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

07-08 Basketball AD & Department NCS Basketball Sidney Lowe144

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. BoKnowsNCS71 03/06/2008 at 2:47 PM #

    Maybe we should talk more football. I’m pleased with the reccruting class and bringing in the JUCOs in the slots where we were sorely deficient. TOB is on top of that program. My TOB signed football’s value is going to increase.

  2. Wolf Dog 03/06/2008 at 2:48 PM #

    Unlike most, I didn’t think we would do much this year. I admit Sidney has not done a great job this year but part of the great expectation this year was Sidney did a great job last year, couple more wins last year and he might have walked away with ACC coach of the year. We were beyond thin last year. I think Sidney will do fine in the long run. He inherited a team that lacks quickness coupled with inexperienced average at best point guards. Also, remember Fells and Grant were “in the dog house players” under Sendek for legitimate reasons and we witness those reasons game in and game out. When Sidney came in everyone expected it was going to take 3-4 years to turn this around. I’s still in that mood of thinking. Herb had missed out on recruits, we lost a year recruiting switiching coaches, and Sidney had one very good recruiting year. Look at how long it took Clemson to climb up after Pernel took over for Herb’s good friend down there. We should be able to build faster than Clemson, but it will take time. Valvano got Sloan’s recruits. Sidney got Herb’s fit my slow down play recruits. What did everyone really expect in two years??

  3. inhoc... 03/06/2008 at 3:25 PM #

    back to the TOB/Sid comparison, take a look at the stories of their seasons. Tom had an aweful start, acknowledged and addressed problems and developed a course of action that got us on an upswing. Now take a look at the basketball season. Yes yes I know degand went out, but I think that many agree that point guard play is only some of the problem. After we sustained a winning season and went fivehundred in the ACC even after degand went out,the second half went to complete crap. I think TOB’s “story of two seasons” applies in both cases and makes twopposite points. Tom gets it sid doesnt have a clue.

  4. choppack1 03/06/2008 at 3:41 PM #

    wolf dog – I’ll tell you what I expected. Effort, execution, and accountability. What little accountability we’ve seen has been from a handful of players.

    Unlike you, I didn’t fall for the “last year was great” bit. Last year, we saw similar problems to what we did much of this year. Last year, I attributed our lack of hardnosed D and casual on court attitude to a lack of depth. Funny that I’ve seen that a lot this year too.

    I was thrilled w/ how we were playing at the end of 2007 – we were playing hard and we were executing. We were playing w/ passion. That wasn’t the case for a good bit of 2007 and it hasn’t been the case this year.

  5. MrPlywood 03/06/2008 at 3:49 PM #

    “Sid’s downfall thus far is that he probably has been too much of a nice guy.”

    Just thinking:

    Watching Sid (and Whitt) play, as well as Towe back in the day, I’m pretty sure that no one had to motivate them to give their all. It must be frustrating as hell for Sid to watch the lack of effort and lack of chemistry this year, since he seems to be lost as to how to remedy the situation, especially during games. I can’t speak for practices, but I get the feeling that he’s not fire and brimstone there either.

    It reminds me of my kid’s math teacher (I should say chemistry for thread symmetry) – she’s hardwired for the subject, and can do calculus work in her head, but she can’t teach worth a flip. My kid gets the blame. The teacher goes on extended leave, a new guy comes in and viola! My kid gets math! Same kid, same material, same tests – different teaching.

  6. WolftownVA81 03/06/2008 at 3:53 PM #

    Below is the response I received from LF along with my original email. Of course, when I tried to call, he was out of the office for the rest of the week. His secretary assured me she would give him my number so he could call.

    Thanks for your E-mail! God bless! Love to discuss.515-2109.
    —–Original Message—–
    To:

    Sent: 3/6/2008 12:47:43 PM
    Subject: 99.5 The Fan Interview

    Mr. Fowler,

    I’m a 1981 graduate of NCSU and Wolfpack Club member who actively supports the Pack. Can you please explain what you were trying to accomplish in your recent interview with The Fan? I don’t think the University or our Athletic Department was well served when you public stated that our basketball team has had chemistry problems all year and that certain players were not as interested in team objectives as they should be. I imagine that these statements will give potential recruits reason to reconsider their desire to play sports at NCSU. I look forward to hearing from you.

