Both Steve Lavin and John Beilein have turned down the offer to take the top spot at NC State today. As a State fan and alumnus, I am starting to get worried. So far in our search, we have been turned down by Rick Barnes, a North Carolina native and someone who apparently had let it be known that NC State was his “dream job”. Then John Calipari slimed his way in and used the Wolfpack to get a raise. Now, just as it was seemingly coming to a close
with the hire of Steve Lavin or John Beilein from West Virginia, Wolfpack fans must now sit back and wait yet again. The trouble with that is that the recruiting season is now fully in swing, and without a captain for the ship, the very future of NC State basketball is being put in jeopardy. AD Lee Fowler is going to have to make a move, and soon. My wish list for the job include Greg Marshall from Winthrop and Derrick Whittenburg, NCSU hero from the 1983 miracle run. He lacks the major head coaching experience, but did a great job in the assistant role at both NC State under Jim Valvano and at Georgia Tech under Bobby Cremins. And the cherry on top, he is supposed to be one heckuva recruiter. Whoever it ends up being, it just needs to end, and soon!
NC State Still Searching
Bulldogs Get Probation
Fresno State’s basketball program has been placed on 4 years probation for recruiting violations. Earlier this year, the Bulldogs had self imposed a ban on post season play for the 2005-06 season. The NCAA decided to extend that probation for another 4 years. Most of the infractions were phone calls to recruits that were either outside contact periods or more than allowed. The “death penalty” was an option, as the school was still on probation going back to the Jerry Tarkanian teams, but the NCAA decided against it.
NBA Draft Announcements
With the April 29th deadline fast approaching, the number of early entrants to this years NBA draft is getting larger. There have been several annoucements in the last 24 hours. Below is a set of links to some of the most recent additions.
The question is, as it is every season, how many of these guys that are coming out early are not going to be drafted in the first round, the “guaranteed money” round? It does seem like more and more of the early entrants this year are not signing with agents, or at least that is the plan currently, so if they so decide, they can return to school as long as the withdraw by the deadline.
Looks Like Favre Is Going To Suit Up In 2006
According to published reports Tuesday night, Favre has decided to return for his 15th NFL season, telling the Packers he’ll play the 2006 season.
Keith Hernandez Has Stepped In It
While broadcasting between the Mets and Padres, one little remark blurring the lines of gender equality has earned him a sore spot in just about every media outlet. It’s almost like that “Just For Men” commercial went to his head. I mean, this is going to get him just as much negative vibes, if not more, than his old coke-snortin’ days. Maybe ol’ Keith should open his eyes and more importantly, his mind, and stop living in yesteryear. Of ALL the articles about the dummy’s faux pax (did I really just use faux pax in a sports blog?), I found this one to be the best.
How Stupid is Ricky Williams?
That’s all. That’s all I want to know. How stupid can one person be? Dumb, dense, stupid, ignorant, etc…you name your adjective.
Manning A Bear, After He Posts Bail
It’s a good thing Ricky Manning Jr. is getting raise from the Bears, and that the Carolina Panthers have decided NOT to exercise their option for him. Maybe he can use a little of that extra pocket change to post his bail. As you may or may not have heard, Manning was arrested over the weekend in LA. The former UCLA cornerback was arrested early Sunday and charged with assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly knocking a man unconscious at a Westwood diner. The part that has to make the Bears cringe is that this doesn’t give them the option of backing out of the agreement.
Now, being from Panthers territory, I am a little more familiar with the personnel decisions there than with the Bears. I do know that after a series of problem players and situations, such as the likes of Kerry Collins, Fred Lane, and Rae Carruth, the Panthers management have taken a much stiffer stance on potential problems. That’s why Todd Sauerbrun was kicking in a different city last year.
And please don’t take this as a slam on Chicago, because they have some great players there who are fine upstanding citizens. In fact, I’m sure they’re probably hoping this isn’t going to develop into a pattern.
Trojangate: Day 2
Well, as can be expected, the Bush family has denied any wrongdoing in the events that Yahoo! Sports began reporting on yesterday. Right now, the common perception is that Bush is still going to be drafted, paid a lot of money, and live his life with no negative effects, regardless of how this story unfolds. Well, that may not be exactly right. ESPN’s Joe Schad reported this afternoon that the Heisman Committee is meeting to discuss what possible actions needed to be taken by them depending on the outcome of this story. If there were any rules broken, it’s possible Bush may have to vacate his award.
As far as fallout for the Trojans, they would more than likely NOT have to wipe their record from last year.
Since Bush has left school, any punishment would likely involve Bush vacating school records, Schad reported. A source told Schad that because it was not an “institutional violation” and USC received no competitive advantage, it is not likely that the school would have to vacate victories. This could technically occur, however, if it is ruled Bush should not have been eligible.
You hate to see any young player make a bad decision, but you especially hate it when the bad decision they make, hurts others who had no involvement. Hopefully, the NCAA will make the right move, but then again, it IS the NCAA, and most of the time, they choose to make an example of all the wrong folks and tend to give a slight slap on the wrist to the major infractions, if that. I’ll believe it when I see the NCAA doing the right thing.
NFL Draft: Vernon Davis
Rising from basically an unknown in most parts of the country before his junior season, Vernon Davis has really made a name for himself. The TE from Maryland is getting rave reviews from EVERY scout he crosses paths with and it should make for a nice deal starting this Saturday.
Davis isn’t just the best tight end available in the draft this weekend, he is the top-rated receiver. He could be selected as high as No. 4 by the New York Jets (the last tight end drafted in the top five was Riley Odoms in 1972).
Davis is a beast. A freak. Almost an unnatural athlete. He is tough to bring down, and that’s if you can catch him. His potential position in the draft is changing almost daily. For a while, he was expected to be taken by the Raiders, then earlier than that with the 49er’s, now as high as the Jets at #4, with the possibility that teams could trade up to take him earlier than that. Hard work DOES pay off, and it will pay BIG TIME for Davis in this years draft.
NFL Draft: Manny Lawson
Since I am a Wolfpacker at heart, just ran across something this morning that I wanted to get out. Manny Lawson has lived in the shadows of Mario Williams for the past few seasons, but according to NFL talent scouts, his stock is rising quickly. In fact, one scout had this to say:
Lawson is a pretty reasonable facsimile of Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor. At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Lawson is long and lean. He runs a 4.45 40-yard dash and scored a 40 on the Wunderlich exam, meaning his extraordinarily bright. Further proof of that is that Lawson already has a degree in engineering.
Good luck to Manny, who I know for a fact is a great kid and has worked hard for ALL he has accomplished.