Fox Sports places Coach Lowe on hotseat (again)

09-10 Basketball Sidney Lowe114

I am sure that some coo-coo for coco puffs ‘hater’ of SFN will somehow blame us for this article, but please note that we are only linking to stories in the national press while generally stating the obvious. There is not much that we can do about the fact that a real world revolves out there whether some of you psychopaths wished that you could create your own reality and not have to deal with the real world.

Fox Sports came out with their listing of College Basketball “Coaches on the Hotseat” today and our own Sidney Lowe is listed as the coach on the #2 hottest seat in the country. (LOL! If only these morons knew how things worked in Raleigh.)

Sidney hotseat

This year’s list has a decided Atlantic Coast Conference & local flavor; and, the irony that Coach Lowe and Dereck Whittenburg occupy two of the top five spots on the list won’t be lost on any Wolfpacker. Included on the list are the following:

(1) Jerry Wainwright, DePaul
(2) Sidney Lowe, NC State

(5) Dereck Whittenburg, Fordham

The Rams coach has virtually nothing going for him these days. He lost his second-best player, Mike Moore, and his best player, Jio Fontan, is leaving despite the school’s flat-out refusal to release him. Fordham finished 12th in the A-10 two years ago and was 3-25 overall and 1-15 in league play last season.

(6) Matt Doherty (former UNC-CH player and Head Coach)

Things haven’t exactly worked out well since he was forced out of Chapel Hill. Doherty needs to win this season after a 46-74 mark in four seasons — including a 9-21 campaign and a last-place finish in C-USA last season.

(7) Pat Kennedy, Towson (former Florida State coach)
(9) Jeff Lebo, Auburn (former UNC-CH player)
(10) Paul Hewitt, Georgia Tech
(11) Bobby Gonzalez, Seton Hall (former UVa assistant)

These lists rile my up sometimes; particularly lists that can be influenced by Jeff Goodman, who knows ACC Basketball so well that he said the following before last season.

Three ACC coaches — Maryland’s Gary Williams, N.C. State’s Sidney Lowe and Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton — are feeling a little heat to win. My guess is at least one of them is history after the season. But which one?

Ahhh…how about none of them, Jeff?

Good old Goodman. The man who must run around with pictures of Herb Sendek in his wallet; because – in case you did not realize this – Herb Sendek coached at NC State. No really. You see, if you ever see anything written by Jeff Goodman related to NC State, then you will undoubtedly be reminded that Herb Sendek was once our coach. No kidding. If the guy knows anything else about NC State Basketball then I would be shocked, because – even before the 2009-2010 season Goodman still can’t get past 2006. In today’s article we get the following:

Sidney Lowe, N.C. State – It’s one of those “be careful what you wish for” deals. Wolfpack fans ran Herb Sendek out of Raleigh despite five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. Lowe is 51-46 in his three seasons without an NCAA tournament bid and this is a make or break year.

Come on folks. You can remember. Don’t you remember how those evil NC State fans just happened to ‘run off’ a coach who chose to leave with multiple years remaining on his contract? And, how much of a coincidence was it that the coach was returning only one scholarship player who had any college basketball experience? Isn’t it amazing that after six years of ‘pressure’ from those mean NC State fans that Coach Sendek just happened to coincidentally CHOOSE to leave prior to the one particular year he had nobody returning?

(This is where I have to link this entry that gets me so friggin angry that I cannot even bring myself to expand my comments. But, of course, does anyone doubt WHY or how NC State fans got the brand that we have with the stenographers, uh, I mean reporters in the media).

But, I digress. Sorry.

One thing that is nice about much of Jeff Goodman’s stuff is that he saves me a lot of time coming up with new work. Since all he does is regurgitate so much of the same information, it allows us to do the same. Check out my insightful comments from this entry last year.

SFN Note:
Allow me to remind you where Jeff Goodman stands on his opinions of NC State:

“Whether it’s Sidney Lowe, Rick Barnes or John Calipari, it doesn’t really matter. There’s no way N.C. State will be able to topple the powers-that-be on Tobacco Road.” — Jeff Goodman, MSNBC

I don’t know how it escapes so many people’s radar and conversations…but, Jeff Goodman was listed as an author at PackPride.com in the early years of the site. Sometimes he will blog some insightful information that you don’t get from some other national coverage – like last year’s preseason blog entry about Farnold Degand.

But, far too often Goodman goes the confrontational direction with WolfpackNation. It perplexes me how often he seeks to criticize NC State’s fans and try to drum up controversy in columns that he authors even in non-controversial times – like these absurd comments about Coach Lowe approaching a ‘hot seat’ in just his third season and with fantastic recruiting momentum building for the foreseeable future.

