Before moving onto semi-serious business, make sure you read Cardiff Giant’s interview with Tommy Hunt. Priceless stuff.
No doubt most of you have read about Chuck Amato’s latest testy exchange with the media. And in all fairness, it does seem like there was a certain amount of “badgering” involved. Still, what in God’s name could ever cause a sane adult to say the following, after NC State lost to a MAC school for the first time in over 30 years:
“They’re in a conference that allows non-qualifiers in school,” Amato said during his weekly news conference. “Non-qualifiers. Do y’all need to look that one up to write your stories?… Do you know what kind of players non-qualifiers are, usually? They’re inversely proportional to what their grade-point average is. They can make a big difference.”
The natural, inevitable reaction is to note that Amato is seemingly making a defensive, nonsense excuse. The myriad advantages NC State enjoys as a “flagship” public institution with a large alumni/booster base, nice facilities, and ACC conference affiliation outweigh any admissions advantage Akron might have by a factor of, say, 20. The fact that NC State did not have to pledge a return visit in order to get the Zips to play in Carter-Finley let’s you know where the balance of power stands between the two programs. An obvious PR hit, and a one-day story.
But beyond the obvious, Chuck Amato has also opened himself up to attacks like this one from Dave Glenn. Excerpt:
“Here’s the irony: The way Amato complained about Akron’s academic standards is EXACTLY the way other ACC coaches privately have complained about the low academic bar N.C. State has adopted for its own football program ever since Amato arrived from Florida State. The Seminoles long have been known for their bottom-of-the-barrel approach to academics, and Amato adopted Bobby Bowden’s blueprint — academically and otherwise — when he took over the Wolfpack.”
So, in his trademark, belligerent manner, Chuck Amato managed to get 48 hours of media coverage for NC State - as both a whiner and an academic doormat. What is it going to take for Amato to develop some humility and professionalism? If you show that you’ll let sportswriters get under your skin, it’s like putting blood in the water. Right or wrong, he needs to accept and understand the reality of his situation, and act accordingly.
Precisely on target. This man makes a bigger horse’s ass of himself than any coach in America, bar none. Absolutely idiotic.
I used to really like Amato, but his ego has swollen to the point where it will fit snugly inside the Basilica of St. Peter, though few others places would hold it. In fact, it seems his ego has grown in inverse proportion to the team’s sucess on the field.
Pathetic.
And, what’s arguably even sadder is that the usual suspects will whine that (a) Dave Glenn is anti-State, and (b) this site is anti-State. I suppose the New York Post, the latest national media to mock us for losing to freaking AKRON on our home field, has had a long-standing and simmering anti-State grudge, too.
Wulfpack linked that article from the Disturber on an earlier thread today. Does anyone think like me, that maybe the AD needs to intervene here. Maybe advise Amato to be a little more honest about his own recent short comings while dealing with the press, other than making up excuses while trashing a voluntarily scheduled OOC opponent, and shortly after his program lost to them.
I guess maybe that’s not in Fowler’s job description either. What is?
One would think if you were in a position where most of the media was “against” you. You would just STFU and motivate the hell out of your team to win some ball games just to silence the critics. We can debate forever about missing pieces, how much longer Chuck has to prove it, etc., but it is things like this. You shouldn’t draw attention to yourself when you are down. If anything you think you would want to disappear for a little while. Even more ironic is that fact that he is complaining about academics if what Dave says is true….
No wonder the national media beats on him so, in all honest he makes it pretty easy - they don’t really have to work very hard to find a quote to run with. I am/was a huge Chuck supporter, however these recent events coupled with the on the field ’success’ since Rivers left really has me questioning our leader.
great post cardiff^^ love the inversley proportional stab! why o why would chuck do this. And where is lee fowler through all of this? shouldnt Chuck have gone to him to take this up with the “good ole boy” connection aka: the tommy hunt/swofford gang. Instead of acting like a 13 yr old girl and crying about it to whoever will pay attention to him, why not get the university behind him, make a formal complaint about the way the instant replay rule is being enforced (or not enforced) and then move on. Busch League, total Busch League
F- David Glenn. Ask that jerk about Roy Williams graduation rate at UNC and he will pull out some BS about 6 year running averages and it doesn’t matter that players arn’t graduating because they in the NBA. What an ass.
How hard is it to just say, “Hey, I’m disappointed with the loss, but we lost to a pretty good team the other day. They play some good football in the MAC. There are plenty of NFL rosters dotted with guys that played their football in the MAC. That part of Ohio is called the ‘Cradle of Football’ for a reason. So while I’m always disappointed by ANY loss, I’m certainly not ashamed of it. Akron is going to surprise some folks this year. I would bet that they’ll repeat as MAC champions and give someone a good run for the money in a bowl in December.”
How HARD is that??
BTW…when it comes to academics, NC State lives in a house of spun sugar. WE DREAM of living in a glass house. So…put down those rocks, Mr. Stone Thrower.
