AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2008 > March > 14 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFelton’s fate mirrors Gailey’s
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
If this weekend has been perceived as some job-saving mission for Dennis Felton, the man is still sitting in his paddleboat.
Georgia’s opening game in the SEC tournament Thursday night (and Friday morning) was much different from most of their games this season: a lot of effort, occasionally interrupted by flashes of skill. Undermanned as ever, the Bulldogs fought for leads, played on fumes and overcame periods where they seemingly tried to give the game away, before finally beating Mississippi in overtime 97-95 at the Georgia Dome.
Hey, if a coach is trying to save his job, he might as well do it with a little drama.
The winning shot appropriately came from a senior, Dave Bliss, whose short bank shot behind the Rebels defense came moments after Mississippi’s Chris Warren made three free throws to tie the game with 5.5 seconds left. This came after the Rebels pulled the same hat trick at the close of regulation, sending the game in to overtime.
And in other news, Dennis Felton hasn’t been fired yet.
He was not immediately rewarded with a raise and a contract extension. He’ll have to settle for a second-round game with Kentucky. But it’s better than a Friday without a game and waiting for the phone to ring.
The Dogs won. How rare is that? They had won only two of their previous 13 games to close the regular season. An upset over Kentucky and they’ll match their victory total for the past seven weeks.
But for now, they’ll just enjoy the sigh.
“I proud of the way we kept going after the victory until we got it,” said Felton.
They showed something.
He showed something.
The days leading up to this tournament has seemed like some strange deathwatch. It may be new for Felton. But if it seems familiar to you, there’s a reason.
The backdrop of Felton’s situation is similar to the one that led to Chan Gailey’s firing at Tech. The two men coach different sports. They’re from very different backgrounds. But they must feel like blood brothers.
No, Gailey didn’t inherit probation or nearly the boatload of problems with the Tech football program that Felton did with the basketball team at Georgia. But he strung together seven-win seasons with second-tier bowl appearances, which was acceptable with his old boss, Dave Braine, became his undoing with new boss, Dan Radakovich.
Georgia athletics director Damon Evans is relatively new (four years). He has never hired or fired a football or basketball coach. But we found out how important basketball was to him a few weeks ago when he said, well, just that: “I don’t think people know how important this sport is to me.” OK, now we do.
Radakovich has higher expectations for Tech football than Braine did. Similarly, Evans sees what has happened to basketball programs at other traditional football schools in the SEC. Florida became Kentucky. Tennessee became Florida. He sees no reason why the same thing can’t happen at Georgia.
Felton and Gailey. Both good guys. Both good coaches. Both, suddenly, deemed as possibly not good enough.
Evans maintains he hasn’t made up his mind about Felton’s future. But I have this theory any time a boss says he hasn’t made up their mind: He has made up his mind, and it’s not good news. Otherwise, that same boss generally will give a public embrace, if for no otherwise than to mute the story.
Evans hasn’t done that. Similarly, Radakovich ducked several opportunities to publicly back Gailey in his final days.
If Felton still can save his job, it was a good, if not exhausting, start.
Asked afterward if this will quiet his critics, Felton smiled and said: “I didn’t know I had any critics.”
And as to whether he believed it would strengthen his chances of keeping his job, he said: “How can I possibly sit here and do Damon Evans’ thinking for him? That’s a question better suited for Damon.”
Felton remained confident before the Mississippi game, saying: “I expect to be Georgia’s coach for a long time.”
I think Chan Gailey said that. But maybe Felton still has a chance to save something.
Permalink | Comments (51) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz, UGA / SEC
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By Joe
March 14, 2008 2:07 AM | Link to this
Felton’s inadequacies have never been more clearly on display than they were tonight.
The team had fundamental breakdowns that would make a JV girls’ coach shake his head.
I am proud of the effort and happy we won, but I hope that the win does not overshadow the fact that Dennis Felton is simply a bad basketball coach.
By innocent bystander
March 14, 2008 2:23 AM | Link to this
You made a good argement yesterday as to why this beleagured man should be given another year. He gave us good evidence last night/this morning to back the argement. How could Ole Miss lose? They were outcoached.
By Alonzo Anderson
March 14, 2008 2:27 AM | Link to this
Um’ Bobby Knight is available…If I was Evans I couldn’t call him fast enough.
By Tater
March 14, 2008 2:44 AM | Link to this
I have to say Georgia played a very good game. However, where was the technical foul call for a player coming off the bench at the end of the game?
Bliss made the shot & one of Georgia’s bench players came off the bench to hug him, while the game was still going on.
