Achievement School District bill heads to McCrory

State-sponsored piracy of public schools:

The House passed the Senate version of a bill Wednesday to create a five-school Achievement School District pilot program for schools that have shown consistently poor growth and performance.

A State Board of Education-appointed superintendent could choose charter companies with proven success to run the schools. The companies would have hiring and firing powers and would be exempt from oversight and evaluations from local school boards.

There are numerous faulty assumptions built into this bill, not the least of which is the idea that removing a critical oversight mechanism (local school boards) will somehow encourage performance. And considering these boards are comprised of locally-elected officials, it actually takes away parental control. But in the minds of Republicans, ideology trumps logic every time.

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On HB2 repeal, stand like a rock

Whether the new package of HB2 “amendments“ goes is still in question. In contrast to their normally robust rhetoric, GOP leaders have been tepid and subdued when discussing the proposals.  It could be one of those ideas that arise to great fanfare, then drop like a lead balloon. Let’s hope so. The content of these […]
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2017 Battle 4 Atlantis: NC State in loaded field with headliners Arizona and Villanova

The 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis tournament field is set, per a report from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. We’ve had an idea for a while now that the Wolfpack would be participating in this event thanks to an accidental reveal from NC State a year ago. We also figured the eight-team field would be loaded, and it is: the other seven participants are Villanova, Arizona, Tennessee, Northern Iowa, SMU, Purdue, and Western Kentucky.

That’s about as good as it gets. Villanova, of course, is the defending national champion. Arizona has re-emerged as a Pac-12 power, Northern Iowa is one of the most consistent mid-majors in the country, SMU is now an annual threat in the AAC, and Purdue is fresh off a 26-9 campaign.

Heck, even Western Kentucky could prove a handful if new head coach Rick Stansbury continues to haul in top-50 kids.

Half of this field finished in the top 25 of the Pomeroy Ratings this past season. So this should be a great show, and also let’s hope that Mark Gottfried’s recruiting fortunes continue into the 2017 class, because good god, man, Villanova and Arizona and Purdue and SMU! I can’t wait.

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PODCAST | The Family Business: Dan Blue III Runs for NC Treasurer

You may think you know nothing about North Carolina’s treasurer, but if you live in the state, it’s a job that almost certainly affects your life. Dan Blue III is the Democratic candidate for the office. He’s also the son of previous podcast guest Dan Blue, Jr., the minority leader in the North Carolina Senate. […]
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GOP doubles-down on HB2 bigotry: Sex reassignment "certificate" required

Either show me your woo-woo or show me your papers:

A leaked draft of proposed changes to N.C. House Bill 2 ignited controversy Tuesday, drawing criticism from both supporters and detractors of the law.

The leaked draft of the changes, widely circulated this week, would: Keep the bathroom provisions as they are. Create a “certificate of sex reassignment” for North Carolinians who come from states without a way to update birth certificates. Since many transgender people do not wish to have surgery to obtain a new birth certificate, LGBT advocates oppose such a plan. They also express concern that this would effectively create a state registry of those who have had such surgeries, raising privacy issues.

And once again, the faux-Libertarian "privacy rights" crowd produces a deafening silence. Liberty for some, tyranny for others, especially if those others don't conform to a broken moral compass wielded by self-appointed religious prophets. What's funny (really not funny) is how Tea Party nutters obsess over the dangers posed by ISIS and "Radical Islam," but I'm beginning to think they're just jealous. Jealous that they can't march through a town and summarily execute deviants and/or tribes that refuse to conform to their twisted ideologies. Is that hyperbole? Examine the parallels and then get back to me.

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Debunking Orwellian deceptions

When the Supreme Court struck down the Texas law designed to shutter abortion clinics across the state, they also exposed the Orwellian deception that the current brand of Republicans uses to deny people’s rights. Texas Republicans said the bill was meant to protect women’s health. The Supreme Court, and everyone, else knew that was false […]
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ACC and Big East establish college basketball officiating alliance

Look here, it’s a victory for sanity in college basketball: the ACC and Big East are leading a new officiating alliance that also includes the A-10 and CAA, which will allow all four leagues to collaborate on teaching methods, scheduling, and evaluations—among other things.

John Swofford on the agreement:

The alliance will provide greater efficiencies for game assignments for recruitment and for retention. It should increase the officials assignment pool for all of our conferences. It will take advantage of geographic scheduling efficiencies for the officials, which is very important. It will stabilize a joint staff under collaborative management and oversight. It will provide enhanced training, education, and evaluation opportunities, and it will enhance technology capabilities to improve our officiating data and staff feedback.

Big East commish Val Ackerman added that he hopes the increase in collaboration on scheduling “will lead to a reduction, in particular, in late season wear and tear on our referees.” That topic comes up all the time, and there’s no clear solution to the problem, because college officials are not employees of the NCAA or any league—they are independent contractors. More games worked means more income.

There are no restrictions on how many games they can work in a season, and some of the top guys work a TON of games. Here’s an example from Big 12 official John Higgins’, as explained by Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis:

For example, during a particularly brutal stretch in early January, Higgins worked a game at Stanford that tipped off at 6 p.m. local time. Later that night, he flew on a redeye to Minneapolis and landed at 4 a.m. He drove to his hotel, slept a few hours, worked a game between Minnesota and Michigan State, and then drove back to the airport to catch a 5 p.m. flight to Phoenix. The next day, he worked the Arizona State-Arizona game, during which he ejected Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley. The following night, Higgins was in Allen Fieldhouse for Kansas-Oklahoma. If you're keeping score, that's 4,800 miles traveled over three days.

That’s not healthy and I don’t think it’s good for the sport, either. (Though Higgins would disagree.)

Guys like Higgins can work a comfortable living into a few months—he gets paid two or three grand per game, and he’s averaged more than 90 games per season over the last half decade. The incentive to work a lot of games is obvious, and this agreement between the ACC and Big East won’t alter that until the nature of college refs’ employment is changed dramatically.

But in theory, at least, a collaborative effort from four leagues in roughly the same geographic footprint should alleviate some travel strains, which can only be good for the quality of officiating. But since there are no restrictions on where or how often refs can work, this collaborative effort can only go so far, at least in this respect. Once a ref gets his ACC or Big East assignments, for instance, he can go officiate in whatever leagues he wants in order to fill in dates on his schedule. The top officials in college hoops are going to continue setting their own pace.

This alliance is a step in the right direction, it just doesn’t—and can’t—address the fundamental problem. It’ll help some, though, and it’ll be good for everybody if, as intended, the partnership creates a larger pool of officials. And not only that, but a pool of officials that receives a more coherent, uniform approach to calling games.

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Coal Ash Wednesday: SELC statement on HB 630

Kneeling at the altar of Duke Energy:

The following is a statement by Frank Holleman, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center regarding the latest Duke Energy Bailout Bill, HB 630, that came out of closed doors today and is moving quickly through the North Carolina legislature:

“Following closed door meetings, the North Carolina Senate today moved to change state law to delay and provide Duke Energy loopholes to avoid coal ash cleanups. This coal ash bill is damning proof that the families and communities of North Carolina can’t rely on state politicians to protect their drinking water supplies from Duke Energy’s coal ash pollution."

Per Kirk Ross, the total time given to discuss this bill in both committee and on the floor of the Senate was less than half an hour, for some 33 pages. Which I find ironic as hell considering how often Duke Energy whines about "needing more time" to assess the situation. When they need more time, they get it. When our duly elected representatives need more time to study 33 pages of legislation, that time is simply not available. It's a pretty clear message of who owns the House and Senate. The rest of the statement:

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Position Preview: Jaylen Samuels and Tight End

Profile of a Possible Savior REDUX: Cuonzo Martin

Spring 2011, after years in the wilderness, NC State parted ways with Sidney Lowe and were in the business of finding someone to save us. The media portrayed us as being rejected numerous times, so eventually Mark Gottfried ended up answering the call and has experienced positive-to-mixed results over his 5 year tenure. This series will take a hop in the TARDIS and theorize whether or not we would have been better (or worse) with another candidate from Backing the Pack's famed, award-winning* Profile Of A Possible Savior series or POAPS for short.

*validity of statement under question

(All stats & figures from Wikipedia, KenPom, & Scout.com)

Mark Gottfried's tenure at NC State:

Layman Stats

Overall Record	108-69 (.610)
Conference Record	44-44 (.5)
NCAA Appearances	4 (2 Sweet Sixteens)
Conference Titles	0
4/5 Stars Signed	13

Geek Stats (KenPom)

Average National Rank Overall	48
Average Adj O / Avg National Rank	112.6 / 24
Average Adj D / Avg National Rank	100.1 / 115

Next Up

California Golden Bears Head Coach Cuonzo Martin

In The Beginning

Sometimes there are mid-major guys who are future high level head coaches. Superstars like Brad Stevens, Gregg Marshall, & Shaka Smart are recognized easily by the casual fans, those who pay attention can identify names of possible stars on the rise. Cuonzo Martin wasn't a household name in 2011 but college basketball analysts knew it was only a matter of time before he got a bigger job. State had one open, and our POAPS saw some positives in a guy who recruited well as an assistant among good coaches at Purdue and had a team that was one of the best in its conference at the time (winning the regular season of the conference that year). Doubts emerged as Cuonzo had never been in the South, had no experience as a head coach besides 3 years at Missouri State, and hadn't improved a program from the ground up. It was determined that he'd definitely be better than Sid while evidence shows that he may be what NC State needed at the time.

