Mark Gottfried Introduced As New N.C. State Basketball Coach

Apparently, press conferences to introduce new head coaches can’t just be about the coaches, anymore. Today, Mark Gottfried was introduced as the new coach at N.C. State at a press conference, but rather than concentrate on asking Gottfried about why he took the job or what his vision for the program is, reporters decided to focus on N.C. State director Debbie Yow. Thanks to some back and forth shots between her and University of Maryland men’s basketball coach Gary Williams, who used to work for Yow, reporters asked Gottfried multiple times about Yow’s reputation as someone who is hard to work with. Gottfried side-stepped these questions, but Yow felt the need to respond, and she did. Bluntly.

If I made a list of things I don’t want my boss to say at a press conference, “so whatever” would probably only rank behind slurs. It’s odd language for an AD to use, and the fact that she felt the need to respond just perpetuates the rumor that she’s a piece of work. Hopefully for N.C. State fans and honestly, for any neutrals, this is a made-up media story and things will run smoothly in Raleigh in the future.

That deal is pretty much in line with those signed by just about every other coach so far this offseason, other than Mike Anderson’s at Arkansas. Still, a potential seven-year deal for a coach who’s taken a year and a half off is quite a surprise.

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Early reactions are in, and Wolfpack fans are not ecstatic.

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As the jobs at Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, and Arkansas filled up, and even Missouri was able to hire somebody, the Pack remain coachless. Shaka Smart was Monday’s most publicized spurning, but Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall also said no to Raleigh.

While I think N.C. State should just tell Loyola that the small school can use the Wolfpack nickname if it gives up its hoops coach, Yow should be commended for writing a candid letter that explains why a Tobacco Road program with a successful history is having a hard time finding a new coach:

Sidney Lowe and Athletic Director Deborah A. Yow announced today the plan for Lowe to leave as head coach after five years at NC State.

In his five seasons as Wolfpack head coach, Lowe amassed an overall record of 86-78 (.524) and 25-55 (.313) in the Atlantic Coast Conference.