WRAL: Barnes Staying at Texas (Updated 9:45pm)

NC State has been Beamerized.

WRAL-TV is reporting that Rick Barnes has spurned NC State’s offers and will remain the head basketball coach at the University of Texas.

Dave Glenn’s Blog has an update on Thursday with quotes in it.

“We’re working very hard, and we want to do it as quick as possible,” said Herman Rooker, a Raleigh resident who served on the Wolfpack Club board for eight years. “I think this process will tell us a lot about Lee Fowler.”

Little Ricky from Hickory will now ride off into the sunset as a Big 12 retiree. With the ride will come some increased expectations from Texas fans that will come with his increased pay check that should be announced soon.

True to form, nobody at Texas really seems to care very much. The news is all over the NC State internet community, but hasn’t even made the front page of InsideTexas.com as of yet. The only threads on the Texas message boards regarding the news were orginated by NC State fans.

SFN’s Take:
We tried hard. We missed. It’s time to move on. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal. NC State put its best foot forward with a hard sell on a candidate that fit the job perfectly. We should be very proud of the effort expended; we won’t know how proud we should be of the execution of the process/search until this is all completed. Lee Fowler still has to make a believer out of us.

In the end, State waited a few years too late to make the move on Barnes, just as they have missed opportunities for names like Bruce Pearl, Bill Self, John Calipari, and Thad Matta in recent years. Had NC State been more proactive in the management of its basketball program some five years ago when Herb Sendek should have been fired, we wouldn’t be in this situation now.

As we shared with you earlier today, John Calipari’s representatives have not been provided the human courtesy of a returned phone call from Lee Fowler despite multiple attempts at reaching out to the NC State search process.

If NC State has spoken to as many as ten potential candidates as reported earlier today, then how the hell is John Calipari NOT one of them?

If the next logical step is not John Calipari…and Jay Wright is not interested in leaving Villanova as reported…then where does Lee Fowler go next?

That question means that Fowler’s NC State coaching search moves from the “obvious stage” to the “thinking stage.” That is what scares the hell out of the majority of NC State fans. God help us.

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75 Responses to WRAL: Barnes Staying at Texas (Updated 9:45pm)

  1. Wolf's Eye 04/06/2006 at 7:55 PM #

    Doesn’t say he said “NO” does it???

  2. Wolf's Eye 04/06/2006 at 7:57 PM #

    Coach K and Roy don’t recruit in our backyard — they recruit the best talent no matter where it is — That is what NCSU has to do!

  3. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 7:58 PM #

    I’m not completely sold that he’s staying at Texas. I haven’t heard it anywhere yet, except for here. When I see him at a podium, at a press conference, or read of his newly signed contract or see it on ESPN…I’m not buying that cow. I think he’s gonna come.

    Now with that said…I think I might be in denial.

  4. ushum 04/06/2006 at 8:04 PM #

    crap…

  5. crpagpalp 04/06/2006 at 8:05 PM #

    Jimmy your a funny guy

  6. NeverGiveUp 04/06/2006 at 8:05 PM #

    If Barnes and JC are out, what other Big Name is on the list?

  7. WTNY 04/06/2006 at 8:05 PM #

    *Texas website hasn’t posted anything yet.*

    Texas wouldn’t say anything about him staying — why create the perception that he was ever going to leave? That would hurt their recruiting.

    The only confirmation we would ever see is a new contract being signed.

  8. Beauwolf 04/06/2006 at 8:06 PM #

    Anyone read Andy Katz column about LSU’s John Brady? What do you think about him as a coach?

  9. SaccoV 04/06/2006 at 8:07 PM #

    Considering we’ve dangled the carrot long enough with Barnes, I do think that it’s time to move on. If Calipari is still interested (and he should be since HE’S the one who has initiated contact with State and Fowler), we should waste little time in getting him. I think he, if nothing else, could immediately solidify Chris Wright’s re-committment, or at least find another suitable point guard to run the show with Ferguson. Either way, time to move on. Can’t waste another week waiting for dreamy Rick to confirm.

