Below are the lists of recruits that each of Bradley's last two head coaches brought in via verbal commitment or signed LOI - in his first 3 1/2 years...scholarship players...
In other words - it's a comparison between the total recruiting haul that Geno Ford has landed to date...
vs. the total recruiting haul Jim Les had landed at the exact same time in his tenure at Bradley - 3.5 years.
Geno Ford:
Donivine Stewart
Jalen Crawford
Nate Wells
Shayok Shayok
Devon Hodges
Tyshon Pickett
Michel Tucker
Ka'Darryl Bell
Stefan Zecevic
Anthony Fields
Omari Grier
Jordan Swopshire
Mike Shaw
Auston Barnes
Chris Blake
Xzavier Taylor
Macari Brooks
Kendahl Amerson
Tramique Sutherland
Jermaine Morgan
Warren Jones
Donte Thomas
Josh Cunningham
...a couple who never even made it here, seven more who played little and are already departed, and likely a couple more..and several still hangin around who have never contributed.
..at least nine who won't finish their careers here - maybe 2, 3 or more
..NOT ONE has yet to receive any All-MVC mention - and none of such anywhere in sight, and we are still badly lacking in shooters (we continue to be way dead last in shooting in MVC) , ball handlers (worst assist to turnover rate ever!), and big men capable of even making wide open layups..
Jim Les:
Danny Adams
Jabbar Battle
Stefan Marcetic
Joey Paul
Michael Rembert
Daniel Ruffin - 1000 pt club
Marcellus Sommerville - 1000 pt club
JJ Tauai
Tony Bennett
Jeremy Crouch - led the nation in 3-pt shooting!
Patrick O'Bryant - Lottery Draft Pick
Sam Singh
Lance Stemler
Lawrence Wright
Zach Andrews
Ray Brown
Will Franklin
Saihou Jassey
Andrew Warren - already committed in fall of 2005 - Top 10 in career scoring
..a few misses - six did not finish their careers at BU, but almost all the others were solid contributors -
half a dozen of whom got mentions on some All Valley writeup...but by the time we were 3.5 years in back in 2005-2006 even the most uneducated could see we had the talent to win plenty of games ahead.
I think the difference is obvious....we had shooters - nationally ranked shooters, NBA caliber big men, ball handlers, assist guys...
But the biggest contrast is in the media coverage...
The PJS writers continuously ripped JL for recruiting "too many jucos", no local kids, etc., etc...
but they praise GF when he's got more jucos, enormous player turnover & revolving door, and has yet to ever address the BIGGEST needs we have such as shooters when he had NATION-CALIBER kids right in his own back yard such as Alec Peters that he declined to even pursue!
And yet we get no honest criticism by the media - just brown-nosin' accolades endlessly such as "difference-maker" and "go-to guy" applied to players who are brought in and can't even break into the lineup.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
A remarkable letter from the Bradley Physics Department
Just got an interesting letter from the Bradley Physics Department. Sounds like rather serious financial straits and asking for help. Clearly the problem is far worse than anything being reported in the press.
Here is the text of the letter from Dr. Douglas Early, who has been a physics professor for 55 years and who I had when I was at Bradley more than 40 years ago.
"...I write this document to bring you up to date about the goings-on in the department. No, I have not retired yet and I don’t plan to any time soon. I find that being around the students and the younger faculty keeps me interested in physics things (the Higg’s boson and stuff like that) and life in general. I am somewhat surprised that the university has not encouraged me to retire.
Here is the text of the letter from Dr. Douglas Early, who has been a physics professor for 55 years and who I had when I was at Bradley more than 40 years ago.
"...I write this document to bring you up to date about the goings-on in the department. No, I have not retired yet and I don’t plan to any time soon. I find that being around the students and the younger faculty keeps me interested in physics things (the Higg’s boson and stuff like that) and life in general. I am somewhat surprised that the university has not encouraged me to retire.
I received my 55 year pin in October. I’m the only one at Bradley to have received that honor. I doubt that anyone else will ever match that. The president had never met me before she gave me the pin, but she hugged me anyway. I’m not sure how I feel about that since she has never visited the department. I know why she hasn’t, but I can’t talk about it.
I should tell you that the administration has told us that Bradley is in dire financial straits. Programs are being reviewed to see where money saving is possible. Small departments, like physics, are under a very high-powered microscope. There has even been talk of deleting the physics major. Physicists do arithmetic really well and we can’t figure how deleting our major will make up for the 6 or so million dollars that athletics lost last year. Yes, that’s correct. However, athletics seems to be untouchable. If you have strong feeling about this, maybe you should write to someone about your concerns.
