State of the Bz - Midseason Report

[Strickland33]

My concern is that Bz gets retained on the basis of a mediocre season, CJ graduates, Travis leaves and next year is a disaster.

At which point [Redacted] would leave and we'd have zero credibility remaining to hire a respectable coach. I got "reprimanded" for suggesting that we look at second and third tier coaching prospects, but if [Redacted] gets retained, then that's what we're looking at.

Ron Wellman is really, really, really, really bad at his job.

 

[TBR]

Maybe not this board, but TOB seems like a majority of Buzzdickinners.

So that's another 5.

 

[ManhassetDeac]

Still BuzzOut just not as violently so after the last 5 games.

 

[Doggus]

No, it's a simple question with no middle ground. As of right now, do you want him to be the WF basketball coach next season or not? No room for flip-floppers.

Precisely why I didn't vote. It would be unfair to him and us to evaluate at this point, especially while the team is on a "hot" streak.

 

[TBR]

Unfortunately I believe you are correct. Which is why they both need to go. Yesterday. But I don't think that happens. I have upgraded us from 5 to 6, maybe 7, ACC Ws, both given our improvement and after seeing the crap that is BC, VT, UVA, UNC, Clemson, GT and FSU. I see Dick and State winning 14+ each and MD and maybe Miami scaring double digits. I think everyone else is in that 5-8 win range.

Even with only 5-6 ACC wins, I see little chance Wellman fires Buzzdick. And it's getting near the point where you have to give him an extension if you're going to keep him in order to allow him a chance to recruit. Maybe not this year, but definitely next year. And if we win 13-15 this year and 15-17 next year, I don't see how Wellman doesn't extend him. And given the insanity of this hire and the apparent shackles that Wellman is putting on our program, even if he were to fire Buzzdick, I don't see a high profile guy like Shaka being willing to come here and work for Ron.

5 ACC wins would give us a total of 12 wins. It would be hard to argue that the results are improving, even with the 18 game ACC schedule. I think he's gone with 6 or fewer ACC wins.

 

[DCDeac]

5 ACC wins would give us a total of 12 wins. It would be hard to argue that the results are improving, even with the 18 game ACC schedule. I think he's gone with 6 or fewer ACC wins.

At 2-1, finishing with 5 ACC wins would be a horrible collapse. There would be pitchforks and burning stakes and all that stuff.

 

[Doggus]

Unfortunately I believe you are correct. Which is why they both need to go. Yesterday. But I don't think that happens. I have upgraded us from 5 to 6, maybe 7, ACC Ws, both given our improvement and after seeing the crap that is BC, VT, UVA, UNC, Clemson, GT and FSU. I see Dick and State winning 14+ each and MD and maybe Miami scaring double digits. I think everyone else is in that 5-8 win range.

Even with only 5-6 ACC wins, I see little chance Wellman fires Buzzdick. And it's getting near the point where you have to give him an extension if you're going to keep him in order to allow him a chance to recruit. Maybe not this year, but definitely next year. And if we win 13-15 this year and 15-17 next year, I don't see how Wellman doesn't extend him. And given the insanity of this hire and the apparent shackles that Wellman is putting on our program, even if he were to fire Buzzdick, I don't see a high profile guy like Shaka being willing to come here and work for Ron.

Wow. I hope you are dead wrong on this. You think we could go 3-12 to close out the ACC and finish 5-13 in conference and there is a chance Wellman could spin it as a season that warrants more [Redacted] coaching? That's insane.
I think Wellman expects this team to be able to to win somewhere between 7-11 games this season in ACC play. I think he's probably right. I also think [Redacted] isn't nearly as bad a coach as many here believe. He is every bit the social loser though and that sucks. I have a longer leash because I like the players he's bringing in. I think that type of player can win a lot of games for us. But I'm a die hard optimist and I may be wrong.

 

[myDeaconmyhand]

At 2-1, finishing with 5 ACC wins would be a horrible collapse. There would be pitchforks and burning stakes and all that stuff.

People actually have to give a shit for that cliche to fit. I doubt Wellman even gets a bag of flaming dog shit on his stoop in that scenario. People on this board, the "fringe lunatics", are scared of getting in trouble for t-shirts and signs at the Joel.

 

[TheIshThatSaved WakeForest]

Wow. I hope you are dead wrong on this. You think we could go 3-12 to close out the ACC and finish 5-13 in conference and there is a chance Wellman could spin it as a season that warrants more [Redacted] coaching? That's insane.

I can definitely see this happening. In fact, 5 or 6 ACC wins seems like the most likely scenario.

 

[Ayo]

Still Bzzz Way The Fuck Out. Wins over Virginia and a lowly BC team aren't gonna change that. Do you BzzzInners remember how good we used to be?

 

[TBR]

At 2-1, finishing with 5 ACC wins would be a horrible collapse. There would be pitchforks and burning stakes and all that stuff.

I agree. I predicted 7 at the beginning of the season, and I am going to stick with that. For any sane person with a reasonable understanding of sunk costs, that should be enough to pull the plug. I am not sure that it will be for Wellman.

 

[Doggus]

I can definitely see this happening. In fact, 5 or 6 ACC wins seems like the most likely scenario.

It doesn't to me. If I believed that I would be firmly BuzzOut so I guess I can understand where you're coming from. I'll take the over on 5 wins if you're feeling that confident.

 

[WFU71]

I didn't vote - I'm just happy that watching our games is fun again. I have little doubt there's plenty of disappointment to come, but I intend on enjoying the moment.

