Brett Friedlander has some thoughts up about State's potentially disastrous loss of Lorenzo Brown, as the 6-5 guard came up academically short. He gets bonus points for introducing Joe Btfsplk to a new generation. But if that's where State is, and some State fans clearly feel it is - better bring in Fearless Fosdick!
Lil' Abner was a huge deal for many years, and it coincided with the apex of the American newspaper business, which in turn allowed cartooning to hit levels of genius. There was this strip, Pogo,
which was much better, Peanuts, which was amazing when it was new, and a lot of others.
Newspapers started cutting back on cartoons some time ago, and now they don't spend squat on cartoons anymore, publishing such drivel as Rhymes With Orange and about a million bland imitators of The Far Side, Gary Larson's bizarrely hilarious one-panel toon. Larson, by the way, is a complete basketball freak.
He came along at about the same time that Calvin and Hobbes did, and between them, they were the last gasp of great cartooning in newspapers. There is still interesting stuff around - graphic novels have become amazing and Matt Groening did phenomenal work with Life In Hell and then The Simpsons. But it's hard to see how they'll ever be brilliant in newspapers again. The world has changed too much, a sentiment that a lot of State fans, unfortunately, might agree with. 
Just as an exercise, who would be the perfect coach for State if Lowe, say, decided to take advantage of his hair style and join the Krishnas?
It's a really good question. They could have probably gotten Sean Miller, had he not just taken the Arizona job. But Miller might not fit the State mold as well as he could have, and there are some who might hold his Sendek connections against him.
If you're looking to continue (or rekindle) a legacy at State, you need to consider the following: the flash and razzle-dazzle introduced by Everett Case, the fire brought by Norm Sloan, at least in the first part of his tenure, and the passion and operatic intensity of Jim Valvano's years at State, before it all fell apart.
The dream guys, who they'd never be able to get, would be John Calipari and Billy Donovan. That'll never happen. They'll never get Tom Crean, either, who would be a great fit.
Their next bet is to find someone who is either young and a rising star, or a guy who is established and good but maybe a secondary figure at his school, meaning he coaches at a football school.
Among these, you could certainly consider Jeff Capel, if they could get past the Duke thing (Duke managed when they hired Vic Bubas away from State), and Rick Barnes might consider it, as he's always been an ACC guy. Getting him out of Texas could be tough, though - it's a great job and he's a perfect fit.
The perfect fit for State among established coaches, though, would be Bruce Pearl. He would re-connect with the passion State fans have for running basketball, and he obviously recruits fairly well. Plus his personality would remind people of Valvano's. It's not a coincidence that State wears red. That program should play with the intensity of people fighting fires and Pearl would bring that.
Among younger coaches, we really admire Doug Wojick of Tulsa, Darrin Horn of South Carolina, and Josh Pastner is intriguing, if they could get him. And Scott Drew has done a remarkable job at Baylor.
Then again, if Joe Btfsplk is the metaphor, they might go after Billy Gillispie. Mon Dieu!