Ya Gotta Know What Ya Don’t Know

There are many topics that I know a lot about. I know how to cook a whole hog for example. And I also know a lot of facts about the athletic history of NC State. Once while on a long drive with my wife, I kept her awake by recanting every State-Carolina football game from the last 30 years. She calls this information RUK – random useless knowledge. While I clearly have lots of RUK, there are plenty of things I don’t know. I can’t fly an airplane. I can’t build anything. I don’t know how to play guitar.

And, I don’t have the first clue of what the professional criteria should be in hiring a basketball coach.

Judging by recent posts on the StateFans Nation forums, Facebook and other corners of the “internets,” such self-awareness of knowing what we don’t know is rare among the Wolfpack faithful.

Consider the manic pendulum that swung back and forth last week. Early in the week, the StateFans Nation servers nearly blew up because of rumors that the supposed Wolfpack legend in waiting Rick Barnes was on the ground in the Triangle area. Then we got all riled up over Sean Miller and once his father seemingly took Miller’s name out of contention, the roller coaster careened downhill. But wait! Look at this Shaka Smart fellow! Man, he really put it to Kansas. He’d be a GREAT hire!

Yes, some of this is a little tongue in cheek but the point is this; There are a gazillion factors in hiring a major college basketball coach. And the great majority of those factors are things that the average fan doesn’t know by judging a win-loss record or watching games on television. We are making strong judgments based largely on perception.

Rick Barnes may be the perfect fit for the Wolfpack basketball program. But I’m not going to say that based on the fact that he made people in Austin pay attention to a winter sport and once got face-to-face with El Deano.

Sean Miller may be the savior to return Wolfpack basketball to the glory years that we all crave so desperately. But I’m not going to say that based on the fact that he brought a perennial PAC-10 heavyweight back to prominence.

Shaka Smart may be the next incarnation of Jim Valvano. But I’m not going to say that based on knowing his name for just under two weeks of a hot NCAA tournament run.

I imagine that as Athletic Director Debbie Yow gets down to business with these or any other candidates for the coaching position, they’ll talk about things such as; managing a team budget, empowering assistants, motivating players both in the classroom and on the court, willingness to do public appearances, etc. Those factors are just the few that came to my admittedly ignorant mind as I tried to think up what I might ask a coach if I were in Yow’s  shoes.

I don’t want to be a wet blanket. I’ve been hitting the F5 button multiple times an hour just like all of our StateFans Nation readers. Keeping up with the latest rumor and swapping opinions is fun! However, we have to know what we don’t know.

Hiring Billy Donovan will not guarantee a return to glory. Nor will hiring Shaka Smart mean that we are doomed. All that we can do is cross our fingers and hope that this time, we got it right.  Only time will tell.  Given what I’ve seen from Debbie Yow, I like our chances for success.

But even that’s just a perception isn’t it?

About SMD

SMD graduated from NC State at a time when beating UNC-CH in both major revenue sports was a regular occurrence. This was well before a time when I could express my frustrated attempts at being a writer on the "internets." When I'm not talking about the Pack, I'm probably arguing politics.

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30 Responses to Ya Gotta Know What Ya Don’t Know

  1. NCSU_CEM_2002 03/28/2011 at 12:15 PM #

    Excellent perspective…

    I just hope DY is taking the extreme drop in my productivity into consideration with the timing of the hire.

  2. frankiepack 03/28/2011 at 12:23 PM #

    Everyone is saying they like our chances because of DY. Is this becuase of her? Or is it more about the fool whose place she took?

  3. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 03/28/2011 at 12:24 PM #

    The Unknown

    As we know,
    There are known knowns.
    There are things we know we know.
    We also know
    There are known unknowns.
    That is to say
    We know there are some things
    We do not know.
    But there are also unknown unknowns,
    The ones we don’t know
    We don’t know.
    -D. Rumsfeld

  4. frankiepack 03/28/2011 at 12:24 PM #

    Everyone is saying they like our chances because of DY. Is this becuase of her? Or is it more about the fool whose place she took?

