Debbie speaks

Dear Wolfpack Family,

I am writing to share with you the status of the search for our new head coach for men’s basketball. There have been telephone conversations with successful coaches that did not develop into meetings — sometimes because we did not wish to pursue those coaches further and sometimes because the coach involved is happy where he is.

The conversations have been candid. We have not tried to sugarcoat the challenge of rebuilding our basketball program. Our absence for 5 consecutive years from the NCAA Tournament was noted by each coach as evidence that the program is in poor shape and will require a special effort to rebuild.

Finding a coach with the fight and fire to do this job has been a challenge. That said, we will find an excellent college coach who shares the vision of what State Basketball can become and is up for the challenge.

I realize there are multiple rumors surfacing about the nature of the search on websites and in newspapers. Once our new coach is hired, I will be in a position to bring perspective to a number of those rumors. But, right now, we need to remain focused on finding a talented collegiate coach who is a fighter, full of confidence and appreciation for the opportunity to lead our basketball program back to national prominence.

That will happen in spite of those who believe this cannot occur.

Wolfpack Basketball is destined for a revival. We will accept no less. Please keep the faith while we continue the search. Your emails and text messages of support have meant everything to me. I am blessed to be your AD.

In the Spirit of the Pack,
Debbie

About BAM

I grew up on Jones Franklin Rd with a Wolfpack banner hanging over my bed. UNCW class of 2001.

Debbie Yow

210 Responses to Debbie speaks

  1. ringo 04/04/2011 at 11:22 PM #

    Maybe now we can focus on getting a coach the old fashioned way instead of the wam bam big name bs. Pick 5 guys…2 from major, 2 from mid major, 1 assistant, interview them and pick the one that stands out.

    Or say screw you ACC and fling the kitchen sink at Brad Brownell. I don’t know. Why is Collins so crazy an idea?

  2. ADVENTUROO 04/04/2011 at 11:23 PM #

    Several folks have remarked about how we got to where we are….and many, in subtle ways, laid it all at Sid’s feet. How about a big dose of reality here. Herb Sendek may have made it to the NCAA’s during his last few years, but those days were numbered. In addition, whe the Lunatic Lupine Lobo Nation were NOT happy with his personality, his hairstyle (of lack thereof) and his offense. We made this abundantly clear and he got the message, as Frank Haith did, and packed his bags.

    I for one, never cared for him, but I never wrote to Oblinger and FU to can him….but I WAS, and am STILL, glad he has departed.

    I also agree with several of the posters…..we have a lot of talent, a great facility and a lot of spirit and, as Debbie said, we need to do some rebuilding. Obviously, with the economy in the tank, the coaches are feeling “less speculative”….and deciding that their lot ain’t that bad. Heck, I have done the same thing myself with my own personal investing philosophy. SO, if the coaches are NOT willing to make the effort, then why pay them the big bucks to be mediocre?

    Now, as to Debbie’s letter. I have read it and also gotten some input. She has NOT given up. The fact that she felt the need to somewhat clear the air is obvious. The so-called experts that are tweeting their daily BM’s to the BM’s do NOT have the straight poop (pun intended). David Glenn told us that $haka $mart would not be coming, but we had two lined up. That does NOT sound correct. Some of the others have parroted the same thing…..and just because one says it….then someone texts him to see if that is what he meant and then repeats it does NOT make it fact.

    If you recall, John Kerry thought, based on all the polling data, that he would win by a landslide in 2004. Did NOT happen and I know folks who are STILL in therapy over that.

    SO, we need to let Debbie DO HER JOB. She will, I believe, find us the right coach with the right attitude and drive and probably at the right price. Now, I don’t have a timetable on that….maybe she does not…..

    BUT, we do NOT need to be bashing her for NOT finding a coach who wants to ply his trade in this enviroment. I’ll bet that many of the coaches that were considered got synopsis of this and PP and that MAY have had some influence on them.

    HighStick made a comment about Debbie’s “nads”….well, I think that right now, they are much bigger and more virile that what I am reading here.

    So, get over it….it will take some time.

