By Burdell's Brother

January 22, 2007 04:01 PM | Link to this

Let’s face it, this team lacks heart and fire! I believe it starts with Hewitt, while watching the piece on the team’s practice on Gameday, I was amazed at the lack of fire that compared to the last practice we saw (the team that was national runner-up) in which Hewitt did not like the intensity, took off the mic, took them into the locker room and chewed them a new one. As Jimmy Migenty said in the movie “the Replacements” we need heart…miles and miles of heart. Lets see if they find some, and a little pride after the whipping they touted at UNC. The game on WED night will tell us all we need to know about this team and the state of the program!

By stings to lose

January 22, 2007 04:05 PM | Link to this

Tech should win four of the remaining five road games-the one in Durham seems doubtful. This assumption does consider that Tech will utilize a better/different in-bound method…

By Jon

January 22, 2007 04:08 PM | Link to this

Don’t worry so much. The Jackets should pick up multiple road wins before tourney time. Wake and FSU are not very good and Maryland and UVA are beatable, too. This could be the year that the Jackets sweep Duke as well because GT is athletic as anyone in the conference.

By please define heart

January 22, 2007 04:09 PM | Link to this

.

By INcredibility

January 22, 2007 04:11 PM | Link to this

Ugh, I think we should just give it up and hope for the best in the NIT.

By jjgrogan

January 22, 2007 04:12 PM | Link to this

Matt, I love and appreciate your column. What is your take on how much this team can improve (and it needs to in several key areas: turn overs, offensive and defensive movement) as the season progesses?

By Burdell's Brother

January 22, 2007 04:18 PM | Link to this

please define heart.

Showing up on National TV after having a week to prepare. Not getting hit in the face with a pass and seeming not to give a damn. Caring more about your team than the stat sheet, making the extra pass….need I go on because I will be more than happy to.

Heart=Passion…any questions?

By Ramble ON!

January 22, 2007 04:22 PM | Link to this

Hewitt must get this team to the big dance. 2 years in a row is unacceptable, especially with this talent.

By Disappionting

January 22, 2007 05:09 PM | Link to this

I’ve tried to hold my tongue (or keyboard) regarding Dickey, but someone needs to call him out. In the ACC where there is a lack of quality big men, Dickey should be dominate (or at least serviceable) Dickey line last game vs. UNC 33 minutes 6 pts 4 rebounds, 4 fouls.

As a junior who has been in the program 3 years and played alot of ACC games he should be better than this…. (he should be at least 16 pt. 10 rebound guy) He has talent, but no desire. very disappionting……

By Mike

January 22, 2007 05:17 PM | Link to this

How quickly we forget. This is the same coach who took a team with only 1 NBA quality athlete to the finals of the NCAA Tourney just a couple of years ago. Has he forgotten how to coach? I don’t think so. Maybe the athletes are not yet what they seemed to be. Maybe guys like Dickey just will never be what Tech fans want tem to be. Maybe the coaching staff is getting the best out of these guys that there is, and maybe we simply over-estimate the atheletes we have available?? Maybe it has nothing to do with coaching, or heart or desire….maybe this is simply a bunch of guys doing the best they can do.

Lighten up folks.

By Navigator

January 22, 2007 06:02 PM | Link to this

Crap!Crap!Crap! When this season started, I thought this team (with 3 prominent freshmen) would win no more than 16 games. Obviously, they are ahead of schedule. Young people are inconsistent, so eventually they will win a road game. Don’t worry 20 wins is well within reason, and possibly a win in the ACC tournament. Be cool, feel happy, and don’t fret.

By WhitePowerDawg

January 22, 2007 06:09 PM | Link to this

DEATH TO ALL TECHIES!!!!!!!

GOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!!

WHITE POWER WILL PREVAIL!!!!!!

By Bill

January 22, 2007 06:18 PM | Link to this

The Maryland game is a very tough spot. They have lost 2 in a row on the road and the Tech game is sandwiched between 2 more after on the road for Md. The Terps will be desperate. Bad spot for Tech, but if they are going to get to the NCAA’s , they will have to win a few on the road. Beating a Md team who has owned Tech of late would do wonders for their confidence. They are good enough, but something is lacking. maybe Vitale will actually be right when he says Tech will take off after they find a way to get that road win. God knows they have been painfully close many times over the streak. Wish Jeremis would shoot more, he sparks the team.

