Just a few comments on BU's new athletic facilities...

I was given the great pleasure and opportunity to have lunch with some of the BU staff & players......and then, view all of the NEW Bradley University athletic facilities via a private and personally guided tour. And much of the superlatives have already been spoken, so I will keep my comments short...

--The entire project is something every Bradley fan and alum can be proud of. It is 5-STAR, and a 10 out of 10! Everything is awesome and it just goes on and on....
Nobody who sees it will come away anything less than totally impressed. The PJ Star people and Dave Reynolds certainly were and I was also.

--The main basketball arena is beautiful -- seating at least 4500 easily and maybe 500 more with standing room and a few more seats at the floor level. For concerts, floor seating will easily increase the capacity a bit more.
In the future there will not only be Bradley preseason exhibitions and games there, but concerts and other games like big high school matchups, exposure events, Sectionals and Supersectionals, etc...

--EIU is on the schedule

--the front entryway has an area with many items of BU memorabilia...parts of the old Fieldhouse floor, the stairs leading up to the raised floor, some of the metal arch structure from the ceiling, and even the old lighted letters from the front of the "F-I-E-L-D-H-O-U-S-E". There's also a BU Hall of Fame area with stories and tributes to Bradley's best -- and many are now long passed away, Robbie, Joe Allen, etc...they would have been incredibly proud of what BU has done with this facility.

--Some of the players are gaining weight and strength and fans will be impressed. Some of the newcomers are incredibly tough and talented.

--Watch this coming MONDAY for a SUPER surprise announcement, maybe a press conference and an announcement that will make all Bradley fans proud!

--Then watch for more events that will allow fans to meet and view the players at the new arena leading up to the beginning of the season.

--Coach Les has delivered on yet another promise...this is in large part HIS DOING -- he's the one who has done most of the promotion of BU, with the help of the hard working staff of the Athletics Department, they've given us the fund raising efforts, and the hard work to make this happen. Don't believe that this just happened overnite, or that a bunch of newbies brought this about.

--This weekend Bradley is hosting an ELITE CAMP. More than 200 top high school prospects will be at the new arena for a camp guided by coach Les but with instruction from some pretty well known guest coaches such as TOP AAU coaches (Carl Maniscalco, Mike Mullins, etc.), TOP local high school coaches and ex-coaches, and even some top coaches and basketball experts nationally!
Even a couple ex-NBA guys will be in town to help at the camp, and one will be part of a BIG HEADLINE.

--Several of the top recruits that are coming are widely known recruits that Bradley is "linked to" and a few are HUGE names, and many have been or are being discussed on BradleyFans.

--Lastly, I heard from an impeccable source.....literally from one who heard it from the horse's mouth...that many of the TOP kids that Bradley had just missed on -- kids like Iman Shumpert, Evan Turner, etc...
have said that BU's new facilities would have been the difference, and had we had the facilities in place at BU when they were considering, that they would have chosen BU, so that's how much these new digs will mean to the Braves and to all those who follow Bradley basketball.
One knowledgable person who's seen most of the Big Ten's on-campus training and athletic facilities said flatly that ours is on par or better than most of them in the Big Ten...seriously!

--Remember -- check the news on Monday...........

..so how'd your day go.....I can tell you I had a great day. One that I will remember the rest of my life - being one of the first to see many of the nooks and crannies of the new Men's Basketball Facility! If you get the chance -- get up there and see it.