World’s most shocking award

Lee Fowler is garnering media attention….again. Can you believe it?

I guess this is the appropriate spot where we will add one of the dozens of links that we could add on the topic of Lee Fowler’s name being in lights!

This time the News and Observer showers him with praise for his availableness and willingness to “speak for his department”. First an award of excellence and now this. We are truly blessed to have such a man leading our athletic department. Read about how the reporters love our AD.

Evidently, Fowler held the role of color commentator for the radio broadcasts at Memphis from 1985-1994 while also working in the University’s booster club. This was his first role after serving as an assistant coach on the Memphis State basketball teams who were penalized by the NCAA for some of the most major violations in the history of college basketball. (The school formerly known as Memphis State) were forced by the NCAA to vacate their 1985 Final Four appearance and forfeit games won in those years. Fowlers former boss and the former head coach of the Tigers, Dana Kirk, spent time in federal prison later in life.

About Rick

1992 and 2002 graduate from NCSU. Born and raised an NCSU fan. I remember the good ol' days and they weren't in the last 20 years.

AD & Department General Media NC State Administration

43 Responses to World’s most shocking award

  1. coppertop 03/24/2008 at 5:47 PM #

    is it such a surprise that the N&O loves to hear from Good ol’ Lee? I mean, if its a slow news day, who can you call to drum up a story where there isn’t one? Why not call him, he’ll provide a foot in the mouth, er I mean good quote or two…

  2. highstick 03/24/2008 at 5:55 PM #

    Gives out his phone number? Big deal! Isn’t that because he’s never at work, but is fishing on Lake Gaston! Give that number out publically Lee so we can all call you and mess up your fishing!

  3. RAWFS 03/24/2008 at 6:03 PM #

    Lee sells a lot of newspapers. No wonder they like him.

  4. CarnifeX 03/24/2008 at 6:23 PM #

    leee sucks. n&o is pro carolina and likes the work lee is doing. sky is blue.

  5. Sweet jumper 03/24/2008 at 7:15 PM #

    Jed walked by my seats going into the tunnel yesterday at the RBC. My friend had to hold me back from dumping a tub of popcorn on his head.

  6. Mr O 03/24/2008 at 7:28 PM #

    Email sent to Mr. Drescher:

    Mr. Drescher,

    First, let me warn you that this is quite long, but I hope you bear with me and get through the entire email. Also, feel free to share this with any writer for your paper that might be interested in tackling this suggestion. I noticed your recognition of Lee Fowler as being one of the most accessible sources in the area. I think you are correct that he is definitely very accessible to the media. This one comment stood out though:

    They also know that the story is coming, like it or not, and that they might as well tell their side. For those who hope that a story will go away if you ignore the reporter — it doesn’t. It just increases the odds you won’t like the story.

    In my opinion, your paper has been very easy on Lee Fowler during his time in Raleigh. Nobody from the local media ever seems to have asked Lee very difficult questions about his results as our athletic director I would be very interested in seeing someone in your paper dig beneath the surface of NC State athletics and do an analysis type article on his successes and failures as our athletic director. Disappointingly enough it is now the “off-season” for NC State fans, so it is a perfect time for someone in the media to write and print this type of an article. I often hear and read the comments about “NC State fans getting what they deserve” in regards to Herb Sendek leaving NC State for Arizona St. But the folks who say and write that stuff don’t really have any clue whether or not we are getting what we deserve or if in fact we deserve a whole lot better.

