Slow News Day

Undoubtedly, you noticed that we didn’t post any news yesterday afternoon. That’s because…there isn’t much to tell. This phenomenon is not limited to us – just take a look at this article from the N&O. It seems to be the primary focus of message board traffic this morning, and it tells you…basically nothing. If anything, it should make you feel much better about Chris Wright. Based on his mother’s comments, it seems like he definitely liked the whole NC State package – not just the coaching staff.

The only other new front is the Tubby Smith rumblings. As far rumors go, we can confirm (based on SFN’s own sources) that this is legitimate, and has been since Sunday. It’s still very unclear how deep and/or mutual this interest may be.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

Alums General Media NCS Basketball

116 Responses to Slow News Day

  1. class of '74 04/05/2006 at 10:23 AM #

    ^NO. State and UM are very similar in fact.

  2. old13 04/05/2006 at 10:24 AM #

    It’s obvious to me from what’s been reported on this site that Foulup is on a short leash for the coaching search. Sounds like a “committee” of big doner alumni and faculty is directing Foulup as to whom he can and cannot pursue, at least by veto, and is using him with his contacts to pursue candidates at the discretion of the committee. As much as I’d like him to be gone, I don’t think the blame for not getting a top “name” coach should be laid totally at his feet if that happens. BUT Foulup still needs to go!

  3. WTNY 04/05/2006 at 10:30 AM #

    Now is not the time to complain about Fowler.

    Support the guy and help him get the best coach possible.

  4. class of '74 04/05/2006 at 10:31 AM #

    ^Absolutely agree. Too many bolshevik hold overs from the Monteith years plus Wendell Murphy may know hogs and how to make money but he should step back when it comes to hiring coaches!

  5. Clarksa 04/05/2006 at 10:31 AM #

    WTNY may be on to something…

    One poster on PP stated that during the Amato coaching search, they floated the rumors that Les was in California interviewing candidtates. In reality, they never went to Cali.

  6. beowolf 04/05/2006 at 10:33 AM #

    *So let the Barnes saga play out, let it draw all the attention. Keep Chip, Glen and all of us nosing in the wrong direction while the best candidate is landed.*

    I think that’s what’s going on, WTNY.

    I also agree that now is the time to give Fowler et al. the benefit of the doubt.

  7. Cardiff Giant 04/05/2006 at 10:34 AM #

    Absolutely not on Nolan Richardson.

  8. Alpha Wolf 04/05/2006 at 10:41 AM #

    Aside from his whining, is Mike Davis a bad hire?

    Fowler works for the university, the donors and the fans. He has two major masters to please, meaning if Oblinger and the university do not want to hire a person, that person will not be hired. Period.

    If Dail, Murphy and the other top dollar men do not want to pony up for a given coach, who’s going to pay for him?

    Us, on the other hand, can be managed. Like mushrooms in this case — kept in the dark and fed precious little. We’ll be told when all four parties – the new coach, Fowler, the administration and the money men all come to an agreement.

    Then the press can have at it. Then the message boards can have at it. But not until.

  9. CaptainCraptacular 04/05/2006 at 10:44 AM #

    Perhaps Richardson was a bad idea, but despite his downsides, he interests me a lot more than Haith at this point.

    >”What we don’t want is to have a coach feel like he was option 5, 6 or 7. Option 2 after the “Barnes come homeâ€? search isn’t bad but beyond that egos could get bruised.”

    I’d like to think that they money numbers being bandied about would somewhat lessen the ego bruise for not being a top choice.

  10. class of '74 04/05/2006 at 10:50 AM #

    IMHO, Frank Haith > Herb Sendek. If Haith comes on board and I’m wrong you may lampoon me all you want. But to me it is a step up.

  11. CEM2002 04/05/2006 at 10:56 AM #

    Press Conference today? Any updates?

  12. Chief93 04/05/2006 at 10:56 AM #

    “IMHO, Frank Haith > Herb Sendek. If Haith comes on board and I’m wrong you may lampoon me all you want. But to me it is a step up.”

    Maybe, but it just seems like such a tiny step to be inconsequential. Not the clear homerun we would hope for. Heck, based on between-the-lines results, he’s not even clearly a step up. Maybe there are some intangibles to be excited about, but it’s asking a lot for those to carry us through the next six months. Our rank and file isn’t too keen on just “potential” right now.

  13. choppack 04/05/2006 at 10:59 AM #

    C of 74 – I think he has a greater upside. He’s only in his second year and he started out in the bigs. He certainly hasn’t been exposed as a baffoon. He’d be walking into a better situation and he’s supposedly an excellent recruiter. We could do a lot worse.

