Sports Columnists

By RAD

January 31, 2007 06:50 PM | Link to this

17 in a row…And to Wake Forest to boot.

Nuff Said!

By GT_RDU Fan

January 31, 2007 07:09 PM | Link to this

Stats don’t lie unless it’s foul shot attempts or fouls called. Hewitt hasn’t performed since the 2004 run and it’s time for some results.

By Getting Tired of This...

January 31, 2007 07:15 PM | Link to this

It’s becoming more and more obvious that this is a coaching problem. I, like most everyone else, love Coach Hewitt - he’s truly a great guy and not too shabby a recruiter. He just can’t coach at this level. If you’re a student of the game and you pull for the Jackets, you can’t stand to watch a game from beginning to end. So much talent, so many turnovers, so many fundamental flaws. I hope he can turn it around but I’m starting to believe he just doesn’t have the ability to teach and motivate like an ACC coach has to do to be competitive in this league. Last night, he started showing great frustration…rightfully so.

By Bill

January 31, 2007 08:00 PM | Link to this

Hewitt and his staff must take some responsiblity on teaching his players the fundamentals of the college game. Way too often, this team looks confused on set offensive plays and are caught looking at the ball instead of playing their positions. By this point of the season, the team should have a clue as to what they are trying to accomplish. Just seems that this team is not properly prepared as to what they have to do to win. For what ever reason, the kids seem to have problems making adjustments and are committing the same mistakes over and over. The scary thing to me is that when something like this happens,it is because the team is prepared to play the way the coaching staff instructs them. They have way too much talent to look this confused. I have been defending the coach for a long time …you aren’t an idiot if your team makes the Final Four and you can’t be that lucky. But the coaching staff has really done a poor job this year. 2-6 is a disgrace for this group of kids. Wake shot over 50% against them. This is not a bad stretch.

By GO tech!

January 31, 2007 08:04 PM | Link to this

Young and crinennton are overhyped and are by FAR not ready for the NBA. I hope they use this season to work on there game and get better for next year! I think we should get a point guard that can pass, move jarvis to the 2 guard. And we need a post player that can defend!!! To let that guy score 26 last night or whatever should be embarrsing to the tech big men!

By John

January 31, 2007 08:22 PM | Link to this

We need slow, unathletic white guys that can shoot - on our team. Remember Mark Price!? Hewitt, for the most part, recruits black track stars/athletes. Apparently the fact that none of them know the 1st fundamental of basketball (getting the ball through the hoop) apparently escaped him. And to not make a free throw is just sickening and hilarious. Who recruits players that can’t even do that??? There are a million high school kids out there that can, so just go out an get them. Fast and athletic won’t win any games if you can’t get the ball through the hoop. Last I checked, the team with the most points win.

By Merlyn Brown IE1960

January 31, 2007 08:29 PM | Link to this

You’re absolutely right! Something is wrong, bigtime! You think Roy Williams, Coach K, Seth Greenberg, Coach Felton, Bobby Knight would let their kids give up a field goal percentage of 50 % plus, consistently like Tech has done the last 4 games? I think not! If a team plays (5) McDonald All American kids and gives up greater than 50% from the field, they will certainly lose most games. I thought several times since Memphis, Purdue, UCLA, Georgia that GT players just don’t know how to play defense or don’t care or need different coaching, either by the assistants or head coach. I’m reaching the point of not wanting to listen to or watch this non defending basketball team.

By Mr. Facts

January 31, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this

I am still waiting for someone to tell me what the basketball team (and for that matter the football team) has to do with the University? After the Tony Cole Basketball 101 27 students - 27 A’s fiasco at UGA a few years ago - if you decide to follow “college hoops” than you are a gullable chump loser of biblical proportions. I intensely despise everything about college basketball. There is a reason why we (the USA) are the only country on this entire planet that uses and degrades it’s 4 and 5-star academic institutions as semi-pro training grounds - it is called brain damage.

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 31, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this

Hewitt’s always been a great motivator and coaches his guys to play great defense, but he’s never been great at coaching offense. For some reason, this year, his team hasn’t responded on the defensive end as they have in the past.