5 Years Later... (All stats compiled from time at University of Tennessee in the SEC & California of the Pac-12)

Layman Stats

Overall Record	104-171 (.61)
Conference Record	75-15 (.58)
NCAA Appearances	2 (1 Sweet Sixteen)
Conference Titles	0
4/5 Stars Signed	4

Geek Stats (KenPom)

Average Rank	56
Average Adj O / National Rank	107.8/ 89
Average Adj D / National Rank	95.9/ 54

The obvious caveat here is Cuonzo took over two programs that had been struggling prior to his arrival. Tennessee with its NCAA concerns and Cal with its being mediocre at basketball worries. Yet Cuonzo was able to effectively keep both programs from sinking. In three years he got Tennessee to a Sweet Sixteen and in two, returned Cal to the NCAA tourney. His in-conference record is very respectable and his overall record is solid as well. Also impressive is his teams pretty much have been finishing in the top half of the conference even coming as close as second at UT. No titles to speak of in the Power 5 as of yet, but a pretty good showing overall.

Would He Have Recruited Better Than Gottfried?

Belief was that Cuonzo would be able to recruit well once he got to a Power 5 job. His experience as an assistant at Purdue showed that he knew what Top 25 classes looked like. Also its important to recognize that Tennessee and Cal have both been programs that could pull in top players with the right steward. Problem with Cuonzo is that he only seems to be hitting his recruiting stride now. Three years at Tennessee produced only 1 4-star player while the last two years at Cal shows that he could pull elite 5 star talent, including the number 3 pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Jaylen Brown. All that is great...but if you notice the information about Gottfried I post above continues to change. The number of 4/5 stars signed keeps going up especially after our recruiting victories of this past month. Gottfried is plainly one of the best recruiters in the game today and nothing Cuonzo has shown can surpass that as of yet.

Advantage: Gottfried

Would He Have a Better Offense Than Gottfried?

Cuonzo's offenses just cannot keep any consistency. His last year at UT, Cuonzo maintained a Top 20 offense on a team that was one of the best in the country by advanced statistics. And that's all folks. Over the past 5 years his offenses have primarily been in the 60s at best and in the 100s at worst. That just isn't a sign of a reliable offensive trend over time. It appears that Top 20 finish at UT was an outlier as opposed to a sign of things to come. Gottfried, even with a bad 2015-2016 weighing down his average, is consistent which is what we haven't seen from Martin in these past few years.

Advantage: Gottfried

Would He Have a Better Defense Than Gottfried?

Defense was considered a mixed-bag during our previous POAPS on Cuonzo, but it seems that he has mostly righted the ship. Three times in the past 5 years Cuonzo has had a Top 30 defense by advanced stats. Notably, he was able to reach the Top 20 at two separate universities which shows his philosophy isn't just about personnel. While his second year at UT was abysmal on that side of the ball, just like his offense that appears to be an outlier as opposed to a precursor.

Advantage: Martin

Conclusion

Upon reflection Cuonzo Martin wouldn't have been a bad hire for NC State. His leaving UT after 3 years was more a commentary on how he was handled there, than it was any sign of quick opportunistic career advancement. Martin could've brought a level of stability to the program and, after a little while, begin to recruit at a high level in this area. The media seems to respect him so the hire would've received nodding approval although it likely wouldn't have moved the needle for our national perception. Interestingly, as the original POAPS noted, choosing Martin could have parallels to to Herb's as this was a Midwestern guy who comes from a highly regarded coaching tree, had some success at the mid-major level, and was coming to take over a program that had been in the wilderness for a long time. Safe & solid hire. Mark Gottfried was the risk...and in this case he was the right risk. While Cuonzo has shown to be pretty average in the advanced stats, Mark Gottfried can hang his hat on his phenomenal offenses. The consistency Gottfried has shown on O makes one believe that if State can surprise in having an above-average defense one season that team can be really special. Martin's numbers seem to imply that the stars have to align perfectly in order for one of his teams to make significant breakthrough. Ultimately, Gottfried was able to come into a bad mess, bring back that national recognition to State while also convincing 4/5 star kids to come play at a school that hasn't even seen a conference title since 1989. Cuonzo may have shown that he could do that eventually...but he would not have been a better hire than Mark Gottfried.

Next Time

Nebraska Head Coach and Steven's Best Friend, Tim Miles

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The threat gerrymandering poses to the NC Constitution

Cause & effect are too obvious to ignore:

Over in the Senate there’s a more devious and dangerous proposed amendment to the state constitution, with roots in the misleadingly-named “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” (that passed the Senate last year but didn’t get a vote in the House) to cap the state income tax rate at 5.5 percent. Article V of the state constitution currently sets a 10 percent ceiling.

Significantly, the four sponsors of this unnecessary plan, face no consequence or accountability. The lead sponsor, Sen. Robert Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, isn’t seeking re-election. The three other sponsors, Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick; Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph; and Louis Pate, R-Wayne, face no opposition in the fall campaign. They are utterly without accountability to a single voter in their districts – and the state – for their actions.

It's times like this that I look back on our efforts to encourage candidates to file with a feeling of abject failure. While the list exceeded our expectations, several critical (potential) races were left by the wayside. While I'm wallowing in self-pity, it's only fitting that I bring you the news (if you didn't already know) that Elon Law Professor Eric Fink failed to amass enough (qualified) signatures to challenge Phil Berger in November's General Election for the NC Senate. It was a damned fine effort, and I hope Eric takes another shot two years from now. But we really need to make sure the most powerful Republicans have opponents, regardless of the demographics. Or we risk allowing their hubris to destroy our state.

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Paying for Hurricane Pat

Pat McCrory and the Republicans in the legislature are fighting hard to protect the gains they’ve made for North Carolina’s wealthiest citizens and ensure that the burden of any needed revenue is squarely on the backs of the middle class. The state House and Senate want to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that […]
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Tuesday Twitter roundup

Just when you thought they couldn't get worse:

Last minute attacks on civil liberties advance at #NCGA https://t.co/vg6ftlY5c7 #ncpol #ncgov #consnc #bluenc #BodyCameras #Immigrants

— Rob Schofield (@Rob_Schofield) June 28, 2016

The right-wing nutters on #ncpol have a new calling:

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NC State football recruiting: 3-star DL Deslin Alexandre commits to Wolfpack

NC State’s wolfpack grew by one on Monday night, when Deerfield Beach (FL) defensive lineman Deslin Alexandre announced his commitment. Alexandre, who is in the 6’4 and 230-pound range, is a consensus three-star prospect.

Bless to be Committed to Nc State ! #WolfPack ⚫️ http://pic.twitter.com/4UAl2p5YL9

— Deslin Alexandre (@_Deslin) June 28, 2016

Alexandre has drawn plenty of major-conference interest but doesn’t have a lot of offers from those schools at this point. He has offers from Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers, Temple, and Florida Atlantic, among others. He is regarded as a top-200 player in Florida.

Alexandre is the second potential defensive-end-slash-project from whom NC State’s received a verbal in the last couple of weeks. We can trust that the coaching staff has seen these guys up close, but there’s always going to be some uncertainty regardless when it comes to these types of prospects.

Highlights:

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Trevor Lacey gets a new contract in Italy after successful rookie year

Trevor Lacey’s decision to leave college early was a controversial one for some, but even though Lacey didn’t end up in the NBA, it’s safe to say that decision was a good one. Lacey was the leading scorer on his Italian team, Pesaro, this past season, putting up 14.5 points per game.

That earned him a lot of interest from other clubs, and a nice deal from Dinamo Sassari, a rival team in Italy’s top division. The one-year deal is reportedly worth in excess of $200,000, according to Pack Pride. Lacey’s getting a big raise, and he’s also going from a team that finished 12-18 to one that finished 16-14. Upgrades all around.

His former team did have a heartfelt farewell for him.

ORA È UFFICIALE:TREVOR LACEY FIRMA A SASSARI. Hanno aspettato a comunicarlo ma da giorni la notizia era nota a tutti http://pic.twitter.com/5mhNXivJS9

— Club Tonucci Pesaro (@ClubTonucci) June 24, 2016

Bye bye, dear Trevor! Now I feel a little bad for them.

Lacey posted a 54.5 eFG%, leading all of Pesaro’s primary contributors. He shot 33.8% from three and made 57.2% of his two-point attempts. That’s a strong debut, and without it—if he’d remained in college—he’s probably not looking at quite the same payday he received this offseason.

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State Auditor Race

State Auditor Race: Beth Wood (D, inc.) vs. Chuck Stuber (R) And now we come to our last Council of State race to analyze. It’s the race for State Auditor, featuring a matchup between incumbent Beth Wood and Republican challenger Chuck Stuber. Beth Wood was first elected in 2008, defeating Les Merritt in what was […]
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And this week's Buffoon Award goes to Jimmy Dixon

Refuting industry propaganda on seismic testing for oil & gas

Who needs science when you can bluff your way to profits:

There has been no observation of direct physical injury or death to free-ranging fish caused by seismic survey activity, and there is no conclusive evidence showing long-term or permanent displacement of fish.

Seismic and other geophysical surveys are the first critical step to better understanding the nation’s resource potential and there is not one single verifiable instance of sound from these surveys harming marine life populations. We cannot afford to put the nation’s energy security and independence at risk by limiting access to safe affordable domestic energy because of the baseless accusations of environmental activists. The economic and energy future of the United States is far too important to cater to the short-sighted agenda of a few.