  5. highstick 03/28/2011 at 12:24 PM #

    Good one and spot on! I can help you a little, and I mean very little with the guitar, but I can’t help DY at all except to give her my support..

  6. Howler 03/28/2011 at 12:29 PM #

    Good stuff. And the nice thing about this time is that we have decent talent assuming everyone stays. Makes it easier to evaluate whoever is hired.

  7. Howler 03/28/2011 at 12:32 PM #

    As an interesting aside one thing I did not know was what my F5 key was for. Thanks for educating me.

  8. packmanncsu 03/28/2011 at 12:53 PM #

    frankiepack Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:23 pm Everyone is saying they like our chances because of DY. Is this becuase of her? Or is it more about the fool whose place she took?

    ———————————————————————

    Both. While still at Maryland she attempted to replace 2 coaches whose productivity was on the decline, she just didn’t have the support she needed. One has been fired by the new AD and the other is apparently facing increased scrutiny from the school and fans. She is a forward thinking AD which bodes well for us. She may be difficult to work for, but she has restored competence to our athletic programs, and people on the outside looking in have noticed this and it makes coming to Raleigh a much more appealing proposition than before.

    So far, while at NCSU, she has recruited a top 5 soccer coach from a well known program to take the keys here. She handled the dismissal of our last basketball coach who was also a basketball program legend about as well as anyone on the face of the earth could have. She has continued to say the right things, but more importantly, she is following up her words with actions, that are necessary and truthful, yet respectful.

    I am very optimistic about this hire, mainly because she is now in charge, but also because some of the jobs that are seen as “competition” for a hire are being filled by (perceived) non-candidates for our opening.

  9. Wufpacker 03/28/2011 at 1:04 PM #

    Folks that routinely don’t get the job done find it difficult to work for just about anyone. Just sayin’.

  10. SMD 03/28/2011 at 1:07 PM #

    My last point in the posting that my opinion of Debbie Yow is largely perception, was really meant to get ahead of any smarty-pants who might say – “aren’t you judging Yow’s competence without all the knowledge as well?”

    While that’s true – I’ll have to say that her track record so far gives us a pretty good (albeit not complete) idea about her competence. Setting aside the last basketball hiring blunder, Lee Fowler never did many of the basic things that Yow seems to understand are a fundamental part of the job. She shows some spirit and responds to the fans (aka customers) personally.

    Do I have reams of specific knowledge to judge her competence? No. But boy do I like what I’ve seen so far.

  11. PackMan97 03/28/2011 at 1:08 PM #

    I agree with packmanncsu. I look our chances both because Fowler’s not leading the way and that we now have Woodson and Yow to take charge.

    From what I can tell, Yow is a lot like that college professor that was very demanding. Sure, all the slackers hated him. But those that loved to learn and loved to get better thought he was the best professor they had ever had. Yow reminds me a lot of that. She demands a lot from herself and her coaches. Those that aren’t cutting the mustard, yes she is indeed hard to work for. Isn’t that they way it’s supposed to be?

  12. hdhntr91 03/28/2011 at 1:22 PM #

    The names of Barnes, Donovan, Miller etc all sound great. But I would want to understand why someone like Donovan would want to leave his current situation. Money? AD? FANS? etc. Just because a “Donovan”, in theory, wants to come to State, I, as an AD, would want to understand his reasons and I would also ask the search firm the same quesitons and look for consistency. That is why you pay a Fee. Put all the issues in the open and then make an informed decision regardless of the name/reputation/w/l record.

  13. freshmanin83 03/28/2011 at 1:24 PM #

    A good level headed read. Thanks.

  14. quypack93 03/28/2011 at 1:37 PM #

    the last five, six posts are good stuff. no board monkey materials.

  15. drgreenhouse 03/28/2011 at 2:00 PM #

    SMD – Great post reflecting what many of us have been trying to say trying to say for the last few weeks – Be patient and let the process take care of itself.

