Sports Columnists

By Hal

January 18, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this

Can’t argue with the facts. We are in deep kimshee.

By Herschel Talker

January 18, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this

The Dawgs have like 3 guys left on the roster, and the nerds couldn’t even beat them. Pathetic.

How many days until spring practice?

By GT76

January 18, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this

Yep. It’s getting a little old. But, based on the recent UNC game, I expect things to get better. If they lose tomorrow at home vs. VT the season is lost unless they go on some miraculous 10 game win streak.

Something is missing. I am disappointed in the remarks about being the 8th pick for coach. He seems to have a strange agenda.

In my book he gets till March of 2010 to come in the top 3-4 in the ACC and get a 6-8 seed in the NCAA tourney

By Chris

January 18, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this

Poor little Tech. All they have as far as sports is a basketball team and even they stink! At least you have a nice campus, oops, no you don’t. At least the women there look good, oops, no they don’t. Go Dawgs!

By CRL

January 18, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this

Mark, way to stir the pot. I hope you feel good about yourself. Good luck finding a coach with more integrity and class than Paul Hewitt. Tech basketball is in a solid place. Wins and losses may vary from year to year, but with Hewitt at the helm Tech will always have teams that can compete with and beat anybody on a given night. In some years, the team will catch fire at the right time, and the right guys won’t go pro after their freshman year, and he and the jackets will be back agsin deep in the tournament. And I say all this being a UGA grad.

By Jeff

January 18, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this

Bring back Cremins!

By Jeff

January 18, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this

Bring back Cremins!

By TDone

January 18, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this

Trying to get another Tech coach fired, aren’t you, Mark? Another notch on your bedpost? You are going to run out of coaches after while.

You make some valid points. No problem there. But there always seems to be a double standard betwee your coverage of Tech, and UAJC, that means the Official Univerity of the AJC.

And we now who that is, don’t we?

By Fred

January 18, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

One other thing to mention. UGA is not a good basketball program. They are still struggling to emerge from the Harrick mess, and the fans are getting a bit frustrated with Felton. But, Felton has a winning record against Hewitt, and if Sundiata Gaines had been healthy last year, it would be a very lopsided record.

This is not football. GT is supposed to be a better basketball program than UGA.

By smartguy

January 18, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this

I’ll trade you Mike Woodson for Paul Hewitt.

By GTCraig

January 18, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

Amen Bradley Thanks for speaking the truth !!! Please don’t you self righteous GT fans answer this by saying I (we) should support the program I am a 30 year season ticket holder and AT fund contributor so I do support the program. But if we are not going to accept mediocrity in football then we sure as hell shouldn’t accept below mediocrity in basketball. GO JACKETS!!

By Chris

January 18, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

TDone don’t be jealous little man.

By Korean cuisine

January 18, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

It’s kimchi. And yes, it is deep. Fermented, too.

By Sammie

January 18, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

Mark, and just where and when did you either play D1 or coach a D1 team? Waiting on your credentials since you seem to be able to dish it out. Want to see your pedigree?

By Jamal

January 18, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

The whole athletic program is in disarray. Who’s Fault? Previous AD or Current AD? Can’t get any recruits to come! This stinks.

By GT FAN

January 18, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

Right again Mark. Its time for Rads to start looking for new Coach. Fire him at end of season.

By JB

January 18, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

He better talk to Gailey….Tech people have given up on him….IT’s the ACC for pete’s sake. Big Games, big crowds.national TV…..Why can’t this guy get some ball players ?

Yours truly. A dawg fan with our own Basketball problems.

By He gone

January 18, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

Hewitt spends more time crying to the officials than he does coaching his team. The offense has no rhythm and no one on the court knows where they should be. There were a couple of possessions in the KU game where the players looked like they didn’t even know the plays. Maybe that’s why they are 7-9. I mean Hewitt can recruit like an SOB but with the All Americans he gets I would expect him to be at the top of the ACC every year. At least in the top 3-4. Aside from the final four team they have been consistently mediocre since. They did compete against the Heels and I do have to give that to them but I think the players played their asses off. Another thing that Hewitt does that bothers me. He calls these timeouts right after they score like you would see a team do when there’s less than a minute to play and your down by 3 or 4. He calls them when there’s 7 minutes to go or in thr Carolina game, he called one when there was 5 minutes to play and they made a basket to tie the game. They had the crowd in it and he’s burning a TO. Well guess what at the end of the game when they had the ball down 1, THEY HAD NO TIMEOUTS as a result. He needs to get it together.

By Patrick

January 18, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

Maybe if Mark Bradley or one of the AJC’s other fine sports columnists (whatever happened to Steve Hummer) had actually showed up to cover the GT-UNC game, they could comment on someone not doing their job.

As it is, the No. 1 team in the country was on the ropes, the Techies playing a better game than they did against Kansas, and we read nothing about the differential in free throws, the horrible officiating at the ends and why Hewitt was out of time outs.

Heart-breaking game. As a a tech fan, this is the worst I have felt about a hoops loss than anytime since the championship game against UConn, and that was over early.