The media poked him and his true personality took over. If he were smart at the start of yesterday’s presser he should have first praised Akron’s effort and preperation then apologized for being outcoached. That’s all he needed to say really about saturday and move the conversation to this week’s game.
redfred^ my thoughts exactly,…. does anyone on this site know what Lee does all day? My guess would be that he has a fetish for buggery and web toed prostitutes.
I am still wondering where the apology is. If I were the AD, the first thing I would have done was have Chuck make a public apology for his ridiculous comments.
On top of that, now when we play Southern Miss & ECU this topic is going to come back front & center. It will be bulletin material for those teams and extra incentive to beat us.
By the way, just as a comparison to how some other coaches handle adversity here is some comments from John Gruden after the Bucs game:
“The entire football game is [my] responsibility. You get beat like that — hell’s bells, you didn’t do a very good job,” Gruden said after a night of virtually no sleep following a 27-0 season-opening thrashing Sunday by Baltimore. “I’m not going to sit here and assess blame upon myself publicly; I get enough of that walking to my car, OK?
“But I didn’t like it one [expletive] bit. I take a lot of pride in what we do here, and to go out there and get defeated soundly at home is enough to make me sick. I have a lot of respect for these fans who pay good money to come in here and watch their Buccaneers. To send them home like we did makes me sick and humiliated. Makes me eager to get back to work because there’s work to be done.”
I’m not say the two games were similar b/c we lost on the last play and it could have just as easily been us in the winning column, but at least he owns up to the responsibility.
Noah, did you really say Stone thrower? Jumbo shrimp. Dodge Ram. Ethical Politics. A few others come to mind.
Here, here wolf^. That is a huge part of how I feel as well. Living here in Tampa, and watching our team get our asses handed back to us felt really bad. But to have a feeling that the coach admits something was wrong and acts as though he cares enough to do something about it atleast gives you some confidence in your team heading into the next game. I don’t mean to go there, but that sounds a little similar to many of our problems with HS.
One of the ways in which Amato has been praised by his football players in the past is that he teaches them to become men.
Well, in my opinion, he’s doing a poor job demonstrating how a man acts under pressure and criticism. A man wouldn’t be reaching for straws to come up with excuses for why his team lost to Akron. A man would look the critics in the eyes and say, “You know, you’re probably right. We shouldn’t have lost to Akron on our home field, even though they played a hard-nosed football game and deserve credit for winning.” Here’s where we’re having problems and here’s what we’re going to do to address those problems so we’ll be better prepared in the future.
Of course you have to have a clue of what the problems are and how to fix them before you can say something like that. Excuses are for losers.
When I heard Amato’s remarks at the press conference, I felt as bad as when I witnessed Akron marching down the field on us like we were some weak-ass high school team.
The fact that he went so far off base trying to redirect the criticism is just stupid. Period. Nevermind about bulletin board fodder for SMU and ECU, what about sticking to coaching and fixing the damn holes in the defense or generating a f’ing offense.
I was a big optimist when Amato took over, but after seeing the Pack devolve into a tailspin since Rivers left only leads me to think that the Emperor has no clothes and it’s time to throw him a towel…
Cowher will be living in Raleigh next year… I’m just sayin’.
Not to mention that he sounds like a freaking cartoon when he’s talking. A babbling idiot. I can’t even listen to the man when he’s coherent.
Rainer insulted thousands of State donors who like to tailgate early and nobody in any position of power seems to gave a rat’s ass who got insulted there. Chuck can insult NQ schools and fight-picking journalists all he wants against that backdrop.
Also, any who thinks Glenn and/or the poop sheet is anywhere close to unbiased on this academics stuff needs to see me about some land I have to sell you.
SFN can’t possibly expect us to accept Glenn’s academic “Three-Card-Monty” assertions unchallenged. If we do then we are down the path of instituting another “Kornegay Rule” because the local media tells us “it is the right thing to do.”
Coma — you’re completely wrong on this one.
Sorry. Since Amato came on board, he’s taken an ***load of borderline academic exceptions.
Yeah, we take more than Carolina. Yes. Really.
This is like State fans complaining about someone majoring in African-American studies. As though “Speech Communications” is any different.
Amato doesn’t get it done on the field, and he doesn’t get it done off the field.
what is this - seven years now? that’s more than enough. get this guy out of here.
^ The guy from the Poop Sheet is a complete moron IMHO. And Glenn may be suspect on academics. Neither excuse the equally undeniable fact that Amato acted like a f***** clown in that interview.
Last Saturdays performance is the type of embarassment that it is best to let die quickly. The only thing that could make it any worse is a lame excuse that actually draws light on a problem that Chuck has had with graduation rates and non-qualifiers. Those in glass houses should not throw stones (or is it those in cheap glasses shouldn’t let Stone throw?).
I suspect the drive behind Chuck’s statement is to make a veiled comment on how many of his guys haven’t been allowed to play right away. It comes off as- hey they cheated. And if their guys were SOOO stupid, how come they didn’t get any bonehead penalties? My already low regard for Chuck’s personality has now bottomed out. Chuck, we lost, so just take your medicine like a man and focus on the next opponent.
Dave Glenn is not wrong about the academics. Email him about it (ask him nicely) and he’ll back it up.
It’s a road State fans don’t want to go down….just stay away.
