Debbie speaks

Dear Wolfpack Family,

I am writing to share with you the status of the search for our new head coach for men’s basketball. There have been telephone conversations with successful coaches that did not develop into meetings — sometimes because we did not wish to pursue those coaches further and sometimes because the coach involved is happy where he is.

The conversations have been candid. We have not tried to sugarcoat the challenge of rebuilding our basketball program. Our absence for 5 consecutive years from the NCAA Tournament was noted by each coach as evidence that the program is in poor shape and will require a special effort to rebuild.

Finding a coach with the fight and fire to do this job has been a challenge. That said, we will find an excellent college coach who shares the vision of what State Basketball can become and is up for the challenge.

I realize there are multiple rumors surfacing about the nature of the search on websites and in newspapers. Once our new coach is hired, I will be in a position to bring perspective to a number of those rumors. But, right now, we need to remain focused on finding a talented collegiate coach who is a fighter, full of confidence and appreciation for the opportunity to lead our basketball program back to national prominence.

That will happen in spite of those who believe this cannot occur.

Wolfpack Basketball is destined for a revival. We will accept no less. Please keep the faith while we continue the search. Your emails and text messages of support have meant everything to me. I am blessed to be your AD.

In the Spirit of the Pack,
Debbie

About BAM

I grew up on Jones Franklin Rd with a Wolfpack banner hanging over my bed. UNCW class of 2001.

Debbie Yow

210 Responses to Debbie speaks

  1. Cncstatefan17 04/05/2011 at 12:40 AM #

    I don’t understand why everyone views this as a negative thing. I think it’s great that Debbie has chosen to communicate with the “Wolfpack Family”. She’s a class act and should be commended for it. In no way does this letter say we are throwing in the towell.

    We should all just calm down and see what happens. There are hundreds of great coaches out there and we should not pressure Yow into making a poor decision.

  2. bTHEredterror 04/05/2011 at 12:42 AM #

    Wish it was April Fool’s day….oh well, ADITL of a Pack fan.

  3. JeremyH 04/05/2011 at 12:49 AM #

    I agree with your last sentence Cncstate17. That would be where we went wrong, having our AD panic (maybe because of the fanbase) and do a quick hire that would make them happy.

    Trust me, I remember the day Sid was announced, and I remember all the games we trudged through, and I remember the dismal 5th year where it was clear that the man should never have been put in that position in the first place.

    Yes, please don’t rush it, and at least get a C lister : )

  4. PackAche 04/05/2011 at 12:52 AM #

    We have some decent talent on the team. Some decent talent coming in. How many of these kids are going to stick around for a coach they never heard of?

    I wish i could just click on the cheap caribean advertisement that is perpetually on the right and disappear to some remote island somewhere until a coach is hired in August.

  5. Whiteshoes67 04/05/2011 at 12:56 AM #

    Need of a quality coach is more important than retaining undeveloped talent and/or hiring a coach that an 18-22 year old has heard of.

  6. hoop 04/05/2011 at 12:57 AM #

    At this point, hiring Bruce Pearl would be a huge relief.

  7. Wufpacker 04/05/2011 at 1:01 AM #

    ” How many of these kids are going to stick around for a coach they never heard of? ”

    Depends upon the coach and the kid(s). I wouldn’t necessarily presume that a lesser known coach will lose players/recruits. Any that leave without at least getting to know the guy (whoever he turns out to be) probably weren’t the biggest assets to team play to begin with.

  8. Whiteshoes67 04/05/2011 at 1:02 AM #

    May have to start looking at top assistants now, even if that’s not the ideal route. I was adamantly opposed to that course, but it may be the best option at this point.

  9. JeremyH 04/05/2011 at 1:03 AM #

    I’d take Bruce Pearl. Let him turn over a new leaf.

    It is a tough job though. 5 straight NCAA tournaments is a pretty good accomplishment..