By Bill

January 22, 2007 06:23 PM | Link to this

WhitePowerDawg…the civil war ended in the 19th century. Your comment shows what a lowlife you are. Hope your white sheets are clean. My guess is you probably soiled them.

By 91Wreck

January 22, 2007 06:24 PM | Link to this

Good point Mike. I know I get to wound up on these blogs - but that is what they are for. Most of the people who take the time to write comments on these blogs are passionate about GT sports.

I have been a Chan supporter, but I certainly understand all of the criticism that has been heaped on him. But the same should hold true for Hewitt. He is a nice guy, a great recruiter, and a good fit for Georgia Tech. I don’t want to see him go anywhere. However, it is becoming painfully obvious that he is Bobby Cremins Jr. Translation - he is not a good floor coach.

My father is a retired High School basketball coach (30+ years as a head coach). He sent several players to Division I programs. He is very knowledgeable of the game. So when he sees Tech making the same mistakes over and over again (especially mistakes high school players shouldn’t make) it leads him to the same conclusion - Hewitt is not a good floor coach.

You are correct that we should lighten up a bit - but the criticism of Hewitt is justified.

By Navigator

January 22, 2007 06:26 PM | Link to this

WhitePowerDawg: We’re not sure how to do the death thing. Why don’t do it first, so we can learn how it’s done.

By GetSomeSoon

January 22, 2007 06:28 PM | Link to this

WhitePowerDawg: Now you know your mama ain’t white. Stop rejecting your brothers and be who you are.

By Bill

January 22, 2007 06:49 PM | Link to this

91Wreck..I understand your points…I remember the Tn game a few years back when Elder missed the first of 2 FT’s with less than a second left with Tech leading by one. Instead of telling Elder to miss the 2nd, he swished it leaving a play for Tn to get off, in which the player hit a 3 pt half-court shot to win. despite the obvious prayer, Tn should have never been in that position. These are the things that bother me about him. However, a think you a bit too harsh. I think the real problems are the players and their lack of understanding simple things on defense like interior rotation in the lane and their lack of concentration on leaving open shooters on the strong side of the zone. You didn’t see those types of gaffes when Bynum, Jack etc were there too often. I do wish he would use Bell, Aminu and Diaw 5-7 minutes a game because they all play with high intensity out there and could create pressure on the ball while giving more skilled players like Young, Smith a breather for the end of the game. Again, this team does have the talent, but they lack basketball sense on defense (MORROW, DICKEY).

By Dr. Ming

January 22, 2007 07:36 PM | Link to this

WhitePowerDawg,

The Superior man seeks of what is in himself. What the mean man seeks is in others.

By dadgum

January 22, 2007 08:51 PM | Link to this

The Jackets will win all home games remaining as well as UCONN. Yes I think they will beat UNC. Unfortunately their only road win will be at Wake Forest and that is shaky. There are no easy games on the road in the ACC and unless you are the top team you aren’t expected to win. The Jackets are young and sporadic. That doesn’t spell victory on the road. The fact that they are super talented will get them home wins. The Jackets miss Clinch more than Hewitt lets on. Don’t believe him when he say they don’t. They do and in a big way.

The Jackets will lose to Maryland for two reasons. #1 - they never win there. #2 - Maryland just lost a tough game at VT in overtime. Maryland has to protect home court—and they will. Call it Maryland 81-72 pulling away at the end on foul shots.

By 91Wreck

January 22, 2007 09:06 PM | Link to this

Agreed Bill - I probably am a little bit harsh. I agree with your other points as well. Good post.

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 22, 2007 09:41 PM | Link to this

All the heart and passion in the world is almost never going to make up for superior talent. UNC’s 3 best players are significantly better than Tech’s 3 best players. This team is going to suffer through some inconsistency due to their inexperience, but the ACC is pretty wide open this year, and most other teams are also pretty inexperienced. Like the College Gameday crew pointed out, after UNC the talent level in the ACC is just about even between the rest of the teams. I wouldn’t be so pessimistic about Tech receiving an NCAA bid.

