This post doesn't make much sense to me -- a tougher ACC would be tougher for everyone, not just Wake. And in fact Wake's recent woes have come during a weak era for the conference.
Sign the next Duncan, Paul, or Childress, and you'll win in any league.
The larger changes in college ball -- best players go straight to the NBA -- might help a program like Wake Forest. Ask Butler.
"...Wake Forest: a relatively small private school..."
How about THE smallest D1 school?
You're correct, Ed. The recent changes don't make it any less likely WF will someday compete for a league title. All these schools were always competing in the same recruiting pool. It appears that everyone will be chasing Duke as long as Coach K is around. No matter who else joins the league.
Posted by: Thomas | Nov 30, 2012 at 02:09 PM
I thought Rice was a tad smaller; they've been somewhat successful in baseball.
Posted by: Kim | Nov 30, 2012 at 02:31 PM
I stand corrected.
From the WFU website:
Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,775
Graduate and professional schools: 2,576
From the Rice website:
3,708 undergraduate students and 2,374 graduate students
Posted by: Thomas | Nov 30, 2012 at 02:49 PM
There's a simple solution to Wake's woes and it has absolutely nothing to do with realignment and everything to do with coaching. Exactly why was Dino Gaudio fired? More importantly, why was he replaced by a guy with a 36-58 overall record at Colorado and a 10-38 record in the Big 12? Those types of numbers won't land you a job in the Sun Belt conference. How on earth do they get you a job at one of the more historically "good" basketball schools in the ACC?
The strange relationship between Ron Wellman and Jeff Bzdelik reminds me of a scene in Hoosiers when Norman relieves George of his temporary coaching duties. George says, "I don't know why Cletus drug your tired old bones in here, he musta owed you somethin' fierce."
Posted by: prell | Nov 30, 2012 at 03:49 PM
the sad truth about the current state of the acc is that they're not getting tougher; they're being used as a migratory stop for east coast universities with super-conference aspirations. ok, maybe they're tougher for five years or so, but not in the long-term.
syracuse, louisville, pitt, notre dame—none of them see the acc as a final destination or partner. if the acc can't establish a tv package and a great football reputation, watch florida state, virginia tech and nc state bolt for greener pastures with more big east schools making a lateral move to the acc.
it's like watching a vampire train in action: super-conferences sucking the blood of the acc sucking the blood of the big east sucking the blood of the mid-majors.
Posted by: sean coon | Nov 30, 2012 at 04:19 PM