  10. Wufpacker 04/05/2011 at 1:03 AM #

    The only one who’d be relieved if we hired Bruce Pearl is Bruce Pearl.

  11. wufpup76 04/05/2011 at 1:09 AM #

    Bruce Pearl is untoucable at this point. Tainted goods.

    The NCAA hasn’t ruled on him and he may yet suffer the show-cause penalty. Completely untouchable.

  12. hoop 04/05/2011 at 1:11 AM #

    Well, Bruce Pearl is better than the coach we have.

  13. JeremyH 04/05/2011 at 1:14 AM #

    A poster on ACC Now said that Marshall is only staying at Wichita State because we made Smart a higher priority. Make sense to me.. is it true?

  14. Wufpacker 04/05/2011 at 1:18 AM #

    I think Kelvin Sampson’s show-cause ends in a year a two…anyone?

  15. hoop 04/05/2011 at 1:20 AM #

    JeremyH wrote:
    A poster on ACC Now said that Marshall is only staying at Wichita State because we made Smart a higher priority. Make sense to me.. is it true?

    We’ll never know. But if talk of coach’s huge egos are to be believed, it’s definitely possible.

    Doesn’t make sense though. Marshall has to know that:
    Final Four > NIT Champion

    It’s like #4 in the nation vs #69. He has to know he’s second fiddle.

  16. Manu Ginobili 04/05/2011 at 1:23 AM #

    I have no idea where all of this is going to end up, but I am really surprised that there are mid-major coaches out there saying ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to $2 million plus a year for an ACC gig.

    There is something else going on here, first three potential coaches denying interest in the same afternoon. Then a suspicious pessimistic letter (nowhere to be found in GoPack or the State website) sent in the middle of the tournament final.

  17. hoop 04/05/2011 at 1:25 AM #

    It was intentionally sent during the Championship game to bury it. Typical PR timing. Wolfpack fans take not and no one else.

    The fact that it’s been several hours since it was sent and no one from NC State refuted it makes it real.

    It’s a really bad letter. A huge PR blunder. I expect more from Yow.

    You can tell everyone we’re at square one again without insulting the program.

  18. Astral Rain 04/05/2011 at 1:46 AM #

    Next step- offer Randy Bennett.

  19. Tuffy2 04/05/2011 at 1:52 AM #

    hoop, the letter is on Rival.com dated april 4th 9:54pm and is from the Wolfpacker.com. So it has been acknowledged by NC State.

  20. hoop 04/05/2011 at 1:55 AM #

    Tuffy2, not sure of your point except to back up what I already said.

  21. BJD95 04/05/2011 at 2:18 AM #

    Perhaps to deflect attention from a big hire to be announced later this week. I wouldn’t have sent the letter but I do still expect a big hire announced this week.

    Otherwise, You has really screwed up and deserves all the scorn she gets. Period.

  22. hoop 04/05/2011 at 2:21 AM #

    BJD,

    I have no idea why she would send that awful letter if she already had hired someone.

    The friggin national championship game is being played while she sent that letter out. No need to deflect anything as that game is already a deflection.

    There is a good reason she sent it out during the championship game. To deflect attention from the fact that we are at square one again.

    I was firmly in the ‘we have our man’ boat until that awful letter.

    We have nothing.

  23. wufpup76 04/05/2011 at 2:22 AM #

    ^I’m just not feeling that optimistic (re: big hire).

    I’m glad you still feel this is a hope (even an expectation) … there’s always hope.

    The letter read like it was matter of fact though: “We’re really having trouble here and this program is in terrible shape.”

  24. hoop 04/05/2011 at 2:23 AM #

    A top 5 recruiting class last year and we need to “rebuild”?????

    WTF.

  25. Wufpacker 04/05/2011 at 2:38 AM #

    Yeah, Tuffy2….all this excitement has conflusled you. It was Manu (and others) that seemed to be holding out hope for the “forgery” theory.

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