Full transcript of Dan Collins interview

[wfumike02]

Ha. That interview makes me like [Redacted] a little.

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MTOW: I didn’t mean to show you any disrespect. I hope you understand that.

JB: I know that. I’m just saying I think people think we just golf all day long. And I don’t even golf. I hate golf. I’m in here, I’m watching film, getting guys in here.
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I'm sorry, but that's hysterical. And while I really like Dan in general and agree with a lot of what he writes, the question "Do you give specific off-season instructions to each player?" has to be one of the worst questions I've ever heard. I don't see how Dan wasn't trying to get a rise out of him there.

This is just like a reporter asking Ish if he'd ever thought about practicing free throws.

A lot of those answers, if you read through them, were pretty solid. Clearly Bzzz is no PR guy, but who cares. He says we'll be competitive next year. Just win some games and the rest will take care of itself.

I liked that line too. And FWIW the interview as a whole made me feel better, not worse, about the likelihood of Bz succeeding here as a coach. It certainly reinforced some things that I don't like about him, but overall it was a positive.

 

[BobStackFan4Life]

Also agreed that Buzz did himself a disservice. A more savvy guy would have said "Yeah, Dan, of course I do. There isn't a coach in America at any level who doesn't. I've talked with Ty about studying film and learning when to look for a block and when to stay boxing out his man, etc etc."

Bingo. It's a layup question that he could have used to restore some confidence in his abilities. Instead it turned into an uncomfortable confrontation.

 

[GreenDeac]

MTOW: The reaction from the fans here at Wake Forest, how was it like the reaction your first year at Colorado?

JB: I think the difference was the fans in Colorado knew me and they trusted me and they respected me. You know we took the Nuggets to the sixth-best turnaround in NBA history, and then we took Air Force to 11th in the nation, to the NCAA Tournament and to the Final Four of the NIT, and people knew me because I was a familiar face and in the neighborhood and on TV and knew the community. So when I went to Colorado, they said `We’ve got your back.’ And I know that that really doesn’t exist here.

Wow. Kind of sad that he doesn't feel he was given a chance here. I can't decide if the "here" refers to the East Coast, ACC, Wake Forest?

Either way, this interview made me like him a little more, I'm certainly hoping for the best. All I can say is we better see a hell of a lot of improvement.

 

[DCDeac]

Really find it funny that all the posters that call Bzzz a spineless dud who fails at everything are up in arms that he's not responding to every question by tailoring all his answers to wherever Dan wanted to push him or whatever the fanbase wants to hear.

I love the Tabb answer. I guarantee he's getting tough love regarding his future at Wake, and he hasn't earned comments like "Melvin's gonna be great for us and is doing all the right things." I hate that bs answer. It's up to Melvin is all that has to be said.

If you're going to gripe and take shots, at least be remotely fair about it.

 

[BeachBumDeac]

Bingo. It's a layup question that he could have used to restore some confidence in his abilities. Instead it turned into an uncomfortable confrontation.

it would've been a layup question if Dan had asked "What kind of instructions have you given individual players to work on over the offseasn?"

 

[TBR]

Really find it funny that all the posters that call Bzzz a spineless dud who fails at everything are up in arms that he's not responding to every question by tailoring all his answers to wherever Dan wanted to push him or whatever the fanbase wants to hear.

I love the Tabb answer. I guarantee he's getting tough love regarding his future at Wake, and he hasn't earned comments like "Melvin's gonna be great for us and is doing all the right things." I hate that bs answer. It's up to Melvin is all that has to be said.

If you're going to gripe and take shots, at least be remotely fair about it.

I think it is quite fair to call out that kind of comment, especially when you know he's going to claim the credit if Tabb turns into a major contributor.

 

[GreenDeac]

dv7: I don't agree with you. The onus is Melvin to do the work required to rejoin the team, not the coach. I read that quote as [Redacted] simply reiterating that point. If Melvin wants to rejoin the team, it is on him to do that work. [Redacted] can't do it for him.

Just my opinion.

Mine as well. You're nit picking. We've all heard plenty of coaches emphasize that the onus is on a particular player to do something.

 

[TBR]

Mine as well. You're nit picking. We've all heard plenty of coaches emphasize that the onus is on a particular player to do something.

