Monday, August 28, 2006
NCSU Knows Hype- Must Look To Blacksburg
One of the reasons I have been resentful of NC State's Amato is the remarkable amount of great national press he gets year after year. He recruits well, was fortunate to inherit one of the conference's best QBs and WR ever, is the darling of ESPN- BUT has managed only one great year so far. He's a victim of his own hype.
I read this blog about Clemson Football (here's the link), and it seems to fit NCSU as well.
"Hype.
The online dictionary has a number of different meanings for such a small word, but the one which draws attention today is the first - and most obvious - definition:
"Excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion."
When dealing with a college football team, hype is commonplace. Whether its genesis is with the media or the fans, once the buzz begins the only thing that can stop it is a good, sound thrashing.
Clemson fans got a life lesson in Hype 101 in 2004. "
Saturday NC State faces a no win situation when it hosts DivII Champs App State. ( Another study in loyalty). If they win big, they were supposed to- if the Pack wins a close one, the fans will be dissapointed and if they lose- even though the Mountaineers are a really good team- Amato will be in his last year- if the alumni has its way.
Should State fire him if his team struggles this year? No way. He's great for the school and every dog has his day. But NCSU needs to remind him they were loyal when he did not live up to his promise. Suppose he surprises everyone this year with 8-9 wins and follows it up with even better seasons in years to come, NCSU has been loyal and deserves the same from him.
If schools with good programs want to be truly great, they need to look to Blacksburg. The marraige of Va Tech and Beamer is a study of teamwork. The Hokies were patient with down years, almost great years, hyped up years- and now they have one of the best programs in football.
Beamer is loyal as well. Best of all, he's managed to convince his staff- the higher ups- to stick around and build something special. I look at State and Clemson's revolving doors slapping the backsides of great assistant coaching talent and wonder if Amato and Bowden even care about loyalty. The lesson from Blacksburg is clear, consistentsy begins with coaching and is bred from loyalty between the school and its coaching staff.
I read this blog about Clemson Football (here's the link), and it seems to fit NCSU as well.
"Hype.
The online dictionary has a number of different meanings for such a small word, but the one which draws attention today is the first - and most obvious - definition:
"Excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion."
When dealing with a college football team, hype is commonplace. Whether its genesis is with the media or the fans, once the buzz begins the only thing that can stop it is a good, sound thrashing.
Clemson fans got a life lesson in Hype 101 in 2004. "
Saturday NC State faces a no win situation when it hosts DivII Champs App State. ( Another study in loyalty). If they win big, they were supposed to- if the Pack wins a close one, the fans will be dissapointed and if they lose- even though the Mountaineers are a really good team- Amato will be in his last year- if the alumni has its way.
Should State fire him if his team struggles this year? No way. He's great for the school and every dog has his day. But NCSU needs to remind him they were loyal when he did not live up to his promise. Suppose he surprises everyone this year with 8-9 wins and follows it up with even better seasons in years to come, NCSU has been loyal and deserves the same from him.
If schools with good programs want to be truly great, they need to look to Blacksburg. The marraige of Va Tech and Beamer is a study of teamwork. The Hokies were patient with down years, almost great years, hyped up years- and now they have one of the best programs in football.
Beamer is loyal as well. Best of all, he's managed to convince his staff- the higher ups- to stick around and build something special. I look at State and Clemson's revolving doors slapping the backsides of great assistant coaching talent and wonder if Amato and Bowden even care about loyalty. The lesson from Blacksburg is clear, consistentsy begins with coaching and is bred from loyalty between the school and its coaching staff.
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