Bolding mine. Of course the drilling part comes after the seismic surveys, I just couldn't let that "safe affordable domestic energy" BS leak into the discussion without pointing out the fallacy. The Deepwater Horizon spill alone cost billions in cleanup and lost revenues, not to mention actual lives. Combine that with the countless other spills and leaks, and the word "safe" should be excluded from any reference to offshore drilling. Back to the seismic testing and sea life issues:

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Trending red or trending blue?

There’s a lot of debate over whether North Carolina is trending red or trending blue. The state’s not been consistent enough to draw any definitive conclusions. In 2008 and 2010, North Carolina behaved like most of the rest of the nation. Democrats won big in 2008 and then lost big in 2010. In 2012, though, […]
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NC State swimmers competing for spots on U.S. Olympic team

NC State already has three alums who've qualified for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, but none of the three are American. The U.S. Olympic trials began Sunday in Omaha, Nebraska, and not surprisingly given the quality of its programs, the Wolfpack is well represented.

I mean:

1st team dinner in Omaha. GO PACK!! http://pic.twitter.com/1ePENCPYGT

— Bobby Guntoro (@bobbygunt) June 25, 2016

More than two dozen NC State swimmers made the cut for Olympic trials, and I couldn't tell you if that's a record or not, but it sure as heck is impressive. Four years ago, the Pack sent only nine swimmers to Olympic trials. The men's and women's programs have an incredible amount of talent.

NC State didn't have a swimmer secure a spot on the U.S. team Sunday, though several kids had productive days. Natalie Labonge became the first female Wolfpack swimmer to break one minute in the 100 butterfly, while Austin Snyder made it all the way to the 400 IM final, where he finished eighth. More details from GoPack.com right here.

The U.S. swim teams are consistently dominant at the Olympics--the men's team, for example, has won 127 gold medals all-time, and no other country has more than 98 total medals. I doubt there are more difficult Olympic trials anywhere. So if State gets some players on this year's team, it won't be a fluke. Good luck, kids!

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GOP attack on teachers crosses the line

Your First Amendment rights mean nothing to the tyrants:

The majority of the crimes listed in the bill make perfect sense if the goal is – as it should be – to keep our students safe.

But the inclusion of Article 36A, which includes the act of remaining “at the scene of ... disorderly conduct by an assemblage of three or more persons, following a command to disperse,” departs from that sincere desire to protect our children. It means that individuals who have been arrested for protesting the lack of textbooks and toilet paper in North Carolina schools could be denied teaching careers, and those already teaching could potentially have their licenses revoked due to such an arrest.

Again, the stifling of school teachers is a signature trait of authoritarian/totalitarian regimes, and the fact Republicans would so casually include something like this in Legislation proves they simply do not grasp the basic concepts of democracy.

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Must read: Gene Nichols' comprehensive indictment of GOP governing

Ten charges that encompass hundreds of bad acts:

1. Tragically refused to expand Medicaid. Merely to show disdain for President Obama, they’ve denied health care to a half million poor Tar Heels though the federal government would pay almost all the fare. Hospitals have closed, tens of thousands of jobs have been lost, over $30 billion in federal funds are surrendered and a thousand or more of us die each year as a result of one of the most cruel and indefensible decisions in N.C. history.

Please read the entire article. It is extensive, but these things must not be ignored or forgotten. While #1 above is easily the biggest life-and-death failure on the GOP's part, it's just the tip of the iceberg:

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NC State has top-five class with addition of Ted Kapita

Just as we all expected, the 2016 NC State basketball recruiting class will go down as one of the nation’s best. It is deep and indeed most plentiful in talent, as again, we all expected. Knew it the whole time. None of us were ever concerned about this.

Here are the updated class rankings from 247Sports:

1. Duke
2. Kentucky
3. Arizona
4. Michigan State
5. NC State
6. UCLA
7. Texas
8. Virginia
9. UConn
10. Mississippi State

NC State is one of six schools with multiple five-star commitments. Duke, Kentucky, and Arizona each have at least four five-star players committed, because ugh. Curse their excellence.

This is a tremendous accomplishment for the Wolfpack given the way the offseason started, and given how absolutely necessary it was for State to add players with 2017-18 in mind. The 2016-17 edition of the Pack is going to be deep, but it’s going to leave a lot of holes to fill the year following, too. Mark Gottfried’s staff has done about as well as they could to address that problem in this class. The 2017 class will be pivotal as well.

Being able to sell playing time is one thing, and it does help considerably. Being able to sell that playing time when it’s a year away is another thing altogether, and this is where the coaching staff deserves major credit. We’ve got some highly-regarded freshmen coming in who could get more minutes right away in a lot of different places, but they’re coming here, where they are likely to end up in reserve roles in year one.

It’s a significant leap of faith in college basketball nowadays. Can it work? Sure. Will it? We’re gonna find out.

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Top 2018 placekicker Chris Dunn commits to NC State

The basketball program stole the headlines Friday, but the football team also picked up a commitment. North Davidson (NC) High School rising junior placekicker Chris Dunn announced his decision to attend NC State. Dunn is considered one of the best at his position in the 2018 class.

Honored to announce that I have verbally committed to NC State on a Scholarship. #OnlyTheBeginning! http://pic.twitter.com/HWRVNMjz3k

— Christopher Dunn (@The2018PK) June 25, 2016

According to Chris Sailer, who is something of an authority when it comes to prep kickers, Dunn is the best PK in the 2018 class. Sailer, who operates camps for high school kickers, had this to say about Dunn:

Chris is an outstanding kicker. He has a strong leg and kicks with excellent technique and consistency. Field goals are smooth and accurate off the ground. He gets great height on his ball. A fierce competitor that does his best under pressure. Kickoffs are strong and consistent. Also a very capable punter. One of the most determined competitors we have every had. Chris kicks with extreme confidence. A great looking athlete with a bright future. Chris is a pleasure to work with. He will be a scholarship pick in this class without a doubt. Big time prospect.

His season-long in 2015 was a 47-yarder, but it looks like he’s already capable of making field goals well over 50 yards. He’s also got pretty good distance on kickoffs, but appears more inconsistent in that area. (Remember this kid has two years of high school left.)

If you like highlights of field goals, today is your lucky day, friend! Knock yourself out:

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More local shenanigans via NC Senate Republicans

Wesley Meredith is out of control:

Last September, the state House squelched controversial legislation that would have yanked about $5.5 million of hotel tax money away from the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority and given it to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. Late this week, in the waning days of the 2016 session of the General Assembly, the hotel tax legislation came back to life in the state Senate, much to the surprise and consternation of some officials in Cumberland County.

Now Meredith is trying again to pass the legislation. He refused to discuss the bill late Friday. "I don't have any comment," he said.

Well, there you go. Apparently what Meredith does in his capacity as a public official is nobody's business but his own.

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Apodaca's fraud and abuse of "local bill" requirements

Sen. Apodaca's signed statement for a local bill affecting Asheville, 2/3 untrue.#ncga #ncpol

imo. http://pic.twitter.com/ITSa8V6LvY

— Andria Krewson (@underoak) June 25, 2016

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NC State signs four-star power forward Ted Kapita

This has been one of the stranger offseasons I can remember, even by Mark Gottfried-era standards. First everything was terrible, and now it’s nothin’ but sunshine and rainbows. The latest good news is the addition of four-star forward Ted Kapita, a former SMU and Arkansas commit.

NC State announced the signing on Friday afternoon. Here’s a statement from Mark Gottfried on Kapita:

"Ted is a versatile and athletic addition who plays with a high motor, is a relentless defender, and can rebound," NC State head coach Mark Gottfried said. "He can also stretch defenses with his ability to knock down shots on the perimeter."

Kapita popped onto the radar late—this kid only visited NC State for the first time last weekend. Gottfried is beginning to make a habit of nabbing prospects late in the process: Maverick Rowan last year, Markell Johnson and Kapita this year. Counting Yurtseven, that’s three commitments in the span of less than a month-and-a-half.

Kapita is a consensus four-star top-100 recruit. He is a top-15 player at his position.

And now suddenly the Wolfpack has all kinds of options up front, with this the third frontcourt addition for 2016. Not too bad! State’s got five guys it can play at the tradition forward positions, and while a lot of the depth is unproven, that’s a whole lot better than having no depth.

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Brexit vote reflects alarming increase in xenophobia

And it would be foolish to not attribute some of it to Trumpism:

For months, the political and economic elite had looked on with growing apprehension as Britain flirted with a choice — popularly known as Brexit — that experts had warned could lead to global recession and a rip in the Western alliance. The vote could also lead to Scottish secession, a broader E.U. unraveling and the fall of Prime Minister David Cameron’s government.

But most analysts had predicted this pragmatically minded country would ultimately back away from the move, and opt to keep Britain in an organization regarded as a pillar of the global economic and political order. Instead, a majority of British voters heeded the call of pro-Brexit campaigners to liberate the nation from what many here regard as an oppressive Brussels bureaucracy that enables mass migration into the country.

At first glance, the results appear eerily similar to what we see here in North Carolina and many other red/purple states: Major metropolitan areas swing one way (remain) while rural areas chose another (leave). But a deeper look into the votes reveals some good news. Voters aged 18-45 overwhelmingly chose to remain, to not succumb to anti-immigrant fervor. Again, very similar to how young people over here feel about race and immigration. But while the "Trump effect" may be dying, it's a slow death that may take longer than we'd care to wait:

*Author's note: We usually try to keep BlueNC content relevant to North Carolina issues, but Brexit may have consequences that reach us even here.

