Debbie Yow is watching, waiting

The News & Observer has this article today that comes on the heels of Debbie Yow’s local radio appearance earlier in the week. This link is most definitely a pre-requisite to today’s article as the two entries fit together like hand and glove.

In her first year as N.C. State’s athletic director, she’s focused on supporting and evaluating the team in coach Sidney Lowe’s fifth season, Yow said Friday.

“The only fair thing to say is what I’ve said from the beginning of the year,” Yow said. “The competitive outcomes will be reviewed with Coach Lowe once we finish the season.”

Herein lies the difference between someone who knows what they are doing compared to Lee Fowler.

She says all of the right things without being stupid and/or blindly irrational.

She says all of the right things without committing herself to any future action or inaction.

She supports the current staff until such time that she doesn’t support the current staff.

She supports the program without trying to pick a fight with any fans or anyone who dare have a difference of opinion.

———————

Hopefully you have some time to take a look at all of the great work the author team has done over the last few days. Lots of diverse stuff. Over the weekend, please take some time to participate in conversations on our message forums available here. Thanks.

About StateFans

'StateFansNation' is the shared profile used by any/all of the dozen or so authors that contribute to the blog. You may not always agree with us, but you will have little doubt about where we stand on most issues. Please follow us on Twitter and FaceBook

10-11 Basketball Debbie Yow Sidney Lowe

39 Responses to Debbie Yow is watching, waiting

  1. skippyjon jones 01/22/2011 at 7:21 AM #

    I like the deliberate choice of the word “competitive”.

  2. Clarksa 01/22/2011 at 8:37 AM #

    I guess we won’t get our yearly “vote of confidence” from the AD office?

  3. RabidWolf 01/22/2011 at 8:54 AM #

    ^and I always looked forward to that….I always used to set appointments and use that as a reminder.

  4. Avid109 01/22/2011 at 8:55 AM #

    She is so much better than Lee Fowler.

  5. Master 01/22/2011 at 9:52 AM #

    So, will she keep him?

  6. gotncstate 01/22/2011 at 10:18 AM #

    Vegas’ odds Do Not appear good for Sid, Master.

  7. LKNpackfan 01/22/2011 at 11:10 AM #

    Wow, Star News isnt pulling any punches, Friedlander suggests Sid should step down immediately for the good of the program that he loves – http://acc.blogs.starnewsonline.com/19883/its-time-for-lowe-to-step-aside-for-the-good-of-the-program-he-loves/

  8. LKNpackfan 01/22/2011 at 11:20 AM #

    ^It’s reckless and inappropriate IMO. I’ve seen enough of Lowe’s lackluster coaching/mgmt too, but he deserves more respect than he’s getting by calling for his resignation mid-season.

  9. backnine 01/22/2011 at 11:36 AM #

    Don’t know that a change in mid-season does any good. It looks as if the change will ultimately be made so what do we gain by having it take place in the middle of the season. That would just create more controversy and bring attention to our plight before its due. I think it’s less painful to just let things ride for now and sort it out at the end of the season. Yow should no doubt be going about the business of evaluating candidates now however, and I’m sure she is behind closed doors.

    My other observation has to do with Friedlander’s need to write this article. I’m not really upset about it, but rather, the article he hasn’t written. If he can feel compelled to write this article about Lowe, then surely he must feel compelled to write a similar article about Butch Davis. If Lowe should be expected to fall on his sword with the circumstances surrounding his program, then surely Davis should be expected to do the same given the storm surrounding his fball program. I want to see that article.

  10. mak4dpak 01/22/2011 at 11:56 AM #

    I agree we look for a full time replacement for Lowe after season’s end. But if things continue in the ACC for us as they are, I could deal with an interim coach, in the meantime. Couldn’t do any worse. Enough is enough! I am tired of the excuses Lowe continues to give. Just admit you are out of your league. The facts!

  11. UnclePen 01/22/2011 at 11:57 AM #

    I love the headline of the other N&O article
    “Lowe says Pack needs to get a win”
    Uh, yeah Sid. Had you not realized that before now? Lee should have told you.

  12. Lunatic Fringe 01/22/2011 at 11:58 AM #

    As frustrating as it has been to watch basketball, the silver lining is that I KNOW Debbie Yow will make the right moves to get us back and relevant (whatever that may be).

    Debbie has a plan and appears to have the right mix of patience and accountability. (I actually think some ADs are too quick to pull the trigger…we certainly did not experience that with Fowler). The icing on the cake is that she knows how to speak in front of a microphone.

    I am amazed how many ADs out there do not have those qualities and we are damn lucky to have her at NC State.

  13. mak4dpak 01/22/2011 at 11:58 AM #

    Reminder, that the time on State Fans Nation is not correct.

  14. coach13 01/22/2011 at 12:05 PM #

    Agree 100%. These kids aren’t going to pick up the fundamentals of defense and blocking out here in mid season. A new coach teaching and preaching those fundamentals in the off season and applying them in the first 10-12 games of next season is what it will take.

    I think Sid is a good guy and loves the Pack like we do. That said, I hope he will accept the fact he has not done a good enough job and needs to learn more about coaching college level, if he wants to continue. AND…a big AND, I hope he would be helpful to the next guy in retaining the current kids and recruits he has already landed for next year. That would be ideal for us and I hope his love for NCState would lead him to that. I would have no problem having him stay on in some capacity new coach willing. He has an Eye for talent.

