Hypocrisy? Just an interesting comparison - you decide

Here are the very words of the PJ Star sports editor.  There is no opinion involved, his own words speak for himself.

- "When did I start to sour on Jim Les?

I'd say the souring was a process, but the start would have been an overall poor taste in my mouth after his second season.

.. They were seriously flawed, lacked discipline, didn't play good defense, and weren't on the same page. ........ team chemistry is bad, and stuff happens and even a great coach can't find a way to hold it all together. 

.. I think Les could have done a better job managing the personnel in the second year .....end of year 3, and ... I found it unacceptable. After those failures led to yet another opening-night exit from the play-in round of the MVC tourney, yes, I dropped a critical hammer on Les and his program."
http://www.pjstarforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=88481&p=1186602#p1186602

So, the opinion of our local media started to sour in year two and was complete by year three and he turned critical & dropped the hammer...yet the reasons sound eerily like what we see right now, so is he souring again??  Doubtful if you read what's being written.


Then later - here's what he said...

2010:
"How hot is the seat under Jim Les?

..BU athletics director Michael Cross ..did explain...the process he uses to evaluate the coaches and programs in his department. There are five components to the process:

1. The educational experience of the athletes.

2. Living within your budget and being part of the process to enhance those resources.

3. Team environment, which includes off-court behavior, transfers in and out. More specifically, Cross said, “Is there constant angst every other day, are you constantly dealing with crises, or is there a stable, values-based culture that everyone is comfortable with and Bradley would expect?”

4. Compliance with NCAA, conference and university rules, and with federal, state and local laws

5. "The extent to which you’re competing for championships,” Cross said.

He also said this:

“Any one of those things can save you, and any one can sink you. There’s no absolute formula, no exact answers. It’s all those things combined.

Take Cross at his word and realize that a more important assessment is whether the Braves compete for a Valley title. Really compete."

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20101010/News/310109958


Then after admitting he turned against Jim Les in YEAR TWO - before Coach Les even had the opportunity to land his own players and get players who could or WOULD play his system, he followed up with continual swipes until finally he got his way...
And those attacks did not cease even though Coach Les brought Bradley & fans a few of the very best years we have had in half a century!

then in 2011...

"Out of optimism for Jim Les"
..a column in 2011 where he demanded Les must go, after just ONE losing season - Les' first and ONLY Thursday appearance in St. Louis since getting his own players.
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20110303/News/303039892

He railed at JL even tho Les had a winning record, a record of 102-41 at home (.741) better than every coach BU has ever had for more than 2 seasons!
He railed on attendance sliding towards 7, 400 (guffaw - as it now dwindles down around 4000-5000),
There were SCARCE, infrequent, and minor off the court issues as compared to plenty of them now,
And the future hardly looks bright with nobody yet wanting to take any of the open scholarships we have currently for 2015 - and no sure scoring threat returning this year - most players recovering from major joint surgery, broken bones, and arrests with impending suspensions.
This will be the fourth consecutive season (all four under current head coach Geno Ford) in which we will begin the season with at least 1 or 2 or even FOUR players on suspensions.

And yet the hypocrisy is that when it happened to the last coach the souring began in year two - but with the current staff we're heading into year four with the PJS cheerleaders continuing their mantra that they've chanted for the past three years about how we're "light years" better, maybe one recruiting-miss away, on the verge, or just need SEVERAL more seasons of status quo ...

Hmmm....all fans ask is be consistent - apply the same standards as before....
The fans see the hypocrisy - readership of the PJS is plummeting - the Journal Star staff layoffs roll on - as a

couple times each year we hear about more being let go....
But it mirrors the attendance at BU games - it's the double whammy --- sales of tickets are WAY, WAY down - crowds in the 5000's announced !!!
But we all know the truth is even way worse as half those seats are empty...some of last year's home games at Carver had as few as 3000, Some up on campus had as few as 1000!

but it will get worse.....although we all know what's coming....

-excuses about why we are still bad this year - GF's FOURTH with all his own new players - although many are just what's currently here with this game of musical roster - reloading every spring.
we will hear alibi's about how there were just too many new guys, too many injuries -- we need to give them more time....

- but then 2015-16 almost everyone (if they don't get booted or Creaned before then) on the roster will be a senior and we should have a good year - but if not, it'll be another truckload of excuses fabricated by the cheerleading local press.

- the question then becomes - how bad does it have to get before the people with agendas finally admit massive and proper changes need to take place emanating from above.... and not just shuffling from below and elevating some assistant


Lastly - let's go back to those criteria we've heard many times from Dr. Cross...
mainly the one about competing for championships.....

Well - I have a question .. in the five years Dr, Cross has been at the help - what program has ever competed for a championship??

We have some good success in soccer, but that's hardly new - although if anything can be seen, that success is quickly becoming less evident...

we also have a couple tourney wins for softball - coming from low seeds to get a bid despite a mediocre season where it can hardly be said we competed for a championship - but anyway, once in the NCAA we bowed out early and badly.
Nope - don't see any hint of those promises we'd be competing for championships - we were far closer back in 2006, 2007 or so than we are now...but we fired all the guys who got us there then - and nobody since had had much success.
And all the revenue successes from then are gone - now a huge debt problem and overspending problem is about to sink the ship as the very lifeblood of all of BU sports - the BASKETBALL season ticket fan base is disappearing faster than the businesses up at the Main & University intersection that all hate the traffic rebuild.

Nothing new - just a couple older entries worth looking back on

http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2010/02/winning-just-comparison-with-other.html

http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2012/02/catching-up-with-ken-kavanagh_07.html

Text of e mail release regarding BU finances

Dear members of the campus community,

In today’s higher education environment, most public and private universities across the country have encountered challenges in student enrollment and institutional finances. Demographic changes in the number of potential students, dramatic reductions in federal and state assistance for higher education and rising costs for university operations are primary contributors to these challenges. 


A few weeks ago we reported 970 freshmen deposits for our Fall 2014 enrollment, which is less than had been forecasted and anticipated. The class, however, is academically strong and there was no compromising of quality. Because of this smaller than anticipated class, we have assessed the related financial consequences for the University, met with our Board of Trustees, and developed an action plan to guide us for the 2014-15 academic year and beyond. 

The size of this class presents a more than $2 million negative financial effect on our operating margins, requiring that we adjust our expenses to present a balanced budget to the Board of Trustees at their July meeting. Furthermore, we realize that to provide opportunities for campus investment in our programs, faculty and staff, and to provide sustainable positive operating margins, we need to make a strategic reduction in our cost structure approaching 5% (an amount exceeding $5 million). In addition, our auxiliary operations (dining, housing and intercollegiate athletics) will reduce expenses by an additional $1.8 million to help ensure their collective self-sufficiency. The 5% strategic reductions coupled with the $1.8 million auxiliary operating changes will be implemented this summer to provide a balanced 2014-15 budget. Unfortunately, we believe that our anticipated 2014-15 enrollment (which is similar to two of the last three years) represents a new enrollment baseline; a smaller baseline creating declines in revenue that future increases in tuition will not fully offset. Our planning incorporates these assumptions.