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About that sit-in…

I watched the sit-in on the House floor and cheered for the Democrats taking a stand against the gun violence. I was disappointed when the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that Obama’s immigration orders are unconstitutional. However, both of these actions are symptoms of a government that can’t adequately address the most pressing issues […]
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Andrew Knizner reaches base three times in pro debut

Not exactly a storybook debut for the former Pack catcher, as he's still searching for his first hit, but he certainly found a way on.

Andrew Knizner became the second player from NC State's 2016 draft class to debut, getting the start at designated hitter and batting fifth Thursday for Johnson City in the rookie level Appalachian League.

Knizner, a seventh round pick of the Cardinals, reached base three times in five plate appearances, including two the hard way. In addition to drawing a walk, Knizner was hit by a pitch twice. He's still looking for his first hit as a professional.

Knizner, an ACC academic honor roll athlete in all three of his seasons as an engineering major at State, is listed as a catcher on the Johnson City roster. He began his career as a capable third baseman for the Pack before converting to catcher, where he threw out a solid percentage of would-be base stealers (32.2%) but struggled with balls in the dirt. His offense dipped notably perhaps due to the rigors of playing behind the plate. He posted an .823 OPS as a freshman at the hot corner, .786 OPS as a sophomore after the conversion, and .747 OPS as a junior.

Regardless of what he does with the bat, Knizner could move quickly in the Cards' system if he can improve his dirt blocking skills and show enough versatility to handle both catcher and third base.

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The #goacc Moment of the Week (6/24/2016)

The weekly in-depth look at the best (worst?) moments in ACC schadenfreude.

Happy Friday everyone! We’ve got a short but great list of entries for y’all to vote on this week, and truth be told, we may have a legit top seed for next year’s tournament of champions already. This is legitimately one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen - more on that later. Last week, we saw Amile Jefferson’s goofy blanket assembled from pictures of Marshall Plumlee win in quite the (understandable) rout. Truth be told, I think we’ll see a similar result this week, but a late entrant could make some noise as well. We’ve also got a #suregrin winner that I’ve got some strong feelings about, some hilarious photoshops, and as always, some wisdom from the world of wrasslin’. Let’s get right down to voting, y’all. Which is your #goacc Moment of the Week? Vote below!

1. Paul Johnson is a proud dad (h/t @FlintFoster).

@edsbs A touching exchange between Paul Johnson and his daughter. https://t.co/uN1QsPRSmy http://pic.twitter.com/gNzJhLiHgm

— Flint Foster (@FlintFoster) June 16, 2016

Good grief, coach. I hope she sends you the same email when you inevitably finish 7-5 this season.

2. Brice Johnson wants you to know he goes to Supercuts.

Shoutout to Alyssa and @Supercuts for getting me ready to go on draft day! #Supercuts #NBADraft #ad http://pic.twitter.com/iBLlUsrVoP

— Brice Johnson (@bjohnson_23) June 23, 2016

Did...did he actually get his hair cut? If you want a real laugh, just read the replies to that tweet by clicking on it. They’re hysterical. More on this in a moment.

3. This is certainly one way to shotgun a beer (h/t @jjones9).

Wolpfack https://t.co/JLbGNZIfPO

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) June 22, 2016

Well that’s not super dangerous at all. Is that kid even old enough to drink too? He looks like he’s twelve. Also, where the hell is this parking lot where someone shoots a gun like that at a full beer? I have way too many questions about this, let’s move on.

the #suregrin award.

This week’s winner is none other than noted windbag columnist Rick Reilly, who spewed some more garbage on Twitter after the Cavs won the NBA title:

Hey, Cam Newton: Here's how to lose with grace and honor ... https://t.co/tRAHUXDNiu

— Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) June 20, 2016

When will this garbage as hell narrative stop? What purpose does it serve? If you’re still trying to rip on Cam Newton for his after the Super Bowl Press Conference, you’re telling on yourself.

The best photoshops of the week!

Poor Brice Johnson, you just knew he was going to get the Crying Jordan treatment:

What you doin' Brice?! http://pic.twitter.com/rMwsv1IGSg

— SportsChannel8 (@SportsChannel8) June 23, 2016

Just brilliant, SC8. Next, @RecordsAndRadio best summed up how a lot of USMNT fans felt after getting obliterated by Argentina:

http://pic.twitter.com/EZPDZi7y5u

— Danny (@recordsANDradio) June 22, 2016

Those shoes are gonna live in infamy, man.

And now, for your moment of wrasslin’...

THE JIM ROSS BAH GAWD MOMENT OF THE WEEK!!

Let’s take a peek inside the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room, where Kevin Love decided to do his best Stone Cold Steve Austin impersonation. Without further ado, take it away JR!

Have a great week everyone!

Poll

Which is your #goacc Moment of the Week?

• Paul Johnson is a proud dad
• Brice Johnson wants you to know he goes to Supercuts
• This is certainly one way to shotgun a beer

  133 votes | Results

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Cat Barber does not get selected during 2016 NBA Draft

While most projections had Cat Barber going in the middle-to-late second round of the NBA Draft, leaving unspoken the danger he may go undrafted, there was reason to be optimistic that a team would take a flyer on him. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. Sixty picks came and went with no sign of Cat Barber.

That’s disappointing, but it’s far from the end of the story. Barber is one of the top undrafted talents available, and he’ll certainly be playing summer ball for somebody.

Barber showed dramatic improvement in his shooting ability during his junior season, and showed NBA teams that he can score in a variety of ways. He developed into an automatic shooter at the free throw line, and of course there is the speed that will translate to any level. Those things were almost enough to get him drafted, and they’ll get him a shot this summer.

The next step won’t be an easy one, but considering how far he progressed in three college seasons, I wouldn’t bet against him.

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NC State football has successful June recruiting period, but isn’t finished yet

After weeks of near silence on the recruiting trail, NC State saw a flurry of commitments from their annual summer camp. Four commitments within the week nearly doubled the Pack's haul and added some valuable pieces to the class.

Picking up cornerback Jacobe Clement from Mallard Creek High in Charlotte was a bit of a surprise, but was significant. It was not appearing as if the Pack would take a second corner after commitment of Chris Ingram, but the coaching staff couldn't pass on his combination of size and talent. Clement was tracking towards possibly four stars before an injury slowed him down. With offers from ACC and SEC schools, it shows that he has immense potential if he can fully recover. He should not be asked to play too much early on, which will allow him to develop long term.

Darius Hodge is a local linebacker from down the road in Wake Forest, NC that State had its eye on for quite a while but had concerns over his transcript. They must feel confident enough in his ability and/or grades to make their offer official. He tested very well at 246 lbs with a 4.65 40 time and a 35" vertical jump. If eligible, Hodge could prove to be a solid contributor in his time in Raleigh.

Xavier Lyas had long been on the radar for the Wolfpack and appeared to be waiting for big offers, but decided to jump at the chance this week. Lyas grew up in Fayetteville, but currently lives in Florida, where he faces top competition each week. The lanky defensive end had some smaller school offers and was supposed to camp at UNC, but decided the Wolfpack fit what he was looking for. He's a project, but could be one of the players that State has seen in the past that becomes a major contributor in his last few years.

Perhaps the highest rated and most needed commitment of the four came from wide receiver Emeka Emezie of Marvin Ridge near Charlotte. At 6'3", Emezie will provide a nice sized target for the Pack's QBs in the future. He had other ACC offers as well as some from other P5 schools and will likely be targeted by some attractive programs if he has a strong senior year against good competition.

Going forward, it looks like the Pack will have about 8 or so scholarships left to give out. A running back will likely be one of them with juco product Marcelias Sutton switching to Oklahoma. There are a few candidates, but none are likely at this point and State may look for a local sleeper to fill the position. Offensive line and wide receiver are the other priorities on offense. There will likely be two more linemen and another receiver added to the class going forward. On defense, defensive line and linebacker will be the major focus. The top linebacker target, Sherrod Greene from Rocky Mount, is getting some great offers, like Alabama, so picking him up will be a battle, but it is doable. In the back of the defense, only top talents will have a spot.

There may be one or two more additions before the season, with the coaching staff looking to finish up the class of 2017 during the season. Any unexpected attrition will be handled during the January months, where the Wolfpack have done well with under-the-radar additions.

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Friday fracking video

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Senate wants tens of millions more for private school vouchers

The exsanguination of public school funding increases:

In their version of the budget, Senate Republicans have a plan to grow a large reserve fund for the Opportunity Scholarship Program. The scholarships, or vouchers, are given to low-income parents so they can pay to send their children to private rather than public schools.

Senators plan to increase the amount of money set aside by $10 million annually, enough to accommodate 2,000 additional students each year. By 2028, the state would be setting aside $145 million. But advocates and critics are divided on whether there’s demand for such an expansion.

Even if the demand was there, and it isn't, funneling these levels of taxpayer dollars into private schools is a mistake. And spending public revenues on religious institutions increases that mistake tenfold. We (through our elected state and local governments) have no way to monitor or regulate how those dollars are spent, what quality of education is received, or whether these children are even safe from potential predators in their midst. And this anecdotal account does not impress me one iota:

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Answering NC Spin on Further Tax Reform

NC Spin recently tweeted a video called “What are your suggestions for further tax reform?” The question was posed to John Locke Foundation scholar Becki Gray, but I’ve decided to be shamelessly presumptuous and provide my own answer. Focused on other issues, state-level Democrats for too long conceded tax reform to the Republicans. It was […]
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As the NBA Draft arrives, Cat Barber faces a night of tension

Cat Barber has enjoyed plenty of interest from NBA teams since announcing his decision to turn pro. He’s been all over the country going through workout after workout. What that’s done for his draft stock, one way or the other, is difficult to gauge.

