Rodney Monroe – Where is he now?

Alums General Media NCS Basketball Tradition13

Rivals.com is running a nice little series on “Where are they now”.

Even though the two ACC “experts” on Rivals Radio (available exclusively on Sirius, and also via podcasts) couldn’t answer the simple question of which players were “Fire & Ice”…they did do a nice feature NC State great, Rodney Monroe. (Link)

Additionally, if you want to think/talk about Rodney, then you need to click on this link.

“I was pretty heavily recruited, but it got down to Maryland and North Carolina State. I actually was going to the University of Maryland until (Terrapins coach) Lefty Driesell left. Once the Len Bias thing went down (Bias’ death from a drug overdose), Lefty Driesell left and I decided to go to North Carolina State. I was able to speak to (Wolfpack coach) Jim Valvano quite a few times. He played a big part in it. And playing down in North Carolina on Tobacco Road with North Carolina, N.C. State and Duke played another big part in it. “

My, my how things change in the world.

Can you imagine a kid actually WANTING to compete against Carolina and Duke on Tobacco Road as opposed to be a big, scared, *#&$)$@ and cowering at how tough it is to play against the big blue? Wow! What an interesting concept? Could it be any more diametrically opposed to the whining purported by our most recent former head coach, our current Athletics Director and the bulk of the ignorant media?

“More than anything that I can remember, (Valvano) was a great, great motivator. He could give you a pregame speech, and the team would be able to run through a wall for him. One thing he would do is he would actually bring in a kid from Make a Wish Foundation or a kid in a wheelchair. He’d bring him in before the game. We’d meet and greet the kids. Then afterward, he would go out and say this kid would die to have your position. That was great motivation for us to go out and play hard and do whatever we can to win the game.”

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Alums General Media NCS Basketball Tradition

13 Responses to Rodney Monroe – Where is he now?

  1. redfred2 06/23/2006 at 4:37 PM #

    Rodney Monroe was smooth as silk, business-like consistency, every time he hit the floor. I loved watching him play.

    Like you said, what was once was considered a motivating challenge for playing in the ACC, is now a never ending excuse for the status quo.

    His account of the kid in the locker room before the games sent chills up my spine. It just shows that with the right person there can be hell of a lot more to coaching than just knowing the X’s and O’s. Only after a coach becomes comfortable with what he knows about the simple game of basketball, can he then bring in such as those unfortunate young kids while making a lasting impression on his young players that will be of benefit for the rest of their lives. Rodney Monroe couldn’t have stated fact any clearer.

    That’s the same Jim Valvano, the one representing NC State University, that everyone felt so guilty about. ???

  2. graywolf 06/24/2006 at 9:44 AM #

    I miss V. But, his lasting impact is still being seen in articles such as this.

  3. wayofthemaster 06/24/2006 at 3:23 PM #

    I’ll never forget that NCAA Tournament game against Iowa. I was fourteen at the time and I remember not being able to breathe at the end of regulation, the first overtime, and the second overtime, I was so nervous. I also remember how crushed I was when State lost in the next round to Georgetown on a very controversial call. Monroe and Corchiani are my all-time favorite NC State players.

  4. vtpackfan 06/24/2006 at 6:47 PM #

    Although many players have come and gone these last 10 years (stressing gone) not many have reached the age maturity to look back and evaluate their past experience at NC ST. My guess is that the words Mr. Monroe used, describing his motivation in coming to tobacco road to play against the very best, will be repeated. Many times when Herb looked like a dead man walking he came up with the next big recruiting class to save his rear. Heck, besides Wright, how many other names will come out of the woods that would have made Herbs next team the best he ever had. Maybe most of these kids had it in their head all along that to be the best you’ve got to beat the best. All they needed was for Larry Davis, or Herbert himself was a pen and paper to sign (clearly exagerated, but you get the point). Hopefully all will come full circle when SL reignites the competive fires that will make tobacco road as hot to be on as ever. The difference this time is that Lowe knows that they are not coming to play for him and to be his players. They’re coming to play for the Wolfpack so that they can be seen beating the best in the game.

  5. JT 06/25/2006 at 10:13 AM #

    I loved Monroe- my favorite State player of all time. I remember being on Siesta Key beach in Florida, getting updates over a pay phone from my dad on the Iowa game as it went into the overtime periods. It was AWESOME- the totally biased commentary coming from my old man only added to the experience.
    And I don’t remember a more clutch free throw shooter. The man was, and I assume is, money.