^ That matches my own understanding. Thanks.
^ you speak the truth.
I’m convinced Chuck is trying to get himself fired. There is no other logical explanation. This guy is a fraud. He’s an embarrassment to us all.
Noah: Isn’t the NQ bar uniform? Aren’t exceptions a thing of the past? Nobody can sign any NQs. So Glenn counts up NQs we didn’t enroll and uses that against us?
[quote]
This is like State fans complaining about someone majoring in African-American studies. As though “Speech Communications� is any different.
[/quote]
State has a new AA studies major IIRC.
I’ve emailed with Glenn before, nicely, and IMO the guy has an agenda. But if you don’t think he does I think that’s super.
I am a believer in BOBBY KNIGHT. Everybody knows it. He has embarrassed me, himself, and everyone around him a time or two. But not like that, not trashing a bunch of kids who just beat him.
I’m not upset or going to hold it against Amato. He needs to just fess up and come clean by saying, ONE TIME, I SUCKED, WE SUCKED, BIG TIME FOR 3/4 OF THE GAME ON SATURDAY. NO excuses, no nothing. Just say when you execute that poorly you leave yourself wide open for such as this, and that the officials shouldn’t have ever had an opportunity to determine the outcome of the game.
Time for an open letter from Lee Fowler?
^hahaha sounds like it!
Let’s count the excuses offered by Chuck Amato as to his team lost this time:
1. “They’re in a conference that allows non-qualifiers in school,”
2. “We’ve won a lot of games around here,” Amato said. “Some people need to be reminded of that.”
3. “We just got the facilities,” Amato said. “These facilities just got built. They’ve not been here for 20 years.”
Thank God for Sidney - so far he’s shown himself to be much better than Amato or Sendek w/ the media. Amato is too emotional and Sendek was to guarded. However, I guarantee the media loves interviewing Amato when he’s like this - “Hey, let’s watch this guy who we hate melt down and lose it!”
What is wrong w/ manning up and saying, “You know, I was outcoached. They have good players and everything, but I could have done better. We used a trick play, we lost a yard. They used a trick play, and gained 20 yards. When we needed a yard, we got stopped. When they needed a yard, well, it was called a TD. But it’s my fault for even allowing us in that position.” Look at Gruden’s comments then look at Amato’s - a world of difference there.
When a coach is not winning enough what the do off the field or court can play a role in them keeping their job. Sendek was able to stay on because he had no issues off the court.
On the other hand Matt Doherty had a host of off the court problems and he got a quick ax.
Right now I would say Amato is much closer to the Doherty end of the scale which makes his seat hotter than it would normally be.
joe - You’re darn right. His behavior has managed to alienate the folks who are usually the staunchest allies of coaches in college sports - the media.
We really need to beat Southern Miss or I’m afraid we’ll see even worse behavior.
Where does the defensive posturing come from. Sendek was about as frightening (and enlighting) as a piece of wet melba toast when speaking to the media, but let a Wolfpack fan say something, and it’s straight to the moon. Amato doesn’t seem to adept at handling either, he’s defensive 360*.
I’d say just take an honest look at your own game films, then you can get totally pissed and aim it in the right direction.
^ I agree. If he comes home from Southern Miss with an L, Katie bar the door.
After reading this post I just went back and watched the whole presser. I had started watching it earlier but stopped before it got to the bad part because Chuck’s voice. Without repeating some of the things that have already been said, I thought it was pretty bad.
After seeing Chuck’s performance and reading all the whinimg on this site and other places about the call on the last play and how the ACC referees and their big bad bosses are always picking on us. it’s hard to be proud of being a State fan right now.
This is a public forum. What we say on here is read by a lot of people who are not State fans and what we say helps form their opinon of us and our school. I agree with most of the negative things said here about the coach. Maybe we should expect as much from ourselves as we do from our coaches.
^ I recognize your good intentions, but the best way to keep idiotic statements about our coach circulating is not for us to keep mum about them, but for the coach to stop saying idiotic things.
Chuck could use a dose of humility and common sense. I’m not off the bandwagon, but the ride’s getting rough without a shock absorber. In the Charlotte Observer this morning Joe Paterno was quoted on P State loss to ND as saying something to the effect of “we need to go to work and keep our mouths shut”. Win or lose, there’s a class approach from an all-timer. Someone commented earlier about the cartoon voice. I’m not sure, but isn’t that the ventriloquist (Fowler perhaps) working the Chuckster from behind? However, picking on the Press from an NC State location is asking to be beaten. The honest answers are that we have talent, better in some positions than others like most teams. We need to work with what we have. The manager needs to learn some technique and skill, on and off the field, to maximize that talent. Even with that, it’s still questionable if a great season ever had a chance to materialize, given the other pieces of the conference puzzle. Good coaches stumble along and exist even if whining and crying all the time. Great coaches find a way to get it done and play above themselves. Press conferences like that will help keep Chuck among the former I’m afraid.