There’s been little movement for Barber in the various mock drafts that litter the internet this time of year. DraftExpress still has Barber going near the end of the second round to the New Jersey Nets. This mock from NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper has Barber going a half a dozen spots higher, to Detroit.

I’ve also seen a mock or two putting Barber in the top third of the second round, but that seems to be about as optimistic as anybody is willing to get. So it seems likely that it’s going to be a long night for Cat.

While the night might prove difficult, going in the second round, or even going undrafted entirely, isn’t the worst outcome in the world. The bottom line is that Barber is going to get his chance to stick somewhere, and he’s good enough to make it. It just may take a while to learn what his immediate future holds.

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NC State will wear throwbacks to honor 50th anniversary of Carter-Finley Stadium

Superintendent of Public Instruction Race

Superintendent of Public Instruction race: June Atkinson (D, inc.) vs. Mark Johnson (R) Mark Johnson, Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, says that he wants to make North Carolina public schools “remarkable.” The implication is that currently, the state’s public schools are not remarkable. He would probably contend that’s partially the fault of the […]
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Coal Ash Wednesday: Real environmental justice, or just another delaying tactic?

We love the Federal government, we hate the Federal government, we love the Federal government:

At a public hearing earlier this year about the Dan River plans, several African-American residents argued against the proposal, saying it placed an unfair burden on the overall community. At the hearing, Assistant DEQ Secretary Tom Reeder pledged that the administration of Gov. Pat McCrory would complete an “environmental justice review of each Duke Energy coal ash landfill application” and seek approval from both EPA’s office of civil rights and the federal civil rights commission.

“The McCrory administration will go beyond federal and state requirements to protect minority communities from negative impacts when evaluating Duke Energy’s applications to store coal ash in a new landfill,” Reeder said at the time.

I will freely admit, I often try to ascribe nefarious motives when McCrory administration officials wax altruistic. Can't help it. When taken in context with other statements and behaviors, the odds they're genuinely concerned seem extremely low. Also, I just spent over an hour scouring DEQ's website searching for references to "environmental justice" and trying to track down the Division/department/agent(s) responsible for doing these reviews. Might as well have been looking for a four-leaf clover. I do welcome Federal oversight on this issue, because there are some serious questions about the appropriateness of this evaluation:

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PODCAST | Lt. Gov. Dan Forest on HB2, 2016, & The Nature of Truth

A Republican Lieutenant Governor is something of on an anomaly in North Carolina – from the start of the 20th century until now there have only been three out of a total of 27. Dan Forest, the current incumbent, is one of those three. Loyal listeners will remember my interview last week with Linda Coleman, […]
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Calling out J. Peder Zane for his demagoguery

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Doing nothing

The shooting in Orlando reminds us how vulnerable we are in a society like ours. It also reminds us that there are people who hate some of us simply for who we are. And it reminds us that there really are people who hate America just because of our way of life. It also reminds […]
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NBA Draft 2016: Scouts have some incorrect thoughts about Cat Barber

Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis collected analysis from several anonymous NBA scouts about some prominent college prospects, including NC State point guard Cat Barber. It’s interesting enough for their thoughts on these kids, but it’s also an insight into the league in general might feel about certain guys.

The blurb on Barber, which is a mix of analysis from multiple scouts, is perfectly reasonable in parts and also really wrong in others. Take this, for instance:

I don't know why he left college because he's not going to be a first round pick. If you leave because you're scared of the guy coming in behind you, how good are you really?

What’s alarming about this if you’re Cat Barber is that someone—who has some measure of influence with his club—has not done their homework. Like, at all. Barber had intended to go pro for a long time, and that decision did not have anything to do with incoming freshman Dennis Smith. But somebody’s managed to manufacture his early exit into a knock on him, and that is concerning.

Nevermind that there’s lots of entirely valid reasons for turning pro even if you aren’t going to be a first round selection. He didn’t leave because of competition—I don’t think there is any doubt that he would have played a major role on NC State’s team next year.

Hopefully this is the isolated opinion of one guy, and not a representation of the general consensus of the scouting community. If it’s the latter, then it’s going to hurt Barber’s draft prospects, for no good reason whatsoever.

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Democrats Hope Elevator Queen is Going Down

Commissioner of Labor Race: Cherie Berry (R, incumbent) vs. Charles Meeker (D) Cherie Berry, the incumbent Commissioner of Labor, has probably the most recognizable face on the whole Council of State. That’s because her picture is in every elevator. This notoriety has gained her a nickname, “the Elevator Queen.” The picture, and her memorable name, […]
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Will Gilbert golden again in debut

NC State's Raleigh regional hero has taken to the mound in the NYPL.

Will Gilbert, who went unscored upon in his career in seven appearances against rival North Carolina, including saving two games in the series that knocked the Heels out of ACC and NCAA tournament play to conclude the 2016 regular season, is the first member of the Pack draft class to take the field as a professional.

Gilbert, who went in the eighth round, had a successful debut for the Vermont Lake Monsters, the Oakland A's A-ball affiliate in the New York-Penn league. The diminutive lefty (5-11, 170) threw eight of 10 pitches for strikes in efficiently retiring all four batters he faced, including two by strikeout.

The dominant debut comes on the heels of a spectacular senior season that saw Gilbert go 5-1 with a 2.22 ERA. He struck out 62 to just 11 walks in 52.2 innings and tied for the team lead with six saves. He will probably be most remembered for being on the mound when skipper Elliott Avent was tossed and suspended in the Raleigh regional for his whirling dervish, balls and strikes arguing antics. Gilbert picked his coach and his team up in a big way, pitching a career high eight innings out of the pen, allowing just a run and fanning nine, to down a Coastal Carolina team that hasn't lost since (including beating #1 Florida in Omaha).

Hopefully Gilbert goes on to enjoy a career like another former Pack lefty reliever, Dan Plesac, who appeared on the mound more times than all but six pitchers in MLB history. OK, so that's probably a stretch, but after what I witnessed against Coastal Carolina, I wouldn't dare doubt the kid.

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As usual, Burr's attacks on Deborah Ross are baseless

And an attempt to deflect from his own shortcomings:

Ross has championed efforts to protect women and children. In the General Assembly, she worked to keep sexual predators off of social media sites and helped make sure law enforcement had the tools it needed to track sex offenders. She passed domestic violence reforms and wrote several laws to help victims of sexual assault.

Burr, on the other hand, voted against reauthorization of the Violence Against Women’s Act, which would have provided federal dollars to help prevent violence against women, children and families.

Not only did he fail miserably in efforts to keep women safe from violence, he's also worked hard to keep their earnings well below male co-workers:

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Tuesday Twitter roundup

Scraping the bottom of the barrel:

LOL Sue Googe lives in #NC02, reg #NC04 at vacant property complained Feb about cong. district confusion #ncpol http://pic.twitter.com/Bv3W12I34C

— greg flynn (@gregflynn) June 21, 2016

And, she appears to be functionally illiterate: "...the right candidate they have been followed or rooted since announcement of the candidacy." :o That's actually painful to read...

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Markell Johnson can kill you with a crossover

Recent NC State basketball commitment Markell Johnson is a good distributor and also he can dunk. Oh man he can dunk. It's going to be fun to see how this works.This could all prove congruent, and it might also be amazing. Why else are we here?

ion

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NC State adds Markell Johnson: Let’s discuss the rotation

Hey, everybody. Remember the part where we were all freaking out? Been a heck of a couple of months. Basketball recruiting is inherently zany, and I think we also need to adjust to the trend of guys making late decisions. Right after we yell at them for inconveniencing our emotions. /shakes fist at sky

NC State added 2016 point guard Markell Johnson on Monday. Johnson gives State some immediate depth at guard in 2017, but his addition is more important for 2018. Or rather, the post-Dennis Smith era. DSJ is only going to be in Raleigh for one year. Johnson is taking the opportunity to compete against him (in practice) and assume the lead role the year following.

But before we get that far ahead of ourselves, let’s get ahead of ourselves. Let’s guess at the 2017 lineup.

1 — Dennis Smith / Markell Johnson / Terry Henderson
2 — Terry Henderson / Torin Dorn / Markell Johnson / Maverick Rowan
3 — Torin Dorn / Maverick Rowan / Shaun Kirk
4 — Abdul-Malik Abu / BeeJay Anya / Darius Hicks
5 — Omer Yurtseven / BeeJay Anya / Abdul-Malik Abu

There’s a lot of versatility in that rotation***, which can go eight-deep pretty comfortably.

(***I’m assuming, as I have all off-season, that Lennard Freeman will redshirt.)

The havoc factor in this basketball season is right there at the point, where State has true freshmen taking control. Mostly there are known quantities elsewhere Henderson missed a year because of injury but he’s been a player at the high-major level for multiple seasons and he knows how this thing works. There may be rust but he’ll be fine.

Dorn is a high-major player who spent a year at Charlotte, and Abu is going to have a big year. El Siete is gonna take some lumps but in a secondary role he will thrive. State has either proven talent or good skill or both across its lineup. How it’ll work, exactly, I don’t know. It’ll work, mind you, it’s just hard to guess at the fit.

There’s a foreign aspect to this team but it’s also hard to escape the feeling that it’s been Dennis Smith’s team for a while, which provides some assurance. We don’t know most of these guys (yet), but if DSJ is leading this show, I think we’ll be okay.

