Random Shots

'08 Football 09-10 Basketball General62

Where do you start when building a college basketball team?

Mike Huguenin’s answer: Give me the elite point guard…..

Jason King’s answer: …To me, though, the biggest key to any winning team is the coach…

Steve Megargee’s answer: … I’d lean toward the point guard because he’s more likely to make an instant impact and also probably has a better chance of staying in school for multiple seasons…

Capel Has High Hopes

Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel already has accomplished more before his 35th birthday than many coaches achieve in an entire lifetime. Now he faces the greatest test of his young career: Can he help Oklahoma remain one of the nation’s best programs even without the nation’s best player?

Ole Miss coach makes plea deal in Ohio

A few hours after he was arrested last December for an altercation with a cab driver, Mississippi basketball coach Andy Kennedy went on the offensive.

He vehemently denied the “heinous accusations” that he punched and taunted the driver. He insisted he would be exonerated. He had a persuasive talk with the Ole Miss athletics director, who publicly took his side.

Four months later, Kennedy is taking blame and apologizing.

Next Step in the Willie Williams Saga

A linebacker who was once widely considered the nation’s best defensive prospect coming out of high school …Williams is less than a week removed from the NFL draft. But rather than sitting in the green room with other celebrated draft picks in New York City on Saturday, he’ll watch with a small collection of family, eating some modest home cooking and hoping that some team, any team, will give him an opportunity to play in the league…

…one NFC personnel man said he expects Williams to go undrafted and that the former prep star will be signed as a free agent.

About VaWolf82

Engineer living in Central Va. and senior curmudgeon amongst SFN authors One wife, two kids, one dog, four vehicles on insurance, and four phones on cell plan...looking forward to empty nest status. Graduated 1982

'08 Football 09-10 Basketball General

62 Responses to Random Shots

  1. BJD95 04/21/2009 at 9:19 AM #

    Since the extension, stuff has come up that we could use for leverage/firing for cause. But Fowler knows we don’t want the bad publicity. I’m sure he’ll get a parachute of some kind.

  2. Greywolf 04/21/2009 at 9:27 AM #

    “How can the head of the WPC praise Lee. Does he not look at how pathetic the state of our Athletic Department is in?”
    `
    Is this a serious comment or an “insult op”? If it’s serious, we need to get real. Being publicly critical of a department head would be political suicide at NCSU. I suspect that Fowler is seen a little differently by higher ups at NCSU than by SFN members and admin. There are (at least) three aspects of Fowler to consider:
    1. His uncommonly stupid public comments
    2. The teams sucess record
    3. His administration skills
    Consider only the last 2 and you have a divided record. One is obviously bad but the other must be considered to be good or he would be gone long before now. I look for the good in nearly every situation, which puts me at odds with those who are desparately anti-Fowler. In the bigger picture I suspect that Fowler has the athletics department in good fiscal condition and this will make the next AD’s job much simpler. Had Fowler’s replacement have to straighten out a fiscal mess, the success of the teams would have taken longer to accomplish. (I know the multi-tasking argument but IMO it is more than multi-tasking) Unless I miss my guess about top flight coaches, they know that coming into a mess where the infrastucture for success was not in place would be risking career-damaging failures.
    `
    IMO Football is the lead dog in our athletics department because of the overpowering commitment both in $ and in personell. Men’s basketball is second. Women’s basketball has replaced baseball as number 3 since Title IX was inacted. And so on. One step at a time. I know that examples can be found to illustrate the facilities are not required for success, but in planning for success, facilities must be taken into consideration. It’s not that facilities result in winning but that facilities are a factor in recruiting first coaches and second athletes. TOB makes no bones about the impression C-F had on him coming in here to play while at BC.
    `
    My point is not to praise Fowler but to shed some light on the reasons Fowler is praised by other administrators for his work as AD while we as fans see only the results. I’m sure that some will be bent out of shape by the hint of praise for Fowler. I’m just looking from the administration’s point of view — and administration that gives Fowler his marching orders.

  3. Thompson44 04/21/2009 at 9:34 AM #

    Nice Point Greywolf.

  4. Alpha Wolf 04/21/2009 at 9:35 AM #

    Grey – is that gravatar Mesmer or Rasputin?

    Does anyone remember the famous lines:

    “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him;
    The evil that men do lives after them,
    The good is oft interred with their bones,
    So let it be with Caesar … ” 😉
    -Marc Antony, Julius Caesar, Shakespeare.

    and Grey, just to be sure, I am kidding because the beginning of your thoughtful statement brought that to mind.

  5. Wolfpack_1995 04/21/2009 at 9:39 AM #

    “Noah
    April 21st, 2009 at 5:52 am
    Kennedy was here for one year and then transferred to UAB, but did he ever play there? He shredded his knee in a pickup game.”

    IIRC, Kennedy was recruited and played under Valvano. I don’t think he ever logged any minutes but he was part of the NC State basketball team before transferring to UAB.

    I also read some rumblings that Kennedy was interviewed or had associations with “Personal Fouls.” Could be old rumors?

    Regardless, based off of his alleged history at State, Cincinnati, and Ole Miss, Kennedy seems like a real Jackass!