  15. PackMan97 01/22/2011 at 12:10 PM #

    A mid-season change would be beyond foolish. If this team were disintegrating (like Wake Forest, or Herb’s 5th team, or Doh!’s 8-20 team on Cheater Hill), then ya…maybe at least salvage something and send a single to everyone that we don’t tolerate that. But right now they team appears to be playing decently (just not winning). And if the problem is with the entire staff, elevating an assistant isn’t going to fix anything. Besides, 6 weeks left in the season won’t change anything. If it were the NBA and you had 3 months and 50 games left, then ya…maybe.

  16. whitefang 01/22/2011 at 12:10 PM #

    No interim coach. A change of coach could likely produce more wins as they often do. Then there will be calls for the interim to be the permanent coach. I am afraid this season is going done the toilet regardless and I prefer to have a “clean slate” evaluation of the best available coaches after the season.

  17. formerwinner 01/22/2011 at 12:15 PM #

    My first time ever as a blogger. Was in school with Burleson/Thompson era. Was in Raleigh during Valvano. Can’t believe what has happened to us. We are no longer “relevant”. We were always in top 20 and could beat anyone on a given day. Glad to have Yow and truly believe she’ll do the right thing (at the end of the season with class). I’ve known for 3 years what that is. It’s time. It’s embarassing. Even Carolina fans pull for us now.

  18. Wolfpack_1995 01/22/2011 at 12:22 PM #

    Yow definitely has a plan.

    Soon hopefully Sid will move on and she can bring in the best coach!

    I say “Miller Time!”

  19. rawolf 01/22/2011 at 1:21 PM #

    Like I said or another post. I am not all about getting Sid out. I think he needs one more year with this talent. I belive he has a better overall record then Coach K had at Duke the frist 5 years, but I guess Coach K was not a good coach at duke either so they should have let his ass go to after year 5 at duke. Go Pack lets make a run boys I’m pulling hard for you.

  20. sautz 01/22/2011 at 1:51 PM #

    Sorry rawolf, K wasn’t as bad as Sid. After 3 years he started to get it done:

    Duke University (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1980–present)
    1980–81 Duke 17–13 6–8 T–5th NIT Quarterfinals
    1981–82 Duke 10–17 4–10 T–6th
    1982–83 Duke 11–17 3–11 7th
    1983–84 Duke 24–10 7–7 T–3rd NCAA 2nd Round
    1984–85 Duke 23–8 8–6 T–4th NCAA 2nd Round

  21. choppack1 01/22/2011 at 1:59 PM #

    Great comments from Yow. I’m so glad we aren’t cursed w/ Lee Fowler.

    Regarding Lowe – I think it’s pretty telling that on the sideline there is no other coach who inspires the least bit of confidence. Towe and Strickland had awful records in their previous stint as HC. Sidney is definitely the best of that bunch.

    As for giving Sidney another year – that’s like a 12 year old believing in Santa. If there isn’t enough evidence right now that there’s a problem, then there never will be to you.

  22. BJD95 01/22/2011 at 2:05 PM #

    Yow said exactly the right thing. And the more she watches, the less we will have to wait. I’m sure she knows where this road is headed, and is getting a plan in place to respond accordingly.

    All an interim coach does is possibly skew the permanent hiring decision. There’s just no point. This isn’t the NFL.

    I am giddy at the thought of new leadership for the basketball program. Can’t wait.

  23. coach13 01/22/2011 at 2:38 PM #

    rawolf has to be a youngster…and if K had started his first 5 years as bad a Lowe, then the legend of Coach K probably wouldn’t exist. Funny. You are now in an extreme minority thats wants to see 1 more year of Lowe.

  24. ADVENTUROO 01/22/2011 at 2:46 PM #

    I personally think that Sid deserves another year. He has just begun to bring in the talent….and then with the freshman class he recruited (beause the players believed he could help them develop into a REAL pro prospect) were supposed to be ranked number 1. Javi, if Sid had found a REAL point guard along the way, would not be playing today. He is great sometimes, but his inconsisency is disheartening. Sid grew up under Valvano influence. When Whittenberg broke his foot, Ernie Meyers stepped in and was a sensation. When Whitt healed and came back, Valvano benched Ernie and told him that if the same thing happened to him in his Senior year that happened to Whitt, he would appreciate what was happening. Ernie never lived up to his potential, but the rest is history.

    NOT giving Sid a chance to develop his team next year would be a miscarriage of justice. We are starting a Senior who just came off a 6 week knee injury and appears to be doing well, but he has his moments.

    We have a Junior that has all the basketball smarts of a coach and is a good shooter and an excellent defender. But he has his droughts….but Sid can leave him in a game with 3 fouls and know he will play tough and smart.

    We have THREE freshmen who were superstars and are having difficulty in learning that they each, respectively, are NOT the one person that can “save any game”. When we get behind, they have to actually surpress their “I will do it all….give me the ball” attitude. That in itself slows down their moves. As they mature, they will, collectively be a force to be reckoned with.

    We have some upper classmen that have started or had a lot of PT who are giving that up to Freshmen. It will take time for the team to gell.

    I DO agree with the comments about Towe and Strickland. As MUCH as I love Towe, he as NOT been the bench asset that Sid needed. If you rate our overall Player talent, they are a good 7 or 8…but the coaching staff is a 4 or 5, at the highest.

    Cutting side loose and then watching a NEW coach excel next year would be a crime. If the freshmen, assuming they stay, do NOT make a great team next year, then it is SID’s fault.

    This is madness…..

  25. rawolf 01/22/2011 at 3:06 PM #

    Well lets see Frist 4 Lowe (71-62) Frist 4 K (62-57) Dont look that much better. K may have got it his fifth year but he had collage time before Duke Lowe had no collage time coach wise. Not to much of a youngster 46 years old, so I have seen States glory days

Leave a Reply