The department is looking forward to holding our fifth annual Physics Day in February, 2015. We invite local high school physics classes to spend the day with us, tour our teaching and research labs, have lunch with our majors and get a tour of the campus led by Admissions. Each year we host up to 40 or so students and their teachers. It has worked very well for us. In addition, our students put on a demonstration show for the parents and other visitors on Parents Day.
Every spring, when we do the Sigma Pi Sigma induction, we dig out the book many of you signed when you were inducted. The students being inducted are always intensely interested to know what their predecessors are doing now. Please keep in touch.
Have a very nice holiday.
Dr. Doug Early
Bradley University
Department of Physics
1501 W. Bradley Avenue
Peoria, IL 61625"
Hmmm...pretty much speaks for itself ....
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Bradley's astounding plunge in attendance just since the housecleaning of 2011
Carver Arena has been Bradley's home since 1982
Only one season ever had an average attendance at Carver of less than 7,000 (1991-92 fell seven short and had 6,993)
NO other season even fell below 7,200 and all but 4 others were over 8,000
And if all seasons from 1982 thru 2011 are considered, then the roughly 30-year average at Carver is about 9,000.
BUT the past four seasons are
2011-12 - 7640
2012-13 - 6557
2013-14 - 6608
2014-15 - 5261 (thru 12/9)
so all four of these last four seasons are among the WORST FIVE SEASONS ever and three of them are BY FAR the three worst...
(not to mention the massive financial losses, nearly 50% drop in donations, complete bungling of the TV deals, 300 RPI, and explosion of 30-pt blowouts)
Is anyone listening?? Is anyone on the Board paying any attention at all? Or are they so stupefied by a single women's XC MVC title (first in 30 years) that they think that'll satisfy all the basketball fans for years to come?
How can the current admin run Bradley basketball so far into the ground and so far into oblivion and yet the Board has yet to bother or notice??
This did NOT need to happen. Many, many warnings were given, many clear signs of disaster ahead were obvious to just about everyone except those steering the ship over the falls, and the few brown-nosers who thought it would benefit them to parrot their disastrous spin.
If Kirk Wessler dares to mention "free fall" then please.....do NOT point towards 2007 and try haplessly to find a culprit there.
Point directly at 2011 and maybe 2010 and find out who came on board and started pushing agenda and policy that had destroyed Bradley basketball for a long time to come.
Note Bradley used to be proud of their attendance - they used to update a web page exclusively dedicated to these outstanding attendance figures...
but that's old history now - of course they no longer want to mention it!
http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=130273&DB_OEM_ID=3400
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Setting some things straight
Just by chance I ran across this post on a message board:
"Bradley hired Jim Les when they were "stuck" after Brian Gregory was hired by Dayton. Bradley could have hired Jim, Wayne or re-open the search. Bradley did not want to get egg on their face by re-opening the process.
Al Biancalana was never welcomed by Les because Les was insecure about his lack of head coaching ability and knew Biancalana was actually better prepared for the job.
Assistant Steve Merfeld run off about 1 week after Vegas Invitational (early December 2009). Pretty curious move when an assistant coach leaves 7 games into a season. ..."
I had never seen this post before or else I would have found a way then to debunk all that's wrong here.
but even worse than the ignorance displayed by these comments - is the complete lack of any of the next many responses that go on for a few more pages - who seem not to know how incredibly wrong this crap is. But then given where this occurred, no surprises.
-Then the comment on Biancalana is false also. Biancalana was someone else's choice for assistant coach - he was never Jim Les' choice. When Mr. Biancalana decided he no longer wanted the position HE CHOSE to leave. It was his choice and it was clearly reported as such by the local media.
Interestingly - there were rumors of a grudge and lo & behold, within a few weeks the NCAA had gotten an "anonymous tip" about some violations and were almost instantly on campus unannounced looking for and digging for things to nil Bradley.
You can draw your own conclusions.
-Lastly the Merfeld thing. Yup he suddenly resigned in early December 2009, right after we had played in Las Vegas.
But the precipitating factor is that while Bradley was in Las Vegas - Merfeld was reported to have met with the Illini coaching staff secretly - purportedly about a possible opening on their coaching staff - but later when it was apparently found that the assistant met secretly with the staff of a team we were playing in that tournament - then that's all that is necessary to demonstrate a violation of whatever you want to call it - where people don't have secret sessions with the opponents before a game.
Nobody has to believe any of this - and this one never hit the press.
