Tommy Burleson Says it is “Time for a Change”

Alums General NCS Basketball105

Tommy Burleson was on Triangle Sports Talk 1090 AM this morning and said that he thought “there needs to be a change at this point in time”. It would be interesting to know what DT felt about the situation.

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Alums General NCS Basketball

105 Responses to Tommy Burleson Says it is “Time for a Change”

  1. Kingfish 03/16/2006 at 10:12 AM #

    It is about time! I have heard pieces of it. This thing has serious wheels now I hope! Why has it taken 9 yrs and 364 days?

  2. topOtheorder 03/16/2006 at 10:14 AM #

    Wow, this snowball is rolling so fast down the hill and getting so big…it is amazing. When Avie Lester crawls out of the woodwork to make a stand and, now, the great Tommy Burleson (who is at every game it seems and has almost come out on the court himself more than just that one big time) is making himself heard…I don’t see how there is any way that a change is not made. When you add in all the local media guys jumping on this snowball too, I don’t see how you come back from that…I hope Barnes, Calipari, etc. are waiting in the wings…

  3. choppack 03/16/2006 at 10:18 AM #

    The one thing I don’t like about this is that it comes as the team is preparing for an NCAA tourney game – so it distracts our players and staff. However, if we don’t make a significant run in the NCAA, I don’t think there will be any choice. Of course, I thought the same thing 5 years ago…

  4. Fish 03/16/2006 at 10:22 AM #

    I cannot wait and see Lee Fowler call Burleson one of the lunatic fringes. Oh wait our AD only thinks NCSU has been playing basketball for 5 years so he would not know who Tommy Burleson is.

    DT, Corch, Monroe, Chucky–come on guys let it out– the stage is yours.

    Tommy Burleson-you have my respect!!

    Hey Herb–you can now have fun spending the $10M you have made while making 85% of NCSU alumni and fans who support the program unenjoyable and so disheartening the last 10 years. See ya!

  5. topOtheorder 03/16/2006 at 10:36 AM #

    Chop,

    I agree. The timing on all of this is bad for the players. It is amazing how things have snowballed since the fans came out in full force to the RBC for the UNC game only to watch us IMPLODE with the fans and alumni ready to EXPLODE…People are so MAD that they can’t keep it in any longer, despite the kids still having a game to play…

  6. BJD95 03/16/2006 at 10:39 AM #

    mp3 file for the full audio is here:

    http://www.trianglesportstalk.com/audio/mar_2006/tomburleson3-16.mp3

    Here are some choice quotes:

    “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.”

    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.

  7. Mr. Duff 03/16/2006 at 10:53 AM #

    Burleson and Thompson were at the Carolina game, in Raleigh, from what I understand. Bet that had an impact.

  8. Clarksa 03/16/2006 at 10:59 AM #

    Tommy was fired up at the Carolina game…looked like he was ready to come out of the stands on a couple of calls.

  9. David Bruce 03/16/2006 at 11:06 AM #

    As an alum I have been less than satisfied with the basketball program for years. As a person I’ve always liked Sendek but I do think it is way past time for the program to go in another direction (maybe about 5 years).
    I do wish the team well in the NCAA but I probably won’t be watching – other things are more important/more satisfying than watching another game where the Wolfpack is so so at best.

  10. Cardiff Giant 03/16/2006 at 11:11 AM #

    Tommy Burleson, it should be remembered, is also a long time and serious supporter of cultural events at State. Great player he may have been, but his contribution is as much that of a thinking man and concerned alumnus as someone who just put a ball in a basket.

  11. BJD95 03/16/2006 at 11:17 AM #

    The time to exert he pressure is NOW. Wait until after the season, it gets much less press and it will be TOO LATE to help effectuate a change.

  12. choppack 03/16/2006 at 11:19 AM #

    “I cannot wait and see Lee Fowler call Burleson one of the lunatic fringes. ”

    Fish – and Fowler was stupid ever to make those remarks. Yes, there are a lot of lunatics out there who say stupid things. However, for him to say that the only folks who wanted Sendek gone were part of a “lunatic fringe” is just assinine. Like I said earlier, I think a lot of the calls for resignation while we enter the playoffs are in poor taste, Fowler only hurt the situation last year with those ill-advised comments.

    Regarding Burleson – did he really ask for DT to be our head coach?

  13. Sam '92 03/16/2006 at 11:25 AM #

    If I have to suffer through another year of Sendek basketball I will shoot myself.

  14. choppack 03/16/2006 at 11:40 AM #

    BJ – Unfortunately, you may be right. However, I sometimes wonder if fans reap what the sow. The Doherty thing didn’t blow up until the end of the year, the Robinson thing didn’t erupt before he said he was coming back (but that was in the infancy days of the internet.)

    I always think back to the great tourney runs by the underdogs in the 80s. I really wonder if we would have made that run in 83 if the atmosphere was then like it is now. Given V’s lack of success at that time, I can see how things would have gotten really sour during our slump. Same w/ Villanova’s championship run.

