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State of the Buzz, Preseason

Do you approve of the job Jeff [Redacted] is doing as Head Coach?

  • Total voters
    214
  • Poll closed .
the biggest issue i have with buzz (apart from how bad we've been) is this focus on the "culture change" narrative. i could give two shits about the culture if we are winning games.
 
I'm a Bzz wait and see.

He was dealt a shitty hand last year, but he also didn't get the team to compete anywhere close to the competition. We'll see what this year brings.
 
TWDeac said:
I'm a Bzz wait and see.
He was dealt a shitty hand last year, but he also didn't get the team to compete anywhere close to the competition. We'll see what this year brings.
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That's pretty much what we have to be, he ain't going anywhere until after next season at the earliest, unless he just decides to leave on his own.
 
myDeaconmyhand said:
You post as if you just looked as his win/loss record, instead of watching the games. Bzz is totally excused for losing a ton of games, he isn't excused for losing a ton of games by 30 points with piss poor defense, no semblance of an offensive game plan, a ridiculous turnover margin, and no rebounding. You're ignoring the difference between winning and being competitive.
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I saw the games. It was a bad team. Bad teams get blown out sometimes. Could he have done a better job? Sure. But fine, let's look at your criticisms of him.

Piss poor defense? He had JTT and Ari getting 25 minutes a night each and giving him nothing on that end of the floor and Carson playing out of position most of the time because of our lack of front court depth. JTT and Ari are gone now. Carson bulked up considerably. Early reports are that the team's strength is its defense. How can you ignore all that? I'm more than willing to see if the team buys into his defensive philosophy this season. Hell, one of the things I was most impressed with last season was Ty's defensive development-- he went from a guy who leapt at everything in the name of a block to a guy who actually learned how to defend in the post. No reason to think that wasn't partially on Bzz's coaching.

The lack of an offensive gameplan would be troubling, except that we didn't have a point guard on our roster until February, and our best ball handlers also happened to shoot every half-open look they got. Some of this is on Bzz- he should have been able to have some sort of authority over JTT and Ari's shot selection- but again, those guys are gone, and Chenault is healthy. I'm willing to see how their offense looks this season before I pass judgment on it.

The turnovers were troubling. But hey, a lot of that had to do with not having a true point guard! We were bringing the ball up with guys who were shitshows at ball handling, and other teams knew it. Remember the VCU game? They were kicking the shit out of us with a full court press, and there was literally nothing we could have done about it. CJ's progression over the course of the season (which-- side note!-- everybody seems to acknowledge but nobody seems to credit Bzz with), along with a healthy TC, along with the loss of JTT, should make this team less turnover prone.

The rebounding, I'll give you. His teams have sucked at rebounding, and we don't have any rebounders as it is. That will be terrifying throughout the year. But, maybe down the road we'll recruit some big men that actually have some rebounding skill. Who knows? Either way, rebounding is going to be our biggest problem this year, and it isn't even going to be close.

The bottom line for me is: everything that could have gone wrong last year, did. Whether that was on Bz or not, I'd like to see what he could do here under better circumstances, and the next two years should allow us to monitor that. Like I said, he's recruiting really well, and that's going to have to be Step #1 on getting this program to the upper levels of the ACC. He was shit last year. He was expected to be shit last year. But for now, I'm in the wait and see category.
 
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DCDeac said:
He inherited a program completely in the tank. I don't really give a shit if in the first two years we finish last or 3rd to last.

I just want us to start recruiting good players who are also good representatives of Wake Forest, and to get back into the Tournament again.

[Redacted] looks like he's getting the right kids next year. If he can help get the program on better footing before turning it over to a legit high profile coach or rising star then I'm fine with it.

If he spends 5 years here trying to get Wake into the top half of the ACC I'll be livid.
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This is my stance as well. I see him almost as a "sweep out the crap and set a foundation" type of coach. We've clearly had issues with multiple players lately.
 
That's a great response.

RedSoxFaithful said:
I saw the games. It was a bad team. Bad teams get blown out sometimes.Sometimes? Try 90% of our games Could he have done a better job? Sure. But fine, let's look at your criticisms of him.

Piss poor defense? He had JTT and Ari getting 25 minutes a night each and giving him nothing on that end of the floor and Carson playing out of position most of the time because of our lack of front court depth. JTT and Ari are gone now. If an entire teams defense can be offset by two players, what can be said for the coaching? Early reports are that the team's strength is its defense. From a scrimmage against UNC-C, in which we lost by double digits?

The lack of an offensive gameplan would be troubling, except that we didn't have a point guard on our roster until February, and our best ball handlers also happened to shoot every half-open look they got. CJ and Gary combined for 15 shots a game Some of this is on Bzz- he should have been able to have some sort of authority over JTT and Ari's shot selection- but again, those guys are gone, and Chenault is healthy. I'm willing to see how their offense looks this season before I pass judgment on it.

