We have heard from various people on campus this morning that Amato has been fired. We have no way to “verify” how accurate the story is, but it seems to be coming from all angles. We are not going out on a limb and “reporting” that it has happened, we are just passing on what we have heard. If and when we receive any more updates we will post them on the blog.
Wow.
And Jed?
You cannot defend Chuck. I wont try. If he gets fired, he earned it.
I just cannot believe that anyone thinks Lee Fowler can handle a coaching search. The man is a walking calamnity. Worst case scenario ist Chuck coming back. Its what happens if Chuck is fired.
Mr Fowler should be filling a position this offseason.
Mr Oblinger should be filling a position next offseason.
Dan, who says he will handle it? I’d suggest we learn something from our big brother down the road and hire someone to handle it for us.
UNC did much better their 2nd time around, so maybe Lee learned something.
I’ve heard it through several usually reliable folks as well. Can’t verify it, but the talk is rampant.
Southbeachstyle: UNC had to talk to one coach. That search wasn’t very complex. Even Baddour could have handled that one.
Agree that we will need to go a different route than just let Fowler handle this hiring. Hopefully, the folks making this happen have a plan and have been working on it for sometime.
I’ve had a palpable sense about it all day, though I have absolutely no information to support that sense.
It looks like I’ll be hitting F5 twenty times a day for the next 2 months… again
I, too, hope that Fowler learned something from the basketball coaching search. Hopefully, he will admit he doesn’t “know football” well enough to go this one alone.
I’m with Cardiff. I live in Tennessee and I can feel it all the way out here. Something is just out of kilter in Wolfpack Nation. The pressure is tremendous for change.
Fool us once, shame on Jed.
Fool us twice, shame on us.
I talked to one guy that said Amato met with his staff Sunday morning for a good hour or so and that Amato was visibly concerned about the status of his job. I’ve also heard that the decision was made as early as two weeks ago to let him go and the loss to Carolina simply made it easier give him the bad news now.
As far as the Carolina search went, I heard that Baddour was pretty much hands off behind the scenes on that search. The Heels apparently put together a committee to go after Davis and left Baddour to be solely a mouthpiece for the committee.
Well, BillyTough jumping ship, as well as The Technician, can’t have helped Amato’s cause.
Hey folks. I hope you all don’t mind me joining up here but my work blocks me from going to PackPride’s message boards but I can get to this blog.
I wish Amato nothing but the best if this is true.
I pray there has been behind the scenes talks with the eventual successor assuming these rumors are true. Another taxing coaching search is not what NC State needs right now. I think the media’s hatred for Amato is going to make this much less painful than the post-Sendek search, but we still don’t need a long drawn out search with the perception of bungled talks going on.
I hate that news. We had better make a quick top notch hire.
Actually, from what I’ve heard of the UNC-Ch search, Baddour was basically told, “Sit back, we’ll handle this.” Lee should be told the same thing. He can’t use the same “good-ole boy/backroom” searching method that brought such disgrace to NC State last time around. If this is a done deal, a search firm should be contracted and allow them to handle all the stuff that Lee failed at. 2 weeks later, Lee shows up at a press conference shaking hands w/ the new coach.
Who says that Jed will be given enough power to actually lead the search? He ‘knew basketball’ and look how that went.
I’ve got a feeling that his influence in this process will be severely more limited than will shared in public.
IF- this is true, the mythical “powers that be” deserve kudos for doing this quickly. Typically, that’s not State’s style, but it should be.
True. This means that Lee Fowler was absolutely rolled if this is true.
Now, if it is, the question is whether we will allow Jed to flounder around like he did with the basketball situation or will we put grownups in charge of the coaching search.
From what I’ve heard, Wendell was ready for this during the GT game, so, after the loss to Virgina.
This will be interesting. Miami, UNC, and NC State all angling for a new head coach. A consultant must be used this time around.
“Actually, from what I’ve heard of the UNC-Ch search, Baddour was basically told, “Sit back, we’ll handle this.â€?”
Thats exactly what happened. Well, they weren’t as nice as that. All you need to know about Baddour is that his top candidate was reportedly David Cutcliffe.
what’s the beef with Oblinger? the tailgate thing?
if this is true, it would have been reported somewhere else, I think it is just wishful thinking. not getting my hopes up
I’ll believe when I see the press conference or press release.