 

[cville deac]

5 ACC wins would give us a total of 12 wins. It would be hard to argue that the results are improving, even with the 18 game ACC schedule. I think he's gone with 6 or fewer ACC wins.

What's the difference between 6 and 7 really? We could play halfway decently from here on out and still only win 6-7. Please remember that UVA & BC at home are 2 of our easiest games of the year. If you look at the rest of our schedule, we don't have many other also-rans at home - just FSU, GT & VT - still have State, Dick & MD at home, which would be tough wins. So realistically, that's 5 Ws based on home wins. And we're not a good road team. Hell, none of the mediocre ACC teams are. So maybe we steal a couple from a BC or a Tech of your choice. You're at 7-11. I think that will certainly be enough to satisfy Ron that progress has been made. Which it obviously has. We've risen from 1 of the worst ACC teams in history 2 years running to mediocrity in a down ACC. And it seems like there is a significant segment of our fan base that is pretty pleased with that level of improvement and play.

Sorry to say it, but unless Wellman is fired, which I strongly doubt, I think we're in with Buzzdick for at least next year. And if we can go say 17-15 next year, then maybe for a few more years after that.

 

[ChrisL68]

17-15 next year should be no questions asked termination.

 

[DeaconBrews]

The #1 reason to be Buzzout at this point is not his record. It's not his recruiting. It's not his personality.

The #1 reason to be Buzzout is nothing he has done or hasn't done or anything that happened in the ACC. The #1 reason for being Buzzout is to set up the Deacs for the next 20-30 years. We are very lucky.

It's all about timing. Maybe hiring [Redacted] was the luckiest thing that ever happened other than Chris King playing pick-up in the Virgin Islands. Had we signed an up comer, we might have done OK. But right now we have a chance that fell into our laps not of our doing.

The combination of ACC getting Cuse, Pitt, Louisville and Notre Dame effectively ended the Big East. The Catholic Seven has a $500M Fox Sports contract waiting for them to add five teams. A minimum of three will come from the A-10(Dayton, Xavier, St. Joe's/Butler). It could be all five (St. Joe's or Butler plaus LaSalle, St. Louis or another).

With this happening VCU basically becomes a team without a conference rather part of a burgeoning conference. Shaka can see the writing on the wall. He knows his upside at VCU is basically over.

Unless UCLA folds, it's likely Howland will stay. Wake will be the best job available. Add that we have a very, very good freshman class and probable Burger Boy committed. It's a perfect situation.

Look it may not be fair if the Deacs win 6-8 ACC games but fair doesn't fill the Joel. Fair doesn't get you to a Final Four.

The reality is the stars are aligning for us to get a generational coach. These stars weren't in place as recently as this September. There have been mighty changes since then.

We need to act and pay the piper. We need to do this as soon as the season ends.

#ShakaIn

 

[VaDeac]

Still out because he never should have been the choice in the first place. Improvement and a nice little 4-of-5 run against bad teams doesn't change the fact that Bz's ceiling here is mid-pack at the absolute, most optimistic best.

 

[thedeacfan]

What's the difference between 6 and 7 really? We could play halfway decently from here on out and still only win 6-7. Please remember that UVA & BC at home are 2 of our easiest games of the year. If you look at the rest of our schedule, we don't have many other also-rans at home - just FSU, GT & VT - still have State, Dick & MD at home, which would be tough wins. So realistically, that's 5 Ws based on home wins. And we're not a good road team. Hell, none of the mediocre ACC teams are. So maybe we steal a couple from a BC or a Tech of your choice. You're at 7-11. I think that will certainly be enough to satisfy Ron that progress has been made. Which it obviously has. We've risen from 1 of the worst ACC teams in history 2 years running to mediocrity in a down ACC. And it seems like there is a significant segment of our fan base that is pretty pleased with that level of improvement and play.

Sorry to say it, but unless Wellman is fired, which I strongly doubt, I think we're in with Buzzdick for at least next year. And if we can go say 17-15 next year, then maybe for a few more years after that.

That's just depressing. You're talking about the lost decade for Wake basketball.

It's inconceivable that 3 seasons of winning and progressively improving NCAAT performance justifies firing the coach (Dino); but 3 years of unprecented losing justifies giving the coach (Buzz) a fourth year? In what universe could this scenario possibly be considered logical? It is certainly not logical in this universe. In fact, it is incomprehensible. Nothing Jeff [Redacted] has done until now or could do before the end of the season justifies letting him waste another year.

BuzzOUT! till he's gone...

 

[ctdeac13]

I would be happy if we fired [Redacted] and promoted Jeff Battle. He should've been our coach and not Dino and he is a great recruiter and all the players love him. I was originally opposed to something like this but from talking to some people I think that battle would be a great coach. Obviously getting a coach like Shaka or Brad Stevens would be awesome but realistically we don't have a great shot at getting a coach like that. Battle almost left this past year and I would hate to lose him after this season.

 

[TheIshThatSaved WakeForest]

I would be happy if we fired [Redacted] and promoted Jeff Battle. He should've been our coach and not Dino and he is a great recruiter and all the players love him. I was originally opposed to something like this but from talking to some people I think that battle would be a great coach. Obviously getting a coach like Shaka or Brad Stevens would be awesome but realistically we don't have a great shot at getting a coach like that. Battle almost left this past year and I would hate to lose him after this season.

Appreciate what Battle has done, but no. And we've been over the Battle/Dino thing several times. Battle didn't want the job at that time due to the health of his wife.