Chronicling the Criticism

General Media NCS Basketball On the Record Quotes of Note Sidney Lowe91

We need your help!

As you are well aware, a significant number of national and local media members have been openly critical of Sidney Lowe’s hire as Head Basketball Coach at NC State. Although this criticism is very relevant, we have chosen not to dwell and focus on it. But, we don’t want to ignore it completely.

So, what we would ask you to do is use our comments section for this entry to share criticisms that you have heard/seen on television and radio, and link to articles and commentaries on the internet. Feel free to include a quotation or two from the article that is particularly critical so if the source chooses to remove the article in the future, we will have the commentary chronicled.

We ask that you do NOT share your own commentary or thoughts on this entry. We just want links, quotes, and recaps. We are trying to compile a single entry with all of the criticism so that we can have it chronicled in one spot. We would LOVE to be able to come back to this entry in a few years and serve up a bunch of crow.

Thanks!

Example–

Randy Capps @ Shelby Starr

http://www.shelbystar.com/story.php?ID=1693

Recent hire trades substance for style for Wolfpack program

He’ll show up at little Johnny’s house, spin a few yarns about the N.C. State glory days and drop a few names from the NBA. It’ll be a good show right up until Roy Williams shows up with a shiny national championship ring and a laundry list of players he’s coached into the pros.

State fans, and apparently, some players got their wish. When Sendek left for Tempe, they got rid of a boring coach with a boring offense.

“(Lowe) told us he wanted us to be free and have fun,‿ said sophomore Gavin Grant. “(Sendek) wasn’t focused on having fun. He was more focused on we’ve got to win and it was this way or no way at all.‿
Yeah, sure. It’s all about fun now at N.C. State. Let’s get it up and down and stick out their chests when they play Duke and Carolina.

It’s a page out of the N.C. State football playbook. Walk loudly and carry a twig.

What you have here is a trade-off that most State fans will welcome. The straight-laced, soft-spoken coach that wins more than he loses firmly in the shadow of his neighbors for the tough-talking State alum that isn’t scared to yell at Coach K or Skip Prosser to fire up his team.

Style over substance never works over the long haul.

About StateFans

'StateFansNation' is the shared profile used by any/all of the dozen or so authors that contribute to the blog. You may not always agree with us, but you will have little doubt about where we stand on most issues. Please follow us on Twitter and FaceBook

General Media NCS Basketball On the Record Quotes of Note Sidney Lowe

91 Responses to Chronicling the Criticism

  1. packfan80 05/09/2006 at 5:49 PM #

    Read this and laugh at Doyle now!!! Thanks CoachCalamari for the link!!!!

    http://espn.go.com/ncb/s/2001/0723/1229893.html

  2. beowolf 05/10/2006 at 9:22 AM #

    I hope Dan, “Mr. Accountability” who’s supposedly stoked about Coach Lowe but wishes to bash SFN for not initially trumpeting Lowe’s candidacy (along with, basically, everyone else) is reading this — for to answer his criticism, I would hope anyone without exceedingly short-term memory loss realizes that the NC State coach search looked quite different on May 4 as it did April 2. A series of missteps and bungles and also “strikeouts” after “swinging for the fences” made the calculations on whom to pursue ONE MONTH LATER quite different from INITIAL candidates.

    Cutting and pasting snippets from articles REMOVED from their context and without recognition of how events change the landscape is not “holding someone accountable,” it’s bearing a grudge.

  3. whitefang 05/10/2006 at 9:58 AM #

    Just saw this today in Charlotte Disturber
    http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/columnists/langston_wertz/14541922

  4. Dan 05/10/2006 at 10:14 AM #

    “I hope Dan, “Mr. Accountabilityâ€? who’s supposedly stoked about Coach Lowe but wishes to bash SFN for not initially trumpeting Lowe’s candidacy ”

    There is a huge, huge, huge difference betweem “not initially trumpeting Lowe’s candidacy” and saying “not to waste one moment of time considering for the job”. Not even the same ballpark.

    The snippets were not removed from the context. The snippets were the context. The only reason I didnt post the entire article was because I posted the link the entire article. Read it yourself. Its still there.

    And I’m not bashing SFN for not trumpeting Lowe. I’m criticizing the 180 it has turned in one month’s time. Either something was wrong then, or it is wrong now.

