Comments

Gold Club Deacon Club contribution=$7,000.
“Seat Rights “= $800
Season Tickets X 2= $1,300
Season Parking pass= $150
2 bottled waters at Joel =$8
2 Ice Creams at Joel = $11
Giving up a beautiful Sunday afternoon to watch Wake stink up the Joel with another 25 point loss to a mediocre NC State team = Priceless

Steve P on 02/15/2011 (10:36 pm)

I think a fan can be steadfastly loyal to his school AND not show up for the games.  Quite simply, some of us simply can’t support the coaching change (both firing the former coach or hiring the current one, based on all available information at the time about the current coach’s record, prior interaction with players, fans and the media, etc.). 

While a politely worded email or letter might have a marginal influence on the school’s leadership, a financial hit has a much more direct and immediate impact.  Horrendous attendance and ticket sales equates to a vote of no confidence by the fan base.

This is the first and only time which I have taken issue with a coaching decision at Wake in the last 25 years.  I would support Wake if it lost every game (I wouldn’t like it, but I’d support and pay for my tickets).  I cannot support a coach who, at best, has tremendous basketball knowledge coupled with abysmal social skills. At worst, Bzdelik is a self-interested mercenary who considers his players disposable (see his first year at Colorado, where he disposed of five) and who isn’t nearly as smart as he thinks he is….

M on 02/15/2011 (6:57 pm)

Jeff - you are right on point.

Jim - Your comments epitomize the frustration of non-conservative fans in this Wake fanbase.

I’m an alumnus, and fan. To think character and winning are diametrically opposed is to be completely delusional.

You can be a great academic institution and still win and still have guys with character. Wake’s no tougher of a school than Duke/Harvard/Princeton/Vanderbilt/etc all of which have had tournament success in recent years, good graduation rates, and great players. So please quit this…“at least we have character” nonsense because it’s stupid. It’s a coping mechanism to deal with the real issues at hand - coaching - management - effort. It’s the type of inept logic that epitomizes some of our fan base and a major reason why the best players in the country are no longer interested in Wake Forest. I don’t blame ‘em. This whole “character” business is nothing but code-talk for “we want non-thugs on our team who can fit into our country club image - even if we play like **** we’ll at least look good at it.” 

Thinking only about “character” is why Wake sucks. Welman has only used this to cover up the real deal here: that he hires his good ole boy to deflect the real attention from himself. Wake’s b-ball and football problems didn’t begin this year, they have been in a steady state of decline in recent years.

....

Btw - In 10-15 years I doubt Welman will be the AD. The fanbase and donor support is changing because the School is changing. This type of idiotic nonsense about “Character” won’t fly with the next generation of Deacons….and I for one and extremely glad.

CF on 02/14/2011 (8:00 pm)

Dude…with all due respect to the economy and the “transplant” fan base, quit increasing ticket prices every year.  Especially this year when you KNEW we weren’t going to be competitive at all.  And then hit us with sponsorship commercials and announcements at EVERY TIME OUT.  If you have this much sponsorship money every four minutes then you don’t need to hit me up with “41.00” every game to watch ths poor effort we’re getting from these players.

Ronnie on 02/13/2011 (9:09 pm)

I’m missing something here.  The players who are receiving a FREE education in turn for representing the school on the basketball court are not receiving support from the rest of the PAYING student body?  Using that logic I should quit my job and stand at a bank and cheer on the folks that are cashing their unemployment checks!  If the team plays entertaining basketball folks will show up.  If the team is hopeless (look at the results) folks will find something else to watch.  I don’t think it’s anymore complicated than that…

MikeB on 02/13/2011 (10:14 am)

Jim, I agree with you. If there is a boycott by the student body, it shows a lot more disrespect toward than players than it does the adults. An empty student section didn’t stop the undermanned Deacs from scrapping hard against Miami. The students would have had a lot to cheer about. If for no other reason, I like this team because they have matured and developed chemistry despite the disinterest of their WFU classmates.
Thomas, I think you’re too hard on JT. I think the coaching staff has handled him well and even though he still makes boneheaded mistakes, Wake is better when he plays well which is happening more often.