    Here is some information I have gathered:

    1. Membership #s

    -5th nationally (20,000~)

    http://www.newsobserver.com /734/story/947976.html

    2. Donations

    NC State 2006 donations – $27,254,723
    ACC rank – 4th(UNC, UVA, FSU ahead of us)
    BCS rank – 14th

    Amount raised in capital funds last 5 years – $125,625,000
    ACC rank – 5th
    BCS rank – 10th

    http://vcafo.org/support _bulletin/2007/2007-19.pdf

    3. Attendance

    Basketball – 18th nationally 2007, might have moved up in 2008 as we averaged about 1000 more fans per game
    Football – 36th nationally for 2008, 98.73% capacity

    Football – seven consecutive sellouts

    http://www.gopack.com/ViewArtic le.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID =1147334

    NC State administration rankings/performance measures:

    1. Conference titles in four biggest sports

    Last ACC titles:
    Football – 1979
    Men’s Basketball – 1987
    Women’s Basketball – 1991
    Baseball – 1992

    -NC State is one of 5 BCS schools not to win a conference title in Football, Men’s or Women’s Basketball, or Baseball since AD Lee Fowler was hired in 2000.

    2. Current Sears Cup Standings:

    6. Wake Forest
    12. Florida State
    14. Virginia
    20. Duke
    22. UNC
    32. Boston College
    33(T). Clemson
    33(T). Virginia Tech
    36. Maryland
    83. Middle Tenn. State
    89. NC State
    118. Georgia Tech
    118(T). Miami

    -Middle Tenn. St included because that is where we hired Lee Fowler from
    -Only ACC schools below NC State have new ADs in the last two years

    3. NC State’s Sears Cup finishes – Fowler hired in 2000-2001 athletic year

    1994 – 59 (9th in conference)
    1995 – 32 (5th in conference)
    1996 – 34 (5th in conference)
    1997 – 57 (8th in conference)
    1998 – 43 (6th in conference)
    1999 – 63 (6th in conference)
    2000 – 40 (5th in conference)
    2001 – 56 (8th in conference)
    2002 – 46 (8th in conference)
    2003 – 43 (7th in conference)
    2004 – 39 (7th in conference)
    2005 – 51 (9th in conference)
    2006 – 34 (6th in conference)
    2007 – 44 (8th in conference)
    2008 – 89 (10th in conference)

    Average finish pre-Lee Fowler – 46.85
    Average finish in Lee Fowler era not including 2008 since year isn’t finished – 44.71
    Average finish including current 2008 ranking – 50.25

    Best year pre-Fowler – 32 (1995)
    Best year Fowler – 39 (2004)

    http://nacda.cstv.com/directors cup/nacda-directorscup-previous -scoring.html

    Important to remember that $150,000,000 million + has been invested in the facilities since Lee Fowler arrived on campus. Sears Cup ratings pre-Fowler had almost no updated facilities and no help from basketball as we were in the Les Robinson and early Herb Sendek era. Among NC State fans, the fact that we now have updated facilities is used to defend Lee Fowler, but in reality those facilities woudn’t have been built without the members of the WPC. Even if he deserves some amount of credit for the buildings themselves, then why are our results essentially equal to those results achieved by Les Robinson and Todd Turner who didn’t have the updated facilities?

    5. Football and Basketball performance with new facilities

    Football(W = 1 win):
    WWWWWWWW
    WWWWWWW
    WWWWWWWWWWW
    WWWWWWWW (Rivers last year)
    WWWWW
    WWWWWWW
    WWW
    WWWWW

    Wins in first four years – 34
    Wins in 2nd four years – 20

    Overall trend – negative

    Basketball(W = 1 ACC win)
    WWWWW
    WWWWWWWWW
    WWWWWWWWW
    WWWWWWWWWWW
    WWWWWWW (Hodge’s last year)
    WWWWWWWWWW
    WWWWW
    WWWW

    Wins in first four years – 34
    Wins in 2nd four yeasr – 26

    Overall trend – negative

    Fowler has told us for years that facilities would make a difference, but in reality we aren’t any better(might be worse actually) with the new facilities than we were before the RBC and basketball facility were completed and before CF was completely redone. Even though there were coaching changes in both programs, there are plenty of examples in the conference and nationally where programs change coaches and don’t hit rock bottom(Wake with Grobe, Maryland with Fridgen, UNC with Roy, W. Va with their new basketball coach).