However, there is more to do than reduce costs, as the market and demographic trends are telling us higher education is at a “tipping point.” These financial changes are required, but there are also essential operating issues to address in three broad areas-- a) finances, b) programs, and c) student enrollment to help ensure our excellent education and outcomes are relevant in a rapidly changing higher education environment. 


I have established three Presidential advisory groups who will report to me. Each will be commissioned with specific responsibilities, act with urgency, and advise me with a long term view as follows:


Finances and budget group: 

Our campus revenues are relied upon to support our many needs and initiatives, and I have confirmed the involvement of Paul Wayvon (Accounting faculty and Chair of the University Resources Committee), Dean Darrell Radson and Gary Anna to help confirm our budgeting procedures, fiscal structures, and financial processes are transparent examples of best practices. In addition, I have charged this advisory group to assess our faculty salary structures in order to align resources in a way that eventually responds to the marketplace disparities we know exist.

Program review and delivery group:

Some of our campus programs are in need of a financial viability review. Additionally, opportunities exist for diversifying our strategies for academic program delivery—including leveraging technology based learning to greatly expand our reach in graduate programs, summer curriculum and other academic opportunities. Assessments that have already been performed will be further refined, and during the summer Dean Lex Akers, Dr. Kurt Field, and colleagues will construct the criterial components and a process for program review. This undertaking will allow the University Senate Strategic Planning Committee to convene immediately in Fall, 2014, to review the work completed, and to further assess campus programs through our system of shared governance. The Provost will be significantly involved with this endeavor.

Enrollment management, branding and marketing group:

Bradley’s viability has always revolved around our students and their interests, qualities, characteristics and ultimately as successful graduates and engaged alumni. This advisory group of Paul Schroeder, Susan Andrews, Dean Jeffrey Huberman and Dr. Justin Ball will continue to aggressively examine the multiple interrelated factors that impact student recruitment and our branding and marketing position. Demographics clearly indicate our past is not our future and the status quo is not acceptable. The marketplace for student recruiting in our region and beyond is the most competitive it has ever been and is likely to only increase. Our enrollment management professionals will lead this activity with meaningful campus involvement.
Each of these advisory groups has authority to involve members of the campus community as needed, to provide inquisitive perspectives and responsible insights that will assist me in fulfilling my responsibilities as President. I have received the encouragement and support of Bradley’s Board of Trustees for these activities, and I will provide monthly progress reports to the Board. 


While this will not be an easy undertaking, I am compelled to ensure we have an engaged campus that understands the urgency and importance of our assessments and resulting actions. The activities of the advisory groups are to begin immediately with expectation that measurable outcomes and corrective measures will begin to occur during the summer and completed in the upcoming academic year. The opportunities we now face, and the changes we prepare to implement, can position Bradley to be ultimately successful and sustainable in the years ahead. 


I have the utmost confidence that our University is comprised of knowledgeable, caring and committed people who will help us continue Bradley’s legacy and provide for a reimagined future.


Warm regards,

Joanne​ Glasser
President ​

There are some moves that predictably will hurt attendance -

Where some teams are seeing an increase in attendance, and others stability - some have seen a drop like BU has...
Here are just a few examples we may be able to learn from..

-Winning is NOT a guarantee that attendance will surge.  No team in college basketball wins more at home than Kentucky - but there are fans who see their players are just passing thru - the one-and-dones, hardly know most of their names - guess what...
Kentucky's home attendance has shown a significant drop in the past few years that Calipari has been running the NBA-prep route..
huge changeovers, unfamiliar players, "rebuilding" each year, and players who are not committed to the program .....
http://johnclay.bloginky.com/2013/12/11/believe-it-or-not-uk-basketball-attendance-declining/


-Arkansas wins a lot at home and spent millions on their new head coach, and they are the ONLY show in town....but....Arkansas scheduled HORRIBLYand most of their home opponents are 180, 200 and worse, 300+ in RPI - people are staying home!
http://www.arkansasfight.com/2013/12/12/5203920/trough-talk-what-can-be-done-to-increase-razorback-basketball

-Likewise Arizona State - disappointing attendance for games like Maryland-Baltimore County

-Mizzou jacked their ticket prices to gouge the people who wanted to see UCLA come to town - and then the Mizzou people were stunned to see only 8000 people show up (arena capacity > 15,000) for such a high profile opponent - but then they had jacked the price of even the cheap seats from $10 to $65!!  Gimme a break -
http://www.arkansasfight.com/2013/12/12/5203920/trough-talk-what-can-be-done-to-increase-razorback-basketball

-Rutgers has the worst attendance in the AAC (the remnant of the Big East_ - they drew only 392 to one game!!
That is no typo - THREE HUNDRED NINETY TWO!! But what do you expect with this quality of opponent?
http://www.dailytargum.com/sports/mens_basketball/ru-cruises-past-stillman-for-victory/article_0a75ee88-5650-11e3-905e-0019bb30f31a.html

-West Virginia forced a RESEATING PLAN on all the long time season ticket holders and fans - guess what - the fans were angry and attendance this year is WAY down.  I mean WAY, WAY down in the 4000-5000 range. This is West Virginia - Jerry West's home!!  They are drawing less than Bradley & ISU draw!!  Season ticket sales are down 1,700!!  Fans are saying...
"We are spiraling down.. The average fan senses the elitism from changes in parking to ticket surcharges to seat availability changes."
"What impact has the Coliseum Reseating Plan had on attendance?'' another asked. "What were this year's season-ticket sales vs. last year?
I have a feeling that season-ticket sales are down as a result. I know a lot of people (us included) who did not renew."
http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/WVU/201312070075

-Toledo's local press mocks and insults the student body in an effort to get more to show up.
Wanna bet that doesn't work?
http://www.independentcollegian.com/sports/blake-bacho-attendance-at-savage-arena-for-toledo-basketball-needs-to-improve-1.2849614#.UqxM7VtDscE

-Duke always lists their home crowd as a sellout - but here's an article saying that the stands were only half full for a game against a low-level, no-name opponent -
http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2013/11/19/duke-basketball-routs-unc-asheville-front-small-home-crowd

-Colorado attendance is surging - they are reasonably good and play a good home schedule - they have have sellouts & have to institute a wrist band process to dispense tickets!!
..but as we can see from above - bringing in all new players, jacking ticket prices, forcing a re-seating plan, and scheduling horrible no-name home opponents are all recipes for a downturn in attendance.
Find out which marketing firms helped these guys with their bad ideas and stay away from them.

Ten silliest and dishonest claims about the future..

#10 - The Great Lakes will dry up due to global warming & drought.