Now his asslike braying has made ESPN, and it makes us look even worse, containing as it does this little gem:
“According to the latest figures, the Observer reported, Akron’s graduation success rate is 60 percent; NC State’s is 50 percent. “
agreed to both Cardiff and WoofWolf~ but I think a lot of State’s bad rep is passed down from fans who like to whine too much. What happened to Sendek is already starting with Amato… what happens when Sid gets 2 or even 3 loosing seasons in a row? I hope that dosnt happen, but it is likely. Are WE(as fans) going to run him off as well? Amato needs to learn to keep his mouth shut… I think we all can agree on that. But sometimes I think we need to learn to “keep it all in the family” if you know what I mean.
I wasn’t referring to comments about the coach. I’m concerned about how much some of us whine about how we always get picked on by the officials, the media and everyone.
I think we and the coaches should recognize and accept our short comings and work to correct them instead of blaming everyone else.
I agree that we should talk about and to each other, but let’s stopping acting like the whole world is out to do us in. What’s wrong and what’s with our athletic prograns is our doing.
The problem with this coming out now is that we have a tough stretch coming up in the next 3-4 games.
“Home” is going to become pretty hostile if we get steamrolled by any of the teams during our upcoming 3 game home stretch…BC, FSU, and Wake.
Woof- I am talking about our perception to the media in general… weither it be because of coaches/officals/AD/anything… we are turning into the whiners on Tabacco Road.
Maybe many of our fans are just too negative about too many things. For example, saying our bb team is likely to suffer 2 or even 3 “loosing” seasons in a row. Based on what? I would be amazed if that happens. Many Pack fans seem to always take a negative approach and a coach trying to make excuses for a loss against Akron does not help any. I like Chuck and I recognize he has done a lot of good for our University but I hope he does not undo all the good with a mouth which refuses to STFU.
I can’t believe Amato is this much of a clown. Having an AD clown is bad enough. I feel like calling Akron myself and apologizing. If someone could get an email address up there I would be for writing and apologizing that Amato has behaved so inappropriately.
Just to clarify for the sake of the Charlotte Observer, graduation rates may or may not have a relationship to a school’s overall quality or its relationship to non-qualifiers. There are a lot of mail order places with 100 percent grad rates.
If some of the thoughts expressed on SFN earlier this year are accurate, then State’s football program may not have great hope for the future. SFN please correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t someone write on here within the last few months that State’s upper administration has little concern for the quality of its AD and his hires? Does this mean that the Wolfpack Club pumping all this money into CF is not matched in its hopes for a strong program by those above Lee Fowler?
Noting the inconsistent use of instant replay on a game deciding situation is not whining. As Cardiff said at one point, documenting idiocy and inconsistency is a way to keep it from spreading. I think SFN does a good job of that.
frost8~ I agree with you, and I assure you that I am not one of those negative fans. I was happy with the win against App St, I was one to (at first) say how tough a lose like the one to Akron was, and not blame anyone. The 2-3 losing seasons thing was just an example…
PAPacker- I am referring to ALL aspects of State fans picking apart everything that happens in our Athletic Dept and whining about our coaches and how “horrible” our QB is, and how bad our last coach was, and how disturbing our coach search was, and who’s fault it was…
sometimes I just feel we need to not allow these things to get so much media by not making so much of a deal about them. Of course Amato did this to himself… its just my thoughts on what we can do to help our image out.
Pigskin: I agree.
All Amato has to do is shut up and start focusing on coaching. Winning the games we should win and pulling off an upset or two will stop the negative press. Anything else reveals who he really is.
bladenwolf, you are correct sir. However, I sadly do not look for change in the near future.
“I wasn’t referring to comments about the coach. I’m concerned about how much some of us whine about how we always get picked on by the officials, the media and everyone. ”
Woof woof - There are ways to do this. I think this site - especially in the columns does a good job of giving specifics. We do get picked on by the media (yet, you won’t hear me saying that media is picking on Amato in this case) and we have one apparent TD taken off the scoreboard and another TD given up where evidence suggests the back wasn’t in the endzone in the last 15 seconds of a ball game. I challenge you to find one another Division 1A school that’s happened to in the last 3 years. I recommend Google as a search engine.
I think we and the coaches should recognize and accept our short comings and work to correct them instead of blaming everyone else.
“I agree that we should talk about and to each other, but let’s stopping acting like the whole world is out to do us in. What’s wrong and what’s with our athletic prograns is our doing.”
None of that is going on in THIS post.
I don’t know who sold you a bill of goods that you can’t complain about officials, nor that you have to accept every article written about your school. One of the great things about this site, is that the owners make a very conscience effort to keep the discussions as analytical as possible.
Is there emotion involved? Sure. However, by and large, you’ll see reasonable comments here. And right now, I think it’s reasonable for a State fan to be unhappy w/ Amato - if only for this incident.
The dumbest part of Amato’s comments was this gem:
“We just got the facilities,� Amato said. “These facilities just got built. They’ve not been here for 20 years.�
Someone should have asked him what kind of facilities that Akron has had now or in the last 20 years
Chuck actually should file a public apology, and if Fowl-up had a single shred of decency he’d force it. That sadly won’t happen. We’ve known the REAL problem is Lee for some time, and this episode might force some action down the line. If the premise that Lee has been kept because he hasn’t embarassed the program off the field, that cuckoo just flew out Chuck’s mouth. So before we were just mediocre, now we’re a laughing stock.
