Delong’s Delights

General NC State Administration NCS Basketball Required Reading Sidney Lowe89

Just after Sidney Lowe was hired, John Delong of the Winston-Salem Journal wrote an outstanding piece that we never chronicled here and wanted to take a couple of minutes to get it on the site.

Good Call: In Lowe, State gets what it needs … a State guy .

This piece was fantastic. It was the absolute BEST article that we saw in the mainstream media regarding Lowe’s hire. The piece highlighted more of the different complex different elements related to Lowe’s hire.

We will quote Delong’s most recent piece in the comments section of this entry. These are great pieces and we wanted to have them chronicled forever in case you need/want access to them.

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General NC State Administration NCS Basketball Required Reading Sidney Lowe

89 Responses to Delong’s Delights

  1. redfred2 05/16/2006 at 12:52 PM #

    Since when has a step down to a personally less beneficial post, for the sake of spirit and loyalty, been considered less desireable, than someone stepping up into a whole different climate, where they will gain greatly financially, but have no idea, have never exprienced pressures, and the reality of the game at that next level?

    Some people can’t get over the fact that another unproven, mid-major, wasn’t chosen for the job. I am worried that those same people could have waited patiently for him to get his ducks in a row. But will they wait if the coach is actually stepping down from a better job, and an alum , or will they be impatient and cut him no slack, for all those same reasons?

  2. Dan 05/16/2006 at 1:31 PM #

    “Are you saying that there is nothing but W-L records and previous exprience involved in coaching. ”

    No. But I am saying that the only thing that really matters to me, in the end, is winning. Of course it has to be done as not disgrace the university a la NCAA violations.

    Red, I agree with you regarding the other mid-major guys. They have no fewer questions surrounding them than Sid had. But we wouldnt be having a love fest like this if McKillop was hired, and the recruits were leaving? (I know they havent left yet) I think not. And I dont blame Sid for that at all. I blame Lee Fowler. As AD he was the steward of the program while there was no coach. As far as I’m concerned he failed miserably regardless of what Sid achieves. He has singlehandedly set back NC State basketball maybe 5 years.

    Lets not let him do the same to football when the time comes. Or basketball the next time around.

  3. Hawkeye Whitney 05/16/2006 at 1:45 PM #

    I too hope that we will give Coach Lowe plenty of time to have success. I am confident that we will. Wins and losses make up the biggest part of the measure we use to evaluate coaches, but I don’t think you can deny that Coach Lowe’s intangibles give him an advantage over Coach Sendek. Lowe’s intangibles are 1) an engaging personality that comes across well in public; 2) a genuine love for NC State and Raleigh 3) a history with NC State; and 4) an apparent rapport with his players. As an alum, I am willing to give Coach Lowe a lot of time, even if the wins don’t come as quickly as I would like. The intangibles and how they relate to school pride and school spirit do mean someting at a proud University like NC State.

  4. Dan 05/16/2006 at 1:55 PM #

    Hawk, I agree that the intangibles give Lowe an advantage in that one area. No doubt. It is yet to be seen if when everything is added up if he has an overall advantage. I’d almost bet the ranch that Lowe will be better than Sendek. I was a huge supporter of keeping Sendek on especially after the signing of Wright. However, looking back on the bigger picture, I’m more critical than ever of the ‘Sendek plan’ or lack thereof.

    Its all going to come down to recruiting.

  5. redfred2 05/16/2006 at 1:58 PM #

    ^Dan

    You are unfortunately right, Lee Fowler’s set backs are no where close to ending. As long as people remember that mid-way thru the season, and for the next few years, I think we will be fine. You are right also in the fact that I would have no emotional stake in McKillop, or even Barnes for that matter. The intensity and passion that was missing from here before, we all know this guy has it burning deep down inside him. Otherwise he wouldn’t be turning his life upside down, coaching in the NBA playoffs, jumping through hoops to get his degree and satisfy the NCAA guidelines, and sacrificing a lot of money just to get here. If you didn’t have any emotional stake in Sidney Lowe before he become the head coach at NCSU, all those factors that he is subjecting himself to right now, are something that ought merit admiration from all of the nay sayers, and even the recruits, who are watching him get back to where he has always wanted to be.

  6. GAWolf 05/16/2006 at 1:58 PM #

    Sounds like he’s been reading many of our posts on here. Great read… most of it I’ve read here before. At least he has the berries to put it in a formal media outlet.

