Indifference? Indifferent? Not Sure!
How do you feel about Wolfpack athletics, specifically men's basketball and football?
The crazy part now is that I feel indifference. Indifference to the team that was a huge part of my life growing up. Anger isn’t cutting it because the organization probably believes that no matter how mad they make us today, we will love them tomorrow. Indifference can be powerful and much harder to overcome. I’m there. I’m not hopeful. I’m not mad. It’s easier to stop caring and move on. — Third generation Washington Redskins ticket holder
Scott Van Pelt, the interesting anchor on ESPN’s late night SportsCenter, in December of 2018, added a tell-tell graphic on the screen, a quote from a third generation Washington Redskins ticket holder.
The time frame for this: the ’Skins were finishing a 7-9 season and mired in a list of fourth place finishes in the NFL’s NFC East division. The team was owned by Daniel Snyder, 1999 until 2023, who is considered to be one of the worst owners in the history of professional sports.
The fan base was waning. Redskins attendance for the 2018 season was down a league-leading 19 percent, based fannies in the seats—actually attended the games—not tied to tickets sold as many colleges do for their money-making sports such as men’s basketball and football.
Van Pelt, sitting in his studio, received a text from his friend. The message was a microcosm—though considering the drop in attendance could be a macrocosm—of how the fans felt about the Redskins (which dropped that moniker in 2020 and took the “Commanders” nickname in 2022).
Van Pelt’s fan-friend was frustrated with the Redskins which years ago consistently battled for top honors in the NFC East. “I feel indifference,” he wrote to Van Pelt, who used the graphic to send a message to the Redskins owner and management.
Through face-to-face discussions, emails, and social media, “indifference” is a good way to look at much of the fan base for the NC State men’s basketball program, and in a way, for football except when the Wolfpack beats North Carolina on the gridiron. Just win that game!
The basketball fan base is indifferent, especially after the disastrous 2024-25 season, 5-15 for 16th place of 18 teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference. With the exception of three shining moments on the national stage, the promise of success from the Everett Case era of the 1950s to today has not materialized.
Currently, Wolfpack basketball lives off of three moments in its history:
A national basketball championship in 1974 (not a surprise but faded from memory except for those of us who lived it);
A national basketball championship in 1983 (a surprise now tied to Jim Valvano forever, not the other way around); and,
A five game winning streak to the ACC tournament championship and a Final Four appearance last year, 2024, (a huge surprise that’s fleeting along with former coach Kevin Keatts).
As the search for the Wolfpack’s new basketball coach meanders while this year’s NCAA Tournament progresses, the new head coach either will win the national title or finish the season with a lose. As soon as a current head coach whose team is in the NCAA Tournament becomes available, there will be a selection. It appears that coach will be Will Wade of McNeese State but that could change with other head coach vacancies out there.
Even as exciting as it is to hire a new coach, indifference will remain until the promised land is at hand, until the new coach proves his multi-million dollar contract by the team’s success. The new coach, whoever that may be, will make promises that will be hard to meet, you know, such as conference titles and 20+ wins a season.
The Wolfpack athletics department is pushing a rebirth of the basketball program, even when there is no leader but lots of rumors. Is there false optimism coming out of the NC State athletics department with a May 1, 2025 deadline for ordering basketball tickets for the 2025-2026 season. Really? May 1, about six months before the first game of next season! The email said:
Get Your Men’s Basketball Season Tickets
The future is bright for NC State men’s basketball! With new leadership for the program and exciting enhancements underway at the Lenovo Center, it’s a great time to be a member of Wolfpack Nation.
As a Wolfpack fan, we know that you will be there every step of the way as we enter this new era. By becoming a season ticket holder, you’re not just securing your seat. You’re standing side by side with our student-athletes as they continue to work, grow, and fight for the success of this program.
The journey is far from over. Together, we will continue to push forward, and we want you with us every step of the way.
The future is bright? Sure thing! And what in the name of John Brown do improvements to the Lenovo Center—the Raleigh hockey arena where NC State plays men’s basketball games— have to do with on-the-court success? It was March 14 when that email was sent. Sources say athletics director Boo Corrigan had already secured a commitment from a viable candidate—reportedly Wade of McNeese State—win or lose in the NCAA tournament.
