Noisy

The storm started quite quickly.

I could hear the thunder as the weather approached - then, when it started, the rain was tremendous. I closed the doors to the back deck but left the kitchen door to the porch open.

Within a minute, I heard what sounded like distant rolling thunder that kept going on and on and on. Instantly you know what that sound is - and I headed for the guest bathroom in the middle of the house.

I had grabbed a phone and was talking with Jason asking him if he could hear the noise through the phone when the power and phone went down.

Today, it appears what I was hearing was the storm passing east of where I live. I haven't been over there - but there have been a steady stream of power trucks headed over in that direction.

It appears that the particular storm cell I heard started with touchdowns in Moore County, Sanford, Broadway, passing east of my neighborhood and the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, then touching down again in Holly Springs. It appears it's the same cell that touched down along Saunders Street in Raleigh, then passing over and through downtown Raleigh and then heading on to NE North Carolina.

 

The damage in the video is south of me in Sanford itself.



At my house, the whole storm event was over in less than an hour. Unfortunately for for many in NC, the aftermath won't be over for quite a while.

Neil Young

My intended post for this weekend was to have been about going to see Neil Young Friday evening. DB hooked me up with a ticket.

We've seen Neil Young many times. This show was a solo performance. It had some really great moments. Overall though, I'd have to rate the show as OK / Good.

The Durham Performing Arts Center is a wonderful venue.

 

Enjoy Your Visit

On behalf of NC State University, its faculty and staff, students, alumni, Wolfpack Club members and Tuffy the mascot dog – let me be the very first to welcome, in advance, the NCAA Investigative Staff to Raleigh.

Call me if y’all need recommendations to some good BBQ joints.

News & Observer - Jim Harrick – Mark Gottfried

Jim Harrick

Coach

Mark Gottfried is State's new head coach.

My first choice? No.

State's first choice? No.

While Head Coach at Alabama he took the Tide to the NCAA's just about every year. Regularly reaching the Sweet 16 and the Elite 8.

On the down side - Billy Donovan at Florida was Gottfreid's "daddy" beating Alabama at most every meeting - save for a couple of 'Bama upsets.

So - we'll probably continue to lose to Dook and UNC on a regular basis - with the occasional win here and there.

Kind of like a more exciting, new and improved version of Herb Sendek.

He's carrying some off court baggage too.

But maybe he'll turn out to be a man who has learned from his past successes and mistakes and may just turn out to be an excellent coach.

I think we have to give him our full support and see what happens.

AFLAC

NCAA Tournament

The Big East got a whopping record setting 11 teams into this year's Big Dance.

The ACC, having a down year, only got 4.

Soooo, after the first weekend's rounds, going into the Sweet 16, how is that working out?

The Big East has 2 teams left (18% of teams advancing) and the ACC has 3 (75% of teams advancing).

This includes ACC number 10 seed Florida State stomping Big East number 2 seed Notre Dame 71 - 57. Game was never even close.

The Big East as the power basketball conference?

Yeah, right.

http://foxvzw-sports.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?aid=684092&acid=2&afid=0

State Coaching Search

The message boards are naturally filled with all sorts of rumors and speculation about who will be the next Head Coach.

Things really heated up over the weekend. I suspect that's because State fans are huge basketball fans. Even if we don't have a dog in the hunt this year (or the last five years) we're still watching the tournament. We loves us some bassetball.

Rick Barnes has always been "the" coach that State fans have wanted. Including me - five years ago. Today - I'd pass on Barnes in favor of a younger up and coming coach or, if we go after an established coach, Billy Donovan.

Why do State fans love the idea of Barnes as our next coach? Well, back when Barnes was Clemson's head coach, he never bought into the whole "Dean Smith as the holiest saint of ACC coaches" thing.

Barnes would work the ref's just as hard as ol Dean would and Dean would take umbrage at that. Smith and Barnes got into more than a couple of shouting matches during games. Once, a microphone picked up Barnes telling Smith to Fly Off during one such encounter.

State fans loved it.

Anyway - the boards are full of "It's going to be Barnes" or "It's going to be Sean Miller" and so on.

Two themes on the boards have been consistent: 1) AD Yow has lined up a 'game changer' and 2) It's going to cost big and the Wolfpack Club has green lighted a huge budget. The numbers being floated around are in the $5M range.

The highest paid coach, by far, is Calipari (Kentucky) at around $4M with Donavon (Florida) second at $3.3M.

If the $5M rumors are correct, that leads me to suspect that Yow's target (and already done deal if you believe the boards) is Billy Donavon.

I would love to have Billy D as our head coach.

Possible Coaches

NC State will be making a coaching change in the next month or so.

Sidney Lowe is an outstanding person and puts his whole soul into coaching - but it just isn't happening for him. Honestly - I think he'd be the best assistant coach in the nation - just not a head coach.

Here's my preferences - for what it's worth - which isn't much.

Young Guns

Young Coaches with the Potential to be Great Head Coaches at a Major Program:

Brad Stevens - Butler University

Gregg Marshall - Wichita State University

(Gregg Marshall was my choice as an up and coming coach to replace Herb Sendek 5 years ago)*

Proven Coaches

Established Coaches at Major Programs who might could be lured to NC State and the ACC:

Billy Donovan - University of Florida

Rick Barnes - University of Texas

(Rick Barnes was my established coach choice to replace Herb Sendek 5 years ago)*

Tubby Smith - University of Minnesota


*Good Riddance Lee Fowler

Our former Athletics Director, Lee Fowler, either did not consider, or get Barnes or Marshall to discuss the NC State job 5 years ago.

In fact, LF basically screwed up the Head Coaching Search all together. While I was glad we ended up giving Sidney Lowe a chance - his selection came about after everyone else felt snubbed, was overlooked or turned us down.

Firing Lee Fowler last year was the best thing NC State Athletics has done in 5 years. We are now in a position to start turning around State's various athletics programs and return to our once proud position and tradition.

Weekend Update February 27, 2011

Absolutely nothing of importance or interest happening here.

Yesterday I did my annual hot tub cleaning. It’s simple and easy, but time consuming.

You pour a full bottle of cleaning solution in the tub and then run it for about ten minutes. Then you let it soak for at least 3 hours. It cleans out debris and build up in the lines. Actually, I put the solution in Friday night and let it soak overnight.

Then, Saturday morning I drained the tub, refilled it and let it run for about 30 minutes. Then drained it again. By then it was time to leave for the State – Georgia Tech game.

Coach's Q&A after the Georgia Tech Game

Went to the Arena Club for lunch and the game with my friend Dave – which we won.

When I got home, reinstalled the filter and clorine cartridge, refilled the hot tub and put in the usual maintenance items such as enzyme control and water conditioner. It heated up nicely and was ready for use just around dark. Perfect timing for watching the stars for a while.

This morning I had breakfast in Pittsboro and went grocery shopping.

When I got back I filled up the two bird feeders (one seed and one peanuts), had my coffee and read the newspaper in the hammock.

The birds were hanging about in the trees but were too afraid to come to the feeder closest to the hammock (because I was in it). Finally a Downy Woodpecker landed on it to eat. Those guys aren't afraid of anything or anybody.

I should clean house today but I think I’m going to take the day off and do nothing. Maybe get caught up on some reading.

I’ve been slogging through The Guns of August. Tremendous history of World War I but difficult to get through. I usually fall asleep when reading it so it’s taken me over 4 weeks to get through about two thirds of it. Normally a book this length would take me a week – two tops - to read.