Are Lee Fowler's Days FINALLY Numbered?

Chris Baysden of the Triangle Business Journal has been beating the pavement working on a story that suggests Lee Fowler's tenure at State is finally coming to a close.

Could State be so lucky in one week? CJ Leslie on Wednesday, now this? Man...I'm speechless.

All I know to say is Please oh please oh please oh please oh....

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Why CJ Leslie's Recommitment Means Just As Much Off The Court Than On

This evening, CJ Leslie recommitted to the Pack.

Leslie's decision was met with a predictable response by the online State community: OMG WOOOOOOOOOOOO YEAH PACK IS BACK BEER ME!!!!!!11, if can paraphrase a bit.

There's good reason to be excited about the news, as Leslie--one of the top 15 players nationally--joins two other 5-star recruits to form State's best recruiting class in decades. After struggling with below-average talent for the better part of Sidney Lowe's tenure, State's talent level has grown exponentially in just one recruiting class.

But I believe that Leslie's commitment will mean just as much off the court than on it.

Think about where State was last May.

They were locked in battle with Kentucky and Duke, among others, for the services of local high school phenom John Wall. Wall was often found playing pick-up ball with the State's players when not off taking official and unofficial visits. Reports at the time were that Wall's family felt better about John staying close to home to play for coach Lowe, whom the Walls viewed as a sort of mentor and father figure.

Ultimately, however, Wall committed to play for the Wildcats. Despite all the plusses in State's favor--location, camaraderie with the players and connection with the coaching staff--many felt there was just no realistic way State could've dared to swim "in the big boy pool" and come out ahead.

Well, flash forward to today. In a scenario with a lot of similarities--a local phenom from Wall's high school, often playing pick-up ball with the current team, with a strong family connection to Lowe and the coaching staff--State faced nearly the same challenge: going toe-to-toe with John Calipari and Kentucky on the recruiting trail.

Only this time, instead of Slick Cal swooping into State's backyard to snag Leslie, just as he's done with so many of the other top prospects across the country, Sidney Lowe and N.C. State "protected their turf," so to speak, and kept one of the nation's best at home. It's no small feat, considering what State was up against in Cal, Worldwide Wes and the Kentucky program. Calipari--and his team of recruiters--are the best closers in the college basketball world, and on this one, Sidney out "pitched" them.

I may be over-dramatizing things a bit for effect, but Leslie's recommitment is not just landing another top-flight recruit. Given where he plays high school ball and whom the other suitor was in the Leslie Sweepstakes, his decision to recommit to State after decommiting will have tangible positive impacts on the State basketball program before he even steps foot onto the RBC Center floor in November.

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THIS Is Why Lee Fowler Should Be Fired

In Sunday's News and Observer, an article ran that provides clear-cut reasoning why Lee Fowler should be fired.

Only the author had no such intention when he wrote it.

It's this piece, entitled Big Sports Wins Mean Big Money For Campuses, in which the author Eric Ferreri lays out--in dollars and cents, Lee's favorite language--the impact winning championships has on the bottom lines of BOTH the athletic departments AND the overall student body of a major university.

As Lee has stated publicly in the past, on the airwaves of local sports-talk radio, in his mind it's unrealistic for State to compare themselves with the Dukes and Carolinas of the world.

Well, if I'm connecting the dots, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with winners of the last two national titles is unrealistic. Therefore, Lee considers WINNING NATIONAL TITLES AT N.C. STATE UNREALISTIC. And given that, State can expect to never rake in the hundreds of thousands of extra dollars PER YEAR that a school receives in royalties from championship merchandise.

And who suffers as a result? Well, at Carolina, the merchandise sales contribute to a fund that directly pays out financial aid to its student body. Not athletes, or to a fund used for improving facilities. Per UNC's estimates, the royalties from their title in 2009 were sufficient to provide financial aid to 90 more UNC students this year. So, if Carolina's merchandise numbers were to suddenly drop off, the overall student body would suffer as a result.

Now, I have no idea how State chooses to use their merchandising royalties. I imagine--given our lack of overall success, championships, and poor marketing efforts--the royalty check each year is limited compared to most major schools. But UNC is to be applauded for how they use theirs, and it shows that athletic success can DIRECTLY impact the financial well-being of the overall student body.

Bottom line, Lee Fowler needs to go. This quote from the article says it all: "Championships matter," said Shirley Ort, director of scholarships and student aid. "They do account for much more money." By deemphasizing the importance of winning championships on the national level, Fowler costs State money in lost potential royalties.

Year after year, after year, after year, after...

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Tweet-O-The-Week: Ryan Harrow

You're alright, kid. You're alright. I have a feeling you're going to fit in real well here.




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Comedy GOLD, I tell ya'!

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Twitter: It's not just for screeching, self-absorbed adolescent girls anymore!

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Tom O'Brien Got Tired Of Losing Players To Injury...

...so he decided to try something different.

View the complete entry of "Tom O'Brien Got Tired Of Losing Players To Injury..."