  5. Dan 05/10/2006 at 10:16 AM #

    On a side note, this from today’s N&O:

    Fowler was in Indianapolis at the NCAA Final Four on April 1 when the news broke: Herb Sendek, after 10 years as NCSU’s coach, was going to Arizona State.

    “I first heard the rumor, then I saw it on ESPN,” said guard Engin Atsur, a rising senior. “That’s how I found out.”

    That’s bush league, Herb.

    http://www.newsobserver.com/122/story/437889.html

  6. beowolf 05/10/2006 at 10:48 AM #

    The context was (A) “NC State’s focus should be on ‘institutional and cultural fit’…NOT ‘alumnus status’â€? and (B) the EVENTS OF THE SEARCH. I think you’re seeing on part A.b. “NOT ‘alumnus status.'”

    Also, I did not write that piece, and I obviously differ with the author with respect to Whittenburg. I didn’t thinkMcMillen would want the job and a 60-80% pay cut, and I thought Lowe wasn’t interested either. However, I would not have wanted us to pursue Whit and Lowe *right off the bat* instead of an A-lister — then we would have been doing so only because of “family ties.”

    But once the top (take a chance, ask ’em; worst they can do is say no) candidates turned us down, the search committee started acting like the Keystone Kops with regard to whom they discussed PUBLICLY. Surely you remember this; it was only a couple of weeks ago. Many of the suggestions were flat-out TONE-DEAF with regard to the fan base — i.e., that “institutional and cultural fit” aspect. The ne plus ultra of that being talking with Phil Ford *instead of and before* Whit.

    The search committee seemed to be chasing everybody who reminded them of Herb in any way. Beilein — dull, Princeton O guy; Kruger — dry personality; Brey — dull, couldn’t develop players; Sean Miller — assistant under Herb. It was as if they didn’t care a “whit” for “institutional and cultural fit” but instead used the “kinda like dear old departed Herb” fit.

    Hiring Lowe — especially IN THAT CONTEXT — was a cause for celebration (and a relief) among Wolfpack fans. The excitement level in light of the dull, castor-oil names being seriously considered at that point was near permanent flat-line. It’s vibrant now.

    SFN gave what I considered a fair fan’s analysis of the coaching search AS IT PROGRESSED — both at the beginning (don’t just chase someone because of family ties) and as it finished (THANK GOD they found someone who KNOWS NC STATE instead of all the ones they were considering this week).

    I hope you understand this better now.

  7. packeroo 05/10/2006 at 10:59 AM #

    I think we are going to find out alot more about Herbie as the days wear on….

  8. Dan 05/10/2006 at 11:26 AM #

    “The context was (A) “NC State’s focus should be on ‘institutional and cultural fit’…NOT ‘alumnus status’â€? and (B) the EVENTS OF THE SEARCH. I think you’re seeing on part A.b. “NOT ‘alumnus status.’â€?

    If the article had stopped there, I would have been fine with the recent reception of Lowe by SFN. However, it didnt stop there. It went so far as to urge people not to waste a single moment even considering Lowe or Towe for the job. Now it claims its a great hire? A fantastic staff with both of them here? I’m happy about it. I just cant see how SFN can claim to be after all that. That’s a crazy change in opinion in one month time. Its almost like someone flipped a switch somewhere.

    Beo, I understand you didnt write the piece. That’s fine. Someone did. ‘SFN’ did. SFN really didnt give the “fair fan’s analysis”. Fair NC State fans are not so fickle as to dismiss Lowe as ridiculous one day and to embrace him the next.

    This was more than an article saying Alumni sould be given preference. You need to read it.

    More quotes from the same piece…

    “The way to evaluate coaches is simple — whatever you deem as key criteria should be analyzed without any consideration of the candidates alumnus connections. More often than not, you will find the candidate would never be remotely considered for the job if not for their alumnus status….

    …Other names that are similar to McMillan and Whittenburg who would never once be discussed for the job if they were not NC State alums:

    Monte Towe

    Sidney Lowe”

    My favorite parts of this piece…

    “fans that are super supportive of alums for coaches are usually just too damn stupid and ignorant to know the name of any other coach in America” (nice barb at us Whitt supporters)

    and the best of all…

    “In the future, you may just want to paste a link to this entry on idiot message boards”

  9. beowolf 05/10/2006 at 12:18 PM #

    I read the article, Mxyzptlk.

