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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > May > 30 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHutts death still surreal to Tech coach
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens — Sitting in his hotel room hours before a game Friday, Danny Hall was reminded of something he really didn’t need reminding of. The name on the lineup card that he needs to scratch out before every game — that’s enough. The black wristbands worn by his players — enough.
Now words are rolling across the bottom of his television screen.
“I’m sitting there watching ESPN and I see the ticker going across the screen, saying ‘heroin and morphine,’ ” Hall said.
Seven weeks after the accidental drug overdose of Georgia Tech pitcher Michael Hutts, the medical examiner’s toxicology report was released as the team opened play in an NCAA regional. Call this an unfortunate intersection.
Cause of death: Heroin toxicity. Manner of death: Accident. Age: 21. In matters such as these, bad timing is really no more than an afterthought.
Good kid. Good student. Dean’s list. Dead.
“Never,” Hall said, “was there even a moment where you thought, ‘Something is going on here. We need to check on this guy. We need to watch him closely.’ That’s what has made this even more shocking.’ “
Seven weeks later, he said, and the whole matter still seems “surreal.”
Somehow, Tech has endured. While honoring Hutts in their own way — with black wristbands stamped with his name and number, and “40” on their hats — they’ve also tried to move past the tragedy. Road opponents have asked about having a moment of silence during games for Hutts. The Jackets politely have asked them not to.
With the constant reminders, it’s no wonder Hall was concerned about his players’ mind-set Friday after news of the toxicology report hit, and he planned to speak to them before their game against Louisville. Tech has mostly held together since Hutts’ death, something their coach wasn’t certain of. (“To be honest, I thought it was 50-50.”)
Ryan Tinkoff, Hutts’ roommate, who found him dead in their apartment, has struggled the most. He hasn’t played since a series against Maryland immediately following the incident. He no longer makes road trips. He still practices with the team but has declined to speak publicly. Hall acknowledges, “We’ve all tried to protect his privacy a little.
“He had been friends with Michael for a long time, so he probably feels it and deals with it daily more than anybody. I’ve never found anybody dead. So put yourself in that kid’s shoes — not only finding somebody dead but finding one of your roommates and one of your best friends dead.”
College coaches often are like parents to athletes. They know their habits, their needs, their personalities. Hall thought he knew Hutts, but he didn’t know everything. After her son’s death, Vicky Hutts told investigators that Michael had been involved with drugs before. Hall was blindsided.
“Part of me understands why a parent wouldn’t want a coach to know that because it might jeopardize their son’s status or standing on the team,” he said. “But the other part of me, as a parent myself, is I would’ve liked to have known that so maybe I could help the kid or be on the lookout. That bothers me.”
Seven weeks later. Still so many emotions. Sadness for the loss. Anger for not knowing why. Frustration for realizing he doesn’t really know if he’s learned anything from being able to prevent it from happening again.
The team has been drug-tested twice recently. Everybody came up clean, Hall said, calling this, “an isolated incident.
“It’s just one kid making a bad decision.”
Hutts’ name and number are still on the lineup card. The coach must draw a line through it. “There’s also a [space] for reserves, so when I start writing down who my lefthanders are, I know I’m one short,” he said. “Every time we have a game, we know we’re missing a teammate.”
Some things, you can’t move past.
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