Dave Glenn reports Barnes staying at Texas & recap of Tuesday’s wild Internet speculation

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Note: Some of this entry was written last night. If you want to go straight to Dave Glenn’s Wed. update on our search, then go here and read the rest of the entry later.

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This entire entry could be a big waste of time because at this point we haven’t been able to verify the truth of any of the speculation we are about to make or the rumors we are about to point you towards. While it would be no surprise to SFN that Rick Barnes would have interest in coming to NC State, information on the search has been scarce and extremely hard to come by.

At times over the last few weeks we have thought we had a good feel for what was happening and the direction of the search. Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that guys like Sean Miller who previously coached at NC State and Rick Barnes would eventually be targets of Debbie Yow. The order and the timing of how Yow dealt with the “big name” candidates was uncertain with several of these name coaches still in the NCAA tournament while at least one(Rick Barnes) was eliminated this past Sunday.

Yesterday afternoon was the first spike in Internet speculation that something was officially happening with the search. There are many critics of message boards, but as I pointed out with the UNC scandal very often big stories break on message boards and very often random posters on the Internet have the real story way before the media.

-Yesterday on Twitter, Dave Glenn of the ACC Sports Journal stated that he would have an update on the NC State coaching search posted shortly. He already had a story on the GT coaching search that we linked here.

-On Tuesday, I listened to Dave Glenn educate local callers that it was completely realistic that Barnes and Miller were candidates stating that he has known both coaches for 10 years and talked with them many times. Despite callers saying it was unrealistic and that NC State fans should be talking about mid-majors, Glenn was adamant that as long as Miller and Barnes haven’t said no then they are still candidates. If you will remember, then last week Glenn detailed how Uncle Jed bungled the coaching search five years ago especially in how we handled the courtship of Rick Barnes. Without Fowler in charge of the search 5 years ago, then it is likely the Sidney Lowe era never happens.

-On Monday, a normally reliable poster started this thread stating that Rick Barnes was to be in Raleigh at some point in the near future. This seemed to spark additional rumors about Barnes including potential sitings at the airport and on campus. In the age of cell phones, it is surprising that if Barnes really was on campus that someone didn’t snap a picture or shoot a video verifying his presence in Raleigh.

-Packpride runs their profile of Rick Barnes Tuesday afternoon. Coincidence? Then Packpride hosts a “Premium Chat” at 2:40 pm Tuesday which leads to more speculation and the spreading of additional rumors on Twitter and message boards about Barnes.

-Late yesterday afternoon/early evening www.packinsider.com posted this update:

We are unsure of what exactly that meeting was about, but the source, who previously said that he didn’t think Barnes was interested in the NC State position, has switched his tone and is now claiming that the current Texas coach is indeed looking very closely at the Wolfpack opening. Again, this is a source on the Barnes side which is how we were able to obtain this information.

*Update: To clarify, our source said nothing about Barnes NOT being in Raleigh. So if he was here yesterday or this morning, we don’t know about it. However, we’ve been told that he was not here this afternoon.

Read the full update. There is some Sean Miller information as well.

-This past Saturday, SFN ran with this entry on Rick Barnes. which was prompted by rumors on our message boards over the weekend of an offer to Barnes:

OK Rick said post it…I just wanted to be sure this site wasn’t like some others that want to keep everything hush hush because they’re scared it’ll cause anothe debacle like the last search if info slips out.

I was told by someone very close to the basketball team that we offered Rick Barnes yesterday. I hope he accepts! I was also told that C. J. Leslie will most likely not return next season. He most likely will declare for the draft but a transfer is also possible.

-What ever happened to Tuesday’s update from www.accsports.com and Dave Glenn? It was delayed until this morning:

DavidGlennShow David Glenn Show
@
@BKG1975 it will be in the morning…as we said on the show today things change all the time during these searches. I’ll tweet the link.

-Finally, Dave Glenn’s update just appeared minutes ago:

Arizona’s Sean Miller and Virginia Commonwealth’s Shaka Smart are among those who remain factors in the N.C. State coaching search, but Texas coach Rick Barnes no longer is in the mix, according to multiple sources in the college basketball coaching community.

