Lavin Turns Down NC State (Update 4:50 pm)

General Media NCS Basketball133

Headline on ESPN.com

“Lavin will stay in broadcasting; turns down NC State”

StateFansNation comments on Monday:

If NC State really did offer the job to Lavin, then the offer should have been pulled the moment The Sporting News reported it on Friday night. Everyone knows that the leak came from Lavin’s side. Why are we even speaking to someone that did this to us? Why is all of this coming out on Monday? Did nobody work this weekend? Was the weather at Fowler’s lake house too nice to worry with the coaching search and trying to nail down these terms and conditions?

On Sunday AND Monday we suggested that, in addition to pulling the offer from Lavin, NC State should have immediately issued a press statement dis-crediting the story and pronouncing that it was completely false and Steve Lavin has never had an offer from NC State.

Q: What did Lee Fowler do, instead?

A: Fowler continued to let his personal friend (Lavin) fester for a full week and publicly embarass NC State LEE FOWLER (again) in the national media.

What did we tell you on Monday about the report that Lavin was “close to accepting the job except for some specific terms and conditions”?

We are a little fearful that this information is a set-up for NC State to save face in a scenario where Lavin turns down the job. If the afternoon rumor that Lavin is NOT the guy holds up, then the NC State spin-machine will most definitely be looking to blame something outside of their control as the reason why the deal didn’t work with Lavin. It would never cross their mind – or anyone at NC State’s – that they just f’d up by chasing the wrong guy, for the wrong reasons, in the wrong way.

Any coach would accept the NC State job contingent on coming to agreement on “certain terms and conditions”!! In principal why wouldn’t Lee Fowler privately pull the offer from Lavin immediately upon Lavin breaking the agreement not to share information in the press about the job?

This could be a case where the deal is done with John Beilein and Steve Lavin is backing away from the process. If true, it is good news. But, it is also unacceptable that NC State is in this public position with a broadcaster that isn’t even a basketball coach on Wednesday, April 26th when Lee Fowler knew of Arizona State’s interest in Herb Sendek over thirty days ago. The telephones up at Fowler’s Lake house, where he has spent more time than in Raleigh in recent weeks, must have a hard time connecting to the rest of the world.

We don’t care if the real truth is that NC State chose John Beilein over Steve Lavin. Don’t know, and don’t care. That is inconsequential to the fact that Fowler unnecessarily put NC State in another comprimising public position in this search.

Please don’t misread any of our comments into frustration about missing on Steve Lavin. SFN was obviously struggling with the Lavin candidacy since its origin. (Need we take you all the way back to April 7th?) We are relieved by the outcome related to Lavin, although disappointed in the execution of how the results came to light. In fact, Lee Fowler’s simple interest in Lavin just puts another nail in Jed’s coffin at NC State.

NC State’s search can end successfully (Beilein) without having been executed competently. The two can be relatively exclusive of each other.

But, leaders get paid to make good decisions; and Lee FOWLER’s decisions are what created this public “third strike” through gross incompetence of (1) originally choosing to pursue someone as unqualified as Steve Lavin, and (2) continuing to talk to Lavin despite the obvious and significant risks once Lavin leaked the confirmation of our talks to the media. There is nobody, nowhere, no way to blame for this fiasco other than Fowler for allowing it to unravel in this manner.

Additionally, how was this allowed to go on for at least a frigging week? What the hell did Lavin need to think about? work on? get through? Why has NC State allowed Lavin (or anyone) to mull over a job for a friggin week? Either you want it, or you don’t. Jay Bilas alluded to Fowler’s poor execution across many facets of the search in his interview with 610 WFNZ on Tuesday morning, and this Lavin situation is the specific example of all of Bilas’ points – lack of strategy, tardiness, moving too slowly, not valuing/marketing the job effectively.

SFN is excited about the prospects of John Beilein coaching at NC State – more excited than we think many would have expected of us. We hope that the Lavin situation means that Beilein is locked up and ready to roll. We should know very, very soon.

In the meantime, we’ll share a picture that came our way last week via email from a friggin Rhode Island undergraduate to memorialize the national perception of Lee Fowler’s coaching search:

CoachingPic

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General Media NCS Basketball

133 Responses to Lavin Turns Down NC State (Update 4:50 pm)

  1. dabigdog 04/26/2006 at 9:58 PM #

    Guys, keep up your hope. I don’t care what the national media says, N.C. State is not a second-tier job. Lee Fowler has simply conducted this search in a second-tier fashion. I’m sure we’re all happy that he went after Cal and Barnes, but those two guys should have been smoke screens for the real target, Montgomery. That is the guy that could have turned this around. State has the highest academic requirements in the league and needs a coach that’s used to dealing with high standards. It shouldn’t be a shock that Cal was scared of this job.

    Sendek leaving was not a bad thing for basketball at state. It was time for a change.