I know that part of the source of this is his huge love and respect for Herb Sendek, but it doesn’t make the unprofessional behavior justifiable. How was this guy ever an author for an NC State website when he continuously proves that so many of his views about NC State are so grossly disconnected from reality?

See how easy that is? Fits PERFECTLY! Thanks, Jeff!

I am not arguing the fact that the time for Coach Lowe to produce on the court has arrived. But, Coach Lowe’s seat is not so unbearably hot that only an NCAA Tournament appearance can save his job. Many fans will argue with me; but, if this season’s particularly young team shows major progress in fundamentals and defense while earning at least an NIT berth then I believe that the recruitment of Ryan Harrow (and who knows who else) will be enough to provide Coach Lowe a fifth season of opportunity.

Today I prefer to focus on the dynamics of this list and not focus on setting standards for Coach Lowe. With that said, another version of the list – this one by choosing one coach per conference – can be seen by clicking here.

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09-10 Basketball Sidney Lowe

114 Responses to Fox Sports places Coach Lowe on hotseat (again)

  1. VaWolf82 06/02/2009 at 5:24 PM #

    But I can’t pretend to know what those people want…
    So I guess I have to backtrack a little and concede that his seat is a little warm, but not hot.
    [context inverted]

    If you are not in the circle of big donors and have no contacts that are, you really have no way to judge how hot Sidney’s seat is, do you?

    I’ve read that when Sid was hired,

    I wouldn’t recommend basing a lot of projections on something that was said three years ago for several reasons:
    1) Opinions change.
    2) I seriously doubt that Murphy, Vaughn, or other big donors made any of the statements that you are referencing….so the value of those statements is immediately in question.

  2. Wulfpack 06/02/2009 at 5:44 PM #

    “In their haste to bash NC State fans, the national media totally whiffed on the fact that Herb Sendek is extremely thin-skinned for a coach in a major conference.”

    While I agree that Herb is thin skinned and ducked when the going go hot, the PAC 10 is a major conference by definition and is no slouch when it comes to attracting accomplished coaches. Certainly not ACC or Big East caliber, but up there.

    I really don’t want to have to re-hash what my belief is countless times over, but if Sid does not succeed (i.e. NCAA Tourney birth) THIS year, he will be on the hot seat for sure and might want to start making phone calls to the NBA. That is my opinion, and knowing many Wolfpack fans, Wofpack Club members, and donors, I am not alone in that opinion.

  3. BJD95 06/02/2009 at 5:47 PM #

    And I can assure you that nobody ever works out the full length of their contract. Most coaches are fired with at least 2-3 years left on their deal (and Lowe will have 3 left after next season).

    Yes, as VaWolf notes, I consider what I’ve heard (outside the W/L context) in my assessment. I am giving him a chance to take a “great leap forward” in terms of Ws and Ls that could lead me to re-evaluate.

    I think this is also eminently fair, as most coaches who don’t make the NCAAT in their first four years do get fired. So, even if the off-court/program stewardship issues are completely offbase (which would be very, very surprising), it would still be a fair decision.

    That would not be a move that outside observers would find questionable in the least.

  4. choppack1 06/02/2009 at 8:58 PM #

    Just to repeat – if it was just about b’ball, Sid might have another year barring a major screw-up. Putting two and two and two together, we’ll have to see something we haven’t seen the first 3 years.

    It’s going to be hard to make a case that Lowe is a good coach if certain things continue down the path w/ other teams AND we don’t make the tournament. We are potentially looking at the weakest ACC I’ve ever seen next year – and if you can’t go better than 7-9 vs. that…

  5. gopherfan 06/02/2009 at 10:24 PM #

    Why do we care what Gold thinks. He doesn’t know all that much about college BB, seems to have great admiration for Lee Fowler and it’s obvious he likes to stir things up. Bottom line with Lowe; he needs a chance to show what he can do with some real players and unfortunately that may take a year or two. Recruiting is going in the right direction for once so I will hold out for another couple of years. Unless of course this year there is no tangible evidence of improvement. Good Luck.

  6. Greywolf 06/02/2009 at 10:56 PM #

    Bjd,
    I have no idea when most coaches are fired. Perhaps you could share your vast knowledge of coaches firings and let us know the last NCSU basketball coach was fired with 2 or 3 years left on his contract, because NCSU’s firing practice is the only relevant one in this conversation.
    I haven’t seen Lowe’s contract so I really am interested in what it has to say about early exit. You must know.

  7. Noah 06/03/2009 at 7:41 AM #

    Since WWII, only one NC State men’s basketball coach has EVER been fired and he had a “lifetime contract.”

