More Great Media Coverage of NC State Football

General Media NCS Football33

I was listening to Sporting News Radio (on my beloved XM radio) this morning on the way to work. The morning guys were talking college football with Matt Hayes, and I was surprised to hear him talk at some length about NC State. Turns out, they were discussing this article, which I found under “magazine exclusive.” So, it has been on the web and the radio, and will soon be in print.

The title is “Some Coaches Need a Hail Mary Finish,” and includes the following key excerpts:

What’s the problem: N.C. State’s talent is in the upper echelon of the ACC, but the Wolfpack is the most undisciplined, unorganized team in the nation.

Where it gets ugly: The athletic director begs fans for patience; the coach begs his team to play with more discipline. Neither has worked.

Note how Matt Hayes gets even more ammunition out of Lee Fowler’s ill-advised “open letter” to NC State fans. Refreshingly, Hayes does not claim that NC State fans should be more patient, just that the AD is begging for such. Although Hayes concludes that Amato’s job is safe this year, he believes Chuck will definitely be in the hot seat in 2006.

I disagree with his assessment about NC State’s “investment” in Amato. In my view, we’ve invested too much in the program to let it stagnate another year, and make a new coach’s job that much harder. One subpar recruiting year is better than two in a row. I don’t think we “owe” Chuck anything beyond our contractual obligations. That may seem cold, but I think it’s just keeping priorities in order – I am an NC State fan, not a Chuck Amato (or any other NC State coach) fan.

I do understand that a change in 2005 is extremely unlikely, with “AD Status Quo” calling the shots. But if I were making the decision, here would be my criteria:

7-4: still skeptical, but firing not imminent

6-5: probably don’t fire, but seat is very hot for 2006

5-6 or less: pink slip

For context, Chuck Amato’s “company” in Hail Mary land includes Kentucky’s Rich Brooks, Kansas’ Mark Mangino, and Missouri’s Gary Pinkel.

UPDATE: Sure enough, the November 11 issue of The Sporting News has this article on page 55, with a nice picture of Chuck is previously trademark tacky sunglasses.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

General Media NCS Football

33 Responses to More Great Media Coverage of NC State Football

  1. Jeff 11/04/2005 at 2:35 PM #

    ^ But, stormin’s point about the pay is correct because all schools pay structure is the same. The “TV show, radio show, etc” is all money that ultimately is traced from NC State to the coach. If Pete Carroll were our coach, and the same number was $2MM…it still comes from the same sources.

    I also understand stormin’s point about giving Chuck credit for what he has done in relation to the history of NC State football. Which is why I think it is premature to really discuss this until we lose another couple of games. Stormin bases his opinions on an expectation that we go 6-5 this year and go to a bowl. What if we go 4-7?

  2. bl 11/04/2005 at 2:43 PM #

    We can pay now or pay later, in money and losses.
    No bowl = time for a change.

  3. st0rmin 11/04/2005 at 3:16 PM #

    I know you young guys think we are a football school, but we aren’t (at least not yet). We haven’t won a conference championship in football since 1979. While you are quick to slam Amato, we need to understand that money (e.g., facilities don’t win championships). We must keep the faith and build some consistency. Amato’s biggest flaw has been assistant turnovers (particularly on offense). If Trestman stays, we could be building a long term relationship. By the way for all you FIRE Chuck fans, did you know we would have to pay Chuck through 2010, Trestman through 2008, and Dunlap through next year? ALOT of money.

  4. site admin 11/04/2005 at 3:55 PM #

    If facilities don’t win championships, then why in the hell does Lee Fowler and every other NC State coach use them as a cruch (of why they can’t win).

  5. Jeff 11/04/2005 at 3:58 PM #

    ^ because losers and incompetents have to have reasons and excuses that are beyond their control to explain their failures.

  6. SaccoV 11/05/2005 at 1:40 PM #

    I disagree with the notion that NC State is not a “football” school. If you are a Division I school playing in a BCS conference you’re AUTOMATICALLY a football program, because that $12 million dollar chance is definitely worth your time and energy as a university. Secondly, Chuck’s record is really no better than O’Cain’s was over the same six year period. Yes, we have bowl wins versus Kansas, Minnesota and Notre Dame, but we have only one win over Maryland and two wins over Wake Forest. Yes, we’ve beaten Florida State twice and VA Tech once, but we can’t schedule an out-of-conference game against another BCS school? At least O’Cain played home-and-homes with a ranked Syracuse team and two Big 12 schools (Texas and Baylor). One more thing, don’t think that Amato was the one who brought Rivers to Raleigh; Mike O’Cain had already assured Rivers a scholarship before he was fired. Give Amato credit, the hype and the buildings are now there. Blame him REPEATEDLY and OFTEN for the three-in-a-row losing streak which ended hopes for an ACC title in 2002. Blame him for his inability (or unwillingness) to keep assistants. Blame him for the sorry state of our football team who needs the second half AT HOME to beat Southern Mississippi.

  7. Trout 11/05/2005 at 9:05 PM #

    ^ And blame him for another win over Florida State! 🙂

  8. site admin 11/08/2005 at 10:16 AM #

    Blame is a word that should be avoided at all costs in talking about coaches.

    All coaches ultimately are RESPONSIBLE for the results created in their tenure. Words like ‘blame’ and ‘credit’ are better left unsaid when possible.

1 2

Leave a Reply