    I see your point, but I really wonder what kind of impact the negativity has on the coaches, the players and those around them. I know that it has significantly reduced my enjoyment of wolfpack sports in general. (Kind of like that old saying, “Are you smoking more, but enjoying it less.”)

  15. Cardiff Giant 03/16/2006 at 11:49 AM #

    I see your point choppack and think it’s a valid one. I’d add, though, that years of Herb Ball have taken every bit enthusiasm for NC State Basketball out of this observer. Pretty much the only thing I get worked up about now is Lee Fowler and firing Herb’s ass, in that order. I used to get worked up about the games. I think a coaching change if handled properly will energize the fan base immensely.

  16. VaWolf82 03/16/2006 at 11:57 AM #

    I know that [the negativity] has significantly reduced my enjoyment of wolfpack sports in general.

    This is an interesting comment on several levels. What has been said on a message board, blog, newspaper, etc has absolutely no effect on me when I am watching a game. I’m happy when State wins (occasionally surprised) and sort of numb when they lose. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s my expectations….but I don’t really get that upset anymore when State loses. Something said on a message board can’t possibly change how I feel from watching the game.

    After Kiffin, Reed, O’Cain, Robinson, and Sendek…I have learned how to handle losing. If a season is really, really bad…I just tune out the entire season. I look now at some of the conference BB standings from the 90’s and couldn’t tell you one thing about any game played that year. There are too many things to spend my time on to waste it on losing teams.

  17. 4NCST8 03/16/2006 at 11:58 AM #

    Who should command more respect? Tommy Burleson or Lee Fowler? Everybody’s got a right to their opinion, including Fowler.

    But Burleson played on a national title team. Fowler didn’t.

    Burleson’s word should carry more weight.

  18. Cardiff Giant 03/16/2006 at 12:27 PM #

    What’s the next ridiculous statistic? “Lee Fowler, the only current AD who once served as an assistant on a Final Four team where the coach eventually went to jail”?

  19. class of '74 03/16/2006 at 12:42 PM #

    There is NOBODY who thinks more of DT, Monte and TB than I do but as much as I admire and respect each of them I don’t feel they are what we need to replace Herb. I wish I was wrong on this but in this case my head overrules my heart. We need someone who has been in the college game in a big time way not heroes from the past.

  20. Lumberpack 03/16/2006 at 12:48 PM #

    Thank God for the Newland Needle

  21. Lumberpack 03/16/2006 at 12:50 PM #

    I wonder what some of the current players are thinking-will they make their wishes know by their play on Friday? They could make the difference if another push is needed.

  22. WolfInVolCountry 03/16/2006 at 12:55 PM #

    I would hope that other former players would step up like Tommy did. Thompson, Towe, Bailey etc., could really be the straw.

    To echo Cardiff; even when the Pack is winning, I don’t get too excited. I alway am waiting for the other shoe to drop. That’s how it was this season. The meltdown was horrible, but not unexpected. I always had some premonition that we would collapse. Not wishing it, not wanting it, not expecting it to this magnitude, but not really surprised.

    There are several State grads here where I work. We have supported Pack athletics and pulled together inspite of the growing national following of UNC and Duke (great marketing campaigns). When we get together these days, we are almost disinterested. We talk more about Pack “history” than recent athletic teams. We are almost maudlin in our conversations.

    I hope it changes.

  23. Greg 03/16/2006 at 1:03 PM #

    Burleson is no different than any of the “hollywood stars” who thinks their opinions matter just because they have a “name”. Am I going to make up my mind on the Iraq situation based on what Jane Fonda thinks? No. I am also not going to listen to some crotchety old man with an eternal scowl on his face. If I didnt think he had deluded himself into think that either he or DT would be a good coach then maybe. I think its a play for power within the WPC and is out of place. It is simply a classless move by a guy who almost appears to be trying to help setback the Pack. These guys dont need to be hearing this the day before they play.

    Not saying he is wrong, just saying someone who has a “voice” should be more judicious as to where and especially when he voices it.

  24. Cardiff Giant 03/16/2006 at 1:05 PM #

    “Burleson is no different than any of the “hollywood starsâ€? who thinks their opinions matter just because they have a “nameâ€?.”

    Complete bullshit, this.

  25. Greg 03/16/2006 at 1:10 PM #

    Cardiff, thats the great thing about life. Your opinion is no more right or wrong than mine or TB’s for that matter.

    Until TB gets paid to make decisions, he just has an opinion like you and me. If you think our AD or Chancellor will lose sleep over what he thinks then you are deluding yourself.

    I do agree that its a time for change, I just dont think climbing up on a pulpit the day before a ncaa game is the right way to voice it. Its not fair to the guy we currently pay, its not fair for the players we have on our team, and not fair for the players we have signed to be future Wolfpackers.

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