Wolfpack Finally Finds “Way To Win”

RALEIGH, NC – Just days after a loss in the first round of the ACC tournament ended NC State’s basketball season with a nine game losing streak that ensured a losing record for the year, jubilant Wolfpack basketball players emerged from a players-only meeting and announced that they had finally found the “way to win.”

“Man, I am so relieved,” senior Gavin Grant said. “I mean, nine straight games is tough, especially with everyone relying on me for senior leadership. I’m glad we finally have this turned around.” Wolfpack junior Ben McCauley agreed. “We really had some issues. Now that we’ve talked through them, we feel that we’re ready to take on any team in the country and win.”

Redshirt sophomore Brandon Costner, whose game suffered a noticeable lapse in effectiveness compared to the 2006-2007 season, may be the most happy about the Wolfpack finding the way to win. “It’s certainly been disappointing, losing nine straight games. But we always say that tomorrow is a new day, and I can tell you this: our next opponent is going to have their hands full.” Freshman guard Javier Gonzalez concurred with his teammate: “In my case, finding the way to win meant realizing that turning the ball over to the other team wasn’t really smart point guard play. I mean, that’s the difference between us and, say, Carolina and Duke. We’re just as talented, really, and we’ll show that in our next game now that we’ve found the way to win again.”

Wolfpack freshman J.J. Hickson did not pause to speak with the media after the players gathering broke up, stating only that he had to attend “a meeting with some people” before speeding away in a new Cadillac Escalade with a temporary tag.

Wolfpack head coach Sidney Lowe, notified of the players-only meeting, expressed his gratification. “I must say, though, I’d have been much happier if they’d come to this conclusion during the actual basketball season,” Lowe admitted.

When assistants quietly notified the players that the season was, in fact, over, the team was stunned. “Say what?” Grant said. “But we have this turned around.” Costner too was crestfallen, stating, “Such a wasted potential; we really were finally ready to win. I understand now why the fans were so upset yesterday. Oh, well.”

NC State Director of Athletics Lee Fowler said, “This meeting is just another example of how, under my leadership, NC State is building top-caliber athletic programs. Like some guy once said, never give up. When the ACC thinks ‘champions,’ they think, ‘NC State’. And ‘Lee Fowler’.”

General

107 Responses to Wolfpack Finally Finds “Way To Win”

  1. blackdom 03/17/2008 at 3:34 PM #

    Hey they could be f in each other still no excuse for the product sid gave us on the floor.
    BynumState fan : yep another 3 ,4 yrs we will play the loser of the mt st marys vs coppin st game

  2. Howler 03/17/2008 at 3:35 PM #

    I think the secret is out. Sid’s golf game has improved so dramatically that he has decided to go to “Q” school to get his PGA card. Some question remains about his ability to pass a written test that is required for qualification. Says Sid, “I’ve done it before, and I’m willing to take correspondence courses if necessary.”

  3. jmartineau 03/17/2008 at 3:36 PM #

    You are correct in that Duke is the best “team”, but not nearly the most talented. However, you also suggest that Duke has the best looking women on campus!?!? Did you get a hold of MrWolfpack’s crack pipe? I know to each their own, but WOW!

  4. wayofthemaster 03/17/2008 at 3:41 PM #

    Missing the NCAA Tournament after winning the championship.

    Billy don’t play that!

    http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3298503

    Hope Sid reads that.

  5. Mr.wolfpack90 03/17/2008 at 4:06 PM #

    yeah duke women are lovely!
    they shave and everything!!
    sometimes they brush their teeth!!

  6. basspacker812 03/17/2008 at 4:09 PM #

    I think our season and our program under Sid got put in its place today. VT coach to NCAA Tournament Committee, “Why did we (VT) not make the NCAA Basketball Championship field”?

    NCAA Tournament Committee, “You lost to NCSU, any team that got beat my NC State this year does not deserve to be there.” Nuff said.

  7. packbackr04 03/17/2008 at 4:11 PM #

    villanova and davidson got in and we beat them

  8. JeremyH 03/17/2008 at 4:19 PM #

    Bynum State Fan:
    The best looking women on campus goes to UNC-Chapel Hill.
    Hands f**ckin down.

  9. Girlfriend in a Coma 03/17/2008 at 4:20 PM #

    And Miami.