I sure hope it’s true. We can’t give Butch Davis a running head start.
Agree that people at State deserve credit for doing this at the right time.
Heard confirmations that Baddour was carved out of the process at Chapel Hill. I hope that the same hapens to Fowler considering that he has had nothing to do with the developments that have created this opening.
“I’ve had a palpable sense about it all day, though I have absolutely no information to support that sense.�
^^It’s kind of like the writing was on the wall. John Feinstein was discussing Rivers on the Sports Reporters yesterday and made a statement that he was so good that he Amato an additional 3-years.
The comment gave me the impression the Feinstein believed Amato would be gone soon. Feinstein, Duke grad, is about as good as they come on a national level for knowing the happenings for the ACC.
HighonLowe; It’s my understanding that UNC used an outside consultant. Good move on their part and I wonder if we’ll do something similar
^Statefans: Agreed. The statement where someone said UNC allowed Baddour to act as the mouthpiece for a commitee, as if that would be OK for us, scared the crap out of me.
YES, use a search firm and then let Lee come in and swoop up all the glory.
how about Cowher as head coach
logan or chow for OC
keep chuck on as asst head coach so he can recruit
and get herring back from the razorbacks to be DC
The UNC search consultant was Chuck Neinas:
http://www.newsobserver.com/758/story/502570.html
Agreed that if the “official announcement” will not come until after the ECTC game, then the search committee (whoever that may be) needs to put on the full court press while they have cover for the next 6 days.
I don’t think they would let rumors fly around for another week. If it is decided, just say so. Then maybe our team will play well to send Chuck out with a win like UNC did for Bunting.
Chuck will not get fired. Do not get your hopes up based on these rumors. Lets get ready for the 2007 season.
Goodbye Chuck
It sure has been nice knowing you. We wish you all the best. Maybe after this break-up we can still be friends. I sure would like that. It’s nothing personal buddy, it is just business.
Thanks for all the good times.
Hello greener pastures.
^ Why do you say that? Money, or Fowler? Has to be one of the two.
^ Somebody has been spending a LITTLE TOO much time in chapel hole hitting the crack pipe
its not going to happen guys, i wish it would but like i said, it would have leaked by now to someone, and so far nothing.
but I think it is leaking…
If indeed there is a dismissal, shortly thereafter expect another open letter from “Coach Fowler” talking about how he is in complete control of the situation (Cardiff–wasn’t it Ed Meese who made this proclamation in ‘81 after Reagan was shot?) and that he promises to be completely transparent through the search and will divulge the names of all candidates that he speaks with.
Then, of course, there will be no candidates.
Chow down for N.C. St. job?
Tennessee: Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow is another assistant whose name is being churned in the rumor mill. Word is, if North Carolina State fires coach Chuck Amato, Chow could be in line to become the next coach of the Wolfpack. Chow was the offensive coordinator when the school was flying high a few years ago with Rivers as is prize pupil.
Chow would give the Wolfpack instant credibility. Trouble is, those who know Chow think he is the type of coach who listens, but is reluctant to take a head coaching job. His personality may make him more comfortable as an assistant.
Still the Titans coaching situation could get messy, prompting a move by Chow. The heated relationship between head coach Jeff Fisher and general manger Floyd Reese could come to a head. If Fisher goes, Chow also could move on.
There has been rampant speculation that Fisher and Chow wanted to draft quarterback Matt Leinart - whom Chow coached at USC - instead of Young, whom the Titans took at No. 3. But owner Bud Adams and Reese were in favor of Young.
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4377637
Can we wish for Cowher as HC and Chow as OC/Assistant Head Coach?
I couldn’t imagine that Amato would even want to stay as an assistant coach. Ego way to big for that. The logical option for Amato would be to try and move to the NFL as a Defensive Coord as a good chunck of the defensive players in the NFL are his kids. By moving to the NFL he won’t take the huge pay cut he would get if he tried to stay on some staff in college.
This will be the most refreshed SFN page since, oh, April.
MMcC — I was wondering if that’s what that meant. So I’m going to have to go slam my head in a wall now for allowing myself to dream wildly.
Beo,
On the other hand, Chow could opt for UNC as OC with Butch Davis.
Oh, dear.
The only thing Lee Fowler learned from the last search was to pack a good lunch next time.
“(Cardiff–wasn’t it Ed Meese who made this proclamation in ‘81 after Reagan was shot?).”
