ACC Operation Basketball: Pack picked last (by a mile), Dennis Hopper added to staff?

09-10 Basketball College Basketball115

Operation Basketball has been going on this afternoon and it has been very interesting to follow the event via various internet outlets.

For example, NC State bloggers like ourselves have been able to interact with some members of the media via Twitter during the event. It is truly a new world!! You can follow our Twitter feed by clicking here. Also, many Tweeters took advantage of tagging from the event, so you can see all the Tweets that had the #accopbk tag by clicking here.

Early in the day Commissioner Swofford announced that the 2012 ACC Tournament slated for Atlanta will be played in Phillips Arena as opposed to the Georgia Dome. We had it early and added it to a related thread on our message board so that you could get the highest impact of information for your time. Click here.

You can watch the coaches’ interviews for free by clicking here.

It was not a surprise that NC State was selected last in the preseason poll…the big surprise was just how few points the Wolfpack garnered. Hell, I’m surprised they didn’t leave the 12th spot open and rank us 13th.

1, tie, Duke (25) 545
1, tie, UNC (20) 545
3, Clemson 409
4, Georgia Tech (2) 387
5, Maryland 378
6, Wake Forest (1) 315
7, Florida State 314
8, Virginia Tech 273
9, Boston College 251
10, Miami 135
11, Virginia 116
12, N.C. State 76

Again, this isn’t a surprise. The Wolfpack was recently selected #119th in the country by CollegeHoopsNet.com

Additionally, CollegeHoopsnet.com has taken an interesting approach to projecting the season – you can click here to see their “High / Low” for the entire conference. Their view of the Wolfpack is clearly consistent with today’s media poll.

NCSt High-Low

But, in spite of the struggles that the Wolfpack Basketball team projects to have this season, all is not lost. As you can see from the Twitter feed of the ACC office from today’s events, NC State has added the one and only Dennis Hopper to our staff. As ACCSportsJournal.com Tweeted — nobody can wait to see the Wolfpack run the picket fence this year!

Hopper

More from the day:
* Lowe gives lip service to being identified by up tempo and defense. (Link) Defense? Really? Defense? Would love nothing more. Will hold our breath.

* Lowe says State is heading in the right direction. (Link)

* Horner & Degand talk about preseason and uptempo. (Link)

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09-10 Basketball College Basketball

115 Responses to ACC Operation Basketball: Pack picked last (by a mile), Dennis Hopper added to staff?

  1. wallacepark 10/26/2009 at 2:31 AM #

    I just don’t see us finishing last this year. I’m not saying we’ll set the world on fire, but I think this is the year we’ll finally see a good TEAM in the red and white. We’ll be starting a sophomore, three juniors, and a senior, so we’re not as young as some people in the media might perceive by the size of our freshman class. I think we’ll surprise some folks and win a few games we aren’t supposed to.

    Also, the players have talked about how much harder they’ve been running this preseason and how much more strength and conditioning they’ve been doing. I believe Sidney when he says we’ll play up tempo this year. All of our point guards are experienced, and the new players are very athletic, even Jordan Vandenberg.

    I can’t wait to see these kids play, even if they do struggle a bit this year. CJ, Degand, Mays, Horner, Smith, and Javi have all played serious minutes in the ACC now and will be steadier this year. Degand and Thomas are finally healthy, and there’s a lot of young talent in that freshman class. Plus, we’ve got much more on the way (Harrow, Brown, Cothron). The future is bright!

  2. Broccoman 10/26/2009 at 4:57 AM #

    I gotta say I see some cautious signs for optimism, and I really don’t see dead last.

  3. Sweet jumper 10/26/2009 at 7:26 AM #

    Not last, no way. After watching Lo Brown video, I already cannot wait until next year!

  4. Alpha Wolf 10/26/2009 at 7:46 AM #

    Lo Brown is going to be a great player, but do things ALWAYS have to be “can’t wait till next year?”

