Wolfpackers Jumping Off Ship

General NCS Basketball Quotes of Note132

What a day!!!

Lee Fowler’s annual version of “I support Sendek” has unleashed a fire storm out here in the real world where workers are held to standards and decisions are based on merit and not only on personal infatuations of big farmers or career climbing Jethros.

I haven’t been in the office since this morning (have to work towards my annual production goals, you see) so I haven’t had the opportunity to read any message board posts outside of these comments…but, I can’t count the number of personal emails and telephone messages of disgust that I have just picked up.

The message that Lee Fowler and Chancellor Oblinger are sending from NC State is crystal clear – NC State accepts failure to succeed at levels that are comparable to other institutions and NC State underscores this lack of ambition through its long term record of management decisions.

From what I can tell, the NC State Community is responding to this message in pretty big numbers. Many Wolfpackers that I know are simply giving up and walking away.

But, I have an additional observation about this situation that I had never considered much prior to the last few days. The interesting part of my experience in recent weeks (and particularly over the last 48 hours) is NOT that former great Wolfpacers have reached their breaking point and are apathetically walking away from their support of NC State…but it is THE TYPE OF PEOPLE that are giving up and walking away.

Since State’s Basketball season has ended, I have interacted (in person, on phone, on email) with the following set of Wolfpackers:
* 4 CEOs of companies with revenues in excess of $50 million
* 2 CFOs of nice-sized companies
* a partner at a major accounting firm
* 2 accountants of Big Five firms
* 3 employees of NC State University
* 4 attorneys from 3 different (highly-recognizable) law firms
* a judge
* 5 bankers employed by 2 of the 4 largest banks in America
* 2 consultants
* 1 political consultant
* 1 real estate developer
* 1 finance executive for a Fortune 100 company

These former Wolfpackers all shared what I considered to be interesting traits:
* Each is considered to be very successful by modern standards of the business world
* Each is beyond disgusted with NC State
* Each is between the age of 30 and 50

Of course, it is just a observation based on my personal interactions, but the fact that each of these successful individuals are between the age of 30 and 50 years old struck me as interesting. I wouldn’t think that it bodes well for the future of NC State University for so much young and successful talent to feel so disenfranchised and frustrated with the University. But, what do I know?

In twenty years NC State will be wondering why it has a huge leadership gap within its alumni community and why its alumni support the University at a rate disproportionately less than other schools (that is..if anyone at NC State would ever dare use defined, measureable, and comparable data as a benchmark for behavior). Perhaps at that point the members of the current Board of Directors, the Chancellor, Wendell Murphy, Lee Fowler, and Herb Sendek will step in and save the future of the University. Well…maybe the 2 or 3 of them that are still alive at that time. Because, I know an awful lot of talented folks that have little interest in being a part of it now…and, I fear forever.

I will leave you quotes from the last voice mail message that I received today from the CFO of a major business headquartered in the Triangle:

“I will be reducing my Wolfpack Club donation to the minimum for my lifetime rights. #&%@ it. It is time for me to grow away from NC State. I will still pull for them. But I will not care anymore.

Sadly, ^this is highly consistent with dozens of other interactions that I have personally had recently. Good Luck, NC State.

General NCS Basketball Quotes of Note

132 Responses to Wolfpackers Jumping Off Ship

  1. newswolf 03/23/2006 at 8:59 AM #

    I honestly think that the hatred of Fowler has giving the WPC a free pass

  2. Rick 03/23/2006 at 10:26 AM #

    “The program is better than it was ten years ago. Its not where we want it to be, but its consistently gotten better over the years and we have reasons to believe the program will be even better next year. The kind of success we want at NCSU isnt something that can be accomplished overnight in most cases. As long as the program continues to proceed on an upward path, we will stay the course.”

    I think trolll is right.
    Only an idiot could make blantantly false statements like this.

  3. Fletch 03/23/2006 at 10:40 AM #

    Just FYI, I didn’t renew my WPC membership this year, and have decided not to. I am done with BBall or BBall discussions as of now. I am cleaning up the RV to tailgate for the spring Football game, and will enjoy as many Baseball games as I can. I have had BBall season tickets in sec 114 since the RBC was open, and for 5 years prior to that at Reynolds. Not this year. I know I’m not alone. Lee and Bobby don’t care either.