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NC State basketball recruiting: 4-star guard Markell Johnson commits to the Wolfpack

I think it's safe to say it's been a difficult and sometimes bizarre few months for Mark Gottfried, but he is cleaning up late in the recruiting process and increasing the ceiling for his 2016-17 team in the process. On Monday, four-star point guard Markell Johnson announced his commitment to NC State.

Thanks To Everybody That Have Been On My Side Through This Process I Have Decided To Join The Pack ✍ http://pic.twitter.com/clshfGKMEQ

— Markell Johnson (@kells_2017) June 20, 2016,

Johnson is a consensus top-60 player in the 2016 class. He has been working to reclassify from 2017 to 2016, and I suspect this announcement is a clear sign that's going to work out just fine.

This past year he averaged more than 31 points per game, while hitting 77% of his free throw attempts. Very talented player, and he can help immediately, but he'll be playing behind Dennis Smith for the majority of this upcoming season. He had to accept that in order to come here. And on that note I think we have Dennis Smith to thank for ultimately landing this commitment.

That's no slight to the coaching staff, it's just that DSJ put in the leg-work on this one. It's gonna pay off down the road.

We've got a roster that is pretty deep now, folks.

This season is going to be sensational

— Abdul- (@MalikAbu_) June 20, 2016

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Jacoby Brissett negotiates rookie contract without agent, saves a lot of money

Jacoby Brissett agreed to terms on his rookie deal with the New England Patriots last week. He was the last of the Patriots’ draft picks to sign, and he was also the only 2016 NFL draftee who did not hire an agent to negotiate his deal. That is not a coincidence.

It sounds risky to go without an agent, but under the current structure of the draft, it’s really not. The NFL is following the MLB model these days, with each pick pre-assigned a dollar value. As Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Brandt explained in May, getting these contracts done is not especially difficult. (h/t @thewolfpacker)

Brandt added that Brissett probably would save $100,000 by not hiring an agent. Handling the negotiation process himself might have caused some headaches he could have otherwise avoided, and it certainly extended the process, but I’d say that’s well worth it for saving $100k. Shrewd move, kid. Shrewd move.

http://ift.tt/28OjHXw

Privatized school construction and Legislative corruption

Counting the local costs of the Connect NC Bond scam

Coming to a poor county near you:

Gov. Pat McCrory applauded local efforts in economic development throughout the years on Friday after he revealed SWELECT Energy Systems LLC will grace Halifax County. McCrory also said the State will soon invest in Halifax County, made possible through the recently passed Connect N.C. Bond Referendum.

“And one reason these bonds were so important is that we’re going to put $6.5 million into Halifax Community College, which is going to help train workers to fill these jobs at (the upcoming SWELECT Energy facility), and also, by the way, you have a great mountain park here, and the park system is so important we’re going to be putting $1.5 million in the Medoc Mountain Park right here,” the governor added.

I'm glad to see a Solar panel manufacturing facility come to NC, and this community desperately needs those 155 jobs. But the truth is, that $6.5 million may end up costing the local community more than it can stomach. There are some details in this forward-looking statement from HCC's President that are critical in understanding the potential pitfalls of this supposed windfall:

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Mitigating the damage

For Republicans, the 2016 election is like a train wreck in slow motion. They can see it coming, but they can’t do much to stop it. However, they are trying desperately to mitigate the damage. The Koch Brothers and George W. Bush are focusing on the US Senate to keep it in Republican hands. It […]
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We miss football Vol. 1: Troy

There were a lot of questions entering the 2015 season, and some of them were answered. Some of them. But that's not really important right now--there goes Jaylen Samuels for a touchdown. Jaylen scoring is always a good time, but there were a lot of flaws evident in this game, too.

With that disclaimer out of the way, this is the offseason, so we don't have to worry about anything, we can just watch games within a bubble, and appreciate great contributions in that same way. Get here soon, football season. Get here soon, random explosive plays.

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NC State introduces second, very adorable live mascot named Tuffy II

Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there, especially you NC State fan dads, who are by default extra good dads. Like my dad, for instance. NC State has a gift for you: IT’S A PUPPY OH MY GOD WE GOT A PUPPY MASCOT NOW.

So much cuteness. Those are two very good dogs, yes they are, yes they are.

I feel like we could have done better than Tuffy II as the name, though. We don’t have to follow the lead of the Georgias of the world and just stack roman numerals at the end. That’s kinda lame, plus it doesn’t compliment the unique Tuffness of the different dogs.

I’ve spitballed a few ideas: Tuffward, or Tuffalicious, or Tuffnado. Tuff J. Warren. Tuffery Q. Pack. Tuffé. Tuff Enuff. Tuffy Tuffy Tuffenfree. Gary. Mega Tuffy. Jaylen Samuels Jr. Tuffen Curry. Lieutenant Commander Tuffy. Tuffer Than AFAM. Tuffy O’Houlihan. Tufferson Hall.

Anyway that’s only a preliminary list. Welcome aboard, Tuffy II.

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Utility-scale Solar development faces new challenges in NC

NC State adds commitment from 3-star in-state WR Emeka Emezie

The commitment parade rolls on for NC State football. This time, it's Charlotte three-star wide receiver Emeka Emezie who has pulled the trigger. The Pack's staff continues to excel in mining that part of the state--it's one of the more obvious differences between Dave Doeren's regime and Tom O'Brien's.

Committed to NC State GO Wolfpack!! #pack17 #WPN http://pic.twitter.com/azGhSACv3L

— Emeka (@Emekaemezie) June 18, 2016

Emezie already has a nice frame, which is evident in his film. At 6'3 and 190, he's able to push guys around and beat them on jump balls. Size and physicality is something that NC State's receiving corps has lacked for several years now, and that's something Emezie can bring to the table, though he'll need to continue getting stronger once he gets to the college level.

He is a consensus top-20 player in North Carolina and the second-highest rated recruit in State's 2017 recruiting class behind defensive tackle Grant Gibson. As a junior, he finished with more than 1,100 receiving yards and scored 11 touchdowns.

He holds offers from Wake Forest, Kansas, West Virginia, Miami, and Kentucky.

http://ift.tt/1UE6aD9

These Democrats need your help

Burr flip-flops on gun control measure

Trying to walk back his idiotic comments from a few days ago:

Burr, like many other Republicans this week, said he’ll work with Democrats leading the call for gun laws that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying weapons. Monday will bring more Senate debate on at least four measures related to terrorist “watch lists” and access to guns.

He supports a “no-fly, no-buy” approach, Burr said Thursday, referring to a key provision. Democrats are seeking to ban gun sales to people whose names appear on the U.S. government’s “no fly” list. If the proposal includes a “due process” provision that would allow U.S. citizens to refute the evidence that’s landed them on the list, Burr says he supports the idea.

The bill Burr voted against back in December had that very provision as the 2nd line item, but he either didn't read the damn thing or is positioning himself to be the one who includes it in a "new" bill. And in case you've forgotten what he said five days ago: “These individuals are U.S. citizens, and we take their Second Amendment right away because the FBI interviews them?” The bottom line: Burr is well aware Deborah Ross will use that prior vote against him; heck, she already has. And now he's doing what he always has done, rewriting history. Ugh.

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Position Preview: Running Back

Matt Dayes will headline the running back position this season for the Pack. That’s really good, because Dayes is really good. He would have left 1000 yards in the dust last season if not for his season ending injury just before halftime of the Clemson game. Now the star running back returns for his senior season and it could be a monster one.

Dayes was averaging 6.5 yard per carry last season and was on pace for almost 1500 yards total. Now those numbers might be a little skewed because of early cupcake teams on the schedule like South Alabama, but they’re still pretty impressive. Similar rushing numbers throughout all of next season would be huge for an offense with a lot of questions in the passing game and it could land Dayes on an All-ACC team.

After Dayes, the biggest talking point at running back is redshirt freshman Johnny Frasier. According to 247sports, Frasier is the highest rated recruit Doeren has signed at NC State. He was committed to Florida State and had a legitimate Alabama offer before he signed with the Pack, which gives an idea of just how touted he was in high school. Frasier came into a loaded backfield in Raleigh and was a little overweight, which resulted in the redshirt. By the end of the year though, the reports of his progress made it clear he was ready to be on the field. He collected scout team offensive MVP along with some serious praise from his coaches.

Dayes, Frasier, and sophomore back Reggie Gallaspy will be the three that receive the bulk of the carries out of the backfield. Gallaspy played here and there last season until he was forced into a bigger role as a result of injuries. He went for 81 and 77 in the final two games of the regular season against Syracuse and Chapel Hill. Despite not being as touted out of high school as Johnny Frasier, the live game action Gallaspy saw last season gives him a little bit of a leg up. Both Gallaspy and Frasier are bigger than Dayes and offer a little more power in their running styles, which could complement the senior nicely.

Dakwa Nichols enters his redshirt junior season after also entering a larger role last season as a result of injuries. Given the players he’s competing with, it’s difficult to see Nichols making a huge impact in the running game this season.

Running back is deep and oozing with talent in 2016. Aside from maybe Jaylen Samuels, it’s easily the offensive position in the best shape heading into 2016.

