Bradley Train Wreck

by **Valleyball** » November 14th, 2014, 9:04 pm

I thought this was the year we turned things around. It looks really really bad.

:Yea!:

**Sponsor**

by **tribecalledquest** » November 14th, 2014, 9:31 pm

Sorry Valley fans. Bradley has been an anchor to the MVC for going on 10 years. I thought this season would be better.

Through the exhibition season and tonight BU is as sorry as I can remember. I love Geno Ford. I liked the hire. But unless things get drastically better BU will be starting over with a new coach.

It's disappointing, sad, and embarrassing all at the same time.

by **rlh04d** » November 14th, 2014, 9:32 pm

Of all the teams in the Valley, Bradley has the second most resources for competing in basketball. There is absolutely no excuse for that team to not just be bad but getting worse.

Bradley has the budget to be successful. Clean house and try again. A good coach doesn't need over four years to turn a program around.

by **Play Angry** » November 14th, 2014, 9:35 pm

Sorry Braves fans. WSU fans went through something similar with Scott Thompson in the 90s- great hire on paper, nice guy, recruited an excellent inaugural class. Then fell flat on his face.

Keep showing support and a willingness to spend for a good coach. It will work out the next time.

by **rlh04d** » November 14th, 2014, 9:38 pm

Play Angry wrote:Keep showing support and a willingness to spend for a good coach. It will work out the next time.

Just make sure the next time is soon.

Bradley's doing the right things to be successful. But they probably should have cut ties with Ford over the offseason.

by **tribecalledquest** » November 14th, 2014, 9:45 pm

Play Angry wrote:Sorry Braves fans. WSU fans went through something similar with Scott Thompson in the 90s- great hire on paper, nice guy, recruited an excellent inaugural class. Then fell flat on his face.

Keep showing support and a willingness to spend for a good coach. It will work out the next time.

Good point Shox fans. It's hard not to be discouraged.

Man...there is absolutely no formula in hiring a coach. Really. I know Ford wasn't the first BU choice but he made a lot of sense at the time. Sucks because he is such a class act.

by **TheAsianSensation** » November 14th, 2014, 9:53 pm

I'm gonna go hide myself in 7 hours of bracketology work to keep myself from thinking about this debacle.

by **rlh04d** » November 14th, 2014, 10:08 pm

tribecalledquest wrote:Man...there is absolutely no formula in hiring a coach. Really. I know Ford wasn't the first BU choice but he made a lot of sense at the time. Sucks because he is such a class act.

There's definitely no formula.

I would generally look for a coach with more than three years of success, though. Ford came into a Kent State program that was already winning, won with another coach's recruits, and now Kent State is less successful than before he got there. A lot of underachieving coaches seem to get hired in that year three sweet spot, where they're maintaining success that was already there before they arrived.

by **pafan** » November 14th, 2014, 10:21 pm

Yes. There's another coach on the tip of my tongue... got hired away from the Valley, and last I heard was a regional analyst for ESPN... name may rhyme with Geno?

by **squirrel** » November 15th, 2014, 8:53 am

rlh04d wrote:Of all the teams in the Valley, Bradley has the second most resources for competing in basketball. There is absolutely no excuse for that team to not just be bad but getting worse.

Bradley has the budget to be successful. Clean house and try again. A good coach doesn't need over four years to turn a program around.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say if there is a change short-term, there will be a significant cut in the next coach's salary. Bradley has invested heavily in athletics across the board, and while there has been some modest improvement, there hasn't been significant enough growth to justify continuing in that way.

With enrollment continuing to decline, they will likely be forced to pare back the salary structure. It will still be competitive with the league but not where it currently is.