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The WFU Coaching position

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Azdeac

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Let's discuss - and take an honest look at how attractive or unattractive this job is. I think the question now is what is Wake willing to pay, because on paper, this is a great long term opportunity.

Advantages
1) New coach will have a long leash to succeed. 4 years of total failure shows Wellman has patience and will support you
2) After Buzz, any coach who brings energy, enthusiasm, and connects will be welcomed with open arms
3) Wake has proven that you can maintain long term success here without excuses (18 of 20 years in postseason)
4) The ACC is weak except for the Top 4 (Duke/UNC/Cuse/Louisville) - excellent chance to prove yourself, but you have to want to be a big fish in a big pond, not a big fish in a little pond (see VCU & Wichita St)

Disadvantages
1) Makeshift roster with no big man. Some serviceable ACC talent but nothing earth shattering.
2) AD/BoT imposed recruiting limitations/ character & academics (perception or reality?)
3) see #4 above - the daily grind of competing in the ACC, life in a mid-major isn't as stressful
 
Advantages
5) Greater TV exposure.
6) No glass ceiling. If you win in the ACC, no one questions whether you deserve to be ranked #1.
7) More Money
8) Excellent recruiting grounds. (Marshall has been quoted that he has to get on a plane to go see virtually every recruit that he pursues.)
 
UVA is a pretty good team in case you haven't noticed, otherwise agreed on all accounts on the positives.

Would also add to disadvantages that there is extremely limited shooting on the roster along with no legit 5s or post depth. Also the cluster of the size of the sophomore class and what it does to the scholarship situation. The academic recruiting limitations are also very real, however don't affect basketball nearly as much as football.
 
The make up of the current roster is a minor negative issue. One that can be cleared up fairly quickly through transfers. With that said, the new coach will get a roster with lots of upperclassmen. Schedule properly and you can win 20 games the first year to build momentum on the recruiting trail.
 
WakeForestRanger said:
The make up of the current roster is a minor negative issue. One that can be cleared up fairly quickly through transfers. With that said, the new coach will get a roster with lots of upperclassmen. Schedule properly and you can win 20 games the first year to build momentum on the recruiting trail.
Click to expand...

Additionally, the last 4 years of Wake Forest basketball essentially go away on the recruiting trail with a new coach. Same way with football. Dave Clawson wasn't out telling recruits Wake went 4-8 this year and 5-7 the year before that because he didn't have that record; Dave Clawson won a MAC Championship. The new coach has all of the perks of Wake Forest basketball/history w/o having the negatives of the past 4 years.
 
Also, the coaches at the top schools are getting old and will not be around forever.
 
one4theroad said:
What about our fan base? Is it a positive or a negative?
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In it's current state, it is a negative. But it shouldn't be hard to show clips of what it was like when we were successful to spin it as a positive.
 
Given the amazingly awful hiring process used in the past, when I first saw this thread title I thought it might be a job posting from the AD. I was going to throw my name into the hat. I could use a $1+ million pay bump. I'd be happy to bring Wrangor along as my assistant. And of course, I'll keep trusty Rusty and Childress on board to shield me from all of you experts here on the forums. Are you out there Wellman? PM me with your address so I can send my resume.
 
A fan base that gives a shit is a positive thing. There's a lot of apathy from the casual fans but that's nothing unique to WF. But a fan base that is willing to put up billboards is one that gives a shit. Skip could tell you how good that is.
 
94Deac said:
A fan base that gives a shit is a positive thing. There's a lot of apathy from the casual fans but that's nothing unique to WF. But a fan base that is willing to put up billboards is one that gives a shit. Skip could tell you how good that is.
Click to expand...

I agree. The next coach could be a damn king in Winston.
 
BudatWake said:
Also, the coaches at the top schools are getting old and will not be around forever.
Click to expand...

We desperately need a young guy who can turn us around and position us near the top of the ACC, and who will still be around to take advantage of any drop from Duke, Syracuse, UNC, etc as their mid to upper 60's coaches phase out. There's potential to get into that upper echelon of the ACC with the right hire.
 
Another plus is that it's a lot easier to follow a bad coach rather than a successful one. Some of you are probably too young, but I still remember when Gene Bartow replaced John Wooden. Poor guy was doomed from the start.
 
No need to go that far back for a reference. How about Gut and Doh at UNC?
 
Yes, UVA is very good this year - the question is will Bennett sustain the success? The 4 schools I brought up have sustained success. Miami was great last year - not so much this year. FSU has its moments as does Pitt.

I would argue at this point our fan base would be a 100% positive situation for the new guy coming in. Look how Clawson was received. People are going to be so damn happy it's not Buzz, that a home run hire will bring so much excitement and support. I think any coach looking at the situation for what it was, wouldn't fault our reaction to Bzdickless. That was one of the worst decisions ever made.
 
one4theroad said:
What about our fan base? Is it a positive or a negative?
Click to expand...

huge negative. it sucks we have a small alumni base, with more than half of it living out of state. the fact that we're totally in the sh***er just makes it an even bigger negative, some of our best fans have stopped caring, the lunatic fringe has gotten a lot of the spotlight, the negatives are just all being highlighted right now. The only positive is that things can only go up from here and there is a really big opportunity for improvement.

Just look at Grobe. People generally liked the guy but are loving Clawson already. Buzz is so disliked and the program has been doing so poorly whoever we get is going to get an instant wave of support.
 
Brendan207 said:
huge negative. it sucks we have a small alumni base, with more than half of it living out of state. the fact that we're totally in the sh***er just makes it an even bigger negative, some of our best fans have stopped caring, the lunatic fringe has gotten a lot of the spotlight, the negatives are just all being highlighted right now. The only positive is that things can only go up from here and there is a really big opportunity for improvement.

Just look at Grobe. People generally liked the guy but are loving Clawson already. Buzz is so disliked and the program has been doing so poorly whoever we get is going to get an instant wave of support.
Click to expand...

You've just made the case why the fanbase is a positive.
 
The fanbase will support winning teams!

wake1.jpg wake2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Azdeac said:
Let's discuss - and take an honest look at how attractive or unattractive this job is. I think the question now is what is Wake willing to pay, because on paper, this is a great long term opportunity.

Advantages
1) New coach will have a long leash to succeed. 4 years of total failure shows Wellman has patience and will support you
2) After Buzz, any coach who brings energy, enthusiasm, and connects will be welcomed with open arms
3) Wake has proven that you can maintain long term success here without excuses (18 of 20 years in postseason)
4) The ACC is weak except for the Top 4 (Duke/UNC/Cuse/Louisville) - excellent chance to prove yourself, but you have to want to be a big fish in a big pond, not a big fish in a little pond (see VCU & Wichita St)

Disadvantages
1) Makeshift roster with no big man. Some serviceable ACC talent but nothing earth shattering.
2) AD/BoT imposed recruiting limitations/ character & academics (perception or reality?)
3) see #4 above - the daily grind of competing in the ACC, life in a mid-major isn't as stressful
Click to expand...

Further Advantages:

5. Facilities upgrades on the way.
6. Brilliant coaching advice of message boards.


Further Disadvantages:

4.) Duke and Carolina in the neighborhood, very difficult to recruit against them.
5.) Wellman probably wants to pinch pennies on salaries.
6.) Press (and refs) in NC heavily pro-Duke-Carolina.
7.) "Brilliant" coaching advice on message boards.
 
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