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Official John Currie Appreciation Thread

WRS

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Feels like it’s time to put some respect on this guy’s name. Since being hired in March 2019:

-Fires Manning and hires Steve Fucking Forbes during the pandemic
-Significantly elevates social media presence, content creation and promotion across all sports
-Prioritizes fan engagement and experience, specifically for students
-Signs Dave Clawson to a long-term extension with associated resources required to compete at a high level
-Announces first class $40MM McCreary Football Complex in partnership with Bob McCreary

Feel free to add to this list and show some appreciation for our guy.
 
Curry also had to play a role in finding the money to lure Brad Lambert away from Purdue and keep UVA from landing him. Was trying to think the last time WF poached a coordinator from another Power V school, who also had other Power V options. That isn't typical LOWF behavior. That's the action of a big time football program doing what it takes to win.
 
Clawson made an interesting comment on Packer/Durham in December that was/is the antithesis of Wake Forest sports in my lifetime. And I ain't young.

To paraphrase, he stated that Currie and Dr. Wendt are very much on board with winning at a high level in football. The dividends, academically, from having a nationally recognized athletic program are incalculable (see Duke basketball). Obviously, someone in the administration is starting to understand this.

#breathoffreshair
 
Clawson made an interesting comment on Packer/Durham in December that was/is the antithesis of Wake Forest sports in my lifetime. And I ain't young.

To paraphrase, he stated that Currie and Dr. Wendt are very much on board with winning at a high level in football. The dividends, academically, from having a nationally recognized athletic program are incalculable (see Duke basketball). Obviously, someone in the administration is starting to understand this.

#breathoffreshair

you'd think Mr. Notre Dame would've recognized this but alas
 
The Firing Manning and Hiring Forbes will go down as a top 3 AD move in WF history (if not higher). It took tremendous leadership to fire Manning in the middle of pandemic while owing him a significant amount of money. WF became the only P5 job available essentially as the other schools decided to roll with what they had. Then, 2021 Coaching cycle was insane because you had two years worth of hiring/firings taking place. Finding the right coach in that millieu would have been a herculean task.

Hiring Forbes has been a home run and he will be a fixture for years. It's fun to watch Wake bball again.
 
you'd think Mr. Notre Dame would've recognized this but alas

I think Mr. Notre Dame was all about Mr. Notre Dame. I met him on a few occasions. Let's put it this way. I could have saved myself some time by starting our conversations with, "... look... I know you're the smartest guy in the room."
 
I don't think I am alone in that i went to wake for the combo of academics, small private school, and high-level sports
 
I don't think I am alone in that i went to wake for the combo of academics, small private school, and high-level sports

Nope. I was going into my sophomore year of high school and remember hearing that Randolph Childress was going to sit out what would have been his sophomore year at Wake. My first thought was if I go to Wake, Childress will be a senior when I'm a freshman.
 
Maybe got lucky on this, but he should take a dub for getting us a bowl opponent on short notice too. Both soccer teams, both tennis teams in really good hands. Volleyball and Women’s hoops doing ok. Baseball probably the next one to figure out i guess this is a make or break year. Yep can’t complain he’s probably earning his paycheck.
 
It's just the overall constant outreach and availability with his AD emails, and appearances on local radio shows/ACC network. It's clear that he is well liked, and a really good guest for these shows. He has zero BS, like Wellman, doesn't gaslight anything and just promotes Wake athletics constantly from Hoops to Track and Field. Currie is just a breath of fresh air, and the shining example of what an AD at a P5 school should be. By landing him, Wake Athletics is moving into a new age and level never seen before.
 
I don't think I am alone in that i went to wake for the combo of academics, small private school, and high-level sports

Yep. IMO we are the most unique school in the country.
 
Women’s hoops is traditionally the worst program at Wake and they’re 11-3 coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance. That’s better than ok.
 
I'll add that John Currie has, like Coach Clawson has with football alums, significantly engaged former Wake athletes. Winning makes this much easier of course but I've been happy to see them both intentional about engaging former Wake athletes.
 
-Prioritizes fan engagement and experience, specifically for students

Hoping Wake students are as engaged for basketball after they return to campus as they were for football. I think this team would really feed off of a loud student section.
 
I will also say that he's much more engaging generally than the former guy. He stopped by our tailgate during Homecoming and I had a nice chat with him. That kind of stuff means a lot. I find it unlikely that happening in the previous AD.
 
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I have to say that I like the whole "Deactown" thing. It's much more minor than what has been mentioned, but it's a coherent marketing campaign that doesn't suck.
 
I'll add that John Currie has, like Coach Clawson has with football alums, significantly engaged former Wake athletes. Winning makes this much easier of course but I've been happy to see them both intentional about engaging former Wake athletes.

That’s great to hear. We probably all assumed as much but don’t have the same perspective that you would.
 
I have to say that I like the whole "Deactown" thing. It's much more minor than what has been mentioned, but it's a coherent marketing campaign that doesn't suck.
I love the graphic design of the whole thing and the idea of establishing our territory. Whoever designed that whole thing deserves a lot of props.
 
It's just the overall constant outreach and availability with his AD emails, and appearances on local radio shows/ACC network. It's clear that he is well liked, and a really good guest for these shows. He has zero BS, like Wellman, doesn't gaslight anything and just promotes Wake athletics constantly from Hoops to Track and Field. Currie is just a breath of fresh air, and the shining example of what an AD at a P5 school should be. By landing him, Wake Athletics is moving into a new age and level never seen before.

Also he’s only 50 and an alum so we are probably looking at an extended run barring something catastrophic.
 
Nope. I was going into my sophomore year of high school and remember hearing that Randolph Childress was going to sit out what would have been his sophomore year at Wake. My first thought was if I go to Wake, Childress will be a senior when I'm a freshman.

This reminded me of running full court with the players (WF team) that summer. I was not there at all when Randolph blew out his knee, but remember the "buzz" about that and "what will we do" conversations.

Good thing Tuck was able to step up and play "shooting guard" at 6'8/220.

Larue might have been a FR, as was Scooter and Blucas (SO) was on the bench. We went LARGE with McQueen (man I loved his game)/Tuck/King/Rodney and Phil Medlin. Somehow Tree Owens did not start.

That's a pretty sweet 9 man rotation (big lineup kind of like baby Cleveland Cavs this year) by the way:

McQueen
Larue - NBA
Blucas
Tuck (6'8) - almost NBA
King (6'8) - NBA
Scooter (essentially an NFL tight end 6'6) - got really good by JR/SR year
Rodney (6'7) - clearly NBA
Tree (6'8) - should have been NBA/great traditional PF skills
Phil (6'9)

We may also have had Hicks (6'11) on that team - just a large squad. I think our only other guard was Castle since Canty was not ACC level. Fitzgibbons (6'8) was a clown and I think Steve Rich (6'10) was also a FR. LARGE, LARGE squad.
 
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