Fowler Tries Not To Comment On Amato; Embarrasses Self Again (Updated 7:45)

Chuck Amato General NC State Administration NCS Football85

Mr. ‘I Know Basketball’ tried not to comment on the coaching situation of Chuck Amato, but read between the lines. When IKB won’t babble on and on about how he is in your corner. You are in serious trouble.

“”I’m not going to get into any speculation about Chuck,” Fowler said.

Asked if he would end speculation about Amato’s job being in jeopardy by confirming that Amato would return in 2007, Fowler said, “I don’t want to say anything about Coach Amato at this point. We’ll look at the season when it’s over. I’m a big believer in Senior Day and I want the seniors to have the opportunity to go out with a good Senior Day, so I don’t want to get into any speculation.

“I’ve been consistent in saying we will evaluate everything at the end of the season. The season ends Saturday.”

Huh?

“I’ve been consistent in saying we will evaluate everything at the end of the season. The season ends Saturday.”

Is this a joke?

Enter this as exhibit #8,000 as evidence of ‘whatever goes on in the mind of Lee Fowler must be true despite reality and multiple exhibits of fact to the contrary.” I swear to you that Fowler truly believes that if he just says something…then it becomes the truth regardless of reality.

This is an Athletics Director who took the step to CALL ESPN’S Mark May in the middle of the football season to criticize and correct May after May had stated on the air that Chuck Amato was in trouble at NC State. (Link) As embarassing as that behavior is in its own right, I think that it is topped by Fowler’s backtracking now as he tries to posit himself as a calm, patient, introspective AD who waits until the end of the season to evaluate things. Bullshit. Fowler didn’t call Mark May and tell him that Chuck would be evaluated at the end of the season, did he?

Just two weeks ago (November 7th) the N&O ran a story titled, “Amato status ‘not an issue’ / N.C. State athletics director says coach’s job is secure despite some fans’ gripes”. We even made a big deal about Fowler’s media splash during that day in this great entry.

You tell us how consistent Fowler is in saying that State will evaluate everything at the end of the year. From the N&O:

RALEIGH – N.C. State athletics director Lee Fowler, while acknowledging the mounting frustration of a four-game losing streak, said Monday he firmly supports Wolfpack football coach Chuck Amato.

“I’m 100 percent behind Chuck,” Fowler said in an interview. “We’ve had disappointing losses; and when you lose four in a row by a touchdown or less, things come up such as, ‘If we had just done this or done that.’ I know the frustration of our fan base.

“But I’ve watched Chuck closely this year. He’s coaching just like he did when we were 11-3. He’s remaining very positive. Recruiting is going well.”

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Chuck Amato General NC State Administration NCS Football

85 Responses to Fowler Tries Not To Comment On Amato; Embarrasses Self Again (Updated 7:45)

  1. ncsu96 11/21/2006 at 9:40 AM #

    uhhh… the n&o article is gone. I saw it last night, too.

    the plot thickens…

  2. codsack 11/21/2006 at 9:41 AM #

    I’m still not convinced Chuckie is gone. I have a feeling if we play well and beat ECU, Chuckie will be here next year. I hate to say this but the REAL TRUTH is that we need to lose to ECU to insure that Chuckie gets his ass fired. Think about it!

  3. LRM 11/21/2006 at 9:43 AM #

    The ECU game should be irrelevant to any coaching decision, one way or the other.

  4. codsack 11/21/2006 at 9:44 AM #

    Chuckie said on his radio show last night that he “was not a quitter”; indicating that he would not resign. He also sounded too upbeat for a man that has already been fired. With his emotions, etc.; Chuckie couldn’t hide it if he had been dismissed. I still contend his future hinges on the ECU game…

  5. redfred2 11/21/2006 at 9:45 AM #

    Like I said in that earlier thread, this is just more proof that Fowler/Oblinger and the whole group cannot think, or see, beyond lunchtime or before what happened at beakfast.

    That goes for looking back and celebrating what this school’s history means to it’s alums and fans, as well as looking far enough forward into, well let’s say, next week.

  6. joe 11/21/2006 at 9:45 AM #

    Funny news – the Arizona State FB coach is probably on the way out. Their AD just said “No comment until the season is over”

    Maybe Chuck can get another ASU coach to put in a good word for him if that job is open. 🙂

  7. Woof Wolf 11/21/2006 at 9:45 AM #

    http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/ncsu

    The story is still there.

  8. RAWFS 11/21/2006 at 9:52 AM #

    Me, I would in Pittsburgh today, with a contract, a blank check and a lawyer….

  9. class of 74 11/21/2006 at 10:03 AM #

    We need a new AD and give the darn guy the authority to run the department. This committee arrangement is absolutely beyond stupid. Just like we hire coaches to run a program we should have an AD that is responsible and has the authority to run the athletic department. The present system is a typical state government bottleneck approach to management. If the AD wants to fire or hire someone that should be his call not the school chancellor’s call. I wonder if Terry Holland had to get the chancellor and school board’s permission before he let John Thompson or Bill Herrion go? I’m sure he consulted with them but I’ll bet it was his call not theirs to make.

  10. codsack 11/21/2006 at 10:05 AM #

    I don’t think Cowher is the answer. He has no college experience; no recruiting experience; no having to deal with the academics, etc. Plus, historically the most successful collegiate coaches are “offensive” guys; Steve Spurrier, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Walsh, Nick Saban. I would prefer Norm Chow, Steve Logan, Paul Johnson, and definitely a phone call to the best………Steve Spurrier. You will never know until you ask!