This was a case of lousy coverage. I’d say the AJC has fallen to the level of Tech sports. Lots of promise, lots of stars, no substance. Bradley is a great basketball writer, and he doesn’t even show up for the No 1 team. He’s mailing in it, as are the Jackets.

By fred

January 18, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

Hewitt is the Head Coach.

GT plays in the #1 basketball conference in the country.

Atlanta is a world-class city.

Tech is a highly-respected, balanced institute.

All “excuses” are just that.

Coaches are hired to win and build strong, clean programs.

Hewitt’s whining is horrible—-the record is what it is.

Both will only get worse—-if permitted.

By Daniel

January 18, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this

Hewitt is a great recruiter and a great head of the program. He just needs a bench coach that can lead the talent through a game.

By ShutUpBradley

January 18, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this

Wow, Mark Bradley congratulations. You did a great job at running Bobby Cremins out of Atlanta, and now your doing it to Paul Hewitt. Will your hatred of all things Georgia Tech never cease?

Cremins always said that if Mark Bradley turned up dead, he’d be the first suspect on the list!!

By GTFAN

January 18, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this

Just more of the same from Mr. Bradley. We are all waiting for your upcomming book “How to Spread Positivity and Good Cheer Throughout the World” by the ever positive thinker, Mark Bradley. Will you sign my copy?

Come on man, get a life.

By GT81

January 18, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this

The college game is getting to be as big of a joke as the NBA, with the rash of not-ready guys like Crittenden and Young leaving early. Instead of honing their craft, they ride the pine. How will Crittenden ever develop into the player he should have been by playing 5 minutes a game. Whatever…I’m sick of it.

By glw

January 18, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this

I too am disappointed in this season. I figured at least 10-6 at this point. I know its not an excuse, but he lost 2 guys to the 1st round of the NBA. I dont think he prepared to lose them after just 1 season. Had they come back, Tech would probably be at least a Top 15 team. Crittendon lost was huge, but losing Thaddeus Young was just as big, I thought he was a bit overrated, but his willingness to take shots was important. And dont forget that Dickey academics/injuries were a setback too. Having said that, I still think they should be better than they are. I still cant help but think that maybe Hewitt’s relentless substition patterns disrupts any continuity which might develop on the floor. And the development of the veteran players like Jeremis Smith and Anthony Morrow didnt occur. they basically seem like the same players they were as freshmen. I think the AD wont settle for anything less than a tourney bid next year, but more than that, some consistency would be nice. I dont think we will ever be in Duke/Carolina’s class year in and year out, but every couple of years, it would be nice to compete for a conference championship.

By Buzzmeister

January 18, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this

The Jackets played a good game against UNC the other night and I hope that fire carries forward with VT. However, for Hewitt to say this season is going “doing fine” is unbelievable.

If he is really getting $1 Million a year he is definitely not earning it. Just as with the football team the past few years, there has been no improvement or fire in the belly. I don’t care if he was the 8th or 9th choice, now that he got the position, he should show what he’s got—and reality shows not much at all!

This team needs fundamentals and a team dynamic which should come from their coach. He seems to not care at all by his comments. Show us your stuff Mr. Hewitt or move on!

By WPinAZ

January 18, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this

Paul Hewitt is in denial. He always has been when discussing the “under-performance” of his teams since he’s been here. I’ll say it again…..I thought he was a good hire after Cremins. I thought after the F4 run we were back in the game. “GT BASKETBALL IS BACK!” But, then we lost at Kansas the very next year. And Hewitt and his teams have been clueless ever since. I don’t see it getting any better on his watch. We get out coached EVERY GAME. Very very disappointing. His time is up. We need a new coach.

By NCR

January 18, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this

Look, you at least got to give the guy a little break. How much better would our team look this year with Crittendon and Young? A lot.

Tech has got to stop recruiting “one-and-out” players. There’s no advantage what-so-ever to the health and continuity of the program. I’d rather have 4 years of a good player competing versus 1 year of a superstar.

By stan

January 18, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

Given that UGA has the academic prowess of a community college one would expect them to get all of the better dumb athletes…..Hang in their Coach H

By Corliss

January 18, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this

What built in excuse do Tech fans have NOW? At least when they lose in football to UGA there’s always the “we’re an academic institution and we have higher standards” crap. What;UNC, Duke, BC and Wake aren’t academic institutions also? Face it, basketball in the state of Georgia is GARBAGE!! Apathy, no talent and lack of coaching=basketball@GT AND UGA!! The numbers don’t lie and don’t blame Mark Bradley. Mediocrity is just that;plain and simple. Class and integrity are wonderful but it’s time for Felton and Hewitt to start winning some games:PERIOD!!

By Clay

January 18, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

If I’m the eighth or ninth choice for a position, I don’t think I’m going to be walking around admitting that to people. What does that say about Hewitt’s abilities? The answer to that question seems to be coming into crystal clear focus with each additional game Tech loses.