    No one promised you a timetable or Billy Donovan…..if you read that on a Tweet, then ask the Tweeter WHAT WENT WRONG and WHO TOLD HIM.

    Cut the lady some slack and also cut out the negativity…..

    What we need is the equivalent of General Patton addressing the troops. And her letter comes very close to that.

    As I have said before….if you let the Rumor Mill Bugs bite you, you will be in extreme pain and discomfort. Avoid them….

  3. backnine 04/04/2011 at 11:24 PM #

    This note has to be real, as much as i want to believe otherwise. If not then the university would have surely put out a statement by now. The more I think about it the more I’m flabergasted that Yow thought this was a good idea. Every sports talk radio station in the nation will have a copy by tomorrow and devote time to talking about Yow’s comments. Even a “PR” intern would know better than to send out something like that.

  4. wbnation 04/04/2011 at 11:24 PM #

    How can you make the same mistakes twice…I can actually understand not being ready when Sendek up and left and Fowlup had now plans in his desk..he should have seeing as how there was a good chance Sendek was on the hot seat the next year…but if you know you need to fire your coach(lowe) then at least I would think you would have a list of things to accomplish before letting said coach go…he had one more year(I think he should have been fired when he did)and if you didn’t have your ducks in a row before he was let go then this whole athletic department is inept. Two coaching searches in a row they have just thrown darts at a wall and hoped something would stuck..WTF…

    You don’t just fire your coach thinking that anyone you ask will just come because your NC State, especially KNOWING how the last search went. This really really looks bad for the AD’s department. Probably should have cleaned total house out last time..down to the janitors. Now with this horrible PR letter I really think Woodson needs to clean house….

  5. WufPup2810 04/04/2011 at 11:25 PM #

    My daughter is 10 months old….. my hope now is to have a great coach by the time she attends NCSU and she is able to enjoy Wolfpack Basketball b/c I dont see it happening in my lifetime….just keep getting smacked down….being a Wolfpack fan is tough.

  6. HowlinWolfDog 04/04/2011 at 11:28 PM #

    Should have hired Archie before Dayton got him.

  7. ryebread 04/04/2011 at 11:30 PM #

    Not sure I think this is real. I received it twice and one of the emails was one that I’ve never gotten anything from th AD from.

    It also looks eerily similar to one this troll posted a day or so ago. It is longer and some poor grammar has been cleaned up but it is almost verbatim.

    The timing also doesn’t make much sense. I honestly doubt that the AD is working during the NCAA championship game.

    Finally it also reeks so much of desperation that it just makes no sense at all. I would never ever post something like this and I am pretty much as much of a straight shooter as you will ever find. Never would I ever admit that I had struck out this much and definitely not in such a way that would hurt my chances at landing a candidate.

    Just doesn’t add up….

  8. Tuffy2 04/04/2011 at 11:30 PM #

    I belive this is all part of the way we meaning the university, kicked Jimmy V to the curb and the coaching fraternity has never forgot. This is not a curse as some want to belive but actual fact. That is what I have always thought and you can shoot it down all you want.

  9. projectwentynine 04/04/2011 at 11:31 PM #

    Giglio: “A school spokeswoman confirmed Yow sent out the letter Monday night.”

  10. VEHEMYTH 04/04/2011 at 11:33 PM #

    I am for one going to stand by my School and our AD, give them a chance to do their job. If it all goes wrong then I will deal with it then, why complain now wait till the post is filled.

    I will say one thing that I have noticed, where did the number 50k come from on what we are paying the search firm for this coaching search? From this link below its more like 90k. I just hope it is money well spent.

    [url]http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2011/04/04/ncsu-paying-parker-50000-for.html[/url]

  11. colapack 04/04/2011 at 11:34 PM #

    I thought SFN had sources…instead you guys have been stringing us out.

    I knew from the tone of the first press conference and from he search committee talk that this wasn’t set up right from the start. Why werent the foundations laid during the season before letting Sid go? Now we are out on the perverbial limb. Then when I heard they were going after Smart…he was the flavor of the day. I knew for sure that wasn’t a good sign. He wasn’t worth a damn in my opinion. Now I know he isn’t because he’s another Cal tool that used us. Folks it ain’t what it used to be…State is in poor shape in basketball, we have a long hard mountain to climb.