The most basic maxim in football, especially for a coach, is one game at a time. And it’s not the last game either. Chuck needs to remember the best way to get back at the media is succeed and take away their fuel. He tries to smartass his way thru interviews. I heard him on the radio with Bill Kim at 790 the Ball in the Triad, and he was almost a complete jerk. Living well is the best revenge. Ignore what you cannot control, focus on what you can, and don’t expose yourself to unnecessary review. Like Joe Pa said, shut your piehole and get to work.
There are some very good comments and lively discussion on this thread. Good job, all.
I keep thinking about an interview shortly after Amato arrived here following a series of comments denigrating the talent level that MOC left behind. Amato said something to the effect that none of these guys would make the two deep at FSU, to which a reporter replied, “you mean the guys that beat your FSU team last year?”
The emperor has no clothes, indeed. We are all now seeing so.
Akron plays in the Rubber Bowl. It is Dowdy-Ficklin Size. I assume at best, their facilities are comparable to ECU. That we pose the question confirms the extent of how laughable all this is. Before Chuck got here we had better facilities than they do now.
Amato would do well to stop the theatrics and bru-ha-ha and concern himself (and his rotating staff) with Southern Miss.
He has no quarterback sensation much less a defensive monster to save his bacon game after game this season.
So what’s left Chuck? Enough of the pathetic macho psycho babble schtick. Coaching perhaps?
CHOPPACK1:
I have no problem with specific complaints about the media, the officials or anyone else. What I don’t like are those who always whine that everyone is against us.
I agree about the call two years ago, but I watched Saturday’s game on ESPNU and saw all the replays. I was looking and hoping for irrefutable evidence that he didn’t score and I still have not seen it.
The pictue in the other thread proves nothing. He could have extended the ball over the goal line and was pulling it back into his body as he came to the ground. I think that is what I saw live and on the replays. I thinks it’s time to admit that we have played two lousy games against teams we should have handled.
Bitch about the coaches, the QB or whatever we think is wrong with us. But quit the whining about the world being against us. When we start kicking the butts that we should kick, it won’t matter what others say and one call by the officials won’t decide the game.
I’ve had a feeling for a while that antics like this is why we’re having a difficult time beating the Tarholes. Bunting jerks Chuck’s chain, he overreacts, and loses focus on coaching the team. Then Bunting just gives you that “who me” typical Tarhole look and claims total innocence.
What the heck could have been his point? Didn’t he and Fowler set the schedule?
This just really sickens me for him to make the rest of us look like idiots for tolerating such garbage.
SFN, am I right about the comments on here about the administration and Fowler? Anybody else remember this conversation?
redfred2 Says:
“Does anyone think like me, that maybe the AD needs to intervene here. Maybe advise Amato to be a little more honest about his own recent short comings while dealing with the press, other than making up excuses while trashing a voluntarily scheduled OOC opponent, and shortly after his program lost to them.”
Hell yes!! This is the kind of crap that could get Chuck some serious time off in the fall. As a coach of football I don’t think he ought to be fired. As Head Football Coach he represents the University and this is something that can’t be laid on the referees, recruiting or assistant coaches. I would not be surprised to see Chuck working somewhere else next year.
Nobody is reading this so I will say that I personally do not like Amato. I know some former players who absolutely hate him. I hear that he is rude to his wife, arrogant and full of himself amongst his peers and others. At first I thought some of his off the wall comments were refreshing. Nothing refreshing about what he had to say at the pressy.
I will say to anyone who cares, I think most of the noise to fire Chuck has been for all the wrong reasons. Want Chuck fired, start e-mailing and calling the Chancellors and/or his office about how he is an embarrassment to the University. The Chancellor will listen to this whern he won’t listen to “Fire Chuck, has been to only minor bowls. And while I’m pissing in the wind here, get on the AD’s ass about those bowls. He’s the one who got us in some we had no business in.
Wolfpack4ever-
Not pissing in the wind my friend. I’ll fire off two letters to Oblinger and Jed tomorrow. Good advice and well taken.
I do think it’s time to start looking seriously at searching for Amato’s replacement. It would serve the program well to advise Jed (in writing?) on the merits of looking at the NFL (Cowher) for our future, as we did with the NBA (Lowe).
My Razorback co-worker says rumors are out there that Houston Nutt is interested in the NC State job. He even mentioned us in his post game press conference on Saturday night.
We already have a NUT.
“I agree about the call two years ago, but I watched Saturday’s game on ESPNU and saw all the replays. I was looking and hoping for irrefutable evidence that he didn’t score and I still have not seen it.
The pictue in the other thread proves nothing. He could have extended the ball over the goal line and was pulling it back into his body as he came to the ground. I think that is what I saw live and on the replays. I thinks it’s time to admit that we have played two lousy games against teams we should have handled.”
I haven’t seen that evidence - just the photo. I have asked for other evidence - you offer none. You’re not helping your argument here. I agree that it looked like he was in on TV, however, the photo we’ve all seen is fairly conclusive as well.
