Quote :

"Lets get back to.reality here,"

yeah i missed where we won the ACC championship and received our free pass to the final four. No wonder other fan bases call us the lunatic fringe.

9/18/2012 12:38:31 AM

we havent won anything this year, though i would be disappointed if we didnt make the ncaa tourney

but while we're calming down our own fanbase, lets not act like other fanbases arent just as deluded

9/18/2012 12:51:04 AM

Reality is at least a sweet 16 and in the acc title game. We are rightly favorites in the ACC.

9/18/2012 12:55:00 AM

^^^we're not saying that bro, we're just real excited. we're returning 4/5ths of our starters from our Sweet16 run, including two potential ACC POYs (CJL & Zo), one of the league's purest shooter in years, and a beast-rebounder (and soft-passing, fouling) Dick Howell. The only departure from the last year's starting lineup was our SG, and Purvis (who was just cleared to play, TODAY) seems to be a great replacement. And we'll have Warren, Lewis, and Vandenburg ready to give them a blow off the bench (and hopefully De Thaey). No injuries, please.

9/18/2012 12:57:51 AM

this is kinda random, but check out this 'man holding basketball'

http://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/0226617

9/18/2012 1:17:18 AM

hahahahaha

9/18/2012 1:18:06 AM

Quote :

"we havent won anything this year, though i would be disappointed if we didnt make the ncaa tourney but while we're calming down our own fanbase, lets not act like other fanbases arent just as deluded"

Oh i know what you mean, I just can see the same people doing backflips in the thread right now would be right back here calling the season a wash if we lose in the Big Ten Challenge.

9/18/2012 1:22:03 AM

that's the funniest thing i've seen in a while.

and man i really really wish painter didn't have to leave us.

[Edited on September 18, 2012 at 1:23 AM. Reason : and tyler harris. man he probably would've been good by the acc tournament.]

9/18/2012 1:22:59 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkDAVGFRt8o

ACC POY

Also,

http://youtu.be/UeSBtiIl4kA

[Edited on September 18, 2012 at 1:43 AM. Reason : .]

9/18/2012 1:37:46 AM

2nd link is awesome

9/18/2012 2:00:53 AM

yeah it is.

9/18/2012 3:20:08 AM

I'm loving the ESPN bball homepage right now:


Also this insider article:
http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8389940/north-carolina-state-wolfpack-2012-13-countdown-madness-preview-ncb

Quote :

