I am moving my blog to Wordpress

I have decided to move my blog to wordress.com. There are several reasons for this, but the main ones are that I could easily customize the look of my blog (which will continue to evolve as I learn more and more about CSS)and I could also get the domain name to match my blog title. I'll try to continue to post on this blog as well for a little while, but it has been acting up the past day. I hope everyone enjoys the new look and hopefully it will evolve in a manner that is easy for you to navigate. Comments are always welcomed, as are suggestions or questions. I'm just an idiot with a keyboard, after all, so I need what help I can get. So here is the link to the new site:

http://thesportsidiot.wordpress.com/

ACC/Big 11 "Challenge"? ACC 8 Big 11 3

Well another ACC/Big 11 "Challenge" has concluded and the results are strangely familiar. The ACC beat, no crushed the Big 11 in this years version. That is the 3rd time in the series that the ACC has demolished the Big 11, proving which conference is the stronger not only this year, but overall. This was the 8th installment of the "Challenge", and the ACC is an astonishing 8 - 0. This years "Challenge" brings the overall record to 48 - 27. Wikipedia has everything you could possibly want to know about the "Challenge".

I for one love this thing. What college basketball fan did not enjoy watching Virginia/Purdue last night? The game had a March feeling to it, and the ending did not disappoint either, unless of course you pull for UVA. The OSU/UNC game was even better. I truly believe we were watching the two best teams in the country go at it, and there were portions of the game that were absolutely ridiculous. I can only hope that we get to see a rematch in the Final Four, and that both teams are healthy. Hansbrough going against Oden would be a thing of beauty. Speaking of Oden, can Dickie V get off his jock already? The only downside to that game was the fact that Dickie V was working it. Enough already!

Scary thought for the day, how good would UNC be if they had not given Jameson Curry the cold shoulder over his weed arrest? I absolutely love to watch this kid play. Who cares if the kid sold a little bit of weed? Apparently Roy Williams did. Kudos to Roy for not taking such a talented kid due to his mistakes. I am glad he is getting a 2nd chance, and that it is with a program that actually gets on TV. The Washington Post seems to have as much love for him as I do:

Cowboy's Curry Makes Most of 2nd Chance
Feeling the Burn of a Sting

ACC/Big 11 Challenge - ACC 6 Big 11 3

It's only 9:20 and the "Challenge" is officially over. The ACC has once again won the "Challenge" for the 8th consecutive year. I for one love the "Challenge" even if the ACC does crush every single year. I am the kind of guy that takes pride in the ACC and it's history. While the perception may be that the ACC is down this year, every day that goes by it looks like it's back on the rise.

Oh, and UVA is giving Purdue the fight of it's life right now. 23.9 ticks left and it's all tied up and Purdue has the rock. Who doesn't love this stuff?

UVA just lost on a great shot with 1.2 seconds to go.

Cowher throws the red flag at Wolfpack Nation

Today Bill Cowher did what we all expected him to do yesterday. Cowher was asked today if he was considering the NC State job and he said the following:

"I'm very flattered to hear some of the things that have been coming out, but I'm not a candidate," Cowher said. "I have a job here and my focus really is on this job right here, so you can take me off the list." "You can take me off the list," Cowher said of the N.C. State job. "I am flattered. It's a super program and I'm sure they'll get a very qualified coach that's going to walk into a good situation."

But Bill did say something else of interest:

"I'm the coach here -- as much as that may disappoint some people -- but I am the coach here and I want to win these last five games," Cowher said. "I'm going to do everything in my power to do that. I've been here for a while and I like it. It's a good job. I don't like the way we are right now and I'm going to do everything in our power to finish this thing up strong."

What if Bill Cowher somehow was fired? Would that change his outlook on coaching in the college ranks? When asked if would consider doing so in the future he said the following:

"I don't know. I don't look that far down the road, I really don't," he said. "I guess those are times when you get in that reflective mode. The only thing I'm reflecting on now is that feeling we had after last Sunday's game and trying to rectify that. That's where the focus is at."

So now the real search looks like it will begin. Chuck Neinas and Co. will hit the ground running, and I guess the ESPN report that Norm Chow and David Cutcliffe have not been contacted will only be true for a really short time.

