(Insert School Here) Dreams Only One Hire Away

General Media NC State Administration NCS Basketball21

I ran across this piece tonight on CBS Sportsline and just had to highlight it. (Don’t worry…it isn’t a Greg Doyel article). (Link)

OK, Nebraska. No excuses. Just go make the hire.

Don’t assume Kansas and Texas are too far ahead to catch in the Big 12. They’re not.

Don’t assume a football school can’t be elite in basketball too. That’s baloney.

So get on the phone, athletic director Steve Pederson, and get this one right.

If ever you feel confused, close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax. If you must, call the Pump Brothers. But whatever you do, don’t think it’s impossible to turn things around

Where do we start? Really…where do we start on these comments? I could go in so many different directions.

What I will say is…NEBRASKA?!? This is NEBRASKA…and the media is talking them up as a potential power in basketball!!!

My head is spinning with the lunacy.

Nebraska has never done squat in college basketball. Nothing. They play in a 30 year old arena that holds 13,500 folks. Nothing close to glorious…with nothing close to the support of NC State. For example, in 2004, NC State ranked #16 in the country in attendance; averaging 1,000 more people per game than Nebraska can fit in their entire arena. The Cornhuskers ranked #64 in the country in attendance that season (averaging approximately 8,500 people per game).

When NC State was looking for a basketball coach, the large bulk of the national media loved telling us all that we have no chance to be great (in a sport in which we were excellent for a 50 year period). We had no chance to competing with Duke and Carolina despite our history of doing so and huge resources (RBC Center) dedicated to the sport despite the fact that our basketball program who has won two National Championships with two different coaches and 10 ACC Titles with four different coaches.

Yet…NEBRASKA should aim high despite a non-existent track record of proving that their program can be successful?

Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports said, “Whether it’s Sidney Lowe, Rick Barnes or John Calipari, it doesn’t really matter. There’s no way N.C. State will be able to topple the powers-that-be on Tobacco Road. “

Yet, Garry Parrish of CBS Sports says, “Don’t assume Kansas and Texas are too far ahead to catch in the Big 12. They’re not.”

(sarcasm) Can’t you all understand WHY State can’t succeed and Nebraska should be able? Forget the fact that four different coaches at NC State have won ACC Titles…it can’t be done at NC State! Forget the fact that NC State was easily won of the 10 best program in college basketball from 1940 – 1990…it can’t be done at NC State! Forget the 20,000 seat palace of an arena and amazing fan support…it can’t be done at NC State.

But, NEBRASKA!?!? Of course THERE is a place that it can be done!! When I think of the high school basketball talent in New York, California, Texas, North Carolina, Indiana and Kentucky, I can’t help but immediately draw a connection to their desire to spend four years in Lincoln, Nebraska (just like so many ‘greats’ before them).

Post-Script: The thing that I actually like about the link are the profiles that Parrish uses that serve to ‘mythbust’ the large majority of bullshit rationalizations of so many of the excuse-mongers in the NC State fanbase — no ten year plans at Tennessee, no letting probation kill your program at Ohio State, no ‘if onlys’ at other schools.

General Media NC State Administration NCS Basketball

21 Responses to (Insert School Here) Dreams Only One Hire Away

  1. joe 08/02/2006 at 9:06 AM #

    It’s possible to compete against UNC and Duke, but it’s much harder than it was during the 80s. The simple reason is all the hype around those 2 schools – ESPN showed the Duke/UNC game on 3 channels last season.

    I would venture to say the amount of hype on TV over top teams like Duke and UNC is 10x greater than it was in the 80s. Don’t forget that in 1983 ESPN was only 1 channel and was nowhere near what it is now. Also now you have FSN and other outlets.

  2. BJD95 08/02/2006 at 9:19 AM #

    That really is insane.

  3. Wolf-n-Atl 08/02/2006 at 9:28 AM #

    Joe, that argument can go the other way as well. Relatively unknown programs now get media attention more than they did in the past. That is why some of the smaller conferences are improving and competing with the BCS schools.