“Bitch about the coaches, the QB or whatever we think is wrong with us. ”
Uh, I’ve complained plenty about the coaches - I don’t blame the QBs - they do their best.
“But quit the whining about the world being against us. When we start kicking the butts that we should kick, it won’t matter what others say and one call by the officials won’t decide the game.”
Where do I say that the world is against us? Where does anyone say that? Maybe I’m missing that. I’m trying to determine where you are coming from.
You get on a thread about Amato - where the vast majority of us indicate we’re embarassed or outright angry at his behavior - and you turn this into a thread about us complaining the world is against us? Why don’t you add that on another thread - and focus on the topic at hand - Amato’s comments.
Precisely Choppack1-
I’ve watched Amato for years squeal his way past intelligent discussion with rah rah versions of babbling Knute Rockne speaches until I’ve grown tired and disenchanted.
But the fact he is barfing this tripe in front of national media (and being laughed at) is embarrassing for the University and shows the program that he has built.
I’m afraid it’s been a combination of good timing with stellar athletes, good coordinators, and huge upgrades in facilities that started the parade, but now the Emporer is walking the sidelines (and addressing the media) with no clothes.
He should start thinking about grabbing a towel, realize he’s naked, and move on as quickly as possible.
There is no doubt that CTC’s comments during the Monday presser were ill advised at best. However, after listening to the audio I have to say that, to a certain degree, I can see why he reacted the way he did. The questions that were asked were the equivalent of asking someone “Do you still beat your wife?� There is no way to answer that kind of question without going instantly to the defensive. This is what Chip wanted to happen and this is what CTC did. I cannot for the life of me understand why he brought up non-qualifiers but if you listen to everything in context I honestly do not think he was “taking a swipe� at Akron, schools that accept non-qualifiers or anyone else (except maybe Alexander). I think Chuck was simply defending himself, his program and his assistants from being belittled by the so-called “reporter� from the n&o. This was not interviewing a coach. This was simply badgering a man to the point where he said something he should not have said. Is this what Chip wanted to happen? I’d bet my bottom dollar on it. And unfortunately CTC took the bait - hook, line and sinker. Remember all of the “Hot Seat� talk from the main steam media outlets over the past several months? I truly believe that Chuck is not (nor should he be) on the “Hot Seat� this year. Apparently the media believes otherwise and is determined to put him there. I think it can safely be said that when no story exists that the media will do their dead-level best to create one. I think this is exactly what Chip did. Unfortunately for him (and the Wolfpack faithful) Chuck helped to add fuel to the mythical fire.
I wholeheartedly agree with many earlier posters that this whole situation could have been diffused and handled much more professionally and quickly than it was but it wasn’t nearly the kind of tirade that the media is making this out to be. From the news accounts I expected Chuck to be acting like a raving lunatic but he wasn’t. I also don’t think he was offering excuses for the loss. I think this was just Chuck being Chuck and until he actually says or does something that is an affront to another school (besides unc, of course) I will continue to support him.
And Chuck, if you happen to read this – when dealing with the media (or anyone else for that matter) always try to follow this advice: Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Amato’s presser was an ambarassment to NCSU. I said that and think the other items I addressewd add to the embarassment and are relevant.
Chuck recruits with the best of them … he has an eye for talent
He is a good enough motivator for the few players who will eventually play in the NFL
Where he, and many other coaches falter, is with the REST of the TEAM
It is a rare coach who commands the kind of RESPECT and FEAR necessary to motivate the average college player
To me it is no mystery … this is precisely why STATE consistently under-achieves
This is why Carolina beats us 70% of the time … and why we lose to Akron and Baylor and Wake Forest … and why we struggle to beat Duke and Marshall and Indiana … and why we finish in the middle-to-lower part of the conference … and why we have an abysmal record against NCAA Top 50 teams … and why we lose recruiting battles
A superior head coach can take an under-achieving group of players and mold them into a winner
It doesn’t require tens of millions … or glitz and glamor … or Top 10 rated recruiting classes
It requires a superior leader
Average (normal) college players are motivated by one thing … FEAR
A superior coach will run off most of the wanna-be’s in the first two weeks of practice
A superior coach will expect the impossible … he will not settle for less … he will not be fair … he will not be loved … he will be feared
A superior coach will cause the average athlete to want to quit, cry, curse, run away and give up …
A superior coach will drive and drill his team to the point of no return …
Yet, a superior coach will know how to kindle just enough of the competitive flame in each of his future “warriors” to make them volunteer to “suit up” the next day
When it’s time to strap it on for real, a superior coach will be able to look each player in the eye and remind them of all the sacrifice, the pain, the blood, the bruises, the sweat and the tears
At this point, no player will doubt his ability to compete at the highest level … at this point, the team will have a single purpose — to win as a cohesive unit
To a man — regardless of talent, ability, height, weight and speed — a superior coached team will ALWAYS over-achieve
^BLUE SUCKS
That is Awesome with a capitol A. It is 3000 times better than anything I’ve written, but it is exxactly what I have tried to say about coaches and coaching, but couldn’t, around here before.