  10. JeremyH 03/17/2008 at 4:20 PM #

    sorry i meant f*ckin.

  11. Rochester 03/17/2008 at 6:10 PM #

    If we have a case of one player scoring on another player’s girlfriend, this has happened before. At Syracuse, in 2001-02 Preston Shumpert got DeShaun Williams’ girlfriend pregnant. They went to the NIT that year. The next year, with both guys off the squad, the Orange won the championship. So, maybe this is a good omen.

  12. Afterglow 03/17/2008 at 6:25 PM #

    I believe we are a school of destiny. With that, I think it’s easy to look at our past and expect more and be frustrated and hopeless with where we are currently. I’m an eternal optimist. I believe that anything can change at any time for the better. When we’re in the moment, it’s hard to see anything else. Doom and gloom is all that surrounds us and the only light we can see at the end of that proverbial tunnel happens to be a train wreck coming straight for us.

    Let’s take our football program. Given how operations played out with our basketball situation with HWSNBM leaving rather than being fired, it appeared that CTC would have to do the same thing and even if he did, there was little hope in us landing a good football coach given the way our search for a basketball coach turned out. As it goes, CTC was fired and we actually ended up landing (I think) a pretty good man. Now, time will only tell if that is indeed the case but if we entertain for a second that down the road, the hiring of Tom O’Brien was indeed a good hire-then things (that seemed extremely dire from our collective football perspectives) ended up turning out pretty well.

    Again, it’s so easy to be hopeless with our situation given everything that’s gone down over the last twenty years. And certainly no ones confidence was boosted with how things turned out this year. I understand that no one wants to wait till next year or the year after that but I still believe that anything can change at any time for the better. I think at times cynicism can get the best of us (I know it sometimes gets to me) but in all seriousness, if I didn’t believe that something good will come of our basketball program then I would stop rooting for the pack and root for someone like Clemson. And I don’t know about you but I believe that if trees can tap dance and elephants can ride in the Indianapolis 500 and Orson Welles can skip breakfast, lunch and dinner, then certainly we can right this ship. GO PACK!!!

  13. BoKnowsNCS71 03/17/2008 at 6:44 PM #

    “yeah duke women are lovely!
    they shave and everything!!
    sometimes they brush their teeth!!”

    More often they shave their teeth.

  14. redfred2 03/17/2008 at 6:50 PM #

    OK, OK, If GAWolf won’t do it, I’ll spill the beans.

    Larry Harris’ wife is having a torrid affair with Monte Towe.

    JK 🙂

    I sure as hell hope whatever GAWolf was elluding to earlier is one douzey of tale. Because the way I see it, even if Sidney Lowe isn’t as into NC State University as we all had hoped, or if he has hopes of coaching elsewhere at some later date, I’d have to say that he’s has put his entire basketball future in jeopardy because of what’s gone on in Raleigh in this one particular season.

    Better be one hell of a damn good reason if you’re willing to be tight lipped and suppress it, while risking your entire future at the same time.

  15. wufpup76 03/17/2008 at 7:21 PM #

    Off topic –

    But Sidney has not said much on his radio show so far … He’s gone on a rant following a Tony Haynes question about what has changed since the last time he was around the college game:

    Sidney (I’m paraphrasing): “The players have changed … All of them think they are going to the NBA … Too many people involved w/ one kid which causes problems for developing and learning discipline, among other things … Too many AAU programs (100% agree), too many coaches … bad influences”

    Also, “I’ve already started preparing for next season.” … No real specifics offered

    Said Gavin didn’t play much in ACC tourny due to knee problems (differs from “He wasn’t ready”)

    Javi MAY have knee surgery – which I didn’t know anything about

    Braxton Albritton is at the show, and is getting married soon (Yay for Braxton)

    I’ll add more info as the show goes on if anyone is interested … If the off-topic post is inappropriate, please forgive and delete

  16. redfred2 03/17/2008 at 7:31 PM #

    I find it extremely have to believe, but if omehow the excuse for the existence of this totally miserable and f’d up BB season is really centering around some very young adults being involved in a love triangle, I am going be SUPER PO’ED.

    Just think, this entire coaching staff could have manned every top ranking position in The White House, if Bill Clinton had only known back then.

