Dan's Latest Blog Post

[KeEpEr]

Dave Odom's first recruiting class included Rodney Rogers and Randolph Childress
Skip Prosser's first recruiting class included Eric Williams and Justin Gray
Dino Gaudio's first recruiting class was Jeff Teague and James Johnson


Jeff [Redacted]'s first recruiting class was Chase Fischer, Daniel Green, and Anthony Fields

Jeff Teague and James Johnson were Wake Forest students when Skip died. The ATT class had committed. Dino's first class was Harris and Stewart. If your goal is to acknowledge first recruiting classes you are missing the best.....McKinney's first with Wiedeman, Packer and Chappell.

 

[slothrop]

Bones was such a man. He wouldn't get along with Wellman though. Those two would hate each other.

 

[Ball State Deac]

No I was simply making the point that things aren't as black and white as many seem to think they are. Caldwell was suppposedly a great coach a few years ago and got canned this year. Any long time Wake fan knew he wasn't the genius the media made him out to be when Peyton was carrying him. Nor did he deserve to be fired when he had no QB. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Evaluating a coach isn't that easy, because coaching is inextricably intertwined with the talent he has or lacks.

Oh he deserved to be fired a year ago, at least.

And yes, I'm a Colts fan.

 

[TheIshThatSaved WakeForest]

Brown was familiar with Boulder, with Utah having played a preseason scrimmage against Colorado at the Coors Events Center. And he knew some players who had enjoyed being coached by Boyle at Northern Colorado.
"Colorado is a good fit for me," Brown said, "although I wouldn't have come here if (Jeff) [Redacted] would still be coach. I like Coach Boyle's (uptempo) system."


Read more: Carlon Brown like manna from Utah for Colorado coach Tad Boyle - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/cu/ci_19984405#ixzz1mtP0W3fQ

 

[stonz]

Well you might want to file that one away, since Colorado's tempo was faster in [Redacted]'s last season than it currently is under Boyle.

 

[TheIshThatSaved WakeForest]

HS kids are generally dumb and there's no way they know what kenpom is. It's all about reputation and public perception.

Just thought it was an interesting quote from a recent Colorado article.

 

[stonz]

Oh I know. That's why I don't really pay any attention to their quotes. HS players like the coaches that win...that's really all there is to it.

If players loved playing up-tempo as much as they say they do, VMI should crush Wisconsin haha.

 

[tau06]

^^ I can post in CAPS because it's MY opinion. Apparently, you don't read things closely.

But, I do appreciate the athletic department's efforts on a cold, snowy Sunday evening.

How is it your opinion when it has been proven to be incorrect with facts?

 

[tau06]

Success in college basketball is largely dependent on two things: skill (talent) and experience. Relative to the rest of the ACC, I'd classify the Buzz era like this:

Last year:
Skill/Talent: Slightly Below Average
Experience: Far Below Average
Result: Far Below Average

This year:
Skill/Talent: Far Below Average
Experience: Below Average
Result: Far Below Average

Next year (proj):
Skill/Talent: Average
Experience: Far Below Average
Result: Slightly Below Average

Good breakdown stonz. Even as someone that is considered a pretty strong buzzinner (compared to most on here) there is no chance anyone should try to use lack of experience as any type of excuse next season. With a senior CJ, and junior Travis, Carson, Tony (guess i'll put him in here) along with the freshman that excuse won't fly. If Bzz can't get some type of success with really good ACC players in CJ/Travis and legit talents in CMM and Devin that will make other teams at lest respect 3rd and 4th options. Also, don't count out Chase from having a decent bounce back season. Bzz needs to go at least .500 in the ACC next season to keep his job IMO.

 

[TexasDeac10]

I feel like HS students judge "up-tempo" systems on how many dunks in transition they see in the limited minutes they watch a team. More often than not, this has more to do with a team's point guard than it does a coach's "system." I think every coach in the world would take transition points as much as they could, but it requires the right personnel.

Edit: did anyone think Frank Haith ran an "uptempo" offense at Miami? I don't know if they did or not, but I certainly don't remember them seeming "fast." Now that he has the Pressey brothers, they run up and down the floor.

Edit edit: kenpom actually doesn't have Missouri as that "fast" of a team. Apparently I am the HS kid.

 

[Deac83]

Agreed. What is equally disturbing is that I've seen absolutely ZERO player development in the first two years. NONE.

It appears that McKie has regressed slightly and TC has been a complete train wreck. Have seen absolutely no improvement
from Carson or Nikita. I'll give a slight nod to Ty Walker's improvement but it appears to be more determination on his part than coaching.