    BLine looked like a strong candidate, but common, 3 million to get him away from WVa? You’d have to sell an awful lot of hogs to come up with that kind of money.

    Guys, sometimes I wonder if the pendulum has swung too far in favor of academics at state. You guys who give money are going to have to get some more balance.

    Why is it that it’s fine for unc to recruit all these kids who only stay a year or two, but when it comes to state, it’s such a big no-no?

    I’m not a state grad, but I desperately hate UNC and duke. I’ve always looked at you guys as their best counterbalance, or at least potentially.

    Believe it or not, it all starts with you guys, the folks who give 25-50 dollars a year to school or in some cases more. If enough of you call bullsh*t on this stuff, it will eventually have to end.

    Regroup and find the right fit for this position– and more importantly, take those blue blooded bastards out!

  2. albunde6 04/26/2006 at 9:16 PM #

    I want to state for the record that I have not been contacted for the NC State vacancy. I am honored by the speculation about me comming to coach the wolfpack, however I completely content with my position at shoe show. Thank you so much for your interest and good luck with your search.

  3. [waves] 04/26/2006 at 9:29 PM #

    BBH – Bring Back Herb

  4. Jacques_Strap 04/26/2006 at 9:29 PM #

    This is going downhill fast. Phil Ford? No head coaching experience, UNC alum and on staff with the Knicks. Pathetic. Unthinkable. Fire Fowler for even thinking about this.

  5. TomCat 04/26/2006 at 10:45 PM #

    LAVIN PUBLICALLY WITHDRAWS…….. BEILEIN PUBLICALLY WITHDRAWS……. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY- WE (PUBLIC) MAY BE PLAYING CHECKERS IN A CHESSMATCH???? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THEIR MAY BE MORE THAN ONE ALTERNATIVE TO THIS?

    Alternative 1. Lavin said no, Beilein said no. Back to square one.

    Alternative 2.* Decision is made: the hire is a 3rd name (previously discussed or tba). Lavin and Beilein have been given the opportunity to politely bow out (to save face as an ‘also-ran’) as is often done when searches are concluded.

    SOMETHING TO CONSIDER……….

  6. Jacques_Strap 04/26/2006 at 9:55 PM #

    Guys, sometimes I wonder if the pendulum has swung too far in favor of academics at state.

    Me too. I really though Calipari was the right guy. Maybe it became clear to him (Barnes, Lavin, B-line also) that they would have to compete in the ACC with less than a full set of bullets. What is happening during this procees to cause these guys to turn down this kind of money? I wonder if it is some sore of admission policy – no prep schools or whatever – that they view as just unacceptable in a tough conference.

  7. TNCSU 04/26/2006 at 9:56 PM #

    ^^^Concur. Just WHO is the mystery guy???

  8. Dan 04/26/2006 at 10:02 PM #

    Ok, Ive vented now. Probably time to wipe the comments from the this post as well.

    Let’s let Lee go and bring in a commitee of some well respected alumni to lead the search. Guys like Corch, Burleson, DT, in addition to some admin that is more business saavy.

  9. Metalhead 04/26/2006 at 10:13 PM #

    DAMN IT!!! What the hell is going on? Even the likes of Lavin and B-line turn us down??? All hell is gonna freeze over now. It looks like the common saying “If you can’t beat them, join them” may come to fruition. Ok, its not exactly like that. But Phil Ford??? A sheep in wolf’s clothing? Come on, If he was a proven coach…a maybe. I don’t really care that he is interested? He also carries some PR baggage too, drunk driving. For a coach to be a 5th choice, a Tarheel true and true add to that the fact that after being PUBLICLY turned down by 4 people at this stage of the game and he carries excess baggage. How desperate to WE look because of LF?
    This is unfreakin’ believable. Why not make it a half dozen Lee? Go after Pitino and Tubby PUBLICLY. I know they’ve already said no through back channels, but hey, you he “knows basketball”, and who would turn NCSTATE down? Surely not them (publicly).

  10. old13 04/26/2006 at 10:16 PM #

    Uh . . . with LF in charge, NO to #2!!

  11. wpack 04/26/2006 at 10:17 PM #

    Tomcat
    Now that is an optimistic view. Sorry but at this point I don’t think Fowler is that sharp. It just don’t add up. Who could it possibly be to overcome the public embarassment that this is causing. I can’t wait to see the headlines in tomorrow’s paper.

  12. old13 04/26/2006 at 10:18 PM #

    Why are new psots being inserted ahead of the TomCat post?

  13. old13 04/26/2006 at 10:19 PM #

    Oh, the erroneous clock just got corrected.

  14. wpack 04/26/2006 at 10:20 PM #

    Must be the the clock. my post is showing the correct time.

  15. highstick 04/26/2006 at 10:20 PM #

    Wonder if Les would come back? He’s the last living NC State coach except for Sendek.