"Monday, September 17, 2012 NC State joins the ACC elite By Joe Kaiser, Paul Biancardi, Jay Bilas ESPN Insider Leading up to Midnight Madness in October, ESPN Insider's "Countdown to Madness" series is previewing the top five seeds in each of the four regions in Joe Lunardi's preseason 2013 NCAA bracket. To read about the key stats and freshman impact for each team as the previews are published, plus get expert predictions from Jay Bilas, Fran Fraschilla and Lunardi, click here. This is the entry for the North Carolina State Wolfpack, No. 3 in the Midwest (Indianapolis). The key: Four returning starters Stat to know: 262 Mark Gottfried's first season in Raleigh put the Wolfpack back on the map, culminating in the team's first trip to the NCAA tournament since Herb Sendek's final season in 2005-06. With four experienced starters returning and a star-studded class of incoming freshmen, Gottfried's second season brings heightened expectations. NC State Wolfpack Last season: 24-13 (9-7 ACC) Finished: Sweet 16 (lost to Kansas) 2012-13 projected starting lineup G: Lorenzo Brown (Jr.) G: Rodney Purvis (Fr.) F: Scott Wood (Sr.) F: C.J. Leslie (Jr.) C: Richard Howell (Sr.) There are many reasons to believe this NC State squad can be better than the one that took Kansas -- the eventual runner-up in the NCAA tournament -- to the limit in the Sweet 16 last season. It starts in the frontcourt, where potential NBA first-rounder C.J. Leslie returns for a third season after finishing his sophomore campaign like the player the Wolfpack expected him to be when he was dubbed ESPN's No. 11 recruit in the class of 2010. "If he can play the way he did the last 15 games of the season, he will be [an NBA-caliber] player," said Wolfpack associate head coach Bobby Lutz. "I mean, if you're going back statistically and you watch tapes of how hard he played, I think that's what he's got to do the whole year. Once he was healthy in his last 15 games, he played very well and with great effort." Leslie averaged 17.1 points and eight rebounds during that span of games, coming against the heart of the ACC schedule and tough tournament foes San Diego State, Georgetown and KU. He'll be joined up front by strong senior Richard Howell, who nearly averaged a double-double (10.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg) and was the conference's third-leading rebounder a season ago. Senior Scott Wood, a rangy sharpshooter, is a three-year starter and connected on 95 3-pointers last year. Junior Lorenzo Brown made a smooth transition to point guard last season, finishing as the ACC's second-leading assist man (6.3 apg), and rounds out a group of experienced returners who have 262 career starts among them. Strong combo forward T.J. Warren and heady pass-first point guard Tyler Lewis are ESPN 100 recruits expected to make an immediate impact, but neither are as important to 2012-13 as Rodney Purvis, ESPN's No. 20 recruit in 2012. Purvis was cleared Monday by the NCAA after initially being ruled ineligible. Now that Gottfried knows he has Purvis for this season, the 6-foot-4 scorer will likely start and could take the Wolfpack from a good offensive team to a great one. -- Joe Kaiser The flaw: Lack of depth, inexperienced bench Stat to know: 190 Last season, NC State used a rotation of seven -- sometimes eight -- players and managed to get away with it by steering clear of injuries. Staying injury free is again a major key in 2012-13, as the Wolfpack work with a limited rotation that won't exceed nine players. The big difference this year is experience. Gottfried had senior guard Alex Johnson (19.5 mpg) and 6-9, 231-pound junior DeShawn Painter (20 mpg) to turn to last season, but that's no longer the case. Painter transferred to Old Dominion, and his departure raises serious questions about the depth in the frontcourt. The Wolfpack now must count on 7-foot junior Jordan Vandenberg, who redshirted last season (shoulder injury), and little-used sophomore Thomas de Thaey to play a bigger role. "Defensively, Vandenberg is the guy who, if he can step up and help us in all phases of the game, just his size alone he can be a defensive presence," Lutz said. "Painter came in off the bench and always guarded the best post player when he was in the game to take him off of C.J. or Richard. That's what we'd like for Jordan to do, to guard the best post player, and to be able to guard him one-on-one so we don't have to help so much when he's in the game." If Vandenberg and de Thaey struggle, look for Gottfried to use the freshman Warren (ESPN's No. 29 in 2012) to supply strength inside. Now listed at 6-foot-8 and 233 pounds on the team website, Warren's versatility will allow him to play either forward spot. Lewis adds a savvy ball-handler to a bench unit that combined to play only 190 minutes (from Vandenberg's seven games and de Thaey) last season. -- Joe Kaiser The freshmen Gottfried has re-energized NC State through a faster brand of basketball and keeping the local talent home. This class finished ranked No. 10 and features three freshmen, in particular, who will work well in Gottfried's UCLA shuffle-cut offense and help make the Wolfpack preseason favorites to win the ACC. Purvis brings NBA athleticism and explosiveness and a competitive spirit to the court. In the transition game, he's virtually unstoppable going from 3-point line to 3-point line and is a major threat with the ball in his hands or filling the lane. At the rim, he elevates over defenders and has terrific body control while contact really doesn't affect him. The knock on Purvis is his outside shooting, but he's improved and can be a capable perimeter threat. Defensively, he will guard the ball well, but he can get lost chasing his man off screens, which he'll improve in time. Purvis will make an immediate impact and bring the Wolfpack faithful out of their seats with highlight plays at the rim. Lewis is the table setter who will come in and look immediately to make the throw-ahead pass in the transition game. Lewis always plays the game one possession ahead in his mind. While he's a terrific passer, Lewis can knock down an open shot if left open and is finishing better at the rim. As he continues to get stronger, he will be able to accept contact without it affecting what he wants to do with the ball in his hands. On defense, he needs to improve on keeping opposing guards from getting into the lane. Lewis will be used in different ways -- he can give Brown some relief, or they can play together with Brown moving to the shooting guard spot. Simply put, Warren can score the ball in his sleep. He's willing and able to shoot it from distance with range and accuracy, and he has a smooth pull-up jumper from mid-range. He is crafty when approaching the bucket, knowing how to draw the foul and get points from the free throw line. Warren can play small forward and would really be a matchup problem at power forward, as other bigs would not be able to stay with him. He'll make an immediate impact one way or another, but if the Wolfpack were playing a game tomorrow, it would not surprise me to see Warren in the starting lineup. -- Paul Biancardi The expectation What a difference a year, and a coach, can make. In March, Gottfried and his team sat on the edge of their seats wondering whether they would receive an at-large bid for their solid season. NC State got into the tournament, then won its way to the Sweet 16, finishing with a 24-13 record and moving into the driver's seat for preseason expectations in the 2012-13 ACC race. Gottfried has some horses, and also momentum and hope, something NC State simply has not had in a while. Leslie and Brown can be All-ACC performers, and Wood is one of the nation's best shooters, who can stretch the floor and allow operating room. Add a double-double guy in Richard Howell and an outstanding recruiting class, and NC State has every reason to believe the Final Four is a legitimate destination. The only caveat is experience in winning and sustaining excellence through expectations, and but the Wolfpack received a big boost Monday when freshman Purvis was cleared to play by the NCAA. The blue-chip recruit is a difference maker, the kind of player who could be ACC Rookie of the Year. Before he was cleared, Purvis was deemed ineligible to play because the NCAA didn't like some of his high school classes, despite the fact that Purvis performed in a stellar fashion in NC State's Summer Start program. But that's all a moot point now. With Purvis, NC State has the talent to unseat Duke and North Carolina and win a league title. But even if the Wolfpack fall a little short of that, finishing in the top three of the ACC also means finishing in the top 20 in the nation. That's NC State's new, and legit, expectation. Without Purvis, I saw the Wolfpack closing in on 30 wins and reaching the Sweet 16. With Purvis, they are Elite Eight-good, with a legitimate shot at a Final Four berth. NC State was "one player away." Purvis is that player. -- Jay Bilas"

