from insiders like CB and university board member Hersey Hawkins.. so, yes, if JL was from another school, he would not of had insider support and not been selected.
Knowing how the university needed money for facilities, they needed the best "bang for he buck" canidate, and JL fit the bill perfectly. I do not think JL was the absolutely wrong choice.
He did not hinder establishing facities which gives the future program a much stronger foundation.
$$$$ being offered, sub-standard facilities....that would be my best guess.
squirrelgotdead
New member
My take on how the coaching change took place in 2002. . .
There was some money that was bound together for a twofold purpose: Remove Jim Molinari as coach and replace his him with Jim Les. I believe this was known before the 2001-02 season.
Jim Molinari was led to believe by David Broski that he was perfectly safe, and therefore took some scheduling risks his final year that he otherwise would not have in order to put forth a better record.
The completely nonsensical rumor about Jim Les, a stockbroker, being the next head coach was floating around by December.
The selection process was delegated to a committee. Judge Joe Billy McDade, a member of the Board of Trustees, was approached about joining the committee, and refused because he said he would not have supported any candidate other than Wayne McClain, and therefore felt he was not qualified to serve on the committee, however Broski pretty much made him serve on the committee to make it appear credible and then made him and the University to later look a fool after McDade made comments talking about how the process was that of railroading a particular candidate through. . .something he did not want to do, and did his best to refrain from.
The finalists:
Jim Les
Wayne McClain
Brian Gregory (Dayton)
James Jones (Yale)
There may have been a fifth, but I don't remember for sure.
IMO, McClain was also only in the mix because of his Bradley ties and for potential recruiting advantages in Peoria, not necessarily because he belonged there.
Jones advanced mostly to appear publicly to give a minority outsider a chance, and Gregory was the only finalist that belonged there.
The group of finalists was carefully crafted so that it would appear that JL was "head and shoulders" above the rest.
Of the group, only Gregory was there on merit, and I find it hard to believe there weren't dozens of equally or more qualified than those 4 that weren't even given proper consideration.
I have enough empirical evidence to believe the fix was in on the hire and I was more disappointed by the process than anything, and it wasn't with the best intentions for Bradley Basketball in mind.
Just my two cents.
There was some money that was bound together for a twofold purpose: Remove Jim Molinari as coach and replace his him with Jim Les. I believe this was known before the 2001-02 season.
Jim Molinari was led to believe by David Broski that he was perfectly safe, and therefore took some scheduling risks his final year that he otherwise would not have in order to put forth a better record.
The completely nonsensical rumor about Jim Les, a stockbroker, being the next head coach was floating around by December.
The selection process was delegated to a committee. Judge Joe Billy McDade, a member of the Board of Trustees, was approached about joining the committee, and refused because he said he would not have supported any candidate other than Wayne McClain, and therefore felt he was not qualified to serve on the committee, however Broski pretty much made him serve on the committee to make it appear credible and then made him and the University to later look a fool after McDade made comments talking about how the process was that of railroading a particular candidate through. . .something he did not want to do, and did his best to refrain from.
The finalists:
Jim Les
Wayne McClain
Brian Gregory (Dayton)
James Jones (Yale)
There may have been a fifth, but I don't remember for sure.
IMO, McClain was also only in the mix because of his Bradley ties and for potential recruiting advantages in Peoria, not necessarily because he belonged there.
Jones advanced mostly to appear publicly to give a minority outsider a chance, and Gregory was the only finalist that belonged there.
The group of finalists was carefully crafted so that it would appear that JL was "head and shoulders" above the rest.
Of the group, only Gregory was there on merit, and I find it hard to believe there weren't dozens of equally or more qualified than those 4 that weren't even given proper consideration.
I have enough empirical evidence to believe the fix was in on the hire and I was more disappointed by the process than anything, and it wasn't with the best intentions for Bradley Basketball in mind.
Just my two cents.
CubbieBear
New member
That's a BINGO...but not gonna happen boys and girls, and it will be like the movie "Ground Hogs Day" here on this board again next year :badgrin:
BradleyBrave
New member
SaintLouBrave22
New member
I have been stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned.
...and every morning I wake up without a scratch on me, not a dent in the fender... I am an immortal.
And a Groundhog Day reference in Bradley Terms:
You want a prediction about next year, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a Bradley prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.
I have had conversations with enough people involved in the committee and selection process, and there was never any such "fix". People will believe what they want to believe, and there will always a few who want to propagate the silly theory that "this was all a sham" and the "fix was in" to install Jim Les as coach. Just like there will always be a small fringe of people with the theory that racism was behind Wayne McClain not getting what was rightfully his.
Jim Les was initially given an interview only out of courtesy to those who supported him. The committee was forced to include him in the finalists because so many of the initial candidates were eliminated or pulled out on their own.
The committee members all had their preferred candidates. One wanted Wayne McClain, a a couple each wanted Gregory and Jones.
None of them had Jim Les #1.
But then Gregory pulled out because his salary as an assistant at Michigan State was boosted, and was much more than Bradley was paying. Jones pulled out and never gave a reason. I think he thought he could do better than Bradley, and may have just been using it as an opportunity to get more money from Yale.
That left WM and JL. When those 2 met with the committee and president for a final pitch, one candidate was so far superior, thus the remark "head and shoulders" above.
Jim Les was initially given an interview only out of courtesy to those who supported him. The committee was forced to include him in the finalists because so many of the initial candidates were eliminated or pulled out on their own.
The committee members all had their preferred candidates. One wanted Wayne McClain, a a couple each wanted Gregory and Jones.
None of them had Jim Les #1.
But then Gregory pulled out because his salary as an assistant at Michigan State was boosted, and was much more than Bradley was paying. Jones pulled out and never gave a reason. I think he thought he could do better than Bradley, and may have just been using it as an opportunity to get more money from Yale.
That left WM and JL. When those 2 met with the committee and president for a final pitch, one candidate was so far superior, thus the remark "head and shoulders" above.
Sadly, BU is paying Jim close to what Gregory is getting at Dayton.
Gregory is over 500k now, but was around 400K at times.
arent we all ready doing that? are you inferring that lack of fan and community support is why we are not more successful?
I think Peoria has always been there for Bradley. WE go to games, home and away. We cheer, even when BU is not playing very well.
We even had decent crowds for the CBI/CIT.
Buesch N Chips
New member
Based on the student section, Peoria better be there for the team or no one will attend.
I think the crowds this year, considering the play of the team, have been great.
SaintLouBrave22
New member
Crowds have been good minus the student section I agree...
The next coach has to figure out how to draw a student base for the games...
Or maybe that should be a goal for the new AD?
They need to get the fraternities and the sororities support as they can help boost the number of students BU needs to attend the games.