    In looking at these charts, it appears that Philip Rivers and Julius Hodge had a whole lot more to do with our success than the shiny new buildings we have erected in Raleigh.

    6. Tenure of NC State AD versus other underperforming athletic departments

    I don’t consider this particular blog’s opinion to be that important, but I think what was most interesting about this was the research I added in terms of the tenures of the athletic directors at the universities on this list.

    http://cfn.scout.com/2/739043 .html
    Worst basketball and football in 2008:

    10. Nebraska – interim AD hired October 2007
    9. Syracuse – new AD hired in December, 2004

    8. Colorado – new AD in May, 2005

    7. South Carolina – new AD hired in April, 2005, current AD used to be Assoc. AD at NC State – David Hyman

    6. Minnesota – hired AD in 2002

    5. NC State – AD hired August, 2000

    4. Washington – Former AD Todd Turner stepped down in December, 2007, interim in place, Turner was former NC State AD after Jim Valvano was let go

    3. Iowa St. – new AD in Sept., 2005

    2. Iowa – new AD in August, 2006

    1. Northwestern – Interim AD hired in January, 2008

    Of the ten schools on this list:

    -3 schools have interim ADs in moves made the last six months
    -5 other schools have new ADs in the last 3 years
    -1 school has an AD for a tenure of 6 years
    -1 school has an AD with tenure of 8 years – NC State

    Anyways, I think the performance of NC State athletics under Lee Fowler would be a great story. Lee Fowler just got nominated by our Chancellor for an Award of Excellence. When I look at our on the field performance versus the performance of our fans, I cannot figure out what excellence earned this nomination.

    By the numbers alone, NC State supporters have out-performed our administration and it really isn’t close. NC State fans are top 20 by almost every reasonable measure (except for overall football attendance which can’t go any higher, but has seven consecutive sellouts), yet our athletic department isn’t close to the top 20 by any measure. In fact, the only consistent top 20 programs at NC State are men’s and women’s cross country.

    So are NC State fans really getting what they deserve?

  7. WendellPackster 03/24/2008 at 7:34 PM #

    The Noise & Blow like Lee the same way we liked NasCarl and Doh boy….cause they all sucked!!!

  8. Primewolf 03/24/2008 at 7:35 PM #

    Nice article, SFN, but what can we do about it, other than to continue to read about how bad LF is.

    We need a plan.

    SFN: One is coming!

  9. Dr. BadgerPack 03/24/2008 at 7:47 PM #

    It’s pathetic, even down here in Gainesville, how much of a joke Fowler is. I’ve heard basically the same comment from some TV folks and some coaching folks: he doesn’t know the difference between his patoot and a hole in the ground.

    SFN: I can’t tell you how many times that people ‘in the industry’ echo the same perspectives to me. I’ve spoken with members of dozens of Athletics Departments, media outlets and bowl committees and get the same views on Fowler…often without having to fish for them.

  10. ruffles31 03/24/2008 at 7:48 PM #

    Fowler talks to the media WAY TOO much. As an AD, he shouldn’t feel the need to talk to the media more than 2-3 times a year. Yet, he talks to some form of the media at least once a month.

    He should do his job and not worry about what he is going to tell John Q. Public over the airwaves. Now, talking to members of the Wolfpack Club, that is another matter.

  11. Pack92 03/24/2008 at 9:19 PM #

    And yet, you never hear a member of the media ask foul-up just exactly what do you get paid for? Your athletic teams, which represent North Carolina State University, suck. Do you, in reality, actually represent said university?

  12. packpower 03/24/2008 at 9:22 PM #

    Please consider removing the last paragraph of this post, which, in my opinion, crosses the line.

    Despite what I believe appears to be an inference of impropriety, I have never heard or seen any proof that our present athletic director ever committed any alleged NCAA violations at Memphis State or was involved with Dana Kirk’s alleged legal violations.

