My Take on Wake - To Everything There Is a Season

To Everything There Is a Season

Since I volunteered to write a blog on Wake Forest sports some 20 months ago, it has been a labor of love. I’ve had a blast, and have been immensely gratified by the following it has attracted.

Since I volunteered, and wasn’t assigned the blog, I never saw it as an excuse to give short shrift to my coverage of Wake Forest for the daily newspaper or website. Instead it has been an extension of that coverage. And because I’ve enjoyed it so much, I’ve never resented the added work it entails. I’ve actually never really seen it as work because I’ve written when I felt like it and had something I wanted to say. If you’ve followed My Take On Wake during the meat of the football or basketball season, you know I’ve felt like writing often and have had much to say.

The calendar turns, though, and it’s no longer football or basketball season. As a result, I have other responsibilities, to the Journal and to myself and my family. I’m enjoying covering the Winston-Salem Dash at its splendid new digs, BB&T Ballpark, and I enjoyed writing an extended profile on a local softball umpire that will appear in the Journal in June. I’ve also enjoyed some time away from sports. Because I’m old, and have been at the Journal so long, I get five weeks vacation. But the unspoken caveat is that I best take them in the time between the end of the school year and the start of football practice in the first days of August.

To keep My Take On Wake fresh and current at this time of year—given how seldom I’m on campus and how few people are around and available—would be a chore. And for it to be good, it can’t be a chore. It has to remain a labor of love.

That’s why you haven’t seen much from me these past few weeks and why you probably won’t until the pads start popping in August. By then I’ll be tanned, rested and ready to fire it back up.

Hope you understand.

Hope to have you back.

Back to the main page.

By Dan Collins on 05/26/2010 (3:22 pm)

Comments

DC—YES that 1 & the football site/ also I agree concerning the basketball—our recruit are often under rated, I think we have a couple of surprises—I can’t wait to see JT perform and Tabb bang

DC#68/1978-80 on 07/03/2010 (6:56 am)

Thanks, DC#68/1978-80.

I presume you were referring to the 2011 basketball preview by the News and Observer. Wake Forest was picked to finish dead last in the ACC. I think that some of this prediction is based on the fact that no one has seen our recruits play against college competition. I will be particularly interested to hear Coach Bzdelik’s assessment of our team once practice begins.

But for argument’s sake, let’s say our freshmen class is in keeping with previous Gaudio recruiting classes. If that is indeed the case, then I consider a last-place finish to be completely unacceptable. While I think that youth can prevent a team from winning the ACC, I don’t think it necessarily dooms a team to obsolescence.

DC on 06/29/2010 (3:18 pm)

Great links DC here is another/ Wake’s page
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/ncaa/teams/wake-forest-demon-deacons/index.html

DC#68/1978-80 on 06/28/2010 (1:31 pm)

A couple of more Wake Forest sports links:

Russell Nenon is gearing up for the season by putting in extra time to work out this summer. I love the quote about how he did not like explaining to people why he was not preparing for a bowl game at the end of last season. That’s the type of experience that can really drive a player (much like you could tell that the basketball team’s failure in 2008-2009 really motivated Ish Smith during his senior year).

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/12084/wakes-nenon-putting-in-extra-hours.

Also, back to basketball, here’s a decent Sports Illustrated article about Coach Bzdelik (nothing we don’t already know though). I am really anxious to hear Coach Bzdelik’s assessment of where the players are right now, and specifically how he expects them to develop over the next year or two.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/luke_winn/06/22/wake.forest.bzdelik/index.html

DC on 06/24/2010 (12:17 pm)

A very brief update on Coach Bzdelik’s initial recruiting efforts. While the class of 2011 will be small, that doesn’t mean it won’t make a significant impact. Hopefully Coach Bzdelik and the staff can reel in a couple of impact players.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/06/18/1509975/deacs-recruiting-is-active-under.html.

One part of the article that I thought was interesting was that one of the recruits, Jabari Brown, inidicated that he was not concerned about Wake’s record this year because this season will be very much characterized by transition. I think that it is smart for Bzdelik to temper expectations while on the recruiting trail, but I feel compelled to acknowledge that we will still have a very talented team in 2010-2011. While it is reasonable to expect our young team to experience growing pains, I also expect a very competitive squad by February. Afterall, the goal in hiring Bzdelik was to bring in a coach who will lead a team that peaks at the right time of the year, right?