  6. Noah 04/21/2009 at 9:50 AM #

    Kennedy played in the early part of the 1986-87 season. He got a lot of minutes in Alaska, but by the end of the year, he and Walker Lambiotte were both buried on the bench and never even got their warmups off.

    Kennedy has been involved in some shaky stuff in his life, but the only two guys I remember as sources for Golenbach were Bolton (who had a very deep personal beef with V) and Kelsey Weems.

    Kennedy was part of the focus of Arman Kityan (sp)’s book, “Raw Recruits.”

  7. beowolf 04/21/2009 at 9:52 AM #

    That’s what I was thinking, BJD. Bush is very injury-prone, and Pierre Thomas is good backup but not quite powerful enough to be a goal-line back like Deuce. Brown could fill that need and still have the hands to be a credible threat as a pass-catching back.

    I think he’d be good at Houston, too; they’ve got no decent back besides Slaton, and he can’t continue at the pace he was on last year.

  8. Clarksa 04/21/2009 at 9:55 AM #

    “They also spend a long time talking to the college coaches about their impressions of a guy. He told me that when he was scouting an NCSU def. lineman named Mike Jones, the defensive coaches here warned him that Jones was soft. When he talked to the current staff about Andre Brown, they told him the exact opposite and told him about how Brown played the entire year in pretty severe pain.”

    I’m sure this is where the TA “Amato threw me under the bus” comment came from…they asked and he gave his opinion…

  9. beowolf 04/21/2009 at 9:56 AM #

    The main source of Personal Fouls was John Simonds, former manager who was pissed V wouldn’t let him play.

  10. Noah 04/21/2009 at 10:00 AM #

    I’m sure this is where the TA “Amato threw me under the bus” comment came from…they asked and he gave his opinion…

    Almost all coaches do that. My friend said that they know a couple of coaches have nothing but sunshine for the NFL scouts. They don’t even bother talking to those guys.

  11. Wulfpack 04/21/2009 at 10:11 AM #

    Capel rejected Arizona and Sean Miller, Herb’s buddy, was hired in Tuscon. Archie isb joining him.

    We missed out big-time. No way he leaves Arizona for us in a year or two. Only place I see him leaving for is Pitt.

    We’re always the last to the party.

  12. wufpup76 04/21/2009 at 10:19 AM #

    So Andy Kennedy’s “international altercation” ends with a plea deal … how fitting.

    ““Retire” as in Blade Runner “retire,” n’est c’est pas?”

    ^Whatever happened to Sean Young? (I know … she’s doing some random acting stuff, but still). ‘Blade Runner’ – a movie ahead of it’s time perhaps?

    She’s crazy and making independent low budget films. Her recent highlights: In January 2008, Young checked herself into rehab for alcohol abuse the day after an outburst at the Directors Guild of America awards in Los Angeles. Young was removed from the awards ceremony after repeatedly heckling director Julian Schnabel, who was on stage giving his remarks regarding his Best Director nomination for his work on the film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

  13. Greywolf 04/21/2009 at 10:36 AM #

    BJD,
    First I appreciate the civility with which we are discussing this. 😉 From past conversations I also believe we are on the same side of the fence with regard to wanting what’s best for NCSU. I’m thankful that differences of opinion expressed in a civil manner are OK on SFN even when differing with SFN admin. It has not always been that way. While “my way or the highway” is the privilege of any blog owner, it’s good to see SFN transcend that small-minded way of operating.
    `
    BJD: “No. Purcell is in the loop, and knows what’s going on. Fowler really meant the stuff about Amato, and really wouldn’t have fired him. He didn’t anticipate the BOT stepping in.”
    `
    In saying Purcell is in the loop, you must be saying Fowler is not “in the loop?” How do you arrive at the astonishing conclusion that the AD is not “in the loop?” I mean other than the universal opinion on SFN. I’m not privy to what Fowler “really meant” and what he anticipated and what he didn’t anticipate and wonder how you’re privy to such “information.”
    `
    BJD: Multiple, independent sources told me that Fowler was dead set against firing Amato, right to the very end. Which is why the pro-firing forces had to work through the BOT. Fowler was told to fire Amato, or he would be fired himself.

  14. packfanatic17 04/21/2009 at 11:01 AM #

    Taylor Auten, the Sports Editor for Technician, wrote an interesting article today. Here it goes:

    Coach Tom O’Brien made the right decision when he announced that Russell Wilson will remain the starter in the fall. When the whole nation is watching us play South Carolina during the Thursday night season opener, we need a quarterback with experience and the ability to adapt when the pocket collapses and unforeseen situations occur.

    Although it would be exciting to see the talent of Mike Glennon against a high-caliber team like South Carolina, it is important that N.C. State use the quarterback who gives us the best chance of winning.

    I recall my interviews with some of the football players when they were talking about Glennon last year, saying that “He’s ridiculously good,” and “He’s the best quarterback we’ve ever seen.” One proclaimed that he’s the next Phillip Rivers.

    Despite this, Wilson has the legs to compensate for an offensive line that is continuing to mature and develop.

