N.C. State’s Fowler Backs Lowe, Says Chemistry an Issue (Updated 8:50 pm)

Audio of the interview.

“Winning is good, losing is bad,” Fowler said Wednesday morning in an interview on 99.9 FM The Fan. “We’ve been very frustrated this year. You have high expectations, and I think the fans did, and we have not lived up to them. That’s the huge frustration.”Lee Fowler

Fowler said some Wolfpack players have been “probably a little more interested” in their own playing time and performances than in team objectives.

“Chemistry seemed to be a bit squirrelly through the year,” Fowler said.He added, “And so it’s just been a battle throughout the year.”

But Fowler was encouraged by Saturday’s Duke game and is confident Coach Sidney Lowe can get the job done. Fowler brought in Lowe because Lowe knows what it takes to win a championship. “I understand that it’s all about winning and that’s what we live in everyday, and when you don’t win, it’s tough,” Fowler said. “But we also feel like we have the things in place to win in the future.”

UPDATE: Some helpful answers to questions posed in the comments:

Q: Can you elaborate on saying that Oblinger wants to get rid of Fowler? I really hope that’s true, but I always had the opposite impression, that current NC State leadership, Oblinger included, is less than committed to athletic excellence.

A: Your impression is 100% correct. The poster in question was pointing out how little desire Oblinger has to get rid of Jed.

Q: Why exactly is he going on radio now? Is this because he is feeling heat from the fanbase and needs to project the cause of a failure season on something other than him?

A: The compulsive need to hear himself speak (and have as many people as possible also hear him). He’s had that from the minute he got here.

Q: Did he give the interview from his house on Lake Gaston?

A: He usually makes it to the office on Wednesdays. Mondays and Fridays are a different story, perhaps.

Q: Will there ever be any accountability with his [Fowler’s] regime?

A: Are you kidding me? This is NC State. You can’t get in trouble for anything other than stepping on the toes of the Faculty Senate. Hell, if Chuck Amato hadn’t been offensively rude to a number of big donors and BOT members, we wouldn’t have even gotten rid of him!

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07-08 Basketball AD & Department NCS Basketball Sidney Lowe

144 Responses to N.C. State’s Fowler Backs Lowe, Says Chemistry an Issue (Updated 8:50 pm)

  1. highstick 03/05/2008 at 9:42 PM #

    Lee Fowler is “poo”! He and Mr. Hanky live in the same toilet!

    Mr. Hanky is the Christmas Poo and Lee Fowler is the “Poo of Basketball”! Lee knows “Poo” about basketball!

  2. turfpack 03/05/2008 at 9:44 PM #

    DUH-DUH-DUH-I know b-b-basketball-listen to me my name is Lee!!!!!!!!!! And they do.The Wake game should be interesting-how they play-1st half-2nd half-defense-offense-coaching-CARING????
    Need this game to stay out of the bottom of the league-Then it’s on to the ACCT.

  3. sautz 03/05/2008 at 9:47 PM #

    Brilliant! You used the same Phil Hartman pic I used on packpride where people still defend this stiff. We have to start a grassroots campaign to rid NC State of Fowler. What better place than here, what better time than now??!?!?

  4. turfpack 03/05/2008 at 9:59 PM #

    Fire Fowler!-Fire Fowler!!- Fire Fowler!!! or LEAVE-LEE!–LEAVE LEE!!–LEAVE LEE!!!. Something like that???????????????.

  5. turfpack 03/05/2008 at 10:04 PM #

    If this campaign is not effective on LEE-From the famous words ot the WaterBoy Movie-OH NO WE SUCK AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

  6. blpack 03/05/2008 at 10:16 PM #

    It just sounds embarrassing and more of the same. The man is not doing a good job and our sports programs reflect that from hoops right on down. #89!!! Whoo hoo!
    Time for a change.

  7. WolftownVA81 03/05/2008 at 10:34 PM #

    I’ll chip in for a fire Lee bill board on I40 or a fire Lee website-where do I send the check?

  8. Pack84 03/05/2008 at 11:03 PM #

    I’m sorry to have to say this about someone that is a representative of MY university but this guy is a fucking moron. And unfortunately he’s all too typical of what I believe pervades our campus “leadership” these days. Does ANYBODY up there give a shit anymore? About anything? If they do I truly don’t see it.

    Let me relay to everyone a story very personal to me about how important I believe athletics are to a college campus.

    My daughter is set to graduate high school this year. Not that it matters a hell of a lot but her mother and I are divorced. But for the record I graduated from State in 84 (duh) and her mother graduated from Appalachian in 83.

    During my daughter’s entire life she’s always been a State fan. One of the first outfits she ever wore was a tiny little State cheerleader’s uniform. She and I have been to countless State games together in football as well as men’s and women’s basketball. By age 6 or so she was a member of the junior Wolfpack Club. She’s worn State gear her entire life. My point here being she’s ALWAYS been a State fan.

    When it came time to apply to colleges for this fall she picked two to apply to – State and Appalachian. She was accepted at both. No surprise there – she’s likely going to graduate FIRST in her class ranking and her SAT scores were the stuff I could only dream of.

    Know where she’s decided to go? Of course – Appalachian.

    Now she wouldn’t tell you – or me – that it’s because of athletics. But she and her mom made several trips to Boone during Appalachian’s run to the title this year. But I could only convince her to go to one single State football game this year. Guess which one? Maryland – of course. The biggest goose egg we laid all year.

    The larger point of this long-winded post (for which I apologize) is that someday maybe somebody on campus will get the point that athletics matter. We, as semi-rational adults, look at more about a school than the athletic program. But a 17 or 18 year old kid sees the world differently than we do. At ASU she sees winning football and parties and championships. At State she sees – well – to be honest – apathy.

