Bold Prediction

Back in 1983 NC State made the improbable run to win the National Championship. We had to win the ACC Championship in order to secure a spot in the tournament. We won the Championship with a double digit loss record.

One thing that helped us was an injury.

Dereck Whittenburg went out with an injury midway through the season. He returned right at the ACC Tournament. What happened was the team, while losing (a LOT!) had to get better without him. When Whittenburg returned, we were a much better team with more depth. Which helped us in our run to the National Championship.

This year, Dook's Ryan Kelly is out with an injury. The Dook team has suffered a blow out loss to Miami and some close, come from behind wins (at Wake Forest). They are learning how to win without Kelly.

If, or when, Kelly returns, Dook will once again be the Number 1 Ranked Team in America. In fact, they will be better than they were when previously Ranked Number 1.

And Dook will win the National Championship.

Road Games

We just cannot seem to be able to get a win on the road. Virginia 58 - State 55 in yet another game we should have won.

Work

Very busy at work.

Was on the road at Salisbury yesterday; finishing up paving the Highway Patrol Training Track today; trying to get Federal Approval of my Western VA Home tomorrow; and I have to report to a group of high level administrator types Friday on options to restarting FCAP(rogram). And I'm not totally prepared yet for that meeting.

I need to clone myself.

Three Weekends of Great Basketball

Two Saturdays ago Dook - Last Saturday Clemson - Yesterday Carolina.

It's been a fun three weekends. It's always fun when you win. After 25 years of, at best - mediocrity, NC State Basketball is finally back.

Still - we had a second half let down - just like at Wake Forest during the week. At WF - a 16 point second half lead and subsequent let down ended up a 1 point loss. With UNC at home - we had a 28 point lead - which was enough to withstand the furious UNC comeback. Close to the end - UNC cut it to five points. This should not be happening. We should have put both teams away by 15 or more points. Our guys have got to figure out how to maintain intensity even with a huge lead.

And next Saturday? Miami comes to town. 5 - 0 in the ACC, 14 - 3 Overall, and a top 25 ranking (which actually should be higher). Miami may not have the raw talent - but they have experience. They have two fifth year seniors and a good bench. State will have it's hands full for a 3rd weekend in a row.

And we have to travel to Virgina Tuesday. No team can take any other team for granted this year in the ACC. Heck - that's pretty much the way is it all around the country this year in college basketball. As soon as a team is ranked Number 1 - it loses the following week. Right now - I'd say there are about 7 teams that should all be tied for the Number 1 ranking. And there's another 10 or 15 teams that could beat the top 7 on any given night. Parity is real this year. It's going to be a wide open NCAA Tournament - and tons of fun.

Work

Work is busy. I'm trying to wrap up 2 major projects - get another started - and a couple other smaller projects to work as well. And - we may try to revive our FCAP program - which would be a very major undertaking.

I'm busy for sure. Actually - overloaded at the moment.

Sure is better than not enough work to do.

Poor Play

State has played poorly in the 3 games since the big Dook win. We have lost 2 of the 3 by a total of 3 points.

One way to look at it is not bad - losing by only 3 means we were in the games. Which is true. In fact, in the 2 losses, we really should have won. Maryland got lucky. And we couldn't hit a free throw or field goal in the last minute or so of the Wake game or we'd have won by 5 or more points.

But the bottom line is - we've been playing very poorly since Dook. We just have not put in a solid full game. We've had moments - in fact - the Wake and Clemson games started out as potential blow outs. Which frankly, with our talent, they should have been. In the Maryland game, we couldn't hit the broadside of a barn - but again - with our talent - we still darn near won.

It's time for our guys to get back to putting together a solid full game performance. We can't slack off - the other teams are gunning for us. We have to be 'up' for every game.

Not the time to panic - but definitely time for our boys to get their 'act' together.

Emotion won't be a problem when UNC comes to the PNC Arena this weekend. If we can match the emotion with a solid performance - we can have another Dook type win. If not, Carolina will gladly rain on our parade.

ESPN College Gameday is broadcasting live from PNC Arena starting at 11:00 on Saturday.

NC State 84 - Dook 76 +Addendum

NOT a fluke. In fact, NOT an upset. Going into the game, Dook was only a 1 and 1/2 point favorite. State could have, should have, put Dook away by well into the double digits.

NC State is that good. When we bring our 'A' game - we can play with anybody in the country.

Danger Will Robinson

Next up - State at Maryland. Maryland is a very good unranked team that could very well be an NCAAT at large team. The difference between State and Maryland or Duke and Maryland is not that great.

State can't suffer a let down or coast into that game or the Twerps will gladly hand us a loss.

Addendum

State lost to Maryland by 1 point on a last 0.9 second shot.

State did not have a lackadaisical game - we just simply could not get the buckets to fall.

Prior to the Maryland game, State had been shooting over 50% field goals. Last night - 31% And Maryland still had to put in a lucky last second shot to win.

As a co-worker said to me today - "I'm glad we won the game we did (Dook) and lost the one we lost (Maryland) rather than the other way around. Good effort and I'm not worried at all."

Well said and I agree 100%.