    Signed my real name and gave phone number

    I’ll post if I ever get a call. Obviously, the man’s email is on auto pilot.

  7. statered 03/06/2008 at 4:02 PM #

    choppack1 – I will be looking for more effort too next year. But who knows, maybe Herb was such a workaholic riding everyone all the time that once he was gone the guys did not know how to respond to someone who treats them like an adult and expects them to do their thing without so much prodding. It is easier to set expectation levels on people you bring in versus those you inherited when their expectations were already set by someone else. I think this is where the whole “wait until he gets his players” bit comes in.

  8. GAWolf 03/06/2008 at 4:18 PM #

    Some questions I have:

    1) Is the lack of head coaching experience Sid’s fault? Or rather isn’t that Fowler’s fault?

    2) Is the lack of experience a reason to oust him early or give him an opportunity to adapt, since y’all believe that to be something that TOB does so well. Doesn’t it make sense that TOB would be able to adapt easier and quicker to adversity through falling back on the knowledge gained through many years of coaching at this level?

    3) Am I the only person that thinks Herb was every bit the scam artist as Amato as to hyping over and beyond the actual strides made? A decade he was here. A DECADE. Unfortunately that decade so divided our fan base that now we’re so trigger happy to fire a coach we are living up to the unfair stereotypes the national media smacked us with when Herb left.

    4) If a “big name” coach was here suffering the same season Sid endured this year, would we be so quick to jump ship?

    5) At what level does the lack of effort by the players get to the point that it is apathy and not lack-of-coaching? It happens. Some kids just don’t “care”. I played with many of them through the years. No coaching in the world will make a kid who doesn’t care get down and take a ground ball to the thigh, chest or cup to keep it from getting by him. I’m sure the same goes for guys battling for rebounds, playing defense, etc. I’m damn sure not happy about the results of this year and i totally quit watching for the most part. But I don’t think it’s fair to call for Sid’s head after one year. I don’t even like his response to some of the questions posed to him but that’s no different than the past. Herb wouldn’t answer jack shit straight. If there’s ever been a guy who refused to man up and take responsibility it was Herb Sendek. Perhaps that’s because he was trying to maintain whatever little bit of confidence his players had at the time, and I reckon that is what Sid is doing now. Regardless, the guy deserves a chance and pulling the rug out from under him now isn’t the answer. Sid could go back to the NBA tomorrow and probably make just as much money as he’s making now. If the day comes where he gives up on thinking he can make it work I believe he will do the right thing and move on. Further, I don’t think it will take him a decade to do it. I know he’s got what’s best for NC State Basketball at the top of his daily agenda. We couldn’t say the same for Herb Sendek. I also know that if we keep screaming to fire Sid we’ll look like the idiots the media painted us to be.

    I can’t wait to see these message boards IF Sid wins the ACC Tourney. It’s not going to happen, but if it does everyone here will be screaming “shotgun” as they dive back on the wagon. Damnit our fans are so emotionally up and down it’s insane. Had Sid not damn near won the ACC Tournament last year no one would have expected much of nothing. Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley played twice their abilities during that few game stretch last year and we anointed them the next coming of Gugs and Hodge. The WORST thing about it is we listened to Gavin Grant’s idiotic promises and actually bought into the bullshit.

    We aren’t a very good basketball team top to bottom. I thought we would do better than we have, but it’s also completely reasonable in my mind that given the circumstances and given the lack of effort I’ve watched week in and week out prior to giving up on this team weeks ago because of the obvious non-tangible issues, we would have a terrible year. We had a terrible year. There’s no need to rally the lynch mob and hang the whole damn lot of them and the staff too.