Thank you!!! Great post!!!
BS & RF2:
Who is he? Will he work for us?
This really is about having a coach you can admire for how well he does with what he has.
AMEN
I still say, the truth is the longer Amato remains the longer we suffer. He is not what many thought he was when asked to lead our program, and each passing year reveals more reasons he was the wrong hire. But with our weak administration Chuck has little to fear for at least another 2 to 3 years.
^You’re my boy, BLUE! So true, solid….
I’m afraid class of 74 is right.
We made the wrong hire, mistook River’s greatness for Amato’s, and now we are “stuck with Chuck” for the foreseeable future. I don’t think Jed is capable of doing the right thing in this case as I’m reminded of the basketball coaching fiasco. Another three seasons of 6-5, 4-7, and 5-6.
Mediocre at best. Tidy Bowl anyone?
Actually - I think he was a solid hire at the time. What has happened is that the program hasn’t evolved as one would think it would. He’s been able to get great talent here - he just hasn’t been able to get his teams to perform consistently. Watching the Amato led football teams these last 3 plus years has been like my golf game - when I drive the ball really well, I struggle w/ my putting, when I’m putting great, I struggle off the tee. If both of these things come together, my iron play goes in the toilet.
The Akron game was a microcosm of these last 3 plus. For the first 3 quarters, our D was fantastic. In the fourth quarter our offense played the best its played in 8 quarters (Probably the best it’s played since FSU) - just in time for the defense collapse and to give up more points in 7 minutes than it gave up in 50.
The thing that CTC will regret the most about the non-qualifier comment is that the MAC would have been a place for him to get a job after this year.
^Let’s not start pushing Chuckie out the door already, just two games into the season. We almost all agreed, to a man, and months back, that this was going to be a very tough year. Threads highlighting the App State game, and the challenge they would present for us, went on and on forever discussing that very fact. It was just accepted that this year wasn’t going to be anything to write home about.
I said, back then, that is the defining year for CA and it will be the one season that will be the crystal ball as to his future with NCSU. We’re only two games in. The final quarter in last Saturday’s game showed at least a hint of the ability to turn past page two in the playbook, and also a little spark of confidence and competence coming from the QB position when they do.
We predicted it, it’s here, let’s ride it out like men, and hope for the best.
PAPacker
Second that AMEN.
Chuck Amato is fine, he just needs his ass spanked and his mouth washed out with a family sized bar of Ivory soap. He’ll be playing with a big ol’ chip on his shoulder this weekend. We’ll see.
It has surely been crazy around here though. A select few players getting exactly what they need from Amato and staff, but never an even smattering for the whole crew. And in basketball…got about three days?
I say it is all about coaching and a certain unrelenting mindset that will not tolerate second rate. Some are just straight foward jack asses when they’re on the basketball court, and others have a demeanor that just broadcasts it without saying a word. Either style is effective.
I’ll say one thing, if any administrator or chancellor, or anyone thinks that in unlikely event that Bill Cowher is coaching young kids straight out of high school kids, on the collegiate level, won’t illicit some complaints from somewhere, they better think twice. He’s a throwback to Vince Lombardi days. I’d damn sure love to see it, but much later on.
He’d be the next best and closest thing since Sidney Lowe has stepped in, will shock all by doing great in the ACC shortly, and has already filled the slot I had reserved for the winningest active coach in college basketball, numerous conference and national championship winner, national collegiate board of coach’s, awarded for graduating his basketball players at a 95% rate, a rate thats second only to Harvard University nationwide, the one and only coach K, and little coach k’s once mentor and still idol, the chair throwing SOB from hell,…
Damnit, forgot about that. Never mind.
Chuck may/might/will/ and is probably/possibly/in all likelihood…going be on the sidelines this weekend and many many more in the future.
This is a repeat from another string, but
The press lives on controversey and bad news. They are just licking their chops over all the copy they could get from NC State fans running off coaches from two major sports in the same year. They are doing everything in their power to try to make it hqppen, including blowing Chuck’s “non-qualifier� coments all out of proportion. If they pull it off we will live to regret it! It would take the biggest idiot in the world to accept a coaching job with us.
commpletly agree with Choppack and for2n8son.
our team can never pull of both sides of the ball well at the same time.
and
the media WANTS us to run Amato off… it would be a GREAT story for them.
its not Amato’s time to leave just yet… unless cowher wants the job. then we still would love to have Amato for a D-Coord.
Not everybody on the planet is meant to be “The Captain”, that’s for sure. But I don’t know if the duo of CA/BC could thrive at NCSU now. Probably could have been great if CA hadn’t been in the top dog position already.
STOP! Reality break. Let’s drop all the fantasy land chatter involving Cowher. There’s not a hint of that ever being a reality anywhere out there right now. Grips need to be gotten.
I know… I know redfred… it just sounds nice to say.
you are right about CA/BC together… it would never work like that.
Agreed Red, NO CHANCE of getting Cowher. So what if he has a house in Raleigh. Probably has a beach house too, does not mean he will be coaching Coastal Carolina.
