This appeared on the PackPride message boards today. I'm still processing how I feel about it--the wisdom of an incoming recruit airing these thoughts publicly. Nevertheless, he wants this put out to the masses for consumption, so might as well share it here, too:
To all my Wolfpack fans, I want to say thank you for all the support and faith that y'all have in Lorenzo and I. We are very excited to be coming to such a highly-regarded school. Lorenzo and I have talked about playing basketball at NC State together and with the rest of the players that will be there for a long time. We are looking to come in and make the team better by the hard work we put in before practice, during practice, and after. We have winner mentalities and hopefully that will rub off on the players that are in a slump this season.
Me personally, I have always been excited about coming to NC State ever since coach Monte Towe and Coach Lowe walked into my high school gym my freshman year. Coach Lowe believed in me when a lot of coaches thought I didn't have what it takes. Sad on those coaches behalf haha. Now I am what I am and I'm sticking beside Coach Lowe because of the loyalty he showed me. I feel if a person treats you with that much respect and has that much faith, then I must show that same courtesy back.
Myself and Lorenzo are on NC State's blogs and forums everyday and we look to see all the support you give us, but now a days we see so much negative and it has become really discomforting to my godbrother and I. The things that are said about the fans giving up and not wanting to show the support like I know y'all can. I was at the Duke game. Our fans can get crazy lol. Those statements matter to me. I came to the school at first solely for Coach Lowe but when I come to see games and people are greeting me, saying " thank you so much for joining us", it made me realize I love the atmosphere too. These fans can get better. I hate going on the forums reading those things.
Also Lorenzo and I see the statements about coach Lowe and it really makes me think, "what am I getting myself into". Coach Lowe works hard and is very passionate about the game. He just needs people and players around him like Lorenzo, Luke, C.J., and me to transpire that fire onto the court. Every bad game we cannot criticize coach Lowe. It comes down to the players performing on the court. I know Coach Lowe is going to help my game and make me the best point guard I can be. But it will come in time.
The 2010 class will be a great one, especially adding to the players that's already at the school. We will get better as the year goes on. But y'all have to remember, even though I think myself and Lorenzo are two of the best guards out there in the nation, we are coming into a new experience so we have to learn a little first. So if we don't get the results y'all want right away, plz don't give up on supporting the team and don't say we need to fire the coach. We are going to be a great team and one of the best teams to come through NC State. It just takes time. I hope Lorenzo and I have not offended anybody and would hope that y'all understand where we are coming from. My family and Lorenzo's family are Wolfpack until we die now, but we need support and comfort. Thank you and Go STATE!
--Ryan Harrow
We cant wait for you guys to come
ReplyDeleteI love this letter. Every State fan needs to realize that the talent is coming. Sidney is putting the players in spots to win, but they just aren't executing. We need better gaurd play and as an added bonus a really good big man in Luke. We need to support the team and the coach. I can't wait for you guys to get here! GO PACK!!
ReplyDeleteno offense taken. thanks for you letter. it was good to read you positive comments. as others wrote-can't wait for you to enroll and start playing. well, since i am 61, i can wait. don't want to wish my life away. :-) sbas2
ReplyDeleteDon't listen to what you read by some fans in regards to Sid on blogs Ryan. Blogs tend to have more "unhappy" fans than the ones who really support the program. Losing is frustrating, but real fans understand winning takes time. We look forward to you, Luke, Lorenzo and CJ if he wants joining the guys we have already.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right, there's a tremendous foundation being built here, players and coaches. Once all the pieces are in place, the Pack will be back!!
That's all I need to know. Thank you Ryan. Harrow!
ReplyDeleteEven if we win the NCAA, there will still likely be a few people online calling for the coach to be fired. Even John Wooden had disappointed fans during his remarkable NCAA streak saying things like "they didn't win by enough". The great thing about blogs and forums is that they open up the discussion for anyone. The bad thing is that they can be a sounding board for a small number of people. Indeed, there is such a thing as the "lunatic fringe"... albeit the term has been used inappropriately to describe larger groups of fans.
ReplyDeleteI must be the only one sketched out by this letter...This reeks of some cocky show-off that once is on the team, becomes a cancer. It's also wierd that he speaks for Lorenzo...
ReplyDeletei note that SFN took a negative position with regard to this letter basically implying that it was urged by the coaching staff at State.
ReplyDeletei would add this to my earlier post:
when one moves from high school basketball to college basketball, one is taking a big step. all of the players are better and most were stars on their high school teams. most were winners in high school. most worked hard in high school. a college game is more intense and as a result a player has to play with much more intensity than the player had to play with at the high school level. the praise will be higher, the criticism greater, and the fan base much, much larger and more vocal. becasue many of the fans of a particular school are alumni, becasue many of the fans give money to the school which provide the scholarships and becasue the tickets are costly, the fans have a right to speak out whether it be good or bad. Ryan you are moving to a bigger stage and you should be aware that both negative and positive things are going to be written about you, your coach and your team. sbas2
Half those guys on HateFansNation are just a bunch of Carolina Fans w/ nothing better to do.
ReplyDeletewith regard to SFN, i don't doubt that many who post at this site are unc fans or duke fans, but not the ones who run the blog-and these people made the allegation with regard to the Harrow letter. sbas2
ReplyDeleteRyan, don't listen to these negative pessimist on these boards..alot of this stuff is just frustration of being a die hard fan, unfortunately some people don't know how to show patience and RESPECT..we true State fans remember winning and being the team to beat! WE truely feel that Sidney amd crew will bring us back to those days!! All of this BEGINS WITH U AND ZO'!!! And CJ, LUKE, you can also be a HUGE part of getting us there, just think, you guys WILL BE the team to get us back to the TOP, the team to SPANK carolina and dook continuously, back to the GLORY DAYS!!!
ReplyDeleteI am tired of hearing the word "patience" I am mega excited that Ryan, Lorenzo, Luke, and whom ever else we can get is coming, but man I am 32 yrs old and its always the same, if the stars line up right we beat CaROLINA or Duke, but most nights just another L and whats worse those L's are coming more frequent to the Virginias, Georgia Techs, Clemsons, and for those of you that dont think we have bad coaching going on compare us to Virginia same two teams from last year but they have a coach that has a plan, they are miles ahead of us, I want Sid to make it but man its not looking good GO PACK!!!
ReplyDelete^
ReplyDeleteit is interesting how with State athletics it takes all this time and these coaches have to get their players in, while in both major sports, teams with new coaches are making vast or at least more improvements then State is
StateFansNation is a joke and will always be a joke everything they say is negative with no real point ever being made. There are so many better blogs out there that are much more objective than that one.
ReplyDeleteSFN didn't take a negative view of the letter, SOME registered users of the site took a negative view.
ReplyDeleteSFN has come out with no stance.
D Medlin, the comments by SFN regarding the Harrow letter have been changed three to four times. i feel that in the original comments made by SFN toward the Harrow letter a negative view of the Harrow letter was taken. in that post reference was made to an article SFN posted back in the summer which made a bet regarding something similar to the Harrow letter occurring by a certain date in January. the first post SFN made with regard to the Harrow letter said this date was about two weeks off. SFN should insert reference again to that summer post so that everyone can read it and make up thier mind as to whether SFN went negative with regard to the Harrow letter. sbas2
ReplyDeleteHey, from a MD fan its not just UNC and Duke fans thinking Lowe is terrible.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.testudotimes.com/2010/2/18/1316311/acc-head-coaching-power-rankings
There's my open letter!