AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2008 > March > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCremins leading the cheers for Hewitt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
What you’re about to read isn’t within several fast breaks of normal in big-time athletics. I mean, you’ll never guess who ranks as the biggest supporter of the current Georgia Tech basketball coach.
It’s the previous Georgia Tech basketball coach. Some guy named Bobby Cremins, now the head man of hoops at the College of Charleston. Even so, Cremins often calls Paul Hewitt two, three or how many other times per week Cremins deems necessary to offer his considerable support.
“I’m back in the rat race here [at the College of Charleston], but Georgia Tech is still very important to me, and I watch every game I can,” said Cremins, whose 19 seasons coaching the Yellow Jackets to fame officially ended in 2000. Unofficially, he never left, with his son, Bobby Jr., attending every home game and with Cremins referring to the Jackets as “we” and “us” more often than not.
You can attribute much of Cremins’ ongoing love affair with Tech to his admiration of a young coach from Siena College whom he never met until he became Cremins’ successor. “Paul’s been very good to me,” Cremins said. “He hired one of my players, Willie Reese, as a coach. He kept my secretary for a long time. He’s very bright, and he’s a great coach, and he’s a great person. Paul brought us back, because we lost something near the end, and he brought us back fast — maybe too fast. He’s been great for us, and any way I can help him, I’ll do it in a second.”
No, this isn’t normal. The old guy often resents the new guy, or it’s the other way around. Instead, Cremins hugs Hewitt, and Hewitt squeezes back. “I appreciate Bobby’s support, and other than my dad, during the course of the season, I don’t think I hear from anybody more than Bobby,” said Hewitt, laughing, maybe to keep from crying. His Jackets enter Thursday’s game at Alexander Memorial Coliseum against Clemson with a 12-16 record overall and 5-9 in the ACC.
Just four years ago, Hewitt’s team was in the Final Two. It reached March Madness two of the next three seasons. Then came this year’s collapse that was spurred by the early departures of Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young to the pros, a self-inflicted schedule of brutality and the transfer of the gifted Mouhammad Faye to SMU for academic reasons.
So Cremins keeps calling. “After a loss, he’ll say, ‘Hang in there. Just keep your head up. You guys will be fine. You lost two good ones [Crittenton and Young],’ ” Hewitt said. “He’s constantly reminding me of those things, and it helps. Bobby sat in that seat [as Tech coach], so he understands the challenges you go through.”
There is the challenge of recruiting good students who also can play a little for a school that mostly practices what it preaches when it comes to academics. There is the challenge of seeking to keep from getting bitten too badly while operating among the basketball monsters of the ACC. Finally, there is the challenge of having a fan base that expects the Jackets to do much of the biting in the conference and beyond, especially after Cremins created his own monster at Tech.
Those John Salley and Mark Price years gave way to Lethal Weapon 3, and then to Travis Best, Stephon Marbury, Matt Harpring and the rest. It ended for Cremins with the Jackets after three losing seasons in his last four years.
“I thought Stephon would stay two seasons [before going pro], but he stayed one, and it killed us,” Cremins said. “I don’t blame him for leaving. It’s never the kid’s fault for trying to better himself. But I’ve talked to Paul about being careful recruiting a great player and not having a plan for when he leaves. I lacked foresight. I was an idiot.”
That’s opposed to what Cremins calls Hewitt, which is a blessing. “Anybody who gets on Paul is crazy. I hope he stays at Georgia Tech for a long time,” Cremins said, before adding with enthusiasm, “I know he’ll bring us back.”
Permalink | Comments (43) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech / ACC, Terence Moore
Comments
By flatsfanatic
March 5, 2008 8:03 PM | Link to this
Great post. We are all frustrated with losing. This is a welcome reminder that winning in the ACC is not easy.
By dukerocks
March 5, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this
Met Hewitt once. Classy guy..Tech should be happy to have him. went to the Duke/GT game last week and met a couple of his players. They seemed like the nicest,most well spoken college athletes I’ve met. Tech should be proud…. They will come back
GO DUKE
By Larry
March 5, 2008 9:02 PM | Link to this
Nice story.
Like Hewitt, and Cremins too, but GT has been spiraling down for 4 seasons now and four seasons is not an aberration, it’s a sign.
Next year is critical for Hewitt.
