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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 22, 2015 12:34:28 GMT -6
I think BW has a good shot with Bradley, since he and his staff have strong ties to the Chicago public schools. BU is a basketball mad school with no football program to compete with. Even with a bad team this season, BU averaged 6000+ fans each home game in an 11,000 seat arena. BW would have a LOT more resources to work with. Even if DePaul offered the HC job to BW, he would have more competition for that job (Bobby Hurley?, Archie Miller? Or do they make a run at Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens?). Although DePaul is getting a new arena, will they draw more that what they have been (at Allstate Arena/Rosemount Horizon)? Like GB, DePaul is a commuter campus. At Bradley, if BW got them back on the winning track, they may sell out Carver Arena again. That might not be the case at DePaul (at the new McCormack Place). Intriguing that NKU fired their HC....I don't think Bohtof would hire BW to a budding D1 program.....but what's to say he asks Brian Barone about the job? The new Bradley AD, Chris Reynolds, is an Indiana guy, and I'd bet he goes hard after Dane Fife. The rumor mill has Bradley firing Geno Ford in the next day or so and hiring Jerrance Howard of Kansas right away. He is one of the top recruiters in the country and is from Peoria. He was picked up with weed last year so he may have a little dance to do for the fans and media right away if he is hired. www.kuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=712
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 22, 2015 12:37:08 GMT -6
With UIC going with McClain, Bradley leaning towards Jerrance Howard and DePaul leaning Ben Howland there will need to be a lot of other movement for Wardle to land somewhere else. Right now I don't see anything that screams his name.
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Post by gbbrl97 on Mar 23, 2015 7:09:29 GMT -6
I'm surprised that UIC went with McClain; He's an outsider, but then again Moore was a Chicago guy and barely got UIC out of the HL basement. If he's going to have any impact on that program he will have to get in bed (metaphorically) with the Chicago Public League HS coaches and the AAU directors. This will even be more important on whoever gets the DePaul job.....McClain has a lot of roots in the IA and KS JC ranks, so I could see him build things quickly especially if you have emerging programs at Northwestern, DePaul, and Loyola and will take time to establish relationships with the Chicago HS ranks. I saw one story that Howland is the top candidate for the Miss. St. job...... espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/12539192/ben-howland-front-runner-vacant-mississippi-state-bulldogs-job-college-basketball The last few years at UCLA and the massive amounts of player and coaching staff turnover should tell you something. With Howard being a hometown guy I can see him being at Bradley, but with the Kent State contract baggage that Geno Ford brought with him (he owes 1.2 mil to Kent State; hope he put some money aside), I'm sure Bradley wants a coach with zero baggage and have the focus on rebuilding Bradley Basketball. We'll see how that plays out.
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Post by shooting the J on Mar 23, 2015 18:01:41 GMT -6
Rumors of Wardle to Bradley are heating up. Interesting times.
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Post by gbbrl97 on Mar 24, 2015 7:28:43 GMT -6
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 24, 2015 8:16:48 GMT -6
I just go by what I read but Fife seems like the guy for Bradley. Wardle seems like the back up plan.
They have been told 1 day to weeks for announcement. That seems like the guy they want is still coaching.
Rumor is the guy they want had more conference wins by age 35 than ford had in total. That would be fife or wardle.
Fans of the valley want a team built on defense and shooting. That leans more fife.
I guess Calbert Chaney is coming with Fife. That would line up with hiring an AD with Indiana ties.
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Post by knightlife920 on Mar 24, 2015 10:04:26 GMT -6
Has Wardle interviewed for the position or is it merely speculative?
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Post by knightlife920 on Mar 24, 2015 10:33:31 GMT -6
From what I've been reading it sounds like if Fife isn't hired by today, then the talk will be redirected back to Wardle. Everyone on the Bradley forums is clamoring for Fife and there is even a slight mention of Augustana coach Grey Giovanine, the guy has a .710 win percentage for god's sake, why not take a look at him. Not too much excitement from the fans about Wardle at all...
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Post by knightlife920 on Mar 24, 2015 14:10:09 GMT -6
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Post by shooting the J on Mar 24, 2015 14:30:18 GMT -6
Bradleyfans.com might have better info. Many there are excited about the idea of Wardle and Barone. Brian Barone's dad was once a big thing in the MVC.
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Post by can opener man on Mar 24, 2015 18:13:10 GMT -6
Barone would be a top candidate for the gb job. If wardel leaves. Barone possibly wouldn't follow him
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 25, 2015 17:26:27 GMT -6
From what I've been reading it sounds like if Fife isn't hired by today, then the talk will be redirected back to Wardle. Everyone on the Bradley forums is clamoring for Fife and there is even a slight mention of Augustana coach Grey Giovanine, the guy has a .710 win percentage for god's sake, why not take a look at him. Not too much excitement from the fans about Wardle at all... I have read every page on PJStar and Bradley Fans. There are plenty of fans who are excited about Wardle, plenty who wouldn't be opposed and plenty who have other picks they like better. There are several who don't think Bradley is a good enough job to land Wardle.
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Post by gbbrl97 on Mar 26, 2015 6:31:26 GMT -6
In terms of conference affiliation and budget, BU is a 1/2 step up from GB. They have been a bad program since their Sweet 16 run in 2006, but in a small, basketball-centric city like Peoria, IL is, BW can get that program going again, with a budget that would be larger than any team in the HL and only #2 to Wichita State in the MVC. He can easily triple is base salary there. TK increased his salary 2-3 times by going to Toledo and I'm sure they don't have the BB budget like Bradley has. And there is no football at Bradley to compete with (college or pro). Bradley can go for a mid-major guy like Wardle and not have to pay him the $$ versus one of the guys recently fired from a Power 5 job (Herb Sendek and Anthony Grant for example).
If he can be successful in recruiting in the Chicago area and in IN like he has been recently, and the fact that the MVC is a perennial 2-bid and sometimes 3-bid) league, BW can succeed there.
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 29, 2015 19:44:03 GMT -6
Just closing the loop on DePaul. They hired Dave Leitao back as their head coach. It makes a ton of sense for him but I am stunned that DePaul didn't aim higher. I like Leitao but more for a mid major job, which I guess DePaul is now! He isn't a young up and comer. He isn't an established high major winner. He coaches defense, his guys play hard and he has some connections in Chicago. As a GB fan if we hired Leitao I would say nice hire. If I were a DePaul I would be cautiously optimistic at best. www.depaulbluedemons.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/032915aab.html
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Post by gbbrl97 on Mar 29, 2015 20:07:48 GMT -6
A surprising hire, but the last time DePaul saw the NCAA/NIT was under Leitao's watch.....With the new McCormick Place coming online in a couple years, he could get this ship turned around.
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