It was actually Secretary of State Alexander Haig. He said, “As of now, I am control here at the White House.” The qualifiers are often lost when people report the statement, which is unfair to Haig even if he was somewhat of a blowhard and fool.
as we learned in April, sure we can dream but watch out for recoil.
If this is not a valid rumor, it may be a ploy on someone’ part (not you SFN) to try and force Fowler to either put an end to the rumor or confirm it, one way or another. Even his continued silence would speak volumes—in the face of this; a rapidly spreading “rumor”.
Speaking of April,
Calipari’s player took money, no way!
off subject but Haig was unaware (or had forgotten about) of the change the order of succession which moved Secretary of State from 3rd to 4th or 5th.
“as we learned in April, sure we can dream but watch out for recoil.”
And the poster’s username is “highonlowe”?
Mickey, hush! That’s a nightmare scenario in the already Tim Burton-esque existence of Wolfpack fandom!
I watched the coaches show yesterday and CTC was visibly shaken and had a hard time putting together complete sentences. There was a lot of uncertainty and and unease in all of his comments. A lot of studdering and a very subdued tone.
Maybe he got the bad news right before he taped the show.
“I watched the coaches show yesterday and CTC was visibly shaken and had a hard time putting together complete sentences. There was a lot of uncertainty and and unease in all of his comments. A lot of studdering and a very subdued tone.”
“They Gave Me A Lifetime Contract Then Declared Me Dead”
-Book by Jim Valvano
“..had a hard time putting together complete sentencess….a lot of studdering and a very subdued tone…”
Not sure how that is any different from the norm.
Any suggestions for who should comprise our search committee?
I say let Bobby Purcell lead it.
I love Sidney Lowe, but I don’t love how we came about hiring him.
Most of us dreamed for the big names and most of us were humiliated when we were publicly used and abused repeatedly.
His last complete sentence was actually a question….”What critic’s?” after the FSU game.
Really great news for the program and bad news for Chuck, but he can’t say we did not give him all of the tools and time to make it work. All indications are this has happened, as outlined by several here, sometime yesterday according to people who should know.
For what it’s worth, I just got this from a family member who’s a current student at State.
I asked what had been heard on campus. The reply: “only by students. I haven’t heard anything yet.”
So the rumor is out there…but that doesn’t exactly answer the question, does it?
no chance we can either afford Chow AND Cowher, OR get them to commit till AT LEAST end of Dec…
hopeful there is a change…. but weary about the timing.
also nervous about the results if they try to search TOO fast….
I feel a bit torn after reading this post. I’m almost giddy with the “what if” prospects of getting a good head coach (Cowher, Chow, Logan, Johnson) and no longer enduring another mediocre season with Amato, but since the “rumors” are not confirmed (and I appreciate SFN for acknowledging this), then I am troubled by the turmoil the football program appears to be in, let alone the state of our Atheltics Department. You all know how I feel about Uncle Jed, so I won’t go there.
If the rumors prove to be true, than I will assume that Jed had nothing to do with it, and his hand was forced by Murphy and the gang. The probability of Lee Fowler being proactive and actually having a vision is too much to hope for or expect.
If after the EZU game a coaching change is made public, then I hope to God that someone or some consultant group has done the pre-requisite homewrok and has already held discussions with one of the prospects mentioned above.
maybe Amato should be the 49ers D. Coordinator…
both Manny and Marcus had good games against Seattle…
man I cant wait for the 9ers to be a great team again, especially now that my boy plays for them!!!
Nice article on Mr. Murphy, our biggest backer….
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1997/1013/6008115a.html
deading ESPN’s Bottom 10 this week….
something tells me we earned that horrific 5 Spot again.
Someone, LF or Dr. O, needs to make an official announcement. This has no business being hushed once the decision is made. That’s not fair to Chuck, the staff or the school.
^you know I was just thinking the same thing.
Regardless of who we get as the next coach, I think that my age and years of being a State fan have finally taught me not to set my expectations too high.
Remember how jazzed we all were about Amato? Here’s a coach who was the #2 guy at the most dominant program of the decade, and he was one of ours. SURELY he could build the same success in Raleigh that we had all dreamed of forever.
We saw how that turned out. There’s many more factors in trying to build a successful program than one person’s resume/success. While clearly there are some candidates I’d rather have over others, no one is going to get me excited over sheer “potential” again.