By Full Metal Jacket
March 5, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this
Chan Gailey was a classy guy too. PH is just another example of positive proof that “classy guy” doesn’t necessarily mean a good coach. I appreciate that PH kept BC’s secretary and hired Reese but that isn’t why he is coaching at Tech.
By Sting'em!
March 5, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
Paul Hewitt was, is and will continue to be a great coach. Four years ago, he took the program further than it had ever been in the NCAA tournament. I look forward to him being our coach throughout his contract, because God knows we can’t afford to fire him, nor should we.
Go Jackets! Sting’em!
By GT Student
March 5, 2008 10:15 PM | Link to this
Nice article. People do not realize the difficulty of coaching GT this year. We lost so much talent from last year and currently have the 4th hardest schedule in the nation. Granted I am never happy about losing, but people need to realize that Hewitt is doing the best he can while losing Crit, Young and Dickey in one year. I guarantee that with Shumpert coming in, Mo Miller getting more experience, as well as Dickey returning, GT will be a force to be reckoned with for the next 3 years or more.
Give Hewitt time.
By John
March 5, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this
Coaches belong to a fraternity, just like lawyers, doctors, etc. They will never say anything bad or negative about one another. Big deal. That Bobby says this is a no-brainer and a non-issue and definitely not deserving of an article in here. This is more about Terence trying to support one of his own. How tired that all is. Hewitt must move on. Thanks for everything Paul but time for a change. Be a MAN and do the right thing.
By gtindiana
March 5, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
PH is not only a class act, but a good coach. He is a great mentor of young men, his players love him, and we are blessed to have him. Go get ‘em Jackets in the ACC tourney!! (can’t wait till next year when it’s in our backyard!!) Hate to see AMO, Jeremis and Matt go. Thanks you guys for your great contributions to Tech hoops. You are forever legends! Go Jackets!!
By cltgtfan
March 5, 2008 10:36 PM | Link to this
There are more holes than Shumpert can fill to turn things around next year. Hewitt had some big time losses on the recruiting trail this year when next year will be critical for his job security. I personally think he needs to find someone to help him teach better team offensive play. His tenure has been marred by way too many trips with the point guard dribbling up top and the rest of the team watching him rather than running an actual offense. (Maybe Mr. Keener might be a link back to the better times in the past now that he is available again)
By Ted
March 5, 2008 10:37 PM | Link to this
Good article Mr. Moore. Bobby is a class act & will always be one of my favorite Tech people. Hewitt is a great guy & I think we will have better results next yr. His seat is not hot, but it’s getting warm. We’ve got to cut down on turnovers & start making free throws. These things are correctable & I trust Hewitt to get the job done.
By HelluvaEngineer
March 5, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this
Terrance, another outstanding piece; a great story. I want nothing more than for PH to succeed here at Tech as I believe he is a great face for the program. I agree that nothing could be more difficult than achieving persistent success in the best bball conference in the country.
That said, it is hard to support a guy whose teams lack one sign of defense. Opposing teams continually average well above 50% against the Tech defense… it’s not necessarily because they are good shooters either. Offensively his teams mimic an NBA-style offense. No off-ball motion, and very poor shot selection. Note how 9 of 10 games their opponents take more FT attempts (often my substantial margins). Good recruiter, but has done little with his talent.
Last year 3 teams in the tourney had 3 players playing in the NBA. Two teams played for the national championship (Fla & Ohio St.). The other did not even win a game, and barely made it in as a bubble team (GT). That alone is a signal to his X’s & O’s.
PH: a great guy who embodies everything that is great about this marvelous institution; but a poor overall coach.
By John
March 5, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
I’m not sure what team or season you people were watching this year - but, if Hewitt was the GREAT coach you all make him out to be, I’d have to guess we wouldn’t be finishing the season with a 12-19 record. With losses to Winthrop, UNC Greensboro and at home to last place UVA. GREAT coaches can take a bunch of average players and make them winners. He is a GOOD coach and a NICE guy. And …IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE - SORRY BUT TRUE.
By reese mayfield
March 5, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
hang in there paul hewitt u doing find & u no u is doing a great coach n job with what u got dont listen to those bandwagon hopper that suppose to be true tech fan u will be back but i need to give u one advise get on they a* for make n those pee wee mistake i still on d tech bandwagon i not going to get off but d ride is little long & d gas is get n really high so lets get d problem fix i no u will
By RAMBLE ON!