    I think winning is everything. If you can show that you are a good coach, get some decent recruits and then make a run – you can lay the ground work for a program of excellence (see Florida). Hopefully Lowe will be able to bring in some good recruits, show results on the court and create a winning program. Once you have that momentum the program builds upon itself.

  4. joe 08/02/2006 at 9:35 AM #

    Smaller schools do get more TV exposure now, but it’s nowhere near the hype the top 10 schools get.

  5. Cardiff Giant 08/02/2006 at 9:47 AM #

    I think the loser mentality evidenced by so very many otherwise admirable supporters of our university goes far beyond Herb Sendek. They were force-fed the loser mentality during the fallout from the Valvano era and they’ve never gotten over it.

  6. StateFans 08/02/2006 at 10:01 AM #

    Why does it matter WHERE UNC and Duke are physically located? How was Wake Forest ranked #1 in the country 2 years ago despite being 75 miles from Duke and Carolina?

    Texas competes at the level of Duke and Carolina. So does Kansas. Why should Nebraska be expected to compete with those schools?

  7. BJD95 08/02/2006 at 10:29 AM #

    Basketball recruiting has gone national – especially in the case of UNC and even more especially, Duke. So realistically, they are just conference foes – exactly like Kansas and Texas are for Nebraska. The “close proximity” argument really doesn’t hold water.

  8. Wulfpack 08/02/2006 at 11:06 AM #

    How many national titles have Kansas and Texas won in recent years? Is the Big XII anything remotely close to the ACC?

    To suggest that those programs are at the same level as Duke and UNC is failing to see the whole picture. The bottom line is we must compete against two of the best programs in college basketball history, both with Hall of Fame skippers. Those programs are near locks to be strong for a long, long time. That doesn’t mean we can’t aspire to be the same, but how many big dogs can one conference support?

  9. Trout 08/02/2006 at 11:11 AM #

    ^ I do think Kansas is “close” to being on par with Duke and UNC. They dont have the national titles, but reputation wise (history, arena, pro players, NCAA success, Big 12 dominance), they are there. Texas is not, IMO.

    However, a LARGE part of Kansas’ success over the past 18 years was Roy Williams. He’s in Chapel Hill now, and Kansas hasnt won a NCAA tournament game in the past 2 years.

  10. Cardiff Giant 08/02/2006 at 11:26 AM #

    A frankly amazing difference between us and the other schools mentioned is that State is, to my knowledge, unique in having our combination of (a) great tradition, and (b) can’t-compete mentality in some of our strongest supporters. Sad stuff. If these Kountry Korn Big Ten schools work to shoot for the moon, it’s beyond ridiculous that we’d feel a lesser effort is warranted.

  11. Wulfpack 08/02/2006 at 11:32 AM #

    ^Not saying we can’t compete. I am, however, saying we have fallen way behind the eight ball to TWO programs in our back yard that have handed it to us both on the court and in recruiting year in and year out in the past 15 or so years. I am simply acknowledging the current state of affairs on not blindly saying “we can do it” when there has been no action to back it up. A change has been made…let’s hope more are in store for the future b/c we need every bit of help we can get.

  12. joe 08/02/2006 at 11:40 AM #

    It’s not 100% logical, but people by their nature are always going to say that Duke and UNC being close to NCSU is a big factor in how NCSU does.

    If I wanted to start a new software company that sold all over the world, and I was right near Redmond, Washington, don’t you think people would talk about competing with Microsoft?

  13. johnny 08/02/2006 at 12:40 PM #

    Can it be done? Sure. Will it be quick or easy? No

    In order to get to the UNC?Duke level u need great recruits and
    doaching. But the catch is in order to consistantly get great recruits
    u must win, and in order to win consistantly win u need great recruits.(Chicken and Egg thing)

  14. BJD95 08/02/2006 at 12:54 PM #

    It’s a 12-team conference. It can sustain at least 3-4 teams that earn very high NCAA seeds. And at least 6-7 NCAA bids every year (when there are deserving teams). Plenty of room to make your own mark.