    Nevertheless, I greatly appreciate your continuing attempts to gibe me along those lines. Really, I think you should return to that in your next response. Sure would be better than addressing my points, wouldn’t you agree?

    I’m not sure what your campaign intends to accomplish, apart from avoiding the context of events. Frankly, at this point I no longer care. I will leave you with Emerson’s observation that “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”

  10. Dan 05/10/2006 at 12:27 PM #

    “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”

    I couldnt agree more. However, Emerson point there is for us to grow as people and to able to recognize an error in order to correct it.

    “I’m not sure what your campaign intends to accomplish”

    My goal is Emerson’s. Again, the point of Emerson is to recognize error in order to correct it. Not to spin the error into being correct, so that we can remain comfortable. It time to recognize that some of the fanbase at NC State has been less than stellar. I do believe that Lee Fowler’s divisive tone is at the root of it, but some blame still belongs to those that were so easily turned. And that is not to defend Sendek’s record either. How funny that in your attempt to reference Emerson ans appear intellectually superior you completely miss how Emerson makes the exact point.

    I’m not a deciphering person. What does Mxyzptlk even mean? I’ve never posted under any other name but Dan. Nice try though.

  11. beowolf 05/10/2006 at 12:38 PM #

    *apart from avoiding the context of events* — q.v., coopting the Emerson quotation “ans appear intellectually superior.”

    Physician, heal thyself.

    Meantime, thanks for the laugh.

  12. StateFans 05/10/2006 at 12:46 PM #

    Getting off topic now. Thanks for the feedback.

  13. StateFans 07/02/2006 at 10:56 AM #

    Luke Winn of SI

  14. StateFans 07/02/2006 at 11:00 AM #

    From Jeff Goodman — a former writer and contributor to Pack Pride. Ouch!

    http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/5578106

    Lowe won’t make a difference in Raleigh
    Jeff Goodman / FOXSports.com
    Posted: 8 hours ago

    Whether it’s Sidney Lowe, Rick Barnes or John Calipari, it doesn’t really matter. There’s no way N.C. State will be able to topple the powers-that-be on Tobacco Road.

    The fans in Raleigh are happy — for the time being. Just wait until the honeymoon is over for Lowe, who will be announced as the new Wolfpack head coach on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

    Just wait until N.C. State is a participant in the NIT instead of the Big Dance. Then maybe Wolfpack fans will realize that trying to keep pace with Duke and North Carolina isn’t nearly as important as trying to finish ahead of the other ACC teams.

    “If N.C. State is losing to Clemson and Georgia Tech, that’s when I’ll have a problem,” said former NBA and Wolfpack player Chucky Brown. “Herb (Sendek) was beating those guys, so I had no problem with him. It was unfair because fans were basing his career on whether he could beat Duke or Carolina.”

    Fans point to the fact that the Wolfpack won the national title back in 1983 (when Lowe was the team’s point guard) as to how the program can achieve greatness. Well, Duke wasn’t half the powerhouse that Mike Krzyzewski has built in Durham nowadays.

    The fan base in Raleigh is celebrating after a 34-day search is finally over with one of its own taking the reigns.

    Here are the red flags that go up with Lowe’s hiring:

    * His resume includes a 79-228 mark as an NBA head coach with Minnesota and Memphis. Sure, both teams were a work-in-progress. Still, that’s a win in every four games. Lowe had better hope his record isn’t comparable or the N.C. State fans will be wishing Sendek was back in town.

    * His resume is also shy of a college degree. He is reportedly nine hours shy of finishing up via Saint Paul’s College (Va.), but it may be difficult to walk in a home and stress the value of education when it has taken Lowe 23 years to finish up.

    * He has no college coaching experience. Lowe is in for a rude awakening because life on campus will be a little different than he remembers from his playing days — and also vastly different from life in the NBA. There’s little down time when you factor in recruiting, babysitting, etc.

    Here are the positives:

    * He’s an N.C. State guy, even if his name isn’t Derek Whittenburg — the Fordham head coach seemed like the logical choice, at least on paper. He was also a member of the national championship team and has enjoyed success in college — at Wagner and now at Fordham. However, Lowe will have the support of the fan base and that’s important.