    If one even hints at such without any concrete evidence, shame on such person.

    Although it is a First Amendment right to criticize an athletic director’s relationship with the media, coaching hires, ticketing policies or other decisions, drawing what appears to be an inference of impropriety is simply wrong.

    One doesn’t have to like the individual but should remember he has a family who will suffer if they read this.

    SFN: I guess we need to go petition the NCAA and all of the thousands of media outlets to please strike their articles about the situation from the record so that Lee Fowler’s family won’t get too upset? Come on now! How about the thousands of NC State fans who suffer due to the incompetence of our Athletics and campus administration? Who is going to pretend that reality doesn’t exist for us?

    Unfortunately, this feels like classic NC StateLee Fowler management style – if only the truth weren’t the truth! Perhaps if we pretend it didn’t happen then it didn’t happen. Please quote the comments that you say indicate that Fowler ‘committed’ an NCAA violation?

    The truth is that Fowler was an assistant coach for one of the dirtiest basketball programs in the history of the NCAA.

    The truth is that after the episode, the man who to this day loves being called “Coach” NEVER coached again in his entire career.

    Sorry if you don’t like the truth. But, we certainly didn’t mispresent the truth by simply stating it.

  13. rky 03/24/2008 at 9:31 PM #

    ^ Me & my family have to suffer due to Lee’s incompetence. Call it karma . . . and, yes, it’s a bitch . . .

  14. Pack92 03/24/2008 at 9:33 PM #

    The whole NC State family is suffering due to the useless pus bag. Some recognize that for fact, some don’t.

  15. turfpack 03/24/2008 at 10:22 PM #

    LEE-WHAT RIGHT DOES HE HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING TO MEDIA?HE IS A WORTHLESS A.D.-TALKING TO A WORTHLESS PAPER.LEE-HOW ABOUT YOU DO THIS. 1.SEE IF SID NEEDS ANYTHING FOR NEXT YEARS SEASON.(COACHES)
    2.STAY AWAY FROM T.O.B.-YOU WILL SCREW THAT UP FOR US.
    3.TRY CONCERNING YOURSELF WITH ALL NCSU ATHLETICS(MAKE BETTER)
    4.TRY KEEPING A REPLACEMENT COACHING LIST CLOSE-NEVER MIND!!!
    5.MY SUGGESTION IS- START WORK ON A RESUME-I HOPE YOU NEED IT.
    6.SAVE THE MONEY YOU HAVE NOW IN THE ATHLETIC DEPT.-IT’S GOING
    TO GET REAL TIGHT WITH ANOTHER YEAR LIKE THE LAST ONE.
    7. GET A FIREMAN’S GEAR- THE DAMN HEAT GOING TO GET TURNED UP.

    FROM WHAT I’M HEARING- THERE IS A WIND OF CHANGE A-COMIN AND NO ONE IS GOING TO BE SAFE.SO LET IT BE SAID-SO LET IT BE DONE.

    I AM A NCSU GRADUATE- WHEN IT COMES TO MY UNIVERSITY-I AM NOT SCARED TO DO WHAT EVER IT TAKE TO MAKE MY UNIVERSITY BETTER.-START A CAMPAGIN TO REMOVE PROBLEM AREAS -ATHLETIC OR ACADEMICS.I SUPPORT AND WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITY AS MUCH AS I CAN -I AM NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO WATCH IT FLOUNDER IN TO NOTHINGNESS.WITH LEE OR WITH OUT,WITH OLBINGER OR WITHOUT,WITH SID OR WITHOUT,WITH T.O.B.OR WITHOUT,OR ANYONE ELSE–I WILL HEIP THIS UNIVERSITY PREVAIL-IN ATHLETICS AND ACADEMICS-SO THAT’S MY TAKE=ENOUGH SAID!