  14. class of '74 04/05/2006 at 11:02 AM #

    ^We weren’t too keen on Norm Sloan or Jimmy V. at the time but they worked out. I’m all for the “trophy candidates” but by the same token if they are not interested I would support Frank Haith just as much as I did Jimmy V. after I got to know him.

  15. wolfpacker 04/05/2006 at 11:03 AM #

    I like Haith however we need to contact all the big guns first! Barnes, Pitino, Wright, and Tubby! All of these guys would be better off than Haith! What do you guys think?

  16. DF Mo 04/05/2006 at 11:08 AM #

    Anyone hear David Glenn on 620/The Bull around 7:20 AM today? Note: he is on there MWF at 7:20 AMish and always a good segment.

    He made some interesting (and new to me) remarks about deferred compensation (he may not have used that exact term) for some of the coaching candidates. This money comes from the booster club not the Univ.

    We hear how much this guy is making and how NCSU offering 1.8 or 2M would be a pay hike and hard to pass up.

    Note: the following are recollections and I am certain they are not 100% accurate.

    For example, if Pitino stays at Louisville till 201X (mighta been 2011), he gets deferred compensation that makes his annual go up to 2.8M over those years.

    He gave a Tubby reference too along the same lines (not sure of year but it was 201X I think) that moved him up to 2.5M.

    Point being that current year compensation is not the whole picture when you count what they would be walking away from if they stay.

    Anyone with better description or details, please correct me.

  17. beowolf 04/05/2006 at 11:09 AM #

    I’m thinking the PC was just idle crap on the radio. Sorry for mentioning it.

  18. Waxhaw 04/05/2006 at 11:16 AM #

    DF Mo — I’ve seen several discussions of longevity bonuses. That would work similar to the deferred comp you are talking about. One in particular was Tubby. I read that his bonus brought him up to $3MM over the next few years. (I have no idea if this is accurate.)

  19. Jon Smith 04/05/2006 at 11:17 AM #

    ACC BB teams do not hire big name coaches but that really hasn’t hurt the ACC. The ACC has done a great job overall in hiring coaches that were not big names such as K, Cremins, Hewitt, Valvano, etc.

    The only 2 big names hired by the ACC in the past 30 years were Roy and Gary Williams and they both went back to their alma maters. Every other ACC coach hired since 1976 came from a smaller school or had no head coaching experience at all.

  20. ltkurtz 04/05/2006 at 11:21 AM #

    LaMarcus Aldridge has recently spoken with Rick Barnes about joining the NBA. After the conversation, LaMarcus is looking for an agent. This was posted late yesterday on CBS sportsline. Could this be good news?

  21. Old13 04/05/2006 at 11:23 AM #

    If Frank Haith becomes the coach, I think it has to be assumed that all the viable “name” coaches have been at least considered, and either dismissed as not the right fit, or contacted (directly or indirectly) and no interest found. I’m sure we’ll never know the who’s and what’s about this. But assuming that is the case, I think that Haith would be a good choice.

    Haith has demonstrated in two years at UM to be a good bench coach. He already has a player going to the NBA. He’s won some games against good competition – UNC, FSU, NIT teams, etc. He knows who he’ll be facing in the ACC. He has experience as an assistant at major D1 schools. He has a reputation for being a good recruiter. He has no baggage to question. What’s wrong with him!

    Sure I’d RATHER have a Barnes. But ANY coach coming to NCSU is not likely to have instant success, as in CHAMPIONSHIP – not Barnes, not Cal, etc . While the 06-07 ‘Pack will have talent, they will have no proven true PG. They will be playing under a new system (Halalula!!). It will take 1-2 good recruiting classes for the new coach to get experienced players for his system before a top-20 ranking should be expected IMHHO.

    I’ll be disappointed if we don’t land a top established coach. But, I don’t see why a Frank Haith wouldn’t have as good a chance as any to take the ‘Pack to the next level. And I would certainly support him unless and until he proves otherwise.

  22. yannes 04/05/2006 at 11:26 AM #

    Itkurtz:

    I was thinking the same thing. The riders are that Aldridge was thinking about this before the job became open, Kevin Durant is coming in next year, and he is expected to go top 5 this year.

  23. class of '74 04/05/2006 at 11:27 AM #

    ^^It’s good news if you are on Texas’ schedule next year.

  24. Old13 04/05/2006 at 11:27 AM #

    Oh, and Haith has publically proclaimed himself to be an ABC – Anybody But Carolina – guy!

  25. wolfpacker 04/05/2006 at 11:29 AM #

    not really good news if you consider the class texas has coming in! Let’s not hold on to every little bit of info to push our hopes up. NC State is a wonderful program and whom ever we get will be great as long as we give him support.

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