  12. gotohe11carolina 04/04/2011 at 11:37 PM #

    fear not y’all we might not have much to smile about right now but lets celebrate the small miracles in this world…

    http://www.nbc.com/the-apprentice/video/meat-loaf-melts-down/1316911/

  13. ringo 04/04/2011 at 11:38 PM #

    search commitee, parker firm, etc….yeah, it was set up wrong to begin with

    looks like the search firm hasn’t done jack crap for us

  14. xphoenix87 04/04/2011 at 11:38 PM #

    None of this makes any sense. Everything this afternoon pointed to us having a guy, and then this…

    What about the two guys David Glenn said were willing to accept the job?

    What possible reason could there be for Marshall not taking the job if we offered it to him? And if we have no one else, wouldn’t we have offered it to him?

    What’s the motivation for this email? I don’t understand what could possibly be accomplished by sending this. If you wanted to address rumors, all you have to send is that one paragraph. Why send this at 9:30 PM? Nothing makes any sense at all.

    I’m not going to judge Yow until a hire gets made, but this certainly doesn’t feel like a good sign. There’s either something odd going on here, or this is a debacle of epic proportions. Time will tell…

  15. Tuffy2 04/04/2011 at 11:39 PM #

    Two things here! DY will be made out to be correct that we shouldn’t give up hope and we will land our guy or, a miracle will have to take place in West Raleigh again!

  16. Wufpacker 04/04/2011 at 11:39 PM #

    ” Wufpacker, it’s tough to blame the fans for any delusions when Yow talked such a big game at her press conference. ”

    That wasn’t my intention to call anyone delusional, which is why I didn’t. But saying she talked a big game at her press conference is pretty much what I’m talking about.

  17. Wufpacker 04/04/2011 at 11:42 PM #

    ” That is what I have always thought and you can shoot it down all you want. ”

    Interesting point Tuffy2. I know that used to be an issue, but figured it had passed by now. Maybe not.

  18. JeremyH 04/04/2011 at 11:43 PM #

    the ACC is full of teams that are trying to get back to the prominence they had 5, 10 or 20 years ago: GT, Virginia, Wake Forest, … NC State. good luck to us.

  19. WeAreCured 04/04/2011 at 11:44 PM #

    “That wasn’t my intention to call anyone delusional, which is why I didn’t.”

    lulz

  20. jinx99champs 04/04/2011 at 11:45 PM #

    With what Brad Stevens could do with an ACC team (recruiting-wise) it blows my mind. (any major for that matter) He’s got a million reasons to stay at Butler, but the way they crumbled tonight…yikes.

  21. blpack 04/04/2011 at 11:46 PM #

    Disappointing night. I thought we had this thing about tied up. Now it looks as if it will take a while. We just need to wait and see what happens. Plenty of time to look back at the process later.

  22. nuclearwolf07 04/04/2011 at 11:48 PM #

    Chill out people. It sounds like the coaches in question have brought up the lack of appearances at the dance the past 5 years, not Debbie. And to be honest, if they’re worried about that, I don’t want them. I don’t want a timid soul at the helm. I want someone with the brass to take the challenge of building something out of nothing. It ain’t over until we say it’s over. So unless you’re going to provide some constructive input to this convo, shut it.

  23. Snapshot9 04/04/2011 at 11:49 PM #

    Why don’t you consider Pat Knight or Capel?

  24. jinx99champs 04/04/2011 at 11:50 PM #

    colapack… absolutely right. Shaka is “Flavor-of-the-day”. He won’t get back to the final four at VCU. I think his stock will only decline from here. He has no one returning next year. He missed his shot not just at a major school, but at another final four.

  25. Brinman7 04/04/2011 at 11:50 PM #

    We had a top ten recruiting class. We fire our recruiter. Now NO ONE wants the job. Does she even know what she is doing.

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