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Author Topic: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job  (Read 43237 times)

VegasWarrior77

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Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« on: March 23, 2015, 09:21:36 PM »
http://phearthephoenix.webs.com/apps/blog/show/43192921-brian-wardle-a-potential-candidate-for-bradley-job
Posted by Brian Dickmann on March 23, 2015 at 9:05 PM

Green Bay Phoenix head coach Brian Wardle is being mentioned as a possible replacement for Geno Ford at Bradley University.

Ford was fired Sunday after compiling a 46-86 record in four years at Bradley. The Braves are coming off a 9-24 season in which they finished last in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Wardle is mentioned among 5 potential candidates for the position, including Michigan State assistant and former IPFW head coach Dane Fife, former Indiana and current Texas Southern head coach Mike Davis, recently fired Alabama head coach Anthony Grant, and South Dakota State head coach Scott Nagy.

Wardle signed a 5-year contract last April after leading Green Bay to its first Horizon League regular season championship since 1996. The extension included a bump in base pay up to $230,000 with other possible incentive-based increases. He earned a $3,000 bonus for reaching the NIT this season which could've gone up to $10,000 had the Phoenix reached the semi-finals.

While on the surface it may seem like a lateral move at best to move from a winning Horizon League program like Green Bay to a team that has finished below .500 in 4 of the last 5 seasons and hasn't finished in the top half of the MVC since 2009-2010, Bradley would offer an increase in competition as well as a return to Wardle's home state of Illinois.

There's also the money. Geno Ford was making triple that of Wardle with a base salary of $700,000 that could have escalated to $900,000 with incentives. Bradley is committed to men's basketball, spending the 2nd most in the Missouri Valley Conference behind only Wichita State.  Their $3.8 million in 2013 is more than double than that of Green Bay, who spent $1,399,814.

We shouldn't have to wait long for news regarding the Bradley coaching search. A source told the Peoria Journal Star that Bradley's new director of athletics Chris Reynolds "told the current BU players on Sunday that a new head coach would be in place soon, possibly as quickly as within two days."

Wardle has also been mentioned as a possibility for the head coach opening at DePaul, though they seem to have their sights set on Buffalo head coach Bobby Hurley or Valparaiso's Bryce Drew.

Wardle is 95-65 in five seasons as head coach at Green Bay, leading the Phoenix to NIT bids the past two seasons.
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." Albert Einstein

Avenue Commons

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2015, 09:33:44 PM »
Peoria vs Green Bay is probably a push as well. If it wasn't for the money, I'd stay put. But that's a big bump.
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VegasWarrior77

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2015, 09:38:40 PM »
Peoria vs Green Bay is probably a push as well. If it wasn't for the money, I'd stay put. But that's a big bump.

He can triple his salary and go back to his home state.  Also Bradley spends the second most on hoops in the conference behind only Wichita State.  Can you say no brainer?
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martyconlonontherun

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2015, 09:40:23 PM »
If you are a young coach like that and get a guaranteed 2 mil contract over 3 years in a better conference, you need to take it. You can always find a spot back in the horizon league if needed.

Avenue Commons

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2015, 09:40:48 PM »
I hear you, I'm just not a big believer in forever being on the move. Sometimes you need to stay and build and then when you make a jump it's not to Bradley.
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VegasWarrior77

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2015, 10:25:26 PM »
Isn't living in GB five years enough?

Season   School   Conf   G   W   L   W-L%   
2010-11   Green Bay    Horizon   32   14   18   .438               
2011-12   Green Bay    Horizon   30   15   15   .500               
2012-13   Green Bay    Horizon   34   18   16   .529               
2013-14   Green Bay    Horizon   31   24   7   .774               
2014-15   Green Bay    Horizon   33   24   9   .727               
Career     Green Bay  Horizon   160   95   65   .594            
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Dr. Blackheart

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2015, 10:47:59 PM »
Isn't living in GB five years enough?