9/18/2012 3:29:06 AM

i agree, mr. whittenburg.

9/18/2012 3:43:49 AM

Quote :

"Without Purvis, I saw the Wolfpack closing in on 30 wins and reaching the Sweet 16. With Purvis, they are Elite Eight-good, with a legitimate shot at a Final Four berth. NC State was "one player away." Purvis is that player. -- Jay Bilas""

This literally gave me chills.

9/18/2012 7:50:56 AM

Jay Bilas gave you chills

9/18/2012 8:00:22 AM

I know...for shame

I feel like Bilas is pulling a Doyle. He's going to be all...yeah yeah I've always loved State. Just not when they were complete garbage.

9/18/2012 8:26:55 AM

This is my favorite new one that I saw this time around. Worth a repost.

9/18/2012 9:08:50 AM

so wait... pervis is good to go now?

9/18/2012 9:16:25 AM

Quote :

"This literally gave me chills."

Yeah I had goosebumps myself

9/18/2012 9:20:28 AM

I'm getting douchechills reading about Jay Bilas giving people chills.

9/18/2012 9:44:05 AM

9/18/2012 10:07:24 AM

Man Holding Basketball says not to get your hopes up too much

9/18/2012 11:43:37 AM

Quote :

"Reality is at least a sweet 16 and in the acc title game. We are rightly favorites in the ACC."

REALLY?

For someone who was always so negative and harsh about last year's team- you know, the one that actually made it to the sweet 16 in reality- I'm surprised you think this team is guaranteed success...

9/18/2012 11:54:34 AM

Who are you again?

9/18/2012 11:59:31 AM

He enjoys bitching and moaning. What he's doing is setting extremely high expectations, then he'll shit all over the team, coaches, fans, etc. when we don't win the acc championship. It's his pleasure.

9/18/2012 12:52:17 PM

if anyone can figure out how to not watch this all day, let me know.

9/18/2012 4:27:35 PM

well, it's blocked at my work, so that's one way...

9/18/2012 4:34:57 PM

you work?

9/18/2012 4:37:07 PM

sometimes

9/18/2012 4:38:17 PM

thanks for posting that video.

jesus christ. forget football season. i'm ready for basketball.

9/18/2012 4:42:37 PM

It's funny that my favorite part of that is some of Lewis's passes. If he can pull that off in college it will be nuts.

9/18/2012 4:44:29 PM

http://espn.go.com/espn/dickvitale/story/_/id/8395090/rodney-purvis-eligible-play-nc-state-wolfpack

Quick Vitale post making us the favorites for the ACC this year.

9/18/2012 4:46:48 PM

^He missed the PNC memo. Though the logo doesn't look right on the outside of the building.

9/18/2012 5:21:00 PM

Quote :

"costing the young man a trip with his teammates on a foreign trip"

mkay.