  8. Bubba 06/03/2009 at 8:39 AM #

    Sid will be getting another year added to his contract this summer.Once again, he was told he has 2 more years to start dancing.Its why he turned down the NBA job a couple of months ago.

  9. ktoh 06/03/2009 at 8:56 AM #

    ^Why ? and what is the rationale of this? Why is he being rewarded?

  10. rtpack24 06/03/2009 at 9:55 AM #

    Coach Lowe’s seat is hot and he is well aware of his situation.

  11. bradleyb123 06/03/2009 at 10:04 AM #

    ^ “Just to repeat – if it was just about b’ball, Sid might have another year barring a major screw-up. Putting two and two and two together, we’ll have to see something we haven’t seen the first 3 years.”

    That’s what I think and what I was trying to say, Choppack. I don’t think an NCAAT bid is a requirement for Sid to get one more year. But I’m not saying he gets another year NO MATTER WHAT. He could royally screw up this year and get fired for it. If I’m a betting man (and I used to be!), I’d put my money on him getting another year by just showing improvement this year. Because he has a great recruiting class this year, and a great start for next year’s class, as well. But we all know the team is extremely young and inexperienced, but they have talent. I just don’t think anyone would be dumb enough to fire Sid just because we don’t make the dance this year — not when we have the kind of players that can make us a great team, but all they lack is some experience.

    I’m sorry, but Sid just isn’t on the hot seat this year. I’m telling you now, he will NOT be fired at the end of this year without a colossal collapse of epic proportions this year.

  12. Noah 06/03/2009 at 10:47 AM #

    I think that the recent turmoil has changed everything.

    I no longer believe that Fowler will be fired. I don’t think Lowe will be fired. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if Lowe is still finishing at the bottom of the conference in 10 years and his fan club is still rationalizing his behavior.

  13. BJD95 06/03/2009 at 10:49 AM #

    FWIW, I trust rtpack’s sources completely. And he doesn’t post just to hear himself talk (unlike me). 🙂

  14. packalum44 06/03/2009 at 11:35 AM #

    I predict we don’t make the tournament….Sid gives us a 4th year of bad coaching, bizarre substitutions, 1 huge unexplainable upset, and 17 explainable losses. But hey, we’ll suck less than last year and Ryan Harrow is going to save our program in 2010/2011.

    Next year we’ll have the same conversations….How long does he have left? Is his seat hot? Is he a good/bad coach? Is he a good/bad recruiter? Does he have extra-marital affairs and do blow off strippers’ chests?

    In my profession it takes a few months before you can tell who’s got it and who doesn’t. WTF does it take so long in B-ball? Hint: It doesn’t.

    Sorry but Coach Lowe doesn’t know WTF he is doing. Stealing a saying from BJD: If we dance next year, I’ll eat my hat. Not only will I eat my hat, I’ll do it with a smile on my face b/c we are such a pathetic fan-base that our standards are so low that we get orgasmic sensations when it takes our b-ball coach 4 years to make the dance (only to lose in the 1st round of course). We’ll certainly give him a raise and 5-year contract extension.

    If Lowe does make it he’ll take us to 5 in a row, we’ll make a Sweet 16 and fire him b/c we want more than that. 10 more years will have passed since Herb and thousands more fans will be for the better b/c they’ll be lunch for the worms. The unlucky ones still alive will endure a coaching search and a better chance than not, another average to shitty coach.

    Even if Lowe does get us to the dance, he will never, ever, ever, ever, win a NCAA Championship or make a Final Four. I’d rather endure another losing season next year than another decade of mediocrity.

    Being a NC State fan is like Groundhog Day but its not a movie, its real life.

  15. bradleyb123 06/03/2009 at 3:09 PM #

    packalum44, I’m glad I don’t have your glum outlook. But you seem to be forgetting one thing. It might appear that nothing has changed, but when is the last time NC State had the 11th ranked recruiting class in the nation? In other words, this isn’t like every other year. It’s not groundhog day.

    What I’ve been saying to myself for a while now (and am now posting) is I wish you people would just wait until after THIS year (not next year, not the year after that, but THIS year) before passing judgment.

    If we’re miserable this year, I’ll get back on the anti-Sidney bandwagon, myself. I don’t think we will be. And packalum, I hope someone re-posts your rant next year after a successful campaign, just for giggles.

  16. Clarksa 06/03/2009 at 3:45 PM #

    Wow…after reading packalum44’s assessment I think I’ll just quit watching NC State basketball.