    For those of you who say that “Sid might not be the guy” I completely agree with you. He might not be. But to say we should fire him today (and by God it’s apparent that many of you would)… that’s just idiotic.

  9. Fenrir 03/06/2008 at 4:20 PM #

    Until someone has proof that players have been shaving points or purposely losing games, let’s be careful with the word “sabotage.” I find it hard to believe that anyone on the team would purposely make an effort to lose games out of spite.

    ok, what would you call it? we have heard to AD say the some players were more interested in there own playing time and performances than the team. we heard grant say coach tells us what to do at practice but for some reason we don’t do it during games. if that’s not the definition of sabatage, what is? no one has said there has been point shaving or games puposefully lost. but you could be unavailable mentally with a me me me attitude!! how much have you seen this year during ball games that would be described as MENTAL?

  10. Rochester 03/06/2008 at 4:21 PM #

    guys did not know how to respond to someone who treats them like an adult and expects them to do their thing without so much prodding

    If this is the case, maybe a team full of 18-21 year olds needs prodding. I don’t think it’s that simple, but if it is it could be an easy solution. Prod them!

  11. geojim1990 03/06/2008 at 4:33 PM #

    …wHO hAS aN aNCESTER tHAT lIVES aT tHE nEUSE iN cLAYTON…

    An ancestor is a relative that comes before you, a descendant is a relative who comes after you. jUST sO yOU kNOW.

  12. Sweet jumper 03/06/2008 at 4:42 PM #

    Good post GAWolf. You make some great points.

  13. Noah 03/06/2008 at 4:56 PM #

    “It reminds me of my kid’s math teacher (I should say chemistry for thread symmetry) – she’s hardwired for the subject, and can do calculus work in her head, but she can’t teach worth a flip”

    Those who can’t, teach…those who can’t teach, teach gym.

  14. inhoc... 03/06/2008 at 4:59 PM #

    that seems kinda ridiculous to accuse fans of being emotional, quick to judge and jumping ship all the time. who honestly likes to have consistently substandard teams. who likes to be the object of ridicule of other fans from other schools. who likes to go watch state games in privacy rather in public places just to avoid people making comments like “why the hell do you watch a team that sucks.” so really can you blame any fan for being dissatisfied? the answer is HELL NO. until something of substance and that is tangible comes out of these programs, which is beginning to show out of the football team, its not going to stop. and the waiting game needs to come to an end. the wait till next year scheme doesn’t work anymore.

    YOUR THOUGHTS???
    and by the way, what outcome of the GT BC game would help state most?

  15. 66pack 03/06/2008 at 5:12 PM #

    who wins bc-gt makes no difference as to ncsu bb.

  16. RAWFS 03/06/2008 at 6:01 PM #

    Dear WolftownVa81,

    I’m always happy to represent NC State whenever I am asked.

    Go Pack!

    Signed,
    Lee Fowler.

  17. b 03/06/2008 at 6:44 PM #

    As far as Fowler goes, he comes off to me like the Charlie Brown teacher.

    Nothing he says is either important or intelligible.

    As for Sid, I can understand the frustration, really I do. But I feel the only thing anywhere near as embarassing as the Doh episode at UNC, is the knee-jerk reaction of some fans to this poor year. Just a simple question…..

    Which messiah do you think is gonna come in here and save us?

    NOBODY wanted the job, and the ones who acted like they did just used us to get more loot from their current employers. Then Sid came in and bailed out Jedidiah Fowl-Up from the embarassing fiasco that was his coaching search.

    On top of that, Sid made some noise for us at tourney time last year when no one expected a thing. And there was a reason we didn’t expect a thing a last year, want to know why that was? Unproven talent and inexperienced coaching.

    What I think that portends is Sid will need some time and a long rope. Not a f-ing decade, but four years. Four instead of three because he’s family, and family gets extra patience down here in NC.