  16. MatSci94 03/24/2008 at 11:05 PM #

    Is there any chance this is us padding his resume?

  17. Rick 03/25/2008 at 6:36 AM #

    “It’s pathetic, even down here in Gainesville, how much of a joke Fowler is. I’ve heard basically the same comment from some TV folks and some coaching folks: he doesn’t know the difference between his patoot and a hole in the ground.”

    Anyone with a brain can see he is useless. It reminds me of my time at IBM. The single most treasured ability at IBM was the ability to talk. If one could talk for hours on end wihtout saying anything then you were guaranteed to shoot up the management ranks. Lee is one of those guys who can talk all day because he thinks he is important when nothing is further from the truth.

  18. newt 03/25/2008 at 8:48 AM #

    Hmmmm. Almost seems like a media campaign for Fowler is afoot.

  19. packof81 03/25/2008 at 9:15 AM #

    Lee is a shameless publicity hound trying to drive up his stock so he can trade up to a more prestigious gig. To him, glitzy facilities are more important than winning teams. The Noise and Disturber is only too happy to promote his grandstanding. It gives them a story and helps keep the powers that be at NCSU in place, prolonging the problems that have been dogging us since Valvano’s ouster.

  20. highonlowe 03/25/2008 at 11:10 AM #

    Would anyone be surprised if the recognition in that article is some sort of payola inducement?

  21. transylvania 03/25/2008 at 11:56 AM #

    It pains me to say this, but it seems a given that as long as LF is at the helm, we will be in UNC’s shadow…

  22. thekind 03/25/2008 at 11:56 AM #

    I have a good friend that is a big wig in Wake athletics. He told me that Fowler is considered a joke of an AD.

    Fowler has got to go.

  23. choppack1 03/25/2008 at 12:00 PM #

    Here’s what I want to know:

    Are these reporters asking Lee Fowler the hard questions?

    Questions like:
    Lee, 2 years ago, you called in ESPN on a national college football show and publicly stated Chuck Amato was NOT on the hot seat. 2 months later, he was fired as head coach. Can you explain that?

    Lee, you often called out fans of your university for being critical of coaches there – there hasn’t been a football title in Raleigh since 1979 and there hasn’t been a conference b’ball title in Raleigh since 1987 – can you understand why the fans would be frustrated? Is it right to belittle their concerns when every ACC school pre-expansion has won titles in one of these two sports?

    Lee – explain the college basketball search in the spring of 2006? Do you think you made mistakes in this search?

    Do you believe an athletic department can be compliant, ethical and compete for NCAA titles?

    Why do you think you’ve come up short in this arena?

  24. Noah 03/25/2008 at 12:33 PM #

    “Lee, 2 years ago, you called in ESPN on a national college football show and publicly stated Chuck Amato was NOT on the hot seat. 2 months later, he was fired as head coach. Can you explain that?”

    Answer: Sure, I wasn’t a part of that decision. Some things are not left to chance (which is code for “me.”)

  25. BoKnowsNCS71 03/25/2008 at 12:34 PM #

    Everybody likes a good ole boy around. Everyone knows he’s not threatening and you’re going to get some fun quotes and laughs — and maybe an invite to a press party and some tickets courtesy of the follks who pay the ever increasing ticket prices for the mediocre product.

    What confuses me is why his big donor buddies who manage major businesses don’t hold him to the same standards they do for their own companies. Tell me that if Big Pig Farms was making no progress, failing to gain market share, etc — that Big Pig wouldn’t fire that manager/VP/President faster than a Wolfack turnover.

    I think those guys — who exert influence over the program — need to put down their whiskey glasses in the custom arena suites and think — wouldn’t it be nice if we could be doing this in San Antonio or at a BCS Bowl?

    A wolfpack version of the Duke alumni converging on Durham last year to brainstorm on what is wrong with their football program — might be refreshing to see happen here from some of our successful and gratuitous alumnis.

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