Comments

Dan- I saw Rick Hartzell refereeing the Wake/Gonzaga game. I don’t think we have seen him here in over 10 years. He was one of the best when he did ACC games regularly, but I think he was the AD of Lehigh or Bucknell then. The web says he went back to his alma mater of N Iowa for 8 1/2 years before resigning because he didn’t want to preside over a probably dismantling of the athletic department. He ran more like an old man (don’t we all) with knee replacements. To see him talking to the players and trying to get them to understand was fun. That was a good crew. Too bad the basketball wasn’t up to the refereeing!

Frank Morris on 01/02/2011 (7:25 pm)

Got back from attending the Gonzaga game. I had some hope at halftime, but the players—-I won’t use the word team—reverted to making the mistakes that have hurt us all season.

I realize the marketing folks were trying to beef up the crowd by offering the 4 tix +hot dogs and drinks for $49. 2 tix in the upper arena+parking and 1 overpriced Pepsi and peanuts for my wife and me cost lots more than $49.

What I don’t understand is why schedule this “marquee” game when the students are away? The noise they can make and the presence of the entire pep band would have livened up the place.There was little college basketball atmosphere.

One thing, we can be sure that Mark Few will never be interested in coaching at Wake after seeing the lack of support for the Deacons. The crowd was too small and too passive.

Jerry on 01/02/2011 (7:20 pm)

I have just watched the Wake-Gonzaga game and I seldom five guys, not a team, run up and down the floor with little regard for the team concept.  You cannot tell me that the coach doesn’t understand team play and not individual play.  If this is what Wellman calls a good or excellent coach then maybe we should look for two new administration people. 

I shutter to think what our record will be at the end of the season!

patrick price on 01/02/2011 (6:45 pm)

Looks like Terrell is the major problem. If he doesn’t change his attitude quick, Buzzy should sit him and pull his scholarship. He’s a good player, but he’s not that good.

Dan on 01/02/2011 (5:54 pm)

Over the past several years, this has been an opportunity to see the Deacs when they come to Richmond. The games with the Spiders have always been close and exciting to watch. Not this year, the Deacs are a bunch of undisciplined playing school yard ball. I don’t know if coach Bzdelik is such a mild mannered person, that he can’t command the respect a coach needs to be effective, but it sure seems like the players don’t listen to much of what he says. Richmond is a good team, with several good wins over other good teams. But they would be no match for teams like Duke,MD,FSU when they take the floor in the ACC. I guess we can hope for the best and expect the worst. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the Deacs play Gonzaga on national TV Sunday. Thank God for the NFL.

Richard on 01/02/2011 (11:09 am)

Today, I see an ad in the paper offering four tickets, hot dogs, drinks and a game program for $49 to the Gonzaga game.  I look at the price of my season tickets plus my parking pass and can’t help but think how bad things are that WF is basically giving tickets away in hope that the arena won’t look empty on national TV tomorrow…..pathetic.

Jim on 01/01/2011 (10:13 am)

This team may go down as the worst one in more than 20 years.  I was thinking you’d have to go back to the Bob Staak era to see this kind of futility.  I looked it up and was right.  In 1986, Wake finished 8-21 under Staak.  He followed up that season with a 10-18 mark two years later in 1988.  With the ACC schedule looming, this team looks like it could be in the ballpark of those awful squads.  I understand Chenault is out and not having a point guard hurts….still, this last recruiting class was rated as the 8th best in the nation.  There’s really no excuse for this team being this awful.  Staak lasted four years before Odom came in and turned things around.  I hope we don’t have to suffer through four years of Bzdelik!  Thanks a lot Ron Wellman, great hire!

Andy on 12/31/2010 (7:58 pm)

I was at the Richmond game on Wednesday night and based on what I saw I am at a loss as to why so many think we are so talented. McKie obviously has skills and desire and as he gets stronger and more experienced he could be very good. Other than McKie there isn’t much there…..I just don’t see all this talent…..if it’s there it’s well hidden. Coach Buzzy may not be the right guy but I am not sure
Phil Jackson could get much out of this crowd…..although Phil would have the option of trading them to the Clippers.