While this news from Cowher was expected, I can't help but feel some disappointment at the news. Partly because of how awesome it would have been, partly because I wanted to use this nice gem as my lead-in picture:

ACC/Big 11 Challenge - ACC 4 Big 11 2

After one full night of games, and Monday's opening game, we sit in a very familiar position in regards to the "Challenge". While I for one love the "Challenge" and want to see more of these, I can certainly understand why a lot of people do not get into it. The ACC is 7 - 0 in these things. After tonight, I expect that to read 8 - 0. There is nothing to indicate that it will not work out that way, as the Big 11 just does not have the horses to run with the ACC. The following picture sums it up nicely, except that this came from a game that the ACC lost:

One of the problems with the "Challenge" is that it just is not that challenging for some of the teams. I am not sure how they pick who plays who in this thing, but I do have some suggestions. They should take the previous years final RPI rankings of each team, and match them up with the closest ranked team according to the RPI computers. Do we really need to see Penn State battle it out with Georgia Tech? Granted, some of the games have been closer than expected, but come on. They can do better than this.

Another twist I would like to see is the rebirth of the old ACC/Big East Challenge, and perhaps even a Big 11/Big East Challenge as well. Throw in the SEC and we could have two weeks of nonstop hoops that matter in late November/early December. Of course, then the mid-majors would have a fit...

The Clock is Ticking - Updated

Yesterday was a quiet day on Cowher Watch 2006. Adam Gold had predicted that Cowher would remove his name from consideration during his weekly presser. Well, the presser came and went with zero mention of NC State. That is a good sign for the Wolfpack, in my opinion. It could mean that he is thinking things through, and going through a serious debate about his future. Cowher is 51 years old, and is currently the longest tenured coach in the NFL with 15 years in Pittsburgh. If he wants to be the head coach at NC State one day, then he does not absolutely have to make a move this year. The risk he takes is that a Paul Johnson comes in and turns the ship around. If that happens, and the new coach is here 10 years or more, Cowher's shot at coaching his alma mater will be gone for good.

A lot of people are saying that to even think this might happen is absurd. I can certainly understand why some people would think that. For anyone with knowledge of the situation to say that, however, is what is absurd. He has a Super Bowl. He is losing support in Pittsburgh, according to their local media. He said, during the Wolfpack's last coaching search, to not forget about him in the future. He just invested $2.5mil on a home in North Raleigh. His family is living full time in Raleigh. I will not speculate on his financial situation, but the $2mil/season package that he would get should pay the bills just fine. The one final piece of the puzzle that people do not put enough value on, he loves NC State with a passion.

I do not expect to hear anything today in regards to what Cowher is thinking. It is my opinion that the longer we go without hearing a solid no, the better State's chances are of landing him. I am also of the opinion that he will not drag this out, as he wants State to get the best coach available. If any news does come out today, I will do my best to update as early as possible.

UPDATE:
I just stumbled across this tidbit on Cowher at Wikipedia.com:

One notable moment in his playing career is a special teams play when he broke the leg, and subsequently ended the playing career, of Chicago Bears kick returner (and current head coach of the Tennessee Titans) Jeff Fisher

ACC/Big 11 Challenge - NC State 74 Michigan 67

The 8th annual ACC/Big 11 Challenge kicked off on Monday night with Sidney Lowe's first nationally televised game as coach of the Wolfpack. Things looked bad in the beginning, and then about 6 minutes into the game Engin Atsur went down with an apparent hamstring injury. At that point State was down 14 - 4. Fast forward to the end of the half, and we would see a 35 - 28 Wolfpack lead. Kudos to Gavin Grant for doing an excellent job running the point for the middle section of the game. State would push the lead as high as 21 points in the second half, but in the final 10 minutes (or the fourth quarter as Sid says) Michigan's pressure on the ball, and fatigue set in for the Pack. The Wolverines were able to scratch to within 4 at one point, but that would be as close as they would get. With a final score of 74 - 67, the Pack handed Michigan it's first loss of the season. The Wolfpack improved to 5 - 0.