Tech used to have guys like Jack, Bynum, Elder, etc. who could create shots on their own, which helped to hide the lack of movement on offense. Guard play used to be a strength of this team — when you have guards in the NCAA, you can count on being able to score points pretty well every game, regardless of coaching. But since Javaris Crittenton is really the only guy who can create shots on his own now, the lack of movement on offense has become noticeably bad. Most of the Jackets’ talent now is in the front court, especially with Lewis Clinch gone, and when your best players are forwards you have to have offensive movement to free the big men up against the zone. Considering how stagnant the Jackets’ offense is, it’s not surprising that the talented forwards rarely get the ball in positions to score, and there is too much pressure on Crittenton to look for his own shot rather than to set up other teammates, which I think contributes to his high turnover rate.

By Ramble on!

January 31, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this

Truth, despair, and agony on me!!!!!

By GT55

January 31, 2007 11:15 PM | Link to this

” Paul WHO ! “ Time to put up or shut up- Mr. Hewitt !

By Tony

January 31, 2007 11:53 PM | Link to this

Dear Tech Fans,

I am very sad about this season. When we let “Leslie” Visser score 25 last night, I closed the book on this season. The lay ups and dunks we are giving away look like some crap I get away with playing PS2 with my 5 year old! This is very sad…I got some good seats for Saturday if anyone needs tix?

By Lou Vales

February 1, 2007 12:10 AM | Link to this

Bring in Dennis Felton at Tech. Georgia has no basketball tradition anyhow so they won’t even miss a very good coach.

By BuzzMaster

February 1, 2007 12:13 AM | Link to this

hewitt—-can’t coach at this level. He won big one year with players recruited by other coaches. He needs to win big next year, get to the final four, or hit the road, along with Chan Gailey.

By surfrider

February 1, 2007 01:31 AM | Link to this

Why can’t Tech recruit the star athletes/w character that Cremins recruited…Joseph, Price, Salley, Dalrypmple, Ferrell, Hammonds, Oliver, Scott, Anderson, (sure have missed some)? Why is it so hard to recruit these types to GT, in Atlanta, in the ACC, etc…that was so easy to sell under Cremins? And defense was Hewett’s forte, which seems to have been abandoned. I would tell these players you play hard base line to base line or you sit on the bench nomatter how good you may be on paper.

By Najeh Davenpoop

February 1, 2007 01:53 AM | Link to this

Recruiting is not the problem. Paul Hewitt, for whatever coaching shortcomings he may have, has recruited pretty well at Georgia Tech. As Mark Bradley points out, GT currently has 2 blue-chip NBA prospects in Thaddeus Young (who will be an NBA star if he improves his ball-handling) and Javaris Crittenton (who will be an NBA star if he cuts down on his turnovers). In fact, I’d say his recruiting is what has kept this team competitive during his time here, since as a coach (especially on offense) he is quite average.

By Bobby

February 1, 2007 01:54 AM | Link to this

Coach Hewitt is missing a few links. His philosophy is clearly not working. This crap about no names on the jerseys is a clear indication that he is desperate and doesn’t know what to do. I like the man but I think that he does not have a clue as to how to create chemistry on a team. His multiple substitution tactic is a good example. Why take out the player when he is hot or in the zone? and what’s with this….. Fay has the best game of his career and next game he only gets in for 15 minutes? I think that the key for Tech’s future is for Hewitt to sit down with himself and start to cross off things that don’t work anymore.

By OG-T

February 1, 2007 03:08 AM | Link to this

Mark,

Heck of an article DEAD-ON. You are right, the Jacket Nation wants He-itt (I’ve resigned to spell it without the “w”) to succeed.

However, how can two players be top names in the NBA draft, another outshoot Reddick in 3pt% last year, and another who was hitting 70+ % early in the ACC season — yet with all these well-known and documented players … we have NO identity.

College basketball is fickle. As bad as it is, a tip here, a call there, and we could put up 6 wins in row. Until then, He-itt deserves the criticism … and I think even he would be the first to say he and his staff are not getting it done.

By fatarse

February 1, 2007 06:29 AM | Link to this

I can’t understand how R. Dickey is still in the lineup. He plays no defense and appears to be lazy. Smith too. You can’t be aggresive for only a half. The inside game will open up the outside game. We have no true big man and its killing us. Our upper-classman don’t know how to be leaders because they play lazy. The whole team attitude is wrong. They look intimidted and confused. Too many dunks uncontested. Very disappointing.