    What do you think hacking a guy in year two will do to improve our situation? Likely one of you will have to step up and take the job. This isn’t f-ing NHL where coaches are changed more often than a new born’s diapers, sometimes guys improve. Let Sid deal with the aftermath and see how things turn out. He shoots another blank next year then I’ll be more obliged to listen to the calls for execution, right now it just adds embarassment to insult .

  18. cowdog 03/06/2008 at 6:46 PM #

    Has anyone caught media response or lack of on Fowler’s blurts? I as a poster earlier in the thread gave us a heads up on Buzz, I would like to know. Too busy to have tuned in.

    No comments from the III estate on Fowler’s gaff means we are completely irrelevant or they are just as flummixed by the reality of such damaging flapping.

    Then again, III estate has their own agendas. Please if anyone tuned in anywhere check in.

  19. werncstate 03/06/2008 at 7:12 PM #

    I sent the following email to Fowler:

    Dear Jed,
    I had hoped to hear the song Lunatic Fringe during the player intros this year, but it became obvious after just a few games that the song that should have been playing goes like this.

    Oh we’re off to see the wizard. The wonderful wizard of Oz, because, because, because, because, because…all the wonderful things he does. Oh we’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz.

    His response was…

    I love that movie! Did you know I just missed out on landing the role of the scarecrow?

    Ya’ll come back now, ya hear.
    Lee Fowler

  20. vtpackfan 03/06/2008 at 7:18 PM #

    I’ve noticed the media, and especially DG have a warm fuzzy felling all over when it comes to Lee Fowler.

    They will get Holland from ECU, Cobb from ASU , or Wellman from WF on and talk shop about success menasures at least once a month.

    Then it comes time for Lee to call in and it turns into less Q & A tlak sports radio and more into “red-hot spotlight” time for our sorry excuse for an AD.

    I wouldn’t mind it so much if they didn’t discuss topics with all AD’s a certain way and have some bizzarro world bull$h!t fest with Fowler.

  21. cowdog 03/06/2008 at 7:35 PM #

    ADs don’t talk or should never talk to the media unless they are on a promotion tour with something to promote other than themselves.

    If in the case of criminal or NCAA violations it is an exception and then one must take to the mike.

  22. GAWolf 03/06/2008 at 10:35 PM #

    b makes a sad but true point that I meant to bring up as well. if you all will recall Jed blew it on all the name coaches in the “search” and further scarred the image of ncsu bball as much as two decades of crappy play ever did. sid, like him or not, came in here and gave us some hope in what was quickly becoming a hopeless (and downright tragic) situation. he took a chance on us and we can take a chance on him and give him a reasonable amount of time to show that he can or can’t get the job done. and as b pointed out….sad but true…until somebody helps mend the image of pack bball and nc state fans from the national media’s point of view (which we all know is not reality) great, proven coaches are not waiting in line to take this job. when we finally fired herb, I was convinced we were going to get a “name” in here to head our program. for whatever reason, and I would love to believe its our boneheaded AD, it didn’t happen. we have to deal with deck qe’ve been dealt and for at least the next two years after this year it’s going to be Sid. Unless, of course, he decides to walk out on us.

  23. GAWolf 03/06/2008 at 10:52 PM #

    I’m watching Shawn Miller trying to bring his xavier team back to avoid the upset.

    What’s Archie doing these days? Anybody know?

  24. turfpack 03/06/2008 at 10:56 PM #

    Lee’s a idiot(french word for stupid ass)Just shutup Lee,keep your pie hole shut-that’s the best thing for State.As far as David G.-don’t like him-A Dook&UNX homer-He’s liking the state of NCSU Bsaketball this year-A waste of 3hrs on 850 buzz-You can add Adam Gold to that List-He was haten on Rivers and Sidney this year.

  25. turfpack 03/06/2008 at 11:07 PM #

    On a positive note- As a H.S. Football coach,at our meetings I only heard the greatest compiments on Coach O’brein and his staff. That was from coaches all over the state. Unlike the Chest- which most H.S. Coaches in N.C. couldn’t stand.

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