  4. Astral Rain 03/23/2006 at 11:01 AM #

    Well, here’s how I look at it.

    I base things on the regular season more then the postseason, which I consider a bonus, since tournies are luck-based.

    This year was, until the end, what I would have considered improvement, even with the second-round exit. If they had ended the year ranked in the 15-20 range, and not choked the last 4 games, I would have been satisfied this year. My theory is if you’re a top-4 seed, you have a chance at something magical.

    However, they didn’t, and they haven’t since 2004- which was a gift seeding- as I felt NCSU deserved a 5 that year.

    Personally, I think Sendek needs to move on- before the fanbase goes crazy and something really stupid happens, which might kill the program. Personally, my choice for a new coach would be Adam Kennedy. Shaming NCSU might make it harder to land a good coach in the future- which would doom NCSU to well, the Les Robinson years again.

    However, I don’t like the idea of trying to get the team to tank to get rid of the coach- I think we should support, at least once the season starts, who we get- and hope something good happens, even if there’s no reason to. Then again, I’m an optimist. Angry over the fact we don’t try harder to improve.

    Here’s the question- would a ten-win season be enough to get Herb fired?
    (total, not ACC)

  5. class of '85 03/23/2006 at 11:45 AM #

    The main problem with the Herb era is that it now more than ever is causing fellow wolfpackers to argue, fuss and scream at the program. leadership and most of all at each other. This is exactly why we need a change! Someone that can get us to the next level where for the most part wolpackers can unite again for the common cause!

  6. Rick 03/23/2006 at 11:47 AM #

    “How can this place be good for discussion if as soon as someone posts a “contrarianâ€? view they get called a fool/idiot/troll or even worse a, “Carolina fan??â€?

    The easiest way not to get called something is to post something intelligent. Saying we have “constant improvement” is not saying something intelligent it is flat out wrong.

  7. DCM 03/23/2006 at 11:53 AM #

    Rick’s definition of intelligent:

    That which agrees with Rick.

  8. Rick 03/23/2006 at 11:54 AM #

    DCM,
    You have been spewing off about “haters”.
    If you want to be taken seriously (which personally I think it is too late for that) then you would not use that crap.

  9. Matt E. 03/23/2006 at 12:00 PM #

    Rick,

    Just because people define “improvement” differently doesn’t mean either is wrong, nor should they have their intelligence questioned for their opinions.

  10. Jeff 03/23/2006 at 12:26 PM #

    ^ What is that definition of ‘improvement’?

  11. Matt E. 03/23/2006 at 12:31 PM #

    Maybe that’s another discussion, defining improvement.

  12. Only One 03/23/2006 at 12:32 PM #

    I believe that according to Lee Fowler, improvement is another year going by without Jimmy Oblinger firing him.

    Lee must have been an awesome defender in his day. He protects mediocrity like a guard at Fort Knox protects the gold.

  13. Elrod 03/23/2006 at 1:40 PM #

    Greg says,

    “The program is better than it was ten years ago. Its not where we want it to be, but its consistently gotten better over the years and we have reasons to believe the program will be even better next year.”

    I am not going to let this one go by without comment. Like Jeff asked above, what is “better”? Until you apply an objective definition to this Greg, it is no more useful to the discussion than anyone else’s point of view. Based on your other comments, I gather it is based on whatever you and the rest of the blue-bloods decide to talk about in your elbow-rubbing sessions with Jethro and Herble. So, just what do you mean by “better”? Entertainment value, right.

    Also, since you are such the enlightened insider with the only right views and information, how about sharing with us those reasons to believe the program will be better next year?

    Lastly, just how does it make you feel to look out over the RBC crowd, knowing that the check you wrote this year is worth more than the 10-20 years worth retracted by someone who sees things differently? Bet it makes you all tingly inside. Ah, that’s rarified air, indeed!