  16. Lunatic Fringe 03/28/2011 at 2:08 PM #

    Building on SMDs point, Yow is handling this like a good coach/manager would from the start. You get better and become excellent by soon the little things right first and build on those things throughout.

    I am speaking to listening to fan base, building a system to gain feedback, and taking action. It may not mean a lot to those outside program to have students reassigned to more strategic positions of football stadium, embracing novelty things like allowing Tuffy to roam sidelines, STATE on the jerseys, or opening up extra gate during football games.

    It means a lot to me as a fan and aren’t we the ones that matter. It is that simple understanding that Yow possesses that makes me willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

  17. wufpaxno1 03/28/2011 at 2:14 PM #

    I think Yow has handled the search for “our next coach” very well to date and I would be “Shaka’d” if she did not make a very “Smart” decision when it comes to our next head basketball Coach. I am sure that she has considered all of the best alternatives “from Virginia” to California and that she will make her selection based upon a “Common Wealth” of information and in the best interest of the “University” and all of its fan base. Though, I would not even begin to venture an opinion of who it should/could be.

  18. topwater 03/28/2011 at 2:21 PM #

    thank you for a great post……..its all a PROCESS!

    I have been mocking the Pitino coming to NCSU theory. The guy loves horse racing and owns horses. Further…..Why would a man who already received death threats for leaving Kentucky, then get them again for going to rival Louisville now piss off the entire state to go to NCSU? He would never be able to return.. people in Kentucky are nuts….trust me, my wife is from there.

    I havent seen it posted on here but Sean Miller just donated $250,000 to build his own facilities at Az less than a year ago? Why was he our front runner?

    I also agree with Howler — I too didnt know what the F5 button was for…

  19. mwcric 03/28/2011 at 2:23 PM #

    Today’s two posts are AWESOME and I want to thank both you and VaWolf82 for the much-needed perspective. Truer posts have never been authored. We fans get the games on TV, the coaches shows, and the talking heads fighting for ratings. The ADs get everything, and it is imperative that we give the folks with those titles the benefit of the doubt (granted, due to our recent track records with ADs that’s tough to do).

    In the end, Yow and the athletic department are beholden to the NCSU faculty, staff, students and boosters, and to the fan base inasmuch as establishing a good relationship to put fannies in seats and sell Wolfpack product. She does not have to answer to the media or hire a big name to prove anything to anyone, and she does not have to listen to the bazillions of suggestions we’ve all thrown at her based on the games we watch on TV and what ESPN tells us.

    Trust in the process, and trust in the judgement and don’t worry about the name.

    Keep up the great work SFN.

  20. Wufpacker 03/28/2011 at 2:26 PM #

    ” ..its all a PROCESS! ”

    Yes. Honor the process and keep chopping wood. No, wait….

  21. PoppaJohn 03/28/2011 at 2:56 PM #

    Nice post …
    The only thing I have heard from the media to date that I think has any substance was the quote from the supposed “insider” who said something like “Kudos to Debbie Yow for keeping her search quiet. I know some of the player and still don’t know what’s going on.”

    So far what do we have to judge her on? She said it would be quiet. (check) She said it would take time. (check) She said that her targets were in the NCAAT so that would have to play out. (wip) She said she had a list and would go hard after them. (I have to believe that is happening – and I doubt Shaka was on that list)

    I think she also said we should be patient…

  22. ADVENTUROO 03/28/2011 at 3:01 PM #

    Debbie (Frau) Yow is a very SMART lady and a professional. I like her style, once I got to know it. I trust her and will give her check marks, so far.

    BUT, if she teaches our fans (me and some here) PATIENCE, I will personally write the Pope and nominate her for immediate Sainthood.

  23. LKNpackfan 03/28/2011 at 3:03 PM #

    “manic pendulum”. Love that.

  24. Wufpacker 03/28/2011 at 3:08 PM #

    ” BUT, if she teaches our fans (me and some here) PATIENCE, I will personally write the Pope and nominate her for immediate Sainthood. ”

    Nice 🙂

  25. PoppaJohn 03/28/2011 at 3:12 PM #

    Roo- hilarious

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