As far as Terrell is concerned….he can shoot (and will whether he has a good look or not), but he can’t or won’t play defense, he can’t or won’t pass to the open man, he isn’t a great ball handler and I don’t think he has scraped for a lose ball or rebound all year. I did see him go one on four, try to take it behind his back and get stuffed on a break….now that was really impressive.
Scoring all those points aren’t worth much if you are giving up as many or more at the other end. I think we just got another fictitious superstar from the AAU.

Deacon23 on 12/31/2010 (3:23 pm)

Regarding Mitch Rivenbark’s comment :
An article appeared in USA TODAY last month which listed the salaries of BCS College Football coaches . Coach Grobe was listed at $2.9 Million . I love Coach Grobe , but based on this season’s performance that works out to nearly $1 million per win at one of the few major college athletic programs that loses money . At least Grobe has brought home an ACC Championship . So far Coach Buzz has brought humiliating loses to teams that had no chance of beating Wake in the past.

Steve P on 12/30/2010 (6:46 pm)

I just read that article Mitchell pointed to on CNNMoney.com I’d like to see the underlying report. Even with the horrible sports product that the Deacons are now putting out we should be able to turn a profit just in revenue sharing.

Lee Jackson on 12/30/2010 (6:28 pm)

Boys, we just stink this year! Bz has no outward fire and the team is his reflection. If we only had a little piece of Duke’s and K’s fire and passion, losing wouldn’t be so embarassing. My friends even ask why our team isn’t putting forth the necessary effort and I tell them “Because the coach doesn’t demand it”! I’m so tired of the excuses that we’ve lost players or are very young. There are no excuses…we are just plain bad!

Ken Green on 12/30/2010 (4:15 pm)

The solution to being soft in the post is to play more guards of course.  If Wake had 5 Ish Smiths on the floor nobody would score on us.  Do they teach low post double teams on defense in the NBA?

Brian on 12/30/2010 (2:02 pm)

I hope all you fellow Wake fans saw this! See article below…

College football’s $1.1 billion profit
By Chris Isidore, senior writer
December 29, 2010: 9:59 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com)
“The richest college football programs got richer in 2010, pocketing more than $1 billion in profits for the first time.
The profit for the 68 teams that play in the six major conferences was up 11% from the prior school year, according to a CNNMoney analysis of figures filed by each school with the Department of Education.
In the school year that ended in 2010, the vast majority of the schools in one of these deep-pocketed conferences posted a profit. Four of them broke even and only one—Wake Forest—reported a loss.

Mitchell Rivenbark on 12/30/2010 (1:33 pm)

I went to see the game in Richmond last night. Bzdelik went to a smaller, more experienced line up plus McVie and I think that move disrupted Richmond’s perimeter game enough to keep Wake in the game in the first half. I was surprised he decided to give up so much height advantage as Ari Stewart and McVie were clearly unable to handle Harper or Geriot alone inside. But it worked in that Wake was still in the game at half.

A few things appeared evident to me. Ty Walker may have been a beast against Marist but he is not ready for A10 much less ACC competition. I was looking forward to seeing his shot blocking ability in person. Instead, I witnessed a timid performance where he often was out of position or appeared to not know his defensive assignment while Geriot had access to many easy buckets in the paint. It makes sense that he was benched.

JT Terrell is not able to play defense at this level of college basketball. He made several mistakes, laid on the court after having his shot blocked, while his defensive responsibility raced down the court unguarded. He and McVie were not in sync which lead to several turnovers. For the offensive spark he brings, he is often the reason the team cannot get stops when he is on the court.

I don’t think Bzdelik has complete control over this group yet. There is enough talent here to win a few ACC games but the chemistry on the team is not good at this point and the season will turn even uglier in January for Deacon fans.