By chewyandrw

January 18, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

How can anyone say that he is a bad recruiter? Chris Bosh, Javaris Crittendon, Thaddeus Young, Jarrett Jack. Yea, those guys were not bad. And my God, they are in the ACC. Everybody is talking about how Cremins did this and did that. Look at college basketball during that time and place. There were not that many early leapers to the NBA. Even Jordan stayed til he was a Junior. You recruit the best and hope they stick around. How was Hewitt supposed to recruit a point guard with all signs that Crittendon was coming back for at least another year and possibly a third. No high school point guard in the country was going to come to Tech. They are young (4 seniors-one wasnt recruited) Thats 4 juniors, 4 sophmores, and 4 freshmen players returning including 6 players with starting experience. Things are looking good next year for the Techies. GO JACKETS

By GT55

January 18, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this

Good job Mark. The record don’t lie. Its time for change don’t wait do it now, let Asst. finish year. Mark get a AJC Poll on Hewett. To Fire him are keep him.

By Nice Guy

January 18, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

First, I still think Paul Hewitt is Ok with me. The problem is this. The way college coaches, not just Paul Hewitt recruit is they get the ultimate high school all-american that they hope will play 3 years. It’s not that he’s not getting the players he wants but they leave for the NBA and it sets the program back a couple of years. So you find yourself rebuilding again.

I think what Hewitt needs to do, and I have already seen Coach K of (Duke) make this adjustment, is that recruit players that can fit into your system and you know they are going to be there for 3-4 years rather than loading your team up with all-americans knowing they’re going to jump to the NBA. These are the facts of life now with these kids going to college. The only reason they are in school is because the rule says they have to play one year. I don’t think it hurts the college game, I just think coaches with good programs and systems needs to change the way they recruit. But they fear missing out on getting that great high school player and miss maybe a chance to go to the final four. I guess they’re willing to take that chance. That’s my take on the issue.

By bh

January 18, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

Maybe PH is on the way out.

By bh

January 18, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Maybe PH is on the way out.

By bh

January 18, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Maybe PH is on the way out.

By RAMBLE ON!

January 18, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Thank you Mark for printing what I’ve been screaming!!!!

His radio show was pathetic…He couldn’t understand why so much blue was in the house. We fans are sick of watching a Basketball under achieve under him and play terrible basketball. I’ve never in 25 years, seen the “Thrillerdome” like that. Paul, before you got here, it was the GT people paying the scalpers to get in to watch a basketball game big $.

He wanted to talk more about FOX News and Bill O’Riely, saying it was a FACT they leaned to the right. Even if I were to agree with his fuzzy FACTs, what does that have to do with Basketball and GT being in last place the conference?

What does him being interviewed have anything to do with what is going on with his job/performance 8 years later? Nothing!

I remember he got his panties all in a wad about Dicky V. praising Duke and acedmics, because it helps with recruiting.

The problem is, Hewitt’s worried or crying about stuff that has nothing to do with him coaching Basketball. Like why is my best record in the ACC 9-7, why do I never have any timeouts at the end of games, why can’t our players make a freaking free throw?

Hewitt wants to be a politician than a Basketball coach. I’m not voting for either one. Listening to his radio show was the last straw. I want him gone, for good!!!

This is par for the course for him, every year start off slow and some years do something decent.

I think he has filled his own pink slip out for DanR, or at least made it easier.

By JustMe

January 18, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this

Give me a break! No one, even Hewitt, could have forseen 2 starters leaving as they did before this season. Of course that put the team behind the 8 ball to start.

I am impressed with the ability of the team to continuously improve play to fill the hole of those 2 players. What other team/coach could do that? I would say that the answer is very few….

By Wow, What did I Miss

January 18, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this

I saw a bunch of scrubs playing against UNC. Are you kidding me that he is supposed to do better with that team??? When has he had a solid lineup of All Americans??? JC and Young were raw and nowhere in the class of Oden/Connely or the Gator kids(who were not freshmen)…. Way to compare apples to oranges!!! Even when he had Bosh, he really had nobody else. His players are system or just solid players. His players are never “great” freshmen. GT fans need to remember that you are an “academic” school so you will be lucky to compete anymore. I think you skip over what good the coach does. How about how he stands up for the student athlete…He used the Final Four podium to tell what is wrong with the way these kids are used.

By GT For Life

January 18, 2008 2:37 PM | Link to this

Mark, you hit the nail on the head. Hewitt has only had 2 years where his teams have not underachieved (his first year and the final four year). Off the court, Hewitt may be the best representative we could have for Tech, but on it, he is pretty inept.

I could go on and on about why Hewitt is a bad coach but I won’t bore you with that. One thing I do want to say though is that over and over Hewitt states that individual player development is his main emphasis as a coach. If that is the case, then why have only a few of his players actually shown a noticeable improvement under him (Jack, West, Alvin Jones, and Luke)? Hewitt brings in so much talent to Tech but isn’t able to develop them at all while they are here.

By Konark

January 18, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this

Ah yes… the famous Mark Bradley who really has nothing good to say…

And probably the worst hometown newspaper we’ve ever seen… Even when Tech got to the National Championship game, this newspaper had nothing to say besides try to incite the fans to suggest that Tech under-performed by losing.