I have heard nothing from the announcers or refs regarding this
By hop
March 14, 2008 5:05 AM | Link to this
this was a great win against a very good ole miss team. the dawgs fought hard and felton out coached his opponent!
he deserves another year , at least especially since he has a very good recruiting class coming in next year!
By Gordon
March 14, 2008 6:18 AM | Link to this
Chan Gailey said he expected to be Georgia’s coach for a long time? No wonder he was fired! ;)
By Left to Right
March 14, 2008 7:21 AM | Link to this
One game should not be given equal weight to five years.
He has won six SEC road games in five years.
By AltamahaDawg
March 14, 2008 7:23 AM | Link to this
I’ll have to go with my good friend hop on this one.
By santa barbara
March 14, 2008 7:47 AM | Link to this
wow Schultz, you managed to write an article and not incorporate the word “Netherworld”. You are such a clever guy
By DJ
March 14, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this
I remember a 13 point lead blown by UGA from one guy on Ole Miss shooting three’s and nothing was done about it until Ole Miss took the lead. They used no time outs. This happened in about three or four minutes. I think that win was luck. Ole Miss played a stupid game. Felton did not out coach anyone.
By FLA DAWG
March 14, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this
Well Jeff you blew it. I was with you the other day when you laid out your reasons for not firing Felton. Today however, you compare a consistently losing coach in Gailey with Felton who improved the Dawgs record each year until this season. The two have absolutely nothing in common. They actually pay you for your columns? Where do I apply?
By Lake Oconee Bulldog
March 14, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this
Dennis Felton is a great round ball coach and a great individual. Sign him to a long term contract.
By Chris
March 14, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
I agree with Hop. The team all showed us something tonight. But as I was watching the game, it DID, for a moment, seem that Felton felt the nerves. He is a good coach, but like Harrick before him, since THIS is Georgia, he has to recruit players that are talented, but maybe unstable in other ways. We lose Dave and Yata. But I am very impressed with Albert Jackson’s development the past few weeks. With Zach Swansey, Billy Humphrey, Terrance Woodbury, Jeremy Price, and Albert Jackson as your starting five, with Howard Tompkins coming off the bench, we will be a much better team. Let Felton’s stellar class come in. Let the progress of Jackson improve, or else, transfers will be made, and whatever progress made this year is gone
By regor slayd
March 14, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
Felton should be given another year or maybe two. He’s definitely a good coach and has put discipline to a program that needed it. Evans would difinitely be making a mistake to remove him at this time.
By Jack
March 14, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
Tater, you’re an idiot. Quit focusing on the negative. Everyone thought it was a game winning shot and there was no time left. Plus, Bliss backed up just a couple of feet from the bench. I’ve never seen any ref call a T in that situation. You’re either a gator or a techie and just p** ‘cause you lost last night.GO DAWGS!!! Lets take it to the Cats tonight!
By Tyree
March 14, 2008 9:25 AM | Link to this
I am very proud of our team and Dennis Felton. Some of our so called fans are really starting to affect our players in a negative way. Our team has been through a lot this season and all we have to do is belittle the coach on our own message boards. We won last night and they still bash him, I just don’t understand. This is the first year that we haven’t continued to improve, and if you can Felton, I can almost bet anything that Thompkins will not attend UGA!!!!
By Panic Dawg
March 14, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
This program was in an absolute state of disarray when Felton stepped up to the job. Anyone who has been following this program since then knows the amount of problems it’s faces since Felton has both tried to clean it up and put a respectable team on the court. He deserves at least a few years with his normal program that everyone knows is the best talent he/UGA can put on the court to show us what he can do. Quit whining and the patience will pay off.
By Gene
March 14, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
Evans has nothing to do with anything at UGA. He is just another mouthpiece for Adams, who makes every decision for all aspects of the university. Adams’ puppies become whipping boys when Mike’s decisions don’t work out. Bobby Knight would not be an “Adams man.”
By fred the"g"man
March 14, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
COACH FELTON IS A CLASS GUY WHO CAN COACH JUST HAS NOT HAD MUCH LUCK W/ CERTAIN PLAYERS BUT GIVE HIM 1 OR 2 MORE YEARS & YOU WILL SEE HE IS THE MAN THAT CAN GET IT DONE AS HE WILL BRING IN BETTER PLAYERS TO DEVELOPE—-THERE WAS A TIME A FEW YEARS AGO THAT UF FANS WANTED TO FIRE BILLY—-THEN THEY WON BACK TO BACK ?? UGA COULD DO THE SAME W/ FELTON—GOOO DAWGS & BEAT THE CATS———
By Sic'em Dawg
March 14, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this
David Bliss….smart player, can’t jump, plays with heart.