March 6, 2008 12:02 AM | Link to this
UUUGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
**WE ARE IN THE CELLAR PEOPLE!!!!!!
THE ACC ISN’T EVEN STRONG THIS YEAR!!!**
Bobby’s never said a bad thing about anybody, not even an Offical
By Gee Tech
March 6, 2008 1:21 AM | Link to this
Next year will determine his fate and he knows it. You can sense the pressure mounting and he needs to recruit more kids like Causey and Morrow who will stay 3 or 4 years. Smith was a bust but he hustles. Dickey, Shumpert, Moe, and Ganawal (spelling) will make for a nice nucleus to win out of the gates. Scheduling is also an area that needs to be improved upon w/ Hewitt. Scheduling a game at UCONN in the middle of an ACC race is just plain dumb and ill advised. He knew he would probably lose Critt and Young and look what happened. Momentum is lost and you go from a bubble team in the NCAA to a bubble team for the NIT. Scheduling can make or break a team in mid season w/ dumb games out of conference. Kansas, UCONN, and experienced teams like UNCG and Wintrop who were loaded w/ seniors can make a difference. Duke plays a weak non conference schedule and Coach K is smart b/c he knows momentum and confidence is everything.
By Bravesfan79
March 6, 2008 2:50 AM | Link to this
Well when Tech makes the tourney there usually more ready than Duke because they HAVE played a tougher non conference schedule!
I believe Tech will be back next year, and then in 09 we might be getting the #1 recruit in the NATION in south ATL’s D Favors!
Its between GT, UGA, Clemson, and FSU. Well all know FSU at there best = NIT
UGA’s program is in shambles again and it looks like the coach is gonna get fired/ and weve had more success than clemson in the tourney and overall lately…plus were the HOMETOWN team…so common D Favors… be a Jacket!!
GT will be back next year with Lawal, Shempert, Dickey, and Miller leading the way!
By John U R A moron
March 6, 2008 7:00 AM | Link to this
…so just shut your trap, heh.
By Techster
March 6, 2008 7:11 AM | Link to this
“Hewitt is a great coach”. Right. And the check is in the mail. And it’s only a cold sore, and….well anyway. I used to go to those Mark Price, Bruce Dalrymple, Duane Ferrel, Tom Hammonds, et. al games, so I’ve been watching for a while now. I said a couple years ago that it was stupid to give PH a huge contract after a gutsy team pulled out a bunch of close games in a row to make to the finals. He hasn’t done jack since. We’re always “rebuilding” and UNC and Duke lose just just as many, or more, players as we do and they win 20+ every year. The man is overmatched and overhyped. He has been all along. We sent Gailey packing, now we need to send Hewitt packing and get a coach who has all the nice intangibles as Hewitt, but also knows how to beat the other team on the floor.
By Crosby
March 6, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
I think Hewitt definitely deserves a couple of more seasons to get things turned around again. It’s hard to match the run of consecutive tourney appearances we had. With all of the mid-major teams now earning respect and tourney invites it’s more difficult in this day and age to just say I’m in the ACC so put me in. You can’t blame Hewitt for recruiting great players either that turn pro. I think he has earned at least two more seasons. I think he’s already proven himself as a winner. Bobby Cremins possibly is the greatest supporter/coach in Tech history for any sport.
By Connie Lingous
March 6, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
Anyone who doesn’t like Hewitt doesn’t like GTU.
By Hal
March 6, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
Good article. Coach PW has proven he can do the job. We need to recruit players who of course can play in the ACC, who’s moms already have houses and see a need for an education. Coach PW keeps getting sandbagged by guys going to the NBA just like Cremmins. What can you do? It hits us hard because of lack of depth on the bench.
By Ross
March 6, 2008 8:14 AM | Link to this
Paul Hewitt is one of my favorite people in sports. He’s the kind of guy you’d like to have a beer with at a sports bar and just BS about life’s toy store. Losing Crittenden and Young is not his fault. I surely hope Tech sticks with this prince of a guy.
-drl (class of 85)
By JohnCE72
March 6, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
I was clearly a critic of Gailey and strongly supported his replacement but to me Hewitt is different. I’m no where near ready to throw him under the bus - be patient and give him a chance to re-group. I believe he is a winner and will bring the program back. GO JACKETS!