Glenn on 02/12/2011 (5:52 pm)

Right on Dan!  I grew up and Mets fan and a St. John’s Redmen/Redstorm fan, so for me it just feels natural to endure seasons, if not decades of bad times.  From way down here in Alabama I watch every game on GameTracker and check the box scores after every game, just like I did when I was in Missouri for 4 years and Maryland for 2.  It is really disappointing to hear that even the students don’t go to the games, cause I would love to go see the Deacs in action.

Conor on 02/12/2011 (10:24 am)

Ran into a friend who teaches at Wake.  He said the students boycotted the Md. game in protest of Wellman and Bzdelick.  I hope he was wrong.  If he wasn’t, and the students did that, I’m disappointed in them, because they boycotted the players,who played their hearts out, as well.

Jim on 02/12/2011 (10:05 am)

Jeff - You sound sensible. I guess I should have clarified a little bit that, while I understand people’s frustration, one down season, with a new coach and a thousand new faces isn’t out of the ordinary. How can you judge a man and a team by one year? While any team IS judged on record, let’s give The Bzz the time he deserves before we go saying that the reason we don’t go to the games is because he has ruined the program.(NOT SAYING YOU SAID THIS)

My comments on the Wake faithful are more to the pichfork carrying kind on this blog, who really, don’t seem to have much basketball sense.

I am right in the same boat with you. But you cannot deny that Wake Fans have ALWAYS been a “sit on their hands” crowd compared to the other three big 4 schools. Now Skip did get things going a bit and of course the Joel would be rocking if we were winning, but the point is, with one bad half a season it seems as though everyone is jumping ship, abandoning faith in all things Wake and reverting to rabid animals (once again NOT talking about you). I just think it’s sad that things have gotten so ugly.

The bottomline is this: If you want to be UNC or Duke, then start pulling for them. Because Wake WILL NEVER be those schools. It just won’t. And it’s ok. I like it the way it is.
Of course I want wins and I want success, but I am not unrealistic. To think that this team, with any coach (in any Big 6 conference) would be doing much better is based on emotion and not facts.

Who recruited these players? Who recruited Walker and Woods (BUSTS)? Not Bzdelik. And I can tell you, from what I’ve seen, it’s not that the coach doesn’t know what he’s doing, it’s that players like No. 0 and No. 41 have their heads stuck so far up their behinds it’s killing the whole team. THAT’S what Wellman was talking about. CHARACTER. And while I do not know Dino Gaudio, he did not bring/build character to Wake Forest, and that’s why he’s gone. Wake doesn’t win at any cost and they never have and it’s why we are who we are. And dadgummit let’s keep it that way.

(Did I at all address your comments?)

Thomas on 02/11/2011 (3:47 pm)

There is one point everyone seems to be missing, Dan.  Wake Forest does not revolve around its athletic programs, it revolves around its academic programs.  Unlike our ACC neighbors, our beloved university doesnt put itself out as a sports brand over its academics like others do.  When I attended, we often had other things to conflict with games, so we had to pick and choose what games we wanted to walk over to the Joel to see.

As far as rich having anything to do with the students attending games, thats a bit much… If the team continues to try harder and harder, more people will come.  The effort shown the last couple of home games is much better than the early part of the season, and its starting to look like this potpourri of bench players and freshmen are starting to play consistently, if not better.

As far as the style of play dictating who comes to a game, thats also a bit ridiculous.  Dave Odom played a slow down game for years and we had plenty of fans during the good years.  Now I agree Skip Prosser was definitely the catalyst that got our fans to the stadium.  The man had some serious showmanship!  But to say that playing certain players more like Ty Walker (who thankfully is starting to play like what he was recruited for 2 years ago!) would bring in fans is a bit silly.  Walker is improving, but thinking that he and Carson could shut down the paint anywhere but high school at this point is a pipe dream.  Unfortunately, with the departure of Woods, Carson is having to play a different style of game than he is used to.  He is simply not strong enough to play inside at this point.