Seriously, you think Nikita hasn't improved under Bzz? He could barely stay on the court last year. I think there is plenty to critic Bzz on Nikita isn't one of them.

 

[slothrop]

I feel like HS students judge "up-tempo" systems on how many dunks in transition they see in the limited minutes they watch a team. More often than though, this has more to do with a team's point guard than it does a coach's "system." I think every coach in the world would take transition points as much as they could, but it requires the right personnel.

Edit: did anyone think Frank Haith ran an "uptempo" offense at Miami? I don't know if they did or not, but I certainly don't remember them seeming "fast." Now that he has the Pressey brothers, they run up and down the floor.

/pagingdeaclite4tylerlewiscomment

 

[tau06]

I'm a very optimistic sort of fan in most cases (Hell, I think the M's might get to around .500 this season...they won't.) There is nothing that Mr. [Redacted] has shown to have me keep that optimism. Nothing.

Got ya, and unfortunately don't have anything to offer that he will. Just hope as an ever optimistic Wake fan los:

Imagine how depressed I was last college basketball season with the WF team along with a Sid Lowe coached NCSU team. I wanted to go jump off a bridge upwards of 4 times a week in some instances.

 

[TexasDeac10]

/pagingdeaclite4tylerlewiscomment

Haha. Yep.

 

[deacvision7]

Good breakdown stonz. Even as someone that is considered a pretty strong buzzinner (compared to most on here) there is no chance anyone should try to use lack of experience as any type of excuse next season. With a senior CJ, and junior Travis, Carson, Tony (guess i'll put him in here) along with the freshman that excuse won't fly. If Bzz can't get some type of success with really good ACC players in CJ/Travis and legit talents in CMM and Devin that will make other teams at lest respect 3rd and 4th options. Also, don't count out Chase from having a decent bounce back season. Bzz needs to go at least .500 in the ACC next season to keep his job IMO.

What makes CMM and Devin Thomas "legit ACC talents" that doesn't also stand for some of our current players that were equally highly touted out of HS?

If they don't perform up to you expectations based off youtube clips, will you blame [Redacted] or put it up to them not being very good next season?

Honest question.

 

[TexasDeac10]

Seriously, you think Nikita hasn't improved under Bzz? He could barely stay on the court last year. I think there is plenty to critic Bzz on Nikita isn't one of them.

Agreed. Nikita was a disaster last year. He may be one of our best players this year.


I'm serious.

 

[tau06]

I
Edit: did anyone think Frank Haith ran an "uptempo" offense at Miami? I don't know if they did or not, but I certainly don't remember them seeming "fast." Now that he has the Pressey brothers, they run up and down the floor.

As a casual fan "fast-paced" would be one of the last things i'd describe Frank Haith's Miami teams so you certainly aren't alone in that regard.

 

[tau06]

What makes CMM and Devin Thomas "legit ACC talents" that doesn't also stand for some of our current players that were equally highly touted out of HS?

If they don't perform up to you expectations based off youtube clips, will you blame [Redacted] or put it up to them not being very good next season?

Honest question.

Haven't seen Devin in person but I just find it incredibly hard to imagine him not performing in the ACC. It's obviously a stretch to make assumptions on any kids highlight video but given his athleticism and demeanor, along with what looks like a decent pair of mits he has the talent to put numbers up in the ACC and if that doesn't happen (and there isn't a big injury or something like that) i'd put that on the coaching staff/scheme they are running.

As for CMM i've seen him in person a few times and I know for a fact that he has the athleticism, handle, size(huge thing for him), and the shot (some would say his weakness as of now) to make an impact in the ACC. So if he ends up doing nothing more than what Tony has done through 2 seasons i'd put that on the coaches.

With these two guys you have players, who unlike say Travis who is basically an undersized 4, or Carson, a 2G in a C's body, who should be pretty close to idiot proof. They may take some time to adjust to college as some freshman do but I truly believe it'll be hard for them to not be good players at WF. I'm obviously not some paid talent scout but I think that's a decently thought out analysis.

I generally think the players make the team, and even a mediocre coach (see Frank Haith at Mizz) can have a great season when the team has exceptional talent. Obviously don't expect next season's WF team should be even in the same ballpark as the Mizz team this season but I think the coaching portion of it should still hold. A team with what i'll consider top half ACC talent should have a top half ACC finish. And if that doesn't happen Bzz will not be here anymore.

 

[TheIshThatSaved WakeForest]

So you think Wake will be in the top 6 next year? Noted.

 

[PhDeac]

Yeah, Dino's first class was AT&T. Same deal. Kept the recruiting momentum. Point still made. Bz's first class is no excuse.