Mark… when you are able to graduate from a bad Atlanta regional paper and go to a National paper and gain recognition there… then I think you’ll have earned the right to smear the reputations of other successful people. Till then, you’ll just be “Barking Madly”

By mutthater

January 18, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this

I really really hate agreeing with Bark Madley, but this article is actually spot on. Hewitt, shape up or ship out.
This is your second mulligan season. I certainly hope Drad won’t allow a third.

By Kendall Leverette

January 18, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this

Mark Bradley is always so quick to speak negatively about local college coaches. I bet he didn’t even make his High School basketball team, so who made him an expert on basketball. Paul Hewitt has recruited some great players at Tech, the problem is that college backetball is dead because all the great players opt for the NBA after one year. It is no longer the NCAA, but the NBA junior league.

By Paul Hewitt

January 18, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this

You guys are just trying to sell papers. That’s why I don’t read this garbarge. Oh except when I think my name might be in it. Hey, we beat UNC Charlotte.

By Dan

January 18, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

Let me start off by making this statement… “GREED” has replaced “COMMITMENT” in college athletics (and in my opinion, in life itself). The lure of $$$$ the pros dangle in front of a “kid”, that wants (or needs) to help out with the family financial situation is extremely hard to pass up, and certainly for a 18 or 19 year old who has a wealth of b’ball or f’ball ability!! The NCAA has abdicated it’s responsibility in this sutuation also by allowing these “kids” (not mature adults) to forgo the remainder of their scholarship for the $$$$. We as a society have really gotten caught up in the… “first amendment syndrome” to the point that even the “maturing process” of our young children is being adversely affected irregardless of whether there is just a mother, aunt or g’mother raising the kids. In my opinion, the only way colleges will be able to get “relief” from this situation of “early exiting” by any athletes (short of a change in society) is for the NCAA to institute the following policy. Any college freshman signing an athletic grant in aid to any college or university is required to complete and pass a minimum of two consecutive school years of academic studies at that school. Failure to comply with this “requirement” as a direct result of the athlete “choosing” to “go pro”, will result in the student athlete being legally required to reimburse that school for at the minimum, that pro-rated portion of their scholarship that they used. Obviously, if a kid gets the kind of $$$$ the pros are throwing around these days, the athlete could certainly “afford” to exit. However, “light” this idea may be, at least it would be a start in the right direction.

By 1st off

January 18, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

Crittendon told Hewitt when he was recruiting him that he was one and done. Everyone knew that so when he jumped to the NBA that’s not an excuse Hewitt can fall back on. Nice guy said it right, he needs to take a page out of coach K’s book. Recruit the guys you know that will stick around for a couple of years and actually go to class and graduate. The only problem with that is you might end up with too many white guys.

By BG

January 18, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

Hewitt is a darn good coach, and Tech is lucky to have him. Who in the heck do you guys want to replace him?

By tony

January 18, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

Hewitt’s dream job is to coach the NY Knicks. He’ll get his chance to leave after Isiah is fired at the end of the season and Tech loses in the first round of the NIT.

By JacketsRule

January 18, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this

It has been very frustrating the last couple of years seeing Tech teams who cannot dribble, penetrate, drive & kickout, pass, rebound and for godsakes inbound pass; let alone free throw-something to practice outside of NCAA restrictions. We have at best a track team up and down the court but can never move w/o the ball in that NBA offense Hewitt tries to use. We do not have long lasting assistants to define a ‘program’ nor build a scouting base. Hewitt coached in Villanova area overflowing w/ guards yet we can’t get one here for NY/NJ/PA area?! ‘How to beat Tech’ - easy, let ‘em shoot, they won’t rebound and go backdoor - the lane is treated like handicap only parking area. FIRE PAUL - HIRE BUZZ PETERSON.

By wes

January 18, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this

Q: How did Bobby Cremins do the year after Marbury bolted for the NBA?

A: not so good

Q: Does the AJC have an axe to grind with Hewitt after his comments on the radio?

A: of course it does, exhibit A (the article above).

Just remember what Cremins did the year after Marbury left and then multiply that times 2 because Hewitt lost Thaddeus Young as well.

Cremins did poorly, yet I believe that Cremins guy’s name graces the court at the AMC.

By truthteller

January 18, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this

GT is having a losing year(it’s gonna get worse since they will probably lose all of their ACC games)because Hewitt is doing a very poor coaching job, and because they lack the talent to compete. They don’t have to worry about anyone leaving early for NBA since they don’t have anyone who can play in the NBA. I think Hewitt is too caught up in worrying about whether there are enough black coaches in college football and other sports. May be time for him to go work for ACLU instead of GT.

By chucktown

January 18, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this

it is a problem when morrow is your best scorer on the team.he is at best a roll player on a mid-major.paul just can’t keep recruiting these type of players.dickey is the exact same,jeremis is the only one that i give props from that class.the first two should never have been considered for techs starting line up. i would like to see bobby cremins and paul hewitt together on the bench, i think that would be a lethal tandem-coaching wise and recruiting wise. paul just has to put his name in the pot for every top 100 recruit year after year and also use the junior college route like bobby cremins did.

