Comments

Chris,

Iknow Jerry Wainwright personally. He is a wonderful, friendly person who is very intense on the court. I know he thinks the world of Wake Forest and is very proud of his time here! Therefore, I pull hard for him to succeed at Depaul or wherever he may be! Just so he doesn’t play the Deacs, that is!

Ken Green on 01/06/2010 (6:26 pm)

I totally agree about the Joel being too quiet when the students are not there.  The place is def. not the same and I noticed some Xavier folks making a few comments about that.  I am all for this series.  Xavier has done pretty well the past few years and I’m for Wake playing anyone who is halfway decent rather some team who you are supposed to beat by 30.  I also think once the current seniors move on and the years go by this game may not be as emotional as it was for this one at least for the players and some fans.

Cliff Daniel on 01/06/2010 (6:05 pm)

Before I forget, another change I would make to the Skip Prosser Classic would be to somehow schedule the game for a time when classes are in session.  The Joel is quite simply too morose of an environment when the students aren’t there.

DC on 01/06/2010 (5:17 pm)

I think its a neat idea, although I would also say that I think this game really is only an emotional one for the two coaching staffs.  Beginning next year, no one will be playing in the game that ever played for Skip, so that level of attachment at least, will be a non-factor for the players.  And as a Wake fan, while I like to see Xavier do well because of Coaches Mack and Kelsey, I don’t lose any sleep over Xavier losses nor do I have any great attachment to their program, at least any more than I have to DePaul and Coach Wainwright, for example.

Chris on 01/06/2010 (11:45 am)

Truly an excellent idea.  I hope the schools listen carefully and take some sort of action.  In truth, it doesn’t have to be teams from either Ohio or Carolina. But the idea of an invitational is right on the mark.

Hal Wolf on 01/06/2010 (11:16 am)

I didn’t know Skip Prosser personally.  He was always nice when I said hello to him on campus, and my college experience certainly was enhanced by the energy he brought to Wake Forest when he arrived.  Quite simply, supporting the basketball team became fun, from the tie-dyed shirts to the pizza during the ticket camp-outs outside Polo Residence Hall.  And the team played better.  Coach Prosser’s impact on my college experience was not unimportant, but it certainly was not as intimate as the impact that he had on the lives of others, including you, Dan, and probably some of the others who follow your blog. 

The biggest effect that Coach Prosser had on my life was less direct.  When Coach Prosser tragically died, my fifty-five year old workaholic father began a regular workout regimen and see a doctor once per year for a stress test.  He is still a workaholic, and always will be, but he seems to make more of an effort to occasionally step back from the grind to evaluate how he’s feeling and what he wants to do, even if that is just to play a round of golf on a Sunday afternoon.  These are things my dad knew he should be doing, but sometimes it’s just too easy to get caught up in that daily grind.  I miss Coach Prosser as much as I possibly could, but I am grateful that my father was able to learn such valuable lessons from his passing. 

So this brings me back to the format of the Skip Prosser Classic.  In all honesty, I find it difficult to be opposed to anything that pays tribute to Coach Prosser.  To that end, why not establish a preseason tournament like the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic? 

But, for the sake of giving a different perspective, what I like about the current ten-game series is that it affords the two very close programs, friends, the opportunity to compete against one another.  If all goes well - and the first game was certainly a great first step - the result will be a rivalry as fierce as any in college basketball.  But the basis for the rivalry, Coach Prosser, will be something positive.  I don’t know of any rivalry like that.  Sure, Duke vs. UNC, Kentucky vs. Louisville, UCLA vs. Arizona - all of these programs and schools and fans have mutual respect for one another on some level.  But they don’t empathize with each other.  They sure don’t like each other. 

That’s where the Wake Forest vs. Xavier rivalry can reach another level.  Of course the coaches, players and fans will be physically and emotionally exhausted after every game.  You’re supposed to be exhausted after a basketball game, especially one where a trip to the NCAA Tournament could very well be on the line.  But this game forces you to recognize that there are other things that are more important.  It will force everyone, the players, coaches, ADs, fans, etc., to take a step back from their daily grind.  And it will give me a reminder to ask me dad if he’s been to the doctor for his stress test. 

Perhaps the same point can be driven home by a doubleheader or a preseason tournament.  I just think that there is something more timeless about a simultaneous rivalry and partnership between Wake Forest and Xavier.

DC on 01/06/2010 (10:55 am)

An even better idea is Wake plays Mount Union College of Ohio and Xavier plays Catawba so we can almost ensure victories.  Just kidding throw two other good teams in there, but Vic was right in his comment.  Fix it so our schools get first rights to the tickets and our tickets are ten dollars while Duke and Carolina’s is fifty.  Everyone smile please.

Doug on 01/06/2010 (9:48 am)

WOW!!!!  And then donate a portion of the proceeds to the American Heart Association or similar.  As a Deacon fan and alum, it is difficult to pull against Xavier in this game when you know Skip is the reason they are playing each other.  Wouldn’t think they would need to move it from the Joel or Xavier’s arena though.  Moving it to G-boro in our instance and including UNC, Duke, or State just means the place will be filled with their fans when the Wake-Xavier groups should have first crack at tix.

Vic Evaro on 01/05/2010 (8:27 pm)

Excellent idea!! Wake vs Xavier is just too tough and emotional! I could easily pull for Xavier if Dino’s idea works!

As I said before, I wish Wellman would cancel our contract with Xavier after next year!

Ken Green on 01/05/2010 (6:49 pm)

That is a genius idea, Dino.

DCDeacon on 01/05/2010 (4:54 pm)