  7. choppack1 05/16/2006 at 2:03 PM #

    Dan and Wulfpack – I think all Wolfpacker’s are aware of the unknowns w/ Sidney Lowe. But I think most Wolfpacker’s – myself included – are excited about the enthusiasm, the united fanbase, and an awareness from our coach of what it’s truly like to be a Wolfpacker that Lowe brings to the table.

    I am not sure if Sendek ever “got” it. I don’t question his work ethic, his intensity or his morals, but I wonder if he ever understood the chip many of us have on our shoulder and what we really expect. I read the Seth Davis article where he mentions that Sendek was driving around Raleigh after the Texas loss and was surprised how disappointed our fans were. I find that hard to believe – first off, because I know how demanding Sendek can be.

    OTOH, I’ll tell you a quick story that I never told others because it wasn’t consistent about what I’ve heard from folks who worked w/ Sendek. After Sendek’s first season, I went to one of the Wolfpack Jamborees where Sendek was speaking. He rec’d a very warm reception and gave us the speach about the team – and everyone there just ate it up. After the speech, everyone got a chance to shake his hand and say a word or two. My buddy commented on his tie – and I said, “I’m glad you’re our coach and I know you’ll accomplish great things here.”

    The look on his face didn’t exactly inspire confidence. He kind of sheepishly smiled, but it was almost as if he either thought a) he’d already accomplished something great or b) what are these people thinking.

    The media is right – we’re not duke or Carolina or Kentucky or UCLA. But we do expect championships. If you’re not gonna get them, don’t be all happy and satisfied about what you’ve accomplished – especially when our rival down the road is cutting down the nets. Is it a little crazy to believe that you can compete w/ those guys? Perhaps it is – but that’s what we expect.

    Sidney knows where we’re coming from and he may not be the one who brings us what all of us want. However, I guarantee you that he’ll understand that if he’s got a horrid record vs. the Big 4 and no banners to hang, no one is gonna be happy!

  8. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 05/16/2006 at 2:03 PM #

    I find it odd that the same good folks who wanted to stand by Herb when he clearly sucked (this adjective fits the best, whether it be recruiting, winning or improving the players he did fool into playing for him) are the same folks ready to call the Lowe hire a failure before he has coached one game.

    Other than finding a coach that has at least one national championship or a couple of ‘strong’ conference championships, any coach coming to State was going to have issue. Lowe is the best man for the job and we can all wake up a little happier everyday knowing that we have grown up, put the Herb away and are moving on to better days.

  9. VaWolf82 05/16/2006 at 2:19 PM #

    But we wouldnt be having a love fest like this if McKillop was hired, and the recruits were leaving?

    I would hope so. No matter who LF got, we didn’t have any say in it. Unless Fowler had gotten a complete boob, there is no reason not to look at the bright side in the beginning. Reality will set in soon enough.

    One of the things that gave hope for so long with Sendek was not the W/L on the court, but the improved recruiting over the Les years. However, the great recruiting classes never seemed to accomplish much. So the Wright verbal (JRs can’t sign LOIs) didn’t affect my opinion of Sendek at all. When you throw in the large number of high school stars that never have an impact in college, then that tempered my enthusiasm even more.

    Fans will be able to tell alot about the Lowe years just from the recruiting over the next couple of years. If the recruiting results are not at least as good as Sendek’s, then there is no reason to expect the W/L to be much better. No matter how good a coach Sidney turns out to be, he will need better recruiting results than Sendek to take State where we want to be.

    I expect that Sidney will be a better coach than Sendek. Unfortunately, most of that is based on seeing him lead the team while I was a student at State….which may not be the best way to measure a coach. I still remember a game in his freshman year, where Sloan had Sidney in a close game near the end. Sidney ran over to Clyde Austin and got the ball to set up the offensive play…..pretty unusual for a freshman PG that wasn’t starting.

    Sidney did a great job leading State on the court. I sure hope he does an equally great job leading State from the bench.

  10. redfred2 05/16/2006 at 2:24 PM #

    ^choppack1

    Well said. Agreeable on all but one topic. What is the monopoly that one holds over another that entitles to people to think that a school, with equal or greater assets, cannot compete, and will never live up to, the other. And by doing so, the people who believe that way, are actually perpetuating their own pessimism.

  11. Dan 05/16/2006 at 2:24 PM #

    tct,

    No one is calling the Lowe hiring a failure here. I’m not. If you think I am, re-read the entry. All Im saying is that Alumni status doesnt count in the win-loss column. All this ‘great hire’ talk is pretty premature, and if its based on his alumni status, its not well founded.

    Side note.