Which he had already done in the previous two answers.

It was an opportunity for [Redacted] to publicly support a player, and he turned it down.

 

[BeachBumDeac]

Which he had already done in the previous two answers.

It was an opportunity for [Redacted] to publicly support a player, and he turned it down.

perhaps that is part of the "tough love" people have reported Melvin has received (and needs).

 

[TexasDeac10]

That first question definitely is pretty insulting. I can understand why Dan would want to ask that, but that's rough. Asking anyone if they actually do a fundamental piece of their job is always going to be insulting.

I'd prefer [Redacted] just bite his tongue there, but I can't blame him for being pissed.

 

[rawarr]

MTOW: You do see that as a pressing need, physical maturity, bulk and size?

JB: Hey you know what. This is the hand I was dealt with. I’m in a card game and I can’t, you know.

um... wat?


MTOW: From your experiences in rebuilding, is 8-24 exponentially harder to dig yourself out of than say 13-17 or 14-16?

JB: No. Because I don’t worry about the past.

...the past worries about me.

taking charges, all five guys defending at all times, sharing the basketball, cutting hard for each other, making decisions, good decisions, to find open people, being strong enough to finish around the rim, diving on the floor, toughness to get through screens. These are things they’ve never learned before that they encountered this year, and now they know.

The bus tire marks on Dino's back must feel great.

 

[cookoutdeac]

taking charges, all five guys defending at all times, sharing the basketball, cutting hard for each other, making decisions, good decisions, to find open people, being strong enough to finish around the rim, diving on the floor, toughness to get through screens. These are things they’ve never learned before that they encountered this year, and now they know.

The bus tire marks on Dino's back must feel great.

I saw that more as a comment on the freshman and the experience they've had, since they are more the core of the team at this point.

 

[cookoutdeac]

it would've been a layup question if Dan had asked "What kind of instructions have you given individual players to work on over the offseasn?"

Yeah, but if he answers that question he's probably throwing our players under a bus.

 

[rawarr]

I saw that more as a comment on the freshman and the experience they've had, since they are more the core of the team at this point.

Fair point, but right before I cut it off for brevity "And when I say young, Ty Walker was like a freshman. Gary Clark was like a sophomore. You know, there’s a difference between just playing, just hooping, as they do in the summer time, and playing to win..."

You can say they didn't get a lot of quality time, but they've been here a few years. I'd think they would have seen some of the things he's talking about.

 

[TexasDeac10]

 

[PhDeac]

MTOW: You do see that as a pressing need, physical maturity, bulk and size?

JB: Hey you know what. This is the hand I was dealt with. I’m in a card game and I can’t, you know.

um... wat?


MTOW: From your experiences in rebuilding, is 8-24 exponentially harder to dig yourself out of than say 13-17 or 14-16?

JB: No. Because I don’t worry about the past.

...the past worries about me.

taking charges, all five guys defending at all times, sharing the basketball, cutting hard for each other, making decisions, good decisions, to find open people, being strong enough to finish around the rim, diving on the floor, toughness to get through screens. These are things they’ve never learned before that they encountered this year, and now they know.

The bus tire marks on Dino's back must feel great.

Those are bus tire marks on our freshmen's high school and AAU coaches.

 

[Deacon2002]

I didn't think there was that much to see here. Nothing that changes my overall (negative) opinion of [Redacted] or that makes me more encouraged or discouraged for the future. At times [Redacted] comes across as a jerk, but that's not surprising to me because anytime I've heard him speak for any length of time he's occasionally come across as a jerk. I don't know him personally, so I can't say that he is but at times he certainly sounds like he is.

 

[BobStackFan4Life]

Yeah, but if he answers that question he's probably throwing our players under a bus.

Hah! I didn't think of that. Maybe there is something to the idea that Bz just can't win with some of us. Nah. He's thin skinned.

 

[rawarr]

Those are bus tire marks on our freshmen's high school and AAU coaches.

Again, the two players he listed just before saying what I quoted are Ty Walker and Gary Clark.

 

[PhonsoINT]

One more year Bzz....I know the guys are working hard, and Im sure you're coaching hard. But one more year...turn it around, get us at least pointed in the right direction or you better start enjoying the game of golf.