Cowher’s contract talks broke off because they did not want to discuss during the year, not because he wants to leave Pittsburgh. He is under contract this year AND NEXT, plenty of time to get something in place for the future.
The $$$ Cowher is making in Pittsburgh are well beyond what we are paying. Why would he come here? Because he loves the University? It’s not all about money, but I dont know many of us who will change jobs to take a sever cut in pay.
Next, Cowher has no college coaching experience. Coaching the pros and college kids is totally different. I know our BB program just took a guy with no college experience, but the circumstances are different. He would have to assemble a staff, probably all from scratch because the current ones would be gone, and his assts in Pittsburgh would not be eager to come back to the college ranks either.
Prove me wrong, but Bill Cowher is NOT coming to NC State to coach football, be the AD, or anything else other than what we are, alumni who want to win.
^at least not till he gets REALLY old, and bored….
The world will not come to an end if CA leaves or is shown the door. This job is so much better than it was 7 years ago it’s not funny. We could get a quality coach with the support, facilities and conference affiliation this school now has.
Set your sights and expectations low enough and you’ll be forever happy.
I agree with everything you say,class of 74, except maybe the “support” part. What we seem to give our coaches lately starts with an S, but I’m not sure you chose the right word. That’s the part that worries me. We, as fans, need to be careful that we don’t become a liability. I don’t mean that we shouldn’t have high expectations, but we need to be realistic, reasonable, and patient. The day may come when Chuck should step aside, but if we run him out of town I suspect we are going to have a worse situation than we did replacing Herb.
^realistic, reasonable, and patient.
Eh Uhmm….
Seems more like the Sendekization of Coach Amato coming to pass.
Agree the world won’t come to an end if coach leaves but any interest in a coach coming here is going to fade for the same reasons Cali, Lavin, et al turned us down.
Those who do not recall the past — are doomed to repeat it.
I don’t see anything wrong with the point CTC is trying to make. He has been talking about it for years. I seem to remember CTC objecting to playing ECU years ago for the same reason. IMHO he is right-All schools should play by the same rules on who can be admitted. All he is saying is that he wants a level playing field( I think he has a good point!!
he MAY have A point… but I dont really see it as all that good of one, considering the diffrences in the stature of the confrences and our ability to recruit compared to theirs. that dosnt exactly make for a level playing feild either.
it still is a point that might be need to be made, but not by OUR coach at this time… after a we lost to THEM. and not in the way he made it. he just made an ass out of himself, the school, and us fans. HE needs to clear that up.
“Seems more like the Sendekization of Coach Amato coming to pass.”
I admit, I tend to lump the overall FB/BB coaching scenario at NCSU together. Many have disagreed with me, but the two do parallel. Big time.
Only thing is, there has never been any really consistent aptitude for football at NCSU. Now as far as basketball, that great aptitude has been frivolously wasted away, and only over the past decade, by totally denying that it ever even existed.
johnny Says:
“September 13th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
I don’t see anything wrong with the point CTC is trying to make. ……. I think he has a good point!!”
My wife might have a good point that I’m a lousy lover, but putting it in the Garden Club Newsletter doesn’t work. Chuck might or might not have a good point but you will be hard-pressed to justify his public expressions of it.
BLUE SUCKS, could be that you are right in your post about fear being the only motivator that works. But frankly, I think you might have seen one too many Bear Bryant at Texas A&M movies. And I understand Urben Meyer was that way at Utah and at Florida when he got there.
One size may fit all as relates to football, but I would hope that fear isn’t the only way. John Fox of the Carolina Panthers appears to not resort to fear and abuse tactics and he is somewhat successful.
The strength and conditioning coaches at State by all indications, try to motivate in other ways.
“My wife might have a good point that I’m a lousy lover, but putting it in the Garden Club Newsletter doesn’t work. Chuck might or might not have a good point but you will be hard-pressed to justify his public expressions of it.”
The schools or conferences that voted to allow partial qualifiers clearly must think it is an advantage. If the voted for it, then why are they ashamed of it.? Is it a dirty little secret? Most recruits and college fans of this schools know about it. Where was the outage when CTC made similar comments years ago about him not wanting to play ECU for the same reason??? Or does this have more to do with losing??
Congratulations SFN!!! This thread was the featured story on a Web Watch piece on “The Crystal Ball” on CSTV yesterday!
One of the guys (a handicapper type) suggested Chuck’s comments were out of desperation. Another took a shot at his shades. But Trev Alberts put it best, (I’m paraphrasing) Chuck came in and sold us on high expectations, and hasn’t delivered. And unfortunately, the hot seat comes along with the high expectations. That’s life.
johnny Says:
“The schools or conferences that voted to allow partial qualifiers clearly must think it is an advantage. If the voted for it, then why are they ashamed of it.?”
Just picked that statement out and that is an excellent point.
They’re never brought up during or after a ballgame, but the N C system standards are a definite handicap for athletics and even within the conference.
The standards were voted in, we adhere to them, I don’t think anybody is tooting their own horns about them, or any media sources or sports announcers pointing out the obvious handicaps during a game.
But nobody is ashamed to admit that that is what their conference stands for either.