    The NYPost has an article on Larry Davis. Interesting read for a lot of reason.

    http://www.nypost.com/sports/63855.htm

    “I’m glad N.C. State gave me this chance,” Davis said. “I just want to see what else is out there. I’m still talking to Coach Lowe every day, but my hat’s off to Coach [Bobby] Gonzalez for getting things going so rapidly at Seton Hall. He’s obviously doing something right since he’s getting all these players. You notice that.”

    See what good timing can do for a new coach. Bobby G is reaping the benefits of proper timing and at the same time making NC State pay.

  12. Wulfpack 05/16/2006 at 2:25 PM #

    You guys are being unrealistic. If you think that some guy who has never coached a college game in his life, who’s never even recruited a kid or learned ‘how’ to recruit, is just going to come in and work miracles — you’re disallusioned. Go ask Paul Hewitt, or Skip Prosser, or Oliver Prunell, or Frank Haith, or Leonard Hamilton, or anyone else coaching this game for that matter, how very hard it is and how competitve this conference is. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE TO LAY DOWN AND DIE. But what it does mean is that we are no more priviledged than any of those other programs, all programs who have the same goals and expectations as we do. My point was that we were getting closer with Sendek. He had established himself and this program as a contender. The word is still out on Lowe. And while he has fantastic personal qualities and ties to the university, that doesn’t gurantee a thing. He hasn’t even coached a game on the college level. There will be a learning curve for sure.

    “but I wonder if he [Sendek] ever understood the chip many of us have on our shoulder and what we really expect”

    Sendek fully understood what those games meant to the fan base — he wasn’t an idiot (he graduated with honors from Carnegie Mellon for crying out loud). Clearly, he heard the boos this season in the RBC. He got the hint, and left because he knew it’d be very, very tough to get our program to that level. And we aren’t alone — 99% of the other programs nation wide are having the same issues. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, or a lack of knowledge, or a lack of drive, or a lack of passion (Sendek has routinely been cited as a tireless worker by his peers and called Arizona State’s hire a flat out steal). It is b/c those two schools are consistently on top and will likely stay on top for decades to come. We have never experienced that type of consistent success — never. Perhaps one day we will. Perhaps this is a step in the right direction.

    It’s great to be excited. It’s great to be enthusiastic. It’s great to finally rally behind one man. But you’re going to have to wake up, smell the coffee, and come to grips with the fact that this is going to take time. Duke and UNC are rolling along, pulling in the best of the best with Hall of Fame skippers who are no where near retirement. The other guys are catching up, and we’re just getting started again. We don’t officially have a coach until July 1, and that much isn’t even guranteed.

  13. Dan 05/16/2006 at 2:41 PM #

    Wulfpack,

    I wouldnt go that far. I think it plenty possible for Lowe to come in and have a great ’07 class. Its plenty possible for him to hit the ground running and gunning. One thing new hires always have in their favor is the buzz created by that ‘new coach’ scent (which in my opinion has more to do with the enthusiasm of the coach than with the recruits).

    While I was in favor of keeping Sendek, I was not in love with what he had done, and now that I do not have a wolf in the fight, I can see his shortcomings more objectively. What I’m more concerned with is the manner in which the switch was handled. It was unacceptable. Or at least it should have been. The last thing Sid needs is a handicap coming in because of Jed. And I think its shortsighted and unconservative to think that Amato and Lowe will be here forever, and Lee Fowler will not screw us again. It doesnt seem likely from here. But W was sure those WMD’s were gonna be found. I’d rather have a guy in there at AD that makes me feel secure about whatever comes up. I have nightmares about Sid and Chuck being abducted by blue aliens and having to watch Lee Fowler in action yet again.

  14. redfred2 05/16/2006 at 2:46 PM #

    It’s true, no one out there is a great hire, if they don’t win some games. McKillop, Barnes, Calipari, ***BOBBY KNIGHT***, nobody. Wins in the mid majors or the Big East don’t automatically translate into wins in the ACC either.

    I understand some of your concerns. I, myself, would still be expressing reservations about anyone came from down on the lower coaching levels. So I guess you have the right to do the same about a definite believer in NC State who is giving up something better, and on a higher level, to come down here and try to get us back on the map again, back where we are supposed to be.

    Call him a sentimental favorite if you will, but I think his exprience(s), will boost recruiting immediately upon arrival, regardless of the terrible NCSU media outlets, and his credentials are might have more positive draw than a few seasons of winning basketball games at Winthrop.

  15. RickJ 05/16/2006 at 2:55 PM #

    “Otherwise he wouldn’t be turning his life upside down, coaching in the NBA playoffs, jumping through hoops to get his degree and satisfy the NCAA guidelines, and sacrificing a lot of money just to get here.”

