My Alma Mater and the New Basketball Coach

Whomever that might be.

I'm an NC State Alumnus, and like a lot of folks from North Carolina, a rabid ACC basketball fan. I grew up "watching" the Dixie Classic on the radio while shooting hoops in the back yard. I walked home from Boy Scouts with a transister radio so I didn't miss a UNC game. My heroes were Brown, Moe, Cunningham, Shavlik, Heyman, Mullins and on and on. Sometime during my senior year in high school, I decided to go to NC State and everything baby blue became anathema. I was a student at state from 1965-1975. There has never been a better college basketball team than the 72-74 Wolf Pack. I defy anyone to seriously argue against David Thompson being the best college basketball player ever. Maryland-State in the 74 ACC tournament is the best college game ever. I love college basketball.

Some State fans are an unusual lot. They remember the 83 national championship and dimly remember the really great DT teams. They seem to think that Sendek's 10 years is just an abberation from continued greatness. Nothing but return to those glory years will do. (They don't look at the Stats and look at who has dominated the ACC for the past 20+ years).

State has not had the record us rabid Wolfpackers want. We hired a coach who took us to 5 straight NCAA tournaments. Some of the faithful hated him because he (a) didn't regularly beat UNC and Duke (never mind that no one has in recent years, (b) he didn't win the ACC tournament and (c) no national championships. The "Fire Herb" thread on the N&O sports forum became nationally famous. Sendek decided that after 10 years of abuse from some of the fans that he had a great opportunity at ASU. State doesn't have a coach of any kind in men's basketball at this time.

The school has run through the A list of college coaches to restore us to our (at least perceived) former glory. Names like Izzo, Barnes, Calipari, Beyheim have been mentioned. $2 million wasn't enough to lure Barns, Calipari, Lavin or Beilein away from their current jobs. Why go to Raleigh, fight the recruiting wars against Carolina and Duke and get abused by the fans from Day 2?

A case in point from some of the fans is the mention of Phil Ford as a possible coach, since no one has the gumption to coach at State. Ford was one of the best point guards ever to play college basketball. Unfortunately, he did it for (spit, spit) Carolina. State "fans" reacted to the mention with profanity, threats to burn the AD's house, the RBC center and their diplomas if we let a Tarheel into our beloved school. And they wonder why there isn't a double line of final four coaches at the door trying to get the job? I think the fan base (at least some of them) is going a long way to dissuade quality, first tier coaches.

But heck, its just a college sport. It isn't life or death.

For us rabid ACC fanatics, its much more important that that.

Anybody out there want to coach at a school with a really great tradition? We promise to love you until you get 2 points behind in the first game with Carolina.