By luvthejackets

February 1, 2007 08:23 AM | Link to this

fatarse, I agree that Dickey does go through slumps of laziness, but how can you say smith is lazy? He is always coming up with rebounds on both ends. You need guys like smith in there doing the dirty work. I would hate to think how bad it would be without that guy. Dickey and Peacock are fine offensive players, but they just refuse to play D. We won in 04 because of great D. I wish Hewitt could get these guys to buy in to that. Lets not run off our coach just yet. I believe these young guys will come along. I don’t care if you have Coach K, You will not be consistent with three freshman starters. This team is just to young.

By INcredibility

February 1, 2007 09:26 AM | Link to this

Hey, Mr. Facts, if you are so against college bball, why are you bothering to lower yourself to post on college blogs, hmmm?

By Rick 91

February 1, 2007 09:37 AM | Link to this

I believe this team is lacking discipline, which is clear sign of youth and inexperience. Looking on the bright side, none of these players will be ready to move to the NBA draft this year.

By Rob

February 1, 2007 09:39 AM | Link to this

I said in an earlier blog that this was a 6-10 NIT team. I was wrong. Don’t believe they can win 6 ACC games or go to the NIT.

By Realistic Ricky

February 1, 2007 09:57 AM | Link to this

I can not speak for the NBA because I am not a fan and do not watch many NBA games, but consistent success in college basketball is a function of your POINT GUARD. You can go back over the Cremins era at GT and now Hewitt’s time at GT, and almost every time GT had “better than average or good” POINT GUARD play, GT went to the NCAA tournament. POINT GUARD was a disaster in the 2005-06 season for GT and is barely mediocre this season, and the results have been somewhat predictable. As pointed out by MB and most of the other bloggers, the two things that are most troubling to me right now are the POOR DEFENSIVE play of late, and the team getting WORSE since December instead of improving. Both of these items have to fall squarely on Hewitt’s shoulders, young team or not.

By ga_tech_92

February 1, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

The thing I’ve personally always loved about basketball can be summed up with this one expression: “In basketball, you can make up for lack of skill with hustle, unlike say Golf.” How many times do you see the smaller scrappier guy win in basketball? I think you see that almost every time. Diving for loose balls…boxing out…the look on your face like you would rather be kicked in the gut than to let the other team have the ball EVER…rebounding is effort before and after the ball goes into the air…effort…hustle…heart…desire…these are the things that win basketball games…you pour them into every moment of every practice and every game because YOU HAVE NO CHOICE deep in your heart you are a fighter and refuse to loose…slacking in practice means someone else is getting better than you on another team…slacking in a game means you don’t value that moment…valuing every moment…working harder than the other guy every practice and every moment of every game is how you win. I only see one person on our team fit that description, Mario…and one person does not a complete team make. This team, this coach (hopefully not this school) VERY RARELY has the eye of the tiger…you cannot teach eye of the tiger…you cannot teach heart…you cannot teach that desire that absolutely does NOT ALLOW you to give up every on any play…that is why we loose…we do not care as much as the other team. Coach doesn’t care enough to teach them offensive plays they can succeed with. Players don’t care enough to be the FIRST guy on the ground with EVERY loose ball…the FIRST guy blocking out EVERY possession…the FIRST guy to man up his man on D and make him take a tough shot. I read that Hewitt called JC immature, because he was p** at the effort and results on the court………being p** is the EXACT emotion we need…get fire in your belly…you should be p**…you are getting owned by people much less talented, who ONLY ARE TRYING HARDER. JC, you should be extremely p** at everyone on the team (but Mario) because they are NOT P**…they do not care to be p**. Do you see Coach K when his team isn’t playing 110% effort? He looks P**. Bobby Knight?…same story…maybe the problem is the coach doesn’t want them to be p** about this…personally…I’m p**, because I care. This would drive me crazy and I would spend every waking moment practicing with my team mates…because…working HARDER than the other guy is how you succeed. When you have guys who work harder and want it more than the other team AND when your guys have talent on top of that (which we do)….THEN you are unstoppable. There is no amount of X’s and O’s that can stop sheer determination of will and effort, on a consistent basis. Simply put, we don’t want to win bad enough to win…we do NOT refuse to loose…we do NOT let our guys get p** at the situation…they should be p**…they get out worked every game they loose………which is their choice. So…again…they CHOOSE to loose. Choosing to loose, is why we don’t win. Seems very simple to me.

