So....how many guys said 'no thanks' ?

[wake20]

Define "no thanks".

From what I know we offered the job to two guys: Shaka and Manning.

Exactly. If you include no call backs and "not interested" before the conversation even began, I'd say 4-5 more.

 

[Wakeforest22890]

Archie wasn't interested, I don't think we spent much time at all, if any, talking to Howland (maybe brief contact just to say we made a call), but I don't think either of these guys got offers.

 

[daaberry]

Hard to make an offer to someone who tells you right away that he doesn't want the job, but thanks for calling. No doubt in my mind that RW makes a hard play for Archie if he at least showed some sign that it was possible he'd take the job.

 

[Ralph Medlin]

Why would the coaching fraternity hate Ron's guts? As Wake fans, we have our reasons. But outsiders?

The [name redacted] "resignation" press conference...I'm not sure that evoked hate but it certainly was an embarrassment that made WFU look like a clown school.

 

[cville deac]

Hard to make an offer to someone who tells you right away that he doesn't want the job, but thanks for calling. No doubt in my mind that RW makes a hard play for Archie if he at least showed some sign that it was possible he'd take the job.

Exactly.

 

[whodatdeac]

there are probably only 2 or 3 people on earth who know the answer to that question, and they don't post here

This.

 

[daaberry]

Well BabyDeac said the search has changed directions several times so I think it is safe for all of us to assume it didn't go from Shaka to Manning. Ron was told to go to hell more times than he was expecting. He apparently was completely ignorant to how much damage [name redacted] did to the program's image.

 

[smallbigtall]

Puts a lot of weight towards the impression that Wellman is one of the most respected ADs in the country, eh?

 

[pourdeac]

With all due respect, Danny Manning was NOT an obvious choice from day one

FWIW....a friend of mine with strong ties to Duke insiders told me we needed to and would look at Danny Manning. I've been getting "told ya" texts non-stop.

 

[thedeacfan]

Why would they fly him to Winston if he hadn't been hired? At this rate, it would look worse for Wake if Manning said no. We'd be a bigger laughing stock than we already are.

Remember how it was better for Wake basketball in the long-term for [name redacted] to lose in the short-term? Now it may be better for Wake athletics in the long-term for Ron Wellman to be "a bigger laughing stock" in the short-term. Burn it to the ground with Ron Wellman inside. Because obviously, we haven't hit rock bottom yet.

WellmanOUT! And the sooner the better...

 

[HONDO2]

We only can surmise, given the consensus that RW went hard after Shaka Smart, that Smart said no. Amaker may have been interviewed, but we don't know that he was offered, only that he wants to stay at Harvard. We don't know where in the order of candidates he was. I doubt if Gregg Marshall was on the list. His somewhat disparaging remarks about Wake make me think that he harbors a grudge for not getting the job, or at least an interview, four years ago, plus, I doubt if he would get along with his boss which is seldom a good thing. There must have been more to the Ben Howland situation at UCLA than meets the eye, as there have been no rumors about an approach to him, unlike the rumors that Marquette was after him. So, to be fair, the only one we can be reasonably sure said "no" to an offer is probably Shaka Smart. However, unless Manning was much higher on RW's list than most of us supposed (and there were some of us who touted him from the beginning when it looked like Shaka was out), we can assume, but probably never know, that at least a couple of others declined, or, alternatively, that their interviews did not go well and RW moved along. I think the earlier comments that RW was going to "swing for the fences" got everyone's hopes up. We momentarily forgot the old adage that disappointment is a function of expectation. I certainly expected better than this and I suspect RW did, as well.

Very plausible recap by poster WildBill.

Thanks to Dan Collins, I went hook-line-sinker on him relating that he was told Wake/Wellman/Hatch/Big Donors were 'swinging for the fences' so much so that Shaka Smart was Plan B. What was Manning then....Plan E ( aka EMERGENCY ) ?As it turned out, Wake got on base via a bunt single !

And so much for WAKE WILL plus Joel ownership making the timing of this search critical. With Louisville coming in, VT grabbing Buzz Williams and UVA emerging, I was convinced Wake definately wanted to be a factor again in the ACC. I was wrong....LOWF lives on. Danny Manning matching in-game wits and in recruiting with K, Roy, Boeheim and Pitino ? Yea right....

We'd better have plans to revamp Joel to about 6,500 seats cuz that's about the max we'll need going forward.

 

[ProbationDeac]

there are probably only 2 or 3 people on earth who know the answer to that question, and they don't post here

While I think it would be interesting to know, you don't want a situation like NC State went through where high profile names were being reported in the media saying no.

 

[Biff Tannen]

Very plausible recap by poster WildBill.

Thanks to Dan Collins, I went hook-line-sinker on him relating that he was told Wake/Wellman/Hatch/Big Donors were 'swinging for the fences' so much so that Shaka Smart was Plan B. What was Manning then....Plan E ( aka EMERGENCY ) ?As it turned out, Wake got on base via a bunt single !

And so much for WAKE WILL plus Joel ownership making the timing of this search critical. With Louisville coming in, VT grabbing Buzz Williams and UVA emerging, I was convinced Wake definately wanted to be a factor again in the ACC. I was wrong....LOWF lives on. Danny Manning matching in-game wits and in recruiting with K, Roy, Boeheim and Pitino ? Yea right....

We'd better have plans to revamp Joel to about 6,500 seats cuz that's about the max we'll need going forward.

 

[vtwhat etc]