It was just an issue of a guy's gotta fit on a coaching staff to be comfortable and welcome there - and a few things just alter that fit...
"Bradley hired Jim Les when they were "stuck" after Brian Gregory was hired by Dayton. Bradley could have hired Jim, Wayne or re-open the search. Bradley did not want to get egg on their face by re-opening the process.
Al Biancalana was never welcomed by Les because Les was insecure about his lack of head coaching ability and knew Biancalana was actually better prepared for the job.
Assistant Steve Merfeld run off about 1 week after Vegas Invitational (early December 2009). Pretty curious move when an assistant coach leaves 7 games into a season. ..."
I had never seen this post before or else I would have found a way then to debunk all that's wrong here.
but even worse than the ignorance displayed by these comments - is the complete lack of any of the next many responses that go on for a few more pages - who seem not to know how incredibly wrong this crap is. But then given where this occurred, no surprises.
-First - even a dolt can readily find or confirm that Brian Gregory, who was a candidate for the Bradley job, did not withdraw because he took the head coaching job at Dayton.OMG - he wasn't hired at Dayton until a FULL freaking YEAR later in 2003.He withdrew from candidacy because of the irrational and offensive behavior of one of the 2002 selection committee members who was openly campaigning for the hiring of Wayne McClain and kept repeatedly pressuring the candidates about racism, how many Black friends they had and other offensively personal information. This was widely reported even by the PJ Star and it resulted in BOTH Gregory and additional candidate James Jones (who is Black) both withdrawing their names saying they do not want the job if they had to be subjected to such offensive behavior from the member of Bradley's Board of Trustees.So - the Gregory part of this post is so filled with stupidity that I hardly need to go further but....
-Then the comment on Biancalana is false also. Biancalana was someone else's choice for assistant coach - he was never Jim Les' choice. When Mr. Biancalana decided he no longer wanted the position HE CHOSE to leave. It was his choice and it was clearly reported as such by the local media.
Interestingly - there were rumors of a grudge and lo & behold, within a few weeks the NCAA had gotten an "anonymous tip" about some violations and were almost instantly on campus unannounced looking for and digging for things to nil Bradley.
You can draw your own conclusions.
-Lastly the Merfeld thing. Yup he suddenly resigned in early December 2009, right after we had played in Las Vegas.
But the precipitating factor is that while Bradley was in Las Vegas - Merfeld was reported to have met with the Illini coaching staff secretly - purportedly about a possible opening on their coaching staff - but later when it was apparently found that the assistant met secretly with the staff of a team we were playing in that tournament - then that's all that is necessary to demonstrate a violation of whatever you want to call it - where people don't have secret sessions with the opponents before a game.
Nobody has to believe any of this - and this one never hit the press.
It was just an issue of a guy's gotta fit on a coaching staff to be comfortable and welcome there - and a few things just alter that fit...
Some interesting facts
Here are some interesting facts that have been previously unreported - you sure cannot count on the local media to report this...
I have all the references - feel free to contact and I will show them to you..
The Bradley Board of Trustees met in November as did the Bradley University Senate and the minutes & reports from those meetings detail several interesting facts.
First & foremost are that ..(all statements in quotation marks are directly from the reports)
-"..many issues, trends, and items that were disclosed .. were not made available (previously) to the URC (University Resources Committee) for their inclusion in their April 2014 report."
-"Non-disclosure and lack of transparency at appropriate time has rendered the April 2014 committee report incomplete."
-"The Board of Trustees mandated that Bradley reduce the operating budget by .. 7.6 M$ ($7.6 million)."
-Tuition hikes should result in an increase in revenue of $5.3 million
-Here's the biggie - Athletics costs were misrepresented previously at $5.8 million for fiscal year 2013-14.
".in fact the actual Athletics loss ballooned to over $7.1 million."
-"Unrestricted contributions were down 46% (in 2014) to only $.8 million. This was the only year in the past ten years where contributions were under $1 million."
-"Athletic losses continue to grow at a pace of about $.5 million more every year. Ten years ago, the Athletics loss was $2.1 million and it is now $7.1 million."
-"Athletics (costs) have increased by 240%" over the past 10 years
-"The increase in the Athletics loss has also put a severe strain on enrollment and the funds that new students contribute.
..twenty additional students need to be enrolled just to cover Athletics' growing loss.."
Some summary thoughts...
-"Non-disclosure" and "lack of transparency" are fancy words for falsifying reports, lying, and hiding the damaging facts.