By Dante21

February 1, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

Fact of the matter is the Dickey—Morrow—Smith class is a bust. These guys should be the leaders, the Clarence Moores of the team. I simply don’t see that work ethic or desire to lead from of any of them. That lack of desire to “show the way” can be very detrimental to a team. They are getting too use to losing. They not only expect it but they accept it.

Like I’ve posted b4, forget about this year. It’s over. They key is to get ACC experience, get Clinch back, concentrate on academics, get ready for a grueling off-season, and start fresh in 2007-08.

By ga_tech_92

February 1, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this

edit: Loose should have read Lose. I guess after a while the loooooses add up.

By TECHFAN71

February 1, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this

Mark your dead on. Losing assistants Dean Keener and Cliff Warren has damaged Hewitt. Don’t be surprised if Dan has a talk with Hewitt urging him to make some changes before he has to make the utlimated decision of letting him go.

By Buzz Bomb

February 1, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

I completely agree with Tech 92. You can forgive freshmen their inexperience. You can forgive a player who is not as talented as his opponent. It is painful to watch these kids who so obviously DO NOT CARE!! I could tolerate the losses if we had the effort. There is none. This is NOT the same team that beat Memphis and Georgia. Something is wrong. A team with the December talent does NOT go south like this in Feb. OK, we lose to UNC and the Terps. But VTech at home??? Wake??? This much talent with so little movement and effort….Hell, a fat goober could get out there and TRY! This is disgraceful!

By Frontman

February 1, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this

Hey, Dante21, how many more times (years) are we going to say “Forget about this year”? It’s time for Coach Hewitt to either establish this program or get out of the way and let someone else do it.

By gtfan4life

February 1, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this

I am not ready to write off Hewitt just yet, but like most GT fans I am ready to see some progress and most importantly some conference wins. I don’t understand how CH can show much promise by taking our team to the NC game in 2004, then fall flat on his face the following three years.

I also believe that losing both Dean Keener to James Madison and Cliff Warren to Jacksonville has definitely hurt Hewitt’s teams. Now the only assistant Hewitt has with any experience is Pete Zaharis. Assitant coaches help tremedously with individual instruction and help with adjustments during games. I think Hewitt does not have much help on the bench.

The loss of Clinch has hurt this team more than I thought. Losing Clinch leaves us with only one true outside shooter in Morrow. Crit and Young are very streaky shooters and have been awful from behind the arc in the last 4 games. I love the defensive pressure and intensity from Mario, but he is an offensive liablity. Dickey and Smith need to be more consistent scorers on the interior to help open up the perimeter for Morrow.

We need to develop some kind of identity on offensive, which means not substituting every other possession. We have got to start making our free throws and boxing out when our opponents shoot free throws. I can’t tell you how many times in the last 4 games we have allowed our opponent to get their own rebound after a missed free throw. Crit needs to stop throwing half court lob passes to big men in transition. It is a turnover waiting to happen. Morrow has to take more shots and get to the free throw line. We are finally able to get the ball inbounds, it only took us 20 games to figure it out. Most of these things I have pointed out should have been covered by Hewitt already, but I am beginning to wonder if he ever teaches these kids anything!

By T-Bone

February 1, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

A lot of people have been quick to jump on Hewitt’s back, and I’ve been one of them. I do believe that a major college coach making the kind of money he’s making deserves to be criticized for basketball decisions. That being said, Paul Hewitt is still the same coach who took a team that was picked to finish 7th in the ACC to the National Championship game in 2004. I believe the true weakness on this team is the lack of a leader who is also a great player. Other players won’t follow the Mario Wests, Ra’sean Dickeys, Anthony Morrows, and Jeremis Smiths of the world because none of them is a great player. When Tech went to the Final Four in 2004, the team’s leaders (Marvin Lewis, Jarrett Jack, Clarence Moore, Will Bynum, etc.) were all guys who could bring it night in and night out. Why would a young player like Crittenton or Young look up to Dickey or Smith? They are serviceable players, but by no means great. What this program is missing is a great leader who is also a great player. I believe that Crittenton will get there, and remember that Jarrett Jack was a turnover machine during his freshman year as well. I don’t want to completely write this year off just yet, but Clinch’s return, a more mature Crittenton, and the arrival of Gani Lawal (who will make Dickey expendable), will make next year’s team a very tough one. Don’t throw in the towel on Hewitt just yet. If this team doesn’t get to the NIT and next year’s team fizzles as well, I believe it will then be time to show him the door. I think even he would admit that.

