Burleson Anniversary

We’re big fans of looking back at history and randomly identifying anniversaries and such. In that light, I got the following quick email from a friend that I thought was interesting and needed to blog —

“I saw Tommy Burelson at the Marist game Friday (March 16th) and told my friend not to forget that Tommy played a big role in getting the ball rolling last year.

So, I went back into the SFN archives and look what I found that was blogged exactly one year ago on March 16, 2006 – Burleson says it’s time for a change.

The contrast of where we were on eyear ago with the current ‘Red Coact Revival’ that is exemplified by the fans’ passion and support on Friday night is unbelievable.”

At the time that Burleson made his comments, the Wolfpack was in Dallas preparing for their “5th NCAA Tournament appearace in a row” and their “9th ouster before the sweet 16 in 10 years” (so, the team was not aware of or impacted by Burleson’s comments). But, the administration (and coaching staff) hit the roof over the comments and there was a lot of talk of Burleson having received his last free ticket to a State game, etc, etc.

For those of you who are still learning your lessons on how to analyze things — you need to never forget that hitching your wagon to people/administrations is always a short term event. True Wolfpackers will always be around. The Todd Turner’s, Lee Fowler’s and Herb Sendek’s of the world will never be around as long as you will…or Tommy Burleson will.

Unfortunately, the direct URL to Burleson’s comments is no longer active. At the time of the interview, TexPack & BJD summarized TB’s comments as follows:

I listened to almost all of the interview this morning. Tommy was right on target. He was very respectful of Sendek. This will be hard for people to just ignore.

He’s also making very astute points about the limitations of our offense – basically saying it’s not how you compete at the highest level. Just how you get to pretty good.

A few choice quotes from TB:

“There’s gotta be some kind of change made…do something to get some peace in the valley.”

“You’ve got to keep the alumni happy.”

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34 Responses to Burleson Anniversary

  1. redfred2 03/18/2007 at 12:59 PM #

    He used his influence to do what he himself, along with a large majority of us totally “unrealistic” fans, thought was right. Got to admire the man for being the first former player to right come right out and say it.

  2. CaptainCraptacular 03/18/2007 at 1:01 PM #

    *When Avie Lester crawls out of the woodwork to make a stand and, now, the great Tommy Burleson……*

    topOtheorder said that early in that Burleson thread last year. I’m really curious now, what did Avie Lester say about the Herb situation?

  3. Pack92 03/18/2007 at 1:21 PM #

    SFN, you just had to mention Todd Turner. And we think (know) Fowler is bad. One of the BEST baseball coaches in the USA is now in Columbia, SC because he could not get lights for a D1 baseball field. The man, Ray Tanner, was an NC State alumni and bled red and white. He was also a proven winner as evidenced by his record coaching the Olympic team against for all practical purposes pro’s from other countries. I remember saying “in less than 5years the Gamecocks will be in the CWS”. It took 3.

    BTW, COach Avent is doing a great job and is moving our baseball in the right direction. Thanks for being there when we needed you Coach Avent AND Coach Lowe!

  4. class of 74 03/18/2007 at 1:38 PM #

    ^Speaking of Turner, what are the chances a NCSU grad will ever lead the athletic dept. at UNC? The answer: NEVER. Why has this always been a one way street? This is something I consider a bigger conspiracy than the so called media conspiracy everyone likes to bring up.

  5. Pack92 03/18/2007 at 1:46 PM #

    ^class of 74, of course they don’t want analytical, rational thinkers. And for sure no emotional ties to the University! UNX has proved that would never work…but wait, Swofford WAS a UNX grad!

    I really would like to have seen Chuck in that capacity. He would have been awesome at fundraising!

  6. skywalkerdt 03/18/2007 at 1:53 PM #

    I was not aware of this site at the time Tom’s comments were originally posted last year. Glancing through that blog I have to say in response to some of those that posted – NOONE LOVES NCSTATE MORE THAN TOMMY BURLESON, HE WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT HE DIDN’T THINK WAS NEEDED FOR STATE!

  7. graywolf 03/18/2007 at 1:59 PM #

    Thank You Tommy Burleson!

  8. legacyman 03/18/2007 at 2:21 PM #

    Tommy was right in publically saying what many of us were saying on the boards as our voices carried little or no weight in the media. Our collective voices did have an impact on the former coach’s decision to fold his tents and head for the desert.

    My main question is would Fowler, Murphy, Dail, etc. have been so hardheaded about pushing the former guy out if they could have known what we know now with Sidney in control. Of course they didn’t but it is interesting to ponder.

  9. chris92heel 03/18/2007 at 2:51 PM #

    Props to Burleson. As I recall, his comments weren’t well received by many wuffies at the time.