  17. anti-smurf 06/03/2009 at 4:38 PM #

    Here’s my question – if everyone hates Gold so much, then why listen to his show? Once 99.9 removed the “Fanatics”, which I really enjoyed, I tried to listen, but literally felt ill after hearing Gold pontificate on all things sports. It’s ok to have an opinion, as long as it was in line with his. Otherwise, you were an idiot. I lasted 3 days. Now that I have XM, I don’t listen to any local radio (with the occasion of The Fanatics once football starts). Gold can say what he wants, he went to maryland – duh – that should tell you all right there what he’s about! SCUM OF THE EARTH!!!

    As far as Sidney Lowe goes – I’m gonna go out on a limb and say he’s not going anywhere, especially with a 5* pg coming next year, and other top notch guys to boot. State has enough egg on their face with this whole Easley fiasco (can you say buy-out) and probably won’t be able to cough up the cash to buy her out, as well as Sid and Fowlup.

  18. VaWolf82 06/03/2009 at 4:47 PM #

    It might appear that nothing has changed, but when is the last time NC State had the 11th ranked recruiting class in the nation?

    17th ranked in 2007. How did that work out again?

    It’s not groundhog day.

    State still has the same PGs at last year…so your prediction is “premature” to say the least.

  19. bradleyb123 06/03/2009 at 5:17 PM #

    There’s quite a bit of difference between 11th and 17th ranked. And we have six new players this year, not sure how many new players we had that year, maybe 2 or 3? And as for that 17th ranked class, it’s still playing out as it is still only two years old. I’m pretty pleased with the players we landed in that class, so when you ask how it worked out, I say, “So far, so good.”

    As for the PG’s, I guess you failed to notice the improved play by Mays and Javi as the season went on. In theory, they will develop a little more, and they are both a year older in 2009. I believe we might be OK with them, and definitely better with our 5* Harrow coming in 2010.

    VaWolf, my prediction stands. There are too many reasons to stick it out with Sid another year. He’s not on any hot seat.

  20. Greywolf 06/03/2009 at 7:18 PM #

    OK, something happened that we common folk don’t know about off the court. And Sid might be on probation (within the university system.) Got that. I wish I knew the scuttlebutt and I don’t. So I’ll go along with those of you who are well connected at the Wolfpack Club or the BOT and allow that Sid might have an issue or issues that could get him fired.

    I am having trouble connecting the dots however. What does that have to do with his coaching prowess or lack there of? Is it just something the “I want to win and I want to win now” PTB’s are using to justify firing Sid? Amato is thrown in here as evidence that the PTB can have somebody fired. There is a major diffence between Sid and Chuck: Chuch was an embarrassment to NCSU. Sid is publicly a credit to NCSU. His AGR was the highest in the ACC — 995 out of a possible 1000. (That this good news is not publicized on SFN feeds the fire that there is some truth to the allegation that SFN is at least partially political.)

  21. VaWolf82 06/03/2009 at 7:53 PM #

    There’s quite a bit of difference between 11th and 17th ranked.

    Not really. There both just guesses…with little predictive value. Georgetown had the 8th ranked class come in last year and finished with a 16-15 record.

  22. Greywolf 06/03/2009 at 9:53 PM #

    “There both just guesses…with little predictive value. Georgetown had the 8th ranked class come in last year and finished with a 16-15 record.”

    That’s terrible. Did they fire the coach?

  23. travelwolf 06/04/2009 at 1:11 AM #

    IMHO, Lowe isn’t on the hot seat at all. In 2 years, he may be gone. But if he’s gone, I say we get pick up one of Phil Jackson’s assistants – if 10% of Jackson’s coaching ability rubs off on his assistant, the assistant’s worth it. It’s hard to believe how Jackson’s teams overachieve eventually. It’s no fluke that Jackson’s coached the 2 best basketball players in the last 20 years. It just shows you how important a coach is… much more important than any player.

  24. Wulfpack 06/04/2009 at 6:43 AM #

    ^How successful do you think Phil Jackson would be if he hadn’t had the chance to coach MJ and Kobe? Put another way, how successful do you think other coaches would be if they had a chance to coach MJ or Kobe?

    There is no denying Phil Jackson is a GREAT coach, perhaps even the best the NBA has ever seen. But what you will never be able to separate from his accomplishments is that he has always had the benefit of coaching two of the best players and competitors of all time. Doesn’t mean he’s anything less of a coach, but it does mean he has been at a unique advantage for the majority of his career.

    Greywolf, Thompson took Princeton to the NCAAs twice and was coming off a string of leading G-town to the Sweet 16, Final Four, and second round. Just a *little* bit different than our current situation, ya think?

  25. robopack 06/04/2009 at 9:11 AM #

    If Sid does not make the NCAA Tournament this year he will be on the hot seat next year…Period…That’s the reality of his situation, cut and dry, debate all you want.

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