My game ball goes to Ben McCauley and his 19 points and 8 boards to go with his 0 turnovers and only 2 personal fouls. At times he looked like an emerging star for the Pack. Another bright sign was Brandon Costner. He poured in 17 points and grabbed a game high 11 rebounds. It is beginning to look like the top 6 players for the Pack will be able to compete. The problem is that we can not expect them to compete for 40 minutes a game, especially when they start playing on short rest.

Bill Cowher reportedly saying no to NC State - Updated

According to Adam Gold at 850 The Buzz, Bill Cowher will remove his name from consideration for the NC State job during his weekly press conference today. I'll post the link to the press conference when it is available online.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette ran this on Sunday:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06330/741261-66.stm

The interesting thing is that it only mentions NFL jobs, and does not once mention NC State. It might be a little shortsighted on their part, and a mention may have been warranted, but I am guessing they are closer to Cowher than we are right now.

My take on this is that it is going down exactly as expected. Going into this, there are two logical schools of thought on how Cowher would conduct himself. If he is not going to take the job, and it is his for the taking, then he will say so right away so that NC State can get a jump on the other candidates. If he is interested, then Chuck Neinas would begin the negotiations to bring Cowher home. This is one of the things that makes Cowher so attractive to me. He will not play any games with State, he will come right out and make his intentions known. If he does not address it in his weekly press conference, that will be a very good sign for Wolfpack Nation.

As for the other candidates out there, our friends at Red & White did a great breakdown with an NC State slant to it. Saved me a lot of time...

UPDATE

Well, the presser came and went. From what I have gathered there was no mention of NC State at all. Keep in mind that this was his weekly presser, and it is a Steeler show not a Cowher show. I still think that if we do not hear a public no from Cowher by the end of the week that things are looking good for Wolfpack Nation. Throw this gem on top of it all:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06332/741748-150.stm

I do not know who this guy is, but he seems to have an ax to grind with Cowher.

The Procession is Over

After the loss at UNC on November 18th, the writing was on the wall for Chuck Amato at NC State. Not because he lost to UNC, but because he lost to a team that was just downright awful. It was the final nail on the coffin, and the masses began calling for his removal. I joined those ranks, but not until after the debacle against ECU on Saturday night. If the UNC game was the final nail, then the ECU loss was the final shovelful of dirt. On Sunday, November 26th, it became official:

Press Release on GoPack.com

One of the highlights of the presser was when Captain Lee Fouler made the following statement:

“Our search will be national in scope and we will begin the process through a search firm very quickly. I ask that all Wolfpackers join together in supporting our student-athletes and staying behind our program."

This is great news, as it clearly states that Lee will not be the front man for this search. I do not think we need to reset how he handled the basketball search, do we? It is a pretty safe bet that when I say that I do not know if I could handle another Lee run search, that I speak for all of Wolfpack Nation. In the very least, however, he does make it entertaining. Chuck Amato's parting words were the following:

“When I came to North Carolina State University, I set my dreams very high,” said Amato. “My vision was to take this program to places that it had never been before in 100-plus years of playing football. We really don’t know how long or how difficult it is to be able to attain those types of goals because we’ve never been there before in football.

“I didn’t come here to use this job as a stepping stone like many others have or could. I wanted to surround myself with people who would help me stretch my vision and not choke my dreams. This is obviously a disappointing decision for me, but I would never do anything to hurt North Carolina State University. This season was a big disappointment but I’m very proud of what I accomplished during my tenure. I believe that my relentless persistence and my passion have brought an enthusiasm, an energy and an emotion that couldn’t be equalled. Those same qualities are just as strong in me today as they were the first day I took this job. I haven’t lost my passion, my will to succeed, or my joy.”

While I would never wish for someone to be fired, getting fired this time of year must be terribly worse than being fired any other time. That being said, I hope they fire Lee "Mr. Basketball" Fouler next. Save me the crying about calling for someones job during the holidays, too. We are not talking about some blue collar guy who makes 45K a year. We are talking about Chuck Amato and his 900K/season package, and Lee "Einstein" Fouler and his pretty portfolio as well. If they are not okay financially, then they have deeper rooted problems than being fired. So the madness will now ensue. I am sure that the powers that be either already know, or will know pretty quickly just what Bill Cowher's intentions are. He is obviously target number one. The next set of names that we will hear are Norm Chow, Paul Johnson, Jimbo Fisher, and Mike Sherman. I will start breaking down the candidates later today, time willing.