“We all know this search wasn’t going to move forward until N.C. State found out where it stood with guys like Rick Barnes and Sean Miller,” an agent who works with college coaches told ACCSports.com. “Kudos to (State officials) for doing everything so quietly. I don’t even claim to know the details, and I know some of the people involved here. But Rick Barnes definitely is staying at Texas, so that search can start to take shape now.”

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112 Responses to Dave Glenn reports Barnes staying at Texas & recap of Tuesday’s wild Internet speculation

  1. tnoskilz 03/23/2011 at 11:58 AM #

    While I do understand an initial reluctance with any candidate that doesn’t have enough history to use as comparison (everyone likes to have longer periods of sample data for analysis), but I do think that there is enough positive short-term data on Shaka Smart as a coach to keep from considering our search as a failure if he’s who we get. There is risk involved, but every candidate we are talking about carries risk in different areas. I do think everyone knows that we have less history to look at with him, so why don’t we look more closely at what we do know about him based on his short history and by watching him coach this team in the tournament. So far I am seeing a coach that I think could come in and do well with what we have here.

  2. rtpack24 03/23/2011 at 12:02 PM #

    DY is doing a super job of keeping the search quiet. Everything you hear or read is pure speculation. At this point I do not think DY is sharing too much information with the selection staff.

  3. cardiacpack14 03/23/2011 at 12:04 PM #

    This is my list of what I feel are realistic hires:
    Miller – homerun
    Stevens – homerun
    Grant – homerun
    Turgeon – solid
    Mack – solid
    Brownell – solid

    For those not sold on Grant, look at his record at VCU and his 12-4 finish in the SEC this year. And now look at the drop-off at VCU since Smart has taken over, where his top 5 players are 4 seniors and a junior. Smart is totally unproven, and VERY risky.

  4. compsciwolf 03/23/2011 at 12:07 PM #

    Just read the DG article – it reads mostly like per speculation. It really isn’t even clear what happened with Rick Barnes.

    With a coaching search you expect speculation. 6 years ago it was speculation that everyone knew to be true. This time, it’s speculation that no one has any idea if it’s true.

    We’re not going to get over the impression Fowler created over night, but I think the way DY is handling this search will go a long way towards it.

    I suspect that we won’t know the true story of what happened in this coaching search until well after a coach is hired.

  5. TomCat 03/23/2011 at 12:10 PM #

    I find it hard to believe, Yow hasn’t been tweaking a list of attributes to be successful in this league and a list of head basketball coaching candidates — since the day she took this job. If she hasn’t…. that would be highly disappointing.
    This isn’t the same job we had to sell 5 years ago. That is reality. The past 5 years has taken us further and further from any sustained success in the past. Fotunately as a counter-weight, Fowler is no longer doing the “selling.” Yow is a basketball person and I’m sure she will take a shot at several candidates on the top wish list such as Miller, Barnes, etc. but the bottom line is—- this team needs a candidate with less name and more substance. One with energy one who will teach and improve the kids in a system which will be competitive in the ACC. Look at where Boston College and Clemson’s new coaches came from. One any of you argue those weren’t solid hires? I know we want to SKIP all the steps and find another Norm Sloan or Everette Case to make us instantly relevant in the national title hunt — but WAKE UP. We have a great deal of brick-building to do first. I hope we hire a guy with grit, hunger and dicipline to develop a team. I absolutely LOVE some of the rising guys in the Big East, the coach, at Marquette, for example. If you want to hire a marquee name, good for you. I’m not interested at ALL in a beauty pageant hire. Need a substance hire. Either a top number 2 somewhere who is “Getting – IT D0NE” for his head coach, or steal a riser from somewhere with MORE THAN A TWO-WEEK RUN of success —- at the new leader of the Pack. It is going to be stressful but it appears at least Yow is walking throught the right paces to get us there. My thoughts, for what it’s worth.