By GTA

January 22, 2007 09:59 PM | Link to this

They don’t play together, each player is trying to make their own shot and thats now how UNC operated, that’s why they won. They were super unselfish with the ball. Tech has the talent to beat UNC and the depth, but unless they start playing more like a team, they’re never gonna get there.

By WFC

January 23, 2007 06:52 AM | Link to this

People forget that Jack often strugggled as a frosh. Crittendon will be All-ACC as a junior. He played against weak competition in high school and is adjusting. However, GT should have exploited the JC vs. Lawson physical mismatch by having JC post up more.

Dickey is smooth around the basket and GT needed more patience in trying to get the ball down low to him in order to get Hansborough in foul trouble.

Run plays for Morrow and force him to move without the ball.

GT misses Clinch because he gave them another shooter to free up Morrow.

Hewitt needs to look at his routines for road games.

GT should win at Marylnd because it has better players. It was unreasonable to expect a win at UNC for the same reason in reverse.

Perhaps, Hewitt should hire a veteran “x’s and o’s” assistnt coach for help during games. It’s diffficult for a head coach to see everything given his in-game responsibilities.

Patience! Virginia Tech is competitive because it has two talented senior guards. UNC can get away with youth in he back court because it has overwheming talent, the best in the nation. Even mighty Duke has struggled at times this year because its back court is learning.

GT’s talent level is improving and will continue to improve next year. However, GT needs to recruit a true “big guy.” Zoubek will eventually be a “presence in the paint” for Duke as “big Luke” was for us. Neither big guy was “long and athletic” but both played an importnt role.

By jon01

January 23, 2007 08:57 AM | Link to this

I don’t think what we believe as underachievement is Hewitt’s fault. I’ve really tried to look at this thoroughly & when I did Gary Williams came to mind. Maryland won the Nat’l Ch. and then nothing else. I all think that we would agree that Gary Williams is a great coach. Hewitt has proven himself once just like Williams, but that doesn’t mean that we are going to be great every year. We are always competitive and the talent we are getting consistently competes with anyone in the country. Give Hewitt a long career here and we will have great success in March, but that doesn’t mean we will do it every year. Even though there is a ton of talent, it is still very young and some teams just gel better than others regardless of talent. Look how far West has come in his career, imagine what these young guys can progress to assuming a few stay. The basketball program is in good shape, the one we should be worried about is the football program led by MR. MEDIOCRITY.

By GaTech faithful

January 23, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this

I believe we have the talent to win on the road on wednesday and other dates down the line…but the question is do we have the determination and desire to do so. I can tell that crittenton wants to win because of what paul hewitt has said in AJC articles…that makes 1, does anyone else on the team care? And seriously! Dickey! could easily be a 15 and 8 guy or better. hes shown signs of life in certain games and then totally sucked in others…i dont get it with him?! someone please help the guy realize his potential!!

By INcredibility

January 23, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this

I hate the word “frosh.” It makes our boys sound like drinks from Starbucks.

By Realistic Ricky

January 23, 2007 01:12 PM | Link to this

Sometimes we tend to criticize our own team too much and do not praise our rivals enough. Roy Williams will be in the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame when he retires. He coaches at one of the TOP 5 NCAA basketball programs of all time. His current team is as talented as ANY in the country today. I did not expect GT to win the NC game on Saturday night. With all of that said, I believe GT did underachieve at NC last Saturday night, any way you slice it. After three consecutive games of playing well and showing improvement, the performance against NC was a major disappointment. I also believe the Maryland game will be the MOST IMPORTANT game of this season, and will ultimately determine whether GT makes it to the NCAA tournament in 2007. I will be pulling hard for GT to win. Go Jackets!!!

By Sloshing thru the Rain in Seattle

January 23, 2007 02:53 PM | Link to this

I believe that we are on the verge of having a very good team. Give them the chance to prove this. The beginning of the second half of conference play, plus the upcoming ACC tourney will demonstrate that this team will make the NCAA tourney. Where they go in the NCAA tourney is still in doubt, however, they will be there. Be tolerant and show patience, and it will happen.