    “…I guess you have the right to do the same about a definite believer in NC State who is giving up something better, and on a higher level,…”

    redfred2 – you seem to be saying & implying that Lowe will be making less money and that the head coaching job at NC State is less prestigious than being an assistant with the Pistons. I don’t think either is true.

  16. Dan 05/16/2006 at 2:59 PM #

    Red,

    I’m stoked on Sidney Lowe. Not to mention I respect the hell out of him for what is he doing right now. I’ve got two degrees from State, but I know there is no way in hell I could do what he is doing now. No freaking way I could handle it. That just makes me appreciate what he is doing all the more. Add to that he is doing it in part for NC State, and it makes me love him more. It just makes me root harder than ever. But all that doesnt give us any free wins. In the end, its gravy. It ain’t the mashed potatos.

    As far as recruiting, the local media is a little lost when it comes to what high school kids like. They cant see it from their perspective. High School kids, especially those off Tobacco Road, know the NBA way better than they know college hoops. Those are the guys they aspire to be like. Most of the fans of college hoops are college grads. They’ve been hooked by thier experience. Recruits havent been there. To tell you the truth, a lot of the parents havent been to college. The NBA is what they know. They know what shoe company has what player. They know all about Kobe, LeBron, Stephon, etc and know little about Adam Morrison and Cedric Simmons. That is going to help Lowe a little. He knows the NBA. He can talk that game with some real knowledge and authority. And the local media, being all college graduates, who are in love with college hoops, really cant relate to that point of view.

  17. redfred2 05/16/2006 at 3:07 PM #

    ^RickJ

    The “higher level” is meant to relate to the sport itself. The “better” was meant to be as compared to say, someone coming up from a mid-major school. Pretty vague on my part, sorry.

    The $$$, hell, I’ll be honest, I don’t really know all the facts about that for sure? But it sounded good anyway. My bad.

  18. NY Statefan 05/16/2006 at 3:10 PM #

    Wulfpack, have you taken a look at the staff hired by Sidney Lowe? I think hiring 2 college head coaches, and a damn good recruiter in Harris, should relax you a bit.

  19. redfred2 05/16/2006 at 3:13 PM #

    ^RickJ

    The “higher level” is meant to relate to the sport itself. The “better” was meant to be as compared to say, someone coming up from a mid-major school. Pretty vague on my part, sorry.

    The $$$, hell, I’ll be honest, I spouted off when I didn’t really know all the facts for sure? But it flowed so well right along with the rest of the statement anyway, so I hated to leave it out. My appologies for speaking out and not knowing my subject matter.

  20. NY Statefan 05/16/2006 at 3:16 PM #

    RickJ – I’m sure he was referring to the fact that Lowe was expected to get a head coaching gig in the NBA again in a few years. Maybe sooner with enough Piston’s success. He’s put in a lot of time in the NBA, and is essentially turning his back on his bread and butter for US! For NCSU, and US. He is making just as big, if not bigger, a sacrifice than this university did in hiring him. I am somewhat of a pessimist in life, but even I can’t believe that there is already a sense of negativity coming from some. Get your minds right, and until that 1st losing streak, BE HAPPY!

  21. RickJ 05/16/2006 at 3:31 PM #

    ^ Guys, I am completely stoked about the hiring of Lowe. I will probably cry when he is introduced in his first game at the RBC. I just don’t think he is making a sacrifice in taking the job. In fact, I would describe it as a huge professional upgrade. We can disagree on this point – it’s not that big of a deal.

  22. class of 74 05/16/2006 at 3:36 PM #

    To Wulfpack:
    1. None of those ACC coaches coach at a school with as much history of ACC success as ours! We have inherent advantages over the GT’s, FSU’s, Clemson’s and WF’s as our history in basket ball would suggest.
    2. Sidney Lowe played at NCSU whereas none of those coaches played for a highly successful Div. 1 program as ours. Sloan and Valvano played and they both cited their playing days as being important to their coaching methods. Also, he was recruited out of DeMatha by several major programs so he is not totally unfamiliar with the recruiting process.
    3. Sendek while he was smart and hard working, he was ill suited to coaching at this level as he never has won consistently when facing top 50 talent. Maybe not playing in college at a high level worked against Mr. Sendek? He certainly did not relate very well to his players if you listen to comments HIS players have made since his departure.
    4. Prior to 1990 we had as many ACC titles and NCAA titles as UNC and more than Duke. I guess that shoots down your claim of never having that consistent success argument. The consistency was there before our athletic department was destroyed by Monteith/Turner/Hopfenburg.