    * According to sources, Lowe has already assembled an impressive staff led by the return of former N.C. State assistant Larry Harris. Former N.C. State point guard Monty Towe, who won a national title in 1974 and is now the head coach at New Orleans, and former Coastal Carolina head man Pete Strickland are also expected to join the staff.

    * Lowe is currently an assistant for the Detroit Pistons and will try and juggle finishing his schoolwork and trying to help the Pistons win another NBA title with getting up to speed with his new full-time job, making certain the incoming freshman arrive in Raleigh and that the players on the team don’t bolt.

    Meanwhile, N.C. State athletic director Lee Fowler can finally sleep at night. After being rebuffed by Barnes, Calipari, John Beilein and even Steve Lavin, this job search turned into a soap opera.

    Sendek was 191-132 in 10 seasons at the helm and took the Wolfpack to five consecutive NCAA appearances, which tied Jim Valvano for the longest run in school history. But the fans got tired of Sendek because he doesn’t have enough charisma and was 8-38 against Duke and UNC.

    “Herb Sendek won basketball games,” ex-Wolfpack star guard Chris Corchiani said. “People may not have liked his personality or his offense, but at the end of the day, Herb won a lot of games over the last five years. I was upset to see him go, but in the end, he’ll be better off. When you win 22 games, there should be a celebration.”

    While Corchiani and most of the ex-Wolfpack players were sad to see Sendek go, they are also glad that Fowler is bringing in someone with strong ties to the program.

    “I’m excited about the fact that one of the guys who went through the wars is there,” said former N.C. State player and assistant coach Archie Miller, who left with Sendek for Arizona State. “I wish him nothing but the best. He’ll do a tremendous job and will bring a lot of credibility to the table with the players and to the Raleigh area.”

    “Lee Fowler did a thorough job throughout the process,” Corchiani added. “I said during the search that I had the confidence he’d pull a rabbit out of his hat.”

    Added Corchiani: “For me, Sidney was that rabbit.”

    The only problem is that Lowe may soon become rabbit soup.

    Jeff Goodman is a senior college basketball writer for FOXSports.com. He can be reached at [email protected].

1 2 3 4

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. StateFans Nation » Blog Archive » NC State 74 Michigan 67 - Media/Blog Comments (10am) - 11/28/2006

    Lpowmr wow, awesome article post.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.
  2. StateFans Nation » Blog Archive » National Crow Serving Time! - 02/04/2007

    […] It got so bad that SFN got tired of the one-script wonders and started a thread devoted to “Chronicling the Criticism” — an impossible job, because the critics were legion. But they gathered some humdingers of self-assured, condescending claptrap aimed at Wolfpack Nation. Such as: • “[Hiring Sidney Lowe was]a page out of the N.C. State football playbook. Walk loudly and carry a twig. What you have here is a trade-off that most State fans will welcome. The straight-laced, soft-spoken coach that wins more than he loses firmly in the shadow of his neighbors for the tough-talking State alum that isn’t scared to yell at Coach K or Skip Prosser to fire up his team. Style over substance never works over the long haul.” — Randy Capps, Shelby Starr• “Until Saturday, N.C. State’s search was going beautifully. The Wolfpack hadn’t done anything smart like hire one of the ACC-ready head coaches in their own state, but they hadn’t done anything irreparably stupid, either. Like hiring Sidney Lowe.” — Gregg “Still Seeking John Simonds” Doyell• “Whether it’s Sidney Lowe, Rick Barnes or John Calipari, it doesn’t really matter. There’s no way N.C. State will be able to topple the powers-that-be on Tobacco Road.” — Jeff Goodman, MSNBC • “Given this sorry state of affairs, I’m guessing there are a lot of disappointed N.C. State fans, such as the one who goes by the handle gsu101 and posted the following message on an Internet message board two weeks ago. The message is addressed ‘To all Herb Haters’ and it reads: ‘You guys are now getting a reality check. There is no coach that can propel us past UNC and Duke, at least not right now, but Herb kept pushing the program along in the right direction. He was a classy guy, and a great coach. And his reward [was] ONLY CONSTANT CRITICISM AND SNOTTINESS FROM YOU FOLKS! Consider what is happening to State now as a fitting punishment, you ungrateful people.’ Can I get an amen?” — Seth Davis, SI […]

Leave a Reply