When it rains, it pours.
As NC State’s “great season” was being exposed as a farce built on the back of another embarassingly poor schedule, Coach Herb Sendek was simultaneously taking quite a few body-blows in the press over the last couple of weeks. In addition to this insightful piece from the Fayetteville Observer, the following are some of the to hightlight a few:
Fundamentally Weak
Ken Tysiac of the Charlotte Observer is still relatively new to these parts. His lack of historical knowledge of Tobacco Road skews his perspective a little less than the average newbie, but he has been pretty consistent in lending a sympathetic ear to Herb Sendek in the past. (We’ve chronicled some of his articles here)
After the Wake Forest debacle this weekend, Tysiac was open-minded enough to share the following:
“N.C. State coach Herb Sendek needs to drill his post players on fundamentals during the offseason. Cedric Simmons needs to learn the art of establishing position in the post, and the entire front line should be taught how to box out and explode toward the ball on the defensive glass. Come to think of it, Sendek should have drilled them on these skills long before now.”
Perhaps Ken is starting to understand why the only post player that Herb Sendek has coached in a decade to make the NBA left the program under unhappy conditions after only two years? (More on Josh Powell here). Just think if Ken had TEN YEARS of living this? Maybe he would have put some of this together before now.
Sports Illustrated Slap
Sports Illustrated conducted an unscientific poll of annonymous players currently on ACC rosters. The results were quite interesting on many fronts. They were downright bad news for Herb Sendek.
TEAM WITH MOST RESPECT FOR ITS COACH
Duke …. 73%
“Everybody in the country respects [Mike Krzyzewski]. His players definitely listen to him. When we played them, they were always looking to the bench for instructions.” … “There’s not a possession where they don’t get after it.”OPPOSING COACH YOU’D MOST LIKE TO PLAY FOR
Roy Williams, UNC …. 36%
“He’s a winner, and he seems like a player’s coach — he gets along with the guys and knows how to have some fun.”OPPOSING COACH YOU’D LEAST LIKE TO PLAY FOR
Herb Sendek, N.C. STATE 36%
“It’s hard to play against, but I hate his offense.” … “That backdoor stuff just isn’t for me.”
One ‘insightful’ poster on Pack Pride indicated that he didn’t care what other players thought of our coach. He cared what OUR players thought of our coach. I couldn’t help but wonder what this poster thought of “OUR PLAYERS ” that have thought so much of Sendek that they have defected from his program at a higher rate than any program/coach in the ACC over the last decade? But, I quickly forgot about our transfers and defections when I started realizing that EVERY high school player in the country is a potential State player and has the opportunity to see this poll.
N&O Letters to the Editor
The Sunday edition of the letters to the editor in the News & Observer included a succinct and accurate portrayal of how the majority of average NC State fans – those not in the Top 10 of the Wolfpack Club rankings – feel. It has been getting a lot of conversation in internet land…so, I thought that I would share.
State fan resigned, accepts ‘mediocrity’
First, I am a N.C. State fan. But I have also resolved myself to accept mediocrity. I no longer believe that State will ever win an ACC men’s basketball championship, let alone a national one. In fact, I don’t see State beating UNC or Duke in the near or distant future.
Let’s face it, the program is mediocre at best and it has been crammed down my throat. The goals are to get to the NCAA Tournament with a padded out-of-conference schedule, hopefully win a conference game or two, and call it a “successful” season. Oh, joy!
Coach Herb Sendek is an engineer, a mathematician. He thinks in black and white. He is rigid. Everything must be exactly as he sees it. Coaches Mike Krzyzewski and Roy Williams think in gray. They adjust, they adapt to the next team they play.
Sendek does not recruit any top players. I think the last first-team All-America was David Thompson. There are no State players in the pros. Yet “K” and Williams reload every season with “blue chip” talent.
Yes, State has had another “successful” season. I am happy because I have been force-fed mediocrity. What else can I expect?
One thing is for sure, I still have my memories of the Thompson years, and neither UNC nor Duke can take those from me. I just know now those times are gone forever.
Gary Evans