I have not forgotten...

about my recruiting entries. I have two more to finish up, and while the Amato distraction may take up a little more of my time than anticipated, I will finish up my entries on Tracy Smith and Julius Mays soon (I hope).

FIRED!!!

It is official, Chuck Amato has gotten the ax. I am working on a few things, but I will give my take on this most likely tomorrow.

Off With His Head!!

Today is a dark day in West Raleigh, as at some point in the afternoon the ax is expected to be swung directly at Chuck Amato's neck. While a lot of people have been clamoring for this event for quite some time now, I for one am not one of them. I was hoping that Chuck could beat ECU, and then resign with some dignity left. While I am not quite sure where this dignity may have been hiding, there would have been some face saved by resigning after a win against the Pirates. Unfortunately for Coach Amato, his team did not deliver said win on Saturday night. It should be pointed out that I am not an Amato supporter, I have just not been calling for his head, until now. To end the season with a 2 - 9 record is completely unacceptable, even in a down year. There are zero signs of improvement in the program, as far as on the field play is concerned. There are zero signs of improvement in the recruiting game, either.

To sum it all up, this has been the absolute worst season in the history of the football program at NC State. The following pictures are from Red and White, and are symbolic of the attitude and demeanor that this team has shown. Take a look at the clock, and keep in mind that the decision to do this can only be made by the grounds crew (I think, but someone please correct me if I am wrong).



If it is not time for change now, then it will never be time for change.

I'll be away for a few days...

I'll update if I have time, but I'll be away until at least Saturday. Have a happy turkey day.

Phone Lines are Ringing Off the Hook Today - Updated

(I am going to update my list of people expecting phone calls as they come in.)


I just got off the phone with Mark May from ESPN. You see, Mark took some heat earlier in the year when he was claiming that our boy Chuckie was on the hot seat. What kind of heat could he possibly have taken for stating what should have been the obvious to all of us? Well, it seems Coach Foulup broke off a call to Mark May, and asked him where he was getting his information from. He told Mark that Chuckie was in absolute zero danger of losing his job this year. I told Mark that no, Coach Foulup had not broken me off a call as of yet, and that I did not expect to receive one. You see, not only am I the most insignificant moron on the internet, but I am not calling for Chuck Amato to be fired. I am calling for Chuck Amato to resign on his own cognizance. A move that would save face for both Amato, and NC State. Pull a Les Robinson, if you will. You remember Les, right Lee? He was a man of dignity and class. He also filled out a red sweater better than anyone not named Bob Knight.

Well if my phone is not ringing, surely that can not be the case for some other guys. The media firestorm is in full effect, and Chuckie is the target of choice at the moment. For good reasons, too. Unfortunately, I don't have time to give the run down on said reasons, but if you frequent my blog, then you most likely frequent Red & White, and our friends over there break down Chuck's ineptitude better than anyone else. So, since time is of the essence, as I have to singlehandedly warn a slew of people about their impending phone calls, I offer you the following list of people who are calling for Chuck's head, in some way, shape, form or fashion.

• Red & White From State
• Frank Dascenzo (The Herald Sun)
• Caulton Tudor (N&O)
• J.P. Giglio (N&O)
• State Fans Nation (Based on forthcoming entries)
• Tanner Kroeger (The Technician)
• Mark Schlabach (ESPN.com)
• Andy Gray (SI.com)
• Adam Gold (850theBuzz)
• ME!!!!! (The Sports Idiot)
  

So while I am not calling for Chuck Amato to be fired, I am absolutely calling for Lee Fowler to be fired. Need I remind everyone of the debacle that was the men's basketball coaching search? Don't worry Lee, we have evaluated your abilities, and have found the perfect position at the University for you. Someone give Lee directions to Fountain please, but we are going to need to see some credentials before we allow you to wear the chef's hat.