Comments

I wish I had the opportunity to read your story.  Ron has got to be covering things up.  There is no reason to let dino go and hire buzz.  You always hire a better person not someone with a worse record.  2.  Buzz is not supported by the fan base and obviously not the players either.  3.  There is a calling to fire him.  A big calling.  4.  Wake is a joke right now and I feel Ron should be fired to for destroying a basketball program. 

I wish you would repost your story.

mary on 02/21/2011 (2:51 pm)

Dan - what’d I miss?!?!?  I feel like the kid who shows up at the end of the basketball game when all of his buddies have just decided to head home for dinner.

I’m really sorry that I didn’t see your post, but I have read your stuff enough to completely trust your judgment.  It’s funny how we in the peanut gallery feel like we know you so well just by keeping up with your columns and blog posts.  That said, from this reader’s perspective you really seem like a terrific guy (and I KNOW that you’re an amazing sportswriter).  So if you took it down for any reason then I will have to accept the fact that it was information that I didn’t need to know.  Thank you again for all of your incredible insightfulness and for your terrific writing.  Go Deacs!

Matt on 02/19/2011 (6:51 pm)

Has Tom ever heard of Dave Odom?

keeper on 02/19/2011 (5:50 pm)

Dan,
I am glad you took the post down. The past is gone. If Wake was winning everyone would say what a wise decision the change was. We have ehat we have. I have been to a few BB games this season, I am not a BB guy. I was there when they were beaten by stetson and when they lost to Miami. I also say them lose to UNC. I think they have improved a lot! Enough? No not for the ACC, but they have improved. Sometimes you just have to (fans, that is) cheer for the home team because its your team. This season is mostly over it sure would be nice to see the Joel full for one game. I will be there to the Deacs play vt, and I am hoping for an upset. As long as they play there is chance. GO DEACS!!!

HarryC on 02/19/2011 (1:16 pm)

Dan,
fair enough, its yours and I appreciate the dialogue we have.  Also being in a public job, I have two persona,  and the job is easy when they mesh, hard when they don’t—hope yours is always easy. ——and just so you know—in the spirit of honesty and all I am a grassy knoll guy—so I understand your desire for the rest of the story - - and like I said I see things—they are after us—for real—no sh__ Sherlock.

Paul on 02/19/2011 (12:21 pm)

Country, You are definitely a “Trooper” and not afraid to speak your mind!

I agree, if the request came from Gaudio, you took the correct path.

During the tenure of Prosser and Gaudio Wake enjoyed success not seen since the Bones McKinney days of the early 60’s…However, one troubling and mitigating factor occurred during this unrivaled time of success. You had four young men (correct me if I am wrong) who left school after their Sophomore year. That in itself is unacceptable. If you look at other teams in the ACC, with the exception of possibly Ga. Tech, not many athelets departed after only two years. Staying three years would have been more palatable. Look at Coach K’s program. How many have left after two years?

It was obviously a problem and one Wellman wanted to change. I would surmise a major reason for the situation WFU is experiencing now…

Tom on 02/19/2011 (12:02 pm)

One of my problems with this whole situation is that the way it was handled and statements that were made left the impression that there was something negative but unspoken about Dino; though it was so vague that he had nothing to respond to to defend himself.

I did not expect an explanation from you and was looking forward to reading your promised post on unexplainable decisions.  However, removing your post did cause some to wonder about undue influence.  Although I made no such suggestion, I admit that I did wonder.  You did the right thing to stop the speculation by clearing it up.  I’m not happy with the AD, but right is right, no matter who’s ox is getting gored.

gt on 02/19/2011 (12:36 am)

Fair enough…

gt on 02/19/2011 (12:08 am)

For GT and Chris, you deserve an adequate and sufficient explanation, and here it is.
Dino asked me as a favor to take it down. Out respect for him, I complied.

Dan on 02/18/2011 (11:58 pm)

Dan - Is taking down your post one of those decisions “that cannot be adequately and sufficiently explained”?

:-)

gt on 02/18/2011 (11:52 pm)

It’s really a shame you backed off of this story.  I can only conclude that Wellman realizes his circle of friends is getting much smaller and asked you to call off the dogs.

Muzzling journalists really doesn’t work well.  I thought history had proven this.

Go after the story.  Trust me.  It’s there.

Chris on 02/18/2011 (11:51 pm)

Thanks for taking that down Dan. You must have some friends over at deaconsports that acted quickly to take down the mess that started to unravel because of your blog post. Not your finest hour but I still appreciate all your coverage of Wake sports and read the blog faithfully.

Reg on 02/18/2011 (11:31 pm)

Good post Country…Doubt we will ever know the real story. As litiguous as some people are, if anything did come out to harm someones character you can bet a law suit would soon follow.

Most have been hard on Coach Bz. My concern from the day he was selected was his age, lack of experience in post season, and his inability to stay in any position more than three years.

For better or what has become worse, as Wellman said, he is here, and here he will stay…

I do have issues with Wellman’s lack of foresight or just plain bad luck in his ability to make decisions to the betterment of WFU.

Wake has a football coach who won three games last year at almost $1M salary per game. Because of Coach Grobe’s previous success he has earned the right to another year. But I do not believe a four or five win season will suffice.

Tom on 02/18/2011 (11:10 pm)

Dan - Thanks for defending Coach Gaudio.

gt on 02/18/2011 (10:28 pm)

Thank you for having the courage to “go there” Dan. Let’s hope your article puts that garbage rumor to rest once and for all!

AG on 02/18/2011 (10:26 pm)

Wellman shouldn’t and won’t comment on the Dino firing.  However, Wellman gave a reason for the firing (bad post season record) and then, as you point out, hired a guy who was worse with respect to that reason.  Worse, Wellman did so without any meaningful candidate search, hired a guy near retirement age and who he knew 25 years ago.  He knew this hire was so questionable, he had the athletic department gather a bunch of worthless quotes from famous people to try and defend his decision.  Our fan base is fractured, students don’t go to the game and recruiting looks to be down.  I would guess contributions will be down as well, but have no facts to support such statement.  We’re a joke.  For those of us who have been around Wake for over 30 years, I never seen such hatred for the university being exhibited and such verbal and personal assaults among alumni.  I actually really like our kids and feel bad for them.

Hugh on 02/18/2011 (9:56 pm)

Thanks gary, and you may be right. I thought about that aspect, and that’s why I was as emphatic as I could be with the push back.

gary on 02/18/2011 (8:08 pm)

Hopefully, people will get over it. There were plenty of reasons to get rid of Gaudio.  There were also reasons to keep him.

But whoever is coach, the fans should not give on the team.  They are young.  They will get better. 

I went to just about every game in the losing ‘88/‘89 and ‘89/‘90 seasons.  That made the ‘90/‘91 season spectacular.  NCAA tournament, narrow second round loss, beating Duke before they won the title.

Most fans and students now are spoiled and whiny.  Cheers to those who go to the games from someone who lives too far away to get there!

Frank on 02/18/2011 (7:57 pm)

Dan,

I respect your determination not to report unsubstantiated reports regarding Dino and his firing.  That is journalistic integrity.  However, I wonder about the wisdom of publishing what you rightly term the product of ignorance.  Have you given the rumor a life of its own by bringing it to an audience that probably knew nothing of it (I certainly didn’t).

gary on 02/18/2011 (7:52 pm)