Yata Gaines….the spark.
Rest of team….overahieved last night…err, this morning.
What was with fouling in three point land twice at the end of game…first in regulation - second, end of overtime period. Dawgs did their best to give that game away!!!! Ole Miss probably kicking themselves. Dawgs did show some character…probably best game of the season for them.
So what do we do about Dennis Felton? Worry about it after next year. I am preaching patience.
Here is why.
Took over for Harrick regime - GA basketball the embarrassment of the nation. Do you know how hard it is to recover from this…who would really want to come to UGA after this crud.
His first few teams played well and overachieved.
All of his teams have showed steady improvement…except for this year.
This years team…was supposed to be top 5 in SEC - NCAA tournament caliber……but took a step back for the right reasons……Yes, the right reasons. Felton had to kick his promo’s off the team. They challanged his authority off the court in the classroom and with personal behavior. Top 3 returning players gone.
Losing only 2 seniors….recruiting class coming in is good.
Patience fellow dawgs….we have a good coach who came in when UGA basketball was the lowest of the low. He has made players accountable and the academic success report will attest that his players will be way ahead of the curve.
Lastly - this guy is a prven winner - and this program is ready to pay dividends.
Recruiting has gone well in a total rebu as the real issue I have with all of this…..Felton came in under extreme circumstances. The program was completely bankrupt thanks to Harrick regime. I think he can coach - and this is the only year his team moved backwards…but for the right reasons…..Yes, this was the year that all the Dawgs would potentially be in the top 3 or 4 teams in SEC…. His starting talent went premo on him…he had to kick those players off the team due to behavior that is not tolerated. Those players challanged his authority … if yo ulet that slide, the coach loses control…and you have bigger problems than a one year set back. If he was able to keep all of our starters he had to let go and they had the same results….yes, w
By JD
March 14, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
I think last night’s game showed the true mettle of this team and its coach. He’s had to deal with questions about his job, doubts of his coaching ability, everyone scrutinizing his coaching record; all the things you DON’T want as a coach. What I saw last night was a man passionate about his team trying to win a basketball game. Yes, they had mental lapses toward the end of regulation and overtime, but to encourage and coach these players, who have had to deal with this situation along with the coach, and to come out with that kind of victory last night, made me feel good to be a fan of Georgia basketball.
For those of you who think that he’s lost his team, on each substitution he was either coaching his kids (and listening as one of them was explaining a situation to him) and/or congratulating them on their effort as they returned to the bench. You may not like him for his nonchalant attitude towards interviews or how he comes across, but I do know that Dennis Felton is a very good basketball coach. Georgia would be well served by retaining the man for another year to put the untimeliness of this season behind them.
By Dawg Fud
March 14, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
There is no need to fire Felton. He is a good man and a good coach. Even if Damon did fire Felton (which I sincerely think he will not) who would he get? And please, don’t say Bob Knight…
Felton has poured his heart and soul into this job. I think it would be premature and and unprofessional to let him go.
By Georgia 74
March 14, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Anybody who wants Bobby Knight to be part of any school is an idiot. Coach Felton is a class act who had to follow two other idiots, it will take several more years to recover. I hope none of you who are promoting Bobby Knight are UGA graduates, if so, you make me want to send my diploma back.
By Fla Dawg Wrong
March 14, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
Fla Dawg, you need to get your crap straight brother. Ghan Gailey never had a losing season. So why do you say he was a loser? Is it just because he never beat the leg humppers? Give me a break. Don’t even dare compare Felton to Gailey. Apples and Oranges. Typical UGAG fan.
By John in Dallas
March 14, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
This subject would not even be discussed except for some whinning alums which I exclude myself from.
Every season before this one was an improvement from the last and this season was shaping up just fine until our 2 best players left/kicked off the team for behavioral and acedemic reasons.
We lost our 2 best scorers so get off Felton’s back. Remember this is the same coach that was able take Western Kentucky to the NCAA tournament in 3 consecutive years and he will do it at Ga too if we give him the time.
Please, lets not take a step back again the team will be better good next year. Lets keep CDF.
By GaCracker
March 14, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
I don’t see how Felton can be fired without sending a message to future coaches to allow team rules to be broken and that one does not really need to show achievement towards a degree to play basketball. If that is the case, why was Harrick not retained?
By Frank
March 14, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
Joe is full of —it! Probably another false supporter who judges a coach by whether he wears red and black or kisses up to the fair weather fans. Some of the so-called fans who pay only attention to wins and not how they are attained are the same people that I wouldn’t trust any more than Bill Clinton. The team gave everything they had last night as they have been doing nearly every game this season. The critics of the coach show very little real knowledge of basketball and certainly know very little about the process of building a program.