John on 12/30/2010 (1:20 pm)

By now, the entire Wake Nation should know what is wrong with this team as it is mentioned every week.  We have no real post presense, we are crippled with the lack of a point guard and the team has simply not bought into playing defense, as yet.  Looking to next season, we will have our PG back and being that these are really talented kids, they will have had the opportunity to have learned about defense and playing together after this year.  What I think we are really going to need, is a strong, burly post player who can keep people out of there.  I don’t see Bzdelick recruiting a HS player for this as his recruiting record isn’t that good and premium big men are going to go to the Dukes and NCs of the world.  Dan, is he willing to go the JUCO route and bring in a 6’8” or bigger experienced post to help us out next year?

Jim on 12/30/2010 (9:35 am)

While I agree with you on the need for Defense, Bzdelik’s track record might suggest that his defensive coaching hasn’t evolved over the years and coaches know how to expose and beat it.  Each of his teams have allowed more points progressively and are 20+ PA more than his Air Force squads.

WFU (Current) 74.7 PA
Colorado 74.2 PA
Colorado 67.5 PA
Colorado 64.4 PA
Air Force 56.1 PA
Air Force 53.9 PA

Like it or not, I have a feeling his coaching style might be more suited for the military compared to a traditional university.

Jeff on 12/30/2010 (9:25 am)

Everything you say is true, that’s for sure. But when i watch this team i can;t help but think that the main problem is that there’s a disconnect between the team and the coach.
Maybe they dont speak the same ‘language’. Maybe they don’t respect him. Maybe they just don;t want to play his way.
Maybe he doesn’t ‘get’ them… understand them…or maybe he just doesn’t have fun doing his job.
This really doesn’t surprise me, because quite honestly I don’t get him. Coach Bz is really one of the most passionless, and uninspiring men I’ve ever seen coach the game so its no wonder he’s not connecting with his team. I’m sure he’s a very nice man, and probably a terrific behind the scenes guy to have around, but he’s not ACC coach material… period.

Moooozilla on 12/30/2010 (9:01 am)

Dan,

I was having performance problems myself.  My doc prescribed Viagra.  It has worked wonders.  Is there something like that for a basketball team?

cool de la on 12/30/2010 (8:42 am)

I live in Richmond and this was my first opportunity to see this team in person, some observations:
1) I got to meet Dan the Man Collins in person before the game.  Dan, it was a pleasure.
2) I see a lot of opinions about Ty Walker going around, a lot of attackers and a few defenders.  Here is a telling stat I observed -> I counted 3 or 4 times when Walker had both hands on a rebound at the same time as a UR player, and Ty lost it every single time.  Couldn’t even hold on to it long enough to get a jump ball call, they just ripped it right away from him - easily….  That’s not what you want out of your center.
3) As Dan pointed out, the defense is about the worst I’ve ever seen from a Wake team, and since Odom left WF has not exactly been known for their defense.  Walker is probably the worst offender, but from what I could tell Stewart was not far behind, he couldn’t handle any of the UR players.
4)The team has got some talent: McKie is the real deal; get Harris back in the 2 guard spot and he is a solid player, just not a PG; and Terrell shows flashes of amazing talent, just very inconsistent right now.  Some of the other guys would be good role players on a decent team, but none can really help a bad team.
5) This team can shoot the ball pretty well, better than recent Wake teams.

As for the coach, I’ll reserve judgement.  But like Dan said whatever they work on defensively in practice sure didn’t show up in this game, they were lost.

Charles on 12/30/2010 (8:32 am)

I too saw the Deacons last night in Richmond. I saw no effort by us to get the ball into a big post up player. I saw no toughness on defense; let’s at least have a player foul out once in a while. Our fouls were touch fouls on the outside for the most part. Teach the ball handler on what few fast breaks we have to pass rather than try to always take it to the hoop; that is if we in fact have wing men on the break. Then when we are fouled, our guys stand and appeal to the ref while Richmond took the ball down on the break and easily scored. I guess that is the crux of the situation; other teams score easily on us while we work our weave on the outside not even trying to score. I think the bigs are trying to post up but no one throws the ball in. While I am on that, Ty Walker is the weakest mildest 7 footer I have ever seen. Most of this stuff is coaching stuff. Some of it is lack of experience. But it does make you question the selection Ron Wellman made for coach. Sorry for the epistle but we have all seen better from our basketball teams.

raytn on 12/30/2010 (7:42 am)