AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2005 > November > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBraine’s record speaks for itself
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Some of these Georgia Tech folks need to get a life. Come to think about it, they aren’t alone regarding Dave Braine.
About the only person within close proximity of the Yellow Jacket Nation more perplexed than I by those who suggest that Buzz, the school’s mascot, knows more about sports than Braine, the school’s athletics director, is Paul Hewitt, the school’s basketball coach.
He’s still fuming over the Braine bashers, and not just because he was brought to Tech five years ago by the supposedly overmatched Braine, whose credentials say otherwise.
Hewitt told me this week that three years after he was hired at Tech, he wasn’t fired by Braine, who had many urging him to do so. In case you’re wondering, none of this has been mentioned before. “That’s because Dave doesn’t operate that way, and he’s not the kind of person who is going to stay in your face and say, ‘I told you so,’ ” said Hewitt, recalling the secret furor Braine created after the 2002-03 season, when he awarded Hewitt with a raise and a contract extension despite an underwhelming performance by Hewitt’s team.
A group of Tech supporters were so peeved back then with Braine for the Hewitt move that they complained all the way to the office of Tech President Wayne Clough. What Clough and Braine did in response was nothing. What Hewitt did the next season was take the Jackets to the NCAA championship game.
See a pattern here? Thirteen years ago, when Braine was in charge at Virginia Tech, the school’s president asked Braine if it was time to oust the Hokies’ football coach who just finished 2-8-1. Uh-uh, said Braine, who eventually watched Frank Beamer become the Big East’s coach of the decade for the 1990s. This is the same Beamer who ranks only behind Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno in overall victories among active coaches and who continues to have Virginia Tech among the nation’s elite.
Memo to the Braine bashers: Given the Hewitt thing and the Beamer thing, you should take a deep breath and count to 10 on the Chan Gailey thing.
As for the latter, Braine ignored the howling over Gailey’s seven victories in each of his first three seasons at Tech and gave his football coach a new five-year contract last week after a 6-3 start. It was a start that was typical of Gailey’s Jackets, with some good (upset at Auburn), some bad (choke at home to N.C. State) and some ugly (collapse at Virginia Tech). Then three days after Gailey’s new contract, the Jackets provided some great. They shocked mighty Miami in the Orange Bowl. Just like that, Braine wasn’t considered The Scarecrow anymore by his critics, who grudgingly had to concede that Braine does have a brain.
Well, theoretically. Even Braine told me over the weekend that his thought process could have been smoother when he delivered the truth last week that Tech never will have nine- and 10-win football seasons on a regular basis. It’s the truth, because Tech never has done it. Neither have most teams, but you can’t say that, unless you don’t care to be politically correct.
“There are two ways that you can do things,” Hewitt said. “You can be popular, or you can follow your convictions. Nobody ever is going to accuse Dave of not having the courage of his convictions. The guy knows sports. Now, knowing sports and being a fan are two different things. The fans get emotional. Dave is calculating, and that’s why he’s been successful.”
Very successful. There was Braine’s stint at Marshall 20 years ago, when the Thundering Herd galloped out of nowhere into football prominence. There were his prolific days at Virginia Tech. Then there was his arrival at Georgia Tech in 1997, when he replaced the highly underrated Homer Rice and kept the Jackets prominent as players and as students.
No question, Tech’s first trip ever to the NCAA slammer for using 17 academically ineligible players in four sports doesn’t help Braine’s legacy with the Jackets. Still, he has done much more than that to help that legacy, including using his wisdom to keep Hewitt around for a long time.
“Really, no amount of emotion is going to sway [Braine’s] loyalty to his coaches, especially if he thinks they are right for the job, and that doesn’t make him popular at times,” Hewitt said. “He doesn’t always say the right things — just because he’s trying to protect his coaches — but history will show that he’s one of the best athletics director ever to come around.”
History already has.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Categories: Tech / ACC, Terence Moore
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By perry
November 26, 2005 08:27 PM | Link to this
Terance, why do you even write this stuff? I guess to see how many will actually respond with comments.
I’ve always thought the worst jobs on campus are head coaches (football & basketball) and the A.D. Especially when the main work of our university systems is to train tomorrow’s leaders. College football is such big business that most alums aren’t satisfied unless their school wins a championship. And Ga. Tech is like the rest without the legacy.
They need to remember the one guy who took them to that level couldn’t wait to leave Tech (and he is still coaching on the college level today). Tech alums need to look at themselves before complaining about their A.D. Dr. Clough reached back and brought a man he trusted and both have at least returned Tech to a level of respectability.