By Bob GT78

February 1, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this

Great post gatech92! To give you an example of passion - we all remember Bobby Cremins’ grey hair bouncing up and down on the sidelines. Bobby had a way of drawing the crowd into the game and injecting energy when it was needed. His players reflected that energy, even if they couldn’t understand what play he was calling on the sidelines LOL. Bobby had great interaction with the fans, especially the students. Remember how they all used to dress like Bobby? Do you see any such rapport with Hewitt?

Can you see Paul Hewitt playing to the crowd? How do you motivate a crowd with slumped shoulders, constant sighing, a sulk, a shuffle on the sideline, a bewildered, frustrated look? Paul could be out in those few minutes before the game interacting with the fans like many other coaches do. Where is he? He appears, he coaches, he disappears.

After the Wake game the cameras showed Skip Prosser going over and talking with the students, shaking hands, thanking them for the support. After EVERY game, Paul Hewitt walks the line to shake hands, turns a 180 looking at the floor, and heads for the tunnel. He never acknowledges the crowd, much less the students that HE insisted be on the floor to support the team.

AT UNC, Roy Williams came out at the beginning of the game throwing t-shirts into the student section and having great interaction with them, all caught on camera. Roy Williams takes every opportunity to engage the students and interact with them. Ditto Gary Williams, Coach K, Bobby Knight, the great Jimmy V, the list goes on. Paul Hewitt? Hmmm…if I’m a blue-chip recruit, do I want to play for a coach that exhibits passion and energy on the sideline, or a coach that exhibits “calm” as Dickie V politely describes Hewitt? Which style coach more often than not gets 100% out of his players? Any surpirse that Roy Williams has drawn the quantity of blue-chippers to Kansas and UNC? It isn’t just the legacy of the schools that is the attraction.

Paul Hewitt IS one of the nicest people and a true gentleman. In that regard he is a great ambassador for Georgia Tech. I will always wish him well, but he does not seem to provide the fundamental coaching or the energy that Georgia Tech needs to compete in the ACC. All that seemed to leave with Dean Keener, or whoever the assistant was at Siena that had them ranked so highly in free-throw percentage every year Hewiit was there.

Sadly, I have to agree with an earlier post - if I had my choice right now - I would pick Dennis Felton as my coach. Look what he has accomplished year in and year out, at Western Kentucky and UGA, with lesser rosters - especially this year with only 8 scholarship players. He has energy - he has passion - his players year in and year out are some of the most fundamentally sound - they play tenacious defense regardless of the depth of talent - and they reflect his passion.

By GT55

February 1, 2007 11:24 AM | Link to this

Good blog GT78- I have to agree.

By ga_tech_92

February 1, 2007 11:44 AM | Link to this

“with lesser rosters - especially this year with only 8 scholarship players. He has energy - he has passion - his players year in and year out are some of the most fundamentally sound - they play tenacious defense regardless of the depth of talent - and they reflect his passion.”

That is just what the doctor ordered.

By ben

February 1, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this

It’s the point guard, stupid.

By Bob Leftwich

February 1, 2007 12:59 PM | Link to this

Remember when Bobby Cremmins often talked about chemistry? This team is the epitome of a lack of that component. Also remember when Dalrymple, Petway, Hammonds et.al busted their tails on both ends of the court while playing 38 minutes a game? I miss those days.

By BUZZ

February 1, 2007 01:03 PM | Link to this

It appears Tech will not win another game. Dang! I hoping to make the post-season. Oh well, baseball & racing start next weekend.