By heardthisbefore

January 18, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

Hey it seems like I just heard this before during football with Coach Gailey. Watched the Jackets the other night and they played an outstanding game vs. North Carolina. Some excellent coaching by Coach Hewitt. Just reading this makes me wonder how long it will be before we read this about Coach Paul and the football program. You have been good at times because you recruited some great players who were not great students and they did not hang around to get their engineering, or is that management degree.

By gatech87

January 18, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this

I can’t dispute the plagerized ideas from the Hive for your story but why write it after the best performance in two years (against UNC)?

Horrible timing and another slam against GT.

AJC at it again.

Now go write an article on how great UGAy’s bb coach is…

By Dave In Tampa

January 18, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this

If your players had stuck around for at least 3 years you guys would be doing much, much better. Hard to blame that part on your coach. Alas, he should still get some consistancy out of his players.

Losing to UGA was probably the nail in his coffin. If I were a gambling man I would bet the farm that he will be gone at the end of the year regardless. Of course it depends on what’s left in the funds after having to pay Gailey off.

I’ve always enjoyed watching Tech basketball teams form the past and hope they turn it around and this comes from a Bulldog.

By ITech

January 18, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this

You can’t really compare Tech’s players that left to the NBA to those other schools. It is fairly obvious that Javaris and Thaddeus made poor decisions. They were not ready for the NBA at all, and their lack of playing time shows it. Noah, Horford and Green are MUCH better players than Young and Crittenton. Same with Conley Jr. and Oden. If Crittenton wouldn’t have left(which was a complete suprise in late April) Tech would definitely have a solid record because what they lack is a point gaurd. Because of the unexpected late jump to the pros by Crittenton Hewitt had no time to get a Top prospect at the point. Get off his back, anyone who know’s anything about bball know’s that he is a great coach. Heck, he went to a championship game 4 years ago. They will be better next year and this conversation won’t matter.

By Curt

January 18, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this

As a Tech fan, I’m not sure I have ever been as irritated by an interview as much as I was by Hewitt’s the other day. I guess Braine saying the football program could never win 9 games in a season was a close second.
He insulted the job, by suggesting 8 guys turned it down, he insulted the program, by suggesting that the current state of the team is somehow acceptable, and he insulted the fans by inferring that without the AJC there would be no discontent with the state of affairs in the basketball program.
Frankly put, he has done a terrible job at Tech.
The worst thing for fans is to have to suffer with an inconsistent team. At least at the end of Bobby Cremins’ tenure it was obvious that there was simply no talent there to work with. But with Hewitt, he has plenty of talent that he simply squanders. I think he has won 1 NCAA tournament game outside of the run to the championship. He can’t win on the road, ever. And to play the UNCs and Indianas close only to lose to UNC-Greensboro and Winthrop is unacceptable. And it all comes back to coaching. He can’t get these guys to perform. Certainly with any consistency. Jeremis Smith, Dickey, Morrow, Elder, et al. Has he developed any player outside of Jarrett Jack? Last year’s team was “too young” to expect anything out of, yet Texas went to the Sweet 16 with 4 freshmen starting. They had Durant, but Tech had two of the top 10 rated freshmen in the country playing for them last year. Two first round picks in the NBA. He couldn’t win in ‘03 when he had the team that went to the championship AND Chris Bosh. He then lost 12 games with that championship runner up team and hasn’t really gotten anything going since. Yes, they lost to a really good Louisville team in the 2nd round that year, but they should have never been in the position to have to play a team that good in the 2nd to begin with. There might have been 7 guys to turn this job down before, but I bet Radakovich wouldn’t have to search that long to fill the job this time. This should be a team that is a top-4 ACC team year in and year out. The history, the league, the city, the education, the fact that they have 20 games a season on TV, maybe 10 nationally. There is no excuse for Tech to be the worst team in the league. Clemson is a top-20 team? Time to get someone in who can recruit and coach. Time to get someone who respects the job and the fans. Time for Hewitt to go.

By Chris

January 18, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

Remember, Bradley helped run Cremins off with columns like this. Mark Bradley, how many basketball games has he won? Oh, that’s right, he’s from Kentucky so that makes him an expert on coaching even though he has never coached a game.

By Nerds, Nerds, Nerds

January 18, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this

GT is lucky to find anyone to take $1 million and coach their hoops nerds - no postseason for you.

The new AD will fire him after this year and hire a replacement, who will be fired within 3 years.

Also, Coach Johnson will be fired after his 3rd season of failure.

Finally, the new AD will be fired after all of this.

Where’s my t-square?

By Pat

January 18, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

I was at the UGA game pulling for UGA. My observation was that Hewitt was getting paid by the substitution, Tech was lost on offense and couldn’t shoot free throws. Otherwise I like him.

