Comments

WOW! I thought after another year or two of March failures that Dino would be gone but those other ACC coaching changes helped convince Wellman that NOW was the time. Yes, basketball has changed; I remember being so happy when Wake won the regular season but not much was made of it beause the ACC Tournament is what counts. Now the NCAA Tournament. The Big Ten was the last league where season records mattered, but now they too have a tournament.

Hope the new coach is also a better recruiter of basketball players not just basketball athletes.

Flyer Gramps on 04/08/2010 (1:52 pm)

I disagree with the notion that Aminu’s struggles down the stretch this year stemmed from the fact that he was a future NBA lottery pick.  He always struck me as a conscientious player who cared about his teammates and cared about winning.  That he was a future lottery pick did not affect his performance.  I think that his end-of-season slump, as well as the team’s, was the result of a systemic problem.  At the very least, I think that is what Ron Wellman concluded. 

The fact of the matter is that good teams evolve over the course of the year.  For the last three seasons, we were the same team in February/March as we were in December/January.  That is why teams inferior to us at the beginning of the season were able to surpass us by the end of the year.

The fact that UNC was able to easily beat us in our second meeting with them this year is a prime example of this phenomenon.  It also explains why the decision to fire Gaudio is not an example of a trend of coaches being unfairly fired due to short-term struggles (if such a trend even exists).  Even a subpar UNC team like this year’s team improved over the course of the year.  Their improvement came much too late to get them into the NCAA Tournament, but they evolved favorably nevertheless. 

Our teams haven’t done that, which is a result of a lack of in-game coaching acumen, motivational skills, and a cohesive big-picture player/team development strategy.  A change needed to be made.

DC on 04/08/2010 (11:23 am)

Personally, I saw this coming for Skip Prosser at this point if he had not passed away tragically… the style of play just never fit well, and play was sporadic… Prosser, however, fit the mold a bit better, more animated in his coaching… people want to see the coach reacting to events, and Dino was often just standing there watching.  Unfortunately, poor play in college ball is still the responsiblity of the coaching staff. If they were good enough to be recruited to the premier conference in america, we should expect improvement overall during their stay.  Just think what a Duke or Carolina would have done with Aminu, instead of watching his game get worse, and his passion for playing at WFU obscured by dollar signs…  I have to agree with Wellman here, it was time for a change as our program had stagnated…

Pragmatic on 04/08/2010 (9:41 am)

Why can’t we dream??  Go get Brad Stevens from Butler.  IMO he would love to have the challenge of coaching in the ACC against elite teams.  He is better than The Horizon Conference. Rusty is not ready for prime time but I hope he stays; would help with any transition.

Jim on 04/08/2010 (8:13 am)

It is no coincidence Wellman made his decision with the tournament expansion (96 teams) looming. This places even greater emphasis on post-season play, as pretty much all 18+ win teams will make the tourney and winning in March will be the only way to differentiate your program. Great move. Terminating someone’s employment contract is always one of (if not the very most) thing a boss must do. Thank you Dino, and moreover, THANK YOU Ron Wellman.

jwiles on 04/08/2010 (12:14 am)

WOO HOO!!!!

Ron on 04/07/2010 (11:12 pm)

Hope Wellman at least takes a good look at the Butler coach.  He appears to possess the right-on quality, enthusiasm, quick mind and attitude to be an excellent coach, mentor to students and creative basketball wisdom it will take at Wake.  He, also, seems the sort of person who, like coach K and Williams, could be at last a long-lasting coach and benefit to the University.

Lee Anglin on 04/07/2010 (11:09 pm)

Wow is right.  This is about a year ahead of schedule in my mind, which is good when you think about it.  Better to get it over with now rather than later.  All the best to Dino. I’m convinced he’s a fine man and he may turn out to be a great coach somewhere else.  But I could never get over the feeling that he just didn’t get the fact that failing to show up—not just losing—in the tournaments is unacceptable today.  Wellman obviously gets it.

But let’s be honest, Wake’s NCAA performance has never been much to brag about going back to Dave Odom.  Remember that ugly upset in 2001 to a no-name school called Butler?  Talk about getting whipped by someone your own size, then they make it to the National Championship and darn near take out DUKE!

I can’t help but wonder whether Butler’s performance against Duke wasn’t the last straw for Wellman.  Especially with that nasty bit of 2001 history still sticking in his craw.  You could even speculate that with this kind of history, Wellman figured he needed a preemptive strike to keep his own job secure.  You know the comparisons were going to come up with the Alumni.