State football is about seeing old friends and tailgating. If we can get someone in here to average about 7-8 wins a year and beat the Holes, I’ll be thrilled. Anything else is pie in the sky.
(re the bottom 10…should know better than to try that in such a hot board)
Cowher has a new home in Raleigh.
Youngest daughter attends Ravenscroft.
Cowher has been coaching the Steelers for a long time now and has won the top prize.
Pittsburgh is 4-6 after week 11.
Phillip Rivers is in the NFL now and everyone is finally recognizing the emperor with the red sunglasses has no clothes on…
I really hope this rumor turns to solid news by the end of the day. Why wait till after next weekend? Pulling the plug while still playing the season didn’t seem to hurt the coach blunt’s team from kicking our ass.
From the desk of Lee Fowler
In light of some of the rumors concerning Coach Amato’s status as the NC State football coach, I thought it necessary to clarify a few key points.
1. I’m in control of the situation around here.
2. I know football.
3. George Dickel is my good friend.
As is customary, I’ve fielded at least 4 dozen calls to my cell phone this morning from national and local media, and I assured them that there is no truth to the rumor that Coach Amato will be fired, but that I will have a show on Fox 13 this Thursday that says, “If I fired him, this is how I would do it.”
There will be a segment at the end where I will list the top 10 coaches that I would pursue, “if I fired him.” I know you’ll agree that its important to play out this hypothetical situation so people won’t speculate about our coach’s status.
At any rate, I hope this open letter comforts everyone. I’ll keep the world apprised of any developments.
Your friend (in confidence),
Lee Fowler
Athletics Director
North Carolina State University
Amato’s radio show should be interesting tonight…
Lock, I noticed your comment on the other thread. I think your position exemplifies how deep the discontent and end-of-the-line frustration has become following this latest debacle.
Just heard Bagdad Bob is sitting in for CTC tonight on the radio.
Spin, we don’t agree in the political arena, but I agree completely with you post. My friends will tell you I had a meltdown during the Clemson game last year and it changed my outlook for all NC State sports forever. As a result, I can handle the lows much better, and the highs are much higher when we pull the big win.
^ Bob may put in an appearance before too much longer. Apparently he’s telling “Coach Fowler” that “Even if, by the parboiled testicles of Allah, cannot spin this disaster!”
even if we were playing duke this week amato wouldnt stand a chance
“Remember how jazzed we all were about Amato? Here’s a coach who was the #2 guy at the most dominant program of the decade, and he was one of ours. SURELY he could build the same success in Raleigh that we had all dreamed of forever.”
Well, I wasn’t exactly jazzed about Amato when he was hired until the PC when he was crying because it was his dream job. I knew it would be tough for him to be successful. I was thrilled when we found out Norm Chow would be OC, Buddy Green was leaving a head-coaching position to be DC - and when I saw the resume of some of our players. I wasn’t exactly thrilled when I saw us have to come back against Arkansas State to win his first game. I was thrilled though, w/ his first 3 years. I thought maybe we had a special coach. Instead, it appears we had a special QB. We also had a HC w/ a keen eye for talent - and a knack for developing it individually. I don’t know what’s happened - aside from the obvious - that we lost an QB, who may be a pro-bowler his first season as a starter. But things have definitely gone way off track. As close as we’ve been to special seasons, we’ve been just as close to debacles. 2 years ago, we only won 3 conference games - one was when VaTech missed a game-winning FG by a foot or two. The other was when Grobe inexplicably changed QBs in OT (and then Wake missed a FG.) This year, we’ve only won 2 conference games, one of which was on a de facto hail-mary.
Damn “you people” are harsh. I’m as angry at Amato for losing to UNC as the next guy, but its not like he hugged Bunting after the game or anything.
Cardiff: Seriously. I mean, putting aside the fact it was UNC. We lost to an absolutely horrible team, and not for the first time this year. And (this sounds familiar) we keep losing for the same reasons.
College basketball’s a little different…as long as you make it to the NCAAs, you have a chance, and I don’t like gambling that away (no attempt to re-open that can of worms here, I promise). Football you don’t get that chance. I remember seeing a stat on TV a few years ago, about the end of the Dick Sheridan era. We had had a double-digit year string of bowl games attended, and were #3 in the nation in that stat. I was proud of that.
That’s so far removed now it’s disgusting.