Retractions and Apologies from "Donovan in Raleigh" sources

A quick update on last night’s entry that detailed erroneous reports of Billy Donovan’s presence in Raleigh or his intention to travel to Raleigh.

I referenced a radio report that was proven incorrect by ESPN’s Dave Telep.

Additionally, I referenced a report from a Syracuse graduate student that Billy Donovan was in Raleigh. According to one of our posters BAM, the grad student (Mike Lederer) issued him this apology via email today:

I just wanted to write to you to personally apologize for incorrectly reporting that Billy Donovan was in Raleigh yesterday interviewing for the N.C. State coaching vacancy. I based my story on sources which I felt were credible at the time and unfortunately did not do enough due diligence to verify the news as fact. I should have known better since I was initially skeptical upon hearing the news but I ran with the story anyway.

I obviously can’t apologize to everyone who read the story but since you commented I just wanted to let you know that I am truly sorry.

I promise to work harder moving forward and I vow not to let this happen again. Thank you for visiting the site and once again, I am sorry.

Best of luck to your Wolfpack!

Mike Lederer

Additionally, NC State website PackInsiders has backed off of their report yesterday on Billy Donovan:

So what does this mean? Well #1 and #2 we stand by, will always stand by and know to be true. No doubt about it. What we are now forced to backtrack on is our belief that he was in Raleigh. Twenty minutes after that phone call informing us that Donovan was heard to be heading to Raleigh, ESPN radio in Florida says the same thing. So did we jump the gun by feeling confident? Well, unlike the first two pieces of info, we hadn’t had this verified by another source close to us. We used ESPNRadio’s tweet to solidify our stance. At that point we felt our information was likely fact and we posted it.

33 Responses to Retractions and Apologies from “Donovan in Raleigh” sources

dsgill87 03/30/2011 at 5:44 PM #

This Billy Donovan thing is so curious.. it seems like he had some interest in the job and may have been checking it out but never really intended to take it. If so, I can’t fault him for that.. I think it speaks highly of the program and the AD. Flirting with a program is not really a big deal, as long as it is kept (mostly) under wraps, unlike last time.

I think Shaka would be a good hire; someone else will poach him from VCU if we don’t.. that place breeds coaches huh? I’m really a huge Brad Stevens fan but I’m guessing he isn’t interested in leaving Butler.

It will be very interesting to read an expose when this is all over to know what was really going down.
Wufpacker 03/30/2011 at 5:45 PM #

I’m not convinced most of them could have gotten accepted. I never would have thunk it that we have some Walmart fans out there, but it seems to be so.
chriscgray 03/30/2011 at 6:00 PM #

Guy’s it is pretty obvious that it is to our advantage that the situation is hush hush. We want to be able to persue our candidates without a lot of plublicity because it helps the adminstration do their job without creating outside noise. Basketball is still going on, and we do not want to show all of our cards if secondary options are still coaching. Who know’s what order our candidates are in for consideration, but it only helps that when their names are brought up they are able to give us a yes or no answer. Not just an answer that is politically correct, such as sean miller’s.
61Packer 03/30/2011 at 7:22 PM #

Is Friday April Fool’s Day, or April Fools’ Day?
BJD95 03/30/2011 at 7:56 PM #

I don’t think it’s arbitrary, coaches (and DY) will all head to F4. We would normally want our new coach to be the buzz heading into that. It’s not a great place to conduct clandestine discussions out of the public eye. If we wait past this week, pretty clear it’s Shaka Smart or bust. That scares me a good bit.
MattN 03/30/2011 at 8:01 PM #

I’m calling it. The A-listers are “no”. We’ll wait for Marshall/Smart next week…
roandaddy 03/30/2011 at 8:10 PM #

I got $10 that says Donovan was “lobbying” for Smart and it has somehow turned into he was asking about the job based on our hopes and dreams. That is my two cents from a complete “outsider” prospective.

If I had to bet on a dark horse from the A list, it would be Barnes. I could still see that happening.
john of sparta 03/30/2011 at 8:11 PM #

MattN: can i play, too?
this is like filling out brackets.
final four: Shaka, Plan B, Assistant Coach, and Crapout.
all the #1 seeds lost in the quarterfinals.