Facts: - water levels in the Great Lakes fluctuates up and down...always have & always will - they are not going to dry up.
See the details on this chart - levels have been up and down many, many times since measurements began.
Note that back in 1997 there were all time record high levels and people were worried the lakes would cause great flooding.
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/now/wlevels/dbd/
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/30/us-transportion-water-drought-idUSBRE8AT17E20121130
http://www.wtsp.com/weather/article/296424/3/Two-Great-Lakes-at-shallowest-levels-ever-recorded


#9 - Groundwater levels in 1988 were low after some droughts and many predicted they would never recover, wells would go permanently dry  - or would at least take 50 years of heavy rains to recover.

Facts: The ground water levels have long since recovered even though we did have a few more years of drought.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2007/5193/pdf/sir2007-5193.pdf

However - the drought has less to do with this than other forms of human behavior.  We now cover so much land with buildings, parking lots, concrete, and other structures that rain no longer returns to the ground to replenish groundwater - and instead it runs off and into creeks & rivers and ultimately runs into the oceans causing ocean level rise.
This is a man-made problem but it is not man-made pollution it is man-made building - something we equate with progress and higher level of human society & function.

As a corollary to this claim - many experts predicted disaster a couple years ago in California with massive loss of water in reservoirs and wells.  They said it would take FIFTY YEARS of heavy rains to replenish the water in California lakes reservoirs, wells, etc.

Fact: - one year of decent rain & snow resulted in COMPLETE recovery and there is no problem any more.
Talk about Chicken Little!!!
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14688924


#8 The Antarctic ice shelf was melting and would never recover.

Fact: This also happens on and off - and yes - a huge hunk of Antarctic ice shelf broke off a few years ago amid predictions of panic by some...
BUT - the entire ice shelf quickly reformed and was back to normal.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/98EO00152/abstract
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Further_break-up_of_Antarctic_ice_shelf

Now we see all time RECORD HIGH Antarctic ice levels...the ice sheets are bigger than ever, so if smaller ice means disastrous global warming - wouldn't you think massive high record ice in Antarctica ought to somehow signal the opposite?
http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/antarctic-ice-area-sets-another-record-nsidc-is-silent/

As a corollary - many predicted MASSIVE melting of Antarctic snow would cause worldwide flooding.

Fact: it didn't and Antarctic snow levels are also hitting RECORD high levels.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/02/12/sea-ice-news-volume-4-1-arctic-ice-gain-sets-a-new-record/


#7 - Here's the funniest one - many "experts" including this well known one predicted the day was coming soon when New York & Washington DC would NEVER see snow again.

Fact: They have since seen RECORD snowfall
http://www.ihatethemedia.com/noted-global-warming-expert-rfk-jr-predicted-that-washington-dc-might-never-see-snow-again
http://notrickszone.com/2013/01/04/northern-hemisphere-snow-cover-sets-all-time-december-record-9-million-sq-km-more-than-32-years-ago/


#6 Arctic ice was disappearing and would never recover - or at the very best scenario wouldn't recover for 50 years!!!

Fact: Just one cooler than average summer has resulted in the Arctic ice cap not only RECOVERING but expanding to record levels. 
The polar bears are quite happy now.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415191/Global-cooling-Arctic-ice-caps-grows-60-global-warming-predictions.html


#5 The most respected and top expert in climate science claimed the ice, snow, and glaciers in the Himalayas and on Mt. Everest were disappearing and would be gone by 2038!

Fact: this same "scientist" has since been discovered to have fabricated all his data, and lied about everything he said because he had an agenda.
He has since recanted and admitted he lied and now is known to be a fraud.
That didn't stop the United Nations to hire the guy as their expert!
http://iceagenow.info/2012/02/himalayas-lost-ice-10-years-study-shows/
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/01/23/breaking-news-scientist-admits-ipcc-used-fake-data-to-pressure-policy-makers/


#4 Of course you've heard this one plenty - that global warming would result is worse HURRICANE seasons, more monster storms, and even worse tornadoes.

Fact: Not so at all - there have always been bad storms and bad years intermixed with milder ones.
Many point to "Sandy" - but check it out yourself - Sandy wasn't even a HURRICANE - it dropped to a tropical storm - and it didn't cause damage by its severity but because of people building in its path.

This year happens to be an ALL record MILD year for hurricanes and tornadoes.
Certainly this does not fit their predictions so they simply aren't talking about it.
In fact only TWO of the last TEN years saw an Atlantic hurricane season that was worse than historical average and the other EIGHT years were milder than average.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/08/19/2013-is-a-record-low-year-for-u-s-tornadoes/

But - the experts still have reduced the standards needed to call a storm a hurricane for warning purposes - they want to make sure you don't ignore them.
http://www.whiotv.com/news/weather/hurricane-tropical-storm-warning-definitions-chang/nXCmy/ 
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2012/12/05/national-hurricane-center-to-expand-storm-warnings/


#3 Massive ice melts would result in sea levels rising several meters - many even claimed it would happen by 20010 and 2013...  This would result in horrible flooding along coastlines and displace hundreds of millions of people!
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/impacts/early-warning-signs-of-global-8.html

These people claimed sea levels would rise 60 to 80 METERS!!!
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/question473.htm

Fact: well - it just isn't happening.  When people are asked to show even one example of this happening anywhere in the world - they come up with nothing!

Here are the facts:
-sea levels are gradually rising and have done so steadily for well over 100 years...it's practically linear and it was predictable.
Look at this graph and see that sea levels rose very gradually even when the earth had cooling stretches in the 1950's, 1970's, etc..
This is proof it has nothing to do with earth warming.
http://stevengoddard.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/700px-recent_sea_level_rise-1.png

So what's causing it??  Go back and read #9 above - it has large to do with the expansion of population, the filling of lakes & swamps, the displacement of water sitting on continents by buildings, fill, sea walls, and backfill.
We all know most of Manhattan was once water-filled swamp as was half of southern Louisiana & New Orleans.  Where do you think all that water gradually goes when it's displaced?
It ultimately goes back and causes the oceans to rise.

If you still doubt this - then consider when there were a few regional heavy rains & floods recently in Australia - the experts showed that "REPLACING" water into lakes & swamps - the opposite of what's been gradually happening for 100 years - stopped the gradual rise of the oceans!!
http://earthsky.org/earth/can-unusual-weather-patterns-halt-sea-level-rise

"Experts" who have tried to show where shore damage is occurring - have to make things up.
Remember the NY Times writer that claimed Norfolk was being flooded when it wasn't due to rising sea but to sinking ground!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/28/norfolk-virginia-sea-levels-rise_n_1461486.html


#2 I threw this one in just to show how silly and dishonest some global warming advocates are.  This isn't a big deal but it is a big lie.