    We should be excited and enthusiastic, we finally have a coach who has:
    been recruited by and played major college basketball, won an ACC and NCAA championship, played in the CBA and NBA and finally coached in the NBA. No he has not coached in college, but he has done everything else in the game and at a very high level of achievement! You could just as easily make the argument he has as good a background in the sport as anyone we went after during this messy process. And his background has more experience than Dean Smith’s or Coach K’s when they were hired at our neighbor schools so let’s remain enthusiastic and give Coach Lowe 4-5 years to build his own program. I think he will be a bigtime success.

  23. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 05/16/2006 at 3:40 PM #

    Did Herb win any tournament while at State? I think we may of won that thing in the HS gym in Puerto Rico?

  24. redfred2 05/16/2006 at 3:45 PM #

    RickJ

    You’re possibly right in the short term. I got wound up in Lowe’s personal sacrifices at present, and how he is being tugged in all different directions. One thing I think is probably for sure, is that he was safe, as safe as you can be in that arena, with good money coming in and more out there in future potential, and he was more than willing to give it up to start a new career, here at NC State. That is pretty damned honorable, and not easy to find these days. Ask ol’ Lee, he’ll tell you.

  25. Wulfpack 05/16/2006 at 4:24 PM #

    ’74…all very good points worthy of debate.

    Your first point:

    I tend to disagree. I don’t know what “inherent” relates to here. GT and Wake have each had their time in the lime light. State certainly has a great history, but so do many other programs in our league. And having a history alone means nothing at all.

    Your second point:

    I will agree that his playing experience, especially considering he won a National Championship at State, is a huge plus and perhaps his biggest selling point. But this will not win you any games. He’s still 0-0, but this will obviously carry some weight with regard to recruiting.

    Point #3:

    Funny how that works. They were all for him staying before he announced he was leaving (Bennerman, I recall, adamantly defended his coach). I will agree that pehaps Herb didn’t deal very well with today’s kids. He seems to be a bit old-fashioned and set in his ways, not so much rigid as just overly demanding. Sidney will be a nice contrast. However, I will not go so far as to say Herb was ill suited to coaching at this level. NC State was successful under his direction — just not as successful as many fans had hoped. He will raise the profile of ASU basketball, I have no doubt. Many of his peers in the profession consider him a rising star with noteworthy abilities. I will gather quotes if you would like for me to.

    Fourth point:

    I hear what you are saying. We won it all in ’74 and ’83. UNC had its titles in ’57 and ’82. The Heels did, however, appear in the title game in ’46, ’68, ’77 and ’81. What is not debate-able is the fact that UNC and Duke have absolutely owned us in the past 15 years or so — with Duke taking the cake. I know that infuriates us all. I guess the point is we all have strong histories. Who’s best? I don’t know, but I tend to put us at #3 behind our neighbors. The point is that today kids know that UNC and Duke are top-5 programs. What are we?

    Other points:

    “You could just as easily make the argument he has as good a background in the sport as anyone we went after during this messy process.”

    No. I can’t, I’m sorry. His record in the NBA in two stints is abysmal. And he hasn’t yet coached the college game. Doesn’t even know the rules yet. To say he’s more qualified than Barnes or some of the others is stretching it. He wouldn’t even be our coach had so many shunned us. He wasn’t even on the radar. Sort of fell into our lap, so to speak.

    “And his background has more experience than Dean Smith’s or Coach K’s when they were hired at our neighbor schools so let’s remain enthusiastic and give Coach Lowe 4-5 years to build his own program. I think he will be a bigtime success.”

    Good point. But Dean and K had excellent mentors at the college level. They were being groomed for the opportunity. I also hope he is a success.

    Look, I truly want this to work out. Please understand, all I am saying is that some of us ought to think about modifying our expectations. Don’t run another coach off whose doing everything in his power to please you. IMHO, Sidney will not make us into a top-10 program any time in the near future. There’s no way to know and only time will tell. But this was not our top choice, he’s going to have to learn a lot, and the powers that be in the shades of blue aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. You’re going to have to give him well more than 5 years as a benchmark.

    As for the coaching staff — a great staff altogether. Though I don’t think a couple of guys who had mediocre success at mid-major programs will swing too many recruit’s heads (see the 3 recruits that are currently undecided). Lowe’s the man, and he’s the one that’s going to have to hook these guys as soon as possible. Lowe is the face of the program. His assistants will help him adjust to the lay of the land immensely.

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