AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTenn. Tech has a gem in Mike Sutton
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Didn’t get to put any of this in tonight’s Georgia Tech game story, but Tennessee Tech has interesting stories, not to mention seven players from Georgia.
Sorry, Jackets fans, for upcoming references to your dreaded rival. But not really.
I first met TT coach Mike Sutton in 1996, when I covered Tubby Smith and Jim Donnan’s first seasons at Georgia. Sutton was an assistant, an incredibly pleasant man.
Had no clue until tonight that in 2005 he was afflicted with Guillaine-Barre syndrome, with which the body’s immune system goes haywire and attacks parts of the peripheral nervous system. Just a few years after he finally got his break as a head coach after being an assistant for years in places like Virginia Commonwealth, Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky, it landed him in a motorized wheelchair. He eventually transitioned to the walker he uses now (though he still sometimes uses a wheelchair).
Limited greatly in his ability to move, he still guided the Golden Eagles to a 19-12 record that season, and a third-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference. Last season, 19-13 and third place in the OVC again.
Tennessee Tech is 4-9, with losses at Florida, Kentucky and Tech, plus a win at Oregon State. But for a few very narrow losses, the Golden Eagles’ record would look different.
Few men could have more to be bitter about yet be so gracious.
Sutton spent the first five or six minutes after the game Thursday night thanking Paul Hewitt for allowing him to bring so many players “home” for a game, gushing about the job Bobby Cremins did years ago in turning around Tech (he attended Cremins’ camps as a high school coach) and complimenting Hewitt as one of college basketball’s most upstanding men.
He went on to reflect on the two years he spent in the state of Georgia, the fun he had — except when Georgia’s G.G. Smith cramped up late in one of the Georgia-Georgia Tech games — and again thank Hewitt for letting him bring half his team home.
The Golden Eagles were led Thursday by senior Anthony Fisher (23 points) of Alpharetta’s Chattahoochee High and Amadi McKenzie (16 points, 11 rebounds) of Washington High, where he would have been a student at the same time as Tech cornerback Avery Roberson.
Daniel Northern of Houston County High — south of Warner Robins — had 11 points and seven rebounds, and Frank Davis of East Hall was limited by a hand injury. Other TT players from Georgia include Mario Stowers (Hartwell), grumpy Ra’shun Bryant (Coosa High in Rome), and Bassey Inameti of Peachtree Ridge (he’s redshirting).
After Sutton’s turn at the microphone, which prompted just two questions from a modest media contingent, he said, “that was easy.” I said, “That’s because you made it easy. Thank you for your great stories.”
Sutton spent a few more minutes in the hallway, reminiscing a little longer, with wife Karen nearby. He recognized me, but probably couldn’t attach a name to my aging face, and held out a shrunken, trembling hand. I re-introduced myself. We chatted a bit more about the Tech-Georgia games as he recalled them (I couldn’t remember a single detail), and I spoke of Dogs’ trip that year to the Sweet 16, where they lost in double overtime to Syracuse as the Orangemen hopped on the considerable back of John Wallace in Denver.
He spoke of former Georgia star Shandon Anderson getting just a fingernail on Wallace’s game-winning shot. Then Paul Hewitt came by, and wondered why the media interview room was empty. Reporters soon followed him back in there.
Mike Sutton was why. Great man, terrible break.
But still incredibly pleasant. Earth could use more people like Mike.
Comments
By yellowblood
December 28, 2007 5:56 AM | Link to this
What a game last night! What a Tickle Pile!
By yellowbloods boss
December 28, 2007 7:09 AM | Link to this
Damn you yellowblood. You got 10w30 all over my key board. Get back in the shop. Please wear a t-shirt under you overalls tomorrow, thats nasty. We are going to need you on Sunday as well.