By Donald
March 14, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
I think some of you are being a little hard on Felton. You guys act like he came into a powerhouse program and totally dragged it down with him. Every reasonable person knows it takes time to build a program after what transpired after the Harrick era. Georgia would be doing itself and Felton a great disservice by letting him go.
By The INFAMOUS byoungjr
March 14, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
The bottom line is this. Felton is a mediocre coach. He has shown that he has the ability to win 14-18 games a year. That is his window and he will never do better than that in Athens. The question the becomes does Georgia want to commit to being a top tier Basketball program or do they want to accept mediocrity?
As for the game, the reason Corey Butler got the ball was because Ole Miss had their entire team focused on denying S. Gaines. Felton isn’t smart enough to draw that up; however, we got lucky and won. Felton didn’t outcoach anyone. Heck, we almost gave them the game by fouling them shooting 3’s twice in the last 10 seconds of the half and the OT.
By Thomas
March 14, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this
I wonder how many of the people who want Felton fired are the sames ones saying Mark Richt cannot coach after the losses to UK and Vandy and the losses to USC and UT this year?
Look, with the “alleged” academic fraud, Felton can stay at UGA as long as players make grades and graduate and he wants to stay there. If wins come, so be it.
By Bryan G
March 14, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
I think way to much emphasis is being placed on “well he runs a clean program” and “he doesn’t cheat.”
Those are very important qualities, but guess what? I could do that and I’ve never coached a day of basketball. I mean, I could kick players off a team and not cheat in recruiting.
I think Duke, Florida, Tennessee, UNC, etc., all have coaches who do those things. Guess what they do that Felton doesn’t? Win.
By V.Vance
March 14, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this
Please DO NOT FIRE COACH DENNIS FELTON!!!!! As it has been stated over and over he has spent 2-3 years cleaning up the mess made by Michael Adams and his bud Harrick. If Dooley had not issued the self imposed sanctions when he did I think we would still be cleaning up the mess but the NCAA sanctions may have gotten Adams fired. It might have been worth enduring them to be rid of Adams.
By AltamahaDawg
March 14, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
Bryan I agree. Not cheating is a pretty simple thing to do. I actually dont think Felton was doing anything heroic in kicking his top 2 players off this year. I’m guessing Brown’s need to go JC and previous academic suspension kind of tells that story (and it was speculated to be a lot more serious issue anyway). I think a person would have to conclude that Mike Mercer left Felton absolutely no choice. No way does Felton destroy his season had there been any way around it. So I dont think we owe him anything because of that, BUT I dont think he deserves to be fire because of that either. It is what it is.
Plenty of other coaches would have done the same.
However, the reality is those players were gone, player did get injured. And I’m betting those other coaches would have struggled similarly (relative to where they were before).
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not comparing the coaches or the programs, But looking at Florida for example, tells you just how easy it is to have a year setback. If anything the 2 time NC not even making the tournament is relatively more surprising than UGA that had just begin to climp up.
(FWIW, I beleive FL just like UGA having to play a lot of young players over the cource of the SEC season, while didn’t help the win total, isn’t really a step backwards)
By Johnson
March 14, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this
Ole Miss did EVERYTHING they could to give Uga the win last night and the Dawgs still found almost every way to blow it. A 13 point lead - BLOWN. A 3-point lead at the end of regulation - BLOWN (with a 3-point shot FOUL!). And a 3-point lead at the end of regulation - BLOWN (with a 3-point shot FOUL!…AGAIN)
So we barely beat an Ole Miss team last night that was 7-9 in the SEC. That changes NOTHING. Well, actually we’e no 14-16. Great record. This just gives all those ‘give him another year’ people crap to feed off of.
By Denver Dawg
March 14, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this
The INFAMOUS byoungjr:
You are right on. And the problem is, for some inexplicable reason, there a lots of alumini and fans who doesn’t think Georgia can be a top-tier b-ball program. I completely disagree with them. We can’t do it with Felton. So as long as he’s around we’ll be mediocre. Sure we’ll be better next year if he stays. how can we be worse than last in the SEC? The question is will he ever be the guy leads the Dawgs to become a top-tier b-ball program. I think most rational people could only answer that question one way - NO.
By Cam
March 14, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this
Schultz is a liar. Felton didn’t smile.
