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Jeff Battle and Providence?

Wish Coach Battle all the best...he's an awesome individual. Supportive of whatever he does and I think this has ZERO to do with Bz and more about the opportunity to work with coaching brethren.
 
Shit I would hate to see him go, I was really thinking he would step up as an interim head coach when bzzz goes bye bye. If he leaves recruiting goes down the shitter.
 
JimDuncan said:
Wish Coach Battle all the best...he's an awesome individual. Supportive of whatever he does and I think this has ZERO to do with Bz and more about the opportunity to work with coaching brethren.
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How can you possibly come to that conclusion? He's looking at a dramatically worse job after just a year. It's crazy to think that [Redacted] has nothing to do with it.
 
Deacfan said:
Shit I would hate to see him go, I was really thinking he would step up as an interim head coach when bzzz goes bye bye. If he leaves recruiting goes down the shitter.
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Not really, we aren't going for our traditional recruits anymore. We're looking for diamonds in the rough who want to stay 4 years. Anyone can recruit those kids to Wake. We won't be competing against UNC/Duke for recruits anymore. I'm sure that Bzz, despite his flaws, can continue to beat out Liberty, Wofford, etc. for recruits. With Bzz at the helm, we really don't need Battle to recruit.
 
As stated above, Battle's probably smart enough to see that this movie's not going to end well. That being said, I still think he could land a good gig even if Bzz gets canned this year or next. Providence seems like a bit of a knee-jerk. Tough gig and i'm not sure his career will look any better after getting the shit kicked out of him for three years in the big east.
 
Just to make sure, you all have seen the article in which Battle explains that Providence head coach Ed Cooley is his best friend, right?

I don't believe this has nothing to do with the current situation with Wake hoops, but I think his friendship with Cooley has to be considered.
 
PhDeac said:
Just to make sure, you all have seen the article in which Battle explains that Providence head coach Ed Cooley is his best friend, right?

I don't believe this has nothing to do with the current situation with Wake hoops, but I think his friendship with Cooley has to be considered.
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Yea, I don't get all of this doom and gloom re: how Battle's interest in the PC job clearly indicates stormy weather between Jeff and Jeff. Battle's best friend in the world just got a head coaching job in the Big East and has asked Battle to be his top assistant and assistant head coach. It's not "Wake or PC, which is better?" It's "Holy shit, I can do the same job I'm doing now with my best friend in a better conference." Much different thing IMO.
 
Within the last year or so, consider:
Underwhelming hire by Wellman
Horrendous W-L record
Apparent disconnect between players and HC
Students apathetic (or disgruntled, at best)
Attendance (and sales/donations?) down
Long-time top assistant considers bailing

Folks, things ain't looking good for WFU basketball. Not for a loooong time.
 
For me, the impetus of Battle potentially leaving doesn't matter nearly as much as him actually potentially leaving. He was the only guy on our staff who has proven he could win in the ACC. Recruiting against us just got a lot easier, IMO.
 
I agree that the fact it's a good friend is better, but it's still a really bad job.
 
You have to wonder if there would be additional transfers if Battle left. While we don't know how TC is going to turn out, I do know that he is very close to Battle.
 
IrishSlim said:
For me, the impetus of Battle potentially leaving doesn't matter nearly as much as him actually potentially leaving. He was the only guy on our staff who has proven he could win in the ACC. Recruiting against us just got a lot easier, IMO.
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Oh, I definitely agree with us. We lose Battle and we're fucked even more than we already are, barring some out-of-the-blue homerun hire as his replacement. I just quibble with the assumption that just because Battle is showing serious interest in this job means either that (1) he and [Redacted] don't get along or that (2) Battle thinks his job at WF is on shaky ground.
 
The ''why'' is subject to debate but Battle is the top recruiter for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 players/commits. I don't think the potential impact to the program is being exaggerated.
 
I'm curious who [Redacted] would bring in as a #1 assistant if Battle leaves. He had one spot to fill after keeping Battle, Rusty, and Corbean, and he went with a guy with one year of experience (I think) as a DOBO. Now I'm assuming if it was up to Bz to hire who he wanted to hire, he could have brought in a #1 or #2 level guy and demoted Battle and/or Rusty.

The potential of Rusty being the #1 assistant and Bz bringing in an inexperienced #3 is sad.

(And of course, we do know it wasn't fully up to Bz who he hired because he wanted to bring in the crooked assistant and Wellman didn't let him.)
 
The guy wants to work with his best friend.

Period.

Get over it.
 
KidA23 said:
It's not "Wake or PC, which is better?" It's "Holy shit, I can do the same job I'm doing now with my best friend in a better conference." Much different thing IMO.
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IMO you're making the same assessment, except framing it by conference and adding "best friend" to the decision. What you're saying is Wake is now lower than PC because it's in the ACC, or at a minimum is not high enough rep wise compared to the worst team in the Big East to overcome "working with your best friend". Neither are good.

In coaching, one normally doesn't go to a lesser job unless you're regrouping from a problem. So regardless of what Battle's PR skills proclaim, a move to PC would be viewed by most as a step down and regroup move. Because of that, it would be an indictment of Bzz.......and Wake....and the ACC. PR disaster.

From a practical point of view, it would not only be a PR disaster, we'd lose arguably our best recruiter and individual who is keeping this program treading H2O. My confidence in future recruiting would plummet and I'm already worried about coaching.
 
Motive aside, Battle leaving should be a concern for everyone. No one is irreplaceable, but Jeff Battle has been a big part of Wake Forest basketball and a stand-up member of the Wake Forest community for a long time.
 
I think the players and commits will be upset by Battle's possible departure. He is the guy that has experience in the ACC and can gain the respect of all sides in our current schism.
 
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