Recently this photo showed up with lots of claims that is was incontrovertible proof of global warming and melting polar ice caps.
http://www.livescience.com/38347-north-pole-ice-melt-lake.html

This photo went viral with wild claims of warming-related disasters!
...but, as always, there's more to the story...

Fact: this photo was NOT taken at the North Pole.  Of course that fact was irrelevant to those who already had an agenda to jam down your throat.
Here's the truth - that photo is not the North Pole and does not show massively melting arctic ice.
In fact - go back to #6 and see that Arctic ice is actually at RECORD HIGHS!
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/polar-researchers-explain-north-pole-lake/?_r=0


#1 Every year we get warmer and warmer - global warming is a fact and it's getting worse every year!

Fact: well - that's not what the facts say...
I suppose you can hand pick the data you want to prove just about anything but most reputable scientists agree that the warming treand that existed through the 1980's and 1990's - somewhat ended about 1997 and have shown virtually NO warming since.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2217286/Global-warming-stopped-16-years-ago-reveals-Met-Office-report-quietly-released--chart-prove-it.html

Actually there's evidence that we are now entering perhaps a long cooling cycle!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/10294082/Global-warming-No-actually-were-cooling-claim-scientists.html


















record hurricane seasons would become the norm

photo of north pole buoy

PCS girls soccer records

PCS season records...

1999-00 5-5 (1st season for PCS girls' soccer, played JV only)
2000-01 8-6 (1st varsity season)
2001-02 5-1-6
2002-03 8-4
2003-04 8-4-2
2004-05 7-8-2
2005-06 6-8-2
2006-07 8-11
2007-08 6-5-7 (Cory's first season as head coach)
2008-09 15-7-2 (Regional Champs/Elite 8)
2009-10 15-7-2 (Regional Champs/Sweet 16)
2010-11 14-7-3 (Regional Champs/Sweet 16)
2011-12 13-9-2 (Regional Champs)
2012-13 13-6-2 (Regional Champs)
2013-14 7-12-2 (Regional finalist)
2014-15 9-9-3 (Regional finalist)
2015-16 12-8-1 thus far, Coach Hynek's 100th win incl. (Lost in Regional Finals)

Career scoring: (stats not yet complete)

(note: I have limited availability to official stats especially before 2008)

Jill Sidler 71 goals (5-16-24-26)

Cortney Allenbaugh 49 goals (11-0-38-0)

Bekah Smith 31 goals (15-9-7-?)

Anne Sidler 31 goals (13-9-5-4)

Jordan Myroth 17 goals (0-0-0-18)

Lindsay Walton 21 goals (1-2-2-16)

Bradley gets state funds as part of grant

Bradley gets a nice hunk of $$ courtesy of Governor Pat Quinn.
BUT -- Contrary to the mistaken idea that Bradley was somehow special and "earned this grant"...or went out and won the award...
now we see that Gov. Quinn has been on a statewide tour stumping his broad giveaways & giving away the same grant money to almost all the state's private colleges & universities...
Looks like Bradley was hit with this windfall and didn't do a thing to get it - in fact maybe ought to have done better!  And had BU not gotten this handout then it would have been a surprise, so anyone giving credit to someone at BU simply doesn't know anything and is stupid.

In fact - many, many schools got considerably bigger grants than Bradley - so you actually gotta wonder how come we got stiffed?
Maybe we should have gotten a bigger hunk of the pie....  ;)

Just check the news stories...
DePaul got $8 million - remember - they are a private Catholic school
Northwestern $7 million
Loyola almost $6 million - so their President, the Reverend Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., must have done a heckuva better job than the downstate schools!!!
Univ. of Chicago $4 million - they have the same enrollment as & employ fewer employees than Bradley!!
Columbia College $5 million
Illinois Institute of Technology, St. Xavier University, Robert Morris & Roosevelt Univ. got $3 mil each

In fact ALL the Chicago private schools got way more than Bradley!!!

IWU & Eureka College both got about $1 mil
Lewis University - MUCH smaller than Bradley - got almost $3 million
Quincy Univ. got a million
St' Francis univ. in Joliet got OVER a mil
Elmhurst College got $1.5 million and they are only half the size and only a fraction of the community influence and job creator as Bradley 
Lake Forest College got $1
Trinity International University got almost a million
and so on with numerous others - even tiny Rosalind Franklin University
Ausgustana, Knox, Monmouth - got over $3 million
Milliken, Illinois College...got $3.4 MILLION

http://elmhurst.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/state-awards-grant-to-elmhurst-college-for-schiable

http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/21645821-418/34m-in-grants-awarded-to-four-area-colleges.html

http://romeoville.patch.com/groups/schools/p/quinn-26-million-grant-benefits-lewis-science-center

http://www.enewspf.com/school-news/44960-gov-quinn-announces-that-depaul-is-one-of-the-chicago-area-universities-to-receive-capital-grant-funding.html

http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Ill-Gov-Quinn-makes-3-stops-after-criticism-4694295.php

http://www.wgem.com/story/22980347/2013/07/31/state-of-illinois-awards-886k-grant-to-quincy-university

http://www.taylorvilledailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=21&id=87651#.UfzrTpLOvPU

EVEN many, many tiny little schools in and around Chicago and RELIGIOUS schools like MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE got big grants - MOODY got well over $600,000

http://news.yottos.com/ShowNews/Governor_Quinn_Announces_$54.8_Million_Investment_in_Chicago_Area_Colleges_and_Universities_-_Includes_Nearly_$4.8_Million_to_Columbia_College_Chicago_for_Major_Campus_Improvements;_Grants_to_Create_Thousands_of_Local_Jobs_01-08-2013



So.......looks like Bradley cashed in but hard to credit anyone at Bradley for anything special - note the Chicago schools where Gov. Quinn hopes to get lots & lots of votes next time around - got the lion's share of the handouts...

In fact the amounts given seem to be in DIRECT PROPORTION to how close you are to CHICAGO!!
..so I'd say the money was determined politically and not based on any action by the schools.  I am also surprised there wasn't more backlash about giving the money to private schools.

Here's a story about how Gov. Quinn held a "CLOSED DOOR MEETING" with the heads of all the state's universities to determine the giveaway, at a time when some state schools
are nearly going bankrupt!  
SIU is lacking $86 million in state aid & grant money that was promised yet NEVER DELIVERED!!

http://www.wsiltv.com/news/education/IL-College-Chiefs-Back-Quinn-Call-For-More-MAP-Money-139027654.html?m=y

...but there are people who claim it is unconstitutional to give the money to private schools and who are suing..

So this is freedom of the press?

     Freedom of the press is one of our most sacred foundations - all other freedoms have some restrictions that keep people from hollering "fire" in a crowded theater, or prevent witnesses from lying in court, or from having loonies carry guns.
But there are virtually no prohibitions to freedom of the press because all our freedoms depend on a press of INTEGRITY and DIGNITY to be fair & honest and hold the government in check.
You just don't mess with the Freedom of the Press!