    Here’s a fun scenario for you guys to consider:
    1. Press picks Pack DFL in the ACC.
    2. Pack somehow manages a 6th or 7th, gets to NIT
    3. Press names Lowe ACC COY
    4. Fowler gives Lowe 3 year extension

  5. Sweet jumper 10/26/2009 at 7:51 AM #

    5. Fowler returns to Vandy to build up the Commodores’ fuh-cilities.

  6. VaWolf82 10/26/2009 at 8:01 AM #

    but do things ALWAYS have to be “can’t wait till next year?”

    Well when the present sucks, one’s options ARE limited:
    – WTNY
    – Ignore facts and build unreasonable expectations for this year
    – ????

    (If this was Brickyard poll, I would have included “Fire Fowler”.)

  7. Alpha Wolf 10/26/2009 at 8:02 AM #

    I know, I know, it’s just that it’s been Wait Till Next Year since 1990. That’s why I say WTNY is the official flagship station of Wolfpack sports.

  8. WTNY 10/26/2009 at 8:30 AM #

    If only I had trademarked “WTNY” years ago. My children’s college-fund would be golden!

    Could someone add this ® to my nickname?

  9. PackMan97 10/26/2009 at 8:47 AM #

    It’s a sad day when you begin to look fondly of the previous coach’s tenure and think, “at least we finished over .500”.

    The silver lining is the team picked to finish last, rarely does!

  10. Bubba 10/26/2009 at 8:50 AM #

    This may very well be one of the 4-5 worst teams in our history. Hard to see more than 10-12 wins on the schedule.Harrow and Brown, Harrow and Brown, Harrow and Brown…..Sorry I just have to keep saying that to myself over and over……Gonna write it on a notecard and carry it to all the games this year for sanity……….

  11. Howler 10/26/2009 at 9:26 AM #

    Ahhhh, Optimism is a wonderful thing. For years now, October and November have been my favorite time of the basketball season.

  12. packplantpath 10/26/2009 at 9:36 AM #

    You know, if we somehow manage to make it to 6th in the acc by playing hard defense and Sid gets COY, I will be ok with an extension. Why? Because playing hard would be a major improvement over the last 3 years and would show that they have figured something out.

    If we get to 6th in an ACC that can’t seem to get out of it’s own way in barnburner ugly games every time, an extension would piss me off. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that both are unlikely and that if the second option did occur, Sid would get an extension.

  13. ryebread 10/26/2009 at 9:41 AM #

    Some things stick out to me when I look at those rankings. While I have no problem with the top 2, I do not agree with the following:
    – NC State will not finish last. We’re not going to finish in the top half, but we’re not finishing last either.
    – Miami is my pick for the cellar.
    – I doubt UVA is 11th. I’d slate them at 8-9th. Bennett + a quality guard will be a tough team to beat. They’ll also have the new coach effect (which is typically good for at least +1 in the standings).
    – I don’t think WF finishes that high. They have incoming talent, but they’ve had talent for a while now and Gaudio hasn’t figured out what to do with it. I also think they’ll miss Johnson more than the media thinks. I thought he was the most talented big man in the ACC last season.
    – MD is my pick for #3. As much as I hate Vasquez, he’s the ACC’s biggest impact player (which should tell you about the state of the ACC this season) and he plays the most important position for his team. Gary is also one of the ACC’s 3 best coaches. I can’t see that combo not netting a top 3 finish.

  14. StateFans 10/26/2009 at 10:03 AM #

    I agree that Maryland is listed way too low. Don’t understand it. If they aren’t 3rd, then they should surely be 4th

  15. Stateman 10/26/2009 at 10:07 AM #

    Alpha Wolf, that sounds like a perfect scenario to me.

    Bubba, this team isn’t even REMOTELY one of the worst teams NCSU has had. Did you forget the crap Herb left us with? I mean heck we hardly had enough people to field a team.

    BTW, talent is not our problem this year. We have talent, we simply have very little experience for the players that have talent. And the players that have experience have average to below average talent.

    We will NOT be in last place this year. We won’t be world beaters, but we will not be in last place.

  16. CaptainCraptacular 10/26/2009 at 10:23 AM #

    The media seem to be placing too much of a premium on GaTechs incoming class in their prognostications. Their unknowns apparently have a higher upside than the known quantity of Vasquez.