Tech is maybe the best engineering school in the nation. Thank the heavens that the ACC let them back in the conference. The world has changed (for the better) since the days of Boddy Dodd and Tech has managed to stay competitive.
Collegiate athletics on the Div.-1 level is alot about money and at many games Tech fans don’t even fill Grant Field.
By Dustin
November 27, 2005 02:43 AM | Link to this
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Chan Gailey is a JOKE! 0-4 against Mark Richt’s Bulldogs.
Paul Hewitt is awesome! Got us to the National Title game.
The south cares about college football. I would gladly trade Paul Hewitt for another National Title in football.
By techaholic
November 27, 2005 02:59 AM | Link to this
I respect and like Paul Hewitt but Braine is wrong when it comes to Chan Gailey.
It’s one thing to stand up for a coach who will fulfill your expectations, it’s another to give an extension to a coach who HASN’T done much of anything in his 4 seasons at Tech.
Quite the contrary, Hewitt took over rebuilding … Chan took over a Top 25 program, so what are we suppose to be waiting for …
Chan quickly took us out of the Top 25 and just this season has had us back in again for a fleeting moment or two… big deal. AD’s make mistakes … Braineless made his biggest w/the hiring of Chan Gailey.
I like Hewitt but he supports his AD cause his AD supported him, that’s fine but Hewitt is light years better than Chan Gailey …!
By Rob
November 27, 2005 10:02 AM | Link to this
Braine has been more destructive to GT football than Bill Lewis.
By V
November 27, 2005 10:40 AM | Link to this
How would Hewitt feel if Braine had announced upon his contract extension that “Tech fans shouldn’t expect to win 20 games and make the NCAA tournament every season?”
That said, it would completely hamstring the football program to fire Chan, but it’s obvious to anyone that he’s just not a good coach. GT wins in spite of him, not because of him.
Calvin Johnson: 2 receptions, 14 yards against UGA. Who’s calling those plays again?
By John
November 27, 2005 10:46 AM | Link to this
Terence Moore is an a*. What does Hewitt have to do with Braine giving Gailey a 5 year extension? A guy who has yet to beat his biggest rival. Any other school would easily and quickly fire a coch that was 0-4 against their rival - our AD gives him a 5 year extension. Moore’s panting and slobbering over Hewitt is a bit creepy but understood - that is obvious. But this has nothing to do woth Braine being a loser. And with regards to hewitt - maybe Moore can answer me why Duke never seems to have rebuilding years but we defintely do. This is going to be a long year for GT fans as our football and basketball teams are just average.
By john
November 27, 2005 11:01 AM | Link to this
And PS: why are Hewitt and T Moore surprised Braine did not fire Hewitt? It should be obviuos, Braine doesn’t fire anyone for any reason!! Duh! Braine and Gailey must go!
By mark
November 27, 2005 11:27 AM | Link to this
Big difference in comparing Hewitt and Beamer to Gailey. Hewitt was rebuilding a program that even Cremins says was “way down” and Beamer was building a program that had never been up. Gailey took over a Gator Bowl team and took it immediately to the Silicon Valley!! But what Tech fans really are upset about - those of use actually buying tickets - was that Braine sent a letter telling us that our concerns about Gailey were shared by him, that 6-5 seasons would not be acceptable and that we would see significant improvement. Never happened, but the contract was extended anyway. He got us to buy tickets again and than forgot all the promises he made. AS far as Hewitt thinking that we fans should just scream and send our money to the A-T Fund and leaving the thinking to the “professionals” - go ahead Paul. You run your program and I’ll stay home, keep my mouth shut and remember that you coaches are so much smarter than the rest of us. What a joke.
By Darin
November 27, 2005 11:58 AM | Link to this
I’m sort of back tracking here and getting a little off of the subject, but I would like to remind you Mr. Moore of and article you wrote a while back about how the SEC is no longer the dominant conference. You pointed out that the ACC is full of “quality teams” and that they are now superior to the SEC. Well let’s see…Florida smacked FSU, UGA took down Tech, who beat Miami who beat Va Tech. As for the rest of the SEC, LSU is #3 in the country, Auburn is in the top 10, UGA soon will be back in the top 10, Alabama has 9 wins and Florida is in the top 20. Who has the ACC got? VA Tech and that’s about it. I don’t think you HAVE THE GUTS to write another article and say you were wrong.
By Reality Check
November 27, 2005 12:25 PM | Link to this
Terence, as a charter member of the Fans of Chan Club I am authorized to extend to you an invitation of membership.
Congratulations, You are in!