    Think Kay Yow can coach two teams next year?? We haven’t considered that possibility.

  16. colapack 04/26/2006 at 10:25 PM #

    If I were a winning Div.1 coach, like Barnes, Cal, Lavin, B-Line, etc., why would I come to NC State to coach? I have asked this question before on this site. Most people, when considering a job change, don’t change for the money only. There has to be several other good reasons besides the money to come. Put yourselves in the same position and imagine trying to make the same decision. Would you leave WVU for NCSU given all the variables? How about Texas or Memphis?

    The fanbase at NC State is crass. They boo the coaches and the teams at games, they attack the coaches character, they are happy fans only when there is success. I live in gamecock country here in sc, and I tell you that no football fan deserves a national championship like gamecock fans. They support the program no matter what happens. Even if they are in a losing season they fill the stands and they stay till the last minute. They dont like to lose, but they love their teams and support them through thick and thin. I have heard it said on this site before that other fans at other schools boo their coaches so it is OK for nc state fans to do this as well. The fan environment at NC State is at the lowest of lows…and I think it shows. I think this is a major factor in why we are now looking to B-level coaches to fill the position. And no, I am not an HSSSer…

  17. wpack 04/26/2006 at 10:25 PM #

    Maybe Fowler will do like Sendek and just leave. Are there any AD vacancies anywhere? Maybe some high schools or community colleges?

  18. reef 04/26/2006 at 10:27 PM #

    StateFans, I think Fowler should be taken out of the coaching search. Let Purcell and few big donors (since they will paying for the new coach) start over and interview candidates. Do you think this is possible? Also, is there a movement in the University, ie Chancellor level, to get rid of Fowler? Thanks for all your efforts. At least we outdid UNC, we are making there search after Gut retired look like genius.

  19. Metalhead 04/26/2006 at 10:28 PM #

    No, Eddie Biedenbach of the Powerhouse of a program at UNC-Asheville, was also the assistant under Les Robinsons reign of dominance. Yes, I was there as a member of the student WPC during the LRI (Les Robinson Invitational) and one of the chants, which I did NOT agree with, but I supported as a “support your coach” type of view, was “Les is More”. Try yelling THAT repeatedly and see if you don’t lose some intelligence. Apparently I have because of it. I hope I never have to support a “Ford is a Cadillac” or anything similar to that EVER.

  20. beowolf 04/26/2006 at 10:29 PM #

    Phil Ford’s name suddenly cropping up is THE most perplexing development in this entire clusterf[iasco]. I know Cardiff was kidding, but I really WOULD support Tim Curry in a Pennywise the Clown costume over that.

    WHERE IS WHITTENBURG?

  21. TNCSU 04/26/2006 at 10:39 PM #

    OKay!! I’ve CONSIDERED it! As a matter of fact, I mentioned it 2 days ago — remember?? Beilein, Lavin, Whittenburg – What do these guys have in common? NOTHING!! SMOKESCREEN!! Now get that post some up out of my view!

  22. TNCSU 04/26/2006 at 10:43 PM #

    Hey Colapack,
    Do you remember that F-ball game when we beat the Cocks at home with NO time on the clock? Kramer to Peebles in the End Zone? That is my ALL-TIME favorite NCSU football moment! I had 5 friends up for the weekend from Columbia, and they LEFT right after the game ’cause they were so PISSED! Go PACK!

  23. Metalhead 04/26/2006 at 10:44 PM #

    SO if Phil Fords name surfaces, why not Johnny Dawkins? Its the same of both evils. I’m sorry, I like Whit and all, but he doesn’t seem to be in the mix, especially since he (according to media) hasn’t been contacted by LF. That could change, but how would he feel now? At any rate, Phil wasn’t even asked to stay on as assistant with Doh, or asked to come back with Roy. Why then would WE want him as a head coach?

  24. colapack 04/26/2006 at 10:48 PM #

    that game was awesome. We always had good games with the gamecocks. Very competitive. I enjoyed that rivalry. I hate that the last game we played them was the hurricane bowl with Lou Holtz in Raleigh. most gamecock fans really support NCSU because “anyone but Clemson”. Good advocates in the SEC. They view us as a mirror image of their program in the ACC.

  25. skicarib 04/26/2006 at 10:52 PM #

    here’s an analysis of what b-line was likely looking at:

    assume a salary of 1.3M. he pays roughly 390,000 in tax which nets him 910,000. then he owes wvu 500,000 over the next 6 years so his net net is 410, a 90k loss over his current deal. on top of that, the only guarantee he would probably get is for salary of about 250. if we fire him in year 4, he gets 250 per year for remaining term, probably 2 years, and then has to pay wvu another 2-3 years of 500k per year. if you amortize all this out assuming he only makes 4 years with us, his actual net net net over that 4 years is 160k.

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