Bradley gives Les the boot

[Ace Dad]

Recruiting is based on five facts:

1. What is the need?

2. What is the school's pedigree?

3. What is the conference pedigree?

4. What is the coach's reputation?

5. What type of basketball do they play?

Dane Fife has access to average D1 potential players because he coaches in an average program in an average conference.

If he moves to an above average program, he then gets to recruit above average players.

Again, the guy walks into your living room and you know he was a high school All American who played in a top conference, he will be able to hold his own against most coaches, but not the Coach Ks or Bobby Knights of the world.

[pafan]

Dane Fife is an interesting conversation starter, and I wouldn't mind seeing another Bobby Knight clone in the Valley, but I don't think he's the guy for BU. Its one thing to try to build a program from scratch, but its another to take a slightly tarnished program such as Bradley and apply polish. The Bradley team of 2009 was one more recruit away from the top of the Valley, right?

[BradleyBrave]

Dane Fife is an interesting conversation starter, and I wouldn't mind seeing another Bobby Knight clone in the Valley, but I don't think he's the guy for BU. Its one thing to try to build a program from scratch, but its another to take a slightly tarnished program such as Bradley and apply polish. The Bradley team of 2009 was one more recruit away from the top of the Valley, right?

I'm not sure Fife is the guy either, but I could get behind him. You know he's likely got bigger ideas for his coaching career than Bradley, so he'll be busting his @ss to win big as soon as he can.

How is BU 'slightly tarnished'? Because we fired a guy or because we were on probation a few years ago?

[tribecalledquest]

I love Dane Fife as muchas anyone. Not sure how well he will handle the jump in competition...right now from the gist of his recruiting I get he is basically living off the fact that he is Dane Fife...Just sayin' may not be the right time for Dane Fife...

Not sure I understand why anyone would question the "jump in competition?" He was a top high school player and probably knows a thing or two about basketball talent. The guy played "high" D1 basketball, coached "high" D1 basketball, and is now coaching D1 basketball:

"Fife played basketball and football for Clarkston High School in Clarkston, Michigan. In basketball, he was coached by his father, Dan Fife. After his senior season in 1998, he was named Mr. Basketball of Michigan over runner-up Antonio Gates,[2] and was also named a McDonald's All-American and Parade All-American. A blue-chip recruit in basketball and also a star quarterback, Fife was recruited to play both sports in college. He ultimately committed to play basketball for Indiana University under head coach Bob Knight. He chose Indiana over Duke and Michigan, where his father had played baseball and his older brother Dugan had played basketball. Fife became a vocal supporter of Knight[3], and nearly transferred from the team following the coach's firing in 2000.

"Fife spent two seasons as an assistant coach to Mike Davis at Indiana University before becoming the Mastodons head coach. During his time as an assistant, he concurrently earned a master's degree in athletic administration."

Point was that Idk if he will be able to recruit players at a high enough level...I mean he is at the summitt league which is a bit different than the MVC...I would just think he needs a little bit more time in the oven before he jumps up to the MVC...not enough experience.

I would have taken the players on the Oakland and Oral Roberts any day of the week.

[pafan]

Slightly tarnished in that the last guy (Les) wasn't the dedicated butler that BU faithful were looking for.

[BradleyBrave]

Slightly tarnished in that the last guy (Les) wasn't the dedicated butler that BU faithful were looking for.

Gotcha. I might go as far as to say we're tarnished because anyone who does any homework on BU sees that our last hiring process what a complete sham. However, it is a completely different administration now, so the hope is we redeem ourselves with this one.

[getreal4]

Does Bradley have the financial resources to hire Sydney Johnson?

[BradleyBrave]

Does Bradley have the financial resources to hire Sydney Johnson?

Currently versus what he's being paid at Princeton, yes I believe we do. Although had he beaten Kentucky he may have priced himself out of our range...if he hasn't already.