DC on 06/21/2010 (12:23 pm)

Dan,

I hope your summer is going well so far. I am getting pumped for the start of football season. I hope you forgive my plugging to another journalist’s article while you are on hiatus. Below is a link to Luke Winn’s (cnnsi) article on Chris Paul’s camp. There is a mention of Dino Gaudio (including a very general update on his future career prospects), along with Justin Gray, CJ Harris and Ari Stewart. I really hope that CJ and Ari are getting as much as they can out of this opportunity. Chris Paul has really turned into a great ambassador for Wake Forest basketball. Hopefully he continues to stay connected to the program under Bzdelik.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/luke_winn/06/14/paul.camp/index.html.

DC on 06/17/2010 (11:20 am)

enjoy the summer. you deserve it.

steve on 06/11/2010 (1:12 pm)

Dan,
I realize you are taking some time off from “My Take…”, but I sure would like to get your take on a report on CSSSports.com that the Colorado men’s basketball program has been “sanctioned for falling short of the NCAA Academic Progress Rate cutoff of 925”. The Colorado score was 897.They will lose one scholarship. The period covered is reported as 2005-06 and 2008-09.
This does make one wonder about due diligence being done.

Jerry on 06/09/2010 (4:46 pm)

Have a great summer… see you in august.

hal on 05/30/2010 (9:56 am)

Dan, I’ve been wondering if you would consider using some of your blog to update us about Wake recruiting, especially pertaining to the three traditional men’s sports: fball, bsktball and baseball. Since Wake usually is hardly considered, even in basketball, by the biggie recruiting groups, it would be nice to learn what the WFU recruiters are doing. Thanks. Have a good vacation from the blog. Montana Deac

Lee Anglin on 05/29/2010 (1:15 pm)

Dan,

Glad to hear you are taking some time off. No need to try to add extra work. Enjoy the summer and they’re will be plenty of stuff to write about. Plus, not reading you blog every day, makes it one less thing to distract me from studying for the bar :)

Aaron on 05/28/2010 (3:02 am)

That you took the time to explain says it all. Thanks—see you in August.

Norm on 05/27/2010 (10:26 pm)

I have never posted before….This blog makes my world go round keeping up with Wake Sports…Thank you for all you do…see you in August…have a restful summer.

Ahotelman on 05/27/2010 (6:12 pm)

Thank you for informative reporting!! During the football and basketball seasons, your blog is a daily must for me.

crm on 05/27/2010 (4:59 pm)

You deserve a rest. You really take care of the Deacons during the season, We enjoy your reports greatly. You are the most popular and best writer in the area. I know for I have had the opportunity to live in many other locations,which gives me the chance to compare.Again, enjoy your time off.

carl on 05/27/2010 (3:55 pm)

Your blogs always express care, insight and solid perspective. I’m glad you’ll be back. As you said, you may be old (older than dirt, in fact), but you keep working to be better.
From a Montana Deac!

Lee Anglin on 05/27/2010 (3:49 pm)

Country,
Take the next two mos. off! You deserve it!!! Only update the blog if there is any breaking news!

Good story on Brent LaRue today. Is he related to Rusty?

Tom on 05/27/2010 (11:33 am)

Rest up, Dan. We will enjoy your perspectives in the fall.

Dave on 05/27/2010 (11:02 am)

Dan,
From one “old” guy to another: Look out for yourself and enjoy life while you can. Never, never give up even one day of vacation.
We look forward to reading your blogs when football rolls around.
I live in Gboro,but plan to soon meander over to catch a Dash game at your spiffy new stadium.
Thanks for your blog.

Jerry on 05/27/2010 (10:41 am)

Thanks Dan. We really do depend on you for the best in-depth coverage of our Deacons. HD will be giving her accessment of WF football on the ESPN ACC blog today or tomorrow for those interested.

blitzball on 05/27/2010 (9:34 am)