Sadly I also agree with the lack of support overall by Winston-Salem to its hometown colleges.  This city seems to forget that Wake Forest along with Salem and Winston-Salem State are part of the area, and for years, only out of town colleges had merchandise for sale in the stores.  Its pathetic really… (I will resist the urge to weigh the lack of support for our colleges with the carte blanche support for a minor league sports arena…)

Wake Forest Sports is not a cult of personality, people.  It does not matter who the coach is, its the school and its student-athletes that matter.  Arguing about coaches and not supporting your team because of a coaching change is being a fair-weather fan, and I agree that perhaps the color blue would be a better color than than black and gold for those “fans.”

So lets put away those fairy tale wishes for the return of former coaches, and concentrate on showing support for our school and team.  If you want change, show it by showing up at the games and then attending the various events held by the coaching staffs at Wake Forest.  Loyalty as a fan is to cheer during the good times, and be hopeful during the bad times.  Absence is not loyalty, its just bad sportsmanship…

The Deacon on 02/11/2011 (3:43 pm)

I have to disagree with the notion that Wake fans are spoiled, rich and entitled. 

I’ve been a loyal fan of Wake Forest athletics since I grew up in Winston and Tony C is dead on about how horrible coverage is by local newspapers and tv stations regarding WFU.  If it were not for UNC/Duke at times you would not know about ACC basketball.  I live in Florida now and sadly get better coverage about Wake sports at times than I did in Winston.

This season is an exception as well as the fan base has been deeply divided and many are angry at Wellman for the changes over this past off season.  Not saying it’s right or wrong, either way it ‘is what it is’.

A few examples: 
My parents who lived almost their entire lives in Winston (as WFU fans) refuse to even watch the games because of how Dino was treated.  They liked Dino and felt that with 3 months prior being assured a safe job that he was wronged.

My buddy, who’s mom still resides near Winston doesn’t give a flip about sports, but called him out of the blue to talk about the ‘horrible hire’ WFU made.

People are angry (right or wrong) and on top of that starting out with huge losses to teams we traditionally beat with our reserves didn’t help.

With regard to being spoiled, rich and entitled:  I’ve been a Deacon fan for as long as I can remember and have no other team allegiance. I certainly didn’t grow up in money and could never have afforded to go to WFU, but they are my team through and through.  So toss ‘rich’ out.  Spoiled?  Wouldn’t that imply having achieved something that you get spoiled over? We’re not a perennial final four team, heck we haven’t done much in the Tourney in 10+ years. So Toss ‘Spoiled’ out. 

Now I might agree with you we feel a bit entitled.  By all rights, I have always believed ACC basketball to be the single best conference in the country.  That does give you a sense of entitlement that we should have a piece of that success.  I’m tired like so many others of watching what NC State (not recently), Duke, UNC and others have achieved in the past and us being left out. So yeah maybe we like everyone else in the ACC fee a bit entited.

That’s partially why it’s so hard to watch ACC basketball in recent years.  We’ve quite frankly come down to earth and it’s less fun. When you consider the ACC is down as a whole this year and we were still losing by 20-25 points, you can ONLY feel a sense of UNDERSTANDING as to why people haven’t shown up.

A few more games like the Miami game and I believe the fans will slowly start to reappear.

I know I’ve been watching from afar when it’s on TV or ESPN3 and will continue to do so. GO DEACS!

