First of a series.
ESPN is naming its "Mount Rushmore" for sports in each of the 50 states. We liked the idea, so we're taking a smaller slice, using it for some of our area schools and giving you the four faces our beat writers believe should be honored from each institution. Today, the Mount Rushmore of Wake Forest athletics.
Arnold Palmer, golf: Two-time NCAA champ and ACC’s first golf champion, Palmer (above) went on to become one of his sport’s icons.
Dickie Hemric, basketball: Deacons’ star of mid-1950s remains ACC’s career rebounding leader. Hemric (above) was second on league’s scoring list until being passed by North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough this season.
Tim Duncan, basketball: Recruiting find from Virgin Islands blossomed into best shot blocker in ACC history. Duncan (above) led Wake Forest to two straight league titles.
Jim Grobe, football: Is presiding over the golden age of Deacons football. Under Grobe (above), Wake Forest has have played in three consecutive bowl games and won the ACC championship in 2006, playing in the BCS’s Orange Bowl that season.
– David Scott
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Disagree? Think we left someone out? Tell us in the comments below who you'd add, and which of our picks yours should replace.
30 comments:
It can't be a Wake Forest list without Brian Piccolo.
No love for Billy Packer?
There is NO love for a useless has-been like Packer,and this is coming from a Wake grad. The best thing Packer ever did was retire from announcing. I have never heard an announcer that was so freakin negative all the time!
Gee, I wonder which other three area schools they are going to use? Davidson, Charlotte and Johnson C Smith?
No! Those couldn't be the ones, they aren't close enough.
Brian Piccolo...no doubt
Palmer, Piccolo, Grobe and Packer.
Rodney Rogers
There could be no Mount Rushmore without "Bones" Mckinney. He put Wake Forest basketball on the map.
Chris Paul, do I hear a Chris Paul?
typical CHARLOTTE observer---- let's start with Wake Forest.
Probably, select the rest of the ACC, SEC, C-USA, Big 10 and Big 12 before schools in the Charlotte area. After all, you like to boast that Charlotte has fans from every school but Charlotte or Davidson.
Back on topic, Piccolo should be on the list, but who do take off. That is a tough call.
Randolph Childress. Guy had one of the best ACC tournament multi-game performances ever.
Rusty LaRue may have been the best multi-sport athlete to ever play at Wake as well.
Bones!
You can't have a Mount Rushmore with out the old coach...He was the Godfather of Demon Deacon basketball...He put "WF" in "The Big Four"!
Grobe has done well. But not long enough in tenure or accomplishments.
Replace Grobe with Bones!
You would have to include Jay Haas as one of the greatest golfers from WF
Yeah, I agree with the Billy Packer sentiment - how does he not even get a mention? Also, got to show some love to Muggsy Bouges!
Chris Paul!
Len Chappell has to be in the top 5......
Brian Piccolo would have to be included in there, and like someone else sai, Rusty LaRue. During his time at Wake he was a three sport letterman (football, basketball, baseball) a husband, father and had a 4.0 in his major of computer science. The guy is a legend at Wake.
what about MUGGSY BOGUES, CHRIS PAUL, and/or BILLY PACKER ?!?!?!?!?!?!!?
Barry Fabyan...how can he not be on the list? What a joke.
Who the h*** is Barry Fabyan??
I don't think a sack puncher like Paul should be on that list when you have guys like Piccolo, McKinney, Packer (and I couldn't stand the guy, but he led Wake to its ONLY FF and is known as one of the all-time best color guys in basketball history - love him or hate him), Childress and Rogers out there.
I'd easily put Curtis Strange on there before Paul, too. Haas and Strange won individual national championships and in '74 and '75 when they also won team titles, they were known as one of the best college golf teams ever.
Remind me, what did Paul do in post-season play again? More proof Packer should be on the list ahead of Paul based on his playing days alone, much less his history as an announcer, which he's obviously much more famous for.
Just my $0.02
Ralph Kitley who dominated the paint from '87 to '90 should be on everyone's list.
Oh yeah and there would be no Billy Andrade or Len Mattice without Barry Fabyan for sure.
For winning ACC title, and playing like a warrior, PG Childress.
Ricky Proel is at least honorable mention....
Skip Prosser
What about golf coach Jesse Haddock?
Cedric Maxwell.
Cedrick Maxwell went to UNCC; Billy Packer is a jerk and wasn't even the best player on his team, Lenny Chappelle was and Lenny was also 25th Anniversary of the ACC first teamer. Lanny Wadkins and Jay Siegel have to be in there before Billy Andrade. Randolph Childress was the best clutch guard in Wake history.
Charlotte 49ers? Davidson? Hello? How about giving our local schools some love?
I'm shocked the Vincernt Matthews was left off the Johnson C. Smith list. He won gold 1968 olympics 4x400, gold 1972 - 400m.
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