Comments

I read the interview and it’s clear that Bzdelik is a guy who doesn’t recognize that an interview is an opportunity to build the culture of his program with the fans.  You lob him a softball question that any self-confident coach would use to generate some excitement about what his players will be working on for next year and he takes it to mean you don’t think he knows how to coach!  I get the impression of a very insecure man who has a very limited view of what his role is as a coach.  Apparently media and fan relationships mean little to him.

And I’d like to know what was so horribly wrong with the basketball team’s culture that he rebuild it from scratch?  My only beef with Guadio and Prosser was that they couldn’t get the team ready for end of season tourneys.  And, I was willing to give Guadio another year to get improve in that area.

I did take heart that he felt ‘humiliated and embarrassed’ by his performance last year.  At least he has that in common with Wake fans.

RaleighDeac on 04/05/2011 (11:05 pm)

As I life long Wake fan (not alumnus), I am concerned by the responses to Dan’s questions.  I have always found Dan’s articles on Wake thorough, insightful, and interesting.  It seems that with all his questions, he was just trying to guide a discussion to give us fans some hope that things were going in the right direction.  I talked to fans all season long, giving coach a break in every respect. We need patience, I told them. We lost our starting center; lost our freshman (only) point guard to a broken foot; having to build a new culture;no desire in Ari or Ty;new system with no college game experience(except CJ). It was a perfect storm for failure.  He needs about three years before new questions need to be asked.  However, coach needs to know our culture… we have had to wait over and over again.  We were #1 a couple of years ago ( for about five minutes) and we are passionate about Wake B-ball. As others have mentioned, his answers seem very defensive. Dan was not questioning his coaching abilities, he just wanted him to talk to us fans, and he didn’t. He seemed short, and irritated with the questions. All we know is what we see on the sidelines( hardly any emotion) and what we hear in interviews. Maybe showing emotion is not his style, that’s fine…but at least talk to us.

Mark on 04/03/2011 (10:12 pm)

So, Casey, what did you think of ‘An Hour with Bzdelik: Part 6?’

‘Interesting.’

How did you arrive at interesting?

‘I’ll just leave it at that.’

Casey on 03/28/2011 (12:02 pm)

What would Bobby Knight have said or done?

The classy Coach K would have dropped the F bomb on Dan and banned him from his practices.

Coach Bzzz expressed himself and kept right on going.

You folks that are calling for his head are way off base. This guy is a class act. I think he is trying to bring the “old school class” back which is exactly what I want to see at my alma mater.

Lee Jackson on 03/25/2011 (11:58 am)

What an article!. If this does not show what we are dealing with I don’t know. I coach here, I coach here really you could have fooled me. It is always on the players not once in ths article did he blame himself. Take responsibility for once. He had more academic problems and dicipline problems that any coach I have seen at Wake. What is the variable here. Coach. What is the variable at Colorado new coach. I am tired of him insinuating that Wake was not a good culture. Get him out of here please.

Ed on 03/25/2011 (6:38 am)

There was nothing wrong with the question.  In fact, it was such a softball question (intentionally so, I believe) that it gave Bz a great opportunity to start to explain what he’s doing with each player and his hopes for each player in the upcoming year.

hugh on 03/24/2011 (1:55 pm)

Kyle - I believe you were directing your reply to me, not Nick. I don’t care what the question is, to answer it by repeating your answer three times like that is childish. It also exposes coach as being overly defensive. Dan was merely trying to get a sense for what the offseason program is like. That is very evident to the question. Instead Bz saw his coaching ability being questioned and got defensive. Granted, his team s*cked this year and showed little improvement from front to back so one could understand his tendency toward defensiveness on the subject. Nonetheless, to answer in the manner that he did was childish.

Geoff on 03/24/2011 (1:34 pm)

Kyle, You’re right. I fumbled the phrasing of that question.
And you’re right in that proof-reading is not a strength.

Dan on 03/24/2011 (1:01 pm)

Pretty insulting question, Dan. Of course coaches give instructions to each player.

Also, Nick (above) is acting like a child. How can you not be offended to that question?

That’s like asking a sports writer if he ever proof reads what he writes.

So, Dan, do you ever proofread what you write? Seriously? Ever? Maybe in the offseason?

Kyle on 03/24/2011 (12:47 pm)

I believe Bz needs to mature as well.  The defensiveness to answering a straight question may show a chip on his shoulder or may show he needs to grow up.  He should have known coming in that this is the ACC and Wake has (had) a proud tradition that he is expected to enhance.

Jim on 03/24/2011 (11:54 am)

I’ve noticed that Bz loves to repeat answers when he’s trying to avoid questions. He certainly is no DGO, Skip or Dino in that regard. I know some things must be kept within the program but, geez, Bz needs to open up and explain what he means rather than hide behind repeated answers! I’m really awfully tired of Bz already!

Ken Green on 03/24/2011 (11:43 am)

Bzdelik knows how to get these guys to improve.  He knows what winning basketball is and I’m happy he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder.  It seems like he has a fire in him to win and is trying to instill that in his players as well.

Nick on 03/24/2011 (11:32 am)

I can’t believe his reaction to your initial question. He is like a defensive child. I wonder how he responds if, god forbid, a player questions him during practice?

Geoff on 03/24/2011 (10:50 am)

Is that what he calls it?? Coaching?? LOL jk.  I sure hope he makes them work their butts off during the off-season.  As poorely as this team did this year i don’t think they should have an off-season.  They need to be in there almost everyday practicing defense and running plays and lifting weights.

WinstonMan78 on 03/24/2011 (10:33 am)

Dan,

I wanted to thank you for asking this question, as it is one about which I have been curious for a long time. 

I suppose I can understand why Coach Bzdelik might be a bit put off by such a question because providing players with an offseasn “to do” list seems like such a common sense thing to do.  However, after following Wake Forest for several years, I simply haven’t seen much evidence that our coaches have done this. 

I was very excited by your article about Travis McKie a few weeks ago where McKie recited his plan to improve in the offseason in order to be a better small forward in the future.  I’d be truly interested to know how the other players intend to approach the offseason, and to what extent the coaching staff can/will guide them.  I’m sure our previous coaches understood the difference between just “hooping” (as Bzdelik referred to it in your interview) and playing winning basketball, but Bzdelik is the first coach I’ve heard actually articulate that dichotomy, which is why I think that your question was so pertinent and actually a good opportunity for Bzdelik to get his coaching philosophy out there. 

It’s great that the players are “humble and hungry” (they darn well should be), but the key is how that mentality translates into action now.  If this team is able to be competitive next season, it will be because of the work they put in over the next seven or eight months.

DC on 03/24/2011 (10:12 am)