Season   School   Conf   G   W   L   W-L%   
2010-11   Green Bay    Horizon   32   14   18   .438               
2011-12   Green Bay    Horizon   30   15   15   .500               
2012-13   Green Bay    Horizon   34   18   16   .529               
2013-14   Green Bay    Horizon   31   24   7   .774               
2014-15   Green Bay    Horizon   33   24   9   .727               
Career     Green Bay  Horizon   160   95   65   .594            

Brian has been there since 2005 though as an assistant and head coach. Time to broaden his portfolio.  With Ford's buy-out and the cost of the others, pretty sure it is Brian's job for the taking.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2015, 11:06:24 PM by Dr. Blackheart »

Pakuni

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2015, 10:48:49 PM »
Peoria vs Green Bay is probably a push as well. If it wasn't for the money, I'd stay put. But that's a big bump.

Peoria may be a push with Green Bay, but Bradley is better than UWGB.
Although Bradley hasn't fully exploited it of late, and it may not be what it used to be, Peoria is fertile recruiting territory, and also a reasonable distance from St. Louis and Chicago.
Also, MVC >>> Horizon. Most years, the MVC is a multi-bid league in which getting upset in the conference tourney won't necessarily ruin an otherwise tournament-worthy season. In the Horizon, winning the conference tourney is pretty much the only way into the NCAAs.
FWIW (likely not much), Bradley is much better academically, as well.
Bradley has been an underachiever for most of the past 20+ years, whereas Green Bay may be maxed out right now.

rocky_warrior

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2015, 10:55:50 PM »
I hear you, I'm just not a big believer in forever being on the move. Sometimes you need to stay and build and then when you make a jump it's not to Bradley.

Lets say you live in Green bay and make $200k/yr.  A respectable living in Green Bay I imagine.  But then you get a Job offer in Peoria for $600k/year.  With nearly the same cost of living...you consider it right?  With a 3 year contract, you would have to work 9 more years in Green Bay to get to the same income.

To me, it's almost a no-brainer.  But everyone's personal situation is different.

ChicosBailBonds

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2015, 10:57:50 PM »
Lets say you live in Green bay and make $200k/yr.  A respectable living in Green Bay I imagine.  But then you get a Job offer in Peoria for $600k/year.  With nearly the same cost of living...you consider it right?  With a 3 year contract, you would have to work 9 more years in Green Bay to get to the same income.

To me, it's almost a no-brainer.  But everyone's personal situation is different.

Yeah, but it's Illinois....

brewcity77

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2015, 11:24:43 PM »
Also, if he finishes top two or three in the MVC, he has a shot at a bid, whereas in the Horizon he has to win the tourney. Bradley would be a big step up. Not on paper, but in terms of money and potential it's a much better job.
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Warrior Code

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2015, 01:28:26 AM »
As a Peoria native (and sometimes follower of Bradley basketball) and Marquette alum, I'd like to see Wardle get the job. As others have said, the pay increase alone may be worth it, particularly if he feels he won't be getting any larger offers in the next couple years. There are always good players in the Peoria area, and if you can snag a couple under-the-radar kids from Chicago, you may be onto something. I don't know if this is true for Green Bay, but Peoria is a great basketball town and the fans will return in droves if you put a winner on the court. Lastly, I know I'm biased, but Peoria seems like the better town to me unless you are a die hard cheesehead.


Fun fact: Bradley plays in an off campus arena downtown (I wonder where I've heard that before?) so alcohol is sold at the games.
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WarriorFan

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2015, 03:15:02 AM »
Good luck if he goes, but Bradley hasn't been important in basketball since Hershey Hawkins.  The local high schools aren't very good educationally so many of the local players cannot qualify, so they end up recruiting Chicago and St. Louis against a plethora of more attractive options.  The campus is a desperate place and the training facilities are nothing special.  The "Peoria Civic Center Arena" does seat about 10k and Bradley used to draw a good crowd, but it's not really walking distance from campus and attendance lately has been so poor that they couldn't even fill up their 4000 seat on campus arena when they tried one game there last year.

If I were Wardle, I'd wait for something better, even for 3x the money. 
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PuertoRicanNightmare

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2015, 04:24:44 AM »
I don't understand the home state angle. Isn't he from Hinsdale? Peoria is like a different continent. Not even close. It's like saying I'm from Milwaukee, therefore I would like to live in Eau Claire.

My God, Bradley has been horrible for a long time. I gotta say, if Jim Les couldn't get that turned around, I doubt Wardle can.

jsglow

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2015, 07:56:16 AM »
Bradley is a very solid university.  Wardle's move their could signal solid improvement for the program and make them a regular tourney contender.  As others have said, Brian could have any gig he wants back in the Horizon.  Seems like a smart move to me putting him one step closer to a major opportunity if he's successful.