Other positions previewed: QB

Poll

This is a poll

• Neat
• OK

  107 votes | Results

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NC GOP's all-out attack on Laura Leslie

NCGOP is calling on @WRAL to denounce Laura Leslie's Facebook attack on elected Republicans. https://t.co/jKNGjYMgDx #ncpol #ncgov

— NCGOP (@NCGOP) June 17, 2016

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4-star PF Ted Kapita decommits from SMU during visit to NC State

Ah, the good ol’ twists and turns of college basketball recruiting. News broke from multiple outlets Friday that four-star power foward Ted Kapita, who was once an Arkansas signee and later an SMU verbal, is in Raleigh visiting NC State. (I think 247Sports’ Andrew Slater had it first.)

Kapita also picked Friday to decommit from SMU; he had given the Mustangs a verbal pledge in February. Interesting timing, ain’t it.

Kapita, a consensus top-60 player in the 2016 class, failed to qualify out of high school, which is why he never ended up at Arkansas. He spent this past year prepping at DME Academy in Florida, where he worked on both his game and his academics. When he spoke with SNY’s Adam Zagoria last November, he sounded confident that he would become academically eligible.

He’s listed at 6’8 and 240 pounds by 247Sports, which considers him the No. 53 overall prospect in the ‘16 class. Could prove an excellent late addition, even if there aren’t many minutes for him in 2016-17. As with some of the other kids State is recruiting, he’ll have to be willing to be patient.

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Greensboro N&R blasts Trudy Wade for anti-environmental stances

No ambiguity in this assessment:

The Republican state senator from Greensboro is, yet again, pushing more poisonous legislation that would trash critical protections for North Carolina’s groundwater and reservoirs. Call her Queen of the Landfills. High Priestess of Pollution. Grand Dame of the Dumpster. Goodness knows she’s earned it.

At this point, Wade’s latest attempt to kill and bury e-waste recycling, which was approved in the Senate Monday, seems unlikely to pass in the House. But odds are, she’ll be back. She has pressed in the past for reductions in air-quality monitoring, removal of some wetlands protections and softer penalties for companies that cause ground, air or water pollution. She is, in a way, a recycler herself — of bad ideas for special interests. And it’s a dirty shame.

Really don't need to add anything to that, other than the observation the idiots in her Senate District will continue to support her, because they hate the Democrat-dominated Greensboro City Council. Which of course reflects the demographics of the City itself, where Republicans only represent 17% of the population. Bitter, belligerent, and burn-the-house-down immature. Helluva combination.

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Homegrown NC terrorist gets house arrest

The Trump Tsunami

The news for the Republican Party keeps getting worse. A Bloomberg poll found that only 32% of the people view the Republican Party favorably, compared to 49% for the Democrats. Yesterday, another poll found Democrats leading Republicans in the generic Congressional vote by eleven points, a margin that puts control of the House in play. Those numbers […]
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NC State picks up verbal from two-star DE Xavier Lyas

The additions to NC State's 2017 recruiting class continue to roll in this week. On Thursday night, the Wolfpack received a commitment from Xavier Lyas, who is an intriguing defensive end prospect from Durant High School in Florida. Lyas announced his college decision on Twitter.

GO WOLFPACK http://pic.twitter.com/XGem8J3ach

— xavierlyas (@xavierlyas) June 16, 2016

There is some good background on Lyas in this article from BigCountyPreps.com. He only recently resumed playing football, and that was only after going through a growth spurt that shot him up to 6'5. His junior season was his first full year of high school football, and he didn't exactly have a breakthrough performance, as he recorded only 13 tackles. He's very much a raw talent at this point.

He's listed as a two-star recruit by Scout, and according to that site all but one of his current scholarship offers are from mid-major programs. That can change fast in football recruiting, especially once coaches get more game tape on him. Obviously, NC State's coaches are already big fans of his potential. I am guessing they had the opportunity to see Lyas in person earlier this week at the satellite camp held by Florida Atlantic.

Here are the rather sparse highlights from his junior year:

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Friday fracking video

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The next attack on wind energy: Aviation corridors

The battle continues:

A proposal headed to the Senate floor would add requirements to the lengthy permitting process for wind farms to ensure they don't conflict with the training needs of North Carolina military bases. Sen. Harry Brown, R-Onslow, gutted House Bill 763, which was to establish a legislative task force on regulatory reform, and replaced it with the Military Operations Protection Act of 2016, including a color-coded map marking areas used for jet and helicopter training, primarily in eastern North Carolina.

"Having a 500-foot wind turbine in the flight pattern of a jet going 1,000 mph doesn't make sense to me," Brown said.

Bolding mine. If you think it's merely a coincidence that Art Pope's Civitas just lost its court case to (extremely) over-regulate wind turbines, and Harry Brown decided to motorcycle vagina a bill to embark on a new attack of the wind industry, I've got a bridge to nowhere in which I'd like you to invest. What Harry Brown and his co-horts haven't told their colleagues is that the FAA has an entire division dedicated to researching potential obstacles for aircraft flight paths, and is all over the wind turbine situation:

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Pat McCrory: The Most Spineless Politician

Pat McCrory is setting the record for Most Spineless Politician. Since getting elected, he’s repeatedly trashed his own purported principles, and refused to own his decisions. He’s got no backbone, no courage, and no right to be taken seriously. McCrory’s history of weakness is long and contemptible. Just a month into his administration, he capitulated […]
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Pittenger not out of the woods yet

I had a feeling this would happen:

In a letter delivered Wednesday to the N.C. Board of Elections, Republican congressional candidate Mark Harris formally requested a recount in the primary election to become the GOP nominee in North Carolina’s 9th District. Harris, a Charlotte pastor, trailed U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger, the incumbent, by less than 1 percent in the unofficial vote totals reported on Election Day last week.

Official canvass results reported Tuesday by the eight counties in the 9th Congressional District put Pittenger ahead by 135 votes. That’s seven votes fewer than the 142-vote margin he had Election Day.

With all the weird stuff going on with provisional ballots, 135 votes is not a great stretch to overcome. That being said, I'm not a big Mark Harris fan. There are way too many bible-thumpers in Congress already, and the last thing they need is another Pastor to render grand oratories.

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The #goacc Moment of the Week (6/16/2016)

Commissioner of Insurance Race: Fifth Time’s the Charm for Mike Causey?

Commissioner of Insurance Race: Wayne Goodwin (D, incumbent) vs. Mike Causey (R) This race features yet another rematch of a 2012 contest. Wayne Goodwin, the Democratic incumbent (pictured), is seeking reelection to a third term. For his Republican opponent Mike Causey, it will be his second time facing off against Goodwin but his fifth time […]
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PODCAST | To Fight Another Day: Linda Coleman Is Back for a Rematch

The 2012 race to become North Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor was close. Really close. 0.16 percentage points close. Democrat Linda Coleman almost became the first African-American woman elected to statewide office in North Carolina. She didn’t concede until nearly two weeks after Election Day. And in a sense, she never stopped running. This November, she’ll face […]
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Trudy Wade shows her love for Donald Trump

Really, Richard?

Donald Trump’s rhetoric is increasingly disturbing. He’s clearly targeting Muslims as a way to garner support through fear.  He runs the risk of both alienating other countries and fomenting violence against Muslims in this one. More disturbing for those of us in North Carolina is Senator Richard Burr’s support and defense of Trump. Burr either […]
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NC State adds commitment from 3-star linebacker Darius Hodge

It's camping season in football recruiting (this happens every June), so that means commitments, people! In-state defensive back Jacobe Clement committed to NC State over the weekend, and on Tuesday linebacker Darius Hodge also theoretically signed up for the Pack's 2017 recruiting class.

Hodge is a consensus three-star prospect from Wake Forest. He put up some impressive numbers at State's camp this weekend.

Wolfpack verbal Darius Hodge measured 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds at State's camp. The linebacker ran a 4.65 40 and had a 35-inch vertical.

— Pack Pride (@PackPride) June 15, 2016

Like Clement, Hodge is a consensus top-25 player from North Carolina. (247Sports is more bullish on his prospects; same with Clement.)

Linebacker is an obvious position of need for NC State and has been for a long time, so Hodge's addition would help a lot there. But then again, if he's already at 250 as a high school kid, he might end up factoring in as a defensive lineman eventually. Good pickup regardless.

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McCrory loses another legal battle: Supreme Court won't stop air pollution rules

Mark Gottfried part of committee studying NCAA tournament selection process

I don't think there is a systematic problem with the way the selection committee determines the NCAA basketball tournament field, but regardless, the National Association of Basketball Coaches has put together a group of coaches to study the process. That group includes NC State head coach Mark Gottfried. (hat tip to Newclass)

It's difficult to figure what they're hoping to accomplish with this examination; I mean, other than a decrease in John Calipari's Selection Sunday whining. He's on this committee as well, so it might be a bust. Doesn't matter what anybody finds about anything, Calipari is gonna wrap it around some hair-gel-laden words that no one cares about but nonetheless must endure.

I digress. The important thing is that Mark Gottfried does not divulge too much regarding his efficient non-conference scheduling, otherwise known around these parts as #schedukong. We've got to take these edges where they're given. Gott has an opportunity to push what works--and what should work--in evaluating at-large teams, but he doesn't need to go too far beyond a wink and a nod, either.

I'm not seeing the problem. I, for one, like having multiple strokes ahead of the announcement of an NC State at-large bid. The system is perfect. More to the point, NC State basketball is perfect. I challenge you to live any other way!