Jeff on 02/11/2011 (2:16 pm)

Dan you have a lot of nerve preaching to the fan base about showing up when your own newspaper for which you represent dosen’t support the program like it should. If so you would have ask the tuff questions to both Welmen and Bzdelick. Wake Forest over the years has been treated like a step child from every aspect of ACC basketball except their own loyal fan base. I mean come on, many times in the Winston Salem Journal Carolina or Duke get more publicity or space. Why is that Dan? Could it be about selling papers? Circulation? Winning? Have you considered the fact if you would acctually do some journalistic work you may draw more people and thus sell more papers? Tell or find out the truth on why things went down the way they did. Why Bzdelick, what really happened to Dino? Why did you hire a Coach that has a history of leaving after 2/3 years and had a worse post season record then that of Dino? Why did he keep Rusty Larue who had no expereince and also a losing record? Why don’t you ask what was Bzdelick’s graduation percentage of his players?  Another example is the Flag Station on the Deacons Sports Network. Why do we have to go out of State (Virginia) to get a flagship station? You mean to tell the Deacon Faithful that no Radio Station in the Triad will back the Deacons. WSJS years ago when Gene Overby was our play by play guy was our flagship.
I am a season ticket holder, been to every game, scream as loud as I can and I too was disapointed with the Students Wednesday Night. Dan that would be a good story! Maybe their is a underlining reason, for example the way Dino was fired? Who knows really why they aren’t showing up.
While it is good that the team showed some progress Wednesday night which is what you would expect after three months I am still reminded that Miami is next to last in the conference and it is difficult to measure progress against a team as bad as you. I sat right behind the team bench Wednesday and it appeared at times Bzdelick was zoned out, showed no emotion even when Johnson (Miami Center) continued time after time dragging his pivot foot. He showed more emotion in the media room than he did on the court. I closly watched the assistant coaches as well and other than patting the players on the rump I saw no contribution from them what so ever. Bottom line we have a weak staff, a weak team, a weak newspaper reporting on the team and out of state flagship radio station that broadcast a team in Winston Salem from Galax Virginia. So why are you so surprised we have a weak fan base?

Tony C on 02/11/2011 (12:03 pm)

Well said. I had season tickets as a high schooler and went as often as I could when I lived around the area. I’ve seen Wake be awful and I’ve seen them beat Kansas by 30. (Now I live in Baltimore)

The reasons why Wake “faithful” are staying away in droves are the same reason why “supporters” and “those who speak for everyone” on this Blog are, to coin a Roy Williams phrase, so dadgum irrational and ridiculous when it comes to expectations and evaluation of this current team and it’s head coach.

SPOILED, RICH AND ENTITLED.

The Wake Forest fan base is made up exactly the way you described, except one group you missed. The fans who want to be there, but can’t swing it, monetarily or logistically, who aren’t alumni, who aren’t “transplants” (see- yankees) who don’t have time to do something sociable on a Wednesday. Those who have toiled with the Joseph Amonette’s and the J.T. Terrell’s and the Stan King’s (God Bless him) just as the rest of the fat cats. But we still keep coming back. Still keep spending money we don’t have to get a glimpse. A glimpse of something that means something to us. That we take our kids to see, when we can.

I remember growing up and watching Randolph’s last game at The Joel. My parents took three of my friends and I and we sat on the very top row smack in the middle. We waited for at least an hour after the game to see Randolph leave. That same excitement still filled my bones during the last game I attended (Maryland, 2010).

And each time I’ve been to a game, I have been utterly disgusted with the amount of staunch “supporters” who leave early, sometimes when the game is still on the line. As a youngster I would boo them as they left (as they walked past me). Now I just pity them. If I had the chance to see Wake every night from arms length, you’d have to peel me out of my seat with a spatula.

I see no difference in the current situation of down attendance and those who leave early. It’s because it’s not something they care about. It’s something TO DO.

So thank you Dan for your call to arms, even though it’s more of a observation.

I say to heck with all these naysayers and fairweather fans. Let ‘em naysay!

So Wake sucks, big deal. Give this team three years. If it stays intact, it’s a top four ACC squad. If you can’t wait that long, put on some Sky Blue because there’s a ton of folks just like you right down the road who you’ll fit right in with.

All I know is that I’ll still be pulling for this team even if they don’t win another game, or if they never won one.

In summary, I leave you with a Facebook post of mine just recently.

“I’m not sure what’s worse - Watching Duke get all the calls in Cameron, or the inevitable ****fest sure to follow from the Carolina fans. However, I am sure that no matter their dismal record, I am forever happy I pull for the Deacs.