  10. SaccoV 04/06/2006 at 8:10 PM #

    I’m not sold on Brady yet. He’s had one really top-notch year at LSU, which is always a tough sell for good recruits. Getting to the Final Four was nice but he still hasn’t made those big strides in conference which should have been expected by now. Given the SEC was down this year and he had the best post talent in the conference, I don’t see how they ended up losing out so early in their conference tournament. Either way, Brady would be another Sendek for now. We need someone who has proven themselves repeatedly, and Calipari has.

  11. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 8:12 PM #

    By God…I’ve got it.
    I’ll coachem
    Then I’ll never disagree with the coach.
    I’ll do it for…ummm…a…one dollar per day. Supplemented with $10,000 bonuses for each win against Duke, Carolina, and Wake.

  12. Wolf's Eye 04/06/2006 at 8:13 PM #

    SEC was down??? 2 Final Four teams, NCAA Champs, NIT Champs, and Kentucky none of them?? I’m not sure the SEC has ever been that “DOWN” I’m sure they’ll take more down years!! But I’m not sold on Brady — looks kinda like a Chipmunk! 🙂

  13. chillydog 04/06/2006 at 8:14 PM #

    What about the Texas A&M coach

  14. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 8:14 PM #

    The SEC was down this year??? Two teams in the Final Four, one national champion, and the NIT champion??? And the SEC had a down year? Sounds to me like one of their best years ever.

  15. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 8:16 PM #

    I’m just glad nobody is talking about Bobby Lutz being the next coach. He and Rick Barnes are from the same county and all.

  16. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 8:19 PM #

    http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/ncsu

    Denver Nuggets rookie Julius Hodge, the 2004 ACC Player of the Year, said Fordham coach Dereck Whittenburg should be considered for the coaching position at N.C. State. Updated: Apr. 6, 2006 7:26 AM

    I hope Lee Fowler doesn’t listen to Hodge. Anyways, I know Fowler can make good decisions…have any of ya’ll seen his wife??? WOW! She’s almost as hot as his daughters.

  17. ushum 04/06/2006 at 8:43 PM #

    if we’re not contacting Cal, and I take it we’re not, please call Bruce Pearl right f’ing now…

  18. db321 04/06/2006 at 8:54 PM #

    Before Sendek said he was leaving State, several State supporters repeatedly tried to convince other Wolfpackers that Barnes would come back to Raleigh. However, apparently close to 2 million dollars a year, plus retention bonuses that would put the total compensation over 2 million dollars a year, along with a few emotional pleas from friends, wasn’t enough to bring Barnes back. Apparently it wasn’t as easy as some believed and wanted others to believe. On to choice #2.

  19. Sam '92 04/06/2006 at 8:55 PM #

    it’s not so bad — we all knew barnes was not likely to leave texas

    what concerns me more are the reports that fowler is not going after calipari

    btw, this is more fun with n.c. state basketball than i’ve had since i was a freshman (1989, regular season champs)

  20. wolfmanrules 04/06/2006 at 8:55 PM #

    This site kickass! Most statements made are exactly how I feel. If we don’t get RB, Cal or Wright I will be pissed. Does this make me one of these rude fans that have been talked about in the media the past week. Fowler has to go!

  21. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 8:57 PM #

    I think while we’re on the coaching hunt we should get a new head football coach as well. Do ya’ll think that Big T**ty Amato would stay on as our defensive coordinator?

  22. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 9:09 PM #

    I wonder if Bob Valvano can coach???

  23. JimmyVguy 04/06/2006 at 9:10 PM #

    The worst thing about Barnes turning us down was the fact that “No J Bilas” and Dr. Katz didn’t have to eat their words.

  24. PACDADDY 04/06/2006 at 9:10 PM #

    Hey guys…want to read something funny?…go to bottom of “because it’s NC State” entry by Beowolf. I broke this at 6:40. I got a call right at the end of the entry. I was literally tying how good I felt about the possilbity of Barnes coming to us(source told me he was confident earlier this week) and had to erase the frickin thing…

    Calipari, Gillispie, Tubby Smith, Pitino or bust. I wouldn’t be upset with Haith, but I’m not convinced it’s an upgrade…hope I’m wrong…wouldn’t be first time.

  25. UNC 04/06/2006 at 9:16 PM #

    Alright! I switched the inequality sign! Please allow me to post now.

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