The turnovers were troubling. But hey, a lot of that had to do with not having a true point guard! We were bringing the ball up with guys who were shitshows at ball handling, and other teams knew it. Bringing the ball up was just half the problem. Our problem was terrible ball movement,lazy player rotation, and a predictable offensive scheme

The rebounding, I'll give you. His teams have sucked at rebounding, and we don't have any rebounders as it is. The only "big" giving any rebounding effort last year was Travis. That will be terrifying throughout the year. But, maybe down the road we'll recruit some big men that actually have some rebounding skill. Stetson out rebounded us by 12 last year, in our first game at home. Their leading rebounder Ridge Graham was 6'5. He only averaged 6 rebounds a game in the Atlantic Sun Conference. That's effort, not skill or size.

The bottom line for me is: everything that could have gone wrong last year, did. Whether that was on Bz or not, It's his team, he is partially responsible for everything that happens to it I'd like to see what he could do here under better circumstances,In his long career, he has never proven he can build a good team, and I don't think we should be his test subject and the next two years should allow us to monitor that. Like I said, he's recruiting really well, he's just recruiting okand that's going to have to be Step #1 on getting this program to the upper levels of the ACC. He was shit last year. He was expected to be shit last year. But for now, I'm in the wait and see category.
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deacphan said:
the biggest issue i have with buzz (apart from how bad we've been) is this focus on the "culture change" narrative. i could give two shits about the culture if we are winning games.
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Disagree with your 2nd sentence. I wouldn't want our program to be like a Valvano program or what UNC football became under Butch. (Step aside, Butch.)

That said, I agree with your 1st sentence. Bz and Wellman have used the "culture change" thing as a crutch and an excuse. If I never heard the words culture or socks again, I could die a modestly happy man.

That Hogie voted Bzin should be enough to tell you Bzinners how delusional you are. The ONLY thing positive that has happened since he took over the program is the 2nd recruiting class. He has had little to no control of his players on or off the court, and his 1st recruiting class was incredibly weak. And it's not like his spotty recruiting and lousy team D should come as a surprise given his history. I can half understand a Bzwait vote, but being a Bzinner is the equivalent of believing in Santa Claus.
 
4 mods have voted and so far I am the only BuzzOUT! mod. Weird... I thought this was a BuzzOUT! board. :noidea:
 
I mean we weren't those programs. That's what I mean. We weren't cheating. We never were going down that road. "Culture change" relates to NBA players and "thugs." Two things I have no problems with assuming the coach keeps them out of real trouble (drinking and smoking pot isn't real trouble in my eyes).
 
cville deac said:
That said, I agree with your 1st sentence. Bz and Wellman have used the "culture change" thing as a crutch and an excuse. If I never heard the words culture or socks again, I could die a modestly happy man.
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I agree that culture has been used too many times in official releases but the socks comment has only happened once. It seems like they use it often because it is brought up here so much.
 
deacphan said:
I mean we weren't those programs. That's what I mean. We weren't cheating. We never were going down that road. "Culture change" relates to NBA players and "thugs." Two things I have no problems with assuming the coach keeps them out of real trouble (drinking and smoking pot isn't real trouble in my eyes).
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It was time for a culture change, with all these thug recruits stealing Ipod Nanos.
 
The Stig said:
I agree that culture has been used too many times in official releases but the socks comment has only happened once. It seems like they use it often because it is brought up here so much.
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Agreed. It's just that those are the 2 words I associate with the current program, and I'm tired of both.
 
deacphan said:
I mean we weren't those programs. That's what I mean. We weren't cheating. We never were going down that road. "Culture change" relates to NBA players and "thugs." Two things I have no problems with assuming the coach keeps them out of real trouble (drinking and smoking pot isn't real trouble in my eyes).
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What "thugs" have we had on our team outside? Chas and Tabb maybe?
 
We've been in the news for:

Beating a woman in front of her baby
Dropping out of school for a DUI and ongoing "problems"
Expulsion due to theft
Suspension due to rules violations
A player quitting and badmouthing our team and coaches
Rumored inappropriate conduct by a head coach
Sexual misconduct/rape allegations

What should we be stressing to the media instead of "culture change?" Are we supposed to be building on all of those successes as the foundation of Wake's future?
 
Buzzout to the extent that I do not think he did a good job last year and never thought he should have been hired. At the same time, I don't think we should fire him for at least another 2 years, if not 3.
 
TBR said:
Buzzout to the extent that I do not think he did a good job last year and never thought he should have been hired. At the same time, I don't think we should fire him for at least another 2 years, if not 3.
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That's why I'm framing it in terms of approval rating.
 
DCDeac said:
We've been in the news for:

Beating a woman in front of her baby
Dropping out of school for a DUI and ongoing "problems"
Expulsion due to theft
Suspension due to rules violations
A player quitting and badmouthing our team and coaches
Rumored inappropriate conduct by a head coach
Sexual misconduct/rape allegations

What should we be stressing to the media instead of "culture change?" Are we supposed to be building on all of those successes as the foundation of Wake's future?
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Can we please stop including Gary with the likes of Tabb and Woods? He doesn't deserve that.
 
CheesePritchard said:
Couldn't be happier
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This bothers me more than anything else. I remember staring at the radio thinking that Wellman couldn't have said that. Should have said something along the lines of "We're not holding the issues on the court against Coach this season because he's doing so much long term work and I can accept that despite the obvious struggles during games." It's really not that difficult to couch political spin that doesn't make people yell "what the fuck?!?" during every postgame.
 
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