Thomas on 02/11/2011 (11:35 am)

Buzz is a Buzz Killer. He is pretty much the exact opposite of Skip. If I were a student I would show up with a bag over my head and heckle the coach.

Good work Wellman. These crowds are your fault for bringing a losing coach.

KristyCrunchy on 02/11/2011 (11:34 am)

Dan, I read your blogs on a daily basis with great interest.  I am writing today because I am a WFU basketball fan and have attended all of the home games.  I’ve heard criticism about Coach B, and agree with a lot of it.  The thing that concerns me this morning is a Sports Headline that appeared in the Journal:  Parkland’s senior basketball player, Miles Bowman, played an exceptional game last night against Southwest Guilford and scored 51 points.  He has indicated to his coach that he is seriously interested in playing Div 1 basketball.  His coach, Carlos Mumford, is wondering why WFU and other Div 1 programs have not contacted him.  I would like to know why they haven’t, either.  What are these WFU coaches not paying attention to a top-notch player only 20 minutes from their campus?  CMC67

Charles M Carter on 02/11/2011 (10:38 am)

Call ‘em like you seem ‘em.

Thanks, good post—hurts a little but it is spot on.  The faithful few are few indeed.

Paul on 02/11/2011 (10:35 am)

I thought the students were on break too! That had to have been the poorest turnout ever by the students. As for me, I’m watching or listening from home this year. Economics has dictated that…not the team or coach.

CindyT on 02/11/2011 (10:31 am)

I like wine. Aged wine is good. Wine not cared for turns to vinegar. Wake “basketball” is vinegar now.

I have watched us waste talent since Loren Woods (especially big man talent). The past ten years have been spent looking for the next Chris Paul when Wake didn’t appreciate Paul when he was here (Wake fans thought Gray was the star).

People love to talk about Tim Duncan, but Duncan was not an all star when he got to Wake. He got better because he got time to develop. It doesn’t mean 4 years, but it means some of the 40 minutes.

We use our team playing time to allow marginal point guards to go to the D-League and call it success. Wake has the talent to win. . . but playing so many point guards wastes good bigs on the bench.

Ty Walker would be a superstar at any other school. Here, he got 4 minutes in his first ACC game where State beat us by 35 rebounds . . . the coach tried to blame Ty for being weak inside.

The point is, you can’t use talent if you leave it on the bench. If you are going to lose while leaving your talent on the bench, I’m not going to watch.

CJ taking free throws is not worth 2 hours driving time to me. Not double teaming the low post and letting your ONLY big on the floor get abused is poor coaching (not looking after the players). Ty helps the guards with 4 blocks because the guards can’t stay in front of their man. . .but Ty gets no help on the low block. Carson is talented too, but while we can play 3 point guards at the same time, we can’t play two power forwards. it’s stupid, sad, and I don’t want to watch it.

Brian Thacker on 02/11/2011 (8:14 am)

Dan, I still recall us in a board discussion over this falls football crowds. What surprises me is between Burlington and Statesville , Mt. Airy and Concord there are well over a million people. I for the life of me cannot figure out how they do not realize in their own back yard they have a team that plays major college sports. One example, that happened to me twice this year is I took a moment to watch the NFL highlights on Monday. Every player they mentioned by name in the highlights had played on BB&T field. Albeit only one or two played for WFU, but my point is if you attend ANY sporting event at Wake you see some of the best young athletes in the nation.

Doug on 02/11/2011 (7:50 am)

Dan, I agree with most everything you write and enjoy your wrtiting style as well. However, I do disagree with one part of this article—In good times, the Joel has been one of the loudest, most intimidating places to play in the nation. How much louder and more rambunctious could a crowd be than in some of Wake’s wins over UNC and Duke?? The students and the other fans haven’t been showing up this year, and I was guilty of being too lazy to drive 45 minutes last night after a long days work when i knew the game was on TV.  I will be there on Sunday, and i hope the other “rabid” WFU fans will be too.

wake22fan on 02/10/2011 (11:09 pm)