Atsur: Lowe is The Soul

06-07 Basketball General Quotes of Note Sidney Lowe60

“He is the soul of this team and not seeing him on the bench, especially in a big game like this, affected us.”

February 21, 2007
NC State senior point guard, Engin Atsur

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06-07 Basketball General Quotes of Note Sidney Lowe

60 Responses to Atsur: Lowe is The Soul

  1. beowolf 02/22/2007 at 9:20 AM #

    Excellent; I was going to post the exact same thing. That’s high praise for a first-year coach from a senior team leader.

  2. branjawn 02/22/2007 at 9:23 AM #

    “We wouldn’t have been taking those bad shots if Coach Lowe was on the sideline because those guys who took the bad shots would know that he’s going to get into them on the sideline,” McCauley said. “They should still have that same respect for Coach Towe. Guys should respect our coaches and listen to them and run the offense and unfortunately we didn’t do that, and I’m still trying to figure out why not.”

    Interesting stuff. I didn’t know if anyone else had seen it.

  3. Wulfpack 02/22/2007 at 9:28 AM #

    Yea I saw that too and it certainly stood out. Amazing. It’s right on and was very evident. When Lowe couldn’t return, the balloon just popped. He means so much to these guys. He’s their leader and inspiration.

    It does seem that Atsur is our floor leader and the guy we look to on the floor. Who is going to fill that role next year? Costner, McCauley, Grant? I just don’t see it in Fells.

  4. tractor57 02/22/2007 at 9:36 AM #

    It might even be Ferguson – never under estimate what a year of experience with Lowe will do. I’ve seen some signs that Trevor is progressing.

  5. StateFans 02/22/2007 at 9:36 AM #

    That McCauley quote is VERY interesting on a lot of levels.

  6. tractor57 02/22/2007 at 9:37 AM #

    and McCauley is wise beyond his basketball years.

  7. packbackr04 02/22/2007 at 9:37 AM #

    inexcusible that tow contiued to play engin after the gaem was decided. you could tell engin wasnt full speed and it looked like he might have bothered his hammy with the extended minutes. anyone have any info on atsurs health status?

    get well sid

  8. burnbarn 02/22/2007 at 9:39 AM #

    Ben seemed very frustrated and disappointed after the game. To read the comment is one thing, to hear it added some depth to it.
    He doesn’t feel there was any reason for a let down and he is right. We’ll be better at this next season with more depth and experience.

    In terms of depth and people being around..Costner is showing much more than our most recent first round pick did while here… I’m just saying.

  9. primacyone 02/22/2007 at 9:44 AM #

    I think it’s just human nature.

    I know it took me a good five minutes of game time after the half to just figure out what the heck I was supposed to be doing, and I was just a fan watching on TV.

    It was just a big jolt of something extremly unexpected. It took away from the ability of these 19 and 20 year old kids to focus and concentrate. At least part of their focus and concentration had to be on the wellfare of their coach, no matter how much they tried not for it to be. I don’t think there is anything you can do about that.

  10. beowolf 02/22/2007 at 9:46 AM #

    tractor, I too have noticed Ferguson’s improvement. I was not high on him at all, so this is saying something.

  11. GAWolf 02/22/2007 at 9:46 AM #

    After the game Ben said to the media: “Coach Towe did all he could at half time to tell us to go out and play hard and win one for Coach Lowe. I just don’t understand why we didn’t do that… I just don’t understand it.” (And I’m paraphrasing but I think I’m pretty accurate.)

  12. GAWolf 02/22/2007 at 9:47 AM #

    Fergie has put on some muscle too… he’s starting to look more like post-steroid Carrot Top than pre-steroid Carrot Top.

  13. Mr O 02/22/2007 at 9:54 AM #

    McCauley needs to shoot more when he gets the ball in the post even all he can muster is a tough look. At times, he is too unselfish.

  14. BJD95 02/22/2007 at 9:57 AM #

    Again, to pre-empt the obvious red herring – we aren’t saying that Lowe’s absence cost of us the game. UNC had the right gameplan, and played very well. They did indeed deserve the win. Lowe’s absence took our second half chances from slim to none, and it did have an emotional impact on the team.

    Engin has praised Lowe every time I’ve heard him interviewed. Every other sentence he says starts with “Coach Lowe did/does a great job…”

  15. tractor57 02/22/2007 at 9:59 AM #

    Trevor reminds me of Hyatt – lots of energy in need of direction – Jeremy did and I think Trevor can also.