     So it is that this freedom is so important and so sacred that nobody should distort it for their own selfish purpose.  Nobody should violate the basic principles of the freedom of the press for their own personal and petty agenda.

     Wouldn't you think the integrity and honor of what a reporter or journalist publishes - is of the highest order...?

Isn't the dignity of what they report worth fighting for - standing up for -- even taking risks for??

Well - 
     Nooooo......not for these Gatehouse people -- if they don't get what they want in their own small minded agenda, they are going to withhold their columns.....literally hold the content of a free press as hostage!!

http://jimromenesko.com/2013/07/02/reporters-at-gatehouse-paper-withhold-bylines-after-veteran-city-editor-is-laid-off/

http://peoriapundit.blogpeoria.com/2013/07/02/reporters-rebel-mildly-at-local-gatehouse-media-publication/


     They have warped the FIRST AMENDMENT from FREEDOM OF THE PRESS - into freedom of what the reporters want for themselves!
They, in their own minds, have become the most important part of the 1st Amendment process.
Only in Peoria...

Ooops, more bad news - now $5-6 million just became $6.6 to maybe even up to $7.6-8 million when all the legal costs are done....I am beginning to think there is a certain buyout or two that would save a lot more from going down the drain.

Simple 2-year cost comparison since coaching change - you do the math

     Had we stood pat in 2011, the next two years from 2011 to 2013 would have cost $450K per year or roughly $900K, and surely we wouldn't have done any worse than 9th or 10 place - and just maybe we would have done lots better and lost far fewer loyal fans.

BU, with the change - first BU was on the hook for 3 years of JL's salary, the search firm fee, the cost to pay expenses to bring nearly a dozen candidates in for interviews before picking GF, the cost for the first 2 years of GF's deal at $700K base plus extras for camps, TV, etc...
then as we see more factors emerging - BU was on the hook to increase other people's salary as well, change over several assistants, and now even pay off gobs of expensive legal fees for lawsuits and threatened lawsuits on both fronts and lastly - the penalties (buyouts) that someone has to pay - and it's definitely not over yet as BU still faces the court case in October.
Then there's the loss of around 3000 good, loyal fans at each game - this revenue loss is at least $1 million but maybe more since some of the departing fans were big donors as well.
It sure doesn't take an accountant to add all that up and come up with around $6 million and more...possibly lots more......and still counting.

As the politicians say....
are you $5-6 million better off than you were two years ago?? SMH...

Losing good fans

We have a problem currently that we never had...

in almost every year when we had a bad year - finishing in the bottom half of the MVC - we still maintained great attendance...
then if we had a big improvement year (like this year is being called) we had a big rebounding year in attendance - but now we saw the opposite...

we were mediocre and 9-9 in the MVC and still drew nearly 10K in 97-98
we were 14-16 in 99-00 and still drew 10,178
we had a serious downturn that caused MO to get fired in 2001-02 and yet we still drew over 9000
In JL's very first year - not a very good one record-wise - attendance jumped back up significantly
Attendance held strong again in JL's 2nd year even thos fans voiced that they expected better
Attendance jumped again the next tyear even tho we were 6-12 and fans were grumbling
Then BU's attendance surged the next few years and held STRONG until JL's final year - still well over 9,000
only in JL's final season - with changes forced upon JL that were not of his choosing, bad press, and turmoil - only then did attendance decline (NOT back in 2007 as the history revisionists claim) - and yet it was still nearly 8500

BUT now we are seriously beginning to lose lifelong fan support...big time
In the last two years attendance has dropped 10-20% EACH of those two seasons to a dismal 6500 per season this year - numbers simply not seen much since the old Fieldhouse era...
Why in the face of a rebuilding program & "one of the best single year turnarounds" and "one of the top improvements" in all of D-I - WHY did we continue to lose 15-17% of our fan base??
Are you not a bit worried??


in 2011 people predicted precisely what we are seeing - that we'd be at the bottom of the Valley for years, attendance would drop way, way off - and those people were scoffed at and mocked - we they not 100% right?


I am hopeful and always optimistic that maybe we can do better than 9th or 10th seed as we have done the past two years....

BUT - losing about half our offensive production this coming year then losing the last of JL's kids the following year - one of whom will finish in BU's TOP 10 all time scoring list -
add that to the dismissal of almost every recruit that's been signed in the past two years forcing us to start over by landing gobs of leftovers in the LATE spring recruiting period - this does not reassure optimism to me as much as it seems to the media.

Some info that was not reported on latest BU recruit Jordan Swopshire

I am definitely not against landing and signing Jordan Swopshire and he looks to be a talented player but there are a few red flags.........remember - others have strongly criticized BU's recruits in the past for not playing high school ball, for changing schools, and even columns ripping BU for bringing in too many new players at one time (the "Seven D-I Virgins" tirade) or for hauling in too many junior college players (the "Too many jucos" tirade)..........so seriously - how come none of this info on the background of Jordan Swopshire was ever mentioned when the PJ Star was hyping Jordan as some kind of "difference maker"?


Hey - I believe Swopshire might be very good - but here are just a couple of the previously unmentioned facts...

-He averaged 9 ppg at Ft. Zumwalt in O'Fallon, MO as a freshman

-He was claimed to possibly be the BEST player in the state of Missouri for his class of 2013...and yet got zero recruitment or offers from anyone locally - not even any instate schools...

-then as a sophomore he missed some time due to injury
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/high-school/top-10-boys/jordan-swopshire-soph-zumwalt-south/article_7c73993c-fdbf-11df-a895-00127992bc8b.html


- as a sophomore at Ft. Zumwalt he averaged 10 ppg but missed 1/3 of the season
There's some discrepancy on his rebounding totals and assists - this site says just 2.5 rpg, 1.4 asst...but elsewhere the numbers were quoted as higher.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/high-school/top-10-boys/jordan-swopshire-soph-zumwalt-south/article_7c73993c-fdbf-11df-a895-00127992bc8b.html


-at the end of his sophomore season - he was snubbed by the local high school All Area 1st Team or 2nd Team.
He was...Honorable Mention behind a dozen other kids in his own city & conference.
...and yet his own local press was NOT very friendly and did not place him on either 1st Team or 2nd Team in his own conference..even tho he was stated to be the top player in the entire state of Missouri for his Class of 2013 - and ESPN said he was 2nd Team ALL STATE - http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/missouri/post/_/id/419/all-state-hoops-missouri )

http://stpeters.patch.com/articles/local-basketball-players-earn-postseason-awards


Oddly the one article said...
"One of the bigger surprises in his recruitment is the
lack of effort by Mizzou. Swopshire said that he
hasn't heard much from his hometown school Mizzou
since the Spring."


-- again you gotta wonder what's going on??...

Then something happens and he chooses not to return to his high school in Missouri and lands at this really shady place called SportsQuest..