GGGG

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2015, 08:01:37 AM »
Good luck if he goes, but Bradley hasn't been important in basketball since Hershey Hawkins.  The local high schools aren't very good educationally so many of the local players cannot qualify, so they end up recruiting Chicago and St. Louis against a plethora of more attractive options.  The campus is a desperate place and the training facilities are nothing special.  The "Peoria Civic Center Arena" does seat about 10k and Bradley used to draw a good crowd, but it's not really walking distance from campus and attendance lately has been so poor that they couldn't even fill up their 4000 seat on campus arena when they tried one game there last year.

If I were Wardle, I'd wait for something better, even for 3x the money. 


What exactly is Wardle going to get that's better?  He hasn't gotten to the NCAAs yet, once after being upset at home in the Horizon tournament, and is losing his point guard.  It's not as though big name programs line up to take a guy who runs the second or third best Horizon program.

Bradley is a decent program.  Access to good recruiting.  The spend the money.  One of the best mid-major conferences around.

VegasWarrior77

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #16 on: March 24, 2015, 08:06:19 AM »
A couple of you have made the point that Bradley BB hasn't been relevant for awhile.  That's exactly the reason Wardle SHOULD take the job (along with tripling his pay, better league).  If he succeeds in turning things around his status is greatly improved.

Conversely, I would NOT want to be the first coach to replace coach K.  The success rate of coaches replacing a legend is not great.  I would want to be the coach who replaces the coach who replaced coach K.
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." Albert Einstein

jsglow

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #17 on: March 24, 2015, 08:07:36 AM »

What exactly is Wardle going to get that's better?  He hasn't gotten to the NCAAs yet, once after being upset at home in the Horizon tournament, and is losing his point guard.  It's not as though big name programs line up to take a guy who runs the second or third best Horizon program.

Bradley is a decent program.  Access to good recruiting.  The spend the money.  One of the best mid-major conferences around.

I agree with Sultan.  I once asked Larry Williams if a guy like Brian might be in line for the Northwestern or DePaul jobs and he was quite clear in saying no.  I'd assume he had a pretty good feel for where a guy might land given his position.

MU B2002

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #18 on: March 24, 2015, 08:08:44 AM »

Bradley is a decent program.  Access to good recruiting.  The spend the money.  One of the best mid-major conferences around.


Didn't Bradley make the 2nd weekend 5 years ago?  And I know that doesn't make Bradley relevant, but they have had their moments.
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GGGG

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #19 on: March 24, 2015, 08:12:53 AM »

Didn't Bradley make the 2nd weekend 5 years ago?  And I know that doesn't make Bradley relevant, but they have had their moments.


The last time they were in the tournament was 2006 - and they made the Sweet 16 as a 13 seed.

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #20 on: March 24, 2015, 08:34:14 AM »
I hear you, I'm just not a big believer in forever being on the move. Sometimes you need to stay and build and then when you make a jump it's not to Bradley.

If the build isn't going real well, maybe you need to jump while you can.
You actually have a degree from Marquette?

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4everwarriors

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #21 on: March 24, 2015, 09:21:06 AM »
I agree with Sultan.  I once asked Larry Williams if a guy like Brian might be in line for the Northwestern or DePaul jobs and he was quite clear in saying no.  I'd assume he had a pretty good feel for where a guy might land given his position.


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mu03eng

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #22 on: March 24, 2015, 09:33:05 AM »
"A Plan? Oh man, I hate plans. That means were gonna have to do stuff. Can't we just have a strategy......or a mission statement."

MU B2002

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #23 on: March 24, 2015, 09:47:10 AM »

The last time they were in the tournament was 2006 - and they made the Sweet 16 as a 13 seed.


Man that makes me feel old.  Ok, so 9 years ago.
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Pakuni

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Re: Brian Wardle a potential candidate for Bradley job
« Reply #24 on: March 24, 2015, 10:19:29 AM »
Wardle going from Green Bay to Bradley wouldn't be any different than Tod Kowalczyk going from Green Bay to Toledo, would it?
Not a huge jump up the ladder, but still a move up, and winning in the MAC or MVC is more likely to put you in position to land a high-major gig than winning in the Horizon (unless your last name is Drew).