Comments

JoeyD

No offense, but that’s the exact attitude that kills programs. It’s 12 games in. Give the guy a break. Who didn’t think Wake would be a rebuilding project this year? I’m sure glad you speak for everyone…

The comment about The Lobo-Grobe connection doesn’t fit. That’s not giving the head coach heat. I commented on that post and I said that if Lobo is the problem and Grobe stick up for him then so be it. If a man can’t see the error of his ways and change accordingly, it’s time for him to go.

I agree I don’t think Bzz was the right hire. I think a young and vibrant face was needed, but that’s not what we have. How much could Dino have done with this team? We barely made the NCAA tournament with a veteran roster and a lottery pick a year ago. Now we rely on freshman, non-spectacular soph’s and Gary Clark and people are wondering why this team is bad? It is bad. The Coach and Players deserve the criticism they get. But Wake football went to a bowl for three years and won an ACC championship. Can you honestly tell me that the expectations vary that greatly between sports? And I mean now, not 20 years ago.

All I am saying is that NO ONE is giving Bzz a chance. No one, not even Dan. That’s what I’m saying. Patience is a virtue. However it isn’t something a high profile NCAA coach sees a lot of. I say give the man his time to get things going. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY to judge a coach by half a season. It’s impossible and certainly not fair in any way whatsoever.

Go Deacs and also, once again, Go Dan. This is a great blog and a great school. But lets be realistic here and let’s keep our wits about us.

Thomas on 12/30/2010 (5:35 pm)

Thomas,

We are all on the same page and we are all sticking together. We all believe Jeff Bzdelik has our program seriously underperforming and that he, along with AD Ron Wellman as a result of his decision to hire hime in such a hasty fashion, needs to be dismissed as head coach before more damage can be done.

Wake nation has a singular theme.

JoeyD on 12/30/2010 (2:00 pm)

Deacon,

I am not sure I understand your explanation for firing Dino. I was not happy either with his performance, but when you fire a coach you always replace with better personnel. OK, I am willing to say it, this appears to be nothing more than a pay off or pay back situation.
When are the alumni which I am stop accepting a winning program every 4 to 5 years. Its true, Jim Grobe spoiled us with 2/3 years of competitive football.  But its time   for our school to be on the level of Duke and North carolina, we are tired of always playing second fiddle to them on a consistant basis. Oh yes I will always support the team but Ron Welman, its time for you to move on. Your decisions lately are clouded with corruption.

Tony C on 12/30/2010 (9:53 am)

I can’t believe oour new president, Brother Hatch, the Notre Dame guy, will continue to pay out millions to coaches who never win. Revise Bezeldik’s contract or buy him out and let someone, anyone, take over. Larue. Randolph Childress (if he can be found). Tim Duncan,whose career with the Spurs has reached mid-life crisis. Football? Maybe the ghost of Bear Bryant is available.

Hunter James on 12/30/2010 (9:39 am)

Hey Tony C - Dino was fired for getting the team to this point, no control over players, and a thuggish aura over our reputation as one of the Big Four… This IS Dino’s team, and maybe its a shame he isnt here to get the level of non-support that Bzdelik is getting.

Otherwise, the lack of a point guard and NO INSIDE GAME is so painfully obvious… I mean Ty “5-Star Recruit” Walker plays 17 minutes and goes 0-1 from the field, has 5 rebounds, and no fouls????  We need to free up this scholarship and cut the last remaining dead weight from the Prosser/Gaudio super recruiting class… Geez, Phil Medlin and Ralph Kitley could outplay this kid, he is pathetic…

I personally think that we are those teams that we always beat.  Our so-called talent level is just not up to ACC level with the exception of the freshmen who show “potential” but remain freshmen.  We look like the teams we used to beat with no point guard or player taller than 6’7” in the middle…

Time to buck up and take one below the belt this year.  We are in full blown rebuild mode and its not going to be pretty and not going to turn around in one year.  This is a three to four year process, boys and girls, and each one of us either needs to support the team or get off the bus…

Im in Staak mode now, I just want to upset one of the other Big Four sometime this year…

The Deacon on 12/29/2010 (10:40 pm)

Thomas,

I’ll give you one example.  Those posting on this blog have been (rightfully, in my humble opinion) critical of Coach Lobotzke over the last few years.  Dan devoted an entire blog post and numerous other comments to essentially say, “Wait a minute.  If you people have a problem with the offensive coordinator, don’t you also have a problem with the main man?” 

That’s just the first thing that popped into my head about an instance where Dan was not shy about raising the issue of holding Jim Grobe accountable for the football team’s disappointing results.  Now, your contention is that he his comments about the football team’s disappointments have not had as much sting?  That’s a little too subjective for me. 