By ben
November 27, 2005 12:52 PM | Link to this
Before you open your piehole, look at the jobs Tommy Bowden, Ralph Friedgen, Al Groh, Bobby Bowden, and Chuck Amato did this year. All have great credentials, most have easier academic standards and better talent. Chan doesn’t look so bad when you put him up against his competition. He’s kept us in every game except one by teaching a mediocre quarterback not to lose it for us and let the defense try to win it. And where was Braine supposed to go with his offer of a school on probation with tough academic standards that recruits about 50th best, but expects it’s team to be in the top ten? The only reason we got Ross is that he had been banished from college football for punching out a referee. Maybe Spurrier will pull a Woody Hayes this year and come to Tech in ‘08 with his hat in his hand. Don’t hold your breath.
By Charles
November 27, 2005 12:52 PM | Link to this
Let’s get real! We have a problem.
If GT supporters /administration can’t all get on the same page soon about performance expectations, then the end result will be ugly. Without some quick resolution, either less support or firings are coming. Neither would be good for the future of GT. Hopefully, folks can quit talking past each other.
If the answer is “no”, then what is the plan to get this vision accepted by the GT community? The perception by many right now is the vision is “no” - it’s not going over very well.
By Nix Sux
November 27, 2005 01:20 PM | Link to this
Braineless had a chance to do the right thing and force Chan to hire an offensive coordinator before he was allowed to sign a new contract and didn’t do it. Patrick Nix is an Auburn guy who has done nothing to improve our offense or quarterback play in four years. Chan scored seven points against Georgia in his first year and again this year He gets a lead and plays not to lose because he doesn’t trust his Nix led offense to not make mistakes. Nix needs to go and Chan needs to get an offensive coordiantor but since Braineless will be headed back to Va Tech to retire soon, he wants to help the Hokies out as much as possible. Chan just doesn’t understand the college game anymore after being in the NFL and needs a coach that can help him and explain the option to him as we looked pitiful trying it this year. Braineless should be apologizing for expanding the stadium and letting a lot more Ugag fans in our stadium yesterday. He should be apologizing for getting us on probation. He should resign by the end of the year and quit embarrassing Tech fans with his dumb comments to the press. While I think Hewitt will be a great coach, he underachieved last year with everyone back and will probably not make the NIT this year after failing to get a point guard. Braineless also panicked and gave a contract extension to a baseball coach that underachieved in the post season again just because another team called and asked for an interview. He has had a terrible final year which overshadows the majority of good that he has done in the past. Bye bye Braine and please take Terence (I once talked to Pete Rose) Moore with you.
By wes
November 27, 2005 01:56 PM | Link to this
Terence Moore would never write a column admitting he was wrong. In order to do that, he would have to cease writing his normal column because he is never right. Anyone with a brain knows the SEC is the superior conference in football year in and year out. The most players in the NFL, the deep traditions at SEC schools, and the nation’s leader in attendance make SEC football special. Mr. Moore does not understand this. Mr. Moore would never mention these facts when he writes about SEC football. Mr. Moore’s columns over the years in the AJC are considered brain-dead by most informed people. His column my friend concerning the superiority of the ACC in football is just another in an extraordinary long list of garbage writings.
By John
November 27, 2005 02:00 PM | Link to this
Wes, we all agree Moore is not all there but this is a blog relating to David Braine and the column above. Keep your SEC/ACC, UGAG blogs for UGA blog pages. We aren’t here to comment on those but we are here to comment on Braine.
By john
November 27, 2005 03:39 PM | Link to this
My problems with Braine is not really with the coaching situations, but with how he has run the GTAA.
First of all, he rebuilt the stadium in such a way that it alienated thousands of loyal season-ticket holders who sat in the lower east to make room for those stupid club level seats. Last night took the cake: It was about 1/3 filled with those wearing red.
Second of all, he refused to sell extra tickets to last night’s game to current season ticket holders and put the extra tickets into the three game packs and we ended up with a 60% to 40% ratio last night. There were thousands of Tech season ticket holders who would have purchased extra tickets to the game in order to “keep the red out.”
Flunkgate. An entire recruiting class was eliminated that set the program back four years. Memo to Carol Moore: Thanks a pants-load!
NCAA Probation. Unexcusable! Georgia Tech is MUCH better than that! Simply terrible that we have to be mentioned in the same breath at UGA in regards to being on probation.
By M. Bagwell
November 27, 2005 04:35 PM | Link to this
Last night made me ill, but hey, just wait ‘til next year - AGAIN!!!
By Andrew
November 27, 2005 10:52 PM | Link to this
What a boring column T Moore - yawn…