  16. partialqualifier 02/22/2007 at 10:05 AM #

    I know Ben has been awesome most of the year….but one reason we didnt “win one for Coach Lowe” was because he was awefull last night. I have spent most of the year saying he was as good as Hansbrough and last night I ate those words. Tyler absolutely abused Ben all night. Ben had what….4 points….5 turnovers….and 4 fouls….no assists!! I mean…come on. Throw in the fact that I am still waiting for him to block someone out after a shot, and I am kinda bewildered that he would be saying anything other than….”hey, I let the team down tonight.”

    I love Ben….he has been great for us. But leaders dont do this after they go out and suck ass against UNC for 40 minutes. It’s called ownership, Ben. Take some.

  17. PackGirl 02/22/2007 at 10:07 AM #

    According to the N&O, Lowe is still in the hospital as of 9:12 this a.m. Kind of strange – I assumed he was released by now. There’s supposed to be an update at noon:

    http://www.newsobserver.com/

  18. PackGirl 02/22/2007 at 10:13 AM #

    Correction: the article doesn’t state that he’s still in the hospital. I read that into it.

  19. statered 02/22/2007 at 10:14 AM #

    Ben scored 4 points because they could not get him shots in the post. He had five turnovers because he had to handle on the perimeter many times.

    What lost the game for us was not Ben; the game was lost due to our inability to handle the pressure being applied to our guards.

  20. branjawn 02/22/2007 at 10:22 AM #

    I didn’t get to see the game, but have seen many this season. Can we all agree that the confidence and desire of the team to win has wavered over the course of the season? And I’m talking about the team here. There are exceptions though, and I would submit that Ben has been one of those exceptions. During our latest losing streak Ben did not show signs of giving up, or unbelief, that others did. So that being said, I put a lot of credence in his statement: “Guys should respect our coaches and listen to them and run the offense and unfortunately we didn’t do that, and I’m still trying to figure out why not.” I would classify that as a statement that he solidly stands behind and was not some flippant remark out of emotion or disdain for any other player. Rather, he can feel, much more than you or I can, that the team as a whole was not putting forth the effort that it should have, and especially in regards to the absence of Coach Lowe.

    **steps off soapbox**

  21. legacyman 02/22/2007 at 10:23 AM #

    The only comment that I want to remember is the compliment that Engin paid Sidney. Sidney is our coach and the players appear to really like/love him as do most of our fans. I dearly hope that Sidney is only suffering from the flu and mends quickly.

  22. BigRed 02/22/2007 at 10:28 AM #

    My take on this game is this: UNC had finally figured out a gameplan that could win against the Pack, and was executing it. To a large degree, it was a gameplan of attrition: push pace, rotate players, tire the other team out.

    To the Pack’s credit, it took about 28 minutes and the exit of their head coach for this plan to work against them. Prior to about then, and for all of the first half, they kept their poise and played well against a pretty tough onslaught.

    Sure it was ugly once it fell apart, but all that really tells me is what I already knew: our team is tough, talented and well-coached, but short-handed. And that leadership and poise are important if the team is to play to it’s potential.

    It stinks to lose, but the main thing is to suck it up and get ready for the next match. We’re _so_ close to earning an invite.

    I would maintain that if out starting five played any of UNC’s pick of five of their players for a full 40 minutes, we would have easily won the game. They don’t have half the grit or toughness of our team, and couldn’t win in a match like that.

    And really, who would you rather root for: a stable of pampered thoroughbreds or a rough and tumble group with a ton of heart?

    Go Pack!!

  23. Rick 02/22/2007 at 10:29 AM #

    “Rather, he can feel, much more than you or I can, that the team as a whole was not putting forth the effort that it should have, and especially in regards to the absence of Coach Lowe.”
    Sicne you did not see the game maybe you should not comment on the effort put forth on the court.

  24. beowolf 02/22/2007 at 10:38 AM #

    Can we all agree that the confidence and desire of the team to win has wavered over the course of the season?

    No, I cannot agree. Confidence comes and goes, and some games they seem to want it more, but I see no downward trend at all.

  25. tractor57 02/22/2007 at 10:43 AM #

    beowolf,
    I agree with you totally on this – Personally I have been proud of this teams efforts (excepting the Miami game) all year and I don’t see a trend toward less confidence or desire. Excellent first year for Lowe et al. I really like this team.

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