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Riddick & Reynolds Podcast Says Goodbye After 5 Years, And It Will Be Missed

There was a time where hearing the word "podcast" just made you think someone was about to get their body snatched. Nowadays we know it as the, relatively free, alternative to radio that covers specific topics of your interest that you can listen to anytime you'd like. In the next week we will be saying farewell to one of the Triangle's preeminent shows, the Riddick & Reynolds Podcast hosted by James Curle. Now before I go further, let me say I have never met James Curle and that our fearless leader Steven Muma probably has much more personal insight as a former host and recent guest on the program. Me, I am writing this strictly as a loyal listener and huge fan over the years.

If you rummage your way through the various podcasts on college football and basketball, statewide or nationally, you find a familiar tone. Radio ready voices, full of snark and a laser-like focus on the top programs/coaches of the day. Bottom dwelling teams' fans need not apply. The middle, where NC State most often resides, faces mostly soundbites, mocking, and hosts with just a peripheral knowledge of the teams' history & personnel. The podcast era has allowed teams' fans to get greater access to insight on their favorite squads. Most often run by fellow fans, the insight has a bias but also a highly respected, knowledgeable honesty on the state of one's program. This is ultimately what the Riddick & Reynolds Podcast did for us.

With a good laugh from the guys at Shutdown Fullcast or a lively discussion on CBS College Basketball Podcast, there was nothing I looked forward to more on my Tuesday commute than listening to James Curle and guests on the Riddick & Reynolds Podcast. Sometimes awkward in its delivery but always real in its content, the podcast would take a plain view of how our various programs were performing with that rare sense of optimism but also recognizing that NC State S*** lurked right around the corner. Each guest had a different tone and tenor regarding State but the passion was always there. It made you feel good to be a State fan knowing that there were those out there sharing your excitement and frustrations to the world.

After a big win, the joy in the discussion and in the audience at Amedeo's could be felt through your speakers. Every TOB (sniff) win over Carolina or with each of the trips to the Sweet Sixteen, there was so much fun in the recap of what happened and the hope of what was to come. When things went south, an NCAA loss in basketball/baseball or a tough showing in a bowl game you could recognize the empathy on the show. They felt what you were feeling. And when NC State S*** did show its ugly head you knew you weren't alone with your fist to the sky cursing that phenomena.

Not only was this podcasting gem simpatico with its fan-base but it brought guests and gathered insight you may not get from a mainstream source. Along with local sportswriters, guys like Steve Logan, Ernie Myers, Chris Corchiani & Jake Vermiglio were frequent, entertaining hosts, while Elliott Avent, Bobby Lutz and even Debbie Yow made appearances that proved to be memorable by virtue of how the interviews were handled.

You see, it always felt like more of a conversation than an interview. Often you'd have James breaking the ice early by asking guests to highlight their favorite Amedo's dish, allowing them to relax and feel more real in their discussions about NC State and the ACC. Notably, the guests seemed to genuinely enjoy being there and were given the comfort that allowed them to tell personal stories as well as analyze results of the latest games.

All this being said, without Riddick & Reynolds there will be a hole in the world, at least the world of NC State athletics. Backing the Pack often seemed to go hand in hand with R&R as both were critical of State yet also maintained a healthy optimism including the important quality of being able to laugh at yourself as a staple of their coverage. With the finale recording next Monday, if you haven't had a chance please take the time to search through the catalog on iTunes and find out what a void we will be left with. Just as we've seen the closing of Riddick Stadium & as we've said goodbye to the original Reynolds, we bid adieu to the Riddick & Reynolds Podcast for making us embrace the joy, the frustrations and the laughter that is being a fan of NC State University. Thank you.

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Tuesday Twitter roundup

Big doins' in Greensboro later:

Reckon we'll see @PatMcCroryNC standing with the Dumpster? #ncpol https://t.co/KPaLkF3SLT

— jethro ghandi (@DeaconBluesNC) June 14, 2016

Heh. Pretty much everybody else on the GOP ticket are avoiding Donald like the plague, but McCrory can't help himself. If the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse rode by, it's a good bet McCrory would try to get a photobomb. Speaking of Trump, we may need to edit the lyrics to this song:

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ACC hands out $26.2 million per school, behind only SEC and Big Ten

Commissioner of Agriculture Race

Commissioner of Agriculture Race: Steve Troxler (R, incumbent) vs. Walter Smith (D) This is a below-the-radar race, and will remain that way through Election Day. Steve Troxler is the incumbent, first elected in 2004 in a very tight and controversial election. Since then, he has enjoyed much larger victories, including in 2012 against Yadkinville poultry […]
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Thank Burr and Tillis for the Orlando massacre

Profile of a Possible Savior REDUX: Gregg Marshall

Spring 2011, after years in the wilderness, NC State parted ways with Sidney Lowe and were in the business of finding someone to save us. The media portrayed us as being rejected numerous times, so eventually Mark Gottfried ended up answering the call and has experienced positive-to-mixed results over his 5 year tenure. This series will take a hop in the TARDIS and theorize whether or not we would have been better (or worse) with another candidate from Backing the Pack's famed, award-winning* Profile Of A Possible Savior series or POAPS for short.

*validity of statement under question

(All stats & figures from Wikipedia, KenPom, & Scout.com)

Mark Gottfried's tenure at NC State:

Layman Stats

Overall Record	108-69 (.610)
Conference Record	44-44 (.5)
NCAA Appearances	4 (2 Sweet Sixteens)
Conference Titles	0
4/5 Stars Signed	11

Geek Stats (KenPom)

Average National Rank Overall	48
Average Adj O / Avg National Rank	112.6 / 24
Average Adj D / Avg National Rank	100.1 / 115

Next Up

Wichita State Head Coach Gregg Marshall

In The Beginning

Marshall, Marshall, Marshall...for years Gregg Marshall was a coach on our radar. During his 9 years at Winthrop Marshall had just enough success to merit consideration for our position...twice. There were those who advocated Gregg Marshall to State before the hiring of Sid Lowe and the calls were much more defining during our last coaching search. Whether or not Marshall was interviewed or ever really considered the job, there were plenty of those in our community who wanted him and for good reason. POAPS figured he'd be better than Herb or Sid because of his solid defensive numbers, the proof that he could build a successful program and connections to the area. Marshall's lack of recruiting history, zero high major experience and (at the time) not much fortune in the NCAAs were his most prominent negatives. Ultimately, POAPS felt that Marshall would unquestionably take the job and that the fanbase would grow to accept him as the new head coach.

5 Years Later...

Layman Stats

Overall Record	148-30 (.83)
Conference Record	75-15 (.83)
NCAA Appearances	5 (1 Final Four, 1 Sweet Sixteen)
Conference Titles	5 (4 Reg Season & 1 Tourny)
4/5 Stars Signed	1

Geek Stats (KenPom)

Average Rank	9
Average Adj O / National Rank	112.6/ 32
Average Adj D / National Rank	92 / 17

What can you say? By raw numbers, Gregg Marshall has stewarded one of the more successful programs in the country. Most interesting is that Marshall's massive success at WSU began the same year we hired Mark Gottfried. During that time he produced multiple conference titles, gone to the Final Four and has won over 80% of his games. This doesn't even acknowledge him producing a one loss team in 2013-14. That kind of success, even in a mid-major, is proof of how good a coach Marshall is. Even looking past the layman stats, the fact that WSU averages in the top ten overall by KenPom standards is a testament to how good his teams are in game as well.

Would He Have Recruited Better Than Gottfried?

Going to go out on a limb here and say no. Granted, all the normal "recruiting to Wichita State" caveats apply but the state of Kansas is not devoid of talent in that region. The ability to dip into Texas and the fact the state itself is married to the sport should equal more recruiting success. Wichita State has also become a nationally recognized brand due to their winning ways over the past few years. A coach with that much around him should be able to pull in more than one 4 star over the course of 5 years. Add this to the whispers that Marshall isn't the most personable guy, and I have to say Gott's got the edge here.

Advantage: Gottfried

Would He Have a Better Offense Than Gottfried?

FINALLY a coach whose offenses compare favorably to Mark Gottfried's. Averaging the 32^nd best offense in the country these past 5 years shows that Marshall can compete with the best of them. WSU has had a top 30 offense in the country 4 years prior to this past year where (much like ours) their O took a nosedive and fell to 94th in the nation. Still despite that setback, Marshall's ability to consistently have top offenses with lesser talent makes him the victor here.

Advantage: Marshall

Would He Have a Better Defense Than Gottfried?

Marshall > Gottfried on defense. I know, shocker. We will keep this simple because, quite frankly, it's painful to look at. WSU has averaged a top 20 defense over the past 5 years and consistently kept their AdJ D in the low 90s. Most notably, Wichita had the #1 defense in the country last year according to KenPom. Absolute domination in this category.

Advantage: Marshall

Conclusion

Gregg Marshall is an excellent basketball coach no matter how you slice it. His levels of accomplishments at Witchita State are one thing, but his multiple conference titles at Winthrop also prove he's been that darn good for a long time. Our first analysis in this series took a look at Chris Mooney and led to the clear cut conclusion that Gottfried was a much better hire. This analysis goes in the opposite direction. While these are obviously subjective, Gregg Marshall would've absolutely been a home run hire for NC State. We can discuss the rumors about his personality, we can argue that his recruiting would have to be much better in the current ACC, we can bring up the legit questions that go with zero high-major experience but, flat out, the man has been one of the best in the country over the past 5 years. Maybe Marshall comes to State and flames out, we'll never know. I mean it is curious that Texas had him right in their backyard but didn't hire him for whatever reason. Still, Gregg Marshall would've been fantastic for State more so than any other coach in this series...save for maybe one...

Next Time

From Knoxville to Berkley its California Head Coach Cuonzo Martin

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