    Alpha: thanks for the post, which I have add a link and shortened the quotes a bit in order to respect Technician’s copyrights. Short quotes are okay, but not whole articles.

  15. Gene 04/21/2009 at 11:29 AM #

    Brown may be 3rd round, whatever, but give him a year or two and my feeling is that should he stay healthy he will emerge as a back to fear on Sundays.

    Depends where Brown lands and how he’s used. Some teams would want to switch him to full back, which he hasn’t played before and he might struggle.

    Some teams would use him as a situational back at first, where he might do O.K.

  16. Noah 04/21/2009 at 11:41 AM #

    There are GOBS of running backs who get drafted on the second day who light up the league every week. That’s why I claim that RBs are cheap and plentiful. Plus, the career for an NFL back is so short that it’s not worth spending a first on one.

    And I second the notion that S. Young is completely insane. Remember her showing up dressed as Catwoman after the gig was given to Michelle Pfieffer?

  17. old13 04/21/2009 at 11:41 AM #

    I think we’ll see some of Glennon against SC as TOB likes to get the backup QB a couple of series early in each game when possible so that he won’t be entirely cold if actually needed.

  18. NCSUownzJoo 04/21/2009 at 11:58 AM #

    The #1 need for a college basketball team is a TRUE pg, someone who can drive, dribble and assist. The second most important part of a college basketball team is a TRUE Center. Not a 6’9″ scoring only center… A TRUE Center. 6’10” or taller, with the ability to score but more importantly the ability to alter shots in the paint and make other teams think about bringing it inside. The rest of the positions can be plugged in if you have a true PG and a true C. You can be successful.

  19. Wolf Dog 04/21/2009 at 12:15 PM #

    If there is a loop, you better believe Purcell is in it. He is highly respected. Purcell was right to give LF credit, the W Bball coach was a good hire. Purcell would be a good choice as our next AD. I feel he is someone we could all embrace and move forward.

    And I don’t know who said it, but its a fact LF did not want to fire Amato. The man with the plane and a few others steam rolled that move to get the BOT to call the shot. Why Amato genuinely was surprised. Heck he still acts shocked by it.

    Les Robinson was put in a similar position with MOC. Les told me he had no choice he had to let MOC go, he just didn’t have the support anymore. Especially after MOC didn’t even entertain the opiton of replacing staff to try and save his job.

  20. Wolf Dog 04/21/2009 at 12:18 PM #

    Walker Lambiotte, wasn’t he “the hand” ? or was that someone else?

  21. Alpha Wolf 04/21/2009 at 12:20 PM #

    “Why Amato genuinely was surprised. Heck he still acts shocked by it. ”

    After he bit Steve Stroud’s head off, Amato should have known he was a dead man walking.

  22. Wolf Dog 04/21/2009 at 12:24 PM #

    Amato’s ego is why he didn’t see it coming and why he didn’t buy himself another year. I really liked him as a hire and the job he did at first, but he a great example of someone letting the job go to his head.

  23. BJD95 04/21/2009 at 12:25 PM #

    It would be quite difficult to be any less self-aware than Chuck Amato.

  24. packpigskinfan23 04/21/2009 at 12:29 PM #

    Chuck Amato = Kanye West!!

    Anyone like Fishsticks?!

  25. Greywolf 04/21/2009 at 1:01 PM #

    BJD: “Multiple, independent sources told me that Fowler was dead set against firing Amato, right to the very end. Which is why the pro-firing forces had to work through the BOT. Fowler was told to fire Amato, or he would be fired himself.”
    `
    I can see how it might be that Fowler was not for firing Amato. In your relating this story, one important character is missing, Chancellor Oblinger. This piece of the picture is critical to any judgement of Fowler. Unless Oblinger wanted Amato fired, Fowler is appropriate in standing in support of his bosses position. (Privately, Fowler can disagree, argue, plead, etc., but publicly he must support the Chancellor’s position.)
    `
    Your statement “Which is why the pro-firing forces had to work through the BOT” is indicative that Oblinger was not in favor of firing Fowler and therefore, regardless of Fowler’s personal thoughts and feelings, appropriately adherred to his bosses position with regard to firing Amato.
    `
    You say “Fowler was told to fire Amato, or he would be fired himself” This may be true but it hardly seems likely that the BOT would by-pass the Chancellor and say this nor does it seem likely that the Chancellor would have to say that to Fowler, given that Fowler inside institutional controls adheres to the Chancellor’s position.
    `
    If your sources are telling you the BOT told Fowler to do ANYTHING, you might want to question your sources because that’s not how it works at the level of the BOT and the Chancellor’s office. I can see the BOT meeting with Oblinger and in the most gentlemanly way possible discussing and coming to the conclusion that it would be in the best interests of the University to have Amato fired. I can certainly see how Oblinger would subsequently have this conversation with Fowler. I can see how Fowler might not agree with the decision but under no circumstances can I see Oblinger having to threaten to fire Fowler to get him to comply with Oblinger’s change of position.
    `
    IMO somebody is trying to make political (Fire Foul-up) hay out of something that didn’t really happen the way it is being told. That must be your sources BJD, because you wouldn’t do such a thing, would you?

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