    If your coach is more popular with opposing fan bases than with his own fans, thats always a good indicator.

  10. sholtzma 03/18/2007 at 3:14 PM #

    Chris92heel,

    With all due respect, we are not “wuffies”. any more than Tarheel fans are “heeloes” or “heelioes”. Spare us the fake nickname. It sounds babyish, and it’s beneath you. (And if there are any misguided Wolfpack fans out there using the same pathetic diminutive, they need to stop it too.)

  11. chris92heel 03/18/2007 at 3:35 PM #

    Sorry – I don’t really think of it as a perjorative.

    But its certainly not beneath me, lol. Some of SFN’s finest use tar hole, etc.

    But I’m in y’all house so gots to act right.

  12. WolftownVA81 03/18/2007 at 4:02 PM #

    Tommy Burleson got a rousing cheer and and a standing ovation when he entered Reynolds on Friday night to sit behind the players. He is definately an alumni favorite because just about all of fans in Reynolds were alumni.

  13. CaptainCraptacular 03/18/2007 at 4:05 PM #

    I got no problems with ‘wuffies’… better than some other names out there.

  14. graywolf 03/18/2007 at 4:07 PM #

    Better a wolf than a sheep……in the real world, which is supreme?

  15. WolfPup35 03/18/2007 at 4:07 PM #

    First, props to the Tarhole, errr…TarHEEL, basketball team for their W last night.
    Second, do ANY ref’s ever SEE Travels Hopsbrough grab his opponent’s arm/hand/wrist when going for a loose ball or rebound? Just wondering…I happened to see it a few times last night.
    Next…I don’t think the ACC will EVER have a commish that is NOT a grad of UNX…or a director of officials for that matter.
    Got to go with that UNX “Family”!! 🙂 I kid…..Don’t take it personally, chris92heel. I’m a born Irishman, and therefore a drunken smart-ass.

  16. chris92heel 03/18/2007 at 4:17 PM #

    Tyler walks about 80% less than people seem to think. Optical illusions or something.

    Hell, you gonna believe the refs or your lying eyes?

    “I’m a born Irishman, and therefore a drunken smart-ass”
    Lots of redundancy in that sentence 😉

    Thanks for the props. Looks like we’ll have to carry the ACC banner by ourselves. I’m sure we have the support of Wolfpack Nation.

  17. highstick 03/18/2007 at 4:18 PM #

    Them ain’t sheep, them’s goats! That’s what I kept calling that mascot in the Carolina Club a couple of years ago when he kept messing with my N C State hat before the “infamous game in which TO wasn’t down”. Went their with a Tar Heel bud and everybody was fine except the freakin’ goat!

    Tommy sat in front of me in one of our classes so he had plenty of leg room! Nice guy, I appreciated his basketball abilities then, and really appreciated his stepping forward last year to get us a “great new coach”!

    Thanks, Tommy, I’ll never forget watching every game back then!!!!!!! You guys were fantastic!

  18. jwrenn29 03/18/2007 at 4:21 PM #

    I have the .mp3 file from that interview if anyone is interested. Let me know.

  19. WolfPup35 03/18/2007 at 4:33 PM #

    if you can send it out via email, my addy is mcmorris AT nc.rr.NOSPAMcom.
    I’d LOVE to hear that interview!

    ===

    Changed the email addy because of programs designed to crawl the web looking for email addresses like that. Obviously one would put it in address form and remove the NOSPAM bit. — SFN

  20. VaWolf82 03/18/2007 at 4:44 PM #

    I found this comment from March 6, 2006 recently:

    The best news I’ve heard regarding our basketball situation came to me via The Morning Sports Drive on WTSB 1090 this morning. Taylor Zarzour, the host, claims from a source close to the program that Herb is fed up with the negativity surrounding him and is willing to look around at alternatives.

    Link

  21. GoldenChain 03/18/2007 at 5:51 PM #

    32 years later Tommy did more for NCSU hoops than anyone since (except V).
    After Friday night I think the younger generation understands what it means to go on the court knowing you have a better than even chance of winning, NO MATER WHO YOU WERE PLAYING.
    My wife roomed w/TB’s sister.

  22. skywalkerdt 03/18/2007 at 6:13 PM #

    …at the chickfarm???

  23. legacyman 03/18/2007 at 7:43 PM #

    Tommy was right and he had tremendous support for his public stance…the only dissenting voices were a few misguided hardcore fans of the former guy.

  24. legacyman 03/18/2007 at 7:45 PM #

    And for Chris,

    If we are “wuffies” and I know some folks use that term then are your guys “sheepies” or “little lambsy dyvies”????

  25. Pack92 03/18/2007 at 8:27 PM #

    And one more thing Chris, we DO NOT pull for your overrated, highly over marketed team ever. EVER.

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