With Wade Gone, Maryland Starts Patch-Up Process;Fallout, Assorted Tasks Confront Officials
The Bob Wade era at the University of Maryland ended Friday afternoon, but the athletic department is still faced with a thicket of problems. It must compensate Wade, select and pay a replacement, convince players already in the program to show up this fall and mollify angry supporters of the former coach.</br></br>There still was no word yesterday from Wade, who continued to recuperate at Sibley Memorial Hospital, where he had surgery Thursday on a herniated disk. A hospital spokesman said Wade, 44, was in good condition, but would not be available to take questions. The average length of stay in the hospital after such a procedure is four days, but the spokesman said she did not know when he would be discharged.</br></br>There also was no word from the star of Wade's final recruiting class. Oxon Hill's Michael Tate, The Washington Post's player of the year, declined comment when asked if he is still planning on becoming a Terrapin, although his uncle said Tate might reconsider his choice of school.</br></br>"I know he has mixed emotions," said Bernard Venson, Tate's uncle. "He really wanted to go to Maryland, and Bob Wade was a big part of that. I don't know if the situation will make him reevaluate what he wants to do."</br></br>There was some word from Ohio State Coach Gary Williams, who is the favorite to replace Wade coming out of the gate.