9/19/2012 1:18:39 PM

I feel like Vitale's blog is just regular news articles run through a Dick Vitale setting on Google Translate.

9/19/2012 1:22:31 PM

Quote :

"Though the logo doesn't look right on the outside of the building."

I had the same thought when I cam into town for last weekend's football game

9/19/2012 1:23:12 PM

^^just throw in diaper dandy a few times and you're good to go

9/19/2012 1:41:50 PM

http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/articles/?p=45272

Quote :

"Let’s also remember that as impressive as State’s recruiting was last year – and this year too – this is a team with four returning starters and three freshmen. And there’s no DeShawn Painter to bail out the foul prone Richard Howell and C.J. Leslie, either. As excited as everyone was about Leslie’s improvement and that of Lorenzo Brown, Painter made that team."

Hahahahahahahahaha

9/19/2012 2:04:49 PM

nothing about that statement is false but those last 4 words.

no, painter didn't make that team. but I'd be willing to bet not having a big man to slot in Howell's spot could be a weakness going forward.

I'm not going to pretend painter was awesome, he was anything but; however, I don't think there was a net loss when he was in the game. good big men are hard to find, so relatively speaking, even having a guy that doesn't hurt you is still a good player to have.

and then there's the potential 2012-2013 painter that we won't have; a guy that could have grown and become a solid contributor.

we have plenty of backcourt depth, that's been covered ad nauseum; we'll see if we have enough pieces to rotate into leslie and howell's positions.

9/19/2012 2:10:42 PM

Season Tickets - Check
Jimmy V Classic Tix - Check
Season Start - Forever and a day

9/19/2012 2:15:32 PM

^^we've got 7'1" redshirt junior Jordan Vandenburg to take Painter's place. I know some on tww hate him, but I'm counting on him being a solid bench contributor. Hopefully De Thaey will be a minor contributor too.

9/19/2012 2:53:03 PM

http://www.zagsblog.com/2012/09/19/kentucky-texas-n-c-state-mizzou-expected-to-headline-2013-carrier-classic/

9/19/2012 2:57:29 PM

the handful of moments vandenberg figured out how to QWOP his body correctly, he wasn't bad

[Edited on September 19, 2012 at 3:01 PM. Reason : we all felt the excitement when he first figured out how to dunk!]

9/19/2012 3:00:34 PM

TBDV will not be as good as painter was. you can take that one to the bank.

9/19/2012 3:08:48 PM

I suspect he'll have better defense and about the same number of rebounds.

He won't have painters mid range automatic jump shot though.

9/19/2012 3:09:45 PM

Quote :

"TBDV will not be as goodathletic as painter was. you can take that one to the bank. "

Painter was athletic, but he had his fair share of problems. He didn't handle the ball well consistently, and he made stupid mistakes. I chalk it up to inexperience. But that doesn't mean TBDV can't come in and have improved (significantly) in the off season. If he can be a reliable depth player, then he'll be just as good as Painter was. He'll absorb some of those fouls, protect the ball, and not turn it over, and that's really all he needs to do. He won't be as athletic as Painter, that's for sure, but maybe he won't be as big of a liability as Painter as well.

Maybe that's harsh on Painter. I really loved watching him play, and I was sad to see him go, but he wasn't as developed as a player as the rose colored glasses of many months in the off-season have seemed to attribute.

9/19/2012 3:13:21 PM

Quote :

"He didn't handle the ball well consistently, and he made stupid mistakes."

these are problems that have not plagued TBDV...

guys i'm all for roses and smiling, but come on. while we're at it, maybe tyler lewis will grow 6" this semester. it's not impossible for an 18 year old to have a growth spurt you know!!

9/19/2012 3:16:39 PM

Way to go with the hyperbole. Expecting improvement after a year of practicing is not so far fetched. I didn't say TBDV would be better, I said if he's improved, he can be as good as Painter was, in a different way. They are not comparable players, and Painter wasn't some golden 6th man.

9/19/2012 3:24:03 PM

i don't think it's too far-fetched to think that it's possible that vandenburg will take-over Painter's back-up contributions. let's wait and see.

9/19/2012 3:29:53 PM

Quote :

"He won't have painters mid range automatic jump shot though."

yea... about 20% of the time it worked, every time... vandenburg will be just as good in his own way.

9/19/2012 3:38:33 PM