  17. wufpup76 03/17/2008 at 7:33 PM #

    More from Sidney’s show:

    Farnold was denied a redshirt (probably old news, apologies if so) … but they are still trying to get him an extra year on a medical hardship

    A caller asked about Brandon’s performance this past season; Sidney’s response: “Teams paid way more attention to him … He may have gotten worn down mentally throughout the season … For next season, 1st thing Brandon has to get into great shape – drop a few pounds … Work on his shot and get it back to form … Rediscover his strengths … he has so many of them”

    “Conditioning / strength starts NEXT WEEK” … (if I heard that correctly)

    “The ’83 team got better during the (previous) summer … we worked out and played every day … that’s why our guys are starting back to work next week”

  18. redfred2 03/17/2008 at 7:38 PM #

    Somebody, tell me I got suckered in, and that the romance gossip was a hoax, just like the header.

  19. wufpup76 03/17/2008 at 7:56 PM #

    More:

    About JJ Hickson: “I think he will test the waters … He will sit down w/ his Grandma/family and we’ll see where he’s at … His work ethic has paid off for him … HE’S A TEAM GUY … We’ll give him all the information he needs to help him make the right decision”

    A caller asks – “If we stick w/ you, how many years can you give us?” … Sidney chuckles and responds with “I want to retire here, how about that?”

    Question from Tony: “Two seniors next year, do you expect them to take control of the team?” … Sidney: “To an extent, yes … We have to have at least that one guy who will take charge and be the one the guys look to on the floor” … Tony: “Did you maybe miss that this year” … Sidney: “YES, I DID FEEL LIKE WE MISSED THAT / DIDN’T HAVE IT THIS SEASON …”

    About Tracy Smith: “He needs to work hard on his inside moves … He’s all power right now … He’s really talented and WANTS TO WIN MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE”

    About Javi: “He can really get low and get his hands on those balls.” I s*it you not … HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!

    I’m guessing the questions may have been screened this evening (I’m sure they do that for every show, but more so tonight maybe) b/c there were no real hard or pointed questions … Minimal information as per each show

  20. werncstate 03/17/2008 at 7:57 PM #

    wufpup did you catch Sids answer to the question about learning on the job? He said he’s learning all the time…there was an incident this year.. in the NBA you take a time out and get the ball at half court but in college you have to go full court. Not an exact quote but very close.

    Jesus Christ! I’ve never played college ball or pro ball but I’ve known since I was 6 years old you get the ball at half court after calling a time out in the NBA in the last minute of the half and you have to go full court in college.

  21. Primewolf 03/17/2008 at 8:15 PM #

    Please no more Rick Barnes suggestions. You get the uninformed manboy of a wolfpack fan believing it may happen.

    It ain’t.

    We will have to go with a successful small time coach. We won’t be able to try big again, after the LF 1 month + debacle.

    Heck I would take Lee Fowler getting fired over Sid any day. I hope Sid makes it; I don’t hope LF makes it.

  22. wufpup76 03/17/2008 at 8:25 PM #

    ^I did catch that werncstate and my eyes got HUGE … I just shook my head and disregarded it … It was terrible! I’m hoping he was just grasping for an example answer for the question asked, but it sounded pretty bad …

    “You know, still getting used to not being able to advance the ball to halfcourt after a timeout” WHAT?? REALLY? Weren’t sure, eh?

    Ohh my …

  23. blackdom 03/17/2008 at 9:07 PM #

    every coach HS as well as College knows the aau people are messing with the game,no news nor an excuse,well Sid retire before it is too late so I guess it was all grants fault and if jj has great work ethic hate to see what he thinks is bad work ethic……..I know how about the guy you hired as “Head of Basketball Operations” when did he meet with sid once a year ? or is he writing the questions for the sidney lowe show?

  24. kyjelly 03/17/2008 at 9:12 PM #

    So what did Sid reveal on his radio show? Did he misremember what happened? Barnes coming here? Why ? It will never happen,maybe barnes and noble but you are not going to see Rick Barnes here coaching .That ship sailed already

  25. turfpack 03/17/2008 at 9:39 PM #

    Life as a pack fan-boy it’s grand-sure wish we ran-will sid play golf in the sand-with this sh*& who want’s to be a fan(Can you add to this?).

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