Note that this site appears to quote Jordan himself and says...
"Currently, I attend Fort Zumwalt South High School
(Mo.) after spending time at SportsQuest Academy
(VA) and Montrose Christian School (MD), where I
was the leading scorer."
http://vimeo.com/jordanswopshire


-so...he "spent time" at SportsQuest" but he never mentions and nobody else ever mentions if he played there or how he did...maybe there's a story behind that (see below)??

--- also -- WAS he the "leading scorer" at Montrose - his own coach says otherwise - also see below..


I have no idea why the PJ Star didn't say much about the kid's background but he hasn't hardly played any basketball in 3 years -- that's got to be risky as in the case of AJ Riley!!


When he left his Missouri HS, he was at SportsQuest Academy in 2011-12 but before the end of October 2011 he was done... then the next year he enrolled at Montrose but no indication anywhere how the kid maintained his academics in the meantime since he appears to have missed his junior year in high school!

BUT -- now even at Montrose...he was ineligible this past season after December...(note he left for a reason and was the 2nd leading scorer)
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-04/sports/36736795_1_montrose-christian-oak-hill-double-overtime


So............Let's go back to his junior year and do a little digging....
I am kinda stunned that our media guys never looked into any of this ...but that place he supposedly was at during his junior season.... "SportsQuest Academy" is a completely unheard of place that just started up out of the blue a couple years ago & tried to schedule games.
Info on the place is easy to find - and I will supply some - but how come our press just mentions "Sports Quest" as if they are naming some fine prep school - and never even looks the place up or checks them out?

BUT - NOBODY would schedule SportsQuest because they were a shady "diploma factory" basketball school.

They ended up playing only 3 games (two of them they got hammered severely)

and none of the players came back so they then closed their basketball program.


Here's an article about them - I have absolutely NO CLUE why Swopshire would ever say he was from this place - I would think if he were it woulda been something he'd try to hide or deny.
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-04/sports/36736795_1_montrose-christian-oak-hill-double-overtime


By spring of 2012 SportsQuest was bankrupt, closing, every thing about them was a disgrace - the students were the casualties...and everyone pointing fingers in blame
http://wtvr.com/2012/04/25/31601/


In May of 2012 all their assets were auctioned off and so SportsQuest does not exist any more..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SportsQuest



But I am still happy we landed Jordan Swopshire...but isn't it also surprising that no school besides George Washington ever offered him - kinda makes ya wonder.....VCU has no open scholarships so if they ever offered they are now out of the picture.


So - now all the players we're after have bounced around between multiple schools - Swopshire, Tucker, Zecevic, Hamilton, etc...
Not saying they won't be great players - and maybe they're the best players out there - but some of this sounds risky...time will tell.

There are certain advantages of recruiting juco kids

As much as Tyshon helped - and as obvious as it was that he was the only 1st or even 2nd year player we had who contributed much - I'd say we ought to use every remaining scholarship we have to land older, battle-ready, bulked up, and ready-to-play juco kids....


Look at the quality of juco players who we were pursuing 1-2 years ago - that we passed on and yet became outstanding D-I players...

we sure coulda used one or two of these guys....

Jeff Early
http://www.sisportsconnection.com/high-energy-style-has-paid-dividends-throughout-jeff-earlys-career/

Derrick Marks
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/sports/college-sports/derrick-marks-scores-38-points-to-lead-boise-state-broncos-over-colorado-state-rams-78-65

More on Derrick Marks
http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/sports/goss/18646096-419/goss-plainfield-central-grad-derrick-marks-spins-scoreboard-at-boise-state.html

Derrick Bardan
http://www.bigskybball.com/2013/02/derrick-barden-is-star.html

Fabyon Harris
http://www.rantsports.com/ncaa-basketball/2013/02/08/texas-am-aggies-fabyon-harris-sunk-a-three-pointer-to-beat-missouri-at-home/

And then remember this guy, John Taylor??
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/03/13/3212556/nccaa-basketball-championships.html

Comparison of low post players at Bradley - past 25 years

I see a lot of criticism of our post players...but let's see how they stack up vs. our best in the past 25 years...

I went back 25 years - back to the Albeck era and culled the stats of all the low post/centers and ranked them in order....if I missed anyone lmk...
Our guys this year share the low post spot while a lot of guys in the past have planted themselves there all alone and yet - I think our current guys have proven themselves sufficiently - but this locks in even more the proof that our current guys are top notch.

Here are the BEST season totals among low post players - I did not count guys like Cellus, Granger, Parker - they do not fit the definition.

SCORING
15.4 Bayo 98
13.4 POB 06
12.4 Bayo 97
11.6 Funches 96
11.3 Pickett 13
11.1 Zach A 07
10.0 POB 05
8.9 Egolf 13
8.0 Egolf 11
7.9 Pollard 93
7.8 Pross 12
7.2 Funches 95
7.0 Egolf 10
7.0 Rabey 01
7.0 Salley 07
6.8 Pollard 94
6.3 Hall 02
6.1 Salley 08
6.0 Prosser 13
5.3 Prosser 11

So - SEVEN of the TOP 20 scoring seasons in the past 25 years by our low post guys are the guys we have RIGHT NOW..
and FOUR of the TOP dozen!!
guys like David Collins, Zach in '06, Koita - don't even make the list!!!


So - as much as we all would like to see a Bayo or a POB at BU - it simply doesn't happen often and the guys we have NOW do not deserve the criticism they get.
   


Here's rebounding going back to the Albeck era among our low post guys...
I did not include the guys from the 80's Massive Mike, Reese, Luke Jackson, etc...


Rebounds
8.3 POB 06
8.2 Bayo 98
7.4 POB 05
7.3 Rabey 01
7.0 Zach A 07
6.9 Salley 08
6.5 Prosser 12
6.0 Bayo 97
5.7 Tyshon 13
5.5 Egolf 13
5.5 Prosser 12
5.3 Funches 96
5.3 Pollard 93

again - the guys we have right now make up 1/3 of the top dozen rebounding seasons..........
the following starters ......Koita, Hall, Stewart, Funches, Pollard, Collins, Zach, Salley -- all had years where they were our MAIN low post guys and did not make this list!!
If you carry the list further - you see Egolf had two other seasons with more rpg than Collins' best year, or Koita's or Hall's or anyone else form the 90's..

Influenza and the flu shot

Lots of confusion but people are often seeing and reading inaccurate information.
Note also that newspaper and TV reporters are almost 100% inclined to interview only those who are invoved in Public Health or whose jobs are actually dependant on people getting vaccinated or getting the flu.  It wouldn't take a genius to figure they will promote what their jobs depend upon - much like what kind of recommendation you'd get from a Ford dealer - he sure wouldn't be inclined to tell you to buy a Jeep.

With that noted - then you decide because it doesn't cost much to get a flu shot and it isn't very risky, so if you get one then you haven't done anything bad or wrong.

