Now it gets fun...

But this is not a good fun. It's more of a the-math-teacher-just-called-this-problem-fun-which-means-it's-gonna-suck kind of thing.

Barnes ain't comin', and while it would have been great to nab him, I can live his decision. What does worry me is where that decision may eventually lead us.

Jim Larranaga? John Brady? I shudder. Gregg Doyel has indicated that Karl Hobbs has been contacted. Does Lee Fowler have an "Expensive Mistakes" section in his rolodex? Or maybe it's the "Overrated And/Or Shady" section. Although it would be kind of funny (you could allow yourself the slightest of smiles as you hurl yourself out of a window) to end up hiring a guy who is the most diametrical to Herb Sendek both ethically and in terms of coaching acumen.

This hire is supposed to not only help the basketball program step forward, it's also supposed to repair NC State's fractured fanbase. The latter will probably be accomplished regardless of who gets the job. Either everyone's going to be happy, or everyone's going to be disgusted. If you thought it was damaging to the program when half of the fanbase was disgusted, imagine the destruction that will be wrought by the universal anger that's going to come with a disappointing hire.

I'm overreacting right now, but it's hard to avoid a few tinges of panic considering the plethora of disastrous possibilities out there.