  6. Glen Sudhop54 06/25/2006 at 3:08 PM #

    Rodney Monroe’s performance against Iowa was one of the most memorable I’ve ever seen. He also pumped in 48 at Reynolds against GT, about 30 of which came in the second half as the Pack erased a 20 point halftime deficit and won. That was the greatest half ANY player in ANY league has ever had. That includes DT and MJ.
    The above-mentioned controversial call against Georgetown was the worst call in NCAA/NCSU history–a distinction of awesome implication given that we’ve had so many go against us. Without that dreadful call, Jimmy V would have had another NCAA title. I think about that call at least ONCE during every State game.
    Back to Rodney. He was one of the all-time greatest. Sadly, he is almost forgotten outside of the Wolfpack family. For some reason, there a few who want to diminish his accomplishments because he never really made it in the NBA.
    Hail #21!!

  7. MrPlywood 06/26/2006 at 12:35 AM #

    If I recall correctly, David Thompson was at that Georgia Tech game in ’91, being honored in one way or another. I remember being so far behind at the half that as I walking down the steps to go to the concession, I turned back to my buds and told them that I was going to go see if DT would suit up and help the team out. It got a bit of a laugh from those around us, as we all pretty much thought the game was a goner. And then Rodney put on one of the greatest halfs ever in front of one of the greatest players ever. Perfect timing.

    Please don’t tell me I’m wrong – I’d just as soon remember it like that 🙂

  8. class of 74 06/26/2006 at 7:14 AM #

    Wonderful memories. And memories are all we’ve had since Chris and Rodney’s time, but with the return of Sidney and staff, I’m sure we’ll have some new memories to add to our great old basketball tradition.

  9. BJD95 06/26/2006 at 1:57 PM #

    I sure wish we could see the Iowa game on ESPN Classic sometime. It was an incredible performance by Monroe. And it’s a shame that such a wonderful carer didn’t include a Final Four or an ACC title.

  10. redfred2 06/26/2006 at 4:20 PM #

    ^BJD95

    You would think that NCSU would have already put together a package of the greatest NCSU basketball games of all time, if for no other purpose than to brain wash potential recruits in the media room. I’m sure there has to be something like that floating around Raleigh somewhere.

    All the games with who I think was the greatest, most complete and naturally gifted player to ever play college basketball, David Thompson, along with Burleson, Stoddard, Monte Towe*, Mo Rivers. Especially the double overtime win against Bill Walton’s UCLA Bruins to finally dethrone them as the undisputed and untouchable perrenial National Champions. The follow up national championship game against Marquette was just kind of mere formality after that.

    The whole ACC tournament and all of the games in the run to the eventual championship in ’83. Sidney Lowe*, Whittenburg, Thurl Bailey, Lorenzo Charles, Cosell McQueen, Gannon. Highlights from Gugliotta, Del Negro, Hawkeye, Spud, Fuller, Corchiani, Monroe, and on and on.

    Is there anybody out there with enough clout to put something like that together? I’d buy a twelve volumn set it in a heartbeat. I’d expect a major discount and bigtime royalties from all the other sales though, of course.

  11. wisssh86 06/29/2006 at 12:23 AM #

    I got to guard Rodney in a HS Christmas Tour in Chambersburg PA

    He lit us up and this was before the 3 pointline was in HS.

  12. redfred2 07/21/2006 at 3:13 PM #

    After I saw wissh86’s I decided to let this out, even though I know this will probably finally cost me what little credibility I had on this site. I actually played with David Thompson in some pick-up games in Shelby, NC. At least I can say I was way down below but on the same court anyway, not even on his radar screen, nobody was.

    I had written a long post about it right here earlier but decided it was a little much and probably really only meant anything to me. I’ll just say this, witnessing his physical abilities up close and on the same floor was absolutely beyond any normal human being’s comprehension of ahtleticism.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. StateFans Nation » Blog Archive » Friday frivolity: “GOOOOOOOOAL! ROD-NEEEEY! ROD-NEEEEY!” etc. - 04/13/2007

    […] I found this on YouTube, and it’s too hilarious not to pass along. Longtime State fans will remember some of the wild shots Rodney Monroe made while at NC State, one of the best shooters the ACC has ever seen, and how he looked when he got in the zone (I remember “being there” when he led the Wolfpack to a win over Virginia his senior year when the Pack trailed by 20, then he outscored Virginia in the second half; his 48-point performance in another comeback win over Georgia Tech; his 40 points and two buzzer-beaters in the double-OT win over Iowa in the NCAA tournament; his improbable rebound and putback at the buzzer en route to a 4-OT win over Wake Forest). […]

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