  6. Howler 03/23/2011 at 12:20 PM #

    TomCat,

    I agree that a big name should not be our top priority, but I personally don’t want a current assistant as our next head coach, and I don’t think DY does either. There is risk with any hire, but I think there is an unacceptable level of risk in hiring a current assistant, just like there was an unacceptable level of risk five years ago in hiring a coach with no college coaching experience.

  7. MP 03/23/2011 at 12:43 PM #

    A few thoughts:

    1. David Glenn first and foremost cares about David Glenn. The tip on Barnes staying at UT is probably legitimate, but most of what he writes can be attributed to speculation and trying to ‘create’ news at this point.

    2. I did not realize Bob Knight commented on Debbie Yow re: search firm. I used to have a lot of respect for BK. Now I think he is a self-serving ass and should shove his opinion up himself. He probably thinks that DY should offer his son the freaking job.

    3. I can’t wait to hear the next ‘secret’. Or maybe you can’t call it a ‘secret’ if you post in on a blog…

  8. wolfie91 03/23/2011 at 12:46 PM #

    I believe Yow will try to get the best coach possible. That being said, she can’t make anyone come here who doesn’t want to. But I don’t believe she’s going to take no for an answer. She just doesn’t seem like that type of person.

  9. Lock 03/23/2011 at 1:13 PM #

    The Shaka Smart comment is VERY interesting.

    But you other guys are right. Too much of a gamble. Hard to say what we’d get from some of these mid-majors from schools like VCU, Xavier, Iona….

    (Look, if we don’t get the A list, I’m okay with taking a chance. The next great coach has to be found somewhere.)

  10. Howler 03/23/2011 at 1:15 PM #

    MP

    When was it exactly that Bobby Knight was not a self-serving ass? If you’ve never seen his outtakes from a golf instruction video that he did several years ago, you should go to youtube and search for “Bobby Knight and Golf”. It will blow your mind what an ass he is.

  11. Howler 03/23/2011 at 1:16 PM #

    Lock,

    Iona has been good to us in the past.

  12. Lock 03/23/2011 at 1:17 PM #

    This bit, however, is very reassuring.

    “Meanwhile, N.C. State has absolutely no interest in recently dismissed Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, according to multiple sources.”

    Also wishing we HAD offered Miller last time…but then I know I’m not alone on that.

  13. packalum44 03/23/2011 at 1:24 PM #

    Four possibilities:

    – Rick said no thanks but will not publicly embarrass us by making it public.

    – Glen’s sources, like everyone’s sources, are wrong.

    – DY flirted with him but talks fizzled out as she is confident of landing Miller/Donnovan/Stevens.

    – We are pathetic and should quit fooling ourselves. We will never land a name coach.

  14. BJD95 03/23/2011 at 1:24 PM #

    Bobby Knight has been an absolute caricature and self-serving ass for at least the last 10-15 years. Perhaps longer.

  15. Par Shooter 03/23/2011 at 1:28 PM #

    I have not seen VCU play much all year but the last 6 minutes of the Purdue game were very interesting to me. Here they were with about a 14 pt lead and yet they kept running and just absolutely put their foot on Purdue’s throat. Everytime they flashed to Smart he appeared to be totally in control of the moment, much as Brad Stephens appears to be.

    A lot of coaches, regardless of experience level, would have gone into a shell at that point and tried to run clock, etc. It was the biggest game of his life to date and yet he did not appear to hesitate in his approach. He trusted his players and absolutely turned them loose and they basically ran Purdue out of the gym. THAT is what I want in our next coach. A guy who is self-assured enough to turn it loose when you have your opponent down instead of playing scared and hoping to hang on for a 2 pt win. It also speaks to how much he trusts his players and this is something that I think has been sorely lacking here for 15 years. Players respect coaches who trust them and I don’t think Herb/Sid ever got that.

    I saw the end of the Memphis/Arizona game as well. Let’s just say that if you watched the ends of those 2 games without knowing who was coaching which team (between Miller and Smart), you would never give Miller a second chance. Now obviously, there are a lot of factors besides end game situations from 2 tourney games; however, the way your team handles those situations late in a huge game where it’s win or go home says a ton about your preparation all season. It just does.