-the dollar loss in Athletics in 2013-14 was much higher than they admitted to - it was actually $7.1 million in just that one year when under Ken Kavanagh - it was never more than approx. $2 million per year.
http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2014/12/letter-of-nov-24-2014.html
http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=300504&postcount=13
- and contributions were down by almost HALF in just one year while Athletics sending has skyrocketed. Go figure. Spells trouble...
I have all the references - feel free to contact and I will show them to you..
The Bradley Board of Trustees met in November as did the Bradley University Senate and the minutes & reports from those meetings detail several interesting facts.
First & foremost are that ..(all statements in quotation marks are directly from the reports)
-"..many issues, trends, and items that were disclosed .. were not made available (previously) to the URC (University Resources Committee) for their inclusion in their April 2014 report."
-"Non-disclosure and lack of transparency at appropriate time has rendered the April 2014 committee report incomplete."
-"The Board of Trustees mandated that Bradley reduce the operating budget by .. 7.6 M$ ($7.6 million)."
-Tuition hikes should result in an increase in revenue of $5.3 million
-Here's the biggie - Athletics costs were misrepresented previously at $5.8 million for fiscal year 2013-14.
".in fact the actual Athletics loss ballooned to over $7.1 million."
-"Unrestricted contributions were down 46% (in 2014) to only $.8 million. This was the only year in the past ten years where contributions were under $1 million."
-"Athletic losses continue to grow at a pace of about $.5 million more every year. Ten years ago, the Athletics loss was $2.1 million and it is now $7.1 million."
-"Athletics (costs) have increased by 240%" over the past 10 years
-"The increase in the Athletics loss has also put a severe strain on enrollment and the funds that new students contribute.
..twenty additional students need to be enrolled just to cover Athletics' growing loss.."
Some summary thoughts...
-"Non-disclosure" and "lack of transparency" are fancy words for falsifying reports, lying, and hiding the damaging facts.
-the dollar loss in Athletics in 2013-14 was much higher than they admitted to - it was actually $7.1 million in just that one year when under Ken Kavanagh - it was never more than approx. $2 million per year.
http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2014/12/letter-of-nov-24-2014.html
http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=300504&postcount=13
- and contributions were down by almost HALF in just one year while Athletics sending has skyrocketed. Go figure. Spells trouble...
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Letter of Nov. 24, 2014
Dear *****:
I am sure that our paths have crossed over the past 40 years that I have lived in the Peoria Area.
Thanks you for your support of Bradley Athletics and the time you took to write an insightful letter!
As I thought about your comments I broke them into two parts: Bradley Athletics in general and our men's basketball program, which is often viewed as being synonymous with the state of the University's intercollegiate athletics programs.
At our most recent board meeting, on November 6th and 7th, the athletic programs were a major discussion at the committee level. At future board meetings they will be part of an in depth discussion at the full board level. You might have also read that we are taking further action the reduce the loss realized in intercollegiate athletics. This is appropriate in light of the enrollment challenge facing higher education.
As far as Bradley's overall athletics program is concerned: I think we have made positive strides.
Last year was a record setting one for Bradley Athletics with the department achieving its best over-all athletic performance in at least the last 30 years. Further, this occurred with an all-time record performance in the classroom with a 3.31 grade point average for all student athletes. And already this fall women's cross country won the MVC title and the men's team had their best finish since 1987. Once again soccer contended for an MVC crown.
Having recognized our accomplishments, the men's basketball program is another story. I attend the games just like you and last year's season did not meet expectations. Thus far this year, we have not shown any meaningful progress. It is still early and injuries have impacted the ability to get a new team on the same page. The program is top of mind. It is on our radar and we will assess its progress at the end of the season.
We are full committed to NCAA Division I competition as doing so is very much part of the Bradley brand that many of us have enjoyed. As fellow alums, we both realize that as the intercollegiate landscape changes, our alumni involvement and support are critical ingredients to our program's future successes.
Thank you again for your loyalty, support and also for constructively sharing your obervations.
Regards
*********
D*** S******
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
B****** University
now - for a couple qualifying facts in rebuttal....
-"best over-all athletic performance in at least the last 30 years"??? Just how does anyone come up with this when our baseball, volleyball, women's basketball, men's basketball - and yes, even soccer, are all doing about as historically worst they've ever done.
Soccer did not contend for an MVC crown - they were 1-5 in the league and as far from contending as any team in the MVC.
-much of the academic success was due to the high grade point averages of our senior athletes who were recruited by those coaches that are no longer here - this will not likely be repeated this season.
-we have debunked this "enrollment challenges" argument already - the big time financial losses were 100% due to overspending - even irresponsible spending in the Athletic Department.