But I will point out that expectations cloud the comparison between the football program and the basketball program.  Is it even possible for the football team to humiliate itself as much as the basketball team did by losing to Stetson, UNCW, and Presbyterian?!  An 0-12 season would not even be as outrageous.  So for just a second I will grant the premise that Dan has been less critical of the football team than he has been of the basketball team under Coach Bzdelik.  Is that evidence of bias?  Or is it simply recognizing the reality that the goal post (pardon the pun) are further away for the basketball team?  I don’t know. 

I will say that 2011 is a big year for Coach Grobe and the football team though.  I don’t know about Dan, but I know that I will be more critical if the team doesn’t show demonstrable improvement.

DC on 12/29/2010 (10:09 pm)

Achilles heel - defense!  Three great runs to get back in the game, but they just couldn’t play the defense necessary to get over the top.  If they can start making some headway with the D, there might be hope.  They had the fight in them tonight, which is a good sign.

DBCooper on 12/29/2010 (10:04 pm)

Stonewall, I completely agree with your assessment on the Xavier game.  Of course there were a number of mistakes that must be mitigated over the course of the year.  But you did get the sense that the players were competing, which is a huge positive for a young team that has struggled.  Of course, you can’t say that about the Presbyterian game that followed.  Even on an off night, we should have been able to win that game by ten based on the talent disparity alone. 

So even the best possible outcome to the game tonight (blowing out Richmond) would only confirm that we have enough talent to beat good teams.  But that outcome would not really tell us whether this group has the collective drive and focus necessary to truly sustain any progress.

DC on 12/29/2010 (1:15 pm)

Dan,

I’ve always supported you. You are a great writer and a good example for up and coming journalists. All this said, I have to tell you, your bias against Jeff Bzdelik and the Wake basketball team is a little disconcerting. Let me finish.

I understand and agree that to give the best coverage you have to tell the truth - and the truth is Wake and as a result, The Bzzz, STINK. Awful. Worst team of my 27 year life, that I can remember. They deserve all the criticism they get, no doubt. But the one thing that sticks out to me, is that I read your blog on a daily basis and really not once did you give it to Coach Jim Grobe the way you have Bzz during this seasons’ debacle.

Oh don’t get me wrong, you let it be known that the WFU football team was bad and a disappointment, but never was quite a stinging finger pointed at the head coach as with this man. I understand Grobe is established, but truthfully, over the past 3 years, things havent been very good. Is Grobe given a free pass because you like him as a person? Because he’s a nice guy? If that’s the case, then that’s not being down the center.

I will continue to read and happily. I just wanted to point out that while this post may not be scathing, the tone underneath your writing is one of distaste for Bzdelik and all things Wake basketball.

This is a trying time for all associated with the program and the best thing we can do is stick together. I’m not blaming you for anything I am just a little disappointed that there seems to be a double standard when it comes to Wake sports.

Thanks for all you do Dan. Have a happy new year and keep up the good work.

Thomas on 12/29/2010 (1:01 pm)

I will keep asking my question until someone at the Journal has the guts to tell us all the truth.
Why was Dino really fired, and why Bz? If he was the right one for Wake, we would have never lost to teams like Stetson amd UNC W. So Dan, do you have the guts to tell the truth or are you writing politically correct like most of the media?

Tony C on 12/29/2010 (12:46 pm)

I really hope that Coach Bzzz can reignite something or it will be really hard to make the trek to W-S to see the Deacs this season.

Is the problem coaching, player intensity or lack of player talent?

I’d really like to know if our misery will wind up being known as the Buzz Years just like some of us remember as the Staak Years.

COACH B I wish you the best

Lee on 12/29/2010 (12:10 pm)

Tonight’s game will be a very interesting test. Richmond is well-coached, largely led by veteran players, and is highly likely to be tournament-bound in March. A Wake win or even a close loss would probably rank as the best achievement of the season if they can go out and execute it. In my view, Wake did step up and compete against Xavier in a meaningful way for most of that game. Tonight’s game could be very telling for the rest of the season and a good preview of what ACC games could look like.

Stonewall on 12/29/2010 (11:29 am)

I’m glad Bz sees a flickering light because it looks to me as if the tunnel has collapsed….but then, as coach, he’s saying what he’s supposed to say.

Ken Green on 12/28/2010 (9:37 pm)

Dan,

You’ve done it again, truth revealed in more ways than one by simply reporting.

Thanks,

Bobby

bobby h griffin on 12/28/2010 (5:23 pm)