By Techster
March 6, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
Hey, good post Connie; “Anyone who doesn’t like Hewitt doesn’t like GTU.” You obviously know a lot about Georgia Tech and the game of basketball. Next time, maybe you can actually get the name of the school right. There is no such thing as “GTU”. Did you even go to school there? If you had, you would know that anytime someone incorrectly uses the name of our school, us alums immediately know they don’t know what they are talking about. Hewitt may be a great guy, at least that is what everyone says, but I thought winning counted somewhere in the coaching equation too. This post-season, while we’re watching a lot of other schools play on TV, but not our own, we can take pride in the fact that a “great guy” coaches our underperforming team. Since the 2003-2004 season, this team has won a combined total of 1 game in the NCAA tourney. Maybe thats good enough for you, but I would like to see more success on the court too. Surely there are other “great guys” in this sport that can produce a winner while also running a quality program.
By DerekGT87
March 6, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
The real problem here, as Hewitt himself has said, is a system that shuffles players into the pros far too early, undermining most the schools that are committed to both strong academics and winning. And the NBA’s 19 year old minimum does more harm than good. Every time we lose a Crittenton or Young to the “one year, then out” syndrome, I’m one step closer to giving up on NCAAB altogether. Paul Hewitt is doing an excellent job working within this broken system, including innovative things like recruiting from Latin America to try to squeeze just one more year out of talented players.
By Techster
March 6, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this
My last point, I promise…and I’m sure I’ll start getting criticized for pointing to actual results, but I just checked Hewitt’s career record, and after he completes his 8th season at Tech this year, he will have achieved a total of 1 record above .500 in conference play in 8 years, that being a 9-7 record in ‘03-‘04. His career regular season ACC record during that time is 56-70 as of today. I’m not disputing that he may be a good guy, but that is not a track record of success.
By GT66
March 6, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
How can any of you claim that Hewitt is a great coach and has proven it? What is the evidence? He is not a good coach and he has proven that. He has had plenty of time to prove that he can win in the ACC and has not done so. Chan Gailey had a much better ACC record and he was fired. Hewitt needs to be fired. We need a coach who will actively recruit ACC caliber players of all races. Hewitt’s record shows that he will not do that. Just look at who he has recruited.
By kool$kat
March 6, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
Terence, this was a great column! I have found fault with your work several times, so to be fair I want to say, “Good job!” I’m not sure about Hewitt. While he’s certainly not a Coach K, he’s as good as other ACC coaches not named Williams. Until the NBA and NCAA agree to keep students in school for at least 3 seasons, there will never be another consistent run of success like Cremins had. Mark Price and John Salley would have left for NBA after two seasons if current trends were in place in the 80s.
By Bo
March 6, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this
I love Bobby but he’s wrong this time. Hewitt got to go
By ben
March 6, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this
Techster, your and many other’s problem is the fact that you want to compare us to Duke and UNC. We’re not them and we’re not LSU in football.
By Stingem05
March 6, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this
Any time you lose over 55% of your minutes and points from the previous year, you are going to take a step back. Hewitt admitted that he thought Crittenton would stay at least two years giving Mo Miller a chance to come off the bench as a freshman. Hewitt’s back up plan Causey had done a decent job, but both of our point guards are in the first year in the system and thus make freshmen mistakes. I’m frustrated just like ALL tech fans and I should be; but when I look at the statistics, the only schools in the ACC that consistently make the NCAA tournament are Duke and UNC.
As for the race recruiting issue that Jim Crow (GT66) brought up, Brad Sheehan (chose Tech over UVA and Syracuse) will be an ACC caliber player once he puts on some weight on. Also name any black coaches or white coaches for that matter that consistently recruit white All-Americans? The only coach that does is at Duke.
Finally, it is really hard to sing the praises of a coach that is currently enduring the worst season of his tenure. Let see how many people criticize Hewitt next year when we are 21-7 at this point and looking at a top 4 seed in the tournament. If next year is down again, then we need to look at making some changes.
By Hugh G. Rection
March 6, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this
Hey Techster! Why hate on Connie, she’s just trying to pull the University community together behind a coach who led us to unprecedented heights only 4 short years ago. Let’s get behind the man and maybe he can do it again!!!
By SavTechIE
March 6, 2008 2:37 PM | Link to this
Great article.
By BradT
March 6, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
I find this humorous in that PH would never recruit Mark Price or Bruce Dalrymple. PH is not interested unless they are horses - does not care if they hace touch. PH needs to recruit some BB rats along with the horses. Look at Duke’s team - how many of the Duke players would PH recruit?
