The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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NOVEMBER 2017 ■ 21 TRACKING THE PACK Podcast Highlights The Wolfpacker staff has enjoyed getting to know various guests on their podcast ev- ery Tuesday around 12:30 p.m. at Amedeo's Italian Restaurant in Raleigh. The podcast is always available to listen to on TheWolfpacker.com, iTunes and most everywhere else podcasts can be downloaded. Here are some excerpts from NC State men's basketball director of op - erations Thomas Carr, who was an as- sistant under new head coach Kevin Ke- atts at Wilmington and a guest Oct. 3: Wha t was your background prior to arriving to NC State? "I was born in New Jersey — born in Bergen County — and moved to Ohio going into the seventh grade — Toledo, Ohio — and stayed there throughout high school. I had a great high school career with my team. "Then I went to prep school at Hargrave [Military Academy in Chatham, Va.], where I played for Coach [Kevin] Keatts, his first year back from Marshall. He had been an assistant at Marshall. That first year back, we won a national championship together, and I was a catalyst for the team. "From there, I went to a Division II school in West Virginia, and ended up at a Division II school in North Carolina, Pfeiffer University. Then I started my coach - ing career." What kind of impact does having a football program help with basketball compared to previous places you have worked that doesn't have football? "One negative is that you don't have your weekends off anymore. At Wilmington, we were at the beach or downtown, whatever the case may be. "Being at a higher-level school with the resources that we have, and being able to show off the fan support and all the things that we have going for us before our season even starts, it makes a world of a difference." You were able to watch C.J. Bryce at UNC Wilmington for more than 60 games. What will NC State fans see in a year after he becomes eligible? "C.J. Bryce is an everyday guy. He punches the clock and he goes hard in the weight room. He works on his craft. He obviously developed himself into an ACC player. When he came to us at Wilmington, he was not an ACC-level player at that time. He just started getting ACC-level hair cuts recently, so he's come full circle, on and off the floor. "He's somebody that every night you'll see the same energy and the same effort and the same enthusiasm from him. He can score in bunches, so once he gets going, there is always that chance he can get hot and put us on his back." What is it like to work for head coach Kevin Keatts? "It's the same as when I played for him at Hargrave, the same when I worked for him at Hargrave. He just has one extra check with a couple of more zeroes in his account now. The best thing Coach does is keep things in perspective. You might see someone get mad for doing something on the floor, like taking a shot too early or something might happen off the floor. You have to punish him. "He is as even keel as they come. It's never as good as it seems and never as bad as it seems. He just takes each situation for what it is worth and makes a decision from that." Any funny stories about Keatts on the sidelines? "He doesn't get angry really, but when he worked at Louisville, Coach [Rick] Pitino used to get mad at the as - sistants every now and then. So he will every now and then get mad at us to keep that tradition alive. "He was always poised and nothing really funny." Have you played Keatts in ping pong and is he as good as he says he is? "I beat him all the time. Last game we played, I beat him, so right now I'm better than him. You are only as good as your last game, so if you work off of that, I'm better than Coach Keatts. "Coach is an elite player. When we get on the table, it's two heavyweights battling, just going to war against each other. Coming out, we are obviously making each other better. Iron sharpens iron. It's something that is not for anybody. "[Assistant] Coach A.W. Hamilton [is third]. He's a good player, but not great. He is good though." STRENGTH IN THE PACK 2017 NC State Men's Soccer Proudly Supported by Steve Rea (Soccer Alum 1976-1979) NC State men's basketball di- rector of operations Thomas Carr stopped by Amedeo's for The Wolfpacker podcast Oct. 3. PHOTO BY MATT CARTER