By GT SANDMAN1982

January 18, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

Most schools with programs that LAST do not change coaches every 3-4 years. If Tech (or Dan Rad) starts doing that - you have not seen what the bottom really can look like. While Hewitt does have to make changes and get the program back to the middle/upper middle of the ACC he is not totally alone here. The other idea would be for Rad to SHOW up for his TEAM and show ACC officials tapes of some of these games. Hewitt and GT is getting the shaft from these officials - they are not even close to calling games consistently. Where is their accountability?? Why don’t you write about THEM!!!

By the truth

January 18, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this

Sorry guys. I’ve defended hewitt when my friends said that he needed to go, that the guy could recruit but couldn’t really coach up players (i.e. bobby cremins). But enough is enough, —Tech lost to UNC greensboro!!!! Tech lost to mighty Winthrop!!!! are you @!$#*& kiddin me?!!! hewitt’s players consistently underachieve, -don’t give me that we’re an academic school b.s., —ever heard of DUKE?!! i hear they have a good team every now and then despite their high standards. Enough with the excuses!! You cant fault bradley on this one, tech’s record for the last several seasons speaks for itself, —if you fans accept mediocrity, then you should’ve been happy with gailey, too.

By Nick

January 18, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this

If there was a rule that says players would have to play at least 3 years of college, GT would win the ACC every year and challenge going to the final four every year because Paul Hewitt is a good coach, not great yet but real good. But as long as these kids know that the money is out there and some agent tells them they can go anywhere from 10-20 in the draft, they’ll continue to take that chance.

I agree with Nice guy as well, learn from Coach K, get players that can play in your system. That doesn’t mean don’t recruit any high school all-american but have some balance in your recruiting so you won’t get hit with any surprises after you’ve had great year and expect everyone to come back only to let you down. But of course I don’t blame the players for taking a chance.

By Robert

January 18, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this

Great article. I agree with you that the bar should have been raised. That was a terrific moment for GT Basketball. However, the bar has budged … but … in the downward direction since. They did play tremendously in the UNC, Kansas and Indiana losses. But, in other games, weren’t good at all.

If he feels that there is a reason why he can’t win here (tough school, good facilities, in one of the largest ACC cities), then perhaps he should go somewhere else. Cremins showed us that we could win in the ACC and do so regularly!!! Robert (1980)

By Curt Moore

January 18, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this

Ditto on Curt’s comments. It’s tough to make coaching changes, but it’s time for leadership to step up and make the call. Go Jackets!

By Tom

January 18, 2008 4:05 PM | Link to this

It’s Ga.Tech. Who in their right mind would want to play or coach there?

By GT Alum 07

January 18, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this

You guys are idiots.

I haven’t read every comment on hear, and I don’t need to. Paul Hewitt is a stand up guy, but he’s clearly frustrated. Wouldn’t you be? Do you think his coaching model has changed from a final four team to now? The guys he has now simply aren’t getting it.

You can write off the team in ‘05 to point guard play. Zam Frederick was a shooter, he was not meant to run the point. Ever. Last year’s team underperformed, but why? Crittenton and Young were talented, but they weren’t Kevin Durant or Greg Oden. They weren’t clutch, Young often seemed lost on the court, and Crittenton tried to do too much. Even still, that team could have been much better, but everyone seems to forget that Lewis Clinch was gone almost the whole season. If I’m not mistaken, he was our leading scorer before he bowed out for academic reasons, and we were 11-3 (with a neutral win over No. 11 Memphis) with him in the lineup.

When Tech was a good team, it was led by a good point guard. When it’s a bad team, it’s been bad play at the point guard. This year’s team simply lacks cohesion. They don’t play their hearts out every night. They aren’t disciplined. Now coaching can affect that, and I think it has come up short in games against easy teams. But realistically, this team shouldn’t be any better than 10-6 (with wins over Winthrop, UNC Greensboro, and Georgia). Miami, Vanderbilt, Indiana, Kansas, UNC - those teams are all better than we are, and those are all respectable losses.

I’m sure Paul did not intend to demean the Institute with his comments. He’s just frustrated at the lack of progress these kids have shown. Dickey couldn’t handle it academically. Clinch couldn’t either. Jack, Bosh, Crittenton, and Young all left early. It’s hard to win consistently when you can’t even count on the same guys to be there next year. But we made the tourney 3 times in 5 years, made it to the final four once, came within 5 points of an ACC championship in ‘05 (after beating number 1 UNC - in Norht Carolina), and you guys all want blood?

Over the past 7 years, the ACC is consistently the best basketball conference in America. Look at the final fours. Look at ACC/Big Ten challenge. Here’s a news flash: it’s tough to win in a tough conference! Ask any ACC team where they like to play outside of their gym, and they’ll say the parking garage next door to their gym.

So cut Hewitt some slack. He’s a solid coach who is passionate about his players and his team. We may not go to the dance every year, but few teams do! I think the sign of a solid program is a team that is competitive, even when they’re struggling, yet has the ability to break out the next year and compete for the ACC title or make the dance. I think that is the team we have, and I’m happy to have Paul Hewitt coaching it.