By goldarchie77
March 6, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this
Keep Hewitt, anybody that knows an ounce about basketball knows it. Hewitt hates Duke basketball, as I do, He loves to win, as I do. He’s a proven winner, our McDonald’s culture shouldn’t get the last word. Thanks for your class, pardon the idiots who don’t represent the whole.
By Gordo
March 6, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this
Nice story and I’m a Hewitt fan - but I’ll only give him 1 more year to get us back where we belong. Great school + a great conference + being in a great city = recruiting tools!!! He needs to get at least 2 more quallity recruits for next year or we will suffer again. They are soooo painful to watch. Go Jackets, win!
By GT
March 6, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this
He makes small mistakes that a good team can overcome but this team can’t. He didn’t prepare for a timeout at the end of the Va. game the other night. If Mark Price had been playing, Mark would have taken control and got the time out, the freshman guard is clueless, talented but not a visionary like most of the great guards we have had. Morrow has digested in skill level and absolutely cannot handle the ball in traffic. Did I see hesitation under the basket before shooting the other night like Tech players were being polite and waiting for the defense to catch up with it?
By Backseat Coach
March 7, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
Bobby is a class act and so is Hewitt. Tech would never hire a person who isn’t!
Both are GREAT recruiters. Both are good coaches. Both NEED to have great assistants around them to help coach, or their teams will sputter to a stop before they even get going.
MANY TIMES this season, I would watch a Tech player walk off the court, after making a mistake and being sub’d in for. Would anyone talk to him, explain to him what happened out there and how he could fix it? NO. Hewitt was too busy coaching (as he should be) and his assistants were sitting there with their thumbs up their….. noses. IT’S THE ASSISTANTS JOBS TO DO THIS. You didn’t get hired to stand there and draw a paycheck. Coach those men into being the team players they need to be.
Like when Causey was put in after his concussion - that was the ASSISTANT’s job to tell Hewitt he wasn’t ready. When Gani makes and immateur mistake and gets pulled - that’s the ASSISTANT’s job to take him aside and explain what he did. When someone is in foul trouble, or not knowing how to guard an opposing player, or making mistakes on offensive plays - it’s the ASSISTANT’s job to explain the problem and help!
We all hear talk about making a TEAM come together - wanting the players to MESH together, play together, flow together. We forget that it starts with a TEAM of coaches - all working together to create a group of men with the SMARTS to act, play, and think like a team.
By GTFan
March 7, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
@ Backseat Coach - you make some great points. But remember, Hewitt hires his assistants, so he’s partly to blame for their conduct.
@ Race issue chatter - Duke and Tech’s academics are one of the leading problems with getting great recruits. Obviously, it’s hard to get a smart kid who can also play it up on the court while keeping up grades in incredibly tough schools. Hewitt guilty of reverse discrimination by recruiting/signing mainly black kids? Don’t think so…
@ losing players to the NBA - I’ve always thought D-I basketball should follow D-I baseball’s rules about the draft/playing in the pro’s. Also, no 17 or 18-year-old is really ready for the professional leagus. Yeah, you can say “Look at Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, they did it!”… yeah, those are exceptions to the rule! Not everyone can or will play like them, or handle their personal lives like them.
Hewitt might want to look for guys who can give a guarantee of staying at least two years.. if not, he’s going to have a helluva of a “graduating scholarship players” record!
By G Q
March 7, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this
Living now in SW Florida I have to search for GT sports info. In the land of Gator and Hurricane stories of problems with players conduct on & off the court on a regular bases; GT is blessed to have the leadership of Paul……..Everyone remember who we are and how we got here. Go Jackets! p.s- And thank you again Bobby
By GT66
March 7, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this
Stingem05 you are in a bubble. What quality ACC white player has Hewitt recruited in 8 years? Also, have you ever watched any Big 10 or Big 12 games. There are plenty of outstanding white players all over those leagues. Also, Goldarchie77 you are in a super bubble. How can you say Hewitt is a proven winner. Where is the evidence. Look at his record.
By GT80
March 9, 2008 7:42 AM | Link to this
Fortunately the people that make the calls for GT BBall are not posting on AJC blogs.
By Ray Shumpert
March 10, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
You have a great coach and recruiter in coach Hewitt, don’t loose faith in him. He’s going to shine next year very brightly. All those people who are calling for his head now, don’t have a clule what it takes to be a top notch coach.