Bzdelik: No Next Best Thing to Winning
In 30-plus years of writing sports, I’ve heard every excuse known to man. It’s human nature to rationalize failure. Hence that wise-acre line you may have heard me repeat a few times that ``The next best thing to winning is to lose with a good excuse.’‘
The cold hard fact of sports is that you play with what you have. If one member of your team goes down, someone has to step up. If no one does, then your team had a flaw that has been exposed. Obviously there are players on every team who are indispensable, or at least close to it. But there also may be players who, when thrown into the breach, can do amazing things.
I know Dave Odom was pretty bummed in the fall of 1993 when his two star recruits, Makhtar Ndiaye and Ricardo Peral were ruled ineligible by the NCAA. His only recourse for the first game of the season against Alaska Anchorage was to start this shy, unknown 6-10 center from the Virgin Islands who turned out to be Tim Duncan. Duncan didn’t score that game and the Deacons lost to the Division II Seawolves. But I was watching TV the other night and noticed he’s still playing—and holding his own quite well.
Thankfully Jeff Bzdelik, Wake’s new basketball coach, has a similar take. The Deacons will be young next season, with as many as three or four freshmen in the substitution rotation, but Bzdelik has already taken the youth card and tossed it where it belongs, in the trash.
“One thing I want people to know about me is I will never use youth or inexperience or injury as an excuse – never,’’ Bzdelik said. “Nobody will feel sorry for me. Pat Riley used to say `this is a game for men only.’
“I’m a big boy and I understand the nature of this business. We just need to strap it on every time we step on the court and be feisty and be competitive and play unselfishly and play with a chip, a collective chip.’‘
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By Dan Collins on 05/04/2010 (10:27 am)
Comments
Lee Jackson said how I feel:
Dino…You are a better defensive coach than Prosser ever was, ran more fun to watch offense than Odom did, had the class of Coach Carl Tacy and I hope you get another shot outside the ACC
clark on 05/11/2010 (5:58 pm)
Other thing… when are we going to get Bzdelik a nickname… if he doesn’t produce we can call him “Buzz Kill” or Buzzard or if he gets in a fight with Roy pregame at the Domo Deano then we can call him “Killer B”... Originally I thought Wellman was going to get a SNL Killer Bee outfit for the guy with the Dino costume but Wellman isn’t returning my calls for the inside scoop… such is the response for a man whose Deacon Club number is as high as mine… Whatever his nickname turns out to be…
I think Wellman made a good hire and a good long term decision based on where he saw Dino taking the program… and to Dino… You are a better defensive coach than Prosser ever was, ran more fun to watch offense than Odom did, had the class of Coach Carl Tacy and I hope you get another shot outside the ACC.
Lee Jackson on 05/07/2010 (9:48 am)
Maybe we should have Buzz call the Wear brothers…. The Heels did that to us with Naktar Ndyai (can’t remember the spelling since I erased him after he became a turncoat)
Lee Jackson on 05/07/2010 (9:34 am)
I look forward to the development of our big men. No one can argue that our centers have undeachievd the last five years.
Big E was a mcdonalds AA, but was just okay in the ACC. Mcfarland was out of control, and nevr got better after his sophomore year. And our two 7 footers have little to nothing.
I expect Bzzz to do much better in this area, and can’t wait until next season!
Frank on 05/06/2010 (4:58 pm)
As a WV Deac, I can tell you that Fischer was under-recruited because of his early & unwavering commitment to Donnie Jones at Marshall. And rankings I can’t account for, but for Pete’s sake don’t hold the kid’s color against him.
I’m increasingly enthused about the Coach Buzz era—thanks for the nuggets, Dan.
BreakfastAtTheGreek's on 05/06/2010 (1:52 pm)
Look on the bright side, at least Chase Fischer knows how to spell (or pronounce) his first name…
DC on 05/06/2010 (10:46 am)
MaxPreps All-American had Fischer as a Junior Honorable All American so let’s see what he can do. FYI—Marques Teague was listed as a Jr Honorable All American as well.
Mike on 05/05/2010 (7:58 pm)
The first 2011 recruit for Bzzzz is an unranked white guard who committed to Marshall originally. This is not going to cut it in the ACC. Bzzzz is a joke.
http://wakeforest.scout.com/a.z?s=192&p=8&c=1&nid=3775975
DP on 05/05/2010 (5:46 pm)
Off the subject hereas I am “want” to do..but I wonder if NCSU AD Fowler’s outing doesn’t have something to do with a standard Wellman has set in the Tar Heel State..if so how has the AD at UNC survived…he backed into Roy Williams…
pensive1 on 05/05/2010 (9:46 am)
The more I learn about our new coach - the more I like him and I can’t wait for next season to start.
Gary on 05/04/2010 (8:22 pm)
I like the new coach, I like the fact that he will “man up” and do what needs to be done. I like the fact that instead of quoting his old college coach or his high school coach, our new coach quotes a NBA Hall of Fame coach that he used to work with. Way to go Ron Wellman. We will be young, but rest assured, the Deacons will work hard. Thanks Dan.
EJ on 05/04/2010 (5:39 pm)
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