By EE_grad

January 18, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this

Sounds like sour grapes in response to what Hewitt in that same interview where he bashed the AJC and it’s dwindling subscription numbers.

Sounds like a race to see who will be gone first, Hewitt or the AJC. Man I hope it’s the AJC…

By Kshizzle

January 18, 2008 4:16 PM | Link to this

Talent just isn’t there because we keep losing people to the NBA. We cannot handle that because we can’t recruit enough players. UNC and others can.

By michael

January 18, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this

any chance of getting tubby smith? at least he’ll take his coat off and lossen his tie. hewitt wants to be in n.y. anyway.

By michael

January 18, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this

any chance of getting tubby smith? at least he’ll take his coat off and lossen his tie. hewitt wants to be in n.y. anyway.

By KIDDER

January 18, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this

RECKON BACK TO WHEN HEWITT WAS HIRED,,, GREAT MOVE ONE SAID, HE’S A MAN OF GREAT POTENTIAL,,,, YACK,,,,YACK HE’S GOING TO WIN… WIN… NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN OUR EXPECTANCIES OF TECH BASKETBALL…. EXCEPT WE’VE GOT A MILLION DOLLAR FLOP AND THE PLAY OF THE JACKETS LOOK LIKES EVERYBODY SLEEPS THROUGH PRACTICE. POOR FUNDAMENTALS ON DISPLAY GAME AFTER GAME. IT WOULD MAKE MY OLD GRAY HAIRED COLLEGE COACH CRINGE AT THE CAVALIER WAY THEY PASS AND DEFEND.AS HE USE TO SAY TALENT DOESN’T WIN COACHES COACHING WILL TELL EVERY TIME…NUFF SAID.

By K Leverette

January 18, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this

No wonder GT never wins anything, the fans and media are so supportive here in Atlanta (HA,HA,HA). This guy took GT to the NCAA finals (something that Bobby Cremins never did). If you check the records of all the great coaches,(Bobby Knight, Coach K, etc) they had down years until they built a winning tradition. The problem is that Paul Hewitt had too much success at the beginning of his reign at GT, so you guys thing that you should have a championship team every year. Now everyone wants to run him out of town. No wonder you guys will never be winners, you quit on all of your coaches. I guess if Paul Johnson has a bad season next year, you will run him out of town also. A bunch of DUMMIES!!!!!!

By Reasonable fan

January 18, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this

Ok I am a Georgia fan BUT, Hewitt is a class guy and I would want my son to play for him, assuming it wasn’t at Tech. I am not sure how good a coach he is and based purely on the record I think he is good but not great. He can sure recruit but look at all the players who left Tech after year 1 or 2. None were instant hits in the NBA. All needed a year or two of development to make an impact. Would they have gotten it if they stayed at Tech for another year or two. Again, based on the record probably not. Last, its Tech folks. Not a lot of people enjoy going there or staying long once they get into that atmosphere. Its just a weird place. Athletes need to be pampered and most Techies think too much of themselves to do so. I know you don’t like it but just think about it.

By N "Hoop"er

January 18, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this

Get off his back!!! What do you want to do. Scare the AD into hiring Dave Odom?!?!

By DanRad

January 18, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this

Ok fans, just back off. I didn’t hire CPH. I did fire Chan because you kept whining. Do you want me to fire CPH too. We will end up with a winning record. Well, maybe not this year but its a tough league. We are not NC or Duke. Or even Md,NC St or Wake. And maybe not Miami or BC or FSU. We are Ga Tech and I am proud to be a Tiger, er Yellow Jacket. If you keep complaining I will leave when the LSU job comes open. CPH is head of the Black Coaches Assoc and you want me to fire him? Get serious. I may be dumb but I am not Stupid.

By ga_tech_92

January 18, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this

“Nerds”, what a mature word to call strangers. Mark Bradley’s points are correct.

By Jammer

January 18, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

Not really a Tech fan but have always enjoyed watching the BB team. The thing I notice this year is that Hewitt looks completely frustrated and unhappy on the sideline. Many possible reasons for this but the results will be the same: more losses and a change in coaching either through a firing or resignation.

By MV7

January 18, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

You want to see a what a real coach is like… go read the article on CNNSI about Rick Majerus. That is who I want my son playing for.

By July Jones

January 18, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

NiceGuy hit it right on the mark. You can’t go out and put all your eggs into recruiting McDonald’s All Americans every year, then have them go one and out on you. This is exactly what Cremins did and, as more and more kids bolted to the NBA after their freshman year, the program suffered.

The college game in 2008 is all about establishing a system and recruiting kids that fit into it that are going to stay 3 and 4 years.

The 2004 team was loaded up with a 10 guys who were all solid players and NO superstars. The leading scorer was who, BJ Elder?