  14. GAWolf 03/23/2006 at 1:41 PM #

    Another thing I don’t get about this situation is the injury excuse. I’m a pretty worldly guy and rarely keep my heads too far in the clouds. I do believe in karma, although I don’t believe in tarrot. I think religion if allowed to over-consume someone can become a crutch for responsibility. I don’t think full moons bring out creatures, but I’ve seen some of the naturally unstable sort int he courthouse act completely crazy during a full moon. I don’t believe in ghosts, but I have no reason to not believe my grandfather’s story of the opossum running over my future grave as an explaination for those otherwise unexplainable shivers. All in all, I’m a pretty sensible, average person with the beliefs to match.

    With that said, what could possibly explain the truly bizarre string of “bad luck” that Herb has had regarding injuries, transfers, potential deportations, and crazy-possessed chicken dances at the Red/White game?

    Whether you think he’s a God as a coach or a goat as a coach, you’ve got to admit that your 6th sense is telling you something just isn’t working out. The supporters love to count the unexpected bumps in the road as something others can’t attribute to anything Herb has done, but at the same time what CAN explain it? Bad luck? Bad karma? Not holding his mouth right? Who knows? The point being… SOMETHING ain’t quite right.

  15. Fletch 03/23/2006 at 2:14 PM #

    DCM, This is a not for profit site run by a few people. They can do whatever the hell they want, including deleting every post you write just for fun. Don’t like it? Move on.

  16. DCM 03/23/2006 at 2:38 PM #

    That’s right. They can. They are also free to make their entire argument invalid by shielding from any and all criticism.

  17. Rick 03/23/2006 at 2:55 PM #

    “Rick,

    Just because people define “improvementâ€? differently doesn’t mean either is wrong, nor should they have their intelligence questioned for their opinions.”

    For one thing, they have not defined it at all. They spout off about how we have improved and then whne asked how we have improved they whine incessantly about how they are not allowed to say what they want.

    So if DCM or Jesse wants to define the “improvement” they keep espousing then we can have a rational discussion on it.

    If they want to continue crying about freedom of speech they can go to packpride.

  18. Superman 03/23/2006 at 3:06 PM #

    Well we made 5 tourney’s in a row. I mean you gotta start somewhere.

  19. Rick 03/23/2006 at 3:12 PM #

    That shows that we are improved from 6 years ago.
    It does not show we are improving. We have had no significant improvement over the past 5 years.

  20. Only One 03/23/2006 at 3:12 PM #

    wooooohooooooo 5 bubble teams in a row. Momma Sendek must be so proud.

  21. THE Only One 03/23/2006 at 3:22 PM #

    Why would you say that someone would say that? Is that a sensitive area? Perhaps not as secure as could be?

  22. DCM 03/23/2006 at 3:22 PM #

    Rick, the word improvement has its own well defined meaning. You can find it in any dictionary of note.

    No rational person can argue that we have not improved over the last five years. No rational person can either argue that the level of talent to be at school in 2006 is a decided level higher than that that was here in 1999.

    We were a lower half ACC team in 1999. We are now an upper half. Are we top 2? No. Maybe four teams in the country would even have a chance at being in the top 2 in this league. Will we be top two next year? I think we have a legit chance. Duke is no sure thing. BC pulls a post-Sura FSU.

    The most telling point of this argument is that the naysayers argument revolves around the past. And more like 5-10 years ago past. While the supporters argument resides in the present and future.

  23. Rick 03/23/2006 at 3:22 PM #

    “like i said it’s hopeless. i could right a long comment about the improvement i’ve seen, and then sit back and listen to someone say that jesse sounds like a girls name and that i am a troll. i would rather just sit back relax and enjoy the show.”

    Translation – I have no basis for anything I say and cannot back up any of my “facts”.

    So “right” up your “improvements” and we can discuss. Otherwise quit whining.

  24. newswolf 03/23/2006 at 3:27 PM #

    Well to be in the top half of the acc now, you just need to be in the top 6

  25. jesse 03/23/2006 at 3:30 PM #

    rick and theonlyone, good cracks! see this is much funner than being a stat geek. i’m too lazy to look up stats and all that mess. besides DCM is kickin all of your asses! he’s doing the work for me.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Leave a Reply