To say the future is bright, well, you might want to look back to the time when Keatts was hired. Maybe then athletics director Debbie Yow said the same thing. Keatts was not a monumental selection.
The person Corrigan selects will not be monumental unless someone comes out of retirement or a high major coach wants to move to the Atlantic Coast Conference and take his lumps from possible transfer portal players when NIL money is not available as needed.
(NOTE: Reportedly, contributions and membership in the NC State athletics collective are swinging high since Keatts was relieved of his position and excitement surrounds the possible hiring of Wade. It’s gonna take a lot of NIL money and revenue sharing cash to bring NC State basketball back to the upper echelon of the ACC.)
Here’s an example of monumental hiring: Bill Belichick as North Carolina’s football coach:
At North Carolina, the fan base for football the last few years was indifferent. The hiring of Bill Belichick changed that. The Tar Heels opening game at home September 1 against Texas Christian will be a tough ticket. The television rating for ESPN will rattle records on that Labor Day season opener. There will be some indifference, a wait and see attitude, among those wearing baby blue that day. Time will tell if indifference remains at UNC’s Kenan Stadium. Tar Heel fans just want to win and get national respect. Just win, baby, just win. If the Horned Frogs win that game, indifference in Chapel Hill may spread like wildfire even though that’s just one of many ahead for Belichick. Onward to Charlotte! (That’s UNC-Charlotte, the Tar Heels second game of the 2025 season.)
Back to NC State and indifference and, maybe, an “I don’t care” attitude that Wade will bring to Raleigh. While he appears to be a good coach, he has his own baggage when he was head coach at LSU and was fired. Maybe that doesn’t matter; obviously not if he is the new Wolfpack basketball coach. NC State fans are familiar, and possibly comfortable, with NCAA violations.
Are Wolfpack fans indifferent to men’s basketball. Just count the empty seats for conference games this past season. Winning brings fans, but if NC State basketball fans were as supportive as UNC basketball fans are (with most home games packing the Smith Center in Chapel Hill despite the thought Hubert Davis coaching on his last leg), there might be indifference but it wouldn’t show.
On the other hand, there seems to be little indifference to NC State football as fans pack Carter-Finley Stadium most of the time with anticipation of a season-saving win over the Tar Heels ahead. Indifference, though, to Wolfpack football comes from the 47-51 ACC mark under coach Dave Doeren. In 12 seasons, the Wolfpack has six losing seasons, five winning seasons, and one 4-4 season, six bowl game losses, and three bowl game wins. Seems Wolfpack football fans may be the ultimate of a glutton for punishment.
The definition of Indifference is “a lack of interest or concern.” Scott Van Pelt’s friend, the Washington Redskins fan, said it best. You decide for yourself. There will be a spark of enthusiasm when the new basketball coach is hired but Wolfpack fans will be guarded in their eagerness, their frenzy, their fervor. Only time will tell.
So, you may ask, am I indifferent to Wolfpack football and men’s basketball? I’m not sure. Maybe; maybe not. Win or lose, I usually watch entire games, with wins or losses fleeting away seconds after the final click of the game clock. To not to be indifferent, the Wolfpack just needs to win and stake a claim to the top of the ACC in basketball and football.
A New Chancellor at NC State…
If you want to increase your enthusiasm for NC State University, embrace the appointment of Kevin Howell as the next Chancellor, replacing Randy Woodson. Take the time to watch this video. There should be no indifference to Howell’s appointment. He will be a breath of fresh air on the NC State campus.
I think you are wayy off with this article. I am sure as hell not indifferent. Like most Wolfpackers, I am disappointed we are not consistently good in basketball. That should change soon. No doubt whatsoever. Most Pack fans are not indifferent. They pay attention and die a little with each loss. They knew early on that CKK was not gonna be the coach we need to win like we want to win. As is usually the case, the administration hung with him too long. Now, I am hopeful again. And I will never be indifferent about Wolfpack athletics.