Carroll on 04/07/2010 (11:08 pm)

i didn’t blame dino for last year’s late season collapse. but he and the staff have failed miserably in recruiting players(particularly guards)who have the ablility to shoot the basketball. all the emphasis has been on athletic ability over skill. this year dino had a great scorer in ari stewart but played him 14 minutes per game. even when stewart was hot, dino would take him out afyer he had played his allotted minutes…at gonzaga, stewart hit four three pointers midway through the second half to vault us into the lead by more than 10 points. what did dino do? he sat stewart on the bench for the last 8 minutes while gonzaga made a comeback. we won the game, but only because stewart had gotten us the big lead.  the only other decent shooter on the team was cj harris. so dino deserves to get fired. enogh bricks and sloppy play. slow it down and value the ball like butler, northern iowa and cornell. we need a change and if we can hold onto our recruits, this will be a great move.

wake22fan on 04/07/2010 (11:07 pm)

The reason Greer got fired, IMO, is that he was too belligerent and abusive.  It didn’t help that his best assistant, Bobby Moranda, who was a great recruiter of talent, left for greener pastures and better post-season success.

TF on 04/07/2010 (9:58 pm)

Disappointed, I believe that Dino is a good coach and time would have seen him as successful in the post season as the regular season.

I would be very surprised if the recruiting class remains in tact. Not only are you now asking the recruits to come in and play with a new head coach but most likely with a totally different style of play.  In addition, in all probability there will be a total turnover in staff as the new coach will won’t to bring in his own people.  That said, the recruits are now asked to honor their commitment in an environment of total strangers.

One other thought, you may see some of our existing players transferring if they feel uncomfortable with the change.  Actually that is not uncommon.

jcg on 04/07/2010 (9:08 pm)

I respect Dino but as I have previously opined in emails to you, I question the way his reams executes come Feb. and March.
On the other hand, your criticize the way your team finishes but then gives your coach a three year contract extension.  Why can’t we get Coach Drew from Baylor?  Isn’t Baylor a baptist school like Wake?

cbcampbelljd on 04/07/2010 (8:31 pm)

Sad,very sad.The man took over a very bad situation and was on his way to developing a consistant program.He did not even have a chance to get his own players into the system.
All the negative bloggers said he could not coach but I have been watching and a fan since 1969 and no coach has ever won five overtime games and lost none in a season. I guess Jim Grobe better watch out. I remember George Greer the baseball coach winning 3 ACC championships in five years
and then after a couple of poor seasons he was gone and that program has been in the tank ever since. If I was Clemson I would call Dino immediately and get the recruits also. Ever think Wellman might be the problem.

Ed on 04/07/2010 (7:24 pm)

Well, its about time

price on 04/07/2010 (6:49 pm)

GOOD i’M GLAD HE IS OUT.  wAKE DESERVES A MUCH BETTER COACH THAT dINO WAS.  hE WAS IN OVER HIS HEAD—

dORIS on 04/07/2010 (6:48 pm)

...you know Wellman really doesn’t miss much. I am beginning to think and as many already know the key to a successful athletics program is the AD,,,not the sum of the coaches coaching the sport.

pensive1 on 04/07/2010 (6:34 pm)

Country,
Well blow me away!!! Wellman has to be an astute businessman and knows when to cut his losses.

Plenty of great coaching talent around. The coach @ Butler comes to mind. Hope whoever is selected will retain Rusty Larue as he deserves the chance to learn @ this level. Still would like to see someone bring Mugsy Bogues in as an assistant. Consider the possiblities.

Wish all the best to Coach Gaudio. He took over a program under tremendous duress and I feel he did a commendable job transitioning this team…But with the results of the last two years a change was warranted!

Tom on 04/07/2010 (5:54 pm)

Dan,

I just watched Wellman’s press conference and wanted to get your opinion as to what incentive the assistant coaches have to go out and recruit when there is a 99.9% chance the new coach will bring in his own assistants and staff?

Krista on 04/07/2010 (5:23 pm)

All of Gaudio’s faults were well documented on this blog by the die hards so no need to say he did this he did that he didn’t do this he didn’t do that.  Lets just all agree Ron Wellmans timing was a stroke of brillance with the NCAA tourney being over and the last of Prossers kids leaving this spring.  Dino I would call Cornell and don’t give up on that pack line defense.  I think Cornell is a better fit for you.

Doug on 04/07/2010 (5:22 pm)

I’m sorry to see Dino go, but can understand considering the serious lack of post-season success under his tenure.

Dan, any indication on how this may affect next year’s recruiting class?

Chris R on 04/07/2010 (5:04 pm)