    I suspect that she isn’t a whole lot different that the rest of the kids her age. And not to brag on my kid but she IS one of the best and brightest kids coming out of high school this year. And I’m afraid NC State is getting to the point where we can no longer attract the best and the brightest.

    Move aside Oblinger. Move aside Fooler. You guys are killing my university.

  9. RAWFS 03/05/2008 at 11:04 PM #

    if Chuck Amato hadn’t been offensively rude to a number of big donors and BOT members, we wouldn’t have even gotten rid of him!

    Fowler is on record as saying he was against dismissing Amato.

    That’s a fact.

    He’s also fired exactly one non-revenue coach, the women’s volleyball coach. I haven’t looked in a while, but her replacement is not exactly burning it up unless things have changed.

    At the same time, I think it far too soon to seriously contemplate make a change in the basketball program.

    Fowler would have done more good not saying anything at all. In his inestimable expertise in public relations, he’s once again done more damage by saying anything when saying nothing would have been the perfect statement.

    The funny thing about all of this is that we never hear much out of Dick Baddour, Ron Wellman or even Joe Alleva until a change is made (or unless Aleva is back on the lake) but Fowler, well, he’s got a case of terminal Foot-In-Mouth Disease.

  10. turnoffthetv 03/05/2008 at 11:04 PM #

    So Let me get this straight, the AD is blaming the players for more interest in their own playing time and performances instead of interest in team objectives. This sounds kind of like some hints and comments coming from Sidney Lowe this season. But I thought it was Lee’s Job to hire someone competent enough to teach FUNDAMENTAL team Objectives. So basically he praises the staff he hired to GET THAT JOB DONE and criticizes the players for their shortcomings. WTF?

  11. turnoffthetv 03/05/2008 at 11:11 PM #

    “Fowler would have done more good not saying anything at all. In his inestimable expertise in public relations, he’s once again done more damage by saying anything when saying nothing would have been the perfect statement.”

    Keep on Preaching RAWFS.

  12. Greywolf 03/06/2008 at 12:35 AM #

    Isn’t fun to rant and rave about something we can do absolutely nothing about. 😉

    Pack84, I got bad news for you. YOur daughter didn’t pick ASU for the athletics. She went to get even with you for fucking it up with her mother. My son went to ASU and transferred to UNX. Fuck you, Dad. He played varsity soccer for 2 years and had the time of his life up there — and at Carolina, too.

    Try being responsible for what life gives. It beats being a victim.

    I hope the education at ASU suits what your daughter is interested in life.

  13. packer74 03/06/2008 at 7:23 AM #

    The old adage of remaining quiet even though some people may think you are stupid as opposed to opening your mouth and removing all doubt applies here. Mr. Fowler. Just shut up!

  14. Rick 03/06/2008 at 8:16 AM #

    “Fowler would have done more good not saying anything at all”

    Like gravity this is a universal law.

    Fowler’s mouth should be sewn shut.

  15. Ed89 03/06/2008 at 8:26 AM #

    ^^^Does Lowe have a living mentor he can fall back on?

    He played for Morgan Wooten at DeMatha, and although retired, Wooten is still alive.

  16. 66pack 03/06/2008 at 8:35 AM #

    Oblinger,amato and lowe have much in common.Not one of them would have been hired if they had not had connections with ncsu.They would never have been considered by any other schools.

  17. 66pack 03/06/2008 at 8:37 AM #

    And only ncsu would hire fowler.

  18. Wolf Dog 03/06/2008 at 9:13 AM #

    I can only imagine how frustrated Lowe must be feeing right now. Your Ad just put out one of the best tools for every other college recruiter to use against you. Think a recruit wants to go be on a team where the chemistry stinks. How many college coaches got an AD willing to go public and sabotage your recruiting. That idiot has no brain!! All he had to say was it great to see the team coming together and I support coach Lowe. Fire Fowler!

  19. Rick 03/06/2008 at 9:15 AM #

    I did not even think about it from a recruiting standpoint.

    That makes this stupid on a whole new level.

  20. Noah 03/06/2008 at 9:17 AM #

    I love this thread. Any thread where people cite Noam Chomsky AND an Adam Sandler retard movie shows me just how wonderful these internets tubes can be.

  21. RegularExpression 03/06/2008 at 9:29 AM #

    Slightly off topic but related to the overall demise of NCSU, I see that search committee looking to replace the UNC-CH chancellor has now interviewed over 20 people from a nationwide pool of applicants. I contrast that with the hiring of our chancellor, which seems to have been done only with the thought of not rocking the boat. Forget getting the best candidate, we just want the status quo!

  22. 66pack 03/06/2008 at 9:47 AM #

    REG EXP- NCSU was not seeking status quo when Oblinger was hired-MAF was and is a nationally known administrator.oblinger was not and is not and will never be.he was ok with unc board of governors for he will never attempt to compete with unc ch in atheletics or academically.

  23. 66pack 03/06/2008 at 9:54 AM #

    MAF made public her support for atheletics and so is not at ncsu .Think of ncsu to unc ch as ohio u is to ohio st.that is how unc ch wants it to be.and the last 18 years that is the way its been in all but fb.

  24. GAWolf 03/06/2008 at 10:04 AM #

    Jeb and his diarrhea of the mouth are just beyond dumb. He’s Madden-esque.

  25. BJD95 03/06/2008 at 10:18 AM #

    As to mentors for Lowe to turn to, the obvious one would be Larry Brown. The thing that made me feel most assured about Lowe when hired was how strongly Larry Brown felt about him.

    And no, Brown was not acting as a plant for UNC. He’s very pissed at the current regime there.

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