    But now its WTTY for GT like it apparently will be for us in ’10-’11. Does Hewitt finally get the boot if they don’t measure up to their fans expectations? That will be interesting to see play out. I see GT starting slow, under .500 in conference before picking it up in February.

    As for the pack, if we actually play like a TEAM with some consistent heart, hustle, and defensive toughness, it would be a welcome change from the past 2 seasons of suck. If there’s no team, no heart, and no tenacious D, then it’s time for a new direction.

  17. Wulfpack 10/26/2009 at 10:32 AM #

    Maybe we will finish ahead of Richmond.

    I can’t say we will finish last. I can say we have a LONG way to go to even be relevant.

  18. Rick 10/26/2009 at 10:34 AM #

    How many reporters vote on this? Did we get a single vote above last place?

  19. Rick 10/26/2009 at 10:36 AM #

    “Could someone add this ® to my nickname?”

    Done

  20. wolfonthehill 10/26/2009 at 10:44 AM #

    What happened to the Brown/Harrow video post?

    SFN: Information overload for the blog; particularly now that we have the Forums to drive all kinds of other conversations. We try to ‘space’ stuff a little more here now. So, the video post will re-emerge late tonight or early tomorrow. Thanks!

  21. Stateman 10/26/2009 at 10:44 AM #

    ^^^^^At least GT’s fans had enough intelligence to give him more than 3 years before making the judgment of whether to keep or fire him.

  22. HPWolf 10/26/2009 at 10:59 AM #

    Yea, that last coach really sucked. 20 wins a year, NCAA tournaments, good ACC tournament runs, getting better every year, respect of all ACC coaches, Herb might have been Vanilla but he could coach circles around the loser we have now. Look at Sids NBA resume, his ACC resume and please tell me how he can coach talent even when he gets it. Sid took a decent group of players and added JJ and tanked. I’m tired of being optimistic when the writing on the wall is painted in red and this guy can’t coach. He may be able to recruit but so could CTC. The rest of the ACC coaches think this guy is a joke and their right. It is painful as hell but the sooner we get rid of Sid the sooner we can start over.
    It is hard to believe how far we have fallen and we are now debating as to whether we should be dead last or not. DAMN!!!

    SFN: Sad, sad attempt at incomplete revisionist history. Please back up your claims like – ‘getting better every year’ with statistical proof. Thanks so much

  23. bradleyb123 10/26/2009 at 11:08 AM #

    This will be a bad year while we wait for next year’s vaunted recruiting class to arrive. Patience, grasshoppahs. We’ve waited THIS long. We can wait one more year. Drop Sid after this year (or sooner) and we risk losing those recruits and we’re stuck with the group that lost to Richmond in the scrimmage recently, with ZERO prospects for better days. At least with the 2010 recruiting class, we have that much going for us.

    Patience! We are headed in the right direction. With a team full of freshmen, we have to expect it to be bad. Next year, this group will have the experience they need, and they will be led by a freshman that CAN get it done for us next year.

    WTNY!!! 🙂

  24. 61Packer 10/26/2009 at 11:10 AM #

    It’s just wonderful to pick up your Monday morning sports paper and see your team rated 12th in the ACC in football and picked 12th in upcoming ACC basketball, not to mention the posts on here which talk excitedly about our basketball not finishing last, or, for goodness sakes, finishing as high as midway the conference sometime in the coming years.

    The mention of Dennis Hopper made me think of Hoosiers and how it might possibly relate to Wolfpack basketball. The main difference is that Shooter couldn’t coach because he stayed drunk.

    The sober reality for Wolfpack sports is that it has become an endless ritual of hopeless winters in a hockey arena, watching everybody else enjoy March Madness, May 15 and September 15 ticket deadlines, fall tailgates that become more meaningless as the season progresses, and finally the December 31 dues deadline.

    And despite being a broken program’s broken record, it continues to play daily over the 50,000-watt voice of WTNY in Raleigh.

  25. statered 10/26/2009 at 11:13 AM #

    Well at least I am not hoping for a decent team all the while knowing we will squeak into the tourney and most likely be gone the first day.

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