But people should be informed about the value or usefullness of flu shots - or are the useless or worthless?

First - the Emergency Rooms are filled with sick people who HAD THEIR FLU SHOTS!!
I actually spoke yesterday to the head of the OSF Emergency Department - he and I chatted at our church where we both attend. I asked point blank what percentage of people being seen in the emergency rooms that have the flu actually DID get their flu shot.  He replied it was over 60%...so I also later called and asked at both other ER's in peoria and both replied likewise that over half of those getting the flu had their shot.
But if 35% of adult Americans have gotten a flu shot, then why does the 35% of the population that's vaccinated comprise 60% of those getting the flu?
Well, you decide - but there's really only one conceivable possibility.

Here are more stories about all those who went and did as they were told to do - they got their flu shots and it did not protect them at all.

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2013/January/15/flu-emergency-rooms.aspx

http://www.joplinglobe.com/topstories/x964867507/Joplin-hospitals-seeing-major-jump-in-flu-cases/print

http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/579913/Seasonal-Flu-Cases-Spike-At-Local-Emergency-Rooms.html?nav=510

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/01/03/health/flu-patients-crowd-into-maine-emergency-rooms-clinics-as-season-starts-early/?ref=latest


And others have seen the same including those who study the effectiveness of the flu shot scientifically.
This study cited in both links below says the flu shot is "Worse than worthless".

http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/05/with-flu-season-over-canada-shows-flu-vaccinations-to-be-worse-than-worthless-.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20937313


They don't understand it but the results of study after study show that flu shots are "futile" and completely useless as protection against the flu.

Is it any wonder that people inside the vaccine industry are even admitting that their hype about the flu shots is a lie and that they have been lying for years about the effectiveness?
And I suppose protecting their hundred billion dollar industry has nothing to do with the deception?
I am not saying you need to believe anything cited here - just do whatever you want with it.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/05/reassessing-flu-shots-as-the-season-draws-near/



Finally a report does get a comment from the feds saying the flu shot is ineffective..
..but why did it take so long - and in the interval the feds and everyone else saying we all need to go get this flu shot that they knew all along wasn't helping people.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2501256/

Here is a quote form that report...

"The flu is widespread in 49 states, according to the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention.


Two of the three strains in the flu vaccine distributed this year are ineffective against the virus circulating through the state, health officials said. Nationwide, the vaccine protects against 40 percent of the virus strains out this year, according to the CDC

Federal officials said the vaccine will be overhauled and the two ineffective strains replaced for the next round of the vaccine, set to be distributed in the fall."


So they are saying don't worry that the flu shot is ineffective - just get yet another shot next fall....
but then they say to wash your hands - and yet they also know the flu is a respiratory illness that's almost 100% spread by inhaling the virus particles via respiratory transmission and not by hand to hand contact.
So much misinformation - but the real info is available.  Please do not believe me - just do your own research.

Chaos at ISU - lack of discipline, criminal behavior..

Wow - one of the ISU basketball team arrested and charged with selling drugs, manufacture & possession...etc...court date TODAY!!!
(are they rushing him to court so he won't miss practice??)

These are FELONY charges  -and not just possession but conspiracy, manufacture, delivery - peddling drugs...
what is going on over there???

Their discipline has historically been amazingly soft - so will it be any different now?
Lots & lots of players have had serious run-in with the law and not even been disciplined.

At least they suspended Geoffrey Allen .. let's see how long he is suspended...
Surely they had to know about him - they went out and recruited the kid to transfer & come to ISU - then lobbied to get the kid immediate eligibility even tho they would be just as good without him.
He should never be allowed to return to either the team or to the school if he's selling drugs.....just what kind of program would allow that?

Some history -
When they had a DUI & underage drinking under Jank (Sampay) they didn't make any move at all until they were outted on the message boards then they suspended the guy overnight then reinstated him the next morning....and he never served a minute or a game of penalty..
Pretty much the same story with Levi Dyer....only when it got brought up on a message board did the press ask Jank and he admitted it had happened but hadn't disciplined the player.

Last year when they had a couple guys arrested after going out drinking all night then beating up an innocent bystander on the street & charged with assault & battery - the players served a single days' suspension in a meaningless, early-season game against hapless SIUE then were immediately reinstated.

I won't even bring up all the players who have court dated for ordinance violations, driving without licenses, and ignoring and missing other court dates and neglecting their fines...
Four different players have court dates within the next couple weeks for these issues - FOUR!!  That's 1/3 of the team in just one given month!!!
And people there seem to spend all their worries on a Bradley player using a crude tweet or girlfriend spat.

More Attendance Woes - Going to Get worse

I know some don't want to hear about it or pretend it's not happening...so sorry to bring up the attendance issue again...but I have a bad feeling about the two weekday games next week...

Be prepared - now we are reaching the games that historically have a dropoff due to weather, holiday events, people being out of town for Christmas, students gone, band will be fill-ins, and last-but-not-least really, really crappy opponents.
We have Georgia Southern & Mississippi Valley State coming in next week - teams whose names aren't going to cause a rush to the box office....
if the crowds we're seeing now of only 6000 (with 1500-2000 empty seats) are disappointing and start causing finger-pointing, then we'd better get ready for even more finger pointing.

Several other threads suggest reasons for the near record low attendances...
I have read some people who blame the fans and say they've sorta gotten old and don't care..or blame the students....or the younger fans for not appreciating tradition or being fickle...
both of these are ridiculous...it's like any other business trying to increase sales coming out openly and blaming their customers....that sure isn't going to work and make them more appealing!

Then, of course we had the multiple columns in which the press has tried to lay all the blame on people who haven't even been here in 2, 3, and 4 years.
KW's column repeatedly went back to as far as 2007 and tried to claim it was the losses, the scheduling, the personalities, the players, the "issues", etc...
Really?? 

But it is so incredibly easy to blow that argument away because the attendance, the big crowds, the sellouts & 10K+ crowds didn't really all disappear until the past two years!
And how can the highest ranked team in all of history come in to our house and NOT be a sellout???  Close maybe, but still obviously several hundred shy of a sellout.  We used to sell out for DePaul!!
Just a couple years ago - crowds of 11,597 showed up for Michigan State & ISU and there were no empty seats & no-shows!!
Now we're even seeing a NEW benchmark we had also never seen before - on nights that BOTH BU & ISU both play at home, they are outdrawing us!!!  Is anyone noticing all this or are they too busy looking to blame KK or JL?

These mid-December non-conference games are a decent measure by which we can compare the past few years.
Of course back in 2005, 2006, 2007 we were drawing 8,000, 9,000, and even 10,000 for relatively obscure opponents in even some no name non-con games!
In 2008 we drew over 11,000 but that was for VCU - a little better known opponent but it was still well before VCU was a Final Four team.
In 2009 - even really obscure opponents that people generally stay home in droves for such as SEMO & SIUE drew well over 9,000 just the week before Christmas (remember - we're getting just over 6,000 announced but way fewer in reality).