  11. graywolf 11/21/2006 at 10:08 AM #

    “I’m 100% behind Coach Amato” : I hope so and then we get a new AD….Bobby Purcell.

  12. Cardiff Giant 11/21/2006 at 10:08 AM #

    Fowler’s too dumb to finesse something like this. If he hadn’t staked himself out with the “100 percent behind Chuck” comment earlier this season, this might be less obvious than it is. As things stand, Chuck Amato is in the process of packing his bags and looking at houses in the Pinehurst area.

    Gentlemen, it is obvious also that the BOT has completely lost patience with Lee Fowler. The basketball coaching search debacle must have done more damage than even I thought in the eyes of the BOT. Simply put, Lee Fowler has been rolled here. I have no doubt that given freedom of action “Coach” Fowler would give Amato at least another year. Good news and finally a small glimmer of accountability appears in NC State athletics.

  13. duckmanjw 11/21/2006 at 10:10 AM #

    Amato is gone and one more slip of the tongue from Fowlup before the end of the game on Saturday, and he’ll be boxing up his office as well.

    Its time to install the next UNC grad to head our Athletic Dept!

  14. Mr O 11/21/2006 at 10:14 AM #

    I really don’t see the issue with Fowler supporting his coaches during the season. In the near-term, it quieted the talk about Amato being on the hot seat even several games into the losing streak. The way the media covered our program the last half of the season was entirely different after Fowler announced his support for Chuck.

    We don’t need the media attacking our head coach on a weekly basis and Fowler ended that for the most part.

  15. redfred2 11/21/2006 at 10:16 AM #

    It doesn’t matter if he stays or goes, or the people who want him to stay, and ones who want him gone immediately. Everyone will be left hanging out there, working themselves into a tizzy, until neither scenario leaves dignified and respectful conclusion. Whether it’s just allowing folks some insight into the possibilities, or a coaches future hangs in the balance, there is no such thing as quick and painless in Raleigh.

  16. beowolf 11/21/2006 at 10:16 AM #

    Lee is “100 percent behind Chuck” the way a Roman soldier was 100 percent behind his shield.

  17. Red_Terrors 11/21/2006 at 10:17 AM #

    What are the odds that Norm Chow would want to become a head coach? I would love to get him back in Raleigh. Is it possible he could coach and run the offense like Friedgen is doing up in Maryland?

  18. highonlowe 11/21/2006 at 10:17 AM #

    ^ I agree. Support during the season is imperical. But now Fowler all but says Amato is out.
    I’m a big believer in Senior Day and I want the seniors to have the opportunity to go out with a good Senior Day (instead of knowing their head coach is fired), so I don’t want to get into any speculation.
    Fowler makes it pretty clear.
    Cardiff, I hope you’re right about the BOT

  19. Cardiff Giant 11/21/2006 at 10:22 AM #

    “Cardiff, I hope you’re right about the BOT.”

    Highonlowe, obviously I have no direct knowledge of anything related to the BOT. But it’s not hard to extrapolate the scenario I see here based on the evidence. I hope I am right, too.

    If I am, it would be a signal example of the BOT finally getting its mind right on the Fowler issue. I was stunned and angered when they voted a year or so ago to give “Coach” a five year contract extension.

  20. redfred2 11/21/2006 at 10:22 AM #

    ^Agreed, but I’d think they might have started doing all of that A FEW MONTHS BACK.

  21. ncsu81 11/21/2006 at 10:25 AM #

    Click on this link to discover the worst date NCSU athletic history.

    http://www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/univ_relations/news_services/press_releases/00_09/204.htm

  23. SWEETS 11/21/2006 at 10:32 AM #

    This is another chance for Jed to show what a buffoon he is.
    If CTC is gone why not do it now (i.e. UNC) and let the team rally for and “win one for the Chuck.”

    Losing to the rednecks from Greenville in our house is as low as it gets.

  24. Sam92 11/21/2006 at 10:32 AM #

    yes, Fowler does it again.

    He has the nerve to say that he’s not talking about the job change until after the season — which contradicts his numerous statements during the season about his support for Amato.

    this man is a fool, and watch for it to only get worse when, after we win the ECU game, he switches back to “support” and tells us that Chuck will be back next year. the man is a fool

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Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Things Must Be Serious If Fowler Ain’t Talking at 850 & 620 THE BLOG - 11/21/2006

    […] Fowler said he met briefly with NCSU chancellor James Oblinger on Monday but did not say what was discussed. Fowler simply won’t discuss the issue until after the season ends, despite the fact that he threw his support behind Amato after the Clemson game. Fowler even put the smack down on Mark May in early October, calling the ESPN analyst and telling him the hot seat junk was “not being considered”. StateFansNation has more examples of Fowler stating that Amato’s job status was not an issue. What has changed? Obviously discussions behind the scenes have taken a serious tone, and unlike Herb Sendek, the important people behind the scenes are not squarely in Amato’s corner. The chatter going on isn’t good, and we can only guess that the discussions at this point concern the pros and cons of firing a coach now versus doing it later if Amato can’t turn it around. Fowler and company must consider the coaching landscape (who’s available?) and the expense of such a move (the buyout this year is greater than next year). […]

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