    Part of the great thing about college basketball is that there is PLENTY of opportunity, and it really doesn’t hurt you to play in a killer conference. A loss to UNC or Duke (when they are legitimately excellent, as they often are) is better for your tournament resume than beating, say, Baylor. So, it’s all OPPURTUNITY – the chance that you ACTUALLY BEAT a great opponent and make a name for yourself nationally.

    Plus, once the NCAAT starts, you are actually LESS likely to face UNC or Duke than all of the other teams in the dance. That’s the only time when one loss kills your season. So, why is it a disadvantage to play in their conference, rather than a great opportunity?

  15. Cardiff Giant 08/02/2006 at 1:00 PM #

    Wulfpack, my post was not directed at you personally, but I agree with your follow up comments completely.

  16. MadWolf92 08/02/2006 at 2:33 PM #

    [quote]… State is, to my knowledge, unique in having our combination of (a) great tradition, and (b) can’t-compete mentality in some of our strongest supporters.[/quote]

    I think this segment of the population has been greatly exaggerated by those who wanted to make a change ASAP. I don’t know a single person (… who voted for Nixon?) who thought this way.

  17. bTHEredterror 08/02/2006 at 8:00 PM #

    Duke and UNC being in out backyard, and being our rivals, HELPS us. This is not football where you need a lot of players to really build a program. Duke and UNC can only use so many scholarships, and some kids will have an anti-establishment sensibility towards these traditional powers (I guess 20 years of winning at Duke = tradition). One or Two high profile recruits and a good tourney run in the next few years and the talking heads will act like we never left.

  18. redfred2 08/02/2006 at 9:58 PM #

    Good work!!! to whoever wrote the lead in on this thread, it just about says it all. The post-script sums up a topic that I have already typed my fingers raw on.

    We will continue to hear “it can’t happen right now” or “you’re a “”lunatic”” if you think we can really compete.” Along with the “we have to play by a different set of rules than everyone else,” just because of a total farce that was blown so far out of proportion over two decades ago. Those absolutely defeatist and inferior attitudes continue to amaze me and it makes me wonder how anyone with any conscience at all, could have taken a pay check while allowing a once great basketball program sink so low.

    As far as Duke and Carolina go, they are major incentives to play for the Wolfpack of NC State University. But someone has to believe that and be able point out why to young kids, and then be able sell them on that point. Back when the coaches, along with all us fans, truly believed in NC State University athletics as a whole, it wasn’t any problem convincing talented high school athletes to come to Raleigh. There is a green cloud of inferiority that permeates this place now. I may be the only one who is continually bitching about it, but I am pretty sure that it is evident, even to an optimistic seventeen year old high school kid.

  19. redfred2 08/03/2006 at 1:00 PM #

    This is deep more of my in-depth BS, but it’s what I see as lacking in the general public and the views of younger folks when they think about NCSU these days.

    There is a need to get back to basics. Let’s stop trying to pretend that NC State can and does compete with every university on every level of academia, because it was never intended to. While at the same time we try to remember that no one expects that of any university, anywhere on the planet. Hardcore and practical aspects of agriculture and textiles are what made the university what it is today so let’s all just start believing and taking pride in what made the NC State great in the first place, without any false pretenses involved. Also take confidence in knowing that the academic aspect today, is much broader and absolutely capable of competing with anyone out there now, just as it was back then.

    The university’s accomplishments speak for themselves. There is really no need to continually try to make NC State out to be something that it isn’t. Just take pride in it for what it is, enjoy it, and laugh when somebody says something about a cow. Those uppity attitudes were tailor made for the powder blue folks in Chapel Hill, let ’em have ’em, they weren’t meant for the RED of NCSU. I take great pride in that single fact alone.

    Only when the overall atmoshere of confidence returns on campus, then so will the ability to kick somebody’s ass on the basketball court or football field. There is already no doubt that NCSU better prepares it’s grads to have that ability in the job market. Athletics just need to do some long overdue catching up, that’s all.

  20. redfred2 08/03/2006 at 2:48 PM #

    Did I actually start that long rant off by saying that the lead in says it all?

    Let’s do the math:

    what ever redfred says, take away 95% = blowhard

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. ACC Basketblog - 08/02/2006

    The Daily Roundup

    Really, quite entertaining.

Leave a Reply