As recently as 2009-2010 we were still drawing 9,000-10,000 for games right this time of year with competition from seasonal events all around town and for opponents as obscure as Western Carolina...

EIU, Jackson State, and Utah just two years ago drew crowds of well over 7000 up to 9000.
But now we see the biggest single-year dropoff in attendances...this year we're seeing consistently over 1000 less at these early season games........ 6300 to 6600 and next week is sure isn't going to get any better.

The problem is getting serious and the fingers are being pointed in the wrong direction.  Our kids, especially the seniors deserve to have the big crowds, the sellouts......we need to make it happen.....

Attendance woes II

Last Tuesday both Bradley & ISU played home games and ISU outdrew Bradley in attendance 

considerably...........

......... and this may be the very first time ever that has happened...BU's attendance numbers 

are getting noticably smaller and perhaps because the very people who wanted all the changes 

we have seen - simply don't want the blame - they are keeping silent about the empty arena!

Which all the more says that it is foolish to take Bradley's awesome fans and longtime local

fan-interest for granted...

some of these crowds, as I have said, are perhaps the smallest Bradley home crowds since 

we played in the armory....so why isn't that getting a bit more attention and why isn't there 

a little bit more effort to halt the skids???

Is this not a classic example of THE FANS ARE SPEAKING and nobody's listening...
One more time - if a ship is steering right for the rocks and is about wreck then why are people

either ignoring it or blaming the guy who was one of the crew members two years ago?

Perhaps when the home crowds drop under 3200 then someone besides me will wake up 

and take notice.....oops, may be too late.......I guess it already happened....

BU attendance woes

It didn't get much mention in the press but the PAID ATTENDANCE of 6313 at the GWU game represents the smallest paid attendance at regularly scheduled Bradley home game (not the NIT games - not the alternate-arena Ren-Col games) and the worst ever at the Civic Center...for a long, long time......
... a really long time!
Even the snow game had a substantially better "paid attendance"..

We are dangerously close to slipping under 6000 (although with no-shows we're already way under 5000!) in paid attendance and thus we'll be seeing ISU-like numbers for home crowds soon!!!

Once we're under 6000 we're in totally uncharted territory - never seen in the downtown Carver Arena...

The 6313 is not only the lowest this year - but way lower even than any home crowd at Carver last year - BY FAR - with no crowd last year even under 7000.
In JL's last year we really only had one crowd (of over 7,200) that was substantially even under 8,000!

...and people blamed JL for the low attendance back when it was 7,000 - 8,000!!!
You can't blame the captain from two years ago who isn't piloting the ship any longer - when you have a shipwreck NOW!!!!

The 6313 may even be smaller than most of the crowds ever at the Fieldhouse but I don't know all those figures...
does anyone know??
It could well be one of the smallest paid crowd for D-I game at Bradley in 50 or 60 years - maybe going back to the Armory!
Even the games in the lowest of the Albeck era still are generally all upper 6000 to 7000's...

BUT does this surprise anyone - it seems to surprise some but not me - as some have been predicting this exact thing for nearly TWO YEARS!

I guess what I am surprised by is...
that this fact is NOT more disconcerting to many - it sure is to me -- I am at every game.....where's everyone else...
especially those who are such uninformed critics who called for the changes we have seen the past couple years -- this is what they've asked for and yet now they're all MIA....

I am doing all I can and bring 6 or so to every Bradley game - even buying extra tickets to bring extras to the Michigan game - all the while some of those most DUMBFOUNDED - and without explanation for the tiny crowds are those pseudo-fans and endless whiners on a lesser frequented message board who are uninformed and who call everyone they don't agree with "morons".

Just a little more info about the Mooseheart HS situation that the media isn't mentioning

An Illinois high school named Mooseheart is being accused of recruiting players and yet almost all the press coverage is about the mean old other school that is objecting to Mooseheart's use of illegally recruited players because they are dirt poor and come from Africa. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/batavia/ct-met-mooseheart-red-ramblers--1204-20121204,0,5091694.story ................................................................................................. -first this is NOT about race nor Africa nor any other issue other than whether the school, Mooseheart, follows the rules that THEY agreed to follow when they became members of IHSA.. it's really kinda shameful that their defense is to allege racism rather than stand up for what hey have done and be honest. ................................................................................................. -Mooseheart also drags up irrelevant arguments about a cross country student, about the timing of the claims, and arguments about how the information on their students was obtained. They seem to NEVER ONCE deny that the info IS TRUE and that they specifically used athletic abilities to determine which African kids to "recruit" and bring to the school. They claim the info was obtained under false pretenses... but the only false pretenses here are coming from Mooseheart - who never reveal the facts willingly - and now they are mad that someone found out the facts by tricking them into thinking they were giving the facts for a survey. ................................................................................................. -since when is Hinckley Mooseheart's "archrival" and why does Mooseheart make that claim as if it thus nullifies Hinckley's desire to see fairness and expect Mooseheart use LEGAL and qualified student-athletes. the schools are 20 miles apart - about as far apart as Notre Dame & Lowpoint-Washburn, and they only compete in a few sports ...... ................................................................................................. -so what if Hinckley was partly involved in requesting that IHSA check into the recruited athletes...after all IHSA has NEVER instituted such an investigation on their own and they AL:WAYS enlist the action of member schools to help identify this kind of abuse of the rules. Virtually every investigation IHSA ever pursues to check on use of ineligible kids is at the request of another school - generally some other competing school. ................................................................................................. -and why shouldn't IHSA use evidence such as quotes and facts THAT APPEAR IN NEWSPAPERS? Isn't that how they found out that the head coach of Hales had been illegally recruiting kids from other schools - because he actually said so in an interview? ................................................................................................. -is it not quite interesting that the very person cited and quoted as funnelling those kids to Mooseheart and arranging for their tuition to be paid - is also the exact same person that a totally separate athletic organization, NCAA, also found had illegally paid money in behalf of, covered expenses, then funneled top prospects to University of Indiana, Mark Adams? I am sure Mooseheart WOULD HAVE NEVER USED Mark Adams as a reference and character witness except that this document was from March of 2012 - before the NCAA caught Adams acting illegally as an agent to funnel talent to IU. ........................................................................................ -lastly - whether the story about bringing Sudanese kids to America tugs at your heartstrings or now - you have to seriously wonder why every Sudanese kid they seem to bring here JUST HAPPENS to be 6-7 or even 7-feet and play basketball! If they were just randomly bringing over Sudanese kids unrelated to their athletic ability then using Mark Adams or the fact that all the kids are enormously tall make a mockery out of that claim. ................................................................................................. Independent of all the tear-jerking stories here - the IHSA found strong evidence to prove that Mooseheart... "acted "for athletic purposes" and "was seeking out athletes, and basketball players in particular"