By Stop it already

January 18, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

Tech Fans: a large portion of the city of atlanta that migrated here that really cares about basketball supports GT instead of UGA. Now you guys have hit a bad spot and want to jump ship. Please pratice some patience, most of college baskeball suffers because the best players leave after one or two years. My team, the University of Memphis(#2), was in a dead spot since 1985, now we are coming back to where we use to be. Please don’t fall for the cheap shots from UGA fans. I’ve never seen a school like UGA, make all that money their from football, barely supports their basketball team. That’s right, college football doesn’t want a playoff systems. Georgia Tech lost a lot of key players, trust me that will be back competitive next year. Just look at Kentucky, they were FK stupid to get rid of Tubby and look at them now. Tubby averaged 27 wins for ten years and they were not happy. No body outside of the state of Georgia cares about UGA basketball but UGA fans, most of them don’t care. Quit crying and support your team, fair weather fans…………you keep firing your coach and no one would want to come here…………

By College Fan

January 18, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this

The real truth is that high profile freshmen come in at Tech and take the minimum amount of class hours Fall semester and make next to no academic effort and are still ok to play basketball beginning that semester.

They then can go on academic probation Spring semester, during which time the basketball season ends and the kids jump to the NBA without even ending the semester in school.

The Institute got it’s little star freshman bump to win games and the kids jump to the NBA, when they would have flunked out if they hadn’t.

That is why the “academic integrity” story of GT is such puking crap. Tech uses one year basketball athletes worse than any other school in the country and should hang their head in shame.

That is the story that the AJC SHOULD write about. The president of Tech should be the first to go, and the rest of the administration should follow.

Cremmins started it at Tech and made an art form out of it. So Tech put his name on the basketball court floor.

By luvthejackets

January 18, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

I have no problem putting a little heat on Coach Hewitt. That being said to even consider a coaching change is ridiculous. We lost our two best players to the draft including our point guard. The point guard makes the offense go and here we are having to develop another freshman point. Tech will turn the corner when Maurice Miller turns the corner. I believe Miller is making huge strides in his development and confidence, that was evident in the UNC game. The good news is Miller is going to be here a while and with the exception of two players this team is pretty young. There is no need to run Paul Hewitt out od town just yet.

By AnotherJunkColumnist

January 18, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

AJC, Another Junk Column. Spineless article from a Spineless columnist. Been a Techster since ‘78 and like the long term outlook with Hewitt. Athletic Directors have become Day-traders in the sports programs of major colleges. Most of us learned our lesson with that back in 2000. I guess the AD’s are a little slow on the uptake. The CEO at Cox Comm. gets paid much more than $1mln a year for a much worse product. Bradley, when your paper gets its “program” together, then I’ll take your criticisms more seriously. Until then, it’s just another AJC columnist whining for attention.

By Rob

January 18, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this

Get rid of Hewitt…one more step in cleaning out the Braine legacy.

By chris

January 18, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this

I love how UGA fans response to why UGA is a better school than Tech —- Cuz the ‘dawgs are awesome. This is why no one from tech bothers to argue with a UGA fan, to engage in a debate would require more formal diction than awesome which UGA does not offer. What were the US News & World Report rankings on UGA’s academics, Tech could recruit dips*ts with 6 pack abs and huge biceps to have better sports teams, but then we would have people of the same intelligence (or lack there of)as UGA on our campus, and who the hell wants that?

By chris

January 18, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this

I love how UGA fans respond to why UGA is a better school than Tech —- Cuz the ‘dawgs are awesome. This is why no one from tech bothers to argue with a UGA fan, to engage in a debate would require more formal diction than awesome which UGA does not offer. What were the US News & World Report rankings on UGA’s academics, Tech could recruit dips*ts with 6 pack abs and huge biceps to have better sports teams, but then we would have people of the same intelligence (or lack there of)as UGA on our campus, and who the hell wants that?

By The Truth

January 18, 2008 5:07 PM | Link to this

Enough of the excuses that all the good players are leaving Tech….All other schools have the same issues. Looks like the Longhorns are doing pretty good this year and they lost the most exciting player from college in a long time. There must be a reason why he was the 7th or 8th guy offered the job. Also, I did not know that stats were kept on “we played them a really close game and could have won”. If it is not a “W”, who really cares!

By Chris

January 18, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this

CollegeFan: Tech just lets its athletes stick around a year? What year was our running back last year (Choice)? what year was calvin johnson when he left? (Junior) Why don’t you read the article, they even state that the leading scorer and rebounder are seniors for Tech. Stupid UGA fan. See my previous post on intelligence, you’re hook line and sinker.

By Christy Dodd

January 18, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

As a season ticket holder at Georgia Tech, I have total and complete confidence in Paul Hewitt. He embodies everything I want to see leading our program. It is extremely difficult to recruit baskeball players with the NBA draft always looming around the corner. Instead of attacking Hewitt and Georgia Tech, you should write a piece on the evils of the NBA and their practices when drafting young men that should be developing their craft, discipline, and life skills in an institute of higher learning - and FYI - what better place for them to do that than GEORGIA TECH !

By Christy Dodd

January 18, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

As a season ticket holder at Georgia Tech, I have total and complete confidence in Paul Hewitt. He embodies everything I want to