The Athletic Dept. has lost $6 million each year for the past 3 years....and prior to 2011 no prior year had ever had a loss of more than about $3.
http://bradley.edu/dotAsset/9c19ad59-b660-4d92-83f4-b29f1d8b84a6.pdf
http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2014/06/text-of-e-mail-release-regarding-bu.html
http://www.bradleyscout.com/news/show-us-the-money-bradley-salaries-in-2011/
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20141121/NEWS/141129754?template=printart
..also reference the April 17, 2014 Report to Senate by the Bradley University Resources Committee ...(copy available upon request) -
http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24001&highlight=financial+report
Or try this link directly
http://www.bradley.edu/academic/cio/senate/documents/2013-2014/Bradley+University+Senate+Agenda+May+2014+website.pdf
Also if you scroll to pages 36 through 56 - especially page 47 showing Athletic Department LOSSES
-of $5.915 million in 2011-2012
-of $5.940 million in 2012-2013
-of $5.800 million in 2013-2014
...but going all the way back to 2005 - never a loss of even 1/3 or about 1/2 of those figures under different Athletic Director & different basketball coach.
I am sure that our paths have crossed over the past 40 years that I have lived in the Peoria Area.
Thanks you for your support of Bradley Athletics and the time you took to write an insightful letter!
As I thought about your comments I broke them into two parts: Bradley Athletics in general and our men's basketball program, which is often viewed as being synonymous with the state of the University's intercollegiate athletics programs.
At our most recent board meeting, on November 6th and 7th, the athletic programs were a major discussion at the committee level. At future board meetings they will be part of an in depth discussion at the full board level. You might have also read that we are taking further action the reduce the loss realized in intercollegiate athletics. This is appropriate in light of the enrollment challenge facing higher education.
As far as Bradley's overall athletics program is concerned: I think we have made positive strides.
Last year was a record setting one for Bradley Athletics with the department achieving its best over-all athletic performance in at least the last 30 years. Further, this occurred with an all-time record performance in the classroom with a 3.31 grade point average for all student athletes. And already this fall women's cross country won the MVC title and the men's team had their best finish since 1987. Once again soccer contended for an MVC crown.
Having recognized our accomplishments, the men's basketball program is another story. I attend the games just like you and last year's season did not meet expectations. Thus far this year, we have not shown any meaningful progress. It is still early and injuries have impacted the ability to get a new team on the same page. The program is top of mind. It is on our radar and we will assess its progress at the end of the season.
We are full committed to NCAA Division I competition as doing so is very much part of the Bradley brand that many of us have enjoyed. As fellow alums, we both realize that as the intercollegiate landscape changes, our alumni involvement and support are critical ingredients to our program's future successes.
Thank you again for your loyalty, support and also for constructively sharing your obervations.
Regards
*********
D*** S******
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
B****** University
now - for a couple qualifying facts in rebuttal....
-"best over-all athletic performance in at least the last 30 years"??? Just how does anyone come up with this when our baseball, volleyball, women's basketball, men's basketball - and yes, even soccer, are all doing about as historically worst they've ever done.
Soccer did not contend for an MVC crown - they were 1-5 in the league and as far from contending as any team in the MVC.
-much of the academic success was due to the high grade point averages of our senior athletes who were recruited by those coaches that are no longer here - this will not likely be repeated this season.
-we have debunked this "enrollment challenges" argument already - the big time financial losses were 100% due to overspending - even irresponsible spending in the Athletic Department.
The Athletic Dept. has lost $6 million each year for the past 3 years....and prior to 2011 no prior year had ever had a loss of more than about $3.
http://bradley.edu/dotAsset/9c19ad59-b660-4d92-83f4-b29f1d8b84a6.pdf
http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2014/06/text-of-e-mail-release-regarding-bu.html
http://www.bradleyscout.com/news/show-us-the-money-bradley-salaries-in-2011/
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20141121/NEWS/141129754?template=printart
..also reference the April 17, 2014 Report to Senate by the Bradley University Resources Committee ...(copy available upon request) -
http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24001&highlight=financial+report
Or try this link directly
http://www.bradley.edu/academic/cio/senate/documents/2013-2014/Bradley+University+Senate+Agenda+May+2014+website.pdf
Also if you scroll to pages 36 through 56 - especially page 47 showing Athletic Department LOSSES
-of $5.915 million in 2011-2012
-of $5.940 million in 2012-2013
-of $5.800 million in 2013-2014
...but going all the way back to 2005 - never a loss of even 1/3 or about 1/2 of those figures under different Athletic Director & different basketball coach.
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