As I've been saying since last May ...

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<p align="left">Here's a six-pack to toast the New Year, before it grows old.

1. Still in development

Bradley's basketball season shouldn't have derailed so easily with the loss of senior point guard Daniel Ruffin, who is out indefinitely with a sports hernia. But the Braves' struggles should not be a surprise.

I repeat here what I first wrote in May and repeated countless times, in print and correspondence and conversation, over the next six months: Bradley's success hinged on the development of seven Division I virgins.

BU returned only four players who played significant minutes last season, and one of those - Andrew Warren - averaged fewer than seven minutes over the final seven games of Missouri Valley play. The Braves would have to rely on three freshmen and four junior-college transfers for big contributions this season. As things have turned out, one freshman (Anthony Thompson) is being redshirted, and only junior Theron Wilson and freshman Sam Maniscalco have proven themselves reliable.

That's not to say the others won't come around. But history shows us it might be the end of this season, or maybe even next season, before they do.

In Jim Les' six seasons as BU coach, the only two jucos to hit the ground running, with a fairly seamless transition, have been Tony Bennett in 2004-05, and Wilson this season. All the freshmen have struggled through their debut seasons; even Ruffin.

That's no rap on Les. That's the way it is all over college basketball. Very few first-year players in Division I have a consistent, positive impact on their teams. Most need a year or more to "get it."

For a deeper look at this subject, check out my Captain's Blog at pjstar.com, on "Bradley's seven virgins."

2. Valley chat

Two things I learned Tuesday night in Normal, while chatting with MVC officiating coordinator Jim "Boomer" Bain:

(BOX) The reason for so many more Tuesday night games this season is to have access to a larger pool of quality refs. As more teams in the so-called power conferences schedule Wednesday games, the best refs gravitate there. Their availability is greater on Tuesdays.

(BOX) The Valley has approved special protective head gear for Wichita State point guard Matt Braeuer, who has missed the Shockers' past three games with a concussion. Bain said Braeuer will wear a headband-like contraption with a gel interior to cushion his skull from direct hits - after doctors clear him to return to action.

3. What if ... ?

Based on the evidence and testimony at hand, I would vote to convict Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens of steroid use, if they were to stand trial in court and face such charges. Which, we know, they can't and won't.

But one thing gnaws at me. What if they're telling the truth? What if they never touched a performance-enhancing substance, knowingly or unknowingly? How could they possibly prove their innocence? How could anyone?

4. Bowled over

Why is it so end-of-the-planet important that Division I college football have a "real" national champion? Seriously, wasn't everyone a lot happier and calmer when the season ended on New Year's Day, with a 13-hour extravaganza of bowl games?

The current BCS setup is more controversial than the old system ever was. A playoff won't solve that. A four-team playoff will leave three or four teams griping they were snubbed. An eight-team setup will double those complaints.

Is it really too late to turn back the clock and regain some sanity?

5. No arguments

The lead story in Thursday's Journal Star Sports section reported on the election of five former athletes to the Bradley Hall of Fame. The story also called inductee Aaron Zobrist "arguably the most popular and productive walk-on in Braves men's basketball history."

Um ...

As Joe Stowell would say, "Aaron was a fine player." But Roger Phegley (2,064 career points, all-American, first-round NBA draftee) was the most popular and productive walk-on in BU hoops history.

And that's not arguable.

6. Coming soon

I hear ESPN plans to have a crew here Monday and Tuesday next week to do major work on its planned feature on the late Danny Dahlquist and the Bradley soccer saga. Jeremy Schaap is said to be the network reporter for the piece.

KIRK WESSLER is executive sports editor/columnist with the Journal Star. Contact him at kwessler@pjstar.com, or (309) 686-3216.

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