By gatechbrah

February 1, 2007 02:47 PM | Link to this

This article is absolutely correct. I can’t believe so many people jump all over Gailey, and basically give Hewitt a free ride. This year we were 2nd in the ACC, and look at the recruiting class we have coming in, according to Scout.com it is 3 spots better than georgia’s class. When was the last time that happened? Yes, I know Hewitt was once 2nd in the nation, but that was 3 years ago. Furthermore, he has not even been close to the top two in the ACC (regular season). At the last home game (VA Tech), I was looking up at the rafters and just marveling at the run that Cremins had from 1985 to 1996. Multiple ACC championships, a final four, elite eight, sweet sixteen, and most importantly almost always in the NCAA tournament. He had a program, Hewitt has one lucky 6 game run. I think we should move in a new direction pretty soon. I’m glad we have a new AD who has no allegiance to any of our coaches, he can make an unbiased decision.

By gatechbrah

February 1, 2007 02:49 PM | Link to this

Also, I think part of the reason Gailey takes so much heat and Hewitt gets off for their respective mediocrities is because of the histories of the school. Contrary to what most georgia fans will have you believe, we are a football school. We have the oldest stadium in D1, we were the first school to win the 4 major bowls, we have the largest margin of victory in CFB history, We have two major awards named after people who were mostly known for being at Tech (Heisman, Bobby Dodd), and of course we have 4 national titles, and a pretty recent one in 1990. This tradition is especially impressive since our academic standard is so incredibly high. So, when we see mediocrity, we have a tough time handling it.

On the contrary, our only basketball legacy is Bobby Cremins. Yes, Hewitt had a nice run in 2004, yet I think it is his time to go. 14 games under .500 in the ACC simply will not cut it, and I think there should be far greater outcry because of this lackluster performance

By GTechnician

February 1, 2007 02:51 PM | Link to this

Tech hasn’t been the same since Cliff Warren left. He was an excellent coach of point guards (see Jarrett Jack). He may be struggling some this year at Jacksonville, but he has 11 underclassmen in his lineup. I truely believe that he was the reason for most of the Jacket’s success.

By Bill

February 1, 2007 02:58 PM | Link to this

Think those who criticize Smith’s efforts are not paying attention. His main problem is the cheap fouls he gets called for. He works his tail off. Besides West, how many players do you see constantly diving for loose balls or trying to save balls going out of bounds?? He has regressed somewhat offensively, but this is more likely due to Young and Crit taking more shots. Shame Dickey only shows up in spurts, and he usually seems disinterested in playing defense. As good as Morrow can shoot, he has major difficulties getting open. This is where Bradley is correct about creating screens. A jr. high coach understands this. Again, Hewitt is not Dean Smith, but he is not as shabby as some are making him out to be. But he really has to do more to play to these kids talent and not put them in situations that the will fail . Some of these kids aren’t prepared or they just don’t have the basketball IQ. Either way, the coaching staff has to step up their game. Seems every team picks apart Tech with dribble penetration and open kicks or interior lane passing. Look what VT Greenberg did over and over to Tech. Very easy for any coach with half a brain to see how to beat Tech. This team has way too much talent to be sitting at 2-6. But, you are what you are.

By gatechbrah

February 1, 2007 03:07 PM | Link to this

Basically, it comes down to this: Name another team with two McDonald’s All-Americans that is 2-6 in their league… That’s right you can’t. I realize that Hewitt has something to do with getting them to Tech, but honestly, how hard is it to recruit here: Atlanta, ACC, Good Academics. It’s not that hard. Just watch the games they are the most lost ACC team I have ever seen. It’s really not that hard to make us look bad either. Play zone on defense, penetrate and kick on offense. I could coach better than that and I quit playing bball in 11th grade.

By William

February 1, 2007 03:48 PM | Link to this

Calling Hewitt the next great coach is like calling Dickey the next Bill Russell.

By Tired

February 1, 2007 04:58 PM | Link to this

How is Thaddeus Young a lottery pick? Is there a guy with the same name playing for another school? Because last time I checked lottery picks don’t miss layups, unless they play for the Hawks.

By Jim douglas

February 1, 2007 08:40 PM | Link to this

Georgia Tech has much invested in Hewitt since St. John’s came knocking during the Final Four run. Now hes is paid like a Big Time winner but doesn’t perform like one.