By Goodstuff
December 28, 2007 8:35 AM | Link to this
Good stories, Matt, but dude you got to get over yourself. You ruined the whole blog with your oversensitive, self-absorbed prologue. As long as you write columns, people are goning to have different opinions and criticize. You can’t take all that stuff to heart….
By Matt Winkeljohn
December 28, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this
Goodstuff,
What in the world are you trying to say? It’s a good feeling knowing I’m not the only one who isn’t making sense.
Matt
By GT80
December 28, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this
Matt, the stories about Sutton & TT were good, but what Goodstuff was saying was why even bring up the issue of our dreaded rivalry or the issue of being paid by the word. It’s a blog and there are normally more idiots on a blog than rational people, so don’t be concerned with the idiots that criticize you.
I put this on the other blog but thought I’d repeat it here…what has happened to Mohammed Faye. I didn’t hear anything but noticed he wasn’t even on the bench last night. Do you have any insight?
By Ramblin Wrecker
December 28, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this
Winklejohn,
How about some insight into Paul Johnson’s coaching staff? Is Giff Smith staying? Are any of GT’s players seriously considering transferring? These are the stories that we want to talk about.
By GT
December 28, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this
Matt you are making a lot of sense. I was thinking last night as I watched the game these guys that go directly into the NBA miss the grassroots of the game. Mike Sutton and hundreds of others across the nation really guard the game. Everybody knows who a Hewitt or Smith is, but for the little guy that doesn’t have quite that talent or opportunity it is a Mike Sutton that is important. He hangs around and picks up the pieces after the major programs come through. He becomes close friends with dozens of high school coaches trying to find that project. You usually see a coach like this in every high school gym in America. These guys are there because they truly love the game, and they give back. And I am sure looking at TT’s roster, and where they come from,Sutton improves a lot of lives doing so.
By Matt Winkeljohn
December 28, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this
GT80,
Mouhammad Faye continues to be on a leave of absence for personal reasons. This came out before the Centenary game Dec. 22. Paul Hewitt said the decision was mutual, but mostly Mouhammad’s. As of yesterday, no more word. I asked Paul.
My guess is Faye is contemplating transferring, and exploring options.
As for Paul Johnson and the coaching staff, Mike Knobler is covering the football team. I’ve had very little contact with football for weeks. I’m not going to speculate.
Matt
By Sonny Chaffin
December 28, 2007 1:54 PM | Link to this
Matt Just a question. Do the gurus like Bisher et al have an obligation to publish commentaries on a regualar basis (daily, weekly, biweekly, etc.)
It seems they’ve got a cushy job, showing up to work but writing nothing for weeks on end (believe me except for Furman, why do I care.)
Am I wrong, or do Bark Madley,Terrence, etc. really work for their $$$$$$’s
SanDiegoJacket
By Bulloney
December 28, 2007 9:24 PM | Link to this
For a school without a journalism program, you Jackets sure do spend a lot of time criticizing your beat writers.
By Davey
December 29, 2007 2:40 AM | Link to this
Ain’t going to argue with Bulloney here….. For those who don’t know Giff is staying so that puts all of that to rest. It will announced publicly on January 2nd.
Now back to the blog……I thought it was outstanding. Keep up the work Matt I enjoy reading you blogs. The Jackets are about to get on a roll and I want you blogging all the way. Good day sir! (or should I say morning)
By MisterT
December 30, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this
Matt, I thought it was a good story. I understand the points that were made byt the others, but it was part of the story. You should not have apologized for it out of the gate and I imagine less would have been made of it. Coaches travel and at some point they will usually have been at one of our rivals at some point. The point is that this was more of an inspirational story that a blog about Tech.
Please do stay on top of what we are hoping is a turn around for the Jackets.
For the information of the AJC, I doubt I am the only one that has completely stopped reading Jeff Shultz. I hope he has been completely rmoved from the Tech beat. I am sure there is a way for the AJC to monitor this. I hope other Tech failthful will join me in this. I won’t read him even if it is not about Tech.