The “Our State” slogan is in its second season, and it’s already time to put it to bed.
If a team has a losing record against its in-state rivals, should it claim ownership of the state? N.C. State apparently believes so, but I beg to differ.
Football is a mediocre 3-3 (0-3 ACC) but still claims North Carolina as its own.
The football program proved it can’t win in Winston-Salem, putting an “L” in the loss column for the sixth time, continuing its disappointing stretch of poor performances at Wake. The football team hasn’t won in Winston-Salem since the 2001 season, a 17-14 win against the Demon Deacons.
Men’s basketball’s annual Primetime with the Pack is Friday and fans are likely to hear the “Our State” slogan, but here’s a fun fact: both the football and basketball teams have an overall losing record against their in-state rivals.
State’s all time football record against Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest cord against the “big three.” That’s an overall record of 444-529-17 against the Pack’s in-state rivals.
How can the Pack claim dominance over its in-state rivals?
State’s rivals have essentially owned them in the win-loss column, with the exception of Wake Forest who holds a 138-200 record against the Wolfpack.
Last season, men’s basketball split its meetings with UNC-CH, Duke and Wake, only winning at PNC Arena. Does that make it some fraction of “Our State?”
The two major athletic program’s inability to to win in Chapel Hill, Durham or Winston-Salem doesn’t help the slogan’s cause.
Yes, the slogan is quite catchy but it’s premature. The revenue sports should back up their slogan by producing winning records against in-state rivals. Teams should put their noses to the grindstone and win some games, before pounding their chest with pride.
N.C. State has always been the red-headed stepchild to Duke and UNC-CH, especially in football and basketball, and it will continue to be until the Pack can maintain a winning program.
Opposing fans mock the team screaming “Our State” during away games and, as most folks are already aware, there is a Twitter account,
@NCSUsh-t, that pokes fun at all of the team’s shortcomings.
Enough is enough; the slogan has to be changed after the season, unless there is a significant turnaround this year.
To be successful and consistent a team must win the games it’s supposed to win, and make and try to squeak out some difficult games.
This was the football team’s year to stake its claim as the superior program in the state, but it is 0-for-1 against its in-state rivals mid-way through the season. It still has a chance to record an in-state winning record against Duke, Carolina and East Carolina which are still on the docket.
Last year was the basketball team’s chance and they went 3-for-6.
Athletics has made vast strides in becoming a powerhouse in North Carolina, and the ACC, but jumping the gun just looks ignorant.
The Wolfpack’s time will come, but the “Our State” slogan will have to wait for now.