  16. Rochester 03/23/2011 at 1:39 PM #

    Wonder how much the opinion shifts on Smart if VCU makes the Elite 8/Final 4. I like the guy. Maybe not first choice, but I don’t consider it a failure if he’s our next coach. He probably could have had our current roster in the Sweet 16 this year.

    If Miller really did want our job last time and Fowler wouldn’t offer him, maybe a tarring-and-feathering is in order down at the lake. Reminds me of when Steve Blake wanted to come to State, but Herb preferred Cliff Crawford.

  17. Par Shooter 03/23/2011 at 1:44 PM #

    Rochester,
    I would think that if VCU were to somehow make the Final 4 then Shaka Smart becomes this year’s Brad Stephens.

  18. pakfanistan 03/23/2011 at 2:00 PM #

    As far as I can tell, there’s really no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to hiring a coach.

    Everybody comes with varying levels of uncertainty. See a coach doing awesome at Xavier, remember Pete Gillen, have a coach ride a hot streak to the final four, think Paul Hewitt…

    I mean, FSU is in the sweet sixteen D:

  19. JT 03/23/2011 at 2:19 PM #

    Big name isn’t a huge deal- every one of the names I’ve seen are big enough; I see no reason to fixate on any 2 or 3 candidates. Barnes would have been welcome but if he doesn’t come I think we dodged a bullet, an established coach who is absolutely inferior to the coaches up the road (except at Wake). If Yow sees something truly special in Smart, I’ll roll with it. A 34 year old VCU coach isn’t the obvious way to go, but who knows? There isn’t a name that’s been floated recently that would represent a failed search.
    The one thing I do know is that Yow is already proving to be far superior to Fowler, and success in this field starts at the top.

  20. nav 03/23/2011 at 2:21 PM #

    ^With each successive gave that Smart wins he can feel his wallet getting fatter and fatter.

  21. Hamlet 03/23/2011 at 2:31 PM #

    Hats off to Debbie Yow. I believe Glen has almost ZERO information regarding our search and is merely grasping at straws, like everyone else.

    Still, it’s odd that I was told that “everyone would know Wednesday” about Barnes, and now we get this from DG. That might be a bit too coincidental.

    I have to admit that my nerves are getting a bit frayed. Pessimism resides at the core of any State fan.

  22. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 03/23/2011 at 2:54 PM #

    You got to love State fans. Upset with a young coach coming off at least the Sweet 16 and reportedly being pursued by schools with much more recent success than NC State.

    People that have no idea about the search or the interview process announcing a failure. Why the hell would any coach want to come when they know that you will be called a failure before you start. Much less when you have done more at age 32 than most of the proclaimers will do in their lives. If it wasn’t so sad and make NC State look like a joke it would be funny.

    Smart would not be hired simply by his 3 game run, which would usually put you in the final eight, it would because of many factors. I’m sure she would talk to Donovan and others, she would review his entire coaching history and she will conduct an interview.

    If Yow feels he is the best candidate available than I’ll take her word on it. I am willing to accept almost any coach if that coach survives Yow’s process.

    Yow doesn’t strike me as someone that gambles, so if she select Smart it isn’t on a crap shoot.

  23. MrPlywood 03/23/2011 at 2:58 PM #

    BTW, ESPN is now reporting that “sources” say that Mike Anderson WILL go to Arkansas after all. So who the hell knows about any of this until there’s ink on the contract?

  24. PackerInRussia 03/23/2011 at 3:01 PM #

    ^Exactly. No one ever has any interest until the deal is done. It’s almost mandatory that you express “no interest” before you can actually become a head coach somewhere. So, even that doesn’t rule anyone out.

  25. ShavlikLeague 03/23/2011 at 3:09 PM #

    Notice the date of Glenn’s posting?

    December 31, 1969

    Appears that http://www.accsports.com is hosted by Celito Communications Inc…zeroes, just like the date.

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