By Phil
March 14, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this
How can Evans justify firing Coach Felton, given that this year’s record is due to disciplinary problems. Even though one can say they are Felton’s recruits, firing him now would make UGA look terrible. (Given the Harrick mess, any coach would have no choice but to take more than the normal chances on the personal quality of recruits). I go to every game. Felton is a good coach. Five years is not long enough when in the second year of his tenure he had absolutely no talent to work with due to the Harrick mess. This made getting good talent very difficult for the next two years. His first year team played over their heads, and Felton gets credit. Yes, our team folded regularly this season. The reason is fatigue—not enough good bench players.
By Phil
March 14, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this
I think if Denver Dawg could go back and watch Felton’s second year team’s final 4-6 games—a team with only a fair amount of talent—he would see that Felton can coach UGA to a top tier program.
By Phil
March 14, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
I meant to say “Felton’s first year team.”
By Pitbull
March 14, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
I think the AJC columnists are trying to get Felton fired by continually writing about it. Remember all you dawgs out there that the AJC and it’s hacks are no friends of the Bulldog nation. They just write whatever they can throw together to create controversy to meet their deadlines and to draw as amany eyeballs as possible to the AJC website to max out Cox revenues. Don’t let them run a good man and a great coach out of Athens. It may take Felton a few years to build a winner, but if UGA people are patient, we will have an outstanding program for many years with Felton at the helm. Those who want something faster need to find another school and team to pull for.
By AltamahaDawg
March 14, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
Well technically UGA is not last in the SEC this year. Auburn is.
By Rabun Dawg
March 14, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this
To all of you who want DF fired-just who do you really think wants to come to UGA, other than some smaller school coach, or not so good mid-major program.We have never been a program with great tradition,only mediocre at best thanks to 18 years of old Hughie D.Do not even think of us in the same breath as a UNC or Duke,UK etc.,nor will we ever be.We are a “football school”,have always been, and probably will always be!That is a shame,but have we ever made that strong of a commitment to basketball? Not in my lifetime!
By kc dawg
March 14, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this
First of all, Chan Gailey and Dennis Felton’s situations are not the same. Chan Gailey consistently under achieved with great talent while Dennis Felton hasn’t had the chance to field a talented squad because of NCAA penalties he inherited and the no-nonsense policy that had to be adopted as a result of the sanctions.
Secondly, why does everyone seem to have such a short memory?
By greg
March 14, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
When Bruce Pearl arrived at UT four years ago (a year after Felton came to UGA), he inherited a program on the rocks. After his first year (14-17), his teams have won at least 22 games each year. Thompson-Boling is rocking while UGA rots with lots of excuses and few wins. Whenever someone walks away or is thrown off the team (and that’s a huge group), Felton never takes responsibility. Stegmann can continue to me a sports morgue, or we can get rid of Felton and restore pride to the Red and Black!
By Top Dawg
March 14, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this
One difference though: Felton beat Tech. Gailey NEVER beat UGA.
By AltamahaDawg
March 14, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this
Tn, was a program on the rocks when Pearl arrived? First time I’ve ever heard that. Inherited some of the better players in the league from a previous coach who was one of the better recruiters. How about this….take Loften, and the 2 Smiths, put a sling on thier arm and sit them the entire season this year….ask Pearl how that would affect his team. Not saying he isnt a great coach, but that’s a little silly to compare those situations isnt it? Of cource Felton will never quite as good with the ladies, ehh Bruce, wink.
By AltamahaDawg
March 14, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this
In fact didn he go like 1-4 last year when his best player was out?
By AltamahaDawg
March 15, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this
Realy nice ESPN……..Kentucky should be fine playing 2 games today…..since they only play Georgia??? nice.
By Where'd ya go, Joe?
March 16, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
So, Joe, where are you today with your inadequacies? Sounds like your problem may BE your OWN inadequacies, or maybe some mommy issues. Paging Dr Freud. Dr Freud to the AJC comment page.
By Ken
March 16, 2008 5:53 PM | Link to this
Damon Evans hasn’t made up his mind about whether to fire Dennis Felton because it’s not Evans decision to make. Evans’ puppet master, Mike Adams, is the pressure behind firing Felton. He wants his own Bruce Pearl. We can trust Mike Adams to make the right decision. After all, he is the one who ran off Vince Dooley and hired Jim Harrick
By Jim Dawg
March 17, 2008 12:51 AM | Link to this
All this talk about firing Dennis Felton makes absolutely no sense. No other coach in the USA could have been one-half as successful as Felton. He has taken a team of mostly walk-ons and made most UGA fans proud. Leave him alone and with a full deck he will put UGA basketball back where it belongs - ON TOP.
Good job coach.