I say it’s high time the Pack makes a switch to Nike instead of Kangaroo or adidas or Zips or whatever the christ they’re currently using …
The state of the State football team, from the Charlotte Observer:
“N.C. State reaches 8 knee surgeries
O'Brien said two knee surgeries this week will bring the team's total to eight for this season.
"I didn't have eight knee surgeries in the last three years (coaching) at Boston College," O'Brien said Wednesday.
Fullback Pat Bedics was scheduled for surgery Wednesday, and his status for the rest of the season won't be known until today. Offensive tackle Jeraill McCuller also had knee surgery this week, O'Brien said, and is out indefinitely.
Tight end Anthony Hill, tailback Toney Baker and defensive tackle DeMario Pressley are the most prominent players who've had knee surgery. Pressley is back in the lineup, but Hill and Baker are out for the season.”
The state of the State hoops team, from ESPN’s Andy Katz:
"NC State loses two backup guards
NC State's backcourt took another hit last weekend when likely point guard backup Javier Gonzalez had surgery to repair his right thumb (his shooting hand) that he injured in workouts last week. The injury will require surgery and will keep the freshman out for the next three months.
Earlier in the preseason, the Wolfpack lost 6-foot-5 forward/guard Johnny Thomas for the season to knee surgery.
The easy thing after hearing about Gonzalez's injury would be to start panicking.
But losing two perimeter players, even at a position that is considered the least proven on the team, does not necessarily mean high anxiety for the Wolfpack.
"We can be good, we just need to stop getting hurt," said assistant coach Monte Towe, a former playmaker for the school.
If the Wolfpack had lost Iowa State transfer guard Farnold Degand, then there would be some cause for alarm. Degand is going to be the starting point guard. He will be the most scrutinized player on a team that is supposed to be an ACC contender and a legit NCAA Tournament team.
"Farnold is fast with the ball, he can really push it," said Towe, who added that Farnold, who sat out last season, still needs to figure out when to pull it back and when to surge. Still, Farnold will be the reason the Wolfpack can run this season, much more than a year ago when they were led by steady guard Engin Atsur.
Towe said the plan is to use Tennessee transfer Marques Johnson at the point, too, once he's eligible in mid-December. Gavin Grant and Courtney Fells, according to Towe, may also take a turn handling the ball.
But clearly, this staff isn't fretting the frontcourt. The Wolfpack have some of the more unheralded returnees in the ACC. Still, Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley, let alone the aforementioned Fells and Grant, have the finesse game to score plenty facing the basket.
The addition of 6-9 freshman J.J. Hickson gives the Wolfpack a power player to complement Costner and McCauley.
"He has an impressive work ethic," Towe said of the heralded Hickson. "It's going to be hard to keep him off the glass. He's a great rebounder."
So far, in individual workouts and the limited team practices this past week (two hours a week beginning Sept. 15), the Wolfpack are showing much more competitive fire than a year ago. The reason is that they have the bodies to do so in Sidney Lowe's second season.
And the fact that there is depth means the Wolfpack aren't decimated by a few injuries, at least as long as its not to a few key players.”
Also, in a shock-the-world, #4,608-sign-of-the-apocalypse moment, Caulton Tudor put